Confessions of a Soon-to-Be Former Trekkie

That's right - I said former Trekkie. As of right now, I am hereby announcing my resignation from the whole of Trek Fandom... and will be turning my pointy ears and commemorative combination Tribble/toupee at the door.

When did it start? Well, I don't know, but some recent stirrings out of Trekdom didn't do all that much to impress me. No, it's not the casting issues...although I am a little bothered by William Shatner's petulance at "not being in the movie." Of course, his Direct TV ad doesn't exactly scream "hire me, I'm a professional actor"...and his devotion to Trek seems inversely proportional to his need for steady work. (Don't believe me - the documentary How William Shatner Changed the World manages to insult your intelligence and dismiss Star Trek fandom.)

I actually think it came to a head when I was reading the free "e-newsletter" from Star Trek: The New Voyages. None of their past episodes have really been all that impressive - mostly just slightly fannish attempts to recreate the past...and that's what hit me, and why I've been growing disgusted with Trek.

It's the new "big lie" - that as future series "got away" from Gene Roddenberry's vision, they became less popular. However, the "big lie" is that Roddenberry's vision was never about a ship, characters, or a setting - it was about humanity moving forward despite itself, and learning to live comfortably within its own skin.

The original cast, on the surface, seemed to be a few security guards short of a Jerry Springer episode: the bookworm-turned-horndog captain. The ensign who continually showed nationalistic pride. The helmsman who harbored swashbuckling dreams. The half-human half-alien hybrid struggling with his dual nature. A gruff doctor and overachieving engineer who both enjoyed drinking...to hear the current "party line", this was as best as Trek ever got. When you consider that the Next Generation crew were close to perfect, and there was rarely, if ever, strife amongst crew members (based on Roddenberry's own "everyone in the future gets along" edict), there may be a point.

However, I think Roddenberry's vision, ironically, is best fulfilled in Deep Space Nine, with flawed - yet believable - characters working towards a common goal. A captain who has suffered a deep loss, and who is also struggling to balance spiritual, political, and military needs with the demands of being a father. (Which is why Benjamin Sisko is my favorite Star Trek captain - well, that and he is played by the coolest man on the planet). A former freedom fighter struggling to see her home planet regain its dignity. A shape shifting alien struggling to fit in. A business owner who sees changes around him, and worries about his culture. A young woman with hundreds of years' experience...these were not perfect people, and they did not live in "perfect" times (which is anathema to Trek fans), but they were able to move forward despite them.

(By contrast, both Voyager and Enterprise offered one-from-column-A-and- another-from-column-B casting, weak plots, and...well, it always seemed that the latter two shows were more exploitive about its women (especially Voyager), and DS9 has some of the strongest female characterizations in Trek. When Leeta (who was the equivalent of a showgirl and a "minor" character) gets strong story lines - and I am being sexist and patronizing - that says more about the quality of the show than any fan film ever can).

In contrast, what the New Voyages (and the "party line") seem to be saying is that, well, it's all about Kirk, Spock, and the original crew - and since Gene Roddenberry is not around, there's no argument. However, it is not Trek in spirit...it's the equivalent of New Coke for Trek. It's getting attention because it's...well, a professionally-made fan film, but even with increasing participation from Trek alumni, it still doesn't feel right. It's not the acting, or the sets, or the special effects, but somehow a real lack of pioneering spirit. Of writing a new mythology. I remember a lecture on creativity, where the professor said that putting a pen to paper is not necessarily creative, but conceiving of five new ways to use the pen and/or the paper is creative. Trek should always be about exploring new frontiers, not revisiting past glories.

So what's the point of this admittedly rambling post? I've given up on something I've loved since I was a child. Yes, I'll still watch on occasion...but with a sense of longing. I've removed the Trek feeds from my RSS reader. I'll settle for the new Battlestar Galactica, and Doctor Who...and classic Twilight Zone. Even watching The Prisoner again has given me that familiar chill of excitement.

But Trek...no more. Let the New Voyages continue to make new episodes for other people's enjoyment. Let Shatner continue to utilize Trek in lieu of making any creative career choices. Because so many who are involved in Trek failed to realize Roddenberry's greatest lesson:

The future is always being written....and is always a work in progress.

Firefox Bookmark Clean Out!

Yes, dear readers, it's that time again - where, in lieu of actually putting together a halfway decent narrative, I attempt to impress you with a collection of randomly assorted links.

First, thanks to Roger, I have been "Blog Interviewed" (at least, I think) - please feel free to vote for me. If you do, you can name your price - anything from housework to cat sitting to a "night of sin", if you are so inclined.

Me, attempt to bribe my readers? Nah. I think I win, like, a tote bag if I get a good number of votes, or something.

Oh, and the picture of Power Girl? Completely and utterly gratuitous. My love of Darwyn Cooke's artwork notwithstanding, I have no problem pandering to the lowest common denominator.

And here we go!

• If this story is true, this may explain a lot of why Eric Idle gets on my nerves.
• See if you can guess which parts of this I wrote.
• For those of you who are interested, a little piece of Chicago rock history which, 10 years after the fact, is rather laughable.
• Wow, more movies for the Film Crew to handle (and, yes, I will check out Riff Trax)
• Here's how you can improve your presentations (because that's something all comics/pop culture geeks deal with on a daily basis)
• The Accordion Guy explains how records are "leaked" in this futuristic age.
• Looking for something to do with your old vinyl records? Make 'em into a bowl.
• And, of course, no "Blog THIS, Pal!" post would be complete without...singing kittens

Hey, if Mike can have dirty, filthy hippies on his blog, I can have singing kitties on mine.

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Now playing: foodisnotlove - THREE THE HARD WAY
via FoxyTunes

Happy Birthday, Jack Kirby!

Jack_Kirby
Originally uploaded by Gordon D

If you don't know who he is, well....

(Thanks to Kevin for "reminding" me with this post)

Also, be sure to check out the Kirby Museum.

Your Monday Moment of Mirth

doc1
Originally uploaded by Gordon D

Inspired by this post on Polite Dissent

And friends, don't worry - I'll be blogging quite a bit in the next few days.

Sundays in the Village: Checkmate

"Come be the queen's pawn"

---

(Revised 01/03/2023)

Amongst the hours of television ever made, there are episodes of key series that combine theme, direction, music, imagery, and writing into a solid, almost Platonic ideal of their representative series: "Eye of the Beholder" from Twilight Zone; "Demon with a Glass Hand" from Outer Limits, and "Genesis of the Daleks" from Doctor Who.

In terms of The Prisoner, that episode would have to be "Checkmate,"  one of the best-directed and well-scripted episodes of the series. Every line has a double meaning, every act seems to fit in place...and the ending is one of the bleakest ever done for a series set in the 1960s...and maybe in all of television.

The episode sets out its imagery at the outset - a huge chess game run by two individuals on opposing sides. Number 6, still relatively new, wishes to escape. If ever a show wore its imagery and themes on its sleeve, "Checkmate" does so almost five minutes into the episode. (It also expands on a key line from the first episode - "We're all pawns, m'dear")

There's a very telling conversation between Number 6 and the "Chessmaster" (an ex-count whose country used to hold such games...and the loser lost their heads. Literally), which sets the stage for the main theme of the episode, namely, the dynamics and duality of power:

Number 6: Why do you use people?
Chessmaster: Some psychiatrists say it satisfies the desire for power. 'the only opportunity one gets here.
Number 6:That depends what side you're on.
Chessmaster:I'm on my side.
Number 6: Aren't we all?
Chessmaster: You must be new here. In time, most of us join the enemy...against ourselves

During the midst of this match, Number 6 attempts to engage the Queen in an escape plan...but witnesses the Rook making an independent move...and the plot begins to move forward. We are soon caught in Number 6's plans to escape the Village, his learning about how the Village operates, and the subtle shadings of power that permeate all of the relationships in the Village.

One of the great aspects of this episode (which I never really appreciated until now) is the almost clockwork efficiency of the plot: soon, we learn why the Rook is on the island (he invented an electronic defense program which, naively, he felt every county in the world should know about), and Number 6 begins to use the Rook as part of his plans. It's also the first episode that moves from Cold War-style espionage thriller to allegory, as Number 2 proclaims, "In society, one is expected to conform." The Rook receives severe Pavlovian-style conditioning to deter him from independent thinking...and you would think that he would avoid Number 6...but as we learn, things are not always as they seem.

During this time, one of the Village scientists decides to utilize the Queen in a gambit - condition her to "fall in love" with Number 6, attach an electronic device to her, and she can serve as a tracker. (And to extend the chess metaphor, all of the characters - even Number 6, in an ironic way, at the end - perform very restricted, limited moves, and variation from those is dealt with.) Although it seems rather tacked on - and Number 6 catches on too easily - it's a gambit used to distract Number 6, to keep his attention away from the real game on the board; after all, the very technology in the Queen's locket fits Number 6's makeshift radio a little too well.

As the plot progresses, Number 2 - played by Peter Wyngarde (who would have later career problems after being "found out") - seems calm and dispassionate. Originally, I had never liked his portrayal, but watching the episode in isolation, I realize why he's so cold and aloof (except for a karate-themed outbreak towards the end)...after all, as in poker, a chess master never lets his feelings betray him during the game in play. Yet, Number 6 did - as the Wyngarde Number 2 points out, it was the former's "subconscious arrogance" that led the Rook to believe he was a warden and not a prisoner. By implication, Number 6 brought his failure upon himself - after all, had he not taken the initiative, Number 6 would have just been seen as another resident. However, Number 6 never counted that some people cannot, as stated earlier, tell "whose side" anyone is on.

Finally, the ending of the episode - the sequence in question begins 7:09 in this YouTube clip. It would have been easy to have the usual end-of-the-episode monologue; however, the direction and musical score help create a solid gut-punch to an episode that is one of the most multi-layered episodes in the series.

You sure didn't see this on The Mod Squad, that's for sure.

Coming soon: The episode has originally broadcast as episode two. The only two-time Number 2. And, of course, the obligatory "evil twin" episode...with a difference.

Be seeing you.

My College Experience in Less Than 10 Minutes

This clip, in a weird way, says it all:

The Perils of Public Domain

It's an almost universal maxim: just because you can do something does not mandate that you should do something.

Case in point: while perusing the internet, I came across this news item about Todd McFarlane and Josh Olson doing a "revision" of The Wizard of Oz. Fortunately, it has nothing to do with the oversexualized Dorothy action figure McFarlane Toys released some time ago...but it does seem to be part of a growing trend in the comics industry.

Recently, not one, but two projects dealing with "public domain" comic characters have been announced as being, essentially, the return of the Golden Age of Comics. (It doesn't help that Alan Moore's already done it somewhat with Terra Obscura, and...well, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Lost Girls both have sources can be traced back to Librivox.

What's distressing to me? No, not the fact that they're using unused and uncopyrighted properties - if my understanding of how public domain and derivative works function, anyone can do anything with these characters so long as they don't plagiarize each other. (This frequently linked-to comic discusses fair use...which is why, Lefty, I can use snippets of songs in the "Record You Should Own" podcasts)

But anyway...what is troubling and frustrating is the lack of creativity surrounding all of these projects. McFarlane's wish to revisit Oz is not to, say, revisit the themes that L. Frank Baum might have intended (for example, the importance of friends, courage, or as one motivational speaker puts it, having brains, courage, heart...and a plan). It seems more about making Dorothy "kewl" (or as Olson puts it, "Harry Potter dark, not Seven dark") and creating a sequel which...well, really isn't needed. Both the Image/Dynamite projects seem to hint at "creating" a universe out of whole cloth, although (in fairness) it seems more like a kind of creative shortcut - using characters to get the same buzz rather than cherry pick traits.

(One side note about Lost Girls - I'm not a prude, and believe in free speech. But it seems rather sloppy and exploitive for Alan Moore to have taken familiar children's characters and, all of a sudden, imposed sexual themes into the works. I'm all for smut, but if Alan Moore really wanted to explore those themes of sexuality in a positive manner, wouldn't it have made more sense to create new characters? Using familiar characters is slightly provocative, and can unintentionally push buttons that do not allow for mature discussion. Just a thought).

I know, public domain characters have been "adapted" by the big two - however, there's always seemed to be some creative "tweaking", which (I assume) public domain allows for...but which current projects are not doing. Although having multiple takes on a character is good, it is hopeful that anyone else using public domain characters is able to do so without legal challenges from comics companies. Yes, companies are able to adapt public domain characters...but hopefully, not at the expense of keeping those characters available for others.

Or else, the Fighting Yank/Spy Smasher/Tarzan Nanowrimo project I'm working on is a waste of time.

So I'm About to Record My Podcast....

...and all of a sudden, my heart sinks into my chest. For some reason, I'm overcome with a flood of sadness, and in all the rush, I realize why I have been extremely moody these past few weeks:

one year ago this week, my father passed away.

Something was up, I knew, around the first Tuesday of August - it was National Night Out, which (last year) was when my father had a triple-bypass. (Of course, my then-supervisor and then-employee later used my vulnerability against me, claiming that I wasn't "doing my job" that evening. I'm only hoping that, karmically, they are getting a just reward...but enough bitterness on that end. It's not healthy). For awhile, I fought it, burying it beneath a ton of networking appointments, job interviews, caring for Mom, and wallowing in the blogosphere.

Grief is tricky - when Dad died, my uncle (his younger brother) and I had a long talk, and he basically told me "You're going to feel crappy for awhile." (It's a gross exaggeration, on my part). When Dad died, it changed a lot of my mindset - deciding that moving back to Chicago was no longer a question of if, but of when; letting go of a lot of petty, stupid resentments; figuring out what I truly wanted out of life...and doing what I needed to do in order to achieve it.

I miss St. Louis...but I have to admit, I'm liking living in Chicago even more. The city has changed in the eight years I've been away, so it's like living in an entirely new place. I've been able to reconnect with friends, and have begun making some new ones. There's still some challenges I need to face (like asking an acquaintance to please not ask "where were you?" when I miss an outing, and to avoid giving me well-meant but unsolicited advice).

Why am I blogging this? Maybe because I've been spending so much time talking comics, television, and cracking wise...that I've forgotten that there's a human being behind the keyboard.

Oh, and that angry political rant is going to have to wait.

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Now playing: The Pretenders - Talk Of The Town
via FoxyTunes

Sundays in the Village: Dance of the Dead

Prisoner: Dance of the Dead Originally uploaded by Gordon D

Doctor: Every man has a breaking point! Number 2: I don't want him broken...he must be won over....this man has a future with us.

---

(Revised 01/03/2023)

If "Free For All" dealt with Capital-P-Politics in the Village, "Dance of the Dead" deals with small-p politics - the ways in which the Villagers, each of different ranks, handle each other. It's an episode in which a great deal of information is imparted, and there's about a season's worth of Lost information provided in a nice, 50-minute block...and cleverly, as well. 

 It's time for Carnival, where there is "music, dancing, happiness....by decree." Number 6 runs into another old friend (Roland Walter Dutton) and a dead body with a radio. We learn that Number 2 fully believes that Number 6 is a "special" case...and that he will not easily be broken. (In fact, Dutton serves as a good counter to Number 6 - at the end of this episode, it's easy to see how Number 6's character compares to Dutton's). There's also an excellent theme about the interpersonal games that are played (hence the "small p politics"). A very flirtatious maid makes her way into Number 6's life. When provided his own tuxedo, Number 6 provides an excellent semi-punch line to Number 2's comment, "He's an individual...and they're always trying." 

Towards the end, Number 6's "trial" is a game in and of itself, more allegorical than the plot - three of the main characters in the episode, dressed as infamous tyrants, judge Number 6 of being guilty of the crime of having a radio in the Village, and he is officially declared "dead." (Meaning - he's not welcome, and he technically does not exist. It's hard to do a straightforward review of this episode since it works on multiple levels, but (in my opinion) the ultimate theme is announced by a lonely voice on the radio, as Number 6 finds himself in a far corner of the Village, attempting to gain radio signals to determine his location. The voice announces, "Only through pain can tomorrow be assured," which works on two levels - both on the level of the mandatory frivolity of Carnival and amidst the various games that are played (ending with a move that informs Number 6 - and the audience - that nothing really is as it seems). Its ultimate message is that, to paraphrase a quote, some games are worth playing despite being unable to win... 

However, one aspect of this episode - which will have to be explored when watching further episodes - seems quite jarring. It happens towards the end, with a quote that simultaneously defies and defines the themes of individuality within The Prisoner.

---

Number 6: “Never trust a woman; even the four-legged variety.”

---

Granted, this may be part of Patrick McGoohan's slightly out-of-it sense of chivalry; on Danger Man, his character of John Drake had a tendency to use brains over fists. (Of course, McGoohan thinks fist fights are better than love scenes, so go figure). A statement like this - given that Number 6 is in a situation where his individuality is threatened, the secrets in his head are his highest commodity, and the greatest need for him to "follow along" - is jarring; his slogan should be to never trust anybody.

However, two things contradict this statement, if only to provide further grist for discussion: the first is Mary Morris' performance as Number 2. At Carnival, she is dressed as Peter Pan; considering that the role was written for Trevor Howard, and that his costume would either be Father Time or Jack the Ripper, Morris does an admirable job. Personally, she's my favorite Number 2, mixing a pragmatic friendliness with a slightly menacing chill. (Her costume also seems slightly ironic - in a world where Number 6 is expected to "grow up", she is dressed as a character who embraces eternal immaturity). She doesn't seem at all dangerous or untrustworthy...which only makes her more so. And, of course, the symbolism in Carnival may also have some play as well - Number 6, an individual who rallies against the status quo, is given his own suit and told that he is "dead." 

Perhaps, in a way, McGoohan is encouraging all of us, regardless of our beliefs - from political and social reform to, for example, wishing for a memorial to a deceased comic character - to do so despite other pressures. In fact, by his own ironic adoption of the Village's techniques, Number 6 asserts the need for greater speaking out. Coming in the next few weeks: "We're all pawns, m'dear" taken to the extreme. Number Two quits hunting down the Be-Ottles. And, for the first time, a Village two-fer. Be seeing you.

Saturday Night in the Village

Temping, job seeking, and networking have kept me away from the old blog, but to help prepare you for tomorrow's "Sundays in the Village" post, here are some Prisoner related videos.

(Thank you, Viacom, for making YouTube pull Altered Images' "See Those Eyes" video. However, The Times chime in with "I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape" - see if you can note the musical in-joke:



Then, here's a fan trailer for "Colony Three", the Danger Man episode with eerie similarities:



Finally, here's Prisonerbear, which shares no similarities with Lawyerbear whatsoever. Honest. Please don't sue us or the makers of this video.


Be seeing you...tomorrow.

In Memoriam, 30 Years Later....

OK, technically the anniversary is not until Monday, but I thought it best to reflect on the fact that 30 years ago, the greatest cultural force of the 20th century passed away....

I Need Help Deciding....

....what the next podcast should be. Here's a poll - chime on in!




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Now playing: Lene Taylor - I Read Comics Ep 55
via FoxyTunes

Happy Belated Birthday, Chris Sims!

DRTRAN
Originally uploaded by Gordon D

Here are some (belated) birthday wishes to one of the greatest comics bloggers, Mr. Chris Sims of the Incredible Super Blog.

'Cause nothing says "Congrats on getting a year older" quite like a guy in a tuxedo, wearing a jet pack, and carrying a gun.

The only way this could get closer to perfect: he punches a bear.

Sundays in the Village: Free For All

Prisoner Free For All
Originally uploaded by Gordon D

(Revised on 01/02/2023)

Number 2: We want information... information... information.
Number 6: You won't get it.
Number 2: By hook or by crook, we will.

---

Having failed to acquire the information through crook (i.e., the traitorous Cobb in Arrival), the new Number 2 decides to get it by hook - appeal to Number 6's sense of wanting change. Appeal to the sense of changing the system from within. And what better way than through elections? Encourage someone with an ambition that his best strategy is to get next to Number One...and be the power behind the throne?

"Free for All" had traditionally been televised fourth in the series - however, given that it was the second episode written and produced for The Prisoner, it makes much more sense to be second. (And for those who would argue that "Dance of the Dead" should be second, let me suggest that psychologically - and I will touch upon this next week - it is easier to ostracize someone who tries to upset the apple cart than it is to integrate a rabble-rouser). In addition, written by Patrick McGoohan, it is probably one of the more "conventional" episodes, with many excellent lines ("Are you planning to run?"/"Like blazes, the first chance I get"), just be seen as openly contemptuous of "democratic" processes, and the similarly aligned observations about those elected. It's also a meditation on how easily when given power, the noblest of us forget about the simplest truths about freedom and choice.

---

"Everyone votes for a dictator"

---

I have to admit that "Free For All" has some personal resonance for me, not just because I grew up in a city where politics was (and is) a contact sport. After I had moved to St. Louis, I was encouraged to run for the Steering Committee for a local group whose mission was to attract and retain young talent to the city. After losing two elections...for the same chair position....to the same opponent...I became a little jaded. (Of course, I ran three uncontested races and served for a year and a half). In time, after being "drafted" into serving as elections commissioner, with two sides deciding not to play by their own rules, I had enough and left the organization. The fact that I retain my name and am not exiled in Wales speaks volumes.

This is said to provide context - "Free for All" always resonated with the I'll-show-them spirit. The willingness to make a greater effort to change a perceived corrupt system. And through the episode, McGoohan shows that the Village is suspect. The current "council" is comprised of silent, still figures. After an abortive attempt to confront them, he is sent to a "civil servant" (who, according to one character, adapted to the Village rather quickly) who gives him a seemingly "telepathic" truth test. (Although it is a perversion of positive and negative conditioning - the Village powers-that-be assume Number 6's reasons and act accordingly). And throughout all this, Number 2 acts as an ally (a drunken encounter in a secret cave) and enemy (the resulting political speeches). In short, it's no wonder that the pub's name is the "Cat and Mouse" - McGoohan seems to suggest that politics is a cat and mouse game, with one person trying their hardest to vie for the votes - and approval - of the crowd. (At one point, when addressing his fellow residents, as Number 6 announces a policy of "Less work...more play", he - and McGoohan - share a smile that says I can't believe I'm actually getting away with this.

(EDIT - given the events of the past seven years, Free for All has greater resonance) 

Ultimately, towards the end, there is a lesson that Number 6 forgets. After winning the election, he announces throughout the Village that they are "free to go, "...and they remain. Despite his promises, Number 6 forgets that freedom is a double-edged sword...and that the Villagers are also free to stay. (It's a sentiment that's prevented me from chastising some of my blogging colleagues when arguing about the possibility of universal health care or when a friend gushes over a candidate who spits out platitudes and promises).

In a slightly clever twist at the end, Number 6 is painfully reminded that there are various "ways and means" by which the Village will get the information in his head. He has drawn further attention to himself...and has branded himself a troublemaker.

The game has only started.

Coming in the next few weeks: Number 6 attends Carnival. The world's largest chess game. And, of course, Leo McKern.

Be seeing you.

How Rude of Me!

Corruption Motivational Poster
Originally uploaded by Gordon D

I've been so busy with whatnot and sundry, I have been forgetting my manners. First, I wanted to introduce some new blogs to the blogroll (and if I've forgotten you in this list, please make a note):

• Thoughts from an Empty Head - Steven linked to the infamous "Open Letter to Joe Quesada" awhile ago; he does mostly pop-culture type stuff. Plus, he owns a genuine sonic screwdriver. Hence, the link.
• Comics Oughta Be Fun - Don't let the fact that he's a little stuffed bull turn you off - Bully is probably the best comics blogger out there. Sharp, witty writing, a great sense of humor, with a spirit that reminds you of why you love comics in the first place - you're only hurting yourself if you don't read this blog.
• Life and Debt in Chicago - Thanks to the good taste of Tony Collett, I was introduced to this blog. Think of it as your guide to beating cheap...which everyone knows, I'm all about the penny pinching.
• Always Bet on Bahlactus - Because he would whomp on me royally if I didn't link to him.

Given my recent choice in reading material, followed by preparing for the next Sunday in the Village, consider the attached photo my gift to you.

Yes, I'm feeling cynical about politics, why do you ask?

Your Random Comics-Related Reference of the Day.

Found in this post on Lifehacker - a blog y'all should be reading already.

(And personally, I prefer the Watchmen movie that plays in my head over Zach Synder's efforts....but that's just me)



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Now playing: The Saints - Just Like Fire Would
via FoxyTunes

5 Reasons Why I Dig Justice Society of America # 8

First, a hearty acknowledgment to Ragnell, who had originally featured a clip that I had "borrowed" in an earlier post. Just wanted to give credit where credit was due.

And speaking of ripping off other, better blogs - here are my top 5 reasons why I am digging "Justice Society of America" # 8.

1. It is refreshing that, in a plot where a woman is dealing with her father's perfectionism, she does not end up as a cliche meeker-than-thou wallflower. It is hard when your main character has super-strength, but it would have been so easy to paint Liberty Belle in less-than-flattering terms. The fact that she has integrity speaks volumes about the writing.
2. In fact, the Jesse Chambers/Johnny Quick relationship reminds me of my relationship with my father, who was another extremely demanding perfectionist. In a way, the story ends on the right note, with Liberty Belle accepting that experience as part of her life...and seeing what her father gave her. (I'm trying not to spoil here, folks). It's one of the few done-in-one-issue stories that, to me, feels real.
3. I like the fact that it's a mother-daughter legacy (rather than father-daughter or father-son, although technically it's a father-mother-daughter legacy). Granted, she embraced her father's legacy, but which would you rather be - a kick-ass patriotic super-hero, or a Flash-lite whose parallel earth counterpart is a criminal?
4. The way she relates to the two main male characters (Hourman and Damage) also feels legitimate - she isn't exactly doting on her husband (and Hourman's "revelation" sounds like someone who's been working on himself), nor does she unnecessarily pander or patronize Damage. She's not the all-healing feminine ideal that would have been presented - just a fellow human being. It makes me glad I haven't given up comics altogether (although I do admit, there's a lot of work that needs to be done.
5. This issue makes me want to pester Dan DiDio to allow me to write an Hourman/Liberty Belle series. Think of it as "Titus in tights" or "Stuart Saves His Family with more punching. Trust me, it's better than it sounds.

It's Tuesday and I'm Working...

...so here's some You Tube-y goodness:



(P.S. I forgot where I found the above link. My apologies to the person who originally posted it)

Sundays in the Village: Arrival

(Revised 01/02/2023) 

This year marks the 56th anniversary of a television program that has had as much of an influence on popular culture in the past 20 years as Star Trek did in the 1960s and 1970s. In fact, it's even so cool as to have been parodied on The Simpsons. It's a challenging, thought-provoking piece, integrating a slightly intellectual edge into its subplots involving espionage and individuality. In the spirit of the incomparable Bully's Wodehouse a Week, there is a new feature on this blog - each week, I will watch one of the 17 episodes and blog about it. (I'll be following the order of The Prisoner - Complete Series Megaset on A & E rather than the "official" televised order. (EDIT: you can now stream the series for free via Shout Factory TV or Tubi) The A & E order falls roughly into chronological order, which makes for some more interesting takes on episodes, and it's the order my Prisoner DVDs are in. So there.

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“I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, or numbered! My life is my own.”

---

When I had blogged about Jericho, one of my complaints was that, for a pilot, it had failed to do what it set out to do - set up the story and engage the viewer to tune in the next week. "Arrival", essentially the pilot for The Prisoner, actually provides multiple bangs for the buck. Within an hour, the viewer is introduced to

• Our main protagonist
• The actions he takes that lead to his being incarcerated in the Village
• His "arrival" in the Village
• The setup of the main conflict (Number 6 versus Number 2 to gain the reasons for his resignation)
• An initial "plot" (an old and new colleague are used to manipulate Number 6)
• An initial "replacement" for Number 2
• An introduction to life in the Village, including Rover
• An iteration of the initial themes - individuality versus conformity, doing the right thing versus doing the easy thing, and the fact that (as another person says it), "We're all pawns, m'dear"

In fact, if anything, this pilot may be slightly overstuffed, but again, this was a show that was not done with a "bible" in place. In fact, popular legend has it that McGoohan wanted seven episodes, the production company wanted 22, and they compromised on 17. It's also the kind of episode that, if taken alone or followed up with much weaker episodes, could have been seen as a one-joke series like Gilligan's Island or Star Trek: Voyager - "Ok, is this the episode where the crew of the Minnow/Number 6 gets off the island/Voyager comes back to Earth." The production of this episode is critical, especially the details that pop out - Number 6's car heading for the "Way Out" tunnel; the echoing of Number 6's footsteps in the hall similar to the classic Point Blank; the appearance of two world maps on his boss' wall...and that's just before the main action begins.

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New No.2: “Good day, Number Six.”
No.6: “Number what?”
New No.2: “Six. For official purposes, everyone has a number. Yours is number 6.”
No.6: “I am not a number, I am a person.”

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But it's when Number 6 arrives at the Village, the stakes increase - we need to be informed about the nature of Number 6's formal duties. We know he resigned; in fact, Number 2 asserts that they know why he resigned. However, they know he has information, asserting that Number 6 was an unquestioning agent. However, a key sequence - when Number 2 shows a series of surveillance videos, suggesting a pre-Village paranoia in Number 6 - really shifts our understanding.

No longer is this about a man who resigns out of conscience or just wants to leave - this is a man who seems to consistently bristle against authority, maybe secretly, but now it's more overt. Now, rather than emerge into "freedom" from bureaucracy and stricture, his identity is stripped down to a number, and ironically, does not even get anonymity - the very thing he is fighting against does not exist. He is known as someone with critical information and asserts that he will leave the Village.

(As a side note - does anyone know if someone has analyzed The Prisoner using Ayn Rand's philosophy? I am far from being an objectivist and don't believe that Ayn Rand is necessarily evil, but I know she has handed these themes in one of her first novels. As someone whose thoughts and values were shaped by this show, I am curious to see if such an analysis exists and what it says)

The rest of the episode serves as a kind of template (Number Two has a plan/Number Six fights that plan/Number Six gains a moral victory) for several other episodes in the series...but chillingly, a quote towards the end, where a hereby silent character tells another "We're all pawns" seems chillingly prescient.

I'm sure, right now, Patrick McGoohan is shaking his head while in retirement from acting. (EDIT - McGoohan passed away in 2009) He could not have seen an age where we are more numbers than individuals. Our personal information is often shared for commercial purposes. From blogs to internet tracking, nothing seems "personal and confidential." One can, for a price, track another person's private information, and others post "content" simply to keep an anonymous algorithm busy.  Reality television provides a nicely edited yet voyeuristic look into our lives. Memories are coopted into commercial endeavors, and even The Prisoner has been (poorly) remade. 

Welcome, one and all, to the Village. Consider this live blogging effort my attempt to get you thinking. And watching. 

Be seeing you.

Your Saturday Cheap Laugh of the Day

avatar
Originally uploaded by Gordon D

Hey, if Roger can head to the Simpsons movie web site and make an avatar, so can I.

(You can also head on over and "Simpsonize" one of your photos)

Hey, if you want to consider this a meme, please feel free.

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August's Record You Should Own

A little bit of a treat - a combo DVD & CD review. (My computer and microphone were acting wonky - however, I've hopefully fixed it in the mix)



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