Good morning, gentle readers, and ... it's Friday! Woohoo!
Oh, yeah ... I almost forgot ... welcome to On This Day In Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror History for March 22, 2024!
How's everyone's day going, eh?
Ok, ok, ok ... let's try as much as possible to put the issue of The Acolyte to bed. I bring this up (again) only because I'm both seeing some lingering controversy online regarding the reception of the show's recently-released trailer (which, frankly, isn't a very good trailer, in my humble opinion), the present state of Star Wars, and a bit of other associated items that I'm honestly not going to go into because they're d-i-s-t-r-a-c-t-i-o-n-s. Nothing more. Does this relate to the current battle Bob Iger is fighting to keep control of the Walt Disney board? Meh. It could, but I'm not in the know. Could it be part and parcel of why Disney+ -- as a streaming platform -- is mired in financial loss? Well, that seems reasonable, but again it's a determination best left to accountants. Might it in some way intersect with the whole Gina Carano and Kathleen Kennedy pending legal throwdown? Sigh. Again, there's honestly no way for any of us out here to know ... despite what some web and/or YouTube.com pundits might be trying to tell you.
Folks, I don't deal with media spies. Honestly, my contacts in the industry is a slim assortment of smilers who've reached out to me over issues with my own content and not to share any insider information with me. (In fact, I'd probably tell anyone who offered that there are far better outlets than mine to offer those blurbs to, and I'd possibly even point them in a direction.) Again, this isn't to say that they're unreliable sources of information because -- once more -- I've no possible means to know that. But as I've always explained that isn't what I do in this space. SciFiHistory.Net exists to celebrate milestones and the like. Occasionally, I might do an interview. Sometimes, I might pend an opinion column for the MainPage. But the bulk of what I do is informational entertainment, not commentary, so those of you coming here in hopes that I'm going to spill something are going to be continually disappointed. I sound off on what interests me. I might answer the possible inquiry here or there, but that's really about it.
Where I'm going with all this is that I think fandom does need desperately to return to a greater sense of civility. This isn't restricted to either side of any issue because -- and here it comes, people -- the only way civility works is when all parties are invested in it. You're allowed to like what you want, and I'm allowed to like what I want. You're allowed to speak your mind on a released trailer, and I'm allowed to do the same from my point of view. You can go all-in on Disney Star Wars if you like, and everyone else is entitled to go in whatever direction he, she, it, they, we, them, those, or others choose. That's just life, and -- REALLY -- it shouldn't need to be said.
Now ... if you know anything about Leslye Headland or if you've followed anything she's had to say about what influences and/or ideas and/or predilections and/or preferences and/or experiences she's used to FEED THE NARRATIVE of her personal Star Wars project, then you should also understand why there might be others you meet in life and online who don't want to give the lady or anything she touches the time of day. They'll not support it in any respect because to do so might violate whatever personal covenant they have with their own choices. And they're entitled to do that, just as you're entitled to your take. That is the nature of life. It's the nature of existence. It uniquely shows what separates us from the animals; and once you accept that basic premise then life gets a lot more livable. I assure you.
Good people can do bad things. Bad people can do good things.
I'm not inclined to really say anything else further about The Acolyte at this point because, frankly, all we've been given is a trailer, a plot description, and some interview statements that may or may not have been taken or presented without the proper context. I will say that -- from what I've heard -- I seriously don't think I'm the target demographic sought for the show, but not everything is made for me. I watch what I watch. I like what I like. I dislike what I dislike. I'll wait to see an episode -- at this point -- to decide if I want to have any further investment with it. There REALLY is nothing more to be said. Though the debate will continue to rage in the meantime, just TRY to remain civil. Not everyone likes what you like. Not everyone thinks what you think. We're all unique individuals, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Oh, yeah ... I almost forgot ... welcome to On This Day In Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror History for March 22, 2024!
How's everyone's day going, eh?
Ok, ok, ok ... let's try as much as possible to put the issue of The Acolyte to bed. I bring this up (again) only because I'm both seeing some lingering controversy online regarding the reception of the show's recently-released trailer (which, frankly, isn't a very good trailer, in my humble opinion), the present state of Star Wars, and a bit of other associated items that I'm honestly not going to go into because they're d-i-s-t-r-a-c-t-i-o-n-s. Nothing more. Does this relate to the current battle Bob Iger is fighting to keep control of the Walt Disney board? Meh. It could, but I'm not in the know. Could it be part and parcel of why Disney+ -- as a streaming platform -- is mired in financial loss? Well, that seems reasonable, but again it's a determination best left to accountants. Might it in some way intersect with the whole Gina Carano and Kathleen Kennedy pending legal throwdown? Sigh. Again, there's honestly no way for any of us out here to know ... despite what some web and/or YouTube.com pundits might be trying to tell you.
Folks, I don't deal with media spies. Honestly, my contacts in the industry is a slim assortment of smilers who've reached out to me over issues with my own content and not to share any insider information with me. (In fact, I'd probably tell anyone who offered that there are far better outlets than mine to offer those blurbs to, and I'd possibly even point them in a direction.) Again, this isn't to say that they're unreliable sources of information because -- once more -- I've no possible means to know that. But as I've always explained that isn't what I do in this space. SciFiHistory.Net exists to celebrate milestones and the like. Occasionally, I might do an interview. Sometimes, I might pend an opinion column for the MainPage. But the bulk of what I do is informational entertainment, not commentary, so those of you coming here in hopes that I'm going to spill something are going to be continually disappointed. I sound off on what interests me. I might answer the possible inquiry here or there, but that's really about it.
Where I'm going with all this is that I think fandom does need desperately to return to a greater sense of civility. This isn't restricted to either side of any issue because -- and here it comes, people -- the only way civility works is when all parties are invested in it. You're allowed to like what you want, and I'm allowed to like what I want. You're allowed to speak your mind on a released trailer, and I'm allowed to do the same from my point of view. You can go all-in on Disney Star Wars if you like, and everyone else is entitled to go in whatever direction he, she, it, they, we, them, those, or others choose. That's just life, and -- REALLY -- it shouldn't need to be said.
Now ... if you know anything about Leslye Headland or if you've followed anything she's had to say about what influences and/or ideas and/or predilections and/or preferences and/or experiences she's used to FEED THE NARRATIVE of her personal Star Wars project, then you should also understand why there might be others you meet in life and online who don't want to give the lady or anything she touches the time of day. They'll not support it in any respect because to do so might violate whatever personal covenant they have with their own choices. And they're entitled to do that, just as you're entitled to your take. That is the nature of life. It's the nature of existence. It uniquely shows what separates us from the animals; and once you accept that basic premise then life gets a lot more livable. I assure you.
Good people can do bad things. Bad people can do good things.
I'm not inclined to really say anything else further about The Acolyte at this point because, frankly, all we've been given is a trailer, a plot description, and some interview statements that may or may not have been taken or presented without the proper context. I will say that -- from what I've heard -- I seriously don't think I'm the target demographic sought for the show, but not everything is made for me. I watch what I watch. I like what I like. I dislike what I dislike. I'll wait to see an episode -- at this point -- to decide if I want to have any further investment with it. There REALLY is nothing more to be said. Though the debate will continue to rage in the meantime, just TRY to remain civil. Not everyone likes what you like. Not everyone thinks what you think. We're all unique individuals, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Now ... you William Shatner haters?
Well ... you can just go straight to Hell today (just kidding, just kidding) because I, for one, have always thought he was a master talent at the top of his form when he brought Starfleet Captain James T. Kirk to bold, bold, bold life on screens big and small. Yes, I'll concede that occasionally his line delivery might defy Vulcan logic, but his unique signature verbal cadence works so wonderfully well with the highs and lows of Fantasy/Drama that I'll willing to look the other way when he screams "Khan!" for good measure.
And kudos to the man for his pervasive willingness to think outside the box. While I've come to understand that he may not exactly have been behind each and every novel he's written, I've still no doubt he was in on the creative process; and he's given life to a few other lesser characters and franchises along the way, even leaving an indelible imprint on the traditional courtroom drama with a big role on the Boob Tube.
Even at his advanced age, Big Bill remains a force to be reckoned with ... and I'll always give up the center seat to one who deserves it as much as he does.
Happy Birthday, Mr. Shatner! You keep boldly going as long as you will!
Well ... you can just go straight to Hell today (just kidding, just kidding) because I, for one, have always thought he was a master talent at the top of his form when he brought Starfleet Captain James T. Kirk to bold, bold, bold life on screens big and small. Yes, I'll concede that occasionally his line delivery might defy Vulcan logic, but his unique signature verbal cadence works so wonderfully well with the highs and lows of Fantasy/Drama that I'll willing to look the other way when he screams "Khan!" for good measure.
And kudos to the man for his pervasive willingness to think outside the box. While I've come to understand that he may not exactly have been behind each and every novel he's written, I've still no doubt he was in on the creative process; and he's given life to a few other lesser characters and franchises along the way, even leaving an indelible imprint on the traditional courtroom drama with a big role on the Boob Tube.
Even at his advanced age, Big Bill remains a force to be reckoned with ... and I'll always give up the center seat to one who deserves it as much as he does.
Happy Birthday, Mr. Shatner! You keep boldly going as long as you will!
If I've learned anything about fandom over the years, then it would be that we love to court our own respective controversies.
As an example, I recall a time when I was amongst a small group, and we were debating franchises that lost their way earliest in their run. Well, as you can imagine (knowing me), I created a stir when I said that I didn't think any other SciFi or Fantasy program in TV history losts its path as quickly as did Sliders, which premiered on this day all the way back in 1995. This didn't mean that I hated the show or its ideas or its cast in any way: it was just that I thought the narrative truly wasted its creative potential by falling so quickly into the 'what other way can we twist reality this week' formula too predictable. (Mind you: others insisted that was the point of the show all along!)
Now, hear me out: yes, having an infinite expanse of parallel Earths (or universes) to play in understandably means that there are going to be whole worlds with huge, huge, huge differences ... but what about the nuance of little things? Little changes here and there? Just some minorly tweaked timelines showing us how our lives might've been twisted if we went left instead of right? Honestly, I thought there was some truly great potential there as opposed to some of the more formulaic adventures we got; and I just wish calmer minds had prevailed and given us less big ideas and maybe a bit more psychological alternatives.
Still, kudos to this one for having sea legs strong enough to hang on for a few seasons, even if that meant it had to change to a different network. I'd rather have more SciFi and Fantasy than less, and Sliders remains a show I've love to see dusted off and recusitated with some bigger ideas and a better budget.
As an example, I recall a time when I was amongst a small group, and we were debating franchises that lost their way earliest in their run. Well, as you can imagine (knowing me), I created a stir when I said that I didn't think any other SciFi or Fantasy program in TV history losts its path as quickly as did Sliders, which premiered on this day all the way back in 1995. This didn't mean that I hated the show or its ideas or its cast in any way: it was just that I thought the narrative truly wasted its creative potential by falling so quickly into the 'what other way can we twist reality this week' formula too predictable. (Mind you: others insisted that was the point of the show all along!)
Now, hear me out: yes, having an infinite expanse of parallel Earths (or universes) to play in understandably means that there are going to be whole worlds with huge, huge, huge differences ... but what about the nuance of little things? Little changes here and there? Just some minorly tweaked timelines showing us how our lives might've been twisted if we went left instead of right? Honestly, I thought there was some truly great potential there as opposed to some of the more formulaic adventures we got; and I just wish calmer minds had prevailed and given us less big ideas and maybe a bit more psychological alternatives.
Still, kudos to this one for having sea legs strong enough to hang on for a few seasons, even if that meant it had to change to a different network. I'd rather have more SciFi and Fantasy than less, and Sliders remains a show I've love to see dusted off and recusitated with some bigger ideas and a better budget.
Is that all there is?
Is there nothing more?
C'mon, man! You folks should know me well enough by now to know that I'm not going to leave you hanging, and the Daily Citation Page for March 22, 2024 is a veritable cornucopia of what you've come to expect from SciFiHistory.Net. All that's waiting is a simply little click ...
As always, thank you for reading ... thank you for sharing ... thank you for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
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