bodhi tree swaying » Joss Whedon

Random thoughts on a rainy day

bodhipaksa — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:07:12 +0000

I’m off to the prison in Concord this afternoon to meditate with inmates and to study the second part of Chapter 6, "Skillful Effort," in Gunaratana’s Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness. I’m really enjoying reading the book.
I’m hoping the torrential rain eases off before the one hour drive, which will be longer because of the weather.
Nick Kristof has an interesting piece about how the evolutionary history of our brains skews political priorities: "Americans spend nearly $700 billion a year on the military and less than $3 billion on the F.D.A., even though food-poisoning kills more Americans than foreign armies and terrorists."
I’m getting used to it, but I often used to be thrown by the New York Times’ consistent use of "from … to" rather than the (I believe) more common "to … from." For instance, today I read "The American economy shed 467,000 jobs last month, and the unemployment rate rose to 9.5 percent from 9.4 percent." To me it’s more natural to place the numbers in chronological order, and to say "rose from 9.4 percent to 9.5 percent." It may be that I only notice this usage because it stands out in my mind as awkward, and ignore many "to … from" constructions in the NYT, but my impression is that it is a consistent usage and a mandated part of their style. I don’t think it’s wrong, just unusual.
I’ve loved vampires ever since I was a teenager. And here’s an article about vamps in contemporary culture. Unfortunately the author seems to think that the modern fascination began with the Twilight series (2005 – 2008), which I’m not going to read, having received enough assurances that it’s diabolically awful. She seems not to have heard of Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles, which were best sellers (1976 – 2001) and made into two movies (1994 & 2002), nor Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997 – 2003). And vampire movies were incredibly popular in the 1960s and 1970s (think Hammer Horror). I’m not sure the genre has ever been off the radar. But the article reminds me I want to start watching True Blood, and that I want to read The Strain. And I was also delighted to hear that a sequel to The Hunger is on the way. Presumably David Bowie won’t be in this one.

Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse, and the nature of reality

bodhipaksa — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 21:38:23 +0000

Over on Wildmind I’ve written a longish post with some reflections on Joss Whedon’s new show, Dollhouse, starring Eliza Dushku, who played Faith on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

It’s the kind of thing that ordinarily I would post here, but I think that in future I’m going to be putting a bit more of my energy into Wildmind. That doesn’t mean I’ll be writing less or differently. I’ll keep using this blog as a way of letting people know what I’m up to, including passing on news of articles I’ve posted. I’ll probably also continue to post shorter pieces here.

Anyway, here’s the start of the article, with a link to the rest. The Buddhist stuff starts just after the jump to Wildmind…

So far there’s only been one episode of Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse, so perhaps it’s a bit early to be talking about overarching themes, leitmotifs, or its deeper meaning, but this is a show I’ve been long anticipating and so my mind was primed right for the start to resonate with any thematic elements to do with identity and selfhood – for that (I confidently announce, based on one episode and a trailer) is what Dollhouse is about.

But first to step back a little. Joss Whedon, the show’s creator, is most famous as the creative force behind (in chronological order) the seven seasons of the hit Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the somewhat less well-known five seasons of Angel, the science fiction cult classic Firefly (which didn’t quite complete one season), and the three-episode web-based mini-series, Doctor Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. Do you sense a pattern in those descriptions?

Whedon, although superbly creative, has not been faring well. His material has gotten no less brilliant over the years, and in fact I’d argue that Firefly is one of the best TV shows I’ve ever seen, but in terms of popular exposure, he’s not been doing well. Is Dollhouse his last chance to show he’s a fit for prime-time television? Or has prime-time television been showing that it’s incapable of recognizing real talent? Either way, Whedon and Whedonites are surely hoping that Dollhouse will be a hit.

So was it? To be honest, the first show did not quite ever sizzle. The acting seemed a little off, the script was not electrifying, and the first show had a lot to do, introducing the main characters, the show’s premise, and a single-episode storyline, all inside 50 minutes. That was a lot to pull off in a show that you might have expected to start with a two-episode pilot that would allow the director to do all three of these things thoroughly. But at least the program showed promise, and that’s enough to get me, at least, to tune in next week. Read the rest…

Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog

bodhipaksa — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:52:54 +0000

I just discovered Joss Whedon’s brilliant, short, three-part tragicomic musical, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog.

It’s the story of a confused your man who’s upset with the hypocrisy in the world and who thinks that the way to respond is to become an evil mastermind and to join the Evil League of Evil. He’s in love with a sweet girl called Penny, who has unfortunately started dating Horrible’s nemesis, the narcissistic superhero, Captain Hammer.

In his everyday persona, Dr. Horrible, whose real name we never learn, is talking to Penny in the laundromat about her date with Captain Hammer. Horrible is doing a pretty good job of masking his pain and jealousy until:

Penny: He’s a really good-looking guy, and I thought he was kind of cheesy at first…

Dr. Horrible: (Sotto voce) Trust your instincts.

Penny: …but he turned out to be totally sweet. Sometimes people are layered like that. There’s something totally different underneath than what’s on the surface.

Dr. Horrible: And sometimes there’s a third, even deeper, level. And that one is the same as the top, surface one.

Penny: Huh?

Great music. Wonderful acting. Well worth a watch.

The Dollhouse and selfhood

bodhipaksa — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 09:05:48 +0000

Joss Whedon, who wrote two of my favorite TV shows, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly, has a new show coming out, starring Eliza Dushku, who played Faith in both Buffy and its spin-off, Angel. It’s called Dollhouse and is apparently about government agents who can have their memories repeatedly wiped and their minds reprogrammed for specific jobs.

Knowing Whedon there will be some psychological depth to the show, or at least a good attempt at it (the episode where Buffy has to deal with her mother’s death is an amazing piece of drama). The title that reads “But can you wipe away a soul” suggests that the plot will involve questions revolving around what the true self is, stripped of memories and learned traits. The character of Buffy had repeated bouts of having to find herself in the midst of the calls of duty, destiny, and prophecy, and this is a theme Whedon has handled well in the past. It’s going to be interesting seeing how Whedon handles the same topic on Dollhouse. I don’t have a TV, but I’ll watch it somehow. For the philosophy, of course, although Ms. Dushku is unquestionably worth watching for other reasons.

Here’s the trailer: