Earth’s layers? Journey to the Center of the Earth. Evolution? The Sound of Thunder. Gravity? Cold Equations. Any and every subject he needs to cover has been talked about in a scifi book, so he will be able to use them in class with his kids. God, I wish I had a teacher like that back in the day.
I have a break between panels so I head over to listen to a talk on 50 ways to leave the planet. We discuss a laser propulsion system which is a potential launch device, along with solid state and liquid fueled engines. We also discuss the various lift-off and landing techniques that NASA and JPL are working on for future spacecraft. Though the talk was advertised as being about 50 ways to leave space, we discussed only about five; but they were pretty interesting.
That's one of the problems with panels at conventions. While you might set out to talk about the new Harry Potter movie, or The Hobbit movies, or even 50 ways to get off Earth, the panel rarely goes where it should have. Take the time travel panel I was on during the first day. While we did discuss the physics behind it, we mostly talked about why time travel is so common in literature. Though I don't necessarily mind when people move off of the subject, it can be annoying when I really want to learn something.
After the panel on leaving the planet I go to my second panel of the day: Life on Mars. As we sit there and start to talk, I notice that most of the attendees have no idea why we are talking about a TV show. I pause and ask: “Who here has seen the British version, who has seen the American, and who thinks that we are talking about the red planet?” About half the room leaves when they realize that we are talking about the TV show Life on Mars, not the planet itself.
After everybody settles down I get to start actually talking about the show. We discuss the differences between the two versions, the sequel (Ashes to Ashes), and how the endings were vastly different. Near the end one of the viewers pipes up about how she didn’t like the World Trade Center scene as it reminded her too much of 9/11. The rest of the time we spend discussing certain gotcha and gut-wrenching moments and why they were used to tell time and set the mood.
Article comments
1 - STM
I saw the British version of Life on Mars first, on an Australian free-to-air TV channel.
Now I'm watching the American version on cable Down Under. Some great casting in both.
They're both really good.
The best bit is that as both are set in the decade fashion forgot (the 70s), the clothes and hairstyles are remarkably similar on both sides of the pond.
That is: bad. I know how bad, because I lived it.
However, there's a bit of a nod to London's slightly trendier Carnaby St fashions in the British version.
One thing that caught my eye: The flared pants ... but geez, were they really the width of the platforms at Grand Central Station (or Victoria station)?
Shocking and cringeworthy if true. Did we really wear that stuff???
Either way, I spent time in the US and the UK in that era, and I'm glad we all moved on (although the 80s were a worry too).
We really did have some fun, though.
2 - Dave Nalle
The ending of the American version of LoM is far inferior to the more ambiguous British ending. Or non-ending. Have you seen Ashes to Ashes?
Dave
3 - Christopher Rose
Stan, are you kidding? The 70s and 80s were two of the three best decades of the 20th Century in almost every way imaginable!
4 - Robert M. Barga
@stm that is my favorite part of the show, the fact that they copied all of that over in terms of cars, fashion, and attitude
5 - Robert M. Barga
@dave
i actually liked the american one better, as it was rushed but also clear that it was similar to all of their intent
6 - roger nowosielski
#3,
Right. We had no idea of the good times ahead.
7 - Dave Nalle
Come on, you've got to admit the ending on the US version was pretty cheesy.
Dave
8 - Dave Nalle
BTW, Robert, as a past frequent SF and gaming convention panelist and participant I enjoyed your article. Maybe I'll stop by Armadillocon this year.
I found your description of the prayer meeting an interesting contrast to our state GOP convention where they had a designated prayer room which was entirely empty for the duration of the event.
Dave
9 - Bliffle
I saw a couple episodes of LoM and thought it was fun, but didn't see the finale.
STM: you saw the Brit version on FTA? I didn't know there was anything good on FTA. For the summer I'm sitting up in the mountains, actually in an alpine valley, where OTA reception is spotty, but there's a dish and a cable terminated in an F connector, so I was thinking of hooking up an FTA receiver. What deterred me was that FTA has the rep of being all religious stuff. But if there's something better I'll give it a try.
10 - Dr Dreadful
When my wife and I moved into our first apartment we were donated an extremely hefty and ancient TV with a ropy old antenna that could only pick up Univision (which appears to broadcast using a large battery of thermonuclear reactors and can be picked up inside mountains and at the bottom of the Marianas Trench) and the God Channel.
There's nothing on American TV anyway so we weren't missing much! ;-)
11 - Robert M. Barga
@7 actually, i thought it was rushed but was forshadowed throughout the rest of the show
the show was based on a davide Bowie song, so why not based the american one on another?
12 - Robert M. Barga
@8 if you liked them, then why not comment in those ones as well
I am planning on doing this next year, and will be sending PR things to local conventions hopefully to do this at more throughout this year. I look forward to seeing you around those articles too
13 - Bliffle
Actually, I'm getting a good PBS feed on KTEH 54 which has 4 subchannels. But the only commercial station is KSTS 48 which is Telemundo.
If I thought that FTA had anything I'd get a receiver, but maybe I will anyhow.
14 - Dr Dreadful
Bliff,
PBS is probably all you need, really!
15 - STM
Doc: "Stan, are you kidding? The 70s and 80s were two of the three best decades of the 20th Century in almost every way imaginable!"
Doc, I didn't say I didn't enjoy it. I said the fashions (and the hairdos) were shockers.
Shit, I don't even remember much of the 70s and 80s, but what bits I do remember can best be described as "character forming".
16 - STM
Bliff: "STM: you saw the Brit version on FTA?"
In Australia Bliff ... I think FTA is a bit different Down Under.
There are five FTA channels. The three commercial ones make a fortune from sports broadcasts and advertising, and run ratings seasons where you get some really, really good TV along with the usual dross.
The other two, the ABC and SBS, are government-funded. SBS has great foreign movies and docos, while the ABC has great current affairs and some excellent shows imported mostly from the UK (often BBC proudctions) but also some from the US and other English-speaking countries.
Then there's the 300 channels of nothing on cable.
Actually, cable's not too bad here either.
I just can't work out how to unlock the parental control device :)
17 - Christopher Rose
Oi Stan, just cos the Doc and I are two rare English voices amidst the Seppos is no excuse to mix us up!
As to 70s and 80s fashion, add the 60s as well and I'd rather any of those fashions, including the ones I hate, than before or since. Indeed, there is a case to be made that any real sense of style died at least a decade ago!
18 - roger nowosielski
The three no-nos in my book: bell bottoms, knits and sideburns.
19 - Robert M. Barga
what is sad is that my generation is picking up your crappy trends as retro fashion
me, i am fine with jeans and a tshirt
20 - STM
Robert: "me, i am fine with jeans and a tshirt".
Likewise ... with ones for work, ones for piss-farting about in, ones for going to the pub with the boys on Sunday afternoons, others for going to the beach in ... and last but not least, the good ones for going out in and impressing sheilas :)
Yeah sorry Rosey, it is because you and Doc are kindred spirits.
You both write similarly too. Sentence structure is near identical.
Queen's English???
Now, settle, Seppos ... not that kinda queen ...
21 - STM
Dave: "I found your description of the prayer meeting an interesting contrast to our state GOP convention where they had a designated prayer room which was entirely empty for the duration of the event".
Lol. That's hilarious Dave.
I would've thought they'd be in there en masse praying for the demise of Obama.
22 - Robert M. Barga
pretty much that is how i role
but two for the chicks, i party two nights a week, dont want them seeing the same thing twice in a row
23 - Robert M. Barga
@21
thinking about it, it is ironic when that is the Chirstian party