Writer's Blog 5

Future English Students,

Before I start, I'd like to let you know that the best part about English 110.01 may be what you anticipate to be the worst part. Heading into the class, I was excited to write and blog, but was less than excited to write about Science Fiction. Frankly, I couldn't think of a more stale subject. Through the course of the class, however, I learned that Sci-Fi wasn't so horrible after all, and that every genre deserves a chance. Shows like Star Trek or Battlestar Gallactica may seem dorky or weird, but you should at least give them a chance before you make your judgments. I didn't like every show I watched in class, but I was also surprised by many of them.

I think that sort of surprise is what makes this class so interesting. While the class seems to focus on exploring a different genre of English, you end up learning the most about yourself. You discover that you like things you thought you hated, and you also find out that you don't really like things you thought you loved. When all is said and done, this class is a learning experience. If you go into it with an open mind, you're bound to take a lot from it.

Do your assignments on time, and don't hesitate to ask Leslie for help. She doesn't bite, and I promise you'll become a better writer if you listen to her. Be friendly when helping your classmates with their work; nobody likes to feel like they're a bad writer. And finally, try to make it fun! I think it's pretty accurate to say that the students that had the most fun in the class also got the best grades. Have fun with the blogging and don't take it all too seriously. Everybody's in the same boat, so don't feel like a loser when you have to post something about Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

I hope my advice helps you have a successful quarter, and I wish you all the best!

Sincerely,

Cameron Brown

Farscape

I wasn't a huge fan of Farscape. While I liked the concept of being ported into another galaxy or reality through a black hole, I think the whole plot could have been executed a whole lot better. The creatures John encountered were too bizarre for my taste. To me, they all seemed a little too campy; it was almost like they detracted from the plot instead of painting the image of this insanely different way of life. I think that the show would be a lot more interesting and compelling if the characters seemed a little more believable; maybe it's just me, but I have trouble taking a two-foot-tall, purple haired creature seriously. In the show's fairness, I've only seen one episode. However, my impressions of that single episode weren't exactly positive.

In my eyes, Farscape seemed most similar to Star Trek. For one, the creatures John encountered operated a ships control booth that had an eerily similar layout to that of the Enterprise. Also, Star Trek and Farscape both carry a theme of different species and creatures working together. I think that concept is more abstract than we realize, as different creatures and their priorities are so divided on our own planet. I don't think Farscape ripped off Star Trek or anything like that, but perhaps the creators of both shows had a similar vision of a future society.

All in all, I'm glad that I was forced to branch out and watch so many different shows in this class. I would have never watched Buffy, Star Trek, BSG, or any of the other shows we watched for that matter, had they not been assigned. But, because I did watch these shows, I feel like I understand the appeal of Science Fiction. There's a weird sense of escape when you watch some of these shows; it's refreshing to see creatures and life forms completely different than humans deal with the same sort of problems we do. I don't necessarily like the genre myself, but at least now I understand why others would.

STNG

I absolutely loved the Star Trek episode we watched in class. To me, it really epitomized what a good Science Fiction series can and should be. Instead of focusing on special effects or (to be frank) sex, the show brilliantly echoed the human rights debates we have on earth in the 21st century. I love symbolism, especially when it's creative, and the writers really hit a home run with this particular episode. In our culture, debates often arise when the line dividing right from wrong becomes increasingly blurry. In this episode of STNG, Data's natural rights are up for debate, as he's technically a robot. I think that this sort of argument really hits home, as we've had an all too similar debate in our own country during the past century. From different races to immigrants, all sorts of minorities have fought for their basic rights in our country. All in all, I think the reason I liked this episode was because it had a plot that made you think. There's no way anybody can watch that episode of STNG without forming their ow opinion regarding the fate of Data.

I can't really say that there's particular Sci-Fi series that I prefer over all the rest, but there definitely is a type of plot that I prefer. I love the episodes like the one we just watched in class, where the plot reflects our own world. In these types of episodes, I understand the real potential of Science Fiction. It's like a light bulb goes off when I make connections between our own world and these fictional places in the future; I feel like we learn a lot more about ourselves when we watch these types of episodes than we do about the characters of the show. I'm not a huge fan of BSG, but I can understand why others like it. It seems more modern to me, and not in a good way. It seems like a series that was written to draw a big audience on TV, and, to me at least, it doesn't have the same charm that Star Trek has.

Going into this course, I wasn't really belated to hear that our theme was Science Fiction. However, I have officially eaten my own words. I really did enjoy watching some of the shows, and I would have never watched any of them otherwise. So do I love any particular Sci-Fi show? Not really. But, I've enjoyed watching some the episodes, and I definitely have a newfound appreciation for the genre as a whole.

Star Trek & The Development of Science Fiction

I've watched a Star Trek episode here and there, but I've never taken the time to watch the first episode of the series. Thus, I decided to watch 'The Man Trap' for this writer's blog response. In the beginning of the episode, the crew of the Enterprise is on a mission to come to bring supplies to Dr. Robert Crater and, his wife, Nancy Crater on a distant planet. When the three men representing the Enterprise are beamed down to the planet, they each see a different woman when they look at Nancy. Confusion and chaos erupts when one of the three representatives, Darnel, is found unresponsive with odd circles on his face. Only Nancy was with Darnel when he was stricken, claiming that she saw him consume a poisonous plant. While examining Darnel, the crew realizes that he is not dead, but rather, had been drained of salt. Continuing the investigation, Kirk orders Dr. Crater and his wife to board the Enterprise until the mystery is solved. While Dr. Crater tries to find Nancy, Sturgeon is found dead. The audience then sees Nancy kill Green (another crew member), and then transform into Green. It is made apparent that 'Nancy' is not Nancy after all, but rather, a creature of planet M-113. The creatures of M-113 need the salt from humans to survive, and thus, the creature posing as Dr. Crater's wife actually killed Nancy Crater. In a twist, though, it is revealed that Dr. Crater brings humans to 'Nancy' in order to keep the creature's company, as he is lonely after the death of his wife. 'Nancy' goes on a rampage on the Enterprise, killing various crew members until she is killed by McCoy.

I enjoyed watching this episode, and I think it was primarily because it was the first episode of Star Trek that I could really keep up with. While I was watching, I tried to think of the different ways that this episode differed from the modern-day Science Fiction series on television today. While the special effects and camera work were, frankly, the most obvious differences between the Sci-Fi of old and new, I think the most significant difference may be the use of human metaphors in the shows. While I'm sure that the original Star Trek was visually impressive for its time, it didn't seem to use special effects as a crutch like modern shows seem to do. In the more modern shows, such as Battlestar Galactica, sex and special effects often take precedence over the show's plot. I think I really enjoyed watching Star Trek because it used metaphors and symbolism to explore a time and lifestyle unlike our own; plain and simple. The show didn't have graphic sex scenes or High Definition explosions, but it did have a creative plot and vibrant characters. The biggest difference between Science Fiction shows today and those that pioneered the genre decades ago is their focus. Modern shows seem to put a greater focus on what draws in viewers, while the older shows, such as Star Trek, seem to stay true to their story and plot.

Battlestar Gallactica

After watching the mini-series episode of the Battlestar Galactica series, I’m not sure how I feel about the show. To start, I felt like the entire episode was extremely dragged out. I guess I sort of feel like the episode allotted a lot of time to describing the back-story of the Cyclone’s and the relationship that this powerful robot-race has with humans, but yet, I didn’t feel like I really knew what was going on. On top of that, I think that the sex scenes were a bit excessive. It’s one thing to include a sexual scene that is instrumental in the relationship between two characters, but I feel like the sex scenes in BSG were sort of uncalled for. It’s really a shame, because I think that the scenes made it difficult to really appreciate the plot of the episode. Instead of thinking about the plot, I couldn’t stop thinking about how desperate the writers and producers of this show must have been to include so much sexual content in the first episode. It’s just cheap in my eyes.

Though I wasn’t head over heels, I did appreciate the symbolism that the show carries. I think it’s interesting that the cyclones have evolved to look like the humans. I think that this metaphor can be carried throughout many other aspects of our lives; sometimes it’s difficult to distinguish the enemies from the good guys among us. All in all, you could say that I appreciate Battlestar Gallactica. However, I can’t say that I’d take the time to watch the series. During the miniseries, I just got a vibe that the show sort of desperate. I’ve heard that it gets really good, but I guess it just rubbed me the wrong way.

Dreams

Dreams

Hold fast to dreams

For if dreams die,

Life is a broken-winged bird

That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams

For when dreams go

Life is a barren field

Frozen with snow.

The poem Dreams, written by Langston Hughes, is a pretty straightforward poem that emphasizes the importance of dreams. In the first stanza, Hughes uses the metaphor of a broken wing to illustrate the important role our dreams have on where we go in life. Without our dreams, we can't go anywhere. The second stanza of the poem uses snow and an empty, barren field as a symbol of one's utter hopelessness without dreams. Regardless of how big or small our dreams are, Hughes wants to make it known that they are the driving force of our lives. Without dreams, there is no hope, goals, or accomplishment. I think I'm drawn to this poem because of it's universal message; we've all hit our lows at some point, and everyone can relate to feeling hopeless. But, at the same time, most of us have experienced the joy of coming out of the rough spots in life. It's important that we realize that while life's all about the ups and downs, our dreams should never leave us. It takes hope to pull yourself through life's trials and our dreams can help to give us that hope.

Buffy: Normal Again

This episode really made you think! I think it's my favorite Buffy episode because of all the twists it takes. I found myself really confused during parts of the episode, but I think that only contributed to the strength of the whole episode. For instance, I was convinced that the mental institution at the beginning of the episode was fake, but my thinking was questioned two more times during the episode. I think that this episode did a great job highlighting the way our decision making would differ so drastically in reality verses another dimension. It appeared easy to kill somebody when you were in an alternate reality, but I can imagine that it wouldn't be easy to make such a decision if you had to live with the repercussions of your actions. All in all, I felt like this episode really changed it up; I think seeing this episode solidified the Buffy series' knack for writing episodes with motifs and ideas far beyond slaying vampires; surely one of the reasons the show experienced such great success.