Re: [scifinoir2] Eureka Strikes Gold with Season 3
I agree. Two other comments. One, it still frustrates me how TV shows are done now. Note that Morton mentions an order for 21 eps, instead of the "usual" 13. remember way back when a show got a full order of eps up front, and that was usually 26 - 28 shows? And, they mention Morton is perhaps best known for his role in T2. I still think of him as the "Brother from Another Planet"--or maybe Whitley's near-husband from "A Different World"! -- Original message -- From: "Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> The magic of season one did not have the magic of Season Two. I hope they rediscover the magic of season one with the new season Eureka Strikes Gold with Season 3 When will the new season air? by Scott Collura http://tv.ign.com/articles/861/861654p1.html March 25, 2008 - The SCI FI Channel's whimsical comedy/drama Eureka has already had two seasons of episodes air since its debut in the summer of 2006, which is a relatively speedy run compared to how the network unrolls some of its other series. And while a third season of the show has been ordered by SCI FI, the recent Writers Guild strike has impacted the timing of when the new batch of shows will be produced. IGN TV recently caught up with series star Joe Morton to discuss the status of Eureka and get the lowdown on the whens, wheres, and how-manys to expect from Season 3. "I actually don't know," the actor told us when asked what his character Henry Deacon will be up to in Season 3. "Because the strike sort of happened the way it happened, the writers have just gotten back to work. So I have no idea what's going to happen. There're all kinds of things that I could imagine. I'd love him to get involved in space exploration. I'd love for him to get involved with politics. I'd love to get him involved with a sort of global idea about how we can make the planet a better place. I'd love for the science fiction to become a greater metaphor for what's kind of going on in the real world today." The good news to come out of the strike, says Morton, is that the show has gotten an increase in the number of episodes greenlit for production. "We were supposed to start in March; now we'll start in May," he says. "We will still go on air in July, from what I understand. I know there is now an order, instead of the usual 13, of 21 [episodes]. But I don't know how that's going to split up, whether it will be just for the third year or it will be the third and fourth year. But I do know that strike sort of hit us in a hard way in terms of when we would start." Morton says that he enjoys the lighter tone of his show when compared to other SCI FI staples like the dark Battlestar Galactica, though he isn't concerned that Eureka is in danger of ever becoming too lightweight. "I don't think it will, one because of the actors that are involved and two because of the writers that are involved," he says. "To further become a sitcom or even just a murder mystery is not what this thing is going to turn into." Additionally, now that Galactica is heading towards its finale and SCI FI is down to just one Stargate series (for the moment), Morton believes the network is beginning to rely on Eureka as a flagship series more and more. "I think for the time being," says the actor. "We seem to be the number one show on the network. For as long as that will be, fine. That's who we are. You know, but we're a show on a television network. We'll see what happens!" Morton, who has been doing sci-fi films and TV for decades now, is perhaps most recognizable for his portrayal of the creator of the Terminators, Miles Dyson, in Terminator 2: Judgment Day. As such, we couldn't help but geekily ask him if he's tuned into the new Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles show, which has featured his character's wife (and his tombstone)! He hasn't seen the show, but he was delighted to hear that Mrs. Dyson is alive and well⦠"Oh, really? That's great," he laughs. "Because actually, when we did the movie, one of the first things I thought of was there's this woman and my son, who we kind of left and who don't know what happened. So that's great!" [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
Re: [scifinoir2] Gandalf Hopes For Role In "Hobbit"
He said this several years ago, before the last of the Rings films had aired. I think he said back then "I'd be happy to play Gandalf in a Hobbit film, but they very hurry because I'm not getting any younger". -- Original message -- From: "Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> WELLINGTON, New Zealand â Ian McKellen, who played Gandalf the Wizard in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, is hoping to reprise the role in another tale from Middle Earth. A fan asked McKellen on the actor's official Web site if he would play the role of Gandalf in "The Hobbit," which is being produced by Peter Jackson, director of the "Rings" trilogy. "Yes, I will, if Peter Jackson and I have anything to do with it, he being the producer and me being, on the whole, a very lucky actor," McKellen, 68, said in a reply dated Wednesday. Jackson reached a deal with New Line Cinema late last year to make two films of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit," a planned prequel to the blockbuster "Rings" trilogy. Jackson will serve as executive producer for the "Hobbit" movies. Another fan asked: "Have you been approached yet by Peter Jackson or anyone else" to play the ancient Wizard? McKellen replied: "Encouragingly, Peter and (partner) Fran Walsh have told me they couldn't imagine `The Hobbit' without their original Gandalf." "Their confidence hasn't yet been confirmed by the director Guillermo del Toro, but I am keeping my diary free for 2009!" he said. Del Toro's manager, Gary Ungar, told The Associated Press on Friday that del Toro, director of "Pan's Labyrinth" and "Hellboy," is being considered for the "Hobbit" films. "It's still under discussion, (but) yes," he said. He declined to give any details, but when asked about an announcement timeline, he said: "I hope it resolves soon. Everybody has to agree in everything." ___ Associated Press Writer Sigal Ratner-Arias in New York City contributed to this report. ___ New Line is a unit of Time Warner Inc. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/28/gandalf-hopes-for-role-in_n_93879.html [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[scifinoir2] Apple Branding Lubricates Human Brain
http://blog.wired.com/sterling/2008/03/apple-branding.html Forget actually buying a Mac to unleash your creativity. A new study from researchers at Duke University and the University of Waterloo found that merely thinking about Apple can make you more creative -- at least with bricks. After researchers flashed the company's logo in front of test subjects for an imperceptible 30 milliseconds, they discovered that people actually started behaving in ways associated with Apple's brand imagine, thinking differently, and apparently, more creatively. During their study, researchers used the Apple logo in conjunction with IBM's to see how people reacted to the brands subconsciously. Apparently, people felt exactly the same except in two areas: creativity and competence (IBM's strong suit). When asked to describe as many uses for a brick as they could, the Apple subjects averaged 30 percent more brick ideas than their IBM counterparts, according to researchers. An independent set of reviewers also deemed these answers to be more creative. IBM-primed subjects, one the other hand, all had strikingly similar answers. While one of the Duke professors hesitates directly link creativity to the use of Apple products, he does conclude that powerful brands can and do affect people's unconscious behavior. The study will be published in the April issue of the Journal of Consumer Research
Re: [scifinoir2] Eureka Strikes Gold with Season 3
They've had a good amount of time to work on the writing (perhaps one small blessing born of the writers' strike?), so I'm crossing everything I own that they do work out the S2 kinks. "Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: The magic of season one did not have the magic of Season Two. I hope they rediscover the magic of season one with the new season Eureka Strikes Gold with Season 3 When will the new season air? by Scott Collura http://tv.ign.com/articles/861/861654p1.html March 25, 2008 - The SCI FI Channel's whimsical comedy/drama Eureka has already had two seasons of episodes air since its debut in the summer of 2006, which is a relatively speedy run compared to how the network unrolls some of its other series. And while a third season of the show has been ordered by SCI FI, the recent Writers Guild strike has impacted the timing of when the new batch of shows will be produced. IGN TV recently caught up with series star Joe Morton to discuss the status of Eureka and get the lowdown on the whens, wheres, and how-manys to expect from Season 3. "I actually don't know," the actor told us when asked what his character Henry Deacon will be up to in Season 3. "Because the strike sort of happened the way it happened, the writers have just gotten back to work. So I have no idea what's going to happen. There're all kinds of things that I could imagine. I'd love him to get involved in space exploration. I'd love for him to get involved with politics. I'd love to get him involved with a sort of global idea about how we can make the planet a better place. I'd love for the science fiction to become a greater metaphor for what's kind of going on in the real world today." The good news to come out of the strike, says Morton, is that the show has gotten an increase in the number of episodes greenlit for production. "We were supposed to start in March; now we'll start in May," he says. "We will still go on air in July, from what I understand. I know there is now an order, instead of the usual 13, of 21 [episodes]. But I don't know how that's going to split up, whether it will be just for the third year or it will be the third and fourth year. But I do know that strike sort of hit us in a hard way in terms of when we would start." Morton says that he enjoys the lighter tone of his show when compared to other SCI FI staples like the dark Battlestar Galactica, though he isn't concerned that Eureka is in danger of ever becoming too lightweight. "I don't think it will, one because of the actors that are involved and two because of the writers that are involved," he says. "To further become a sitcom or even just a murder mystery is not what this thing is going to turn into." Additionally, now that Galactica is heading towards its finale and SCI FI is down to just one Stargate series (for the moment), Morton believes the network is beginning to rely on Eureka as a flagship series more and more. "I think for the time being," says the actor. "We seem to be the number one show on the network. For as long as that will be, fine. That's who we are. You know, but we're a show on a television network. We'll see what happens!" Morton, who has been doing sci-fi films and TV for decades now, is perhaps most recognizable for his portrayal of the creator of the Terminators, Miles Dyson, in Terminator 2: Judgment Day. As such, we couldn't help but geekily ask him if he's tuned into the new Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles show, which has featured his character's wife (and his tombstone)! He hasn't seen the show, but he was delighted to hear that Mrs. Dyson is alive and well⦠"Oh, really? That's great," he laughs. "Because actually, when we did the movie, one of the first things I thought of was there's this woman and my son, who we kind of left and who don't know what happened. So that's great!" "There is no reason Good can't triumph over Evil, if only angels will get organized along the lines of the Mafia." -Kurt Vonnegut, "A Man Without A Country" - You rock. That's why Blockbuster's offering you one month of Blockbuster Total Access, No Cost. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[scifinoir2] SyFriday: Please Do 'Children Of Men' Right
By MICHAEL HINMAN Source: SyFy Portal Mar-28-2008 It's easy to be guilty by association. I know that because one time when I was like 8 years old on the mean streets of Johnsonburg, Pa., a bunch of my friends thought it would be great to start throwing rocks. So they did, and they ended up hitting someone's mom, who obviously got angry and called our parents. I didn't throw a single rock, but my dad looked me straight in the eye and told me that it didn't matter if I threw a rock or not. I was still guilty by association. In Hollywood, there's no such thing as being guilty by association. Instead, like everything else in the world of television and movies, it's the exact opposite. You're not guilty by association, but you can gain success and acclaim simply by being associated with something. Sometimes, I wonder if that is what's happening with David Eick. Don't get me wrong, I really do like what Eick -- who is an executive producer with "Battlestar Galactica" -- has done, and I agree with him on many things he says during his numerous interviews. Eick has achieved a lot of attention thanks to the critical success of "Battlestar Galactica," and maybe a lot of it is deserved. But then I see the episodes that Eick has written, like the very forgettable episode "Hero," and I'm not sure if I have the same confidence the industry has given him. And then I see "Bionic Woman," and I get even more worried. Because Eick is associated with "Battlestar Galactica," a lot of doors to some very sensitive projects have opened for him. One of them was "Bionic Woman," which could've been fascinating and entertaining if done right, and now we have learned he is going to be taking on a television version of "Children of Men." Please, leave "Children of Men" alone. The 2006 film, co-written by Alfonso Cuaron and a host of other people loosely based on the novel by P.D. James was an amazing story (and some amazing work of cinematography). In a future world where humans can no longer have babies and where xenophobia is at its zenith, one man is tasked with protecting what could be the future of the human race: an immigrant who is very pregnant. Now to Eick's credit, he wants to concentrate more on the James novel than the film, so we don't have to worry about any damage taking place to the film, but I really want to wait and see who else Eick brings in to help him pull this off. One of the amazing things about "Battlestar Galactica" is that while Ronald D. Moore was the creative genius behind the show, it was Eick who was more of the marketing genius, and also was the person who knew how to keep the network happy on the business side (something very hard to do). If you removed either Eick or Moore from the equation, "Battlestar Galactica" would've easily stumbled if it didn't have someone like the two of them putting it together. But Eick figures he can strike it solo, and I just don't think it works. While he might have a good handle on the business side, he still needs an amazing creative balance to make it work. And I worry that he won't bring in the right balance, and once again, another Eick project will go up in smoke. I hope that doesn't happen. Because as much as I disliked "Hero" and as much as I could've done without the time "Bionic Woman" sapped from my life, Eick really is a key factor in the success of "Battlestar Galactica," and he has done some tremendous work. For every "Hero," there is a two-parter like "Home," that I thought Eick did wonderful job writing. So don't take this as Eick bashing in any way. I want to see Eick earn his due as a great producer (and someday, maybe even as a passable writer) just as we know Moore will, but please figure out that it does take a formula to make it work, and figure it out before you get too knee-deep into "Children of Men." Because I want a good show to watch, that will leave me just as satisfied as I was with the movie, and almost as satisfied as I am with "Battlestar Galactica." http://syfyportal.com/news424876.html Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[scifinoir2] 'Jericho' Ending Leaves Door Open
By MICHAEL HINMAN Source: TV Guide Mar-26-2008 This story contains MODERATE SPOILERS of the series finale of "Jericho." While Tuesday's series finale was meant to provide some closure to "Jericho" fans, there was an effort to at least keep some storylines at bay in case another network or cable channel decides to pick up the series. "I've always said that the alternate ending doesn't wrap up the series," executive producer Carol Barbee told Matt Webb Mitovich of TV Guide. "It just lets you know that everyone is OK and it closes out this seven-episode arc. But we could definitely keep it going." And keeping it going is exactly what Barbee is trying to do by shopping the series around, which reportedly has earned some interest from SciFi Channel which is airing reruns of the show. In the finale, Hawkins (Lennie James) goes face-to-face with John Smith (Xander Berkeley), who has been feeding him information on the new government all season long, and who was identified the previous week as the mastermind behind the "September attacks," as they are called. Both Hawkins and Jake (Skeet Ulrich) grab a private plane and are able to get into the Republic of Texas, but that's not how it was originally supposed to play out. "I can tell you that in the original ending, Hawkins has to sacrifice himself to let Jake get away with the bomb and get it to Texas so it can be tested and prove that they were telling the truth," Barbee said. "Texas would then swing their support to Columbus and defeat Cheyenne." A civil war between the two countries with Texas taking the side of Columbus was alluded to in the series finale when "what happens next" was briefly explained to Jake. Of course, when Barbee says that Hawkins "sacrifices" himself, she doesn't necessarily mean sacrificing his life. "He gets captured and he's also shot ... he's pretty messed up, and Jake feels like he's leaving him for dead," she said. "So we show you where he's taken and you see that the mission for the next season is, 'We have to go rescue Hawkins and we have to stop these [bad] guys.' When they see the alternate ending, it certainly completes the story from this season and tells you everything you need to know to have understood Season 2. It just doesn't point to that next mission." http://syfyportal.com/news424868.html Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[scifinoir2] Eureka Strikes Gold with Season 3
The magic of season one did not have the magic of Season Two. I hope they rediscover the magic of season one with the new season Eureka Strikes Gold with Season 3 When will the new season air? by Scott Collura http://tv.ign.com/articles/861/861654p1.html March 25, 2008 - The SCI FI Channel's whimsical comedy/drama Eureka has already had two seasons of episodes air since its debut in the summer of 2006, which is a relatively speedy run compared to how the network unrolls some of its other series. And while a third season of the show has been ordered by SCI FI, the recent Writers Guild strike has impacted the timing of when the new batch of shows will be produced. IGN TV recently caught up with series star Joe Morton to discuss the status of Eureka and get the lowdown on the whens, wheres, and how-manys to expect from Season 3. "I actually don't know," the actor told us when asked what his character Henry Deacon will be up to in Season 3. "Because the strike sort of happened the way it happened, the writers have just gotten back to work. So I have no idea what's going to happen. There're all kinds of things that I could imagine. I'd love him to get involved in space exploration. I'd love for him to get involved with politics. I'd love to get him involved with a sort of global idea about how we can make the planet a better place. I'd love for the science fiction to become a greater metaphor for what's kind of going on in the real world today." The good news to come out of the strike, says Morton, is that the show has gotten an increase in the number of episodes greenlit for production. "We were supposed to start in March; now we'll start in May," he says. "We will still go on air in July, from what I understand. I know there is now an order, instead of the usual 13, of 21 [episodes]. But I don't know how that's going to split up, whether it will be just for the third year or it will be the third and fourth year. But I do know that strike sort of hit us in a hard way in terms of when we would start." Morton says that he enjoys the lighter tone of his show when compared to other SCI FI staples like the dark Battlestar Galactica, though he isn't concerned that Eureka is in danger of ever becoming too lightweight. "I don't think it will, one because of the actors that are involved and two because of the writers that are involved," he says. "To further become a sitcom or even just a murder mystery is not what this thing is going to turn into." Additionally, now that Galactica is heading towards its finale and SCI FI is down to just one Stargate series (for the moment), Morton believes the network is beginning to rely on Eureka as a flagship series more and more. "I think for the time being," says the actor. "We seem to be the number one show on the network. For as long as that will be, fine. That's who we are. You know, but we're a show on a television network. We'll see what happens!" Morton, who has been doing sci-fi films and TV for decades now, is perhaps most recognizable for his portrayal of the creator of the Terminators, Miles Dyson, in Terminator 2: Judgment Day. As such, we couldn't help but geekily ask him if he's tuned into the new Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles show, which has featured his character's wife (and his tombstone)! He hasn't seen the show, but he was delighted to hear that Mrs. Dyson is alive and well… "Oh, really? That's great," he laughs. "Because actually, when we did the movie, one of the first things I thought of was there's this woman and my son, who we kind of left and who don't know what happened. So that's great!"
[scifinoir2] Battlestar's Olmos OK If All Die
Edward James Olmos, who plays Adm. William Adama on SCI FI Channel's series Battlestar Galactica, told SCI FI Wire that it's not inconceivable that all of the characters will die by the end of the upcoming fourth and final season--and that would be OK with him. Not that that is in any way a spoiler for the upcoming season. But Olmos said it would be fitting for a show that he called a "commentary on our times" and the "most worthwhile piece of television" he has ever done. "Basically, if it?s true to form, no one makes it," Olmos said in an interview at SCI FI's upfront presentation to advertisers in New York earlier this month. Producers have been tight-lipped about their plans for the show's climax and denouement, though it's believed that the fourth season will take up the sudden reappearance of Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff) and her revelation that she's been to Earth. Meanwhile, four people must deal with the sudden knowledge that they are Cylons. If everyone were to die? "I think that people would be shocked, and they'd be hurt, and they would be totally, totally frustrated," Olmos said. "But I've got to tell you, that's a truth that people have to realize. We may do it to ourselves [in real life]. It all depends on us now and what choices we make." Battlestar Galactica will kick off its fourth season on April 4 at 10 p.m. ET/PT with the episode "He That Believeth in Me." --Ian Spelling http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0&id=51211 Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[scifinoir2] Gandalf Hopes For Role In "Hobbit"
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Ian McKellen, who played Gandalf the Wizard in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, is hoping to reprise the role in another tale from Middle Earth. A fan asked McKellen on the actor's official Web site if he would play the role of Gandalf in "The Hobbit," which is being produced by Peter Jackson, director of the "Rings" trilogy. "Yes, I will, if Peter Jackson and I have anything to do with it, he being the producer and me being, on the whole, a very lucky actor," McKellen, 68, said in a reply dated Wednesday. Jackson reached a deal with New Line Cinema late last year to make two films of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit," a planned prequel to the blockbuster "Rings" trilogy. Jackson will serve as executive producer for the "Hobbit" movies. Another fan asked: "Have you been approached yet by Peter Jackson or anyone else" to play the ancient Wizard? McKellen replied: "Encouragingly, Peter and (partner) Fran Walsh have told me they couldn't imagine `The Hobbit' without their original Gandalf." "Their confidence hasn't yet been confirmed by the director Guillermo del Toro, but I am keeping my diary free for 2009!" he said. Del Toro's manager, Gary Ungar, told The Associated Press on Friday that del Toro, director of "Pan's Labyrinth" and "Hellboy," is being considered for the "Hobbit" films. "It's still under discussion, (but) yes," he said. He declined to give any details, but when asked about an announcement timeline, he said: "I hope it resolves soon. Everybody has to agree in everything." ___ Associated Press Writer Sigal Ratner-Arias in New York City contributed to this report. ___ New Line is a unit of Time Warner Inc. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/28/gandalf-hopes-for-role-in_n_93879.html
RE: [scifinoir2] 'Jericho' too cynical for the times?
thanks, but love to hear your opinions too. we don't hear from you often enough as it is! -- Original message -- From: "James Landrith" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Co-sign. From: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, March 28, 2008 10:34 AM To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] 'Jericho' too cynical for the times? interesting question, that touches on something I've been thinking about recently: when is scifi or speculative fiction too topical, "real", or downbeat? I asked because my younger brother last night was telling me that one reason he didn't like the new Battlestar Galactica was because it was based too much on current issues: terrorism, religious fundamentalism, etc. I've heard others say the same thing, including a guy who quit watching because he felt he was getting hit over the head with a thinly-veiled satire of our times. "I just want good outer space action without all the socio-political stuff" he grumped. I've heard many others say the same, that they want their scifi/speculative fiction to be escapist fare. They seem to want action, explosions, great fX, BEMs, gunfire, spaceships, scantily clad women, etc., but please: no depression reality intruding on their fantasy! I tend to favor the stuff that's topical, 'cause done right it can be enjoyed years later, even when the subject matter may not be front and center in society at that time. One of the reasons I loved B5 and DS9 was *because* they dealt with real life issues of racism, religion, and politics. And in that same vein, I liked it when "Jericho" viewed our modern world through a lens of (perhaps cynical) reality. For me, the best stuff--even scifi and spec fiction--tells the "truth", or "a" truth. So no, not too cynical for me. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: [scifinoir2] BSG Update Personal
amen! I hated the device of a Black man abandoning his wife and unborn child. I hated that, especially that line he said, something like "I may be back tomorrow, I may be back yesterday". I thought it was out of character for Benjamin to be so flip and relaxed about leaving! He literally go go off and train for a month, then pop back into our universe only an hour or so after leaving--or just seconds. With temporal abilities there's no need for him to be gone. I read a couple of DS9 books taking place just after these events and Cassidy was really missing Ben. Hated that plot. what's up with Berman's manhood feelig threatened? -- Original message -- From: Martin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Regarding "What You Leave Behind"? Only that Paramount went on to push out how many TNG movies, and now over-hyping the reboot, when the biggest loose string in TV history, Captain Sisko's becoming a Prophet-in-training, goes unexplored because Rick Berman's manhood feels threatened? [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: please do elaborate! -- Original message -- From: Martin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> When both shows began, I watched both equally, fully expecting DSNine to be the failure of the bunch because it was, IMO, *limited* by the constraints of the Trekverse (the stories could only do so much because there was so much continuity that had to be adhered to), while B5 was freer to roam. Both did come out slow, but many series do come out of the gate plodding. Each ended spectacularly, B5 marred only by its perpetuation in those really horrific movies (I didn't mind Crusade at all, unlike many B5 aficionados I knew at the time), DSNine marred by- well, we all know about 'What You Leave Behind", and I don't want to cause undue emotional scarring... [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: B5 season one is more interesting in the main than DS9's season one. It starts out a little rough, but as the mythos, cabals, conspiracies, and whispering of the Shadows starts, it becomes engaging. A few rough eps, but overall very good, and most of all intriguing enough to make you come back for the next season (great last ep). DS9 is--competent. It's like "Voyager", which had a good cast, professional writing, and an overal workmanlike feel, but wasn't very special. The early couple of seasons of DS9 really just felt like another Star Trek show with kinda familiar scripts, predictable plots, simple one-hour resolution of problems. I can look at some of those old eps and easily finish a character's sentences for him, because they're so canned (and really do this with "Voyager"). It wasn't until B&B spent less time with DS9 and others like Ronald Moore and Steven Behr got more influence that it took off. That's when the Dominion War came on, Sisko started exploring his role as the Emissary (and got the bald head and beard back!), Cardassia was brought forward as a major player, etc. It then became a complex show, full of long story arcs that lasted in some cases years, charcters full of flaws and heroism, action, angst, as well as plenty of humour. it then became, in my opinion, the best of all the Trek series. Is B5 better overall? I don't like to compare the two, despite the charges that DS9 stole JMS' ideas from his early pitch to Paramount. B5 is a little rougher, grittier at times, a bit more steeped in mysticism and legend. JMS' writing works better for long arcs and dramatic moments than for every day dialogue and standalone shows, which is where the Trek writers had it down pat. B5 reminds me more of reading stories from the Bible or from the Silmarillion, where you got broad sweeping concepts. I think each show is excellent, each has its place, and we're better for having had both of them. Giving a choice, I'd choose owning all DS9 shows over all B5 shows, but that's only if *forced* to make a choice, someting I'd not want to do. -- Original message -- From: Bosco Bosco <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Finished Season 1 with the last disc from netflix last night. The end actually worked out well enough for me to add Season 2 to my queue. It will be a while though as I have, Zodiac, The William Gibson documentary, Several seasons of The Wire and Deadwood to burn through. On a side note, I have decided to unleash my uberdork. In my queue I have set up a couple of rounds of dueling space stations. Babylon 5 Season 1 will be followed by Deep Space Nine Season 1. I don't know why I think this is such a cool idea. It is without question proof that I am total geek. Bosco __ Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] "There is no reason Good can't triumph over Evil, if only angels will get organized along the lines of the Mafia." -Kurt Vonnegut, "A Man Without A Country" - Be a
[scifinoir2] [Fwd: RE: Reason For Almost Two Billion Year Delay In Animal Evolution On Earth Discovered]
Original Message Subject:RE: Reason For Almost Two Billion Year Delay In Animal Evolution On Earth Discovered Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2008 09:08:34 -0700 From: Chris de Morsella <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Tracey de Morsella <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, 'julia demorsella' <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, 'paul demorsella' <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080326142229.htm *Reason For Almost Two Billion Year Delay In Animal Evolution On Earth Discovered* /*/ScienceDaily (Mar. 27, 2008)/*/** — Scientists from around the world have reconstructed changes in Earth's ancient ocean chemistry during a broad sweep of geological time, from about 2.5 to 0.5 billion years ago. They have discovered that a deficiency of oxygen and the heavy metal molybdenum in the ancient deep ocean may have delayed the evolution of animal life on Earth for nearly 2 billion years.*** *The researchers arrived at their result by tracking molybdenum in black shales, which are a kind of sedimentary rock rich in organic matter and usually found in the deep ocean. Molybdenum is a key micronutrient for life and serves as a proxy for oceanic and atmospheric oxygen amounts. Following the initial rise of oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere 2.4 billion years ago, oxygen was transferred to the surface ocean to support oxygen-demanding microorganims. Yet the diversity of these single-celled life forms remained low, and their multicellular ancestors, the animals, did not appear until about 600 million years ago, explained Timothy Lyons, a professor of biogeochemistry in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of California, Riverside, and one of the study's authors. Suspecting that deficiencies in oxygen and molybdenum might explain this evolutionary lag, Lyons and his colleagues measured abundances of molybdenum in ancient marine sediments over time to estimate how much of the metal had been dissolved in the seawater in which the sediments formed. The researchers found significant, firsthand evidence for a molybdenum-depleted ocean relative to the high levels measured in modern, oxygen-rich seawater. Molybdenum is of particular interest because it is used by some bacteria to convert the element nitrogen from a gas in the atmosphere to a form useful for living things -- a process known as "nitrogen fixation." Bacteria cannot fix nitrogen efficiently when they are deprived of molybdenum. And if bacteria can't fix nitrogen fast enough then eukaryotes -- a kind of organism that includes plants, pachyderms and people -- are in trouble because eukaryotes cannot fix nitrogen themselves at all. "These molybdenum depletions may have retarded the development of complex life such as animals for almost two billion years of Earth history," Lyons said. "The amount of molybdenum in the ocean probably played a major role in the development of early life. As in the case of iron today, molybdenum can be thought of as a life-affirming micronutrient that regulates the biological cycling of nitrogen in the ocean. "At the same time, molybdenum's low abundance in the early ocean tracks the global extent of oxygen-poor seawater and implies that the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere was still low. "Knowing the amount of oxygen in the early ocean is important for many reasons, including a refined understanding of how and when appreciable oxygen first began to accumulate in the atmosphere," Lyons said. "These steps in oxygenation are what gave rise ultimately to the first animals almost 600 million years ago -- just the last tenth or so of Earth history." *Earth's oxygenation *For animal life to commence, survive and eventually expand on Earth, a threshold amount of oxygen -- estimated to be on the order of 1 to 10 percent of present atmospheric levels of oxygen -- was needed. Past research has shown that Earth's oxygenation occurred in two major steps: * The first step, around 2.4 billion years ago, took place as the ocean transitioned to a state where only the surface ocean was oxygenated by photosynthesizing bacteria, while the deep ocean was relatively oxygen-free. * The second step, around 600 million years ago, marked the occasion when the entire ocean became fully oxygenated through a process not yet fully understood. "We wanted to know what the state of the ocean was between the two steps," said Clinton Scott, a graduate student working in Lyons's lab and the first author of the research paper. "By tracking molybdenum in shales rich in organic matter, we found the deep ocean remained oxygen- and molybdenum-deficient after the first step. This condition may have had a negative impact on the evolution of early eukaryotes, our single-celled ancestors. The molybdenum record also tells us that the deep ocean was already fully oxygenated by around 550 million years ago." According to Scott, the timing of the oxygenation steps suggests that significant event
Re: [scifinoir2] Children of Men Comes To TV
I might be able to get you a season-long commitment from Skiffy, if you can put together a bible for it by next week... Bosco Bosco <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: We can combine forces and and write a pilot where they have to duke it out in battle royal cage match to see who rules the area of the aquarium in bewteen the fake sunken pirate ship and the fake diver with the gigantic helmet head thing. LETS GET READY TO FISH RUMBLE. Aftwards, as they're mending broken gills they can by the fake reef, they'll realize they're difference are largely based on superficial things like scale color. Then they can unite on a weekly basis to do battle with the forces of evil, or Suckerfish, as I like to call him. I smell a bionic dynasty. Never mind, my dog farted. What were we talking about? B --- Astromancer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > You can't...I already have a script for the Bionic Guppy... > > Bosco Bosco <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Amazing. I might > actually watch an episode based on the idea that it > was actually worse than the original. > > I'm gonna write a show about a bionic goldfish now. > > B > --- Martin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Bosco, three words. > > > > Yes, it was. > > > > Isiah Washington, the one decent thing about the entire > production, > > was utterly wasted. > > > > Bosco Bosco <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > I didnt watch the Bionic Woman. Was it actually worse than the > > original. I would think there could be no way that would be > > possible. > > Given the guys done okay things with BSG, I would think there's > at > > least a 10% chance this won't make me gnaw my own heart out in > > protest. > > > > Bosco > > --- "Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor)" > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > After seeing what Eick did to Bionic Woman, I'm terrified > > They > > > are > > > going to destroy a classic > > > > > > Daryle Lockhart wrote: > > > > It's time once again to play "Ruin That Sci-Fi idea"! today's > > > contestant > > > > is: Sci Fi Channel! > > > > > > > > How many episodes will it take for SFC to ruin THIS idea? > > > > > > > > I have money on... one. Anybody else? > > > > > > > > > > > > On Mon, 24 Mar 2008 17:23:27 -0400, Tracey de Morsella > > (formerly > > > Tracey L. > > > > Minor) <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > >> Eick Adapts Children For TV > > > >> > > > >> Bionic Woman executive producer David Eick told SCI FI Wire > > that > > > he's > > > >> working on a pilot script for a proposed TV series based on > > > Children of > > > >> Men, P.D. James' SF novel, which also inspired Alfonso > > Cuaron's > > > 2006 > > > >> film of the same name. > > > >> > > > >> "It's really taking root more in the origins of the novels > in > > > that it > > > >> will focus on the cultural movement in which young people > > become > > > the > > > >> society's utter focus," Eick (Battlestar Galactica) said in > > an > > > interview > > > >> at SCI FI Channel's upfront presentation to advertisers in > > New > > > York on > > > >> March 18. "Much like our culture, whenever Lindsay Lohan > does > > > something > > > >> [and] it becomes the headline of every news show, it's about > > > how, when > > > >> you don't have a responsibility to the next generation and > > > you're free > > > >> to do whatever you want, where do you draw the line?" > > > >> > > > >> Eick added that Children of Men will question how society > > > defines > > > >> responsibility, freedom and a sense of values when it > doesn't > > > >> necessarily believe humans will survive as a species. "So > > it's a > > > very > > > >> compelling, I think, human question that science fiction has > > > always > > > >> explored extremely provocatively," he said. "It's not really > > a > > > war show > > > >> like the movie was. It's more an exploration of that issue." > > > >> > > > >> Eick is writing Children of Men now, even as he closes out > > SCI > > > FI > > > >> Channel's original series Battlestar Galactica and prepares > > for > > > >> production on SCI FI's recently green-lighted prequel series > > > Caprica. > > > >> Eick's Bionic, meanwhile, has been canceled by NBC. (NBC is > > > owned by NBC > > > >> Universal, which also owns SCI FI Channel and SCIFI.COM.) > > --Ian > > > Spelling > > > >> > > > >> http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0&id=50711 > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> Yahoo! Groups Links > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ⤽We must welcome the future, remembering that soon it will > > be > > > the past; > > > > and we must respect the past, remembering that it was once > all > > > that was > > > > humanly possible.� > > > > > > > > -- George Santayana > > > > > > > >
Re: RE: [scifinoir2] 'Jericho' too cynical for the times?
Co-sign that Co-sign. - Original Message - From: James Landrith Date: Friday, March 28, 2008 10:42 am Subject: RE: [scifinoir2] 'Jericho' too cynical for the times? To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com > Co-sign. > > > > From: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Friday, March 28, 2008 10:34 AM > To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com > Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] 'Jericho' too cynical for the times? > > > > interesting question, that touches on something I've been > thinking about > recently: when is scifi or speculative fiction too topical, > "real", or > downbeat? I asked because my younger brother last night was > telling me that > one reason he didn't like the new Battlestar Galactica was > because it was > based too much on current issues: terrorism, religious > fundamentalism, etc. > I've heard others say the same thing, including a guy who quit > watchingbecause he felt he was getting hit over the head with a > thinly-veiled satire > of our times. "I just want good outer space action without all the > socio-political stuff" he grumped. > > I've heard many others say the same, that they want their > scifi/speculativefiction to be escapist fare. They seem to want > action, explosions, great fX, > BEMs, gunfire, spaceships, scantily clad women, etc., but > please: no > depression reality intruding on their fantasy! > > I tend to favor the stuff that's topical, 'cause done right it > can be > enjoyed years later, even when the subject matter may not be > front and > center in society at that time. One of the reasons I loved B5 > and DS9 was > *because* they dealt with real life issues of racism, religion, and > politics. And in that same vein, I liked it when "Jericho" > viewed our modern > world through a lens of (perhaps cynical) reality. > For me, the best stuff--even scifi and spec fiction--tells the > "truth", or > "a" truth. So no, not too cynical for me. > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
RE: [scifinoir2] 'Jericho' too cynical for the times?
Co-sign. From: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, March 28, 2008 10:34 AM To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] 'Jericho' too cynical for the times? interesting question, that touches on something I've been thinking about recently: when is scifi or speculative fiction too topical, "real", or downbeat? I asked because my younger brother last night was telling me that one reason he didn't like the new Battlestar Galactica was because it was based too much on current issues: terrorism, religious fundamentalism, etc. I've heard others say the same thing, including a guy who quit watching because he felt he was getting hit over the head with a thinly-veiled satire of our times. "I just want good outer space action without all the socio-political stuff" he grumped. I've heard many others say the same, that they want their scifi/speculative fiction to be escapist fare. They seem to want action, explosions, great fX, BEMs, gunfire, spaceships, scantily clad women, etc., but please: no depression reality intruding on their fantasy! I tend to favor the stuff that's topical, 'cause done right it can be enjoyed years later, even when the subject matter may not be front and center in society at that time. One of the reasons I loved B5 and DS9 was *because* they dealt with real life issues of racism, religion, and politics. And in that same vein, I liked it when "Jericho" viewed our modern world through a lens of (perhaps cynical) reality. For me, the best stuff--even scifi and spec fiction--tells the "truth", or "a" truth. So no, not too cynical for me. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: [scifinoir2] 'Jericho' too cynical for the times?
interesting question, that touches on something I've been thinking about recently: when is scifi or speculative fiction too topical, "real", or downbeat? I asked because my younger brother last night was telling me that one reason he didn't like the new Battlestar Galactica was because it was based too much on current issues: terrorism, religious fundamentalism, etc. I've heard others say the same thing, including a guy who quit watching because he felt he was getting hit over the head with a thinly-veiled satire of our times. "I just want good outer space action without all the socio-political stuff" he grumped. I've heard many others say the same, that they want their scifi/speculative fiction to be escapist fare. They seem to want action, explosions, great fX, BEMs, gunfire, spaceships, scantily clad women, etc., but please: no depression reality intruding on their fantasy! I tend to favor the stuff that's topical, 'cause done right it can be enjoyed years later, even when the subject matter may not be front and center in society at that time. One of the reasons I loved B5 and DS9 was *because* they dealt with real life issues of racism, religion, and politics. And in that same vein, I liked it when "Jericho" viewed our modern world through a lens of (perhaps cynical) reality. For me, the best stuff--even scifi and spec fiction--tells the "truth", or "a" truth. So no, not too cynical for me. -- Original message -- From: "Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > What do you think? > > 'Jericho' too cynical for the times? > http://www.boston.com/ae/tv/articles/2008/03/27/jericho_too_cynical_for_the_time > > s/ > > By Joanna Weiss > Globe Staff / March 27, 2008 > > In the series finale of the post-apocalyptic drama "Jericho," in an > offhand conversation, a couple of characters voiced one of the show's > underlying points: Don't mess with the Second Amendment. > more stories like this > > That's notable not just because it's a departure from typical Hollywood > politics, or because the episode aired shortly after the Supreme Court > heard a landmark case on the right to bear arms. It also speaks to an > ongoing theme of the show, the notion that the government can't always > be trusted. > > And if that doesn't sound especially radical, think of how it was > received by viewers. Even amid an unpopular war, in a country with no > shortage of cynics, a show this doubtful of the government's intentions > can't seem to draw a mainstream audience. > > "Jericho," which ended its run on Tuesday, did have a small, fervent > base of support, but it never managed to break through. The show was > canceled for low viewership by CBS last spring, then resurrected for a > seven-episode trial run after fans sent nuts to the network offices. (It > was a reference to a we-won't-back-down slogan in the show, as well as > to the Battle of the Bulge.) This season's arc - which drew even fewer > viewers than last year's episodes - played out as a cautionary tale > about the perils of a government that gains too much power. Like HBO's > brilliant "The Wire," which ended its fifth and final season this month, > it was one of few TV shows to take a decidedly cynical view of the > people in charge. > > Most of the time, on TV, we get the opposite message. The detectives, > lawyers, and forensic scientists of the enduring "Law and Order" and > "CSI" incarnations are universally good. The fighting forces of CBS's > "The Unit" sacrifice greatly to save us all. Even the corrupt cops on > FX's "The Shield" are softies at the core, skimming off the top to pay > for family essentials, such as private-school tuition for autistic kids. > And though each season of Fox's "24" has its fair share of government > high-ups gone bad, the traitors are always exceptions, destined to be > caught. > > To the end, "Jericho" made no such promises. If "The Wire" was a > real-time look at corruption and fatal compromise in Baltimore, > "Jericho" was a worst-case-scenario fantasy, spelled out with intriguing > detail. It began with a dread attack: 23 American cities destroyed by > nuclear bombs. It asked what would happen next from the perspective of > regular folks, represented by the good-hearted citizens of a Kansas town. > > This season, the good people of Jericho were occupied by an army loyal > to a corrupt pretender government, which was intertwined with a > Halliburtonesque company called Jennings & Rall. The small-town heroes > had proof that the government was covering up the true source of the > attacks, and may have had a hand in the plot. (In a nice touch, they had > to prove their case to Texas, which had formed an independent republic > and revived its Alamo spirit.) Yes, there were elements of crazed > conspiracy theory here, but the premise wasn't entirely unrealistic; the > vision of an encroaching milit
Re: [scifinoir2] Children of Men Comes To TV
I would conduct a quick test as to whether the smell of money overpowers the smell of sh*t, but I don't have any money... Astromancer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Um...by the way it was written, I thought they were finished...Oh yeah...someone's smelling money... Martin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: (shuddering) "Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: After seeing what Eick did to Bionic Woman, I'm terrified They are going to destroy a classic Daryle Lockhart wrote: > It's time once again to play "Ruin That Sci-Fi idea"! today's contestant > is: Sci Fi Channel! > > How many episodes will it take for SFC to ruin THIS idea? > > I have money on... one. Anybody else? > > > On Mon, 24 Mar 2008 17:23:27 -0400, Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. > Minor) wrote: > > >> Eick Adapts Children For TV >> >> Bionic Woman executive producer David Eick told SCI FI Wire that he's >> working on a pilot script for a proposed TV series based on Children of >> Men, P.D. James' SF novel, which also inspired Alfonso Cuaron's 2006 >> film of the same name. >> >> "It's really taking root more in the origins of the novels in that it >> will focus on the cultural movement in which young people become the >> society's utter focus," Eick (Battlestar Galactica) said in an interview >> at SCI FI Channel's upfront presentation to advertisers in New York on >> March 18. "Much like our culture, whenever Lindsay Lohan does something >> [and] it becomes the headline of every news show, it's about how, when >> you don't have a responsibility to the next generation and you're free >> to do whatever you want, where do you draw the line?" >> >> Eick added that Children of Men will question how society defines >> responsibility, freedom and a sense of values when it doesn't >> necessarily believe humans will survive as a species. "So it's a very >> compelling, I think, human question that science fiction has always >> explored extremely provocatively," he said. "It's not really a war show >> like the movie was. It's more an exploration of that issue." >> >> Eick is writing Children of Men now, even as he closes out SCI FI >> Channel's original series Battlestar Galactica and prepares for >> production on SCI FI's recently green-lighted prequel series Caprica. >> Eick's Bionic, meanwhile, has been canceled by NBC. (NBC is owned by NBC >> Universal, which also owns SCI FI Channel and SCIFI.COM.) --Ian Spelling >> >> http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0&id=50711 >> >> >> >> >> Yahoo! Groups Links >> >> >> >> > > > > ⤽We must welcome the future, remembering that soon it will be the past; > and we must respect the past, remembering that it was once all that was > humanly possible.� > > -- George Santayana > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Yahoo! Groups Links "There is no reason Good can't triumph over Evil, if only angels will get organized along the lines of the Mafia." -Kurt Vonnegut, "A Man Without A Country" - Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] I am me, said the stranger, and I work for the ones who pay my fee...and that's not you." - The Side Street Chonicles by C.W. Badie - Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] "There is no reason Good can't triumph over Evil, if only angels will get organized along the lines of the Mafia." -Kurt Vonnegut, "A Man Without A Country" - Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: [scifinoir2] BSG Update Personal
Regarding "What You Leave Behind"? Only that Paramount went on to push out how many TNG movies, and now over-hyping the reboot, when the biggest loose string in TV history, Captain Sisko's becoming a Prophet-in-training, goes unexplored because Rick Berman's manhood feels threatened? [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: please do elaborate! -- Original message -- From: Martin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> When both shows began, I watched both equally, fully expecting DSNine to be the failure of the bunch because it was, IMO, *limited* by the constraints of the Trekverse (the stories could only do so much because there was so much continuity that had to be adhered to), while B5 was freer to roam. Both did come out slow, but many series do come out of the gate plodding. Each ended spectacularly, B5 marred only by its perpetuation in those really horrific movies (I didn't mind Crusade at all, unlike many B5 aficionados I knew at the time), DSNine marred by- well, we all know about 'What You Leave Behind", and I don't want to cause undue emotional scarring... [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: B5 season one is more interesting in the main than DS9's season one. It starts out a little rough, but as the mythos, cabals, conspiracies, and whispering of the Shadows starts, it becomes engaging. A few rough eps, but overall very good, and most of all intriguing enough to make you come back for the next season (great last ep). DS9 is--competent. It's like "Voyager", which had a good cast, professional writing, and an overal workmanlike feel, but wasn't very special. The early couple of seasons of DS9 really just felt like another Star Trek show with kinda familiar scripts, predictable plots, simple one-hour resolution of problems. I can look at some of those old eps and easily finish a character's sentences for him, because they're so canned (and really do this with "Voyager"). It wasn't until B&B spent less time with DS9 and others like Ronald Moore and Steven Behr got more influence that it took off. That's when the Dominion War came on, Sisko started exploring his role as the Emissary (and got the bald head and beard back!), Cardassia was brought forward as a major player, etc. It then became a complex show, full of long story arcs that lasted in some cases years, charcters full of flaws and heroism, action, angst, as well as plenty of humour. it then became, in my opinion, the best of all the Trek series. Is B5 better overall? I don't like to compare the two, despite the charges that DS9 stole JMS' ideas from his early pitch to Paramount. B5 is a little rougher, grittier at times, a bit more steeped in mysticism and legend. JMS' writing works better for long arcs and dramatic moments than for every day dialogue and standalone shows, which is where the Trek writers had it down pat. B5 reminds me more of reading stories from the Bible or from the Silmarillion, where you got broad sweeping concepts. I think each show is excellent, each has its place, and we're better for having had both of them. Giving a choice, I'd choose owning all DS9 shows over all B5 shows, but that's only if *forced* to make a choice, someting I'd not want to do. -- Original message -- From: Bosco Bosco <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Finished Season 1 with the last disc from netflix last night. The end actually worked out well enough for me to add Season 2 to my queue. It will be a while though as I have, Zodiac, The William Gibson documentary, Several seasons of The Wire and Deadwood to burn through. On a side note, I have decided to unleash my uberdork. In my queue I have set up a couple of rounds of dueling space stations. Babylon 5 Season 1 will be followed by Deep Space Nine Season 1. I don't know why I think this is such a cool idea. It is without question proof that I am total geek. Bosco __ Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] "There is no reason Good can't triumph over Evil, if only angels will get organized along the lines of the Mafia." -Kurt Vonnegut, "A Man Without A Country" - Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] "There is no reason Good can't triumph over Evil, if only angels will get organized along the lines of the Mafia." -Kurt Vonnegut, "A Man Without A Country" - Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
