Have you been watching jPod? I have. It's moved from Tuesdays to Fridays, but what the hey, I'd follow that show anywhere, even if it means sometimes taping it to watch later. For that reason, I finally watched last week's show today, and one part of it has me perplexed.
Two characters engage in a best-of-three rock-paper-scissors duel. One character, Ethan, the protagonist, is given a cheat sheet of sorts in order to beat his competitor, Alistair, who was once a three-time world champion at rock-paper-scissors: a phone call from a mysterious Babette telling him to watch the lights on an electrical box - the blue light is rock, the green light is paper, the red light is scissors. On first go, green flashes and Ethan throws paper, as does Alistair. Then red flashes and Ethan throws scissors, as does Alistair. At this point, it should already be clear that the light operators are consistently predicting what Alistair is going to throw, so all Ethan needs to do to win is throw whatever beats the prediction. But the duel continues with tie after tie after tie, ad nauseum. Finally, a duel-ending tie is agreed upon.
Okay, maybe Ethan didn't want to show up the world champion in front of the crowd of four people by beating him. Merely tieing him would suffice, getting the jPodsters what they want, and so mission accomplished. I can accept that.
But hang on, after the duel there's another call from Babette. Ethan thanks Babette, then says, "There's one thing I don't get. If you knew what he was going to throw, why didn't you help me win?" Babette's response: "Ethan, it's far too soon for you to win."
WHAAAAAT? This doesn't compute. Babette did help him win. He was given all the information he needed to secure victory. Sure, the lights didn't correspond to what Ethan should throw in order to win, but they did show him, with 100% accuracy, what Alistair was going to throw. It's a pretty easy win with that information.. Ethan is a very bright lad, he could have figured it out.
I did like seeing Douglas Coupland in the episode, even though it was just for a few seconds and he was laying dead in an elevator. He gave himself a substantial role in the book, so I'm hoping that this lifeless appearance is the start of his televised role.
2 comments:
Hi all, Raugi Yu here. I play Kam Fong on jPod. Okay, so you may have heard that jPod has not been picked up for a second season by CBC. I got the call a couple of days ago about it.
At first I was upset and disappointed and immediately thought of the great times and experiences I had shooting jPod and how much I would take from that…There was one problem though…I kept wondering why. Why not have a season 2? I started to hear what others were saying. I heard anger, resentment and frustration. So many of you my friends along with thousands, yes thousands, of strangers have expressed outrage over the cancellation of jPod.
I got angry too.
One may think that, “Sure, I’d be angry too if I lost a steady gig like that”. Well that’s not what I’m angry about. Gigs come and go. It is no huge hardship for me to go back to auditioning and booking and living my life as an actor. It is my passion. No. It angers me that the CBC our nation’s television station (yes I know among other things) chooses to cancel a show that is so cutting edge, fun, smart and CANADIAN. So many viewers have gleaned joy from watching jPod week after week. We look forward to it; I dare say we yearn for it.
I’d like to go down swinging. Many of you, who know me well, know that I am quite a loner and I don’t ask for help often even when I need it. I guess I‘m asking now.
I’m a pretty chilled out go with the flow kind of guy, but I recognize that there are times in my life when I’ve got to fight. In surveying the land I recognize that I need a lot of help.
If you feel you can, please call CBC at: 1-866-306-4636, choose option 1 for English programming and choose option 1 again for the “Attendant” then ask for “Audience Services”. Audience Services will answer and at that point tell them how you feel about jPod being cancelled and how you would like to see a season 2.
OR
E-mail them at http://www.cbc.ca/contact/
I alone can reach out to all of you and if all of you can reach even 2 people and we get that people ball rolling…we could possibly be jamming up some phone lines at CBC. Am I being naïve and hopeful? I hope so; it feels better than lying down and taking it.
Thanks everyone! I really appreciate all of you for watching the show and for all the great things you’ve all been saying about it.
Longevity and persistence is the key. Phone or e-mail, if you can do it everyday.
I send my love to you all and just to be clear, that love stays whether you phone, e-mail, write or not.
Thank you all!
Raugi Yu
A.K.A Kam Fong
I too am shocked that the CBC would do this. What on earth are they thinking? This show is part of Canada's cultural pop folklore and documents its unique hi-tech zeitgeist.
www.savejpod.com also has an online petition
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