tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post4570304343077046133..comments2024-03-28T10:18:52.493-04:00Comments on Doux Reviews: Stargate Universe: The Greater GoodBillie Douxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17141769005175631213noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-18370884238259169102010-11-15T20:35:48.047-05:002010-11-15T20:35:48.047-05:00Hi Anonymous,
I must confess that your comment ca...Hi Anonymous,<br /><br />I must confess that your comment caused quite a stir among the Billie Doux writing staff because every single one of us takes tolerance very seriously.<br /><br />I thought it over, and I think the miscommunication occurred because you take “God” in the context of the reviews to mean *the* God, whereas the writers assume readers will understand that we mean the <b>fictional</b> god created by a bunch of TV writers.<br /><br />For example, <i>Supernatural</i> has borrowed Christian imagery to create a fictional mythology in which angels are violent and somewhat less than benevolent creatures. I’m sure you understand as well as we do that this vision has nothing to do with Christian reality. So when we review an episode and mention that the irony of very religious women turning out evil was amusing, it’s important to remember that we don’t mean real religious women--who, of course, appear nowhere in the scripted show--but the fictional characters created by the writers. <br /><br />By the same token, when a commenter expresses some misgivings in regards to the eventuality of yet another sci-fi show using the concept of god as their central macguffin, they’re referring to the possible cliché used by the writers, not *the* actual God. Stargate, after all, is neither a sacred text nor a documentary. It is the product of creative minds for entertainment purposes.<br /><br />I understand how all this might have come off differently. Reading your comment, some of us got the impression you had drawn some negative conclusions about one of the reviewers. If that’s the case, I hope this explanation will have changed your mind.<br /><br />To echo what Paul expressed above (much more succinctly, might I add), here at Billie Doux, we celebrate imagination. Nothing more. Nothing less.Dimitri A.C. Lyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15261471534976480158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-34591326542891754732010-11-15T19:54:11.272-05:002010-11-15T19:54:11.272-05:00Hi Anonymous. I understand what you're saying....Hi Anonymous. I understand what you're saying. I too sometimes get frustrated when people are dismissive of other people's beliefs. But I just reread the Buffy review to which you're referring and couldn't find anything wrong with it. In the context of the Buffyverse, referring to the bible as "popular mythology" is rather amusing. For the duration of the show the laws of the Buffyverse take precedence. Surely we can have a quiet chuckle when the show's mythology (which we know is fictional) takes a dig at things in our world? <br /><br />Supernatural's currently tipping the traditional image of God on its head. I quite like it. Not because I want to see God portrayed as an uncaring douche-bag (I'm English and have no idea what that even means, but imagine I just sounded cool there). I just think the idea has some mileage story-wise. I can laugh at clever ideas, humerous puns, reversals of expectation - even when they're contrary to what I believe - because at the end of the day, clever writing is clever writing.Paul Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01979646022056755322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-24136962265275614882010-11-15T14:49:05.036-05:002010-11-15T14:49:05.036-05:00Two points: One, as this show is part of the Star...Two points: One, as this show is part of the Stargate family, I believe it will follow an analytical and scientific path on finding information about the beginnings, much the way astronomers study the edge of the Universe to try to find how old it is. So the ancients have found that the Universe started with intelligence life, that there was something there before it began and they want to learn more. I thought it was reminiscent of SG1 and the evolving to a higher plan through energy. I also think that perhaps this starship might be how “the ancients” figured out how to ascend. Two, I do have to say that although I have always loved the style of reviewing episodes on this site, I do find the snide remarks against other people’s religious beliefs somewhat disappointing … not because everyone doesn’t have their own faith and beliefs, but more of how in the review of a Supernatural episode the delight that the very religious women was the evil behind it all, or the delight at the Bible being called a myth in one of Buffy’s first episodes. I guess I find people who make snide remarks about other’s beliefs annoying, and it doesn’t matter if they are atheist who make fun of other’s beliefs or very religious people who make fun of someone’s lack of faith. The superiority of it bothers me (because who among us really knows?) and it is depressing to find it here in otherwise great reviews of my favorite sci-fi. (Jess, I am commenting more on the comments posted here as well as some other reviews rather than your review, which I thought was excellent).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-59586562552953032302010-11-14T14:12:38.488-05:002010-11-14T14:12:38.488-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.zobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10715413225081718476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-15241139568329561402010-11-14T12:12:19.341-05:002010-11-14T12:12:19.341-05:00The 'God' angle if it transpires that way ...The 'God' angle if it transpires that way is a little bit disappointing, considering Stargate has always taken a rather 'scientific' approach to the supernatural. Bleh. I could take it in BSG because it was handled well (imo) and because it was the first. I didn't really care for it in Lost because it was far too overt and almost preachy and I don't think I can take it at all in SGU if its going to mean seasons worth of it. BLEH.Matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01653418159607995090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-72302618193561831802010-11-13T16:57:24.735-05:002010-11-13T16:57:24.735-05:00Yeah, the very first snippet of the preview was a ...Yeah, the very first snippet of the preview was a big spoiler. Gotta stop watching those!<br /><br />I wasn't actually bothered by the mission reveal. I think because my brain first went to the "so this ties in with 'Faith,' interesting ..." well instead of the "not another search for God!" well.Jess Lyndehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14165015932507376656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-31365481476733111582010-11-13T14:40:32.468-05:002010-11-13T14:40:32.468-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.zobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10715413225081718476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-86405545992373760852010-11-13T13:33:25.766-05:002010-11-13T13:33:25.766-05:00Enjoyed this one a lot, any episode that puts Youn...Enjoyed this one a lot, any episode that puts Young and Rush front and centre so they can beat the crap out of each other before having an awkward heart to heart is okay by me. <br /><br />Not so enthusiastic about Destiny’s true mission. Does the ship have an actually physical destination it’s trying to get to or is this just a random quest for the answer to life, the universe and everything? <br /><br />Just tell the ship it’s 42 and go home.Mark Greighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12984193299389764649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-75344377713781253472010-11-13T13:30:29.949-05:002010-11-13T13:30:29.949-05:00Chloe isn't on my radar, so I couldn't say...Chloe isn't on my radar, so I couldn't say. <br /><br />Julie McNiven (Ginn) has gloriously bright red hair, though. I was hoping she would be a permanent addition because I liked her so much in <i>Supernatural</i>. I guess she still could be; we don't know for sure what is going to happen to Ginn and Dr. Perry. But it feels like the end.Billie Douxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17141769005175631213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-28505295128968836642010-11-13T12:56:09.130-05:002010-11-13T12:56:09.130-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.zobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10715413225081718476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-56465846087431277732010-11-13T11:14:47.809-05:002010-11-13T11:14:47.809-05:00Thanks, Zob -- I remembered it happening in SG-1 b...Thanks, Zob -- I remembered it happening in SG-1 but not the details or the name of the episode. Dan just pointed out that if both of them die, they just took out both Eli's and Rush's love interests. Two love interests for the price of one.Billie Douxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17141769005175631213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-18171540996008982382010-11-13T11:04:33.423-05:002010-11-13T11:04:33.423-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.zobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10715413225081718476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-42869056089947246642010-11-13T10:15:08.661-05:002010-11-13T10:15:08.661-05:00I thought this was a strong episode. As you say, ...I thought this was a strong episode. As you say, Jess, it's way past time they did something with the consequences of using the communication stones, and I was creeped out by the possibilities. I loved the scene on the bridge where Scott is trying to take over steering Destiny and Eli is shouting at him that there was no time to explain anything.<br /><br />The latest Rush/Young conflict really worked for me. It felt like the bookend to when Young left Rush behind to die last season. Rush decided he was going with the truth and was going to keep his word, and he did. I liked him telling Young that he probably wasn't fit for command any more. I also liked the discussion on the floor. <br /><br />I am less pleased that yet another of my favorite science fiction shows is going to quest for God. I like the idea of Destiny having an extremely important mission and the crew possibly even deciding it was worth carrying out, but God? Really?Billie Douxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17141769005175631213noreply@blogger.com