Review Welcome to Paradox (1998) - episode 9 "Hemeac"

[Mad-Pac]

(I haven't found a Youtube link. I'm sending you my personal link later today.)

Aired Oct 05, 1998 on Syfy

In an academy the instructors are robots who teach the cadets to be just like them.


CAST

Channon Roe ... Hemeac
Rebecca Nygard
Zachary Ansley ... Obsic
Anaya Farrell ... Dean
Michael Philip ... The Host
Kendall Cross ... Class Instructor
Woody Jeffreys ... Dorm Monitor Droid
Gillian Carfra ... Machine Shop Instructor
Craig Veroni ... Mess Hall Monitor Droid (as Craig Verini)
Tim Karpel ... Damaged Monitor Droid (as Tim Kardel)
Robert Gauvin ... Captain
Conan Graham ... Soldier
Erick Kaffka ... Beta Cop


DIRECTED BY

Paul Ziller

 

[Mad-Pac]

This one has brought lots of those elements I have problems to connect with, such as the totalitarian institution, the one rebel fighting for his humanity and individuality, unnecessary discipline, the purge of emotions. This kind of thing was cool in the 1984 novel, but after a while they became one of the biggest clichés in science and political fiction. For once I'd like to see a story in which the absurd improvement of discipline and the absolute purge of all emotions are actually desirable and necessary for some weird reason that makes sense in the story, and that the rebel is wrong and the totalitarian institution has an excellent reason to be totalitarian. Just to go against the flow. But it's true English speakers love stories praising individuality, rebellion and not being so tight-assed all the time, so we always get the same kind of story.

However, this one was completely made with such limited resources for television reality. It's just not my type of story, personally speaking.

Production seemed rushed, and it had some weird elements. This episode had some of the worse graphics seen so far. The scene of the corridor with all the students outside their cubicles and the robot waking towards the camera had a remarkably off perspective and looked like something made in MS Paint. Same with the image of the city outside the academy. And the Dean half the time looked drunk, and the other half, she looked like she was having a robot orgasm. The protagonist, Hemeac, was well played by the actor, but the girl had such a pretty face (as far as fashion model standards) that it was a little distracting. And I'm not sure what to think of the robots, but I know that low-budget stories with robots are always complicated to make and convincing robot props are insanely expensive.

The ending was funny the way it was presented. For a moment I thought Hemeac was a figment of the girl's imagination. Then I thought he and the other students were robots. Then came the host, and it']s almost as if he was saying, "listen, I know this ending is a bit confusing so I'll explain what happened. The guy was so conditioned by the robots that in the end he thought he was one. Got it?" I mean, I had a little laugh when I asked myself what had happened, and the host actually explained how we should have interpreted it, literally, so as to avoid any doubts in interpretation. Wouldn't it be cool if every moderately complex mopvie or TV show had a host to explain the ending whenever we needed? Welcome to Paradox!

OK, I was going to give the episode a 5, but it gets one extra point for the ending, the idea that the human spirit was finally crushed. That was a got way to escape the cliché, and a message in direct contradiction to that of "The Winner." So, sometimes the human spirit wins, sometimes it doesn't.

Tonight's episode gets 6 pointless oil spills that got too much undeserved attention because they are just stupid oil spills, nothing more, nothing less.

 

[Brimfin]

Well, this is hilarious in a way. Last week, my review sat there for almost a week with no activity. Now, suddenly Mad-pac has posted his review and this new episode's review. Unfortunately, weekend mornings are my best chance to watch this show, but I couldn't do it last weekend because I didn't know which episode was next until too late. And besides, there didn't seem to be any hurry since no one else had reviewed last week's show. I won't be able to get to this one until at least Friday now.,,,

 

[Mad-Pac]

Well, this is hilarious in a way. Last week, my review sat there for almost a week with no activity. Now, suddenly Mad-pac has posted his review and this new episode's review. Unfortunately, weekend mornings are my best chance to watch this show, but I couldn't do it last weekend because I didn't know which episode was next until too late. And besides, there didn't seem to be any hurry since no one else had reviewed last week's show. I won't be able to get to this one until at least Friday now.,,,

Well, as I mentioned, I've started a new job and that turned my schedule upside down. But now I know what little extra time I'll have and when, so things will remain more regular now. By the way, let me know if you want us to take a break from new episodes next Friday so you can catch up with this week's installment. I don't mind posting the next one next week only.

 

[Cloister56]

I've been a little sporadic with my entries. Usually a week behind sometimes more.

I couldn't do it last weekend because I didn't know which episode was next until too late

This is the DVD order of episodes if it will help with advanced warning:

01 The Girl Who Was Plugged In (5)
02 Our Lady Of The Machine (1)
03 Alien Jane (7)
04 The News From D Street (4)
05 Research Alpha (2)
06 Blue Champagne (12)
07 The Winner (3)
08 The Extra (6)
09 Hemeac (8)
10 All Our Sins Forgotten (9)
11 Into The Shop (13)
12 Options (11)
13 Acute Triangle (10)

I've put the TvDb order (which I assume was the broadcast order) next to the episode in brackets.

Well, as I mentioned, I've started a new job and that turned my schedule upside down.

What's the new job mate?

I am trying to keep up with Catweazle and Paradox because I am enjoying the shows and the posts everyone is making.
I have a bit of leave for a few weeks so I should be able to get right up to date and then my rota becomes more predictable after that.

Who knows I might be able to do a few Blake 7 posts. I have actually watched about 4 more episodes than I've posted on, but it is the sort of show like this one that takes a bit of time to cover and I have to either watch it back or post while watching so I can keep things clear in my mind. I do feel a bit bad as it is the one that got voted for initially and I do like the show.

 

[Mad-Pac]

What's the new job mate?

Basically I'm sort of a tutor of a child with cerebral palsy in a public school. I'm in part his teacher and caretaker. Curiously, I was only appointed to the position because the parents won a law suit against the state demanding special services and resources for their son, who has special needs. I also do other things in the school, when needed.

 

[Mad-Pac]

This is the DVD order of episodes if it will help with advanced warning:

Indeed, you and I had already covered this earlier, and we both posted the DVD order in this thread.

 

[Brimfin]

Well, as I mentioned, I've started a new job and that turned my schedule upside down. But now I know what little extra time I'll have and when, so things will remain more regular now. By the way, let me know if you want us to take a break from new episodes next Friday so you can catch up with this week's installment. I don't mind posting the next one next week only.

Yes, I would appreciate that very much. It's been a hectic week and I have an appointment for Saturday morning as well. So it would be great not to have to watch two episodes in one weekend. We could think of it as a midseason break. Thanks!

 

[Cloister56]

Indeed, you and I had already covered this earlier, and we both posted the DVD order in this thread.

Heh I tried to figure out how to link to the thread and decided just to copy and paste instead. I've just remembered how simple it is to do now, do you remember having to learn markup language for the other site?

 

[Cloister56]

Basically I'm sort of a tutor of a child with cerebral palsy in a public school. I'm in part his teacher and caretaker. Curiously, I was only appointed to the position because the parents won a law suit against the state demanding special services and resources for their son, who has special needs. I also do other things in the school, when needed.

Cool so do you specialise in special needs? Is most of your work one to one or do you do full classes? My brother in law is a secondary school (11-16 year olds) teacher and one of my good friends is a primary school (5-11 year olds) teaching assistant.

 

[Cloister56]

Oil was spilled in the corridor, was in Hemeac or the Janitor? Or was it even spilled at all? Welcome to Paradox.

I'm was going to assume the girl who gets let go from the academy is called Hermeac. That would make sense and several times Hemeac says "Her" when he is referring to the girl. But her name is Iaac, all my dreams are crushed.

The protagonist, Hemeac, was well played by the actor, but the girl had such a pretty face (as far as fashion model standards) that it was a little distracting.

He reminded me a bit of Casper Van Dien with that chin. He has been in a lot of shows over the years so he has just become someone I vaguely recognise. The girl is very pretty, I am a fan of the pixie look, maybe ever since Angelina Jolie did it in Hackers.

Anyway Iaac is expelled which seems like an odd choice. As the "savages" are not the threat the dean makes out then expelling her would not condemn her to a certain fate. It would seem idiotic to release her when she can and does come back to cause problems.
Unless the Dean believes the Savages to be just that.

I'm not quite sure what the point of the academy is. They appear to be training them to be more like androids and at the same time they are either building or repairing existing androids.

It is mentioned several times that there are problems with supply and the androids seem a bit scatty and beat up.
So perhaps Androids are becoming extinct so this leads to several different possibilities for the purpose of the academy:
1) To replace androids with recruits who think and act like them
2) To train people to be like androids so they can build and repair them

This could be either the androids acting independently so this is like a secret enclave or they are a project for an outside party.

It still is a very confusing piece of the Betaville puzzle. Was this academy closed down officially or are these an activist group?
We haven't seen androids elsewhere from what I can remember so perhaps they are a top level project.
We've seen clones, mind control of a person created in a lab, remote experiencing, augmentation by both genetic and mechanical means including the sidekick, prisoner restriction by mental methods and a digital world that is fully immersive. Perhaps androids in this world are banned or at least restricted but this episode doesn't really answer that.

Sadly this episode was for the most part just standing in a room talking. It wasn't very engaging and the androids looked terrible.
The Dean is at least slightly more interesting but only for a little while, she is then just a torso on a table.

Mad-Pac has already taken the best score for this week so....

5 hours spent in makeup for each android, which was 5 hours wasted in my opinion, out of 10

 

[Mad-Pac]

Heh I tried to figure out how to link to the thread and decided just to copy and paste instead. I've just remembered how simple it is to do now, do you remember having to learn markup language for the other site?

I did learn back then, but I forgot everything. IMDF, on the other hand, has very convenient tools, so you can easily do that from the tool bar.

 

[Mad-Pac]

Cool so do you specialise in special needs? Is most of your work one to one or do you do full classes? My brother in law is a secondary school (11-16 year olds) teacher and one of my good friends is a primary school (5-11 year olds) teaching assistant.

Well, the public selection process I took part of just asked for high school education, but most people who apply for these positions have much more than that. I have a long experience as an ESL teacher, which is coming in handy now. The coordinators and principal in the school did mention that they wish the state could've hired a professor specialized in special learning, probably one preparing his PHD in the area, but they're dreaming! The state simply doesn']t have that kind of money so a monitor with high school requirement is all they are going to get. (Luckily they're getting much more though.)

Most of my work is on a one-to-one basis. I also help in the reception. We do whatever is necessary in the school so we end having multiple functions.

 

[Brimfin]

I wondered what that title could mean – some sort of blood-diseased individual perhaps? Turned out it was just a person’s name. Imagine that.

This story had some interesting elements to it. It reminded me of “The Academy” (NIGHT GALLERY), “The Doomsday Machine” (STAR TREK) and the movie THE VILLAGE. The host explains that this society is broken off from the rest of the planet. A group of people wanting better lives for their children created a society where androids would teach them how to eliminate human passions and just achieve robotic knowledge and skills. (That’s an improvement? Count me out!) Over the years, to keep people from coming in the Dean of the program set up a doomsday bomb that if detonated could poison the whole planet. So over the years the children just grow up, learn to be good little machines and then reproduce. (Presumably through artificial means, unless they have an “Amok Time” like the Vulcans do.)

Hemeac is one of several students in a class where their major concerns are if you are six seconds late getting there, or have high levels of stress in your voice when you talk. One of the girls in class, Iac, is expelled from the academy and tossed outside the gate to be torn apart by the savages, who are ugly Neanderthal creatures with huge teeth who rip you to shreds. (Oh, wait. That was WAYWARD PINES.) Months later, she returns and tells Hemeac that the outside world is wonderful, and that she wants to help them all get there. But first, she has to disable the Dean so that she won’t launch the doomsday device in retaliation. She can only get so far into the system, so she has to enlist Hemeac’s aid to finish the job. Hemeac has had his doubts about the place – noticing things like that oil spill that just never gets cleaned up. He helps her succeed in disabling the Dean but then like the other students goes into a mechanical trance like the real mechanical breakdown all the droids have suffered. He had made a breakthrough, but in the end reverted to what he’d been taught since birth. A combination upbeat/downbeat ending; the slaves were freed, but they were happier being slaves.

The story is well acted. Hemeac comes off as a confused but sympathetic character. Iac is a very strong performer very sympathetic and it’s easy to see how Hem could have feelings for her – though we’re never really sure if he actually did. The strongest evidence is that peculiar scene where he is seen removing a block from a wall to talk to her in the next room. I’m not sure if that was supposed to be real; I think it was a symbolic dream that he had representing that he missed her after she was expelled. Even the droids are well done with differing personalities even with their robotic delivery. The Dean is super-creepy with her half a body and those square pupils on her artificial eyes.

The nature of the story made it a little dull in stretches to help demonstrate the monotony and futility of the existence in the academy. It’s a little like Hell – endless lessons and work with nothing in between and nothing ever changes (like “The Academy” – a place where rotten kids are sent to learn military discipline every day for the rest of their lives.) Like the oil spill that never gets cleaned up, the academy just goes through the cycles over and over again because that’s what they were programmed to do – teach the organic children how to achieve mechanical perfection, so they can keep the machines running to teach the next generation of kids. I still have hopes that the kids can be retaught once they’re removed from their environment; maybe not all of them will become normal but if even a few turn around then Iac’s heroics were worth the cost.

Besides the loose brick scene, there were other confusing elements. What did “click” mean as a response? I thought it meant “yes”, but then they used “yes” at other times. Was it like a non-response? And it wasn’t made clear why Iac needed Hemeac’s help and couldn’t just destroy the system herself. I supposed he had some special mechanical expertise, as he won praise from the instructor for the mechanical arm he had created or repaired while the other student got criticism. On the bright side, I loved the scene where Iac outwits the droid guarding the circuitry area – something like:

Iac: I’m here to do some repairs.
Droid: I have no record of anyone doing repairs here.
Iac: Of course not. You’re not receiving those messages properly. That’s what I’m here to fix.
Droid: That’s logical. Have at it.

Overall, I enjoyed it. I also liked one of the lines about the academy – that “it was a privilege, not a right, to be there.” I’m going to use that next time someone argues for the “rights” of illegal immigrants. “Citizenship in this country is a privilege, not a right!” I shall declare. That insight alone was worth the viewing. I’ll give this 8 short haircuts that Iac really rocks.

 

[Cloister56]

The host explains that this society is broken off from the rest of the planet. A group of people wanting better lives for their children created a society where androids would teach them how to eliminate human passions and just achieve robotic knowledge and skills.

I missed all of that, thanks for recapping it.