Another Fiction Reflection

In light of the Legend of Korra post I made last week, I couldn't help but go back through some of the favorites that kept me mentally afloat when the tides were rough. It's fascinating how each one - each in it's own unique and unexpected way - comes to reflect a part of world that you live in, or at least your perception of that neat little pessimistic landscape that you call "the world."

So, major two television shows in particularly had the curious effect of boosting my mood and reminding me it's not all doom and gloom. It's not that they were pessimism release valves, allowing me to jet all my frustration into a blood-stained giant robot fight. Rather, they had the very interesting effect of reminding me what I had to be thankful for.  

First was The Office, and it was entirely because of Steve Carell's (@SteveCarell) character - Michael Scott. There's something about watching people work under a particularly inept/stupid/incompetent boss that makes you realize just how blessed you might be to not have a job. At that same time, Michael Scott also struck me as deeply, well, human. And it's not just that he's a terrible leader - it's the deeper issue that he was simply promoted too early. Not only is his entire conception of leadership cartoonishly skewed, but he's also managed to carry over literally all the wrong habits from his previous position as a salesman. On one hand, he believe that his title, well literally, entitles him to respect and attention. And when those rewards are not forthcoming, he acts out to attract them. However, instead of evolving completely into Dilbert's Boss, there's a part of Michael Scott that still desperately yearns for those personal connections and friendships that came so easily as a salesman. Therefore, despite making such an enormous fuss over titles and position, he's actually living the nightmare of being completely alone at the top - surrounded by power but devoid of friends. Watching all this certainly reminded me that there were far worse fates in the world than being unemployed after college.

The second guilty pleasure was Firefly, which it presents us with an interesting counter-example to the inept leader that is Michael Scott. Malcolm Reynolds, as played by Nathan Fillion (@NathanFillion), is literally his completely opposite on every level. Michael Scott can't seem to distinguish between personal and professional relationships, while Captain Reynolds negotiates them with savvy and ease. Michael Scott works for the Man as a mid-level manager/bureaucrat for a corporate establishment. Reynolds almost completely defines himself as a rebel against the system. He's was a browncoat during the war, and he never stopped fighting - even after the war was over. Yet, despite the fact that he operates completely outside of the law, our favorite Firefly smuggler still strives to do the right thing in any given scenario. Compare that with Michael Scott, who's been tasked by his corporate bosses with enforcing the law and promoting productivity, and yet somehow manages to always do the wrong thing.

Michael Scott was the person that I was desperately afraid that I would become if I ever got the job - incompetent, needy, and unprofessional. Malcolm Reynolds was the leader that I desperately wanted to be in the fantasy future when I finally owned my business - 1/3 visionary entrepreneur, 1/3 steadfast leader, 1/3 charming lech. To some extent, these two leaders helped me guide my future - reminding me who I wanted to be, and who I needed to avoid becoming.

Having said all of this, I can't help but be thoroughly interested in a show that bills itself as a combination of these two wildly different premises. The Nobility Web Series (or @NobilitySeries for the Twitter people out there) certainly seems to have a great deal of promise, but it will be extremely interesting to see how Cas Anvar (or @Casanvar) plays the intrepid (or formerly-intrepid?) Captain Cern. He seems to be a budding Captain Reynolds at heart, but has been working for the Man long enough that he may have been completely flattened into the 27th century's equivalent of Michael Scott. Only time will tell how they'll play this out, but I certainly can't help but be optimistic. After all, they did get Doug Jones. You read that correctly - the one and only @ActorDougJones.

That just might be another thing to be thankful for.