Revolution 2.2: Reanimation

Revolution 2.2 continued its mix of smart-alec humor and science fiction blood and guts, but there was much less humor this week than last.  And the humor comes early, as the town sheriff who was captured last week with Mile tells Miles what inspired him to become a sheriff: tales his father told him about a Texas ranger.  Not, not the Lone Ranger, but a ranger the sheriff thought was real: Walker, whom Miles and we know was a television character, when electricity still coursed through the world, and jokes were getting rife about Chuck Norris.

That's the last joke we'll hear from Miles, who gets his hand hammered, and soon gets led into a room of horrors run by the creepy guy played by Matt Ross, last seen to good effect on Big Love and Magic City.  Maybe the nanotech that brought back Aaron from 2+ hours and no beating heart will help heal Miles' hand.

Nanotech as astonishing healer has been a staple of science fiction and speculation about the future for more than decade.  The logic is that tiny devices, smaller than a blood cell, could be programmed and inserted into the body to repair damaged organs, wipe out cancer cells, anything and everything bad our bodies are prone to generate or contract.   There's yet to be a television show, though, in which such nanites play a central continuing role - we did see them from time to time on Fringe - and it would nice to see them move into center stage on Revolution.   What we do know about the nanotech healing so far is that it doesn't work on all living organisms.  We know it doesn't work on a dead mouse, in a scene which had a faint echo of "Flowers for Algernon," and we don't even know what effect it could have humans other than Aaron.

Meanwhile, the single best twist in episode 2.2 takes place with Major Tom, when he suckers a true patriot into an assassination plot against the visiting Secretary of State - only to shoot the patriot in the head, right in front of the Secretary, so he can get into her good graces.   Tom continues as the most knowledgable character on the show, repeating the point he made last week that the people who claim to be our surviving national government can't be just that, have to be something else or more, because otherwise they would never have destroyed Atlanta and Philadelphia.

Neville's now in a good position to learn more about these "Americans," and I'm looking forward to seeing what that is.

See also Revolution 2.1: "The Last Surviving Friend"

And see also Revolution: Preview Review  ... Revolution 1.2: Fast Changes ... Revolution 1.14: Nanites and Jack Bauer ... Revolution 1.15: Major Tom and More 24 ... Revolution 1.16: Feeling a Little Like the Hatch in Lost ... Revolution 1.17: Even Better Nanites ... Revolution 1.18: Whodunnit? ... Revolution 1.19: Cheney's Bunker ... Revolution Season 1 Finale: Good Pivot




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Republicans Debate on MSNBC in Florida: Romney Unveils New Cylon Expression

A lumpy, uneven Republican debate on MSNBC in Florida tonight - with some really boring stretches on the economy, but each of the candidates having some good moments.

First, our Cylon watch - otherwise known as, Is Mitt Romney A Cylon? - a question first introduced here on Infinite Regress back in June. The Cylons, of course, are cyborgs from Battlestar Galactica who look just like humans, and, with The Sarah Connor Chronicles now on television, we might just as easily ask Is Mitt Romney a Terminator? - or, more precisely, one of the more recent, post-Arnold models.

The most Cylon-like behavior in Romney tonight was his new, non-smiling expression. Take a look at clips from the debate when you have a chance. See what I mean? Since the last debate, someone programmed in a new, serious, concerned expression on Romney's face - probably found in some poll to be more effective than his more typical smile.

As to the words tonight -

Romney was clear in his economics, and got in a fine Republican line about Bill Clinton (possibly taken from Obama).

McCain seemed Presidential, especially when he came to Giuliani's defense about The New York Times' endorsement of McCain and its attack on Giuliani. (The New York Times also endorsed Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination. It's not clear to me who, other than The New York Times, cares about its endorsements any more.)

Giuliani gave a principled answer about his support of the war not being based on polls (though I disagree with that support).

Huckabee was more humorous than usual tonight - explaining that he didn't disagree with Chuck Norris' attack on McCain, because Norris was standing right next to Huckabee when he made the attack, and Huckabee didn't dare disagree...

And Ron Paul, as always, made the most sensible points - explaining yet again why we should not get involved in unconstitutional wars.

I'm beginning to think that we've gotten about as much as we can expect out of these Republican debates. The Democrats, having winnowed the field, certainly put on a far more spirited debate in South Carolina a few nights ago. There will certainly be fewer Republican contenders after February 5, and possibly even after Florida next week.