Comments on: Taking things as read, V, and the consumption of popular culture http://cultureby.com/2009/11/taking-things-as-read-v-and-the-consumption-of-popular-culture.html This Blog Sits At the Intersection of Anthropology and Economics Wed, 23 May 2012 20:32:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: srp http://cultureby.com/2009/11/taking-things-as-read-v-and-the-consumption-of-popular-culture.html/comment-page-1#comment-108 srp Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:12:26 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=18#comment-108 The "twist" this time is the idea that the Visitors have been hiding among us for a long time, which is kind of a throwback to the old 1950s invasion flicks as well as the new Battlestar Galactica. It would be great if the remake could come up with a better rationale for the invasion than the original series, which had the ridiculous idea that the aliens were here to eat us. It would be nice if somebody would greenlight a show with a premise like Larry Niven's Protector novel, which featured a logical, stunning, and original redefinition of humanity's relationship to aliens. Most of the alien stuff we get is bad allegory for religion or ideological politics. The “twist” this time is the idea that the Visitors have been hiding among us for a long time, which is kind of a throwback to the old 1950s invasion flicks as well as the new Battlestar Galactica. It would be great if the remake could come up with a better rationale for the invasion than the original series, which had the ridiculous idea that the aliens were here to eat us.

It would be nice if somebody would greenlight a show with a premise like Larry Niven’s Protector novel, which featured a logical, stunning, and original redefinition of humanity’s relationship to aliens. Most of the alien stuff we get is bad allegory for religion or ideological politics.

]]> By: Patrick Pearce http://cultureby.com/2009/11/taking-things-as-read-v-and-the-consumption-of-popular-culture.html/comment-page-1#comment-107 Patrick Pearce Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:55:04 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=18#comment-107 Sci-fi auds have become quite comfortable with non-linear chronologies, multidimensional characters, shifting personality traits, conflict dynamics and so on. With shows like Lost and Heroes, the genre itself has expanded in wild new ways, bringing in broader audiences and making hardcore sci-fi fans perhaps less exclusive in their expertise. But with both the hardcore and the newer fans, the expectation is that any new take on the genre has to transcend it in a very fresh way or risk irrelevancy. I would expect V to start to play up romantic plot lines big time, but they may not have the writing and acting quality to sustain it. I've only seen the trailer, so hard to say, but could they be going after Fox viewers? Sci-fi auds have become quite comfortable with non-linear chronologies, multidimensional characters, shifting personality traits, conflict dynamics and so on. With shows like Lost and Heroes, the genre itself has expanded in wild new ways, bringing in broader audiences and making hardcore sci-fi fans perhaps less exclusive in their expertise. But with both the hardcore and the newer fans, the expectation is that any new take on the genre has to transcend it in a very fresh way or risk irrelevancy. I would expect V to start to play up romantic plot lines big time, but they may not have the writing and acting quality to sustain it. I’ve only seen the trailer, so hard to say, but could they be going after Fox viewers?

]]> By: Grant McCracken http://cultureby.com/2009/11/taking-things-as-read-v-and-the-consumption-of-popular-culture.html/comment-page-1#comment-106 Grant McCracken Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:29:07 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=18#comment-106 Jason, very well said, shiny casting indeed, missed that. thanks, Grant Jason, very well said, shiny casting indeed, missed that. thanks, Grant

]]> By: Jason Laughlin http://cultureby.com/2009/11/taking-things-as-read-v-and-the-consumption-of-popular-culture.html/comment-page-1#comment-105 Jason Laughlin Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:14:08 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=18#comment-105 Is there something about this show that makes it all feel a little too pristine? God love him, but Scott Wolf? And the guy playing the priest...? All of this – the shiny looking actors, the formulaic story based on a previous formulaic story (sheesh) – serves up the TTAR mode I went into. I suppose this is a lesson that when you want people to pay attention, you may want to challenge their conventions a bit. Oh, and when will someone create "The Wire" of sci-fi. I want it now! Is there something about this show that makes it all feel a little too pristine? God love him, but Scott Wolf? And the guy playing the priest…? All of this – the shiny looking actors, the formulaic story based on a previous formulaic story (sheesh) – serves up the TTAR mode I went into. I suppose this is a lesson that when you want people to pay attention, you may want to challenge their conventions a bit.

Oh, and when will someone create “The Wire” of sci-fi. I want it now!

]]> By: srp http://cultureby.com/2009/11/taking-things-as-read-v-and-the-consumption-of-popular-culture.html/comment-page-1#comment-104 srp Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:28:46 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=18#comment-104 I've only seen the first episode so far (TiVoed the rest) and it is a bit formulaic. But, a great virtue, it is fast-paced. Compare to the agonizing soap-opera that is Flash Forward and the TTAR in V is like a refreshing palate-cleanser. BTW, the original V had one of the greatest viral marketing gimmicks I've ever seen. Down in the Kendall Square T station in Cambridge was a poster with a red-jumpsuited guy wearing those funky goggles holding a small, smiling child in his arms. The poster said "The Alien Visitors--Our Friends." That was it, nothing saying it was about a TV show at all. The creepy thing was up for months before they ran the first TV promos for the upcoming miniseries. I’ve only seen the first episode so far (TiVoed the rest) and it is a bit formulaic. But, a great virtue, it is fast-paced. Compare to the agonizing soap-opera that is Flash Forward and the TTAR in V is like a refreshing palate-cleanser.

BTW, the original V had one of the greatest viral marketing gimmicks I’ve ever seen. Down in the Kendall Square T station in Cambridge was a poster with a red-jumpsuited guy wearing those funky goggles holding a small, smiling child in his arms. The poster said “The Alien Visitors–Our Friends.” That was it, nothing saying it was about a TV show at all. The creepy thing was up for months before they ran the first TV promos for the upcoming miniseries.

]]> By: peter spear http://cultureby.com/2009/11/taking-things-as-read-v-and-the-consumption-of-popular-culture.html/comment-page-1#comment-103 peter spear Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:25:35 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=18#comment-103 i will say though that there are casting agents who must be tuning into the significance of the burgeoning sci-fi genre and hiring appropriately. in the first episode of V we meet the leader of the Visitors, played by Morena Baccarin (sp?) and are treated to the initial exposure of the reptile skin beneath one of the protagonists human flesh - alan tudyk. both of Firefly fame. they tried too much in that first episode, but it does feel like they tried to pay off the genre loyals.....which reminds me of your post about the IBM-leprachaun. typecast has a whole new meaning..... i will say though that there are casting agents who must be tuning into the significance of the burgeoning sci-fi genre and hiring appropriately.

in the first episode of V we meet the leader of the Visitors, played by Morena Baccarin (sp?) and are treated to the initial exposure of the reptile skin beneath one of the protagonists human flesh – alan tudyk. both of Firefly fame.

they tried too much in that first episode, but it does feel like they tried to pay off the genre loyals…..which reminds me of your post about the IBM-leprachaun. typecast has a whole new meaning…..

]]> By: peter spear http://cultureby.com/2009/11/taking-things-as-read-v-and-the-consumption-of-popular-culture.html/comment-page-1#comment-102 peter spear Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:21:29 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=18#comment-102 couldn't agree more with you assessment of V, though I remain a bit unclear about TTAR. what it seems to me is that TTAR means that the places between the expected narrative points are where the value lies. V fails miserably on this count and does nothing but check the boxes that we would expect them to. and i'm a bit hurt by it. V was a generationally definitive moment, as far as i can tell - starring mark singer (the brother of lori singer of footloose and former beastmaster and new cultural relic) and freddy krueger as the first lizard exposed. It also seemed like the early days of the epic mini-series. the other telling us of the the "day after." it was all catastrophic, apocalyptic TV. there is neither epic in this new V, nor a real exploration of the convention. disappointed. couldn’t agree more with you assessment of V, though I remain a bit unclear about TTAR. what it seems to me is that TTAR means that the places between the expected narrative points are where the value lies. V fails miserably on this count and does nothing but check the boxes that we would expect them to.

and i’m a bit hurt by it. V was a generationally definitive moment, as far as i can tell – starring mark singer (the brother of lori singer of footloose and former beastmaster and new cultural relic) and freddy krueger as the first lizard exposed.

It also seemed like the early days of the epic mini-series. the other telling us of the the “day after.” it was all catastrophic, apocalyptic TV. there is neither epic in this new V, nor a real exploration of the convention. disappointed.

]]> By: Rick Liebling http://cultureby.com/2009/11/taking-things-as-read-v-and-the-consumption-of-popular-culture.html/comment-page-1#comment-101 Rick Liebling Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:10:47 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=18#comment-101 I think TTAR is another name for Seinfeld's 'yada yada yada.' V is not only formulaic, but it's a formula many of us saw 20 years ago when the original V aired. Tough to be surprised when you know how the story plays out already. Now, that being said, you *can* do a reboot instead of a remake. The new Battlestar Galactica flipped a lot of the conventions of the original. In order to survice, V may need to throw in some twists. Is it already too late? I think TTAR is another name for Seinfeld’s ‘yada yada yada.’

V is not only formulaic, but it’s a formula many of us saw 20 years ago when the original V aired. Tough to be surprised when you know how the story plays out already. Now, that being said, you *can* do a reboot instead of a remake. The new Battlestar Galactica flipped a lot of the conventions of the original. In order to survice, V may need to throw in some twists. Is it already too late?

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