Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Theorizing that One Could Time Travel Within His Own Lifetime...

...Benjy Compson stepped into the Quantum Leap Accelerator, and vanished.

Ok, not really.

But I did compare the non-linearity of Benjy's time in The Sound and the Fury to Dr. Sam Beckett's journey through time last Friday in section. The blank stares of my first section were a cutting reminder of just how little they know about the television of my youth ('88-'92 was not that long ago, folks. Learn your cultural history.). But then my second section massively redeemed itself through the few nods of recognition I saw. Though to be fair, both sections were more familiar with Quantum Leap than with Journeyman, so they all get props.

And, to be even more fair, there was an episode of QL where Sam leapt into the body of a mentally challenged man-child. And another episode where his own internal linearity of time was disrupted due to excessive electroshock therapy in an insane asylum. ($5 says Nittany Lion remembers both of these episodes.) So I think there's a future in my comparison; a new hourlong serial adventure-drama in which Benjy travels through various periods of history, setting right what once went wrong. His only guide on this journey would be Luster, an observer from his own time, who appears in the form of a hologram that only Benjy can see and hear, who taunts him repeatedly by whispering "Caddy Caddy Caddy" before giving him a jimson weed, and laughing uproariously as Benjy starts to cry in front of a bunch of strangers. During sweeps, he could try to save his brother Quentin, and end up leaping into the body of Shreve.

I think I'm on to something here. Time to call the networks. Does Compson Leap do anything for anyone?

Not much else to report at this point. Finished grading (yay!), went to my five year reunion (good friends! free food! Settlers of Catan! Northwestern wins in double overtime! Superbad!), been working ever since I got back. Oh, and Pushing Daisies continues to rock. Last week had Kristen Chenoweth singing "Hopelessly Devoted to You" in sheer moment of whee!-ness, and this week had pirate metaphors (which were apt) and a swashbuckling swordfight straight out of an Errol Flynn movie in a funeral home against an angry Asian man who spoke with a southern accent and was a Civil War re-enactor (including an excellent curtain-rip descent and the best justification for swordsmanship prowess ever: "I wanted to be a jedi!"). Seriously, if you're not watching this show yet, check it out.

At least until my Compson Leap pilot hits next fall.

4 comments:

lisa said...

I'll table the "Pushing Daisies" discussion but I will say that Quantum Leap does deserve it's own college class.

Thom said...

Quantum Leap? You aren't serious. That show was miserable.

Anonymous said...

I would watch "Compson Leap." And I'd watch the reruns on TNT as well as buying each season on DVD. I hope there will also be action figures and maybe an aluminum lunchbox.

In the meantime, EEEEE! Loving "Pushing Daisies" so much!

GHJ said...

So, I'm catching up on your blog. And hell yeah I remember those episodes.