Ah, TV… by Bryan G. Nance
A super-sized value meal for the mind, not the body.
As you know, we are hunkered down reviewing all of the MIT Regular Action Applications. Can I be frank with you? (As apposed to Bob? I’m so funny! I crack me up!) I am stressed! Reviewing admissions applications is a stressful endeavor. I know, I know! Applying to college is beyond stressful! So we agree, we are all stressed.
For this entry I propose that this blog depart from its usual cutting edge, intellectual discourse about admissions and instead transform into a cozy place where we can discuss my three favorite TV shows: Battlestar Galactica, Heroes, and Grey’s Anatomy.
SPOILER ALERT! This entry assumes that you are up to date on all three shows as of January 22nd. Proceed at your own risk…
Battlestar Galactica:
- Is this the best science fiction show ever?
- What do you think of the idea of technological blowback? In other words, machines becoming so advanced that they reach human-like awareness and rebel against their creators?
- What do you think of the religious overtures of BSG?
- Who do you think are the last 5 Cyclons?
- Is Starbuck a toaster? Is she one of the chosen 5?
- Does anyone know where I can get a used Viper?
Heroes:
- Is Mr. Bennet (Claire’s father) good or evil?
- In an earlier episode we learned that Hiro couldn’t change the past. What do you think are the consequences of him changing the future?
- What do you think are Micah’s secret powers?
- Who will Simone choose, Isaac or Peter?
Grey’s Anatomy:
- What’s up with Alex and Addison?
- Will Yang and Burke work it out?
- Will Izzy ever pull it together?
- Now that Grey and “McDreamy” are back together, will they adopt another dog?
- Will Grey name him McPooch or McMutt?
Feel free to answer any or all of these questions. Hopefully, this slice of pop culture will give your stressed-out psyche a much-needed diversion. Think of it as a Double Quarter-pounder, super-sized, value meal for your mind, not your body. Look at the bright side: unlike the real McArtery Clogger, there is no need to worry about carbs or trans-fats. See how much time I saved you on the treadmill? Be sure that you can use that saved gym time wisely. May I suggest that you practice playing Dance, Dance, Revolution?
That’s enough from me. Let’s hear what you have to say.
Well who knows how long Burke is going to be around after the golden globe comments. As for Alex and Addison I love them together! He has to end up specializing in her feild, he would be so good at it. I hope Callie and George get back together too!
IMHO House is better then Grey’s Anatomy
as for getting a viper, you’re at MIT, if people there can’t make you one, no one can :D I don’t think that Starbuck is a cylon, at least not for now. Croatian Public TV is a bit behind SciFi channel :( Have you watched Eureka? Eureka is the best show I’ve seen lately. All of you who love a show with gadgets and scientist should definitely watch it 
House and Eureka FTW! :D
Yeah, House and GA are definitely very different. GA is more of a soap opera, and House is more intellectual character drama. I thought House was better, too, until S3, but hopefully it will get back into its old groove with that cop out of the picture. But GA was always my guilty pleasure… I LOOOOVE Alex and Addison. Originally I was all for the McMarriage but then I realized that Addison’s probably too good for Derek anyway.
And what bugs me is that people keep saying it’s gross/weird that Alex is so much younger than Addison… but they’re like the same ages as Meredith and McDreamy, and no one had a problem with it then.
Sorry. I just don’t get to watch that much TV, so I really, really like the shows I watch…
Aaaah I sooo did not mean to put my last name in there… I hate it when people do that. You can just tell they want you to go, “Oh, I like that show too. Let me go find her application and put a gold star on it.”
In response to question 3 about Grey’s Anatomy, of course Yang and Burke will get back together!! I mean, come on! Yang wants to win the fight because she wants the satisfaction of winning, while Burke wants to win because he wants to maintain his intellectual persona. They both will realize that their fight was petty and will move back together again. Besides, if it didn’t end in this outcome, people wouldn’t want to watch the show anymore!!
The question isn’t wether Mr. Bennet is good or evil. It’s who is he working for? He’s refered to someone not letting him get rid of silar multiple times. I think it’s Linderman, the guy who seems to be in control of everything. Also, how does everyone know that the man (don’t know his name) is a Haitian? Is there a big sign on his chest or something that I’m just missing? Always wondered about that…
DUH! The new dog will be McStinky!
I think “The Haitian” name stuck with the one guy after Ted Sprague told Matt Parkman in the interrogation room. Speaking of Sprague, does anyone have any thoughts or ideas of what he is planning to do. After seeing him in the barn, it seems to me he is up to something.
As for Mr. Bennet, I think he is niether good or evil. I think he was influenced by Sandra Suresh so he sort of followed what Suresh was talking about. That might be why he wants to enlist Mohinder’s help and get that list from him. All I know, is that I cant wait for next Monday.
Whoops, I meant Chandra Suresh not Sandra.. :S
The guy is called “the Haitian” because the actor who plays him is from Haiti.
*Grey’s Anatomy
I heard from a reliable source that Burke is going to go through a life-changing moment in this season. I hope he doesn’t get fired. I mean, what he did was really bad, but the show..oh, the SHOW… must go on!
Now hang on just one second here.
You watch BSG. (Definitely best sci-fi ever.) So do I.
And yet we have never, ever discussed this.
Whoa. Something’s wrong here. Also, Starbuck is so one of the final 5 cylons, and I am dead afraid of our own technological advances turning against us one day.
We’ll talk.
Too bad I don’t watch any of those shows! =(. However, this is my favorite topic by far…haha. (Not that I didn’t like the others)
Burke will probably come out in the show because of the public incident =)
Mr. Bennet was refered to several times as “the face of evil”… this seams to imply that he only gives an appearence of evil. So he may be the Lex Luthor of Heroes, or another theory is that he is the overall villian while Syler is just the ultimate villian of this ark.
I have a question…have you seen HOUSE???
because if you havent….but you like Grey’s Anatomy your very very very likely to LOVE HOUSE…
Well I don’t watch Grey’s Anatomy or BSG, but as for Heroes:
1) I think it is unfair to categorize Mr. Bennet as evil. He definitely is not benign, but I think he really believes that what he is doing, trying to protect Claire and prevent people like Silar from misusing their powers, is the right thing to do. He just has few scruples as to how he accomplishes his goals. For some that might be evil, those traits certainly apply to many evil people, but I think it is more in the gray area in between good and evil.
2) I wouldn’t be surprised if Hiro couldn’t really change the future either. Destiny is very often brought about by choices designed to change it. My guess is that either Ted, radioactive man, will explode and Peter, leeching Ted’s power, will reverse/contain it, or Peter will explode and Ted will reverse/contain it. The later seems a little more likely since Peter seems to think he will cause the explosion, and he doesn’t seem to be able to control the powers he borrows very well.
3) In an earlier episode Micah was able to fix a broken phone, seemingly, with his mind so, also taking into account his repeated aptitude for fiddling with electronics, I am pretty sure his power is to somehow control technology. If you meant specifically how, I don’t have any real guesses other then maybe manipulating/sensing electricity.
4) I still think Isaac will die as Hiro saw in his trip to the future so Peter.
My MIT son got me hooked on BSG. (I won’t tell you how he managed to show me the first season at home over the holidays last year.) Granted I’m a johnny-come-lately to BSG, but . . . I do think it’s likely Starbuck is one of the Final Five, but aren’t the toasters the metal rather than humanoid Cylons?
Up until the last episode I thought Gaius Baltar was probably one of the Final Five, but now I’m not so sure. I am, however, willing to consider President Roslyn.
Heroes and Grey’s are my favourite shows also!
I was hooked the first time I watched Heroes and ended up watching the first 8 episodes in one go!
Ankit Chandra
Gaborone, Botswana
Dear Bryan,
I apologize that I have to ruin the awesome discussion on this board for an application question, but I remember meeting you about four weeks ago when I was visiting and have an urgent question. I was hoping to send a little more information to the admissions committee, but I have been bogged down with work and am late on sending it, should I fax the material? Email? Thank you!!
Christianna (“pre-frosh”)
I feel bad having written my post here, I just didn’t know an easier way to contact you. I apologize, I would contribute about tv, but I don’t get to watch much. Mainly MythBusters, which is probably my favorite. Thanks again!