Wait, I've heard this story before...

[borgcrazy]

I've been watching Stargate SG-1 on DVD for some time and I just got to Season 9, in particular the rise of the Ori. For those who either don't know, or don't remember, the Ori are coming to the Galaxy to conquer the various peoples here, and they're converting them to their oppressive religion in order to draw the necessary power from their believers to wipe out the Ancients.
Both the Ori and the Ancients "ascended" aeons ago from the same race of humans, but followed different paths to enlightenment. The Ancients took a philosophy of peaceful observance of the non-ascended, waiting to embrace new races as they gain the necessary enlightenment to join the Ancients, whereas the Ori view non-ascended races at most as pawns, and at worst, a power source to be exploited, like batteries. But, in order to tap that power, the Ori have to have their subjects total, undying worship and devotion.
It reminds me more than a little of the conflict between the Directors and the Critics with the Ancients being like the Directors and the Ori like the Critics. It's not an exactly accurate comparison, but it naturally wouldn't be. Still, I don't think it's too much of a stretch to see the apparent connection. Unless I'm wrong on the release times of the Ori/Ancient conflict and the Director/Critic war, it seems the Trek writers weren't the only ones reading (and stealing) Traks ideas?

[b-guy]

Seasons 9 and 10 of SG-1, which dealt with the Ori, were released LONG after any Traks stories involving the Directors and the Critics. I think the two storylines are different enough that we can avoid the lawsuit, though.

Wait till you see The Ark of Truth! Great movie!

[borgcrazy]

I dunno, part of me actually likes the idea that tv show writers are reading our stuff and liking it enough to pilfer the ideas...

[b-guy]

Back on this same topic, only dealing with Stargate: Universe.

I couldn't help but notice that the team aboard the Ancient ship Destiny has found themselves on a ship that's been unoccupied for eons. The computers are locked right out, giving them access only to very basic systems. They're trying to explore the ship, get access to areas that are sealed off due to lack of atmosphere...does any of this sound familiar? It does to me...as I've had a group of people exploring the locked-down Matrian installation since the last quarter of Season 4. The computers there are locked right out, giving them access only to very basic systems. Huge areas of the base are inaccessible because they've been flooded with preservative gas.

I'm almost tempted to call shinnanigans, as the Matrian base was introduced close to a year before Stargate Universe premiered...

[borgcrazy]

You know, there has been something very familiar about the basic premise of SG:U (besides the obvious Voyager parallels...) but I was never able to quite pin it down until you pointed that out. Maybe that's why it's been somewhat less than satisfying - SG:U has been seriously lacking in the personality department that Silverado has in abundance lol!

[b-guy]

S'okay...I had an idea today that, when read, people might think 'Hmmm...SGU did something similar'. So you could almost say we're even.

Almost.

[Meneks]

Slight change of venue, but this time Doctor Who...

As may have read on another thread, I've been getting back into Doctor Who. So far, I must admit that the Weeping Angels are about the creepiest thing I've seen in a long time for any sci-fi (or other) show. So, since I did not remember them on Old School Doctor Who (I do remember the Cybermen and Daleks - EXTERMINATE!), I checked on their pedigree. The quick research showed that they are relatively new concept, only a couple of years old.

Then it hit me, why the Angels seemed so familiar...BorgSpace Season 7, Story #10 - "Garden Gnome Liberation Front". Written in 2006. Quote from the story:

*****
"Species #123 - Schrodinger Silicates," pronounced Captain mechanically (and completely, disregarding the Rose abbreviation of the species name). "Native form - unknown. Commonly adopts 'garden gnome' likeness as camouflage." Many additional unknowns followed, including if species #123 was even susceptible to assimilation. "Ancillary note - species #123 only partially resides in the same temporal tau frame as the Collective."

The cryptic note explained the reason behind the common name for species #123, the actual racial designation another unknown in the long list of unknowns. Similar to the famous thought experiment with Schrodinger's cat, observation froze quantum potential into reality. Schrodinger silicates were shapeshifters, although not in the traditional sense, able to rearrange their molecular structure to any inorganic shape of similar base form mass which had no mechanical or electrical complications. In other words, an individual could become a chair (or a ceramic gnome), but not a bicycle or a computer. However, for the species, even the simple act of /moving/ involved shapeshifting, although it was moving which could occur on a vastly accelerated scale due to their not-quite-here in the quantum-temporal sense. Unfortunately, the moment they were observed, by eye or camera or sensor, they snapped into unmoving reality, analogous to Schrodinger's cat which was simultaneously living and dead until the box was opened.
*****

And when did the Weeping Angels first appear? June 2007. Coincidence? Hmm??? Or, like with the Voyager episodes seeming to dredge up Borg "facts" that I wrote about first, am I just being paranoid?????

[borgcrazy]

Just because you're paranoid, it doesn't mean they're not out to get you...
But seriously, the Weeping Angels/Schrodinger Silicates could be a coincidence, but I'm done believing that about the Trek/Traks parallels. When enough "coincidences" pile up, it's time to rename them "pattern". I never got to watch most of the Borg episodes of Voyager when they first aired, so I was just assuming you were pulling Borg facts from that. Seeing as it's apparently the other way around, I don't have to feel bad about using BS as Borg canon when talking with friends, since if the pattern continues, what's in BS will become canon ... eventually.
Like I've said so many times before, I don't have a problem with Trek stealing our stuff. Let's be honest, the Traks authors have been stealing ideas from Trek for a lot longer! Still, it lends credence to what we're doing in our stories to see it copied on screen. It's almost like they're approving of Traks without openly admitting they approve. Maybe that's why none of us have been served with "Cease and Desist" papers from whatever studio owns Trek this month... they don't want to lose their idea mine!
On a final note, yea, those angels are creepy as Hell*! All pun intended there...

* Okay, so I don't actually watch Dr. Who, but just reading about them on Wikipedia to understand Meneks' reference alone creeped the crap outta me.

[cmdrajd]

Here BC. This should make you feel better...



I do so love to share.

[Donald]

Re the Weeping Angels,

Stephen Moffatt, the Head writer on Who and devisor of the aforementioned angels, claims he tests his ideas on his 7 year old son. If the weans scared, then the episode is ready for transmission.

Responsible Scottish parenting at it's best, We KNOW you're all out to get us!!!!

D