Why wouldn't Connor Murphy's parents check Connor's phone for texts from Evan?

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 10:27am

and realize "Wow, you're not in his contacts at all and you have no texts to each other."

it's 2017, just absolutely realistically as teens they would've been texting.


the more you stew on the plot of that show, I feel the foundation starts to crumble a bit.

Updated On: 10/13/17 at 10:27 AM

[little_sally]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 10:31am

I've always had the same thought, more or less. I'm not sure that many 17 year old boys are communicating primarily via email in 2017. But then again, I guess it's easiest to forge emails than texts or Facebook messages, so I just figured it was a plot contrivance.

[haterobics]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 10:42am

They mention this in the show, though? Like, they looked through Connor's e-mails, etc., and didn't see him there... and then Evan mentions they communicated over e-mail using a different account.

You can buy that or not, but you're sort of skipping over them actually addressing this point directly in the show. Will Roland even says them having a secret e-mail address they only use to talk to one another makes them seem like closeted gay lovers...

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 10:43am

The show is full of unlikely plot contrivances, but that's musical theatre for you.  I love it, but DEH probably won't age especially well. As you point out, in truth it's probably already a little dated.

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 11:00am

Evan could have said they used Snapchat to talk. Those messages erase themselves after a few seconds. Also, if they didn't know his password, they couldn't have gotten into his phone. Assuming he had an iPhone, Apple doesn't make fail safes to get into their phones without passwords.

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 11:45am

They may address it but it is still absolutely a plot contrivance.

We live in a time where private conversations are over text. And again, Evan is not even a contact in his phone. He would at least be in his phone. 

[bdn223]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 11:57am

DEH has more plot contrivances than a 1930 Musical Comedy. If you start thinking one, you will inevitably find another, and another and another.....forever ruining the show for you considering its supposed to be a "serious" musical drama. Thus its better not to think about it and just enjoy the ride of the show, like you would Hair. 

As others have already pointed out, DEH won't age well.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 12:00pm

Dear Evan Hansen is a literal gold mine of plot contrivances. I remain surprised at how much love it gets, given how intentionally manufactured so much of the show comes off. Like, "ignore that this doesn't totally add up, but feel this emotion!!!."  Oh, well.

[Kad]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 12:01pm

The instant communication that modern technology enables is a major stumbling block for a lot of drama, to be honest. It is just not very compelling to see people send or receive texts. Always being available means information is harder to withhold...not to mention the relentless pace of advancement.

I have a lot of problems with DEH, but I think it handles modern technology as well as it can without being instantly dated and unproducible in six months.

Updated On: 10/13/17 at 12:01 PM

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 12:06pm

Such a great point Kad -- people pointed out during the run of SIX DEGREES who the entire plot essentially couldn't happen in the age of the internet where Paul's story and identity would be confirmed in minutes. And most of the major plot points of the great classic plays from ROMEO and JULIET to A DOLL'S HOUSE just wouldn't happen in this age of instant communication.

[Kad]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 12:13pm

I honestly can't think of a major piece of theatre I've seen that has depicted contemporary communication realistically in a compelling way.

I am willing to forgive contrivances there so long as the character reactions are believable. That's where DEH fails for me- not in how it relies on some contrivances for its forged letter plot.

[haterobics]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 12:15pm

rattleNwoolypenguin said: "They may address it but it is still absolutely a plot contrivance.

We live in a time where private conversations are over text. And again, Evan is not even a contact in his phone. He would at least be in his phone."

Yes, but you're deciding it is a contrivance and coming up with all of the proof points, except the main one: they want to believe this is true. They are not trying to poke holes in it.

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 12:32pm

The characters are not poking holes in it because the bookwriter wrote characters who aren't using logic in regards to how everyone including teens use current technology.

If they had set this show in the 90s or the early 2000s they would've gotten away with a lot more.

But then they would lose the whole "social media spreading the word" element to the show

You folks are right that updated technology is hobbling dramatic tension in storytelling.

Updated On: 10/13/17 at 12:32 PM

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 12:54pm

From the very start, when the now-defunct original iPhone “marimba” ringtone is played, the show exists in a somewhat alternate and outdated reality, one where not all teenagers are using cellphones to communicate, yet where viral videos and social media are everywhere. It’s not particularly realistic, so, in order to enjoy the show, its probably best to suspend disbelief.

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 12:58pm

I agree that it is an alternate reality. It can't be our reality, even if it's outdated, because I was a teen of the 2000s and I think text messaging was more prevalent than social media if we were going to use the outdated iPhone ringtone as some sort of signal at what the time period was. Further, the fact that is an iPhone means it's way past the point where text messages was already the common mode of communication of at least younger people if we want to argue that it was not already the common mode of communication for all people. So I think you're right that it's an alternate and somewhat outdated reality.

Updated On: 10/13/17 at 12:58 PM

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 1:00pm

I think the show is suppose to be set around 2010, which would explain some of the things like the marimba ringtone, but near the beginning of the show Connor's parents very clearly explain that they find it odd that they couldn't find any trace of Evan anywhere among Connor's phone, emails, texts, etc.  I don't think it's a plot hole.  I actually think that Connor's family is very suspicious of Evan the whole show, but look past it because he tells them what they want to hear.

[Kissthecod]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 1:12pm

I heard DEH was based on a true story that happened when Benj was in high school. Based on his age, that would've been around 2000. It was a nice idea/addition about the video going viral which helped to make it more relatable to today's teens, but requires more suspension of disbelief 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 1:18pm

ya know, show me someone who says they've located a plot contrivance and I'll show you someone who is over-analyzing to make themselves feel smart. Let's play this game with Hamlet, shall we?

[haterobics]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 1:25pm

rattleNwoolypenguin said: "The characters are not poking holes in it because the bookwriter wrote characters who aren't using logic in regards to how everyone including teens use current technology."

Yes, but that is their right. When you create fictional characters in a fictional world, you get to decide what they do and think.

As an audience member, you can decide the writer of those fictional characters in that fictional world failed or succeeded.

But when you start making it an interactive role-playing game of how those characters would and should have reacted, that is where you lose me. Since, I saw the show, and they reacted the same way every time I attended. They'll probably buy Evan's story again tonight, too.

There are people who go to mentalists who say those people's dead mothers are sending them messages from behind the grave. Anyone can look up how they do a lot of those things. But you know who doesn't? The people who want those messages and want to believe they are true because they reinforce a belief they want to carry with them.

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 1:34pm

Yeah, not saying that at all. I'm saying this is on the book writer.

I also echo an earlier post.

 

No. Teens don't use email to send messages anymore. If they use anything it's Facebook message. 

[Impeach2017]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 2:41pm

You could say this about any show from the last century.  Personally, I miss the sudden ringing of the landline phone as a plot device.  

[Impeach2017]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 2:41pm

You could say this about any show from the last century.  Personally, I miss the sudden ringing of the landline phone as a plot device.  

[haterobics]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 2:43pm

rattleNwoolypenguin said: "Yeah, not saying that at all. I'm saying this is on the book writer."

If you say so, but the subject line ponders why fictional characters didn't do something...  

[theaterguy11]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 2:52pm

The real answer: Marc Platt insisted on getting his son a Tony Award for his birthday. 

[Yankees02]

Posted: 10/13/17 at 2:56pm

maybe, they don't have his passcode to unlock his phone

 

kidding, I see your point though