Thoughts on 6ACV09 - A Clockwork Origin - SPOILERS

[Reply #240 on:]

Regarding political correctness, the Futurama writers are imhO the most cowardly ones of the big series

I'm not sure I agree with this. Most of the "big issue" episodes (of which there aren't many, and most of them revolve around environmental issues) are either pushing an agenda in a satirical way ("Crimes of the Hot" and "Into the Wild Green Yonder" are earnest in intent but exaggerated in execution) or are poking shameless fun at both sides of the issue ("The Problem With Popplers" and "The Birdbot of Ice-Catraz" do this). And it doesn't bother me when the show makes a statement like "Global warming is real, and we'd best get our shit together if we wish to prevent it," because 1.) I think this point is valid and 2.) the statement is not made self-righteously, at the cost of humiliating people who may happen to disagree with the show's stance.

I think "Proposition Infinity" is the only episode of the series that takes a blatant stand on a contemporary social issue, and I agree that it does so in the most politically-correct--and, ironically enough, least tolerant--way possible. PI is so mean-spirited and cliche-ridden and lazy; it demonizes opponents of gay marriage without honestly considering why otherwise decent people might take issue with same-sex relationships.

I've said this before, but you know you've failed at satire when people who agree with your ideology (because, yes, I agree that gay marriage should be legal and a number of people who oppose it are hypocrites) are still repelled by your portrayal of the social issue in question. PI is my least-favorite episode of the series, easily--for a number of reasons, really. Its simplistic, super-partisan take on the issue of gay marriage is one of those reasons.

MacFarlane dares much more

I agree that Family Guy is ultimately a politically-incorrect show (and I don't mean that as a criticism), but Seth MacFarlane is obviously a liberal and Brian is his mouthpiece. Again, even if I may agree with the ideology the show's pushing, I tend to find hyper-liberalism (or hyper-conservatism, though it's much rarer on TV) a bit off-putting.

I am rather amazed that they dared to go for a halfway fair representation of evolution set in motion by some intelligent being  in "Clockwork Origin" (and I wish they would dare something like that more often)

I agree with you completely. I don't love "A Clockwork Origin"--it's an average episode in an an average season; not bad, but also not stellar--but I do appreciate the approach the writers took to portraying the debate on evolution.

[Reply #241 on:]

I hated this episode. Just terrible. One of the worst. Preachy beyond belief.

2/10

[Reply #242 on:]

I hated this episode. Just terrible. One of the worst. Preachy beyond belief.

2/10

Call the episode anything you want, but it is definitely not preachy. Whilst it does lean towards science over religion; the conclusion sums everything up to create a brilliantly balanced argument.

[Reply #243 on:]

The "argument" doesn't deserve to be balanced.

[Reply #244 on:]

So the fact that they made it even remotely balanced makes it preachy? I'm not completely sure if that makes sense.

Also, maybe it's just me, but I'm starting to think that Bianca doesn't like the new Futurama episodes.

[Reply #245 on:]

I'm not sure what your point is Bianca. You think the episode is preachy, yet you don't think it deserves to have a balanced argument?

...and FishyJoe; I'm also getting that impression.

[Reply #246 on:]

The "argument" doesn't deserve to be balanced.

Neil deGrass Tyson thinks otherwise:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzSMC5rWvos#at=65

(Okay, it's Atheism vs Religion, but the "potential creator" aspect is still there).

Also, the episode's message did in fact not even feature some kind of biblical creationism:
Evolution was not even questioned. There was just the possibility of an outside influence.

And as even we human beings are able of such an outside influence (which we basically did for centuries by selectively breeding certain animals), contemplating about that possibility is still within scientific limits, and far away from some "Old man on a cloud" representation.

[Reply #247 on:]

(Okay, it's Atheism vs Religion, but the "potential creator" aspect is still there).

But atheism and religion, and even the "potential creator aspect" have next to nothing to do with evolution. There is no "two sides of an argument here"; there's one side and then a lot of random frantic gibberish.

Evolution does *not* preclude religion, just aks any random progressive science think-tank like e.g. the Catholic church.

Evolution is not "just a theory" for which an alternative explanation exists. In fact it's more of a supported theory than the theory of gravity, with its magic gravitons and graviolis that we're just supposed to believe exists.

There is no uncertainty about evolution. There is *no* well-founded argument against it.
It doesn't prove or disprove the existence of God, even if some people want to believe that's the case so they have something to rile about.

Even if everything literally happened the way it's described in Genesis, and God stuffed the earth full of confusing easter-eggs in advance, evolution is what he wanted us to discover so we wouldn't badger him with questions about the continuity of the show.

In short, if a person's faith is based on the presence or absence of natural phenomena, it's lacking sorely.

[Reply #248 on:]

Sorry, but I do not quite see your point.

I already wrote above that the episode does in fact NOT question evolution at all. So I do not quite get why you emphasize that evolution is not a theory, and  there are not two sides of the medal. That was never questioned in the episode.
(Or were you refering to something else I just missed? )

[Reply #249 on:]

Things!

[Reply #250 on:]

In the news ... Researchers announce new fossils of Homo rudolfensis, helping to confirm it as a species distinct from Homo habilis.

Now all we need is the missing link between THOSE species.

[Reply #251 on:]

Pretty good, 8/10

[Reply #252 on:]

8/10

Better than I remembered. It was funny enough, and I can't think of any complaints against its statements toward evolutionism versus creationism. The parts with Zoidberg and Cubert were the highlights of the episode.