Storytelling in Television April 16, 2009
Posted by kmcalear in Musings, Science Fiction, Writing Craft.Tags: Babylon 5, Big Bang Theory, storytelling
3 comments
*taps the mic* Is this thing on?
Hi folks, I’ve been falling into the dark hole of “End of the Semester”, which means lots of papers and lots of presentations. Somehow I ended up with most of my presentations at the end of the semester, through poor planning on my part. I just finished the last today and got a /really/ good grade on my Midterm. Wahoo!
But this does mean I haven’t spent much time reading my Fun Books and a lot reading Class books (they’re fun too, but it’s a different sort of reading… ) Anyway to stay sane I have been indulging in my favorite tv shows, some current, some revisited.
And I want to say… J. Michael Straczynski is a very talented story teller. He’s the creater of the Sci Fi Epic Babylon 5 which can be seen on Hulu.com and Aol.com. What is so impressive with B5 is the ongoing plot arcs that he manages over several years of writing, mingled in with the delightful interpersonal relationships for the characters. The Christian subthemes also intrigue me, considering there’s several plots dealing with death and resurrection, ultimate sacrifice and “he who lay down his life for a friend.” There’s an intertwining of classic philosophy themes as wella s a good natured poking-fun at American (and human) culture. One memorable scene involves two aliens debating the meaning (or lack there of) of the Hokey Pokey. The show also left me with some of the most haunting and thought provoking quotes, that I recalled for years after the show went off the air. I’ll leave you with one:
“The molecules of your body are the same molecules that make this station and the nebula outside, that burn inside the stars themselves. We are star-stuff. We are the Universe, made manifest, trying to figure itself out. And, as we have both learned, sometimes the Universe needs a change of perspective.” Delenn, Minbari (probably a nod to Carl Sagan)
A Distant Star: Babylon 5 Season 2
Beyond that, I count myself a Geek (or Nerd) or whatever word is most prestigious in your neck of the woods for “Intellectual who doesn’t mind admitting to loving board games, Star Trek, Art, and Physics” The show The Big Bang Theory is ‘our people’, fellow nerds. It’s smart, savvy, and full of great Nerd-Culture-References to make you giggle. The comedic timing is perfect as well, with the actors managing to use words and body language to portray the comedy.
Enjoy:
