Dear Listers,
I was just watching Andromeda, the latest Kevin Sorbo television vehicle. It
is also the latest television show to claim to be created by Gene Rodenberry.
I don't know how it could POSSIBLY be created by Gene Roddenberry unless
Gene Roddenberry also created Blake's Seven.
I figure that the people on this List are the most likely people of my
acquaintance to have seen both shows. My wife would watch Doctor Who every
so often, but she'd never watch Blake's Seven. And of course now, she won't
watch Andromeda. So who can I share my outrage with about being served up
ripped-off uncredited old British science fiction? Just you guys.
On the other hand, I like the premise. A skeleton crew of misfits discover a
"living spaceship." Thus far also ripped off by Farscape. Blake's Seven
then try to use their advanced technology to restore the Republic, Andromeda
tries to restore the Commonwealth. It begins to ask an interesting thought
question, "What could a good man do with the ultimate weapon?" A small band
against a vast evil empire encompassing many innocent people. A complicated
question.
SPOILER
If the earthlings of Brin's world ever fetch the derelict fleet, they'll have
to answer a similar sort of question. We know WE are good. How shall a
small wolfing race impose its goodness upon the universe? And isn't that the
human question? "What a piece of work is man... how like an angel... and
yet..." How do we impose our will, as we inevitably will, for good or evil,
upon the universe?
Of course the whole living ship thing is at least as ancient as the voyage of
the Argo (and My Mother the Car!).
Dan
