Tag Archives: TV

Star Wars: Ten People Who Should Write Live Action TV Episodes

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Darth Vader with the Imperial LogoUnless you’ve been hunkered down for winter on the Ice Planet of Hoth for the past two years, you have undoubtedly heard of the much anticipated live-action Star Wars TV series starring none other than Boba Fett.

I write this post in an effort to guard against a resurrection of Jar Jar Binks or any other Lucasisms that might tarnish the series and ruin its potential.  I have decided to generate a list of 10 notable science fiction writers or directors who would do a far better job than George Lucas of writing episodes for the new series.

Star Wars Heir To The Empire by Timothy Zahn1. Timothy Zahn: The genius behind the Grand Admiral Thrawn trilogy of books.  He brought us characters the likes of Mara Jade, Talon Karde, and Grand Admiral Thrawn.  It is thanks to books like Heir to the Empire that the Star Wars expanded Universe has developed into what it is today.  If I had my pick, Zahn would write both the pilot episode and the season finale.

Star Wars Jedi Search 2. Kevin J. Anderson: This author took the work started by Timothy Zahn and continued in quality fashion with the Jedi Academy Trilogy.  He then continued to pop up in other solo novels and as part of several series and comic books in the Star Wars Universe.  In addition, I’m sure his wife, Rebecca Moesta, would be a valuable consultant at his disposal considering she has also written many installments in the expanded universe.

3. Kevin Smith: Let’s not forget about comedy.  C3PO and R2D2 were  the Abbott and Costello of the original trilogy.  Also, Han Solo’s constant badgering of Threepio added yet more comic relief to an otherwise serious trilogy.  Kevin Smith is the only writer I can think of competent enough in both Science Fiction and Comedy to pull of a much needed funny episode of the series.

4. Stan Lee: He is the father of the Marvel Comic Empire.  This one might be a stretch but I think The Hulk throwing a fit is perfect parallel to a Sith Lord channeling his anger through the Dark Side of the Force.  Lee has shown over and over again that he can both imagine great characters and write great stories to go along with them.

Star Wars X-Wing Rogue Squadron by Michael A. Stackpole5. Michael A. Stackpole: Dogfights are a must in this series.  Stackpole was author of the X-Wing series that featured some very well written fighter combat sequences.  How about an episode with Wedge Antilles going toe to toe with some upstart TIE Fighter Ace with a reputation for vaping Rebel pilots?

6. George A. Romero: Ok, so I have a soft spot for Zombies.  But perhaps there might be an episode buried in here.  How about some out of the way planet infected with a biological weapon conjured up by the Empire that turned the natives into cannibalistic Zombies?  Remember, you need to blast ‘em in the head!  Just a thought.

7. Anne Rice: I am sure about this one. Perhaps she could write about some type of Force Wielding life form lurking in the shadows that survives by using the force to drain the life out of unknowing victims just as her famous character, The Vampire Lestat does.

8. M Night Shyamalan: I have said it before and I’ll say it again, the prequels major downfall was the lack of a plot twist such as the one that made the original trilogy such a success.  Who better than Shyamalan to write a Science Fiction plot twist.  He will have to have a cameo in the episode of course.

9. J. Michael Straczynski: Perhaps another point of contention for many of you but I truly enjoyed the space combat sequences he wrote for Babylon 5.  The Star Wars TV series had better feature at least one major Space Fleet battle and Straczynski does an excellent job of infusing contemporary naval battle tactics into a space-faring environment.

Star Wars The Courtship Of Princess Leia10. Dave Wolverton: As the author of the novel The Courtship of Princess Leia, he introduced an new aspect into the Star Wars universe:  Amazonian domination.  Both the Hapans and the Jedi-like Witches of Dathomir were societies of warrior women who dominated their own male population and held their own against the Empire.  This could make for a very interesting episode.

Image Used in this Post

Darth Vader Imperial Logo image courtesy of Flickr user gogen001 published under the CC license.

~Man Overboard

Thanksgiving, Marathon Eating, and the Food Coma

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On the last Thursday of every November, we Americans celebrate life the only way we know how: in the spirit of ritual we gather around a table with loved ones and eat as much as is humanly possible.

Let the Games Begin

Marathon eating is a sport that requires finesse and skill of the highest degree.  Unless extreme care is taken, marathon eating tends to leave people in a state of zombie-like special education known as the food coma.  The food coma is typically marked by symptoms of extreme drowsiness, a distinct inability to form meaningful sentences, and an overall desire to stop all movement and effort.

The food coma can be a good thing as long as there are couches and digital cable nearby.  It should be noted that the practice of Thanksgiving preceded the invention of television.  In fact, it is often debated whether TV was invented specifically to meet the needs of those plunged deep in food coma.

The food coma can be a bad thing if one’s only option is sitting at a crowded table with family members you haven’t seen in a while.  When the potential for awkward conversation increases, marathon eating should be avoided. This rule of thumb can only be ignored if one is risky and revels in the opportunity to pass out mid-sentence while listening to Uncle Bob discuss his worsening issues with arthritis.

Recovery

Once the marathon is over, the recovery begins.

Be forewarned, Black Friday deals and discounts may tempt you to leave the house and mingle in high density crowds.  This may not be the best option if you are still feeling burnt out from last night’s food fest.

I personally recommend staying home and indulging in lazy nothingness.  If you can’t resist Black Friday, then the good news is that most major stores are offering discounts to online shoppers!  This means you can save money without moving a muscle!

¡Que viva la comida!