Reheated (66)
For newcomers and the nostalgic, more items from the archives:
Trump, Erections, And A Lack Thereof.
Salon’s Chauncey DeVega and academic powerhouse Dr Susan Block get hot and bothered.
While I can boast no credentials as a high priestess of the erotic arts and sciences, unlike Dr Susan Block, “founder and director of the Dr Susan Block Institute for the Erotic Arts & Sciences,” a layman’s thought occurs. If the existence of Donald Trump is interfering with your sex life, bringing it to a standstill, then perhaps you’re thinking about Mr Trump a little too much. More than one ought, at least while under the duvet and attempting to get busy.
Their Happiness Hurt My Feelings.
Woke academic says evidence of a happy marriage is a “microaggression” and should therefore be hidden.
It turns out that the reckless visibility of a wedding photo may be crushing the self-esteem out of the touchily unwed. You see, the mere sight of a photo of someone’s happy day can “crowd out the experiences of people with minoritized social identities,” albeit in ways never quite explained. Other taboos include references to “simple activities like family dance parties,” which are apparently a thing, and “gardening with a spouse.” Curiously, given the stated importance of “sensitivity” and being mindful of what things might mean, we aren’t invited to ponder the kind of person who would resent someone else’s wedding photo. And then complain about it. Or whether such neurotic affectations, these unhappy mental habits, are something to be actively encouraged. In the name of progress.
Please Stop Objecting To The Assault Of Your Person.
A professor of art education applauds the misbehaviour of his browner students.
Apparently, hearing that your immediate predecessor was harassed and assaulted, and reduced to tears on a daily basis – by the same teenagers you’re hoping to teach about art – couldn’t possibly be a warning sign, or have any informational content, beyond a belief that those indulging in the disruption, harassment and assault must be steeped in “cultural knowledge,” and obviously oppressed, and therefore deserving of further latitude.
Academics at the University of York are rendered fretful and distraught by a seventeenth-century Buddhist figurine.
Readers may note that the agonising – in which any depiction of a monkey immediately conjures thoughts of black people - does rather speak to the weirdly dogmatic assumptions of the agonised, rather than the object being agonised about, or how said object is generally understood. It must be those intersectional lenses we hear so much about.
Should you want more, by all means click here. Also, open thread. Share ye links and bicker.
The scene where the writers poke fun at the fans shipping Holmes and Moriarty in the Reichenbach Falls homage episode was the last straw for me.
I think that was the point at which the writers stopped bothering to write stories that might engage an audience via immersion and suspension of disbelief. The trouble is that as the ‘look-at-how-meta-and-clever-we’re-being’ attitude became more prominent, suspension of disbelief tended to evaporate, and caring about the characters was no longer an option. And so, Sherlock went from “Ooh, this is fun and quite exciting” to, well, aggravating shite very, very quickly. And never to return.
May I humbly suggest you hunt down the radio comedy Cabin Pressure, wherein young Benedict plays anything but that. And because, like everything John Finnemore writes, it is an utter delight with a cast rounded out by Roger Allam and Stephanie Cole. Having done that, find John Finnemore’s Souvenir Programme which is pure sketch comedy gold.
I think of Marple as comfort TV. … I think the appeal is more than a matter of sleuthing and comeuppance. It’s about spending 90 minutes or so in a different world.
I view Inspector Morse and Inspector Lewis that way, to some extent. Someone called those series “Oxford porn”, referring to the beautiful setting. But the involvement of dons, students, and former students lends an intellectual air as well (at least superficially). Many fans have specific “comfort” episodes.
There’s a Twitch.tv stream hosted by an Edinburgher for other fans to gather on Sundays at 8 PM and Wednesdays at 7 PM (UK time) where we watch an episode, discuss it a bit and just chat generally. Because the host is so genial, those meetups themselves have become a comfort to many of us in these troubled times.
This website is also a comfort (in another way) thanks to our good host David and his merry sense of the absurdities of the left.
This website is also a comfort (in another way) thanks to our good host David and his merry sense of the absurdities of the left.
I’m improving quality of life wherever I go.
[ Extends hand, bird lands on it. ]
Mention of Cumberbatch and tv adaptations jumping the shark brings us (almost) to the Gary Oldman film version of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy which, along with numerous other plot and character deviations, decided for no discernible reason to make Cumberbatch’s character Peter Guillam gay.
It’s not as egregious a change as, for example, the writers of Doctor Who wilfully destroying nearly 60 years of established canon but it still matters. Canon is important, not something to be altered at whim.
I view Inspector Morse and Inspector Lewis that way…
All I know from this genre is that I am never going to a small English village because the chance of getting murdered is as high as that of Chicago.
“…self-identify as a person “of color”…no minimum test scores for admission…we do not require applicants to submit the optional writing section…”
I see. “No standards”* has always been a hallmark of an “elite” institution.
*(Other than non-bouncing check)
All I know from this genre is that I am never going to a small English village because the chance of getting murdered is as high as that of Chicago.
If the village name includes the word “Midsomer” turn round and get the hell out of there.
Gary Oldman: a consummate actor. Who else could play Churchill in Darkest Hour and the weaselly bad guy in 5th element. He isn’t a “star” because he vanishes into the role and you can’t even tell it is him.
Cumberbatch: he does shift from jerk genius to hero pretty nicely in Dr. Strange.
In Murder She Wrote TV series, the Angela Lansbury character writes mysteries and everywhere she goes someone is murdered…and no one catches on?
In Murder She Wrote TV series, the Angela Lansbury character writes mysteries and everywhere she goes someone is murdered…and no one catches on?
Like Marple, she’s an angel of death.
Isn’t one of our regulars a Murder, She Wrote aficionado?
All I know from this genre is that I am never going to a small English village because the chance of getting murdered is as high as that of Chicago.
A handy guide:
https://crimereads.com/your-guide-to-not-getting-murdered-in-a-quaint-english-village/
poke fun at the fans shipping Holmes and Moriarty in the Reichenbach Falls
Is it just me, or does ‘shipping’ seem like a variation of ‘shtupping’?
Is it just me, or does ‘shipping’ seem like a variation of ‘shtupping’?
It’s not you, it’s the raison d’etre for everything. We might as well be wearing signs displaying our favorite proclivities.
The For Better or For Worse comic strip (remember that one?) is running through the “my son is GHEY” storyline, involving a friend of Michael, right down to the fake “10 percent of the population is homosexual” statistic.
Seen from this end of the culture collapse, its feels rather quaint.
If the village name includes the word “Midsomer” turn round and get the hell out of there.
Or any such that has a pub crawl called “The Golden Mile”.
the fake “10 percent of the population is homosexual” statistic
It will become real if they can groom enough kindergarten children…
Who else could play Churchill in Darkest Hour and the weaselly bad guy in 5th element.
Don’t forget the psycho cop Stansfield in The Professional.
Isn’t one of our regulars a Murder, She Wrote aficionado?
[ Nervously shifts eyes from side to side ]
[ Opens file, writes suspected deviant. ]
[ Feels sudden hankering for a cosy mystery in which a disarming old dear with a mind like a razor packs her knitting and visits friends in a neighbouring village, where something untoward will doubtless occur. ]
It all came back to me like the hot kiss at the end of a warm fist…
With an intellect as towering as his height, Robert Reich has Deep Thoughts™.
That darn libertarian Putin and his uncontrolled internet.
Won’t you help? For only pennies a day you can contribute to the Buy A Dictionary For Guardian Op-Ed Writers foundation.
Won’t you help? For only pennies a day you can contribute to the Buy A Dictionary For Guardian Op-Ed Writers foundation.
Won’t help: What they lack is a soul.
I know why people like Reich hate it when you quote their actual words. I am not sure I could formulate something so contradictory if I tried.
I prefer Chandler’s take on the genre.
I was reading the very detective story he’s talking about (by AA Milne, the Winnie the Pooh author), googled to see if anyone could explain why it was thought to be any good, and had the pleasure of coming across that Chandler essay. I’d still watch a TV adaptation, though, if they cast the right actor for “that airy manner”.
I like his “assembling an egg beater” metaphor, nowadays would probably be “assembling an IKEA coffee table”. He’s right about Dorothy Sayers. The Lord Peter Wimsey books are enjoyable for whatever implicit intelligence and social observations manage to shine through the dull “assembly instructions”.
The trouble is that as the ‘look-at-how-meta-and-clever-we’re-being’ attitude became more prominent, suspension of disbelief tended to evaporate, and caring about the characters was no longer an option. And so, Sherlock went from “Ooh, this is fun and quite exciting” to, well, aggravating shite very, very quickly.
That. It has to be one of the fastest declines in quality.
Writers need to learn that ‘look-at-how-meta-and-clever-we’re-being’ will nearly always turn out to be shite.
That. It has to be one of the fastest declines in quality.
Nah, Battlestar Galactica (the reboot) gets my vote. Loved the first season, but then they start making “everybody is a Cylon” and my enthusiasm waned. Come to think of it, also Westworld even before the 1st season ended with a ridiculous subplot involving a hapless techie endowing superpowers to a host.
Nah, Battlestar Galactica (the reboot) gets my vote. Loved the first season, but then they start making “everybody is a Cylon” and my enthusiasm waned.
And if you’re going to start each episode, week after week, with the ominous words “And they have a plan,” it helps if you actually, you know, have a plan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucKnNOkiapg
Nah, Battlestar Galactica (the reboot) gets my vote
Despite being a huge fan of the series as the point where SF on TV started getting taken seriously, I also agree with you.
a ridiculous subplot involving a hapless techie endowing superpowers to a host
It was clumsily handled, but the basic theme – what happens when these beings we’ve created surpass us – is a good one. Proving the earlier point, the writer in S2 of Westworld was absolutely an author insert, and the inevitable look-how-clever-and-meta-we’re-being corresponds to the plummeting quality.
it helps if you actually, you know, have a plan
I have a passing acquaintance with the author of the nuBSG roleplaying game, and now that it’s safely fifteen years gone he’s starting to tell some interesting stories. He had inside access to the production crew, cast &c. in order to write the games and he’s confirmed that Moore was, in fact, just making sh*t up as he went. Writer’s meetings routinely began with Moore charging into the room with “hey, wouldn’t it be cool if…”
There was also the fact that multiple members of the nuBSG cast also got caught up in the NXIUM sex cult scandal along with the cast members of Smallville. The actress who played Callie ended up legally married to Allison Mack in a weird attempt to avoid being subpoenaed.
‘The kind of person who would resent someone else’s wedding photo,’ if you’ll pardon the pithiness, around these parts we have a word for folks like that. We call call them asshole.
Moore was, in fact, just making sh*t up as he went. Writer’s meetings routinely began with Moore charging into the room with “hey, wouldn’t it be cool if…”
As producer David Eick reportedly put it when asked what the often-mentioned plan was, “It doesn’t matter… We’ll figure it out later.” But they never did figure it out, and it did matter. So, from one of the best opening episodes of a science fiction show I can recall, and a very solid first season, the thing started meandering and losing momentum. Because it wasn’t clear, or convincing, or even interesting, what the antagonists actually wanted. First it was simply genocide, then theological conversion, then babies, then a more convoluted and dull theological claptrap, then… well, by that point, a large part of the audience had stopped caring.
Which is a pity, because they could have delivered something quite special. It took TNG, for instance, four years to become even watchable, but BSG hit the ground running, with much more polish and coherence. I remember finishing the first episode, 33, and being hooked, quite emphatically, which doesn’t often happen. The show seemed to know from the off what it was, and what it was about, which is kind of ironic, given what followed.
(The following is from absolute ignorance; I’ve never watched Star Trek: TNG. I did watch a lot of the original Star Trek and I’ve seen some of the movies that came afterwards.)
Wait, TNG was ever watchable? Weren’t they using the holodeck to do other stupid things by then?
My suspension of belief shorted out when they mentioned that they had a nursery on a Federation warship.
Wait, TNG was ever watchable?
Someone may be along shortly to list the decent episodes. Though in hindsight it’s not a great batting average.
Somebody here mentioned Canadian sf writer Robert Sawyer. He just posted a photo on Facebook, tagging someone I follow, and Sawyer’s smile is very creepy.
Moore was, in fact, just making sh*t up as he went. Writer’s meetings routinely began with Moore charging into the room with “hey, wouldn’t it be cool if…”
Sounds like a Monty Python satire of Hollywood. Bring on the Giant Electric Penguin!
Regarding TNG, Roddenberry was I believe largely responsible for the near-unwatchability of the first couple seasons; the writing and character development improved greatly after he was gone.
Bear in mind also they had to churn out about twenty-five ~45 minutes episodes every year, per American television production expectations of the period. With that kind of volume there are bound to be plenty of “filler”, dull, re-hashed, and yes, later “holodreck” episodes, in which all limitations of time, space, character, canon fidelity etc could be temporarily suspended. A cheat for the writers, really.
“holodreck” episodes,
Heh. Though I did like the one in which a holographic Professor Moriarty takes over the ship. (Guest appearances by Daniel Davis and Stephanie Beacham, as the devoted Countess Regina Bartholomew, didn’t hurt.)
Regarding TNG, Roddenberry was I believe largely responsible for the near-unwatchability of the first couple seasons
I have heard that, too.
That mention of Roddenberry reminds me of a mediocre sf novel in which every character’s name was a ‘look-at-how-meta-and-clever-we’re-being’ play on the name of an sf writer or other personality. Roddenberry was rotnbear or something. That novel should have remained a one-column article in a fanzine or an exchange in a letter column. And yet the novel got very good reviews. Sigh.
Wait, TNG was ever watchable?
No.
Weren’t they using the holodeck to do other stupid things by then?
Mostly portraying the Klingons as semi-literate baboons, as I recall. And casting Jewish actors to play the short, greedy, goblin merchant aliens.
Sawyer’s smile is very creepy
He’s quite the meme.
Roddenberry was I believe largely responsible for the near-unwatchability of the first couple seasons
The writers – many of whom returned from TOS – complained repeatedly that Roddenberry’s “there is no hunger, there is no greed, and all the children know how to read” utopian vision of the 24th century made it impossible to write anything but monster stories because he’d removed virtually all conflict. It’s worth noting that one of the best-regarded TNG episodes, Yesterday’s Enterprise, was written and shot in an incredibly rushed timetable without Roddenberry’s involvement (which is also how they sneaked Crosby on to the set).
Though I did like the one in which a holographic Professor Moriarty takes over the ship
I have noted in the past that Enterprise needed a holodeck ejection system far more than a warp core ejection system. It’s one thing to put up with reality-distorting transporter malfunctions because it’s just so damn useful the rest of the time, but when, say, the pool table in the officer’s mess periodically grows legs and fangs and eats a 2nd lieutenant, you don’t wait around to see if it’ll do it again. You shove it out the nearest airlock and tell the lads to take up whist.
Roddenberry reminds me of a mediocre sf novel in which every character’s name was a ‘look-at-how-meta-and-clever-we’re-being’ play on the name of an sf writer
Gene Roddenberry’s middle name was Wesley. Just so you know.
And casting Jewish actors to play the short, greedy, goblin merchant aliens.
Ah yes, the Ferengi. It’s like they took every jewish stereotype and just said, go with it…at least the Caribbean inspired belters almost take over the whole known universe…a big improvement on Jar Jar Binks. Meesa justa f***off now.
And I take sh!t for watching Murder She Wrote. ;p
He’s quite the meme.
Heh. I don’t know Sawyer well, but I interpreted that creepy smile as meaning that he has a highly defective mind that was attempting to simulate cheerful friendliness.
I have noted in the past that Enterprise needed a holodeck ejection system
Yes. The holodeck was a horrible idea.
Gene Roddenberry’s middle name was Wesley. Just so you know.
A Mary Sue, given Gene Roddenberry’s arrogantly high opinion of himself?
Roddenberry reminds me of a mediocre sf novel
Just remembered the name of the novel: The Flying Sorcerers by Larry Niven and David Gerrold. At the end we find out that the protagonist’s name, Purple, is a machine mistranslation of his real name, Asimov. As-a-mauve. Gosh. How funny.
A Mary Sue, given Gene Roddenberry’s arrogantly high opinion of himself?
Wheaton claims so. He says that once he figured out that Wesley was just 14-year-old Roddenberry, he was able to play the character much “better” (i.e. the way Roddenberry wanted). Hamill has said the same about Lucas.
Wheaton claims so. He says that once he figured out that Wesley was just 14-year-old Roddenberry, he was able to play the character much “better” (i.e. the way Roddenberry wanted). Hamill has said the same about Lucas.
Ouch. Mary Sue tendencies are shameful in a 33-year-old George Lucas, but even more so in a 66-year-old Gene Roddenberry.