Ghost of a flea: Poisoning the well

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August 12, 2005

Poisoning the well

The new Battlestar Galactica is probably the greatest science fiction television ever made. The show is worth watching for Starbuck's ass-kickery alone. But Stargate: Atlantis is like crack for me. I am love it. This snippet from season one, episode seven, "Poisoning the Well" seems timely (spoiler warning on that last link).

Dr Weir: You do understand the Geneva Convention prohibits using prisoners for scientific experiments?

Major Sheppard: No offense Doc, but had the Wraith attended the Geneva Convention, they would have tried to feed on everyone.

This is a Sci-Fi channel show produced in Canada, starring Canadians and featuring a cranky, sympathetic Canadian character in a lead role. But thanks to Canadian trade-barriers it has yet to air on Canadian television. Remind me again what original programming Canada's CRTC sheltered Space: the Imagination Station has produced? How many times can we be expected to watch decade old repeats of Seaquest DSV in defense of "Canadian culture"? If they had the wisdom to rebroadcast Starlost or some such epic crap I could almost see the point but as it stands CanCon rules, and the businesses they shelter, are a joke.

I tried making this case to a left-leaning friend. She said, half-joking, "I know you are speaking Canadian but I can't understand any of the words." I am reminded every day of my former communication studies undergrads who would argue for Canadian content rules (I am told these represent "regulation" and not "censorship") and, with no change of expression, cheerfully explain they never watch Canadian television because it is uniformly awful. Such is the naked truth of ideology.

Posted by Ghost of a flea at August 12, 2005 08:57 AM

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Comments

Your last two paragraphs will be my Quote of the Day tomorrow. You perfectly capture the utter stupidity of the Canadian Content rules (and the mindset that ensures their continued reign).

Posted by: Nicholas at August 12, 2005 12:01 PM

I have a hard time believing anyone really and seriously likes The Starlost. I think even good-natured, low-rent CanCon actors like CFTO weatherman Robin Ward hesitate to put that turkey on the resume. =)

I got suckered into it a few times due to the ship exterior shots -- I thought it might have been Silent Running's "Valley Forge"... "Epic crap" sums up the whole series pretty nicely.

Posted by: Chris Taylor at August 12, 2005 02:32 PM

"Can I be of... assistance?"

If I was a slightly bigger geek and had just a little more time on my hands I could find the wav file and hook it up to my help searches...

Posted by: Ghost of a flea at August 12, 2005 03:29 PM

See, you folks just need to go ahead and join the Union. If only to get the good TV programming that we get to watch... ;-) Then, the CBC would get amalgamated with PBS.....hmm, maybe not, I like PBS, I don't want CBC infecting it....

Posted by: rmgill@mindspring.com at August 15, 2005 12:41 PM

BG does not hold a candle to Firefly or Babylon 5 that is. I am looking to seeing the second series however as I hear it is far better than the first which was a bit hit and miss at times.

Posted by: Andrew Ian Dodge at August 15, 2005 06:40 PM

Firefly and B5 were both astonishing. But the new Battlestar Galactica is better. So say the sacred scrolls!!!

Posted by: Ghost of a flea at August 15, 2005 07:09 PM