I watch the sci-fi channel a lot now. I have always loved certain shows like MST 3K, but I used to draw certain lines. For example, I would leave the room if my husband, Michael, was watching a particularly bad Deep Space Nine episode or something of equal yawn value.
But, now I sit through almost anything that offers me an escape from reality. I love Fox News for example. Ha. Ha.
Anyway, seriously, one of our favorite shows is The Dead Zone. If you don’t know the background of The Dead Zone, here it is: Anthony Michael Hall from The Breakfast Club (who is not to be confused with Paul Michael Glaser of Starsky and Hutch) plays Johnny Smith who solves problems by using his psychic abilities. It sounds lame, I know. But, it’s usually very entertaining.
Here’s the thing that’s rubbing me the wrong way. In next week’s show, Johnny Smith is going to do something our government has not been able to do. He’s going to track down Osama Bin Laden.
This doesn’t appeal to me. Allow me to demonstrate:
I’m walking down the street watching The Dead Zone on a portable t.v. and all of a sudden some skate boarder who’s watching the 9/11 tragedy on his portable t.v. bumps into me.
I blurt out, “You got reality in my sci fi!”
He responds with, “You got sci-fi in my reality.”
I am not delighted when I taste this new combo. Neither is he. We spit it out.
I do not mind shows that display the twin towers. I think we should remember them.
But, using Bin Laden’s real name in a sci-fi show is going a bit too far. It’s not even thinly disguised. I’m sure this is hitting way too close to home for a lot of people.
I don’t believe in censorship but, that having been said, I do think this is in extremely bad taste. Not at all like say, a Reese’s Cup.