It’s been a mad television weekend! Here are some highlights:

Fahrenheit 451

This 1966 film is so European, I feel like I should be in an art-house cinema while watching it. Despite this, Ray Bradbury’s story is one that needs to be told in today’s world. Political correctness and censorship are on the rise and should they continue to grow, we may one day find ourselves at odds with the law if we say anything that upsets anyone. Given how books can bring forth powerful emotions, they surely won’t be allowed. Thus the story begins. The principal character is a fireman, a professional book burner.

The word in the street is that Fahrenheit 451 is also going to be remade and released in 2009. Tom Hanks is rumoured to play the leading role. Much like the coming remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still, I have a bad feeling about this.

Soylent Green:

Cheesy Charlton Heston at his b‑movie best. Well, maybe not best, as I prefer Omega Man, but this 1973 film is fun too. It’s especially fun to see 70s technology tarted up and portrayed as the latest thing from 2022.

Still, the film poses a valid question. Should the ecology crash and the population continue to grow, how far should we go to keep the growing numbers of people alive? Clearly Heston’s Robert Thorn character and the Soylent Corporation come to different conclusions.

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

I was very disappointed in this 1964 film, given how the word ‘classic’ is often used to describe it. Allow me to disagree. It was like a really bad spoof of Failsafe.

Veronica Mars

I watched the final eight episodes of the third season and am really sorry to see this program end. Yea, I know it’s directed at teens, but this doesn’t mean it can’t be good. It’s clear the writers know there are many viewers outside the target demographic as the pop culture references come on fast and furious, and are not limited to the last decade or two.

Briefly, Veronica is a modern-day Nancy Drew. Her dad’s a private eye and she follows in his footsteps, sometimes helping him out with his cases. Other times she’s got cases of her own, ranging from finding stolen tape recordings to finding out who killed her best friend. All the while she’s just bursting with sass.

My favourite relationship in the program is between Veronica and her father. Not your typical father/daughter dynamic, but very charming none-the-less. My least favourite is between Veronica and Logan. The guy’s far too mopey and willing to let people just walk away from him. God forbid he try to stop them. Of course that would cut down on his moping time.

I’m still surprised whenever I read any references to Kirsten Bell’s actual age. Mars is in her very late teens during the final season while Bell turned 26 a month after the last episode was aired. It’s just weird.

The program started with Veronica in high school. It continued with her attending college. Included in the season three bonus material is a twelve minute teaser made to sell the network on a fourth season in which Veronica starts an internship with the FBI. It’s a shame the network didn’t bite. Oh they bite all right, just not in the right way.