"By the way - do you watch Battlestar Galactica? If so, what did you think of the first episode?"
I waited nice and patiently for that third season to come out on DVD... I played by their rules. I avoided the spoilers. And what happened? I was given three weeks to watch every single episode, and that's what I did. Then, for two days, I was on the same page as everyone else.
And now I'm back to running away from anyone who wants to talk about a show I love. Well, nuts to that. Tonight, I go to ride the azure torrents. I shall ride fast and hard, scarce daring to look behind me, for fear of seeing what deep-dwelling creature has been disturbed by my passage. I shall not dare to look ahead, lest I be tempted by the siren's call of boundless content and its untold riches. No, if I must ride into the maelstrom, then so shall I go, eyes open, unafraid, focused upon the one object of my desire. And by doing so, I shall effect my escape, and arrive safe in harbour at the end of my journey. Then shall I finally find out what happened at end of Season 3, and just where [CAN'T SAY] got shuttled off to, and whether [BIG] and [SPOILERS] are going to freak out, and how - or if - the entire crew survives the [YOU SHOULD SEE IT]. See? That's exactly what I don't want to do for the next year until Season 4 hits the shelves.
And so, I -- a person who would gladly pay for each episode, if only iTunes (or anyone else) made such an option possible in Canada -- descend into piracy. And I'm loving every minute of it.
Oh, and in case anyone from Grande Prairie is reading this blog: Starbuck is an exact replica of my old co-worker, Shanna. From the path of desctruction she creates right down to the flash in her eyes when she smiles. There, I said it. It's been on my mind for three years, and now I've said it.
She's going to kill me.
Showing posts with label Battlestar Galactica. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Battlestar Galactica. Show all posts
10.4.08
21.1.07
Would a re-invented wheel be edgier?
*blink*
Ow, my eyes... okay, maybe that was a little too much Wii this weekend.
Fortunately, this was primarily a reading weekend, and a good one at that. I found a garage sale with the sort of sci-fi collection that would get you on Antiques Roadshow. This is great, because I'm still trying to read at least one book by each of the 23 Grand Masters of Science Fiction. Leafing through them today, I'm aware that they're a breath of fresh air in a smoggy world.
For the most part, these authors weren't the million-sellers; these were the people that the million-selling authors read when they were kids.
There's an incredible sense of "play" in their works. They're writing a story first, and a genre second. If it served the story, they weren't above writing a happy ending. Even in the stories where everything goes horribly wrong, there's still a reassuring implication that it's just for fun -- although if you want to learn something from it, so much the better.
It almost seems like sci-fi authors have to work harder today, to make sure that their book stands out against this background. Usually, it results in an emphasis on deeper characters or harder science or closer relevance, and that's great. But it's vital to keep perspective on where you are, and not to make assumptions about the previous generation.
What touched off this entire post was the Battlestar Galactica commentary I watched this afternoon. The producer, Ron Moore, mentioned that the 1978 series was nice, but today's audiences were more sophisticated. For the record, the new Battlestar is way better than the old series, but that one comment set my teeth on edge.
One lesson I will always carry with me from Bio 100: "More evolved" does not mean "superior". If a tapeworm grows body hair, it's more evolved. It will then die when its host chokes up a living, squirming hairball. There are many words to describe that, but none of them are "superior".
Similarly, don't pat yourself on the back for having a sophisticated audience. Unless you're PBS, you're confusing "thoughtful" with "media-saturated". It's a valid reason for messing with a dated TV show, but never assume that newer is better.
I really hope I'm writing this because it's true, and not because I'm getting old and crotchety.
Ow, my eyes... okay, maybe that was a little too much Wii this weekend.
Fortunately, this was primarily a reading weekend, and a good one at that. I found a garage sale with the sort of sci-fi collection that would get you on Antiques Roadshow. This is great, because I'm still trying to read at least one book by each of the 23 Grand Masters of Science Fiction. Leafing through them today, I'm aware that they're a breath of fresh air in a smoggy world.
For the most part, these authors weren't the million-sellers; these were the people that the million-selling authors read when they were kids.
There's an incredible sense of "play" in their works. They're writing a story first, and a genre second. If it served the story, they weren't above writing a happy ending. Even in the stories where everything goes horribly wrong, there's still a reassuring implication that it's just for fun -- although if you want to learn something from it, so much the better.
It almost seems like sci-fi authors have to work harder today, to make sure that their book stands out against this background. Usually, it results in an emphasis on deeper characters or harder science or closer relevance, and that's great. But it's vital to keep perspective on where you are, and not to make assumptions about the previous generation.
What touched off this entire post was the Battlestar Galactica commentary I watched this afternoon. The producer, Ron Moore, mentioned that the 1978 series was nice, but today's audiences were more sophisticated. For the record, the new Battlestar is way better than the old series, but that one comment set my teeth on edge.
One lesson I will always carry with me from Bio 100: "More evolved" does not mean "superior". If a tapeworm grows body hair, it's more evolved. It will then die when its host chokes up a living, squirming hairball. There are many words to describe that, but none of them are "superior".Similarly, don't pat yourself on the back for having a sophisticated audience. Unless you're PBS, you're confusing "thoughtful" with "media-saturated". It's a valid reason for messing with a dated TV show, but never assume that newer is better.
I really hope I'm writing this because it's true, and not because I'm getting old and crotchety.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)