How to Succeed in Evil » Edwin 2.0

I like the new Edwin. The vaguely English accent works well with his newly ramped up sense of arrogance. There’s more depth to him now than there was before.

Not sure how I feel about the Invisibility Suit ™, but I guess it makes sense in a world with superheros/villains.

I definitely like the idea of Edwin’s visit being the distraction from the real event. That was clever.

Are you planning on redoing the whole ten episode set? Also, are you planning on doing more prequel stuff, or are you planning to move on with the rest of the story? (I really want to see where the story goes from here!)

Thanks for the podcast!

I really, really hated it. Sorry, but I had to get that out of the way.

I adore the podcast, and when I first ran across it, I listened to every episode, then sat down my husband, and listened to it with him. One of I things I liked best about Edwin is that he is a business man. He’s cold, calculating, and yes, laconic. I think making him (rather prototypically) British is a shortcut for character development. He’s well-educated! He’s snide! He’s snooty! He goes to a tailor! Of course he does! He’s British! (I do like the development on his relationship with Mrs. T, though. Good stuff. I’d also be interested in why he became an Evil Efficiency Consultant in the first place.)

Meh. I still think the character is fabulous and I love the story-arc, but you took a really unique character and tried to cram him into a neat category.

Wel…I

I can see you writing yourself in a corner with the old version, but one of the things I liked about the old one is his sense of disappointment in everything. This new one isn’t bad, but is running a little close to Thomas Crown. I think we would need a bit more character development to get a better sense of him. Do what you need to do, but keep the stories coming. Maybe rewrite a few more and see how they go.

I always thought Edwin HAD a unique personality before, and that he was defined by his actions. He doesn’t need a stereotypical accent. Remember that Edwin who craved a game of golf only to have it dampered by his own self doubt about life? That was Edwin for me! I love the podcast and have and will continue to introduce it to everyone I can. Please keep up the good work and continue in the old-Edwin style. Thanks!

I’m torn. I like the background retcon, and I like that the voices are more distinctive. However, I’m in agreement that he’s become a bit too much like the typical British villain common in many films. I also understand that he’s a bit too “uber” to be an appropriate character.

On the accent, I would consider a different one. Perhaps a Bostonian accent would be more appropriate?

On the character limitations, Edwin needs someone who is clever than he is as a foil. Perhaps Tupwaddle can be revamped into that role?

Finally, I think we need to see more of Edwin, but it doesn’t have to be internal monologue. I’m thinking of casting Edwin as a Sherlockian role (or perhaps Gregory House is a better modern example). Topper makes a decent Watson in his own bloodthirsty way, and a sounding board for Edwin’s ideas (and ultimately his personality). It still keeps that intriguing distance that some of the posters above liked, but gives him more to latch on to.

Hope these comments help!

You guys rock. This feedback is a tremendous help. Casts into sharp relief what works about the character and the story. I can’t tell you what it means to have help thinking about this. But I will try in the next podcast.

Thanks again.

I could find some things to like about the new Edwin, but honestly I think I prefer the old one. The new Edwin seems a bit too cartoony, so to speak, in his blue blooded snobbishness. The old Edwin was simply driven to efficiency to a degree that in its own way made him super human. I always liked that about this comic. The contrast between the outrageous “super villain” world in which Edwin operates and his own rigidly pragmatic personality.

I can see where you might be concerned about the lack of “human passions” in the character, but from the start I’d always appreciated how rarely Edwin lowered his guard. I think that was what made those oh so few instances in which he does display some form or measure of heated emotion all the more cherished for the reader. Edwin’s moments of emotion (such as his sadness and seething rage in the wake of Edna’s death to the subtle tone of righteous distain for the assorted super-whatever’s who would dare to oppose him Edwin displayed in “So They’ll Know”) are valuable because they are rare. You have to dig for them, seek them out, but you know they are there nonetheless.

As I’ve followed this story from its start I’ve come to respect and trust your skill as a storyteller enough to know that whatever path you decide to take with Edwin the quality of the work will remain solid. However, since you have requested the advice of your audience I’ll tell you the same thing my father often tells me “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”.

I did prefer the old Edwin. I can understand why you ran into problems, but you could exploit Edna’s dying words to have a reset switch for Edwin. Let him take over the world completely one way, then he fixes one problem. Lets say something like the economy of country x, this takes all the available capital and Edwin is back to square one.

Next episode, new way to take over the world. It might tie in well with his perfectionist approach. Let the series end with him being elected to the position of World President for life by popular acclaim to the chagrin of every law enforcement agency and government in the world.

Thanks for a great series btw, the new stuff is just strange and unusual. The strange and unusual scares me, I loved the Edwin 1.0, Edwin 2.0 will just need adjusting to. Then I’ll complain all over again if you need another revamp.

Take care,

Paul

Pat:

P.S. - Regarding your fears for the original Edwin’s laconic superiority being a drawback…you really have something strong there, and there’s truly nothing wrong with your principal character being aloof, smooth, and damn near invincible.

There is a precedent for this, in the TV series “House”. The actor Hugh Laurie commented once that, typically in movies, the central character evolves along a particular arc, while dealing along the way with supporting characters who themselves don’t change much. Laurie noted that, by contrast, “House” reverses that, where the protagonist is pretty set in his ways, an above-it-all genius, etc., but the people around him undergo significant evolutions.

This kind of dynamic certainly applies to your work, and that’s - as Edwin would say - definitely a mark in the plus column. Having Edwin surrounded by various characters who reach their own epiphanies - mixed with triumphs and disasters - while Edwin himself floats along at a higher plane of awareness…why not? No need to mess with it, man. It works!

P.S. - I majored in English, minored in History, then dabbled in “art” for a while, too, before moving into Medicine. Your creation is, as we say, alert and oriented times four, with a bounding regular pulse. Bravo, mate.

I want to leave comment more to assure you that there are so many of us out here who love your work to date.

Ultimately, you need to do what excites you because if you don’t like it we won’t; that said, I preferred the old Edwin. His almost disinterested interactions with others lends credence to his superiority. To mirror others, I don’t like the gadget, seems too dues-ex-machina. Besides, Edwin didn’t need it. He could have walked out; the FBI didn’t have anything on him that would stand up in court.

I do like the changes to the FBI, recognizing the truth of Edwin’s logic, but determined to stop him anyway - just because that’s what they do.

Hello and thank you for this wonderful podcast.
I must agree with most of the commentators, I prefer old Edwin to the new one. You see, I think, being an Efficiency Consultant, and a very efficient and a smart one makes your hero fascinating enough. Giving Edwin a fake “English” accent and invisibility suit make him what some call “mu-ha-ha” evil, a step away from your typical catroonish Boris with bushy eyebrows, top hat and agenda of the 5 year old child who was denied his Nintendo DS.
http://www.worldbeardchampionships.com/heinz%20pg.html
Although amusing, this is not the same Edwin I came to love and admire, thanks to your brilliant writing and reading of the character. I look at Edwin and I see “Coca-Cola”, “Philip Morris”, “Merck” and “Halliburton”, motivated only by their profit, beyond “good and evil”, calculating, lacking sentiment, and yes above all “EFFICIENT” . Well, maybe not “Halliburton” since it doesn’t seem to have its sh-t together anymore. But Edwin always has his together, and that is his superpower! Edwin the Evil Efficiency Consultant is not evil at all, but merely very good at what he does. So yea, that one is not really “dark” and “evil”, but “gray” and “mysterious”. Smug and elegant, like Garak from “Star Trek Deep Space 9”, cynical and positively unstoppable like Mister Hurst from the “Deadwood”. But above all puzzling and unpredictable.
Sorry if I overstepped and thank you again. Keep up the great work!

Well, you’ve already made a podcast response to the comments but I’ll throw in my 2 cents anyhow. Although I did see some advantages in the new “improvements” Edwin gains in the revamp, the change to his character as how I believe many people envisioned him has changed significantly.

How did we see him before? He’s essentially Batman minus the troubled childhood and secondary personality. Pragmatic, intelligent and terribly efficient. Like a Bruce Wayne dealing with super villains and heroes alike without fancy James Bond gadgets, martial arts or super powers of his own. Thats what got me hooked on the podcasts. Edna pretty much an “Alfred” as stated by Michael, but it might have been nice to see her live longer so there could be an interaction between her and Topper. Probably overdone, but they’re like two sides of a coin. Topper being excess and Edna as restraint.

As for character foils, I don’t really like the idea of changing the FBI into a smarter “L” (manga: Deathnote) type character would help balance the scales. It just feels better that the FBI are just waiting to pounce on Edwin if he ever screws up. Sorta like waiting for a Mob boss to be caught in the act. As I see Edwin now in his evolution, he’s only taken down small fry heroes and villains with a possible exception of the Cromoglodon. It would be interesting to see him pitted against stronger “smarter” heros and villains in his conquest of eliminating the opposition. Like a Microsoft vs the world situation in the 90’s. Constantly eating up smaller companies till meeting up with a heavily resistant opponent and plagued by the Justice dept.

And finally, I preferred the emotionless Edwin for the most part. I would best think of Edwin in relation to television shows as a Vulcan (Star Trek) gone evil or rather seeking a more efficient path for society. His logic should conquer all! We don’t see enough villainy actually succeeding anyhow. Since thats what this podcast is about, lets keep it that way.

While I’m ranting anyway, I didn’t really like the death scene with Edna where Edwin shows a bit of emotion. It was… hmmm. Like the death scene of Harry Osborn in Spiderman 3. Felt thrown in to conclude a character line without care of what further development could bring to the main character.

No British Edwin, please. I love Edwin 1.0. Also, corny gadgets cheapen the character.