Why The Twilight Zone?

As I mentioned yesterday, I am starting a new weekly blog series about the Twilight zone?  Why the Twilight zone?  What about it makes it worth writing about week after week?

First off, this show is one of the most popular Television serials out there. It is certainly the most well known.  The thing about serials is that they give us short stories  that often emphasize a certain point within a certain amount of time.  In the last month, I have covered a lot of shorter stories for this very reason.  so, I have the ability to take access of those multi-varied stories, and consider the technical implications, the concepts presented, and much more.

I was also inspired to take on this because of a chapter in a book called The Truth is Out There: Christian Faith and The Classics of Science fiction.  The author emphasized that The Twilight Zone’s storytelling was influenced by Rod Serling’s understanding of humanity’s sinful nature. And so, this deeper theme encouraged me to look deeper into the subject, and so, here is this new series.  I hope you enjoy it, and are able to dive deeper into science fiction history together.

 

River Song, Science fiction, and the effect of “Spoilers”

In Doctor Who, one of the more recent popular characters is River Song.  Originally introduced to us as a mysterious figure who has a time-travelling history with past and future versions of The Doctor, she has gone on to be a character with mysterious future/history and far more importance than we could have every expected,  We really want to know more about Song and her history, especially since she has a special book that is a record of all of her crossings  and engagements with the Doctor.   We first meet her at the end of her life, and then in the middle of her life.  This crossover causes her to be told about her future.  Since she’s a traveler with The Doctor, she understands the importance of not revealing the future, and the linear nature of time progression.  As she would say, “Spoilers,”.

This unique story of River Song is a grand story, and a unique character development for any time traveler.  It explores one of the most interesting ideas science fiction’s understanding of time and time travel;  how would a person react if they had the ability to know their future?  Could they change it?  Or would they unknowingly walk into it?  Foreknowledge is also a fascinating exploration of the theological debate between Free Will and determined future.

A great recent example of this was the recent TV action drama Fast-Forward.  Even though this show’s concepts decayed as they reached the finale, the original concept of the show explored this in great detail.  The entire world received a flash forward towards a set point in time that revealed their future actions.  Many of the flashes revealed actions that people are ashamed of(I.E. Alcohol Abuse, Sexual Affairs, etc), while others don’t receive flashes at all.  What does this mean?  Can this future be changed?  In the end, the series does eventually put the characters into a position that they regret knowing about.  But that is only one answer of the time.  Time travel is a cornucopia of unique possibilities and probabilities.  I’ve only been able to get a basic understanding of time travel complexes, theories, and ideas that surround this reality-changing idea. But I’m enjoying every bit of it.  I just don’t want spoilers about my own life

 

Following Falling Skies: Summary

Here’s a final list of all of my entries for Season 1 of Falling Skies, starting with the most recent.  I have to say that I really enjoyed the work done, and cannot wait to start watching Season 2.

• The Steal of the Skitters
• Holding onto our Humanity
• Episode notes:  “Eight Hours”
• Episode Notes:  “Mutiny”
• Episode Notes:  “What Hides Beneath”
• Episode Notes:  “Sanctuary” Part Two
• Episode Notes:  “Sanctuary” Part One
• Episode Notes: “Silent Kill”
• Why Falling Skies (According to Others)
• Episode Notes: “Grace”
• Episode Notes:  “Prisoner of War”
• Episode Notes:  Pilot, Part 2/ “The Armory”
• Episode Notes: “Pilot Part 1/ “Live and Learn”

Now that this series is done, what show should I start working my way through next?  Are there any new releases that intrigue you?  Or maybe you’d like to see some coverage of older shows, like Star Trek, The Prisoner, or even Firefly?  Let me know in the comments below.

 

Following Falling Skies: The steal of the “Skitters”

This post is based on major spoilers from the show, so if one does not desire to be spoiled, skip this post.  

The skitters are the enemy.  Plain and simple.  They destroyed the basis for human culture, and decimated our ranks.  They enslaved the children, and wiped out all others.  It’s hard to say that these creatures have any of what we would call “humanity” or “mercy”.  But as we watch, the show reveals a much more layered enemy, which has problems, conflicts, and values.  It turns out that the Skitters are harnessed creatures, created via the harnesses which contaminate the children, and allow them to be used as pawns and weapons.  This includes Ben and Rick, who seem to have recovered to a certain degree, but are still affected by the genetic traits of the Skitters.  They can trace the radio signals that we assume are used by Skitters to communicate.  This gives them unique value for the 2nd Massachusetts.

Here is what is important about the Skitters. Their desire (Or the one placed within them by the currently unnamed third species) is to either A) harness kids, and b) kill adults.  The constant of these two of these elements is either the destruction or theft of the victim’s “humanity”.  This removal of humanity is the worst threat they can do.  Skitters, we are told, “Do not want us there”.  They desire the destruction of the very thing that resists them; the human spirit.  Humanity has no desire to just back down.  And that is what makes this show brilliant. It plays the human spirit against the enslaving race who wants nothing else but to destroy and remove the human race’s spirit permanently.

 

 

Following Falling Skies: Hanging on to our humanity

As I’ve been digging through my thoughts and feelings about this first season of Falling Skies, I’ve found myself returning to two major themes: the nature of man, and the nature of skitters.  And as I look at these two opposing forces, I can see the metaphoric principles that are underlying in the conflict.  I found an interview with Mark Verheiden, one of the producers of Falling skies in Entertainment Weekly, where he defined Falling Skies as a show about “people who are trying to hold on to their humanity”.  And that is an excellent definition of the show.  Every conflict, every element, everything that the 2nd Massachusetts have done was to hold onto the humanity that defined them.

In an apocalyptic setting, humanity has everything removed from them that they know and love.  Housing, basic food sources, neighbors, media, even the idea of total security disappears.  So, what do these people have left?  They have themselves, their relationships with friends and family, and the hope that they’ll somehow get out of this.  Now, many people will let one or more of these desires take over themselves, and their very being.  These desires are very good, in and of themselves.  However, when people are left alone in their desires, they have a tendency to become encompassing, and eventually take over the person’s life.  It’s when a person comes into a community of others that they are able to focus and use these desires for the better-ment of all.

We see these themes constantly appearing in Falling Skies.  Tom Mason’s primary desire is to find his son, Ben.  However, being the second in command for the 2nd Massachusetts, and having Captain Weaver limit his choices tempers that desire.  While him his fellow fighters gather around him, and desire to help him find Ben. It also allows for a community to provide a voice into his goals, and make the best possible choices.  In the end, Mason’s goals couldn’t have been reached without the 2nd Massachusetts.

Meanwhile, we have the individual John Pope.  A bit of a loner, he is an Ex-convict, and a loner. He had gathered himself a gang in the earlier months of the invasion, and was then captured by Mason and the 2nd Massachusetts.  But his independent nature has turned his desires towards self-fulfillment.  Pope normally finds that through the slaughter of Skitters, oddly enough.  That makes him a threat.  he relies on no one else, which keeps him in a dangerous position.  The same can be said about Captain Weaver, whose personal desires and drug use have put him in a dangerous leadership position, that makes him sporadic and uncontrollable.  He seems to act independent of other’s opinions,and not relying on others for consolation or advice. His unwillingness to listen to the reason of Tom Mason also hurts his relationship with the whole of the 2nd Massachusetts.  Even though these two men are contrasted in their desires and positions, they are hindered by the same problem, a lack of community

The contrasting character types of Mason and Pope/Weaver act as the base for how humanity can act.  Humanity has always been designed with the need for community.  If a person neglects this need,  they will likely become lonely, narcissistic and random.  Eventually, they will be hard to rely on. However, if one consistently returns to a community, whether it be small or big, they will find far more meaning from what they do.  Canadian Philosopher Rene Vaulier once said that “To work for Community is to work for Humanity”.  This communal aspect is one of the key to the survival of humanity.  If we live without others, we are nothing, but if we live with others, we will find strength, and purpose for one’s life.

 

TV Episode Spotlight: Doctor Who, “The City of Death”

Every once in a while, I’ll just throw out a post about a random episode of a TV show I saw recently that I thought was worth bringing up.  On this post, I write about the Doctor Who episode “The City of Death”, featuring the ever-popular Tom Baker.

First off, I am a huge Doctor Who.  I discovered him about nine months ago, and absolutely fell in love.  This British show is creative, thoughtful, and a lot more unique than many elements of Star Trek.  I can’t wait for the 2nd half of the 6 season.  Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor is absolutely brilliant.  However, let’s go back 30 years to the years of Tom Baker, the Fourth Doctor.

The plot of this story is simple, The Doctor and his most recent companion Romana (A Time Lady and close friend) is touring Paris for fun, but gets caught up in a plot involving the theft of the Mona Lisa, and the very beginning of the Human race.

This episode is one of the favorites of Whovians everywhere. The placement of the British Doctor in the French Paris, the great villain, and the unique cultural dilemma makes for a memorable episode.  This episode had a lot of potential.  (Spoilers)  In the end,  it turns out that the Jagaroth (The main villain) was accidentally blown up millions of years ago, and his personality (if that makes sense)  was split across the fabric of time.  So, the Jagaroth wants to stop this explosion.  However, if he hadn’t done that, life on Earth would not have started.

Does the idea sound far-fetched?  I certainly agree. The idea of life being started by a accidental explosion is absolutely far-fetched.  It’s a great science fiction concept, but I just don’t want that to be true.  If it is, then it removes almost all purpose from living, and from reality.  Why should we continue if our life is accidental?  It is one of the reasons I find problems with Macroevolution.  It leaves much to be desired, and requires a real spark in order to begin instead of the random.

But that is of little consequence.  This episode was really fun, and my first taste of Tom Baker. And it was sublime.  Now, does anybody want a jelly-baby?

 

Following Falling Skies Finale: “Eight Hours”

This episode finishes out the epically gripping first season of Falling Skies.  The story is very simple.  Weaver and the fighters in the 2nd Massachusetts have set out to bomb the Skitter HQ, but are finding difficulties.  Meanwhile, Rick turns on the entire 2nd Mass, while Ben is still learning to access his new abilities.  Tom has to handle all of this.

This episode was action-packed, and really captivating.  I did want to notice that this story did really bring out more “curiousities” about the Skitters.  First off, they reject one of their own (Rick), while also being puzzled by our behavior.  The ending really brought that out when they asked to “Negotiate”.  It was mind blowing.

What is great is that the 2nd Mass is finally finding weapons they can use against the Mechs, and are turning the combat tides.

Overall, the season was thrilling, gripping, and enjoyable.  It was a great show that was action packed and thoughtful.  I cannot wait for the next season.

 

Following Falling Skies: “Mutiny”

The Episode “Mutiny” is another great ending, which pushes the plot forward, and develops the relationship between Mason and Weaver, as well as revealing major plot points to Mason and his crew. The story has Mason challenging Weaver’s authority because of the recent mental break he had, as well as his apparent addiction to drugs.  As the 2nd Massachusetts moves toward a faceoff with Skitter HQ, the leadership doesn’t need to be put into jeopardy because of one man’s choices.  Since Weaver had this mental break, and also revealed his extremely strong desire for revenge, that would cloud his ability to make logically sound choices in a battlefield.  Mason’s move to remove authority was honorable and worth his time.

We also have a further development in Ben’s physiological symptoms from being Harnessed.  He is able to hear certain frequencies that the Skitters use for communication. This puts him in a valuable position.  We also see Rick as he moves forward, and becomes more resistant.

This episode is working together to set up the climax, which finishes this season out.

 

Following Falling Skies: “What’s hiding beneath”

“What’s Hiding Beneath” is one of those episodes that turn your understanding of a Television show’s mythology topsy turvy.  The episode centers around Weaver, his lack of sleep, and his resulting paranoia.  Tom, Hal, and Weaver are sent on a scout mission to investigate the Skitters’ structure, and the paths for getting to it, and the weaknesses.   This leads to a number of discoveries, including the introduction of a third race, the discovery of a harnessed Hal’s old Love interest,, the creation of a “Mech-piercing Bullet”, and the real purpose of Harnesses.  This episode works to set up the pinnacle of the season, which premieres tonight.

Every piece of mythology that has developed has pushed us further and further in the world of Falling Skies.  But this time, everything is becoming clear.  The Harnesses act as the source for creating Skitters.  We see a autopsied skitter laying there, and it’s spine being imprinted by the Harness.  That means that the skitter is based off of some form of parasitic critter.  This has huge implications for the use of Harnessed kids.  It’s almost terrifying.  This new revelation gives us an answer to the question “What are Skitters?”  and “How do they think?”

The introduction of a third “Commanding” species makes for another interesting conversation, and potential plotline to play with.  How do they work, can they fight, and what makes them special for leading the troops?

All of this sets up a climax that I can’t help but be excited for.  I really am excited to see this final face-off, and the set-up for the next two episodes.  So, you can expect the analysis of the final two episodes of the season tomorrow.

 

Following Falling Skies: “Sanctuary” Part two

This episode concludes “Sanctuary”, which acts as certainly the the most questionably ethical episode yet.  It turns out that Clayton (I was saying Nelson.  Sorry) was trading kids in for “immunity from the skitters”. However, he always used other people’s kids.  So, when Mike and Hal discover it, they attempt to break the 2nd Massachusetts’ kids out.  However, Clayton isn’t giving up on such an easy source as they were.

(Spoilers)This episode is the not the first episode where man has turned on their fellow man, but it is the first where a mam was willing to work with the Skitters.  Clayton’s choices to work with Skitters, who clearly have different intentions then any human, are troublesome to say the least.  What seems to have had conquered his senses was his desire to “Survive”.  Tom Mason said that this is combat rule #1.  It isn’t that I believe it to be a bad rule; I just believe that it shouldn’t be our only primary drive.  If Clayton had kept in mind that he had a number of principles to live by,  he may have been less willing to give up kids.  If he had remembered his responsibility to both his fellow man, and his fellow squadrons, then he might have chose something different.  I mean, if John Pope is willing to hurt you because of your choice, then you must have done something wrong.

On a side note, we see a new side for Weaver, where he is helpful and sympathetic towards the civilian population, as well as a ailing mother.

We also are introduced to the completely alien personality of Rick, who seems to have been more affected by the Harness than Ben.  I already have strongly bad feelings about Rick and his future.  It’s impossible to predict what he could do next.