I gave a bye to the use of Mandarin on Firefly because I felt they wanted that as background texture and if they had more than 13 shows to air they would've addressed it more directly. It strongly implies what happens in our immediate earth-future and it skews things enough to make the future look different. To me it didn't seem that odd because (a) the influx of Asian culture is such a big part of the future in Bladerunner so I've thought about it a lot (also it's a Cyberpunk staple), and (b) I notice the absence of Asian culture when I get away from the West Coast and it feels (weirdly) like I'm going back in time to Pleasantville.

I'll say this, Tep. Stick with the series through the disc 3 which has episodes like "Out of Gas" and "War Stories" and "Ariel" - none of which are particularly western and all of which are excellent.

I am heading out for the evening and won't be back online here until late tomorrow or Tuesday. Wishing safe and happy Mondays to all.

(((JZ))) Just because, for now.

I notice the absence of Asian culture when I get away from the West Coast and it feels (weirdly) like I'm going back in time to Pleasantville.

Hmmm -- that's something I didn't think about, actually. But it makes me wonder how the Chinese struck the average middle-of-the-country viewer.

I notice the absence of Asian culture when I get away from the West Coast and it feels (weirdly) like I'm going back in time to Pleasantville.

See, I noticed the absence of Asian culture more strongly in Firefly than I would have otherwise, because every time the characters started using Chinese slang, I would realize anew that there were no Asian characters or architecture or anything other than the random slang. It was just...stuck in there.

I thought the Chinese worked pretty well in Firefly, but that if we'd seen some people speaking just Chinese, maybe with a few English curses or expressions thrown in, even just in the background, it would have worked better.

I just got back from dinner. Bread is nice. Also, I have discovered for the millionth time that I am really really horrible at communicating "I'm interested in being more than just friends" to a guy. Mostly because I chicken out and wait for him to make the first move.

See, I noticed the absence of Asian culture more strongly in Firefly than I would have otherwise, because every time the characters started using Chinese slang, I would realize anew that there were no Asian characters or architecture or anything other than the random slang.

Again, Jess is me. Honestly, any other language would have been just as jarring.

Except maybe an African tribal click language, because that would just sound cool.

I would realize anew that there were no Asian characters or architecture or anything other than the random slang. It was just...stuck in there.

I think that, the times that we saw the core planets, there was more Asian stuff there. Not as much as I would have thought natural, but more. Not so much on the outer planets, and those were what we saw most of the time.

There were, IIRC, Asian ideograms and Asian influence to the clothing as well.

But it makes me wonder how the Chinese struck the average middle-of-the-country viewer.

That's a good point after Hec's comment. Personally, I got so used to seeing so many Vietnamese/Philipino owned businesses when I was in San Diego, that it just seems kind of second nature to expect it. Even Madison has more than it's fair share of Asian restaurants and businesses of all flavors. It's also got a fairly good sized Hmong community that makes its presence felt. However, in smaller towns with less cultural context to draw from, it could be offputting.

Grape Nuts:

I thought the Chinese worked pretty well in Firefly, but that if we'd seen some people speaking just Chinese, maybe with a few English curses or expressions thrown in, even just in the background, it would have worked better.

This. Not that it didn't work for me, it did. But it could have worked better.