Thursday, April 29, 2010

TV Is Bad for Us...Half of It, Anyway

I was quite taken with the "V" miniseries of 1983 about alien invasion. It had nice little touches, like a reptile disguised as a human swallowing an entire mouse whole. So I was certainly giving the benefit of the doubt to the new series, especially since it has a star I like.

My disenchantment started when the aliens offered Earth people what was explicitly called universal health care, which only the few in the heroic underground realize is actually a plot to monitor and control humans. Then we had a decision by the deluded majority to grant visas to the visitors (or do they plan to stay?), turning them literally into legal aliens. All part, of course, of the aliens' secret plan for world conquest.

Finally, in the last episode, we had a revival of the idea that torture is a quick and reliable way to get truthful information, which squeamish moralists choose to leave to the more tough-minded. (Oddly, they use the Spanish Inquisition as an example.) Just when you thought the coming end of "24" would let that idea fade from the Zeitgeist, here it is again. Oh, and don't let your son have an alien girlfriend.

That's it, ABC. I quit. I hope many others join me.

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