Gotta Love the Sci-Fi

Warning: This post will have spoilers for Battlestar Galactica's Maelstrom episode.






The last couple of days has brought two reminders why I love sci-fi/fantasy TV and movies.

First, I have discovered a South Korean mutant monster movie called "The Host." The trailers look spectacular and it has been years since I've seen a new mutant monster movie of any kind that looked like anything more than a new opportunity to splash computer generated gore across the screen. I grew up watching all sorts of mutant monster flicks from the 1950's and 1960's. The monsters were almost always created by human arrogance mixed with ignorance and, most often, a bit of atomic growing juice. They were usually very difficult to wound and almost impossible to kill. The best, of course, were actually tragic figures. Two of my favorites are "Them" featuring giant mutant ants and starring the same actor who played Kris Kringle in "Miracle on 34th Street" and "Gorgo" about a little baby mutant monster that grows and grows and grows.

No need to look for great meaning in such tales. Humans have long loved good monster stories. The mutant ones are simply rarely done with any skill and I am excited that the South Koreans may have arisen to the challenge with "The Host."

The second reinforcement for my love of sci-fi came from "Battlestar Gallactica" March 4 episode. STOP NOW IF YOU DON'T WANT TO READ SPOILERS.

Sci-fi/fantasy is a genre were death is merely a plot point. If Shakespeare had written sci-fi, the characters would all met their end with, "Am I really dead?" Then the curtain would go down and he'd make the audience wait for the next play to find out. The comics have "killed" Superman, but no true fan of Lois Lane's favorite flyboy thought that was real. Recently, the grim reaper has come for Steve Rogers, a.k.a. Captain America during a "civil war" in Marvel Comics. Look for his return as soon as his movie gets the green light. Star Trek "killed" Spock then let Leonard Nimoy direct his character back into existence in the next film. And now it is Battlestar Galactica's turn.

The latest version of the 1970's sci-fi camp classic, is much more serious, better written, better acted then the original but it is still sci-fi. Therefore, when I watched the belligerent, alcoholic, but brillant viper pilot Starbuck "die," I did not fear for the actress's future paychecks. Though the producers are pulling her from the opening credits for the last three episodes, I have no fear that "new and improved" Starbuck will return next season. It's sci-fi. And though TV producers can be incredibly stupid they never throw away well-developed, well-liked, and full of storyline characters unless the actor really dies; heads for lengthy rehab; or runs out the contract and then asks for too much money to re-sign. None of these things has happened to this actress, therefore, Starbuck will return. Battlestar Gallactica's "powers that be" are already dangling "major changes" across the geek invested websites where sci-fi fans wander. The speculation that Starbuck will become a Cylon is rampant. No one is saying the character is really gone. Nope, not in sci-fi land, we just await the next season and see what happens.... Then we complain about it on message forums.

That's a post for another day.

Returning to Ramble

I had nothing to rant about for the past several weeks, but now I am having a sick day and feel like rambling to no one in particular. See I'll start now and update as I wish to ramble through the day.

11:30 CST
Guilty, Guilty, Guilty! Scooter Libby is convicted for perjury and reminds us all the key lesson.... Never tick off a prosecutor. If you are not sure what to say, ask a lawyer before you answer the investigator's questions. Don't make up stupid lies that are easy to reveal or you too could face the wrath of an angry prosecutor.

Lessons from Sunday School The hatred spouted by Ann Coulter and all others from the various houses of hate who can only argue by verbal violence leads me to invoke one of the lessons I learned in Sunday School. Someone needs to ask her, "Do you hate yourself so much that you must hate others to feel better?" This is an area where psychologists, Buddhists, Christians and Star Wars all agree. Hatred does greater harm to those who hate than it does to those they hate. Coulter must really have intense self-hatred issues given that her entire professional career is based upon her hatred for liberals, gays, Democrats, moderates, Muslims, secular humanists and humans in general unless they are paying to hear or read her hate.

12:05 CST
The Presidential Commission Dodge Bush has appointed a new commission to look into the debacle at Walter Reed and also look into the VA facilities for our mounting returning wounded from his FUBAR Iraq War. This is a classic presidential dodge to avoid questions on the matter. From now on you will hear W and his spokespeople say, "We await the report from the commission." W can't tell you that he never bothered to even ask about the needs of wounded vets; he's waiting for the commission. W can't answer if this is another example of his failure to plan for his FUBAR Iraq War beyond landing on an aircraft carrier in a flight suit and using the war to gain re-election; he's waiting on the commission.
Well W, the Libby trial is over. Will you now answer questions about the facts of your vice-president and top political advisor's roles in the leak of a CIA operative? Sir...? Sir...?