From: bscott@nyx.cs.du.edu (Ben Scott)
Subject: Re: Time Trax
Summary: More commentary 
X-Disclaimer: Nyx is a public access Unix system run by the University
	of Denver for the Denver community.  The University has neither
	control over nor responsibility for the opinions of users.
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix at U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 93 07:22:43 GMT

Spoiler warning left in for a reason, folks:

In article <1993Jan21.141142.21903@athena.mit.edu> amd@space.mit.edu (Ann M. Davis) writes:
>Points I got a kick out of:
>SPOILERS

>The Pentagon as a prison.  I found this very believable.

Done for effect, to make a point.  Not realistic but funny.  Also, the
effect was very well done - especially the way the spotlights moved.
 
>The modern version of peepholes for doors.

A bit overdone, again a case of overstating a point, but also good.

>Selma's disguise as a credit card

Just silly.  I mean, within the context of the story, it was a good idea,
but here in real life, it was a cheap joke.

>Anyway, does anyone know if/when this will be a series?

The movie was the pilot for a series.

Parts I liked (some of which I touched on before):

The flying cars were supported by air, not magical antigravity or rocketry.

(the technological speculations in general were well thought out, if a bit
less than ambitious considering that the setting is a full two centuries in
the future)

Caucasians being the minority race was not overdone; it was a valid part of
the story without being harped on tediously.  Similarly, the old cliche of
references to a past nuclear war or other societal collapse was avoided for
ONCE.

The computer displays were large, ubiquitous, quick and reasonably well done
considering TV budgetary restraints.  Unlike the tiny TV screens in the Star
Trek movies, the ridiculous jumpy Mac-like "animation" of anything moving on a
Trek TNG display, or etc.  

I posted earlier (while still watching the movie) that the dialogue hadn't
made me laugh.  Well, there were a few bits later on that did, mostly any
time the main character was talking to the girl.  But overall, it wasn't
nearly as bad as the run-of-the-mill.  Characterizations, too, were at least
average if not better.

The computer pal Selma could've been worse; she doesn't make wisecracks
constantly, at least.  The flickery display is a bit of an affectation but is
part of the "character" I guess.  There's a lot of potential usefulness in a
gadget like that and they actually had some nifty ideas in the movie.

As I also said, so long as the writing doesn't fall into the trap of helping
the person of the week while catching the criminal of the week, which it
likely will, it could be really good.  I hope they continue to show the
future society from time to time, though I see few excuses to do so in the
subsequent shows.

.                            <<<<Infinite K>>>>

--
|Ben Scott, professional goof-off and consultant at The Raster Image, Denver|
|Internet bscott@nyx.cs.du.edu, or call the Arvada 68K BBS at (303)424-6208.| 
|"Don't tug on that - you never know what ][The Raster Image IS responsible |
|it might be attached to." Buckaroo Banzai][for everything I say! | *Amiga* |
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv