I've not really been into file sharing on the Internet, even since getting the DSL line in - not so much because of the legal aspects as my twisted sense of morality. While I don't particularly see any great problem in ripping of the Evil Corporations that form the RIAA, it somehow feels wrong to "steal" something that I'm perfectly able to purchase. This brings me to a couple of areas where I don't have problems:
- When I couldn't afford things - when I was ickle and only had limited financial resources, I could only afford to buy a couple of computer games a year, but had no great ethical dilemma in "acquiring" copies of other games on the grounds that I wasn't cheating anyone out of money because I didn't have any to spend.
- When something is simply not available - say a new series of a particular TV show has just started in the States, but which won't arrive in the UK until (most likely) January. I have no problem in filesharing my way to a copy on the grounds that I would otherwise be unable to watch it, will still watch it on Sky One and will buy the DVD when I have the opportunity.
Which brings me to...
The show in question, being episode one of series seven of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a show which I finally took a crash course in at the beginning of the year (132 episodes of Buffy/Angel in 13 days - and still time to eat, sleep and go to work). I won't say much about it because of, you know, the Spoilers. Definitely a "setting things up" episode, establish where we are after the heavy stuff and Shyamalan-esque twist at the end of the last season. Interesting beginning and end - ether I'm being really thick, or the first scene had absolutely no connection with the rest of the show, and the final scene had a nifty set of cameos. Quote of the week is (I think) the third Buffyverse reference to the Potterverse: Willow (to Giles) "... you went all Dumbledore on me ..."
Which neatly segues into...
This lead me to think "Wouldn't Anthony Stewart Head mage a great Dumbledore?" (yes, I know there's a typo in there, just had to leave it in). No disrespect to Richard Harris, but the Dumbledore in the film was the one character who really felt wrong when compared to the books (granted, he hadn't read the books so was only playing Dumbledore as scripted, so I'm more tempted to blame Chris Columbus for not getting a better performance). The character of Giles has some similarities with Dumbledore, so I can see how an (aged-up) Tony Head could do a really good performance as the Headmaster of Hogwarts.
And that brings me to...
One of those common things - comparing how characters from one fictional universe fit with those from another. I was playing around with that and came up with the Central Trio which I've been fitting (more or less) into various places. We have The Hero - our main protagonist,
often newly come into their skills, unsure of themselves etc, The Smart One - the brains of the operation, frequently a bit more snooty with it, and The Other Guy - who, whilst probably having no major skills, becomes the Heart of our group (often bringing the humour) - as an optional extra, you have the Old Mentor. Let's take this for a spin:
- Harry/Hermione/Ron/Dumbledore - pretty much a straight fit.
- Buffy/Willow/Xander/Giles - again a good fit, although in this case, the Mentor is more heavily involved
- Kirk/Spock/Bones - No Mentor, the Hero is more shallow, and the Other Guy has medical skills, but not a bad fit.
- Luke/Leia/Han/(Ben/Yoda) - OK, two mentors (they don't have any staying power ;-), and Leia's as much the brainiac, but still...
And finally...
Doow bom bom ... chick ... chick-a-chick-ahhhhhh
