Desperately Random ([info]crossoverman) wrote in [info]tommywestphall,
@ 2005-09-09 17:25:00
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Current mood: cheerful
Current music:Sarah Mclachlan Remixes
Entry tags:grid update

WARNING: Cigarette Smoking Expands Universe
From one bizarre crossover connection to several - all because of The X Files and the Cigarette Smoking Man's Morley Cigarettes.

You see, actor James Marsters (Spike on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel") was wrong when he said only his vampire character and the XF's CSM were the only ones to smoke Morleys.

According to this page on Morley Cigarettes at the Wikipedia, the fictional brand has invaded other series - and made their big screen debut as well.

So while the Tommy Westphall Universe has a rule outlawing movies (so we can't add Prozac Nation, Spy Game or thirteen) we love minutiae and obscure fictional objects as connective tissue.

Thus with the help of Wikipedia and tele_toby (here and here): Malcolm in the Middle, Jake 2.0 and Special Unit 2 find their way into Tommy Westphall's Mind

New to the Multiverse Site: The Grid, Key and Stats are now available in separate PDF files - as well as together in one giant Multiverse PDF. The Grid as jpeg is also available in two sizes. Check them out!


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[info]smashsc
2005-09-09 05:50 am UTC (link)
We really are the best kind of insane. (-:

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[info]very_improbable
2005-09-09 06:32 am UTC (link)
The specter of that bastard Chris Carter continues to haunt me in every corner of fandom.

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[info]crossoverman
2005-09-09 04:48 pm UTC (link)
Yes, it's terrible that he continues to rise from the ashes.

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[info]momsdinercodelj
2005-09-09 12:21 pm UTC (link)
Nice.

I still would like to find the name of the prop house responsible and a list of their "products". All sorts of random fictional products appear on the tube, and it only makes sense that others besides Morley cigarettes would cross between shows on the Grid and ones that haven't made it on yet.

Malcolm would be a particularly good show to scan for those additional connections, especially since a discount store full of random products has been a frequent setting.





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[info]crossoverman
2005-09-09 04:48 pm UTC (link)
Malcolm would be a particularly good show to scan for those additional connections, especially since a discount store full of random products has been a frequent setting.

Oh, you're so right. And I'm scared!!!

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Playpen
[info]tele_toby
2005-09-10 12:01 pm UTC (link)
"we love minutiae and obscure fictional objects as connective tissue."

Well then....

How about Playpen Magazine?

'The X-Files'
If I'm not mistaken, Mulder read it.
'Millennium'
stacks of the mag were found in a murder victim's room
'Homicide: Life On The Street'
Meldrick was "reading the articles" when discovered by Steivers
'Ally McBeal'
She gave an inmate a copy for "inspiration" when she needed to smuggle his sperm out of prison

That covers the basic Westphallian uinverse right there.

Plus there's:
'Brenegade'
Arlene Dahl played the publisher of the magazine in an episode.
'That Girl'
Ann Marie found her head superimposed on a nude centerfold in an issue
'CSI'
found during a warranted search after a family's baby was found dead
and from the "Tooniverse"
'Family Guy'
not sure of the circumstances as to why Peter had a copy (yeah, right)

And that's just off the top of my head. I'll have to check my files for more.....

tele-toby

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Re: Playpen
[info]crossoverman
2005-09-10 06:27 pm UTC (link)
Also:

Grosse Pointe
- topless photos of one actress are sold to the magazine
3rd Rock from the Sun
- Sally is excited when learning photographers from the mag are coming to town
Married with Children (already in the Westphall-verse)
- Al reads it!
Pacific Blue
- I've never heard of it, blame Google!!


Except, it seems, there was a magazine called Playpen way back when - in the 60s and early 70s. There isn't any more, which lends some creedence to it connecting TV universes...

What do we think?

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Re: Playpen
[info]tele_toby
2005-09-10 06:35 pm UTC (link)
Woops.

I meant "Renegade". Not "Brenegade".

sounds like one of those stooopid celebrity mash-ups like Bennifer and Bradgelina.

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Re: Playpen
(Anonymous)
2005-09-11 04:25 am UTC (link)
Also, I'm positive it appeared on "That 70's Show."

We also could use the Donuts Donuts boxes that appear in some places.

Hugh

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Re: Playpen
[info]crossoverman
2005-09-11 06:41 am UTC (link)
Also, I'm positive it appeared on "That 70's Show."

That sounds right...

We also could use the Donuts Donuts boxes that appear in some places.

I'm inclined to avoid that over something like Playpen which is verbally mentioned a lot.

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(Anonymous)
2007-08-03 12:46 am UTC (link)
Hold the phone!
How are we certain that all Morley appearances are, in fact, X-Files references? Morley, in of itself, is nothing more than a Marlboro parody. Is it impossible for the other shows to simply be avoiding copyright issues and got the first realistic ciggarette pack prop they could find?
Just food for thought.

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[info]crossoverman
2007-08-03 12:53 am UTC (link)
They aren't all X-Files references, no. But a fictional product connects two shows in the same way that a fictional character does. The problem with fictional products is - as you say - they are being used to avoid copyright issues. So the connections are harder to track.

But there are legitimate crossovers and connections made with fictional companies that can't be ignored - going all the way back to the Weigert Corporation of St Elsewhere.

So... we have thought about it. :-)

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(Anonymous)
2007-08-03 07:22 pm UTC (link)
So, you just include anything that could be interpreted as a shared universe without questioning whether or not its a real reference?
Plus, why don't you have all the other appearances of Morley's found on Wikipedia?

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[info]crossoverman
2007-08-04 01:25 am UTC (link)
So, you just include anything that could be interpreted as a shared universe without questioning whether or not its a real reference?

Pretty much. In some cases, it's so obviously just an in-joke, but fits the rules for inclusion - so we include it.

Plus, why don't you have all the other appearances of Morley's found on Wikipedia?

Because Wikipedia is open for editing by all and Tommy Westphall is a project by myself and [info]westphallian.

There's only a couple of series there that we haven't added in. Most of the rest of the list are movies, which don't count.

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(Anonymous)
2007-08-11 03:17 am UTC (link)
Okay...
That still doesn't make much sense. That is to say, this is incredibly thin ice here.
Linking several shows via a coincidince is quite tenative. I myself, thus far anyway, do not include Morley as a valid connector.
Then again, I also exclude Red Dwarf (and all connected through it), and do include anthology series (very specific episodes), variety shows (mainly just Guido Sarducci sketches), and canonical animated spin-offs (such as ALF: The Animated Series or Gilligan's Planet).

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[info]crossoverman
2007-08-11 04:11 am UTC (link)
To each his own. We have our own rules. Several others here post on the same subject of shared fictional universes and have their own rules for inclusion as well.

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