Topic: Zero Hour - New ABC series

[toddo]

A new TV series for fall, 2012: So it seems the publisher of "Modern Skeptic" magazine gets caught up in a giant conspiracy, Nazis, secret knowledge, the whole bit. http://www.wired.com/underwire/2012/05/new-tv-2012/?utm_source=pulsenews&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=twitterclickthru&pid=6979. Another skeptic proven wrong.

So, do we make a big deal about how this completely misrepresents what skeptics believe and are all about? Or how it clubs viewers over the head with how wrong skeptics are? Of course, then we give ABC some nice press and it is just fiction. Or do we hope what happens to most new series happens to this one? Is there an intelligent response? Or should there be a response?

Interesting issue. This is what Christians must have thought about when GCB was about to become a series. We know how that turned out. But then, they can effect viewership and sponsorship. Don't think skeptics are that powerful at this point.

[PANTS!]

Depends?

If, when presented with sufficient evidence, the skeptic changes his mind and proceeds to take a skeptical tact to fight the baddies.

Well I'd think that was A OK.

[Citizen Skeptic]

There's nothing more they'd like than free publicity. Don't get sucked into it. In fact, I suggest we disappear this thread.

Beleth?

[ting-bu-dong]

Sounds like the Scully school of skepticism. Which means it's probably worth ignoring, not boycotting or protesting.

In fact, I suggest we disappear this thread.

(click to show/hide)

[D'oh!]

The trailer looks perfectly fine to me -- in fact, it could be goofy fun to watch.  I don't see anything in it that suggests it's showing "how wrong skeptics are."

Besides, it's from the executive producers of GI Joe and Transformers!

[ting-bu-dong]

I don't see anything in it that suggests it's showing "how wrong skeptics are."

Well, there's this part:

"Logic is the compass" serves as the motto for conspiracy debunker played by Anthony Edwards (ER) who publishes Modern Skeptic magazine. But reason goes out the window when his wife gets kidnapped by Nazis.

I just find this kind of thing grating in fiction because it's a license for the writers to throw out their thinking caps and just make stuff up on the fly without regard for internal consistency. There are examples of fiction where writers realise that the 'rational explanation' can be the supernatural one if the supernatural is real, and failure to realise this is usually a red flag that the writing won't be very good once all the pieces are on the table.

[D'oh!]

Again, I don't see it attacking "scepticS" -- perhaps just this one.  The trailer has Nazis and Catholic priests in it so I just don't see it as a serious attack on anyone's philosophy.  Certainly not one that needs to be protested.

[Chandler]

I love me a good conspiracy.
This show looks better than "Revolution", so I'll probably watch this.

[ting-bu-dong]

Just saw the first two episodes and it's a lot better than it sounded at first. The main character is not a bitter misanthrope and doesn't deny any of the evidence if it points to weird things going on. There are some platitudes about faith which are completely unnecessary, but the show so far doesn't seem to be very preachy about faith vs. reason. What I like about it is that the writing seems like they are building towards something rather than simply throwing mysteries at the viewer for the sake of being mysterious.

[wastrel]

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/03/02/zero-hour-canceled-cancelled-by-abc

[MikeHz]

I'm kind of sorry it's being pulled so soon. I have not seen it, but my wife saw the first episode last night after I went to bed, and this morning was telling me how good she found it. but then, even Last Resort started out good, before it crashed and burned a few episodes in.

[D'oh!]

I forgot all about this thread -- and this show.  New network dramas just don't seem to catch on like they used to; cable does a much better job of introducing "hot" new shows (see Mad Men, Breaking Bad). 

I'm curious to see how NBC's Hannibal series does.  I'll give it a shot but don't suspect it will have much of a shelf life.

[Citizen Skeptic]

I love me a good conspiracy.
This show looks better than "Revolution", so I'll probably watch this.

Revolution is coming back, much to my surprise.