Fringe

Fringe is the X-Files for the 9/11 era. Clearly influenced by X-Files in its early seasons, the show developed its own unique approach to the X-Files format. Further, the show's writers were far better at developing story arcs and preventing it from becoming too convoluted, in spite of some rather absurd science fiction mumbo jumbo: parallel universes, alternate timelines, and even soul magnets. Now, I will have to be on the prowl for another endearing and quirky science fiction series with the soul of Fringe.

Although the series started off rocky in the first season, and took some missteps in the fourth and fifth seasons (why would you remove Peter from several episodes of the fourth season when his relationship with Walter was part of the show's moral and emotional development?), its second and third seasons were spectacular science fiction television. Double agents, conspiracies, the conflict between the prime and parallel universes, and the perfect antagonists, like David Robert Jones, made for suspenseful television. Sure, Astrid is basically a glorified maid. Yeah, season 4 was clunky and season 5 was, while entertaining, lacking in the monster of the week format of the show's earlier seasons. But, one must acknowledge the creativity of the show in its willingness to explore all kinds of fringe science and take risks on the character development. 

Fringe was an amazing television experience for examining how science evolves faster than our morality, so we're forced to see Walter Bishop come to terms with the consequences of his actions. Watching Walter's relationship with Peter and, in turn, Olivia's relationships with the two were beautiful occasions. Peter and Olivia still aint nothing compared to Scully and Mulder, but their blossoming relationship nicely matches our growing affection for the world of Fringe. Shoot, now I want to go to Boston because of this show. Leonard Nimoy's presence, even though he does not appear in many episodes, also brought a degree of SF culture and history to the show, especially providing humorous moments such as Olivia's consciousness under the control of William Bell. Seeing Nimoy's character's other side in the fourth season, a result, ultimately, of the lack of Peter in that timeline, was likewise an interesting way to reset the show. X-Files has bequeathed to posterity an excellent science fiction show.

Dark Matter

It's always particularly wounding when a great science fiction show on the cusp of greatness is canceled too soon. Unfortunately, such was the fate for Dark Matter, a quirky show about the infamous crew of the Raza. Set in our galaxy but 600 years in the future, the show uses just about every science fiction trope, with cyberpunk's powerful corporations, an oppressive Galactic Authority government, and space western's outlaw feel. The show's special effects were far from the best, and writers did at times drop plotlines immediately without ever returning to it, but the show's creator had sketched it out to only last 5 seasons, which would have brought closure and ended the show on an even more interesting note. The third season cliffhanger just leaves us wanting more. The good things about this show far outweighed the bad and ugly.

The negative features of the show are most likely the budget for special effects, poor acting from a handful of actors, an eager desire to slap together too many science fiction tropes and perhaps, the pacing of the episodes. The special effects are usually okay, but there are moments when it looks particularly hokey and cheap. But that's okay, not every science fiction show will or can have a big budget. It didn't especially detract from the visual sense of wonder and darker palette of the show. Lamentably, the poor acting from a few characters did weaken the series, especially in the case of Ryo and a few recurring guests. Lines were not believable, and it became a bit of a chore to sit through episodes centered on Ryo Ishida. Fortunately, Ishida's character was usually silent, but a few episodes centered on the space-age feudal Japanese-inspired Zairon Empire were a little much. 

One cannot help but think trying to throw samurai swords and civilizations inspired by Japan may have been an unnecessary move, although physical combat and martial arts are prevalent for the crew of the Raza. Moreover, can one really have anything cyberpunk without some absurd references to Japan (thanks, Gibson)? But what truly strikes the viewer is the strange way certain episodes were plotted. A beginning, middle, climax, and conclusion would often be followed by some immediately outrageous or hastened threat, giving the show a feel of constant instability without any lapse or moment for reprieve. When one recalls shows like Firefly, which clearly influenced Dark Matter, a similar episode structure does not ring a bell. Indeed, perhaps the pacing of the show played a role in the dropping of plotlines, including some that would have brought closure to departed members of the crew. 

Despite the aforementioned problems with the show, it's still a tremendously entertaining thrill. Thirteen episodes per season makes it easier to binge or revisit, unlike some of the better but infinitely longer science fiction series. The world-building of the show works very well, showing various colonies, the negative impact of the unrestrained corporations, and the satellites and planets of the galaxy. Having the memories of the ship's diverse crew erased was a useful plot device for getting viewers to identify with the characters since we were learning about the ship and its crew just as the characters were. In addition, some of the crew are clearly based on well-known series, like Three being a Jayne-like character. Fans of science fiction can appreciate these character archetypes and genre references.

The character development of the crew as they come to regain their memories brings to the table a number of moral quandaries, the meaning of friendship, and ethical decisions when there are no good choices. Backstabbing, trust, relationships, and the common glue of the crew, 5 and the Android, provide the requisite amount of emotional content to match the show's addiction to action sequences. The Android, who has an emotional chip, really starts to shine as a sentient being. Her existence forces the viewer to confront "anthropoarchy," and the moral dilemmas of the virtual enslavement of robots. Clearly, the show had a story arc prepared to explore that in subsequent seasons, but now we will never know. The anti-corporate and anti-centralized authority of the show, however, also lend credence to the influence of Firefly and cyberpunk, although Dark Matter, in my opinion, brilliantly did not take itself too seriously. The time travel episode in the final season is an amazing example of that.

That's the magical formula for the show across all three seasons. While certainly addressing important themes of technology, capitalism, ramifications of time travel, precog cults, corporate heists, parallel dimensions, and alien beings, the show's quirky sense of humor often prevailed. Even when there were moments that didn't make sense, that quirkiness saved the show. A quirky, unique sense of humor is what retained my attention. Perhaps the Canadian actors and approach to science fiction, assuming such a thing exists, also works to its advantage when winning over American viewers. Canadians are not in the center of Empire, but close enough, giving them a unique perspective on the problems of the present (and the future). With just one additional season, the show could have wrapped things up seamlessly with its quirky humor. 

Political Economy of Mass Media

A fascinating 1989 talk by Chomsky in Madison, WI. Chomsky discusses the manufacturing of consent and relates it to the American interventions in Central America during the 1980s. Fascinating stuff and very thought-provoking, as one would expect from Chomsky. I saw him speak in 2010 and find this 1989 talk more humorous and intriguing than the award ceremony I attended.  Moreover, Chomsky's sense of humor was present in the earlier lectures than what I saw, although I am naturally glad I had an opportunity to see him speak.

Radio Haïti-Inter

Radio Haiti has been digitized! For all those interested in Jean Dominique, Haitian culture, politics, and history, one can even stream or download old shows. Included among the current recordings available on the site are an interview with Jean Price Mars, speeches from the Duvaliers, political and news commentary, and poetry readings of the works of Carl Brouard. Enjoy!

Michèle Bennett

A good video to learn more about one of the reasons Baby Doc's regime fell apart. Although hardly an authoritative source, many 'insiders' and subaltern masses attributed their disgust and eventual push for dechoukaj to the avarice of Michèle Bennett, who chose to broadcast lavish parties, spend millions, and essentially kick out Mama Doc and other Duvalier family who previously dominated the Baby Doc regime. In my opinion, there is much more nuance needed to elucidate the fall of Baby Doc than blaming it on his wife, particularly because Haiti has a long history of corrupt governments using the state as the path to enrichment. 

Additional underlying causes for Baby Doc's regime losing all legitimacy include the following: deteriorating economic conditions, a shift in perception of the Duvalierists by the middle-class and other groups who found themselves increasingly alienated by Baby Doc's embrace of the upper echelon of the elite, and, perhaps, a conspicuous alignment with light-skinned people symbolized in Baby Doc's marriage. 

In short, their marriage was part of a broader process of economic liberalization, impoverishment and a gradual shift in alliances that did not find its base in the same manner as Papa Doc. Naturally, attributing the problem of color to a political and economic moment of change is not sufficient because of the greater relevance of class, but perhaps color retained some salience given Papa Doc's lip service to noiriste thought. 

Nevertheless, this video features interesting interviews with members of the Haitian elite and middle class juxtaposed with footage and demonstrations from the lower class demanding political change. Some of the subaltern masses' accusations against Michèle Bennett do not seem realistic (would she really have ordered a makout to poison the water supply? I guess anything's possible...), but given the vast amount of 'eating' Baby Doc and his wife committed, it is not a surprise. 

Given Baby Doc's return to Haiti without any human rights abuse charges and his son's employment in the Martelly administration, Duvalierism without Duvalier in power reigns to this day. As Fatton explains, the 'authoritarian habitus' of Haitian political history replicates in successive governments and little has changed, despite several waves of democratization. Michèle Bennett is doing fine, I'm sure, and will not receive punishments for her sins anytime soon. 

Some Videos Relating to Japanese Perceptions of Blacks

Here are some videos to check out pertaining to 'blackness' in Japan and how stereotypes of the Black Other persist today. To be honest, if I could get me a piece of that pie (selling commercialized, stereotypical notions of blackness), you damn skippy I would be in Japan right now! Perhaps I'll try my luck in East Asia one of these days and sell myself as a cultural ambassador or interpreter for the Japanese appetite for stereotypes of blackness? Check out this video about Japanese women's interest in hip-hop culture and that style's own troubled notions of 'blackness.' I believe this kind of stuff, this fascination with blackness on their own terms, is part of the appeal of Jero, the African-American (also of Japanese descent himself) singer of enka whose persona and dress is clearly influenced by hip-hop and 'blackness' in the US yet also a product of Japanese traditional music and culture. Blackness in this case is similar to the case of Dante, the black commercial actor. His blackness functions as a prop, a visual sign of a different type of Other. This type of Other, in order to be popular, must follow stereotypes of hip-hop and the black male other, although agency of these two guys must be seen as a reality, too. In this interview Jero claims "hip-hop" clothing is his style and utterly him, so who knows, maybe it wasn't just a marketing prop. 

Why I Like Chris Hayes

I think it's quite clear to me now that All In Chris Hayes is the best program on MSNBC. Although at the end of the day, the entire network is just corporate media with an obvious Democrat slant (and of course more objective and factual than Fox or any conservative talk radio), which means often featuring Obama apologists and liberals with Stockholm syndrome for the Democrats, MSNBC is still more open to ideas beyond the confines of the two-party system in the US. In order to arrive at the superiority of All In, let's go through some of the other MSNBC shows and hosts.

1. Alex Wagner: She seems like a run of the mill left liberal with an interest in environmentalism. I have enjoyed her subbing for Lawrence O'Donnell this week, but she lacks 'oomph.' Sure, I guess she's cute, and she's generally on point in her political commentary (if by on point we refer mostly to her criticism of the right), but she, like too many other MSNBC hosts (despite the pseudo-progressive "Lean Forward" commercials) seemingly has a crush on Obama or something. Sure, the Republicans are destroying this country, but so are the Democrats! So, yes, I applaud MSNBC for at least being more factual and rightfully critical of the far Reich (far right), but this almost blind faith and loyalty to the Democrats is partly responsible for keeping this country mired in the problematic two-party state. Yes, I know, it's corporate media and therefore I shouldn't be surprised, but Jesus Christ, get it together, MSNBC!

2. Al Sharpton: I must admit, I was shocked when I first discovered Rev. Sharpton has a show on MSNBC. Predictably, he often centers the show on race, and also makes himself the center. I will never understand why he bothers to have guests on the show when he often talks more than they do on whatever issue is at hand! He's not as bad as O'Donnell or Fox News or anything, but he speaks slowly (the black reverend diction, I suppose), too, which I find annoying since his pace should be a little faster to cover more news and say more substantive things. I don't know, I think Al's penchant for being the center of attention and enjoying the spotlight kind of ruined Politics Nation for me. I do commend his show for always covering the Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman case, however. But he too succumbs to the Democrats-as-the-best and pro-Obama illusions of black advancement under the 'Muslim socialist anti-white food stamp president,' to quote the right-wingers on Obama.

3. Rachel Maddow: I like her. I really like her. She's got style, can be brutal and scathing in her commentary, follows stories that sometimes had little traction in the national and international news cycle, and she has an emotive face with a nice smile. Indeed, just watching her giggle and mock Republicans (such as Newt Gingrich yesterday on the latter's causing a government shutdown during the Clinton years because he was not allowed to exit a plane through the front door like President Clinton) is infectious, since her glee spreads to her viewers like wildfire. However, she can be very hawkish and surprisingly pro-war, pro-military (her "Lean Forward" commercial on the network standing by Ground Zero struck me as pro-military and too nationalistic for my taste) and she also seems like she has a crush on Obama (yes, I know she's a lesbian). I first watched her show in Los Angeles, while visiting my half-brother and his father. Even then, I was drawn to her vitriol regarding the GOP, but that's where her show seems to end. Incessant criticism of the GOP and standing by her 'man,' Obama, is not enough to hold my interest sometimes. Also, where was she on coverage of the Zimmerman trial? She was strangely silent on the matter, but on the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington, did more than the other MSNBC shows I watched to commemorate its legacy and that of the Martin Luther King. Overall, she's my number 2 on MSNBC, but sometimes she's a little too much or cannot escape her love for Obama and the Democrats. So, watch The Rachel Maddow Show, but don't expect much in terms of critical lens on the Obama administration. Also, she was surprisingly quite restrained and appeared unsupportive of US missile strikes in Syria when that was all over the news, but I bet that would have changed had Obama stuck with the original goal of airstrikes.

4. Chris Mathews: I don't like this guy. I'll admit it, I dislike his voice. But I also dislike his attitude, demeanor, and ego. His commercial on MSNBC plays on his long experience in politics and witnessing much of US political history as a journalist and insider, but he can be condescending toward guests and mostly bores me. Get this old white man off my TV, ha! He means well, but at the end of the day, seems like another plain, white bread liberal (yet also a moderate).

5. Martin Bashir: I have not watched enough of him to leave more informed commentary, but I suppose he gets points for his accent and for being one of the few brown faces on the network. He seems liberal enough, perhaps left-liberal or progressive, but, unfortunately, is never on the air in the evening, my preferred time to watch the news (though most of my news, thank God, is not derived from the traditional corporate media, but devoured through leftist blogs, sites, and communities). If only this man could get an evening shift, now that would be something.

6. Melissa Harris-Perry: Oh, how the mighty hath fallen. Despite her reputation as a 'progressive' with a 'black feminist slant' and writing in The Nation (it's important here to remember Ishmael Reed's criticism of the media for it's segregation, since even liberal and lefty outlets are often segregated or lacking people of color, which might explain why the few black folks we get on TV, such as Lemon, the gay black CNN anchor who appeals to white theories of black pathology to explain what is really the result of racism and inequality), is just as much in love with Obama as her other colleages. Indeed, one of my favor sources of news, Black Agenda Report, featuring news and commentary from the real black left, has torn her apart more than once. Indeed, in one piece they go as far to allege that her love for Obama stems from their shared biracial identities, a harsh point even I would not declare! I gotta agree with my people at BAR, Harris-Perry plays around with the progressive label, reminding me of some of the pseudo-progressive whites I have interacted with in Madison, WI. It's all fun and games until the shit hits the fan, and they reveal their true colors. As BAR says, in her 'letter' to Snowden, Harris-Perry revealed her Obamaphilia, inconsistency, and hypocrisy, in her own letter referring tot he barbarity and abuses of the American prison industrial complex yet calling for Snowden to submit himself to 'justice' and undergo that inhumane system.

That said, I still catch her show every once in the while on weekend mornings, though I do prefer my news at night. She has also been unfairly treated by black male progressives and leftists in dismissive and sexist ways, such as facing criticism from Bruce Dixon because of her coverage of black women's hair politics (which is not as insignificant or silly as Dixon made it seem). Also, the way she was spoken to and about by folks like Cornel West spoke more to the latter's arrogance and the role of male privilege and sexism than just her Obamaphilia. Who knows, perhaps I am being a little hard on her when she's just like her colleagues on MSNBC. Why should a black liberal/progressive be held to a higher standard than her white counterparts of the same persuasion? The "Fear of a Black President" article from The Atlantic by Coates as well as a piece by Ishmael Reed on white progressive 'abandonment; of Obama make it quite clear Obama is no different for the most part from Clinton and other white Dems and liberal Dems specifically who sell out their 'progressive' base very soon in the world of American politics.

7. I dislike Lawrence O'Donnell's show, Last Word. He parades as a progressive liberal (I think he once referred to himself as socialist or some other far left term, which at once made me laugh uncontrollably since his character on TV is very different) but engages in too much 'mansplaining,' is very condescending toward guests, particularly if they're women (in my viewing experience, that is, such as the woman from the Olympic agency on the question of gay athletes at the Winter Olympics game in Russia and their rights), and is not above petty and Fox News-like argumentative and aggressive discourse. Sure, some people think that the left in America must adopt some manners or approaches of conservative talk radio and Fox News, perhaps the militancy in their beliefs, aggression, and loudness, but to me it is puerile, imitative, uncomfortable, and inhibiting open dialogue and honest, free exchange. Don't get me wrong, sometimes I will watch Last Word and enjoy it, but O'Donnell can be an 'ass' and still succumbs to the stereotypical liberal stuck on what Herman Cain refers to as the "Democrat plantation."

With the aforementioned points made clear, I believe it will be a little easier to see why Chris Hayes is the 'most' progressive and independent thinker on MSNBC. First of all, I like his style: nerdy, glasses, youthful but not immature, energetic, connected to popular culture on the web, and willing to hear people out. He has Republicans on his show, something I rarely see on Maddow's show (okay, it happens more frequently than I think) and is actually more respectful and willing to let conservatives and libertarians openly state their nonsensical and contradictory beliefs, such as a House GOP Congressman on the government shutdown. He also has a segment of his show covering what's hot on the internet, engages with his Facebook and internet audience and followers (Sharpton does it too, with his "Friend or foe, I wanna know" bit taking questions from those who watch his show, though they are always positive or neutral, never 'foes'), and presents a more open-minded 'liberal' or liberal progressive take on the news. Sure, he is usually supportive of the Dems (though his own preference for the leftist and progressive Dems like Tammy Baldwin put him to the left), but he also engages 'everyday people' and issues, such as his interviews with two low-wage fast food workers in New York participating in the marches and walk outs, demanding pay increases and union rights. I don't know why, but this moment stuck with more for more than any of the 'working-class and middle-class populism' of The Ed Show.

There is still much I don't know about the ideological and political beliefs of Hayes, such as more specifically his views on race (beyond the black punditocracy corporate media throws around, such as Joy Ann Reid), but I do recall him referring to people of color as such instead of the less useful and accurate term, 'minority.' In addition, his laudable white person thing to do of calling out 'white culture' in response to a super-racist rant from Bill O'Reilly, makes him stand out from much of his corporate media brothers and sisters. Check out this video, too, which reminds me of "White Criminal of the Week" from We Are Respectable Negroes! But even this is something Melissa Harris-Perry and Rachel Maddow have done to mock the right. To make things worse, Hayes overestimates the link between white conservatism and racism by ignoring white liberal racism, something I would like to see more coverage of in his show. But overall, I am liking the course of the show so far and hope to see him comment on more international events. Alas, MSNBC is too America-focused.