Pop Culture

Star Trek:
So the new Star Trek movie is awesome. I, like a lot of people I know, was iffy on the franchise for a number of reasons. After DS9 ended, Voyager went down hill, and I was unengaged enough by that point from the world of Trek to not take much of an interest in Enterprise. I tried but couldn't make it through season 1.
Also, even though Abrams is a genius, the whole thing had a very Phantom Menace/Superman Returns feel to it. I had a weary optimism.
Then they went and knocked out of the park. Good job. The cast was perfect, the acting on target. The writers deserve kudos for making each character three dimensional and believable. Scotty*, Sulu and Checkov weren't given enough to do, but this story wasn't about them. Hopefully future movies will remedy that.
What this movie got right was something lacking from Trek for 43 years, and lacking from a lot of sci-fi in general.. I don't quite know how to explain it. In the past, every Klingon was a carbon copy of the one standing next him, right down to the outfit. Same with the Romulans, Cardassians, etc... Every race was a stereotype. If an alien race came to Earth, they wouldn't find a whole planet of similar looking people with similar outfits on, who all have the same basic belief system. The writers of this Trek added that element to the alien races in the Trek canon. Even the Vulcans were given depth and breadth, with racism(specism?), ambition and a few new haircuts. The Romulans now have a class system and 4 separate languages. The Orions have slutty sorority girls, though that may be the one that actually extends to the entire race.
This may be a small point, but it opens up infinite possibilities. Suppose not every Klingon wants to die in battle? Suppose some of them want to start a country band? I'm just saying.

The Dollhouse:
A lot of people don't like this show. I like this show. It is so very different from the rest of Joss Wheadon's stuff, but you can still totally tell that it's him. This show should not be cancelled.
A side note: Alan Tudyk is awesome and should really be given a lot more work.

Lost:
I think John IS the Island.


There it is.

-JP


* Pegg was an inspired choice for this role. He's so expressive with his face and with his body movement that once the line does come out, it's more like a punch-line.