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Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery: Science Fiction Parody and Humor TV Shows

23 Jan

Ghosted and the Orville both debuted last year and the Hoboken Public Library recently got their first seasons on DVD.  They parody popular classic Science Fiction TV shows, but even while they skewer conventions and plot lines, they still manage to send lots of love to the shows they are poking fun at.  I’ve also listed a few of my older comedy science fiction favorites that are worth checking out.

Ghosted
ghosted
I was a fan of the The X-Files as a teen, so I was interested to check out Ghosted.  Ghosted stars Craig Robinson and Adam Scott in a half hour comedy about a skeptical former security guard and a brilliant true believer who must solve paranormal incidents involving aliens, ghosts, and other supernatural creatures for a secret Government Agency.  Having been cancelled after its first season, it didn’t find the audience of the long running X-Files which it parodied, but it is still a fun way to spend some time binging on a snowy winter day.

The Orville
orville
The Orville, according to my husband, feels like every episode is one of the funny episodes you would get each season of a Star Trek series and considering the hilarious “The Trouble with Tribbles” often gets ranked as one Trek fan’s favorite episodes of all times, this could mean it is definitely worth checking out if you are a Trekie.  I thought it captured more of the feel of the old TV shows than the new streaming series which has more in common with the recent Star Trek movie reboots.  The great banter between Captain Ed Mercer and his first officer and ex-wife are just one of the reasons to tune in.  I recommend this highly, even if like me you are not usually a fan of star and creator Seth MacFarlane’s work.

Red Dwarf
red dwarf
My father, who is a Science Fiction fan, encouraged me to check out the BBC show Red Dwarf , which centers around a motley starship crew including the last living human who wakes from stasis in the far future, a hologram of his former bunkmate, a humanoid creature who evolved from his pet cat, and the ship’s computer AI.  The series first aired in 1988 and has evolved over the years.  Lister and Rimmer are the Odd Couple in Space.  Check it out and see why the show has developed a cult following.

Lexx
lexx
Lexx is a Canadian series focusing on the powerful starship Lexx, which can destroy worlds, and its crew.  The story takes them to a number of unusual planets and even an alternative version of our own.  Lexx moves between a more serious tone and at times has broader farce towards the end of its run, but on the whole the humor is much darker than the others on this list.

Mystery Science Theater 3000
mst3k
Mystery Science Theater 3000 is based on the idea that some movies are so bad they are good.  This cult classic stars a man trapped in space with only his robot companions to keep to keep him company while they watch horrible movies as part of mad scientists’ nefarious experiments.  The funny dialogue between the actors adds laughs to some truly bad films.  Definitely worth revisiting older episodes or checking out the new reboot.  Hoopla lets you decide who you think is funniest Joel, Mike, or the newest star Jonah.  You can also borrow episodes from BCCLS libraries including HPL.

If you are a fan of Science Fiction and Fantasy, you can join me for screenings of Science Fiction and Fantasy movies we show one Monday each month at 4 PM; in February our screening will be on February 25.  At 6:15 PM on Feb 25, there will also be a discussion of  the magical novel, A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab; it was suggested by one of our group members and though I’m only a third of the way through I already want to read the other two in the series.  You can stop by the reference desk for a print copy. Borrow an ebook copy from eLibraryNJ or digital audiobook copy from Hoopla, who also has the comic series.  Don’t have an ereader of your own; HPL residents can check out ereaders with all of our book discussion books and more downloaded on them.  Email hplwriters @ gmal.com for more information about the group.  You can sign up for the library’s enewsletter to stay up to date on all the library’s fun and informative programs.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Head of Reference

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Who is the Narrator of Our Lives?: William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying

5 Dec

As_Lay_Dying
Narration is a big thing not only in books, but also in life. Our actions are ways to which we narrate and navigate our way through our story. But what about inaction and silence? Aren’t those a form of narration as well?

Narration is not only used as a tool within the novel to develop the plot, as well as each separate narrator, but it also exposes the true narrator through the concealment that words put on language. Addie Bundren’s presence in As I Lay Dying, or lack thereof, seems to distract the reader from discovering her side of the story. The irony of the words in the title is though it is in first person narrative, we almost never hear from her point of view. But let me not give out too many spoilers.

The irony of this novel being about a woman who is “dying” but told by those around her who are “alive” is the exact distinction that calls to question the very narration that we are given within the title. As I Lay Dying – first person narrative – seems to reveal a secret hidden within the narrative. This secret would appear to be a story from the perspective of someone who is dying – as per the title – but, in fact, we are almost never introduced to this true first person narrator.

This intrigued me.

One thing to note is that I – the reader – often fall in love with the ironic. Recent blogs I have written were about novels – such as Pamuk’s My Name is Red – allude to this sense of irony within and surrounding that novel, the irony of title’s foreshadowing, and multiple narrators with their own story that still hold the same meaning – rather than different “sides to the story.” It’s ironic, and it’s beautiful to me.

I love this book because it sheds light not only on the fact that the title is strictly about what’s going on as she lays dying, but it also follows this remarkable truth of how what’s going on around us narrates just as much as we do in our own story. As she lays dying is calling to the beauty that even though the title is clearly in first person – which should mean that it’s about her perspective – it’s not. Her perspective is that of what’s around her. It’s what’s happening as she lays dying that’s important, that’s narrating her story.

And isn’t that how it seems – life?

Aren’t we all just lying there as the world just continues to go round, as our story continues on without us, but in reality with us still there?

You can borrow As I Lay Dying in print, as an ebook from eBCCLS or eLibraryNJ, a digital audiobook, and view a movie adaptation on DVD.

Written By:
Sherissa Hernandez
Adult Programming Assistant

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