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Friday, November 28, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Thursday, November 13, 2008
A Show to Watch
TV shows in general are uneven at best and as a sci-fi fan I can say TV sci-fi has issues, to put it politely. However, there are a few programs that are really worth watching and I plan on talking about them on this blog.
Starting now.
My current favorite show in any category is Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. For those of you already watching this, feel free to go off and re-watch your favorite episodes. For the rest of you, let me give you the rundown. (If you're familiar with the movies, you can skip the next paragraph.)
The summary of the story is this: A young woman, Sarah Connor, meets a soldier from the future who tells her that in a few years a rogue computer called SkyNet will start WWIII and start exterminating humanity using humanoid killer robots called terminators. Her son (at that time unborn) is destined to lead the human resistance. Meanwhile the computer has sent a terminator back in time to kill Sarah. Long story short, they manage to kill the robot, have sex and get Sarah pregnant with the Future Leader of Mankind. Now she has to train him and keep him alive long enough to fight the machines.
It might be hard to imagine how to translate this popular movie franchise to the small screen, but Josh Friedman has assembled an outstanding cast including: Lena Headey, Thomas Dekker, Summer Glau, Brian Austin Green and Richard T. Jones. All of the actors give rock-solid performances, but two standouts are Summer Glau, who plays a re-programmed terminator sent back to protect John and Brian Austin Green, who leaves his 90210 character far behind as Derek Reese, John's uncle and a grizzled veteran of the future war.
Friedman nicely solves the problem of translating a mainly chase-oriented movie series to television in the very first episode. The chase is now a hunt for SkyNet and the series is equal parts mystery, intrigue and guerilla warfare. In the midst of all of the gun fights, explosions and brawls the Connors have to figure out how to live as a family and get sixteen-year-old John to grow into his role as a leader of men while fighting off both robots and humans.
Though the show has more than enough action, thrills, drama and even humor to satisfy the average viewer, it doesn't stop there. The acting is superb, the writing is sharp and somehow the production team is able to deliver a cinematic look on a TV budget while delivering storylines and characters that are complex, intriguing and multi-layered. This is one of those rare programs that rewards your attention.
If you want to catch up on season 1 (strike-shortened to nine episodes), you can stream them online at Hulu, download them from the U.S. iTunes store or just get the DVD box set.
Starting now.
My current favorite show in any category is Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. For those of you already watching this, feel free to go off and re-watch your favorite episodes. For the rest of you, let me give you the rundown. (If you're familiar with the movies, you can skip the next paragraph.)
The summary of the story is this: A young woman, Sarah Connor, meets a soldier from the future who tells her that in a few years a rogue computer called SkyNet will start WWIII and start exterminating humanity using humanoid killer robots called terminators. Her son (at that time unborn) is destined to lead the human resistance. Meanwhile the computer has sent a terminator back in time to kill Sarah. Long story short, they manage to kill the robot, have sex and get Sarah pregnant with the Future Leader of Mankind. Now she has to train him and keep him alive long enough to fight the machines.
It might be hard to imagine how to translate this popular movie franchise to the small screen, but Josh Friedman has assembled an outstanding cast including: Lena Headey, Thomas Dekker, Summer Glau, Brian Austin Green and Richard T. Jones. All of the actors give rock-solid performances, but two standouts are Summer Glau, who plays a re-programmed terminator sent back to protect John and Brian Austin Green, who leaves his 90210 character far behind as Derek Reese, John's uncle and a grizzled veteran of the future war.
Friedman nicely solves the problem of translating a mainly chase-oriented movie series to television in the very first episode. The chase is now a hunt for SkyNet and the series is equal parts mystery, intrigue and guerilla warfare. In the midst of all of the gun fights, explosions and brawls the Connors have to figure out how to live as a family and get sixteen-year-old John to grow into his role as a leader of men while fighting off both robots and humans.
Though the show has more than enough action, thrills, drama and even humor to satisfy the average viewer, it doesn't stop there. The acting is superb, the writing is sharp and somehow the production team is able to deliver a cinematic look on a TV budget while delivering storylines and characters that are complex, intriguing and multi-layered. This is one of those rare programs that rewards your attention.
If you want to catch up on season 1 (strike-shortened to nine episodes), you can stream them online at Hulu, download them from the U.S. iTunes store or just get the DVD box set.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Me
Yes, it's yet another blog. Why, you ask? For one thing, when it comes to trends, I've always prided myself on being fashionably late. Nowadays the bloggers who haven't switched to twittering are busy angling for jobs in the new administration. (Or campaigning to impeach the president-elect.)
The more relevant reason is that I spend a lot of time in my head. I have since I was a kid. Sometimes the thoughts between my ears build up to such an extent that the only way I can work through them is to write them out. (You wouldn't believe how long I spent trying to compose that previous sentence in such a way that doesn't make me seem mentally unsound.)
Before today I would get on my computer and pound out short stories, essays, whatever needed saying. This has been going on for years and last night while I was lying awake I realized the next step was to put it online.
Given that, I'll be posting irregularly about whatever topics have seized my fancy: my job, my family, politics, music, books, films, whatever. As an aspiring author (I've self-published a textbook already and will probably be posting about that experience) I'll also be using this space to organize my thoughts and try out some ideas. I'm also an instructor at a small college and may occasionally comment on my experiences there. I don't know how this is all going to work out, but I'll try not to be boring or trite (I'm doing this for an audience of me, after all) so we'll just see how it goes.
The more relevant reason is that I spend a lot of time in my head. I have since I was a kid. Sometimes the thoughts between my ears build up to such an extent that the only way I can work through them is to write them out. (You wouldn't believe how long I spent trying to compose that previous sentence in such a way that doesn't make me seem mentally unsound.)
Before today I would get on my computer and pound out short stories, essays, whatever needed saying. This has been going on for years and last night while I was lying awake I realized the next step was to put it online.
Given that, I'll be posting irregularly about whatever topics have seized my fancy: my job, my family, politics, music, books, films, whatever. As an aspiring author (I've self-published a textbook already and will probably be posting about that experience) I'll also be using this space to organize my thoughts and try out some ideas. I'm also an instructor at a small college and may occasionally comment on my experiences there. I don't know how this is all going to work out, but I'll try not to be boring or trite (I'm doing this for an audience of me, after all) so we'll just see how it goes.
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