The Librarians
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"THERE'SAMRSCUPID!!!???"
A clever use of Santa Claus, a nice role for Bruce Campbell, and an ending that was really effective. This was a great Christmas episode.
Librarians, I think you and I are going to get along just fine.
Librarians, I think you and I are going to get along just fine.
I'm generally not that fond of Obligatory Christmas Episodes, but this one turned out well, and I was tearing up a bit during Eve's "world tour" at the end there (though I found it kind of ethnocentric that the spirit of a Western holiday was shown as responsible for motivating people in a Middle Eastern country -- but that's pretty endemic to any story built on the premise of Santa having a global effect). There was nice team bonding here, from Stone helping keep Cassandra focused to the whole gang unhesitatingly turning their Christmas celebration into a birthday party for Eve.
St Nicholas was from Turkey and the Eastern Orthodox Church (which includes Middle Eastern Christians) celebrates Christmas.
Yeah, the whole point was that "Santa" is a being present all over the world, in all cultures-- just as the solstice is something that has been celebrated by all cultures in history in some form. I thought it was really nicely done, both comic and touching. The show has been really strong on characterization so far.
I didn't realize that Bruce Campbell was going to be in it, so that was a nice surprise. Having Bruce Campbell and Matt Frewer in the same episode was a nice Christmas present.
I didn't realize that Bruce Campbell was going to be in it, so that was a nice surprise. Having Bruce Campbell and Matt Frewer in the same episode was a nice Christmas present.
But the protesters were holding signs in Arabic and wearing headscarves. I doubt they were intended to be Christians.
Maybe it was windy and their ears were cold?
Santa is a sponge who sucks up goodness all over the world that would otherwise... otherwise what?
The good will is either going to bleed off and never been seen again, or it's going to collect around the areas where goodness happens promoting/maximising more goodness in that zone. This is how a select random few wind up living in a modern Camelot, but Santa Stops that, he stops goodwill hoarding and spreads it, redistributes kindness globally? Why that almost sounds like communism.
That dirty no goodnik red commie pinko bastard pulling the wool over our eyes and stealing our good will and...
Look at the population.
It's increased 7 fold since 1800.
There isn't enough good will for the entire planet any more.
Stretching the resources so thin that no one gets a sustaining supply.
Everyone is starving for the Christmas Spirit, all the time.
Stupid Marx.
Meritocracy suggests that the most deserving countries should get all the good will.
Triage on the other hand says that worst done by countries/zones should be super charged before they die (spiritually or physically).
What if Santa blew his entire load on the Middle East?
(Or Detroit?)
Although since the pilot of the Librarians, the worlds magic has been turned up to 11, rebuilding and overclocking the world ley lines, so that next year is it possible that Santa might engorge himself and have containment issues by the middle of the year?
John Lithgow was right!
June 25th is Christmas II!
Santa is a sponge who sucks up goodness all over the world that would otherwise... otherwise what?
The good will is either going to bleed off and never been seen again, or it's going to collect around the areas where goodness happens promoting/maximising more goodness in that zone. This is how a select random few wind up living in a modern Camelot, but Santa Stops that, he stops goodwill hoarding and spreads it, redistributes kindness globally? Why that almost sounds like communism.
That dirty no goodnik red commie pinko bastard pulling the wool over our eyes and stealing our good will and...
Look at the population.
It's increased 7 fold since 1800.
There isn't enough good will for the entire planet any more.
Stretching the resources so thin that no one gets a sustaining supply.
Everyone is starving for the Christmas Spirit, all the time.
Stupid Marx.
Meritocracy suggests that the most deserving countries should get all the good will.
Triage on the other hand says that worst done by countries/zones should be super charged before they die (spiritually or physically).
What if Santa blew his entire load on the Middle East?
(Or Detroit?)
Although since the pilot of the Librarians, the worlds magic has been turned up to 11, rebuilding and overclocking the world ley lines, so that next year is it possible that Santa might engorge himself and have containment issues by the middle of the year?
John Lithgow was right!
June 25th is Christmas II!
Call it literary license if you like. Honestly, I did not even see it as a Christian or Christmas thing as none of this "returning hope to the world" is part of any Christmas lore or story I know of. I simply saw it as Eve giving the gift of hope to everyone, regardless of race or religion.
The spirit of the scene vs. its execution.
Personally I saw non denominational goodwill, but... Can you imagine a 6 year old trying to explain this in their school yard the next day?
Personally I saw non denominational goodwill, but... Can you imagine a 6 year old trying to explain this in their school yard the next day?
The Shia festival of Arba'een is in December last year, this year, and next year. (after that it moves down into November). So there is an excuse...
Though I'm immediately reminded of the line from this year's Citizen Khan Xmas special- "Muslims do the same thing at Christmas as most Christians do- don't go to church!"
But the point is, it's taking an element of Western mythos -- Santa Claus (leaving any religious elements aside) -- and saying that the flow of goodwill and hope for everyone on the entire planet relies on this guy releasing it at the North Pole on December 25th. It's assuming that Western cultural conventions are the actual "right answers" for all humanity, rather than just one culture's interpretation of things.
Turn it around. Imagine seeing a story claiming that, say, the happiness of everyone in the world depended on Hongjun Laozu recapturing the beast Nian every Chinese New Year, and that Chinese New Year was the one day of the year when everyone -- even American Christians -- would get an infusion of cheer and goodwill that they wouldn't feel on any other day of the year, not even their own holidays. Wouldn't that seem, at the very least, somewhat incongruous?
Dr. Funkenstein
Lieutenant Commander
It's an American show produced primarily for Western (and largely American) audiences. Of course it's going to be Western-focused. How is that shocking or an afront to your senses?
It's no more shocking that if a Chinese-produced show focused on what you suggested, or a British show (oh, let's call it Doctor Who) focused almost exclusively on London as the center of all of Earth's issues.
Despite what some people may think, the United States isn't responsible for representing the entire planet, especially in the entertainment department. In fact, isn't that the complaint most often filed against the US?
It's no more shocking that if a Chinese-produced show focused on what you suggested, or a British show (oh, let's call it Doctor Who) focused almost exclusively on London as the center of all of Earth's issues.
Despite what some people may think, the United States isn't responsible for representing the entire planet, especially in the entertainment department. In fact, isn't that the complaint most often filed against the US?
I just checked out the first two episode, and I liked them. The show looked interesting, but I just hadn't caught it yet. I'm definitely open to adding another regular show, so I'll get caught up and start watching it live. Even without seeing the movies, the first two episodes were fun and entertaining.
This show is a cartoon made for stoned 20 somethings.
If it offended you, I doubt it was intentional.
Pick your battles.
If it offended you, I doubt it was intentional.
Pick your battles.
Just saw the Xmas episode of The Librarians - that was fun. I'm not usually a big fan of Santa in TV and movies, but this was a good take on it, and Bruce Campbell was great! Nick Frost has his work cut out to win me over on Thursday...
I only found out last night that Santa form the Santa Claus the Movie (1985) grew up to be The Big Labowski.
Christians in Arabic countries would speak and write Arabic. They might even wear clothing similar to their Muslim neighbors. Which isn't to say the people Eve helped were Christians.
Did you wonder if the Chinese man and woman Eve helped were Christians? Nothing they wore shouted CHRISTIAN!
I don't think the spirit of Christmas/Solstice/Whatever cares about religion.
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On Christmas, the pope blesses everyone in the world. The Dalai Lama routinely blesses everyone in the world too, as do major religious figures in every religion. Sandra Bullock, as Miss Congeniality, wished for world peace. A blessing is simply a human being wishing well for other human beings. Why would I be offended by any of that?
My race is Chinese. I'm born in Singapore, a multicultural, multireligion society. Since birth, I have been exposed to various schools of Buddhism, Taoism, Christianity, Hinduism and more. Interfaith religious celebration on Babylon 5 may be science fiction, but here in Singapore it is a real world fact. If you like, have a look at this wikipedia article on freedom of religion in Singapore. On every major religion's holy day, there is usually a few interfaith religious ceremonies being conducted jointly by pastors, monks and priests. At least for myself, rejecting a blessing simply because the person giving it is from a different religion... well that's a form of discrimination that is as serious as racism.
So I can answer this a straight face. No, it is not incongruous.
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