Century City

[mamadeb]

Well, I *did*. Ioan Gruffudd is delectable as always, even with an "American" accent and a lack of long hair and tight pants.

But that's not why I liked it. (Honestly, I spent a lot of it playing with my new wireless PDA keyboard.) I liked it because this is the sort of science fiction I love - "let's look at current trends and see where it might lead us in a few years."

Which, of course, means that all of the issues covered in this episode are old hat to me - the legality of cloning at all, and then to create donor organs (hello, Lois McMaster Bujold); what happens when the need to stay young-looking meets the technology to make it actually happen (and they did a Futurama on that very thing) and the place of genetically engineered people in the greater society (done by both Heinlein and DS9.)

However, this is being marketed as a mainstream legal drama. The producers don't even see it as science fiction because of the lack of whizz bang special effects. And so a lot of these issues are being presented to the potential viewers for the first time, and as legal issues.

Example: What is your relationship to your clone? Parent? Sibling? LMB's universe uses the word "progenitor" for the general case, but allows the progenitor to choose how he/she relates. This series decided that the relationship should be sibling.

I found the youth plot silly - mostly because they so obviously used a stunt dancer for the former 80's boybander who refused to look other than his age. And the genetically engineered associate is a long term plot, so we need to see how it unfolds.

The series has potential, I think, but they need to read more sf. We've been dealing with these issues for years in the literature.

And, of course. Ioan Gruffud. Yummy.

Comments

[ohevet-likro.livejournal.com]

I liked it also. I think they did a good job making the law seem fluid and connected to current law rather than doing a SF law twist where the lawyers are, I don't know, connected to the "law" through terminals or something.

But, um, which one was Ioan Gruffud? And where is he from?

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

He played "Gold", the lawyer defending the clone-father.

He's also played Horatio Hornblower in the various tv-movies shown on A&E - long hair, tall ships and tight uniforms. And other pretty men, too. :)

[ohevet-likro.livejournal.com]

That's what I know him from...don't you hate when you think you know an actor and can't place him?

So he was the married one flirting with the blonde?

Saw your icon.....

[haddassah.livejournal.com]

And just had to check your journal out....cool cool.....May I add you to my friends list?

Re: Saw your icon.....

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

Please. Be my guest.

:)

Re: Saw your icon.....

[haddassah.livejournal.com]

Thanx bunches....feel free to add me to your list also.

Re: Saw your icon.....

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

You gave me a mild shock, you know.

My employer is named Hadassah...:) Not that she'd ever be tech savvy enough for LJ. Thank goodness.

But, ooh. Pretty pirates.

Re: Saw your icon.....

[haddassah.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I have that effect on other living entities....usually on men and small animals.

[zsero.livejournal.com]

Saw it last night. Yes, they need to read some SF. It has a rather Michael Chrichtony feel, treating as unexplored territory things that are cliché in SF.

But one thing was bugging me all through the episode: Miller knew it was illegal to bring the embryo into the USA, and he'd be in huge trouble if he was caught, possibly endangering Axel. So why didn't he stay in Singapore long enough to find a surrogate mother there, and come back with Axel when the baby was old enough to donate a lobe? For that matter, since he's already Axel's clone, why can't he donate a lobe?

And how does TJ not see that, whatever the ethics of rejuv, he can't be part of a boyband, because he doesn't look like a boy. Why does he kick up this whole fuss? Does he really think the boyband fan demographic will want to see him kicking it up with the other three? Does he think such a tour will make any money? His whole complaint makes no sense except as some sort of lecture to his ex-colleagues.

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

Apparently, Miller had had Hepatitis B, so his liver was ineligible.

As for the boyband - well, given that their fanbase would probably be in their fifties at the youngest, I can't see *that* as a major problem.

Especially when you do the math and realize this was an 80's boyband in the first place - they're all in their mid-forties today. (Which means they're not doing much, either. I haven't heard much from New Kids on the Block lately.)