MFU 30-Day Meme: Day 25

[carabele]

Day 25 – Something you wish you could go back and change: Illya losing his Russian-ness as the series went on

Coming into the home stretch on this meme!

Answer here is self-explanatory. Illya was more interesting when he was more Russian. He lost more and more of that part of his character in each successive season after the first. And that is something I would definitely change if I could.

Comments

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

When you look at the stories along with the decrease in the Russian angle, it's easy to see why it is diminished. After the first season, the entire mood of the show changed and eliminated that edginess that had worked so well with the east/west idea. They were actually even less like spies and more... something else. I like them, but the glimmer of genius that made it special in that first season never was visible after that.
Fan fiction has actually done more for the ambiance of the show than the writers of seasons 2-4 managed.

[carabele.livejournal.com]

Fanfiction though, much as I adore it (and write it), is often over-the-top. I definitely would not have wanted the show to go in that vein.

But I do admit the edginess of Season 1 continuing through subsequent seasons would have been my preference.

[elmey.livejournal.com]

I wish he'd kept the accent :)

I liked the idea he was Russian, and when writing Illya keep it in the back of my mind. I didn't find him less interesting as the series went on, I think the chemistry between NS and IK became more central over time and I liked that. But I would also have liked a little more attention to his Soviet background.