How is a gun like Vampire Karaoke?

[sarahmichigan]

When you introduce either one in the first act, you know something awful will happen by the end of the show...

Comments

[pstscrpt.livejournal.com]

I saw Chekhov's Gun, and I assumed it was going to be about Star Trek.

[simianpower.livejournal.com]

To be fair, Vampire Karaoke IS something awful in its own right.

Regarding Chekhov's maxim, I strongly disagree with it. If every element MUST be used it leaves no mystery at all. I hate predictable, plodding storylines. But then, I was bored by everything I've seen of Chekhov as well, so no surprise there.

[sarahmichigan.livejournal.com]

I dunno. I think there's a place for the red herring, but I think there's a balance. Sometimes authors will throw in characters and situations and objects and go into detail about them, and by the end of the book, you're wondering, "What happened to so-and-so?" or "Why did he go on and on about that book when it never contributed anything to the plot?"

[simianpower.livejournal.com]

True, a balance needs to be struck. I'm not on the "make everything a red herring" camp either.

[sylo-tode.livejournal.com]

I think that, for the most part, these elements should be something you might see but don't pay much attention to but when it pays off you say, "Of course!" or you see/read it again, "How could I have missed that?!"