FOX – Doug's Views

April 14, 2009April 18, 2020

Sarah Conner Chronicles fans can be strange and creepy

I admit that in some rare cases I can lose rationality when trying to be a fan of whatever I am a fan of. Be it football, a film, TV show, or music, I can sometimes seem stupid. That’s what I faced when reading the official show blog of one of my current favs – Terminator – The Sarah Conner Chronicles. Reading some of the comments from the past few episodes left me gob smacked and I hope if I ever act that way, that someone slap me upside the head. Some fans are strange and creepy.

In case you don’t know Terminator – The Sarah Conner Chronicles (aka TTSCC) is part of the Terminator movie franchise started by James Cameron with his movie Terminator in 1984. Basically humans build a defense computer called Skynet that becomes self aware and attempts to destroy humanity. It sends a Terminator (a human like cyborg) back in time to kill the mother of the leader of the human resistance. Her name is Sarah Conner. The Terminator was played by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

What I liked about the story was the future war and John Conner. The films showed a bit of that war and glimpes of John Conner. The TV show follows Sarah and John roughly in the time period between the 2nd and 3rd film although in the first episode they threw in a time shift to 2008, so it is on its own time line.

There are two other supporting characters. One is Cameron – a reprogrammed female Terminator sent back to protect the teen aged John Conner. The other was Derrick Reese – brother of Kyle, John’s father.

Since the story is so layered and complex I sometimes check out the show’s official website. I read the producers notes and on occasion read the blog for each episode.

Although sometimes the comments from other fans bother me.

There are different views of the show and that is okay.

You have some who want more action and less talking. There are some who want more talking and less action. There are some fans who complain about logical holes in the plot – like how did one of the Terminators make it through the time displacement without being covered with living tissue.

Then some of the fans either tick me off or creep me out.

The actress who plays Cameron – Summer Glau – has her own fan base from her previous role in the TV show Firefly and those fan think that TTSCC should focus more on Cameron. They complain if she isn’t doing anything in scenes or doesn’t have a chance to beat someone up. They seem to forget it is called The Sarah Conner Chronicles so it should focus on Sarah and John with Cameron being a supporting character.

The creepy fans are the ones who crave a relationship between John Conner and Cameron. They think the human and robot should hook up. They also complain when John and Cameron aren’t in the scene. One fan even asked when they would be kissing. Ewwwww…..

I like the show and hope it gets a 3rd season but I have to remind myself not to visit the fan site too often.

November 17, 2008April 18, 2020

TV Networks have very short memory

John Amato points out on Crooks and Liars that since the election, the Sunday talk shows have returned to the usual conservative bias:

It’s no coincidence that right wing/Conservative guests far outnumber the left wing guests this week on the Sunday talkers. The country just rejected Conservatives and the entire GOP and gave Obama a complete mandate, but does that matter to the networks?
Atrios:
Highlighted this before, but on the teevee on Sunday we have:
7 Appearances by Republican current elected officeholders
3 Appearances by Democratic current elected officeholders.
2 Appearances by Republican former elected officeholders.
1 Appearance by a Bush Cabinet Secretary.
T. Boone Pickens
Ted Turner.
Right Wingers dominate the Sunday Talk Shows

So now we not only have the “how does this hurt Democrats” but now add “How does this help the GOP…”

(sigh)

That’s why I refuse to watch the Sunday Talk shows. Same old same old.

August 28, 2008April 18, 2020

Message to CNN, MSNBC, FOX, ABC, NBC, and CBS

I have one message to Joe, Sean, Pat, Nora, Soledad, Chris, Campbell, Wolf, and the other “commentators” covering the Democratic convention:

SHUT THE *UCK UP!!!!

Please, stop hurting the country with your concern troll, faux “objective” analysis of the speeches and events at the convention. We don’t care what YOU think or care what you want us to think. We KNOW what the GOP thinks, we don’t need to see them on the air repeating the talking points, in fact we don’t need YOU repeating the GOP talking points.

Here is how basic journalism at a political convention is suppose to work (if you need help call Walter Cronkite):

1. Show the speech without comments.

2. After the speech, talk about the points made – are they based in reality – are they truthful. If a speaker comments about the opponent then talk about it and compare it on the known facts. Don’t put words in the speaker’s mouth or speculate why something was said – stick to what was said.

3. If you didn’t like a speech then say why based on objective rational reasons – not talking points from the other party.

4. Talk to actual people attending the convention to find out how the different speeches played out. The speeches aren’t for YOU. They are for those spending the week at the convention.

If you feel like I do, that the “commentors” plain suck, then watch the convention unfiltered and uninterrupted on C-SPAN.

*Update* Exceptions to this request include Rachel Maddow, Chuck Todd, and some of Keith Olberman (he can get close to gimble lock at times). Also PBS is good viewing and the Daily Show and Colbert Report have done a good job so far…..