ALL SCI-FI

[Pow]

I always look forward to seeing this show each week and what their segments will be devoted to exploring.

This week they interviewed one of my very favorite writers, Aaron Sorkin. He created such terrific TV series as The West Wing and The Newsroom. His dialogue is second to none. It is always sharp, witty, and insightful.

During the interview of Sorkin by Mo Rocca, Mo asked him if the character of Merlyn in the classical musical Camelot, which Aaron has updated, is similar to Yoda?

Long pause by Aaron and then he says, "I have to tell you something, I've never seen a Star Wars film."

I found that interesting. Makes me wonder if Sorkin isn't interested in science fiction films or TV shows at all, or just Star Wars? I don't believe that any of his splendid movie or television projects have dealt with the SF genre.

Nevertheless, he remains a phenomenal writer whose work is always well worth checking out. I know that I always will.

[Bud Brewster]

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I went to the grocery store today and ended up chatting for one whole hour in the produce section with a nice lady (roughly my age) about practically everything under the sun We agreed on practically everything . . . except for science fiction.

Reluctantly admitted that she was not a fan, and she'd never seen a single Star Wars movie. She did, however, say that if she ever did decided to try a few of them, she wanted to start with the first one.

Sadly, I told her not to bother. (Why, you may ask?)

Because, I explained to her, if a person didn't see Star Wars - A New Hope in 1977 and experience the world-wide phenomenon it produced, it's' now far to late to "join the club".

That first experience — and all the hoopla that surrounded it — is what got us excited. Without that "seed" being planted at the right time in the life of the viewer (and at the right point in the history of the race), one simply can't retroactively "get young and wide-eyed" again, and catch up with the rest of us.

So, if Mr. Sorkin missed his chance back in the 1970s, he's doomed to forever wonder what the rest of us have gotten so excited about.

I think it's sort of like the difference between loosing your virginity at 18 . . . compared to loosing it a 35. You can't get back those seventeen years you spent living with your mother.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)