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Brian Grazer

Mars S2E1: Unity Can Be A Good Thing

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(photo credit National Geographic)

Just when you thought the adventures of the International Mars Science Federation (IMSF) were completed upon finding life on the red planet, it’s time for a new season of drama!

Mars was one of the highest rated shows on National Geographic last year, prompting six completely new episodes of the hybrid drama/documentary (Mondays @ 9 PM/8 CT).  I’m thrilled, and after watching the first episode of the second season, think the show has chosen a fantastic topic to explore: How do two groups of people co-exist on a new world with completely antithetical hopes, dreams, and plans?

Set five years after the end of the first season, much has changed for the group of scientists calling the planet home. The declaration that life exists on Mars (at the end of Season 1) turned Olympus Town into a reality and brought more scientists to the planet for research. But they knew it was only a matter of time before science brought about industry wanting a lucrative place in the terraforming of the planet, not to mention lots of money. It comes in the form of Lukrum Industries, run on Earth by Roland St. John (Esai Morales), an enterprising businessman, and led on Mars by Kurt Hurrelle (Jeff Hephner), who eschews standard convention and pushes as many boundaries as possible, often stepping over them with absolutely no remorse.  The IMSF, now led by Amanda Richardson (Cosima Shaw) from the first season, is hesitant to create any partnership with Lukrum. She makes the decision to help even though the mining company arrived completely intent on using the good graces of the scientists to provide them with water and electricity.  This frustrates the commander Hana Seung (Jihae) and the rest of her staff, who anticipate difficulties going forward.

It seems the drama portion of the show has been ratcheted up a notch, as we begin to see the struggles of the main characters manifest themselves. Robert (Sammi Rotibi) is tired of not putting his skills to use (having built the city); Spanish Mission Specialist Javier (Alberto Ammann) feels that his love, French doctor Amelie (Clementine Poidatz) has lied to him as she reveals she’s leaving in a few months due to losing her mind; and the Russian biologist Marta (Anamaria Marinca) is frustrated that there have been no other scientific discoveries in five years.  Add in the act-first-and-apologize-later mentality of Lukrum, and things are going to boil over at some point.

(photo credit: National Geographic/Dusan Martincek)

I’ve always appreciated how well the documentary portions of Mars have meshed with the dramatic ones, and this season is no exception.  It does feel like there’s less documentary, but I somehow don’t feel bothered by that fact. The first episode relates the situation on Mars to drilling for oil in the Arctic—there’s nobody around; it’s dangerous; and simply existing is a goal at times.

The ending of the first season of Mars was, in my opinion, way too abrupt. Thankfully, Executive Producers Ron Howard and Brian Grazer seem to have fixed that problem in the opening episode, leaving the viewer with a cliffhanger regarding if unity is even possible with the two groups.  Here on Earth, we have enough tensions and challenges for a lifetime—between countries, between companies, between individuals.  Paul encouraged the one of the New Testament churches to “[b]ear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” (Colossians 3:13-14 NIV). If only these words were put into action, perhaps we could start the process of restoring relationships, which can lead to so many other good things.

I know the folks on Mars could use this advice.  Otherwise, the animosity and tension is going to possibly spiral out of control.  We’ll have to find out.

Breakthrough S2: Ep 1 and 2 – Protect Thyself

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Eighteen months ago, Brian Grazer and Ron Howard decided to spearhead a series on National Geographic Channel involving advances in scientific technology.  Entitled Breakthrough, each episode was created by a specific director and tackled a unique aspect of how science could help society in general. The series was recently renewed for a second season (10PM/9 CT on Tuesdays), providing the viewing audience six more glimpses into a world where science meets life head-on.

The first episode aired last week and centered around an issue many people deal with on a daily basis: addiction.  This doesn’t necessarily refer to drugs or tobacco, but can also refer to cell phone usage, selfies, or other items/hobbies that become “something more” to a person.  There are numerous ways addictions can be dealt with, but the episode focused on an experimental technique—psychedelic drugs such as LSD, Ibogaine, or Psilocybin (magic mushrooms).  The treatment is not for all, that’s for sure—but in the three cases shown, director David Lowery (Pete’s Dragon) made the treatment process look absolutely spellbinding.  The episode was definitely not what I expected, but was intriguing nevertheless.

Cyber terror was the subject of the second episode—an issue many of us summarily dismiss as something that can’t happen to us.  Target doesn’t think so after seeing their online system compromised a number of years ago with millions of credit card numbers exposed for the world to use.  It doesn’t take a lot to break into a computer – a simple USB drive can wreak all sorts of havoc.  However, there are white hat hackers who legally help companies secure their networks by attempting to break into them.  They have lots of work to do—major companies’ detection rate of cyberattacks is only 6%, and when they do find something, it takes seven months to find it.   In fact, by 2019, cyberattacks will cost the global economy $2 trillion dollars. It needs to be fixed now.

To make things worse, director Steven Hoggard (Inside the Green Berets) reveals that cybercriminals (black hat hackers) are using encryption-based devices to recruit people into terrorist groups such as ISIS. Some have even been able to hack into US Central Command!  Some journalists in the UK havegone undercover to help stop this from occurring, using a similar technique to how criminals were caught on the show To Catch a Predator.  Do they always succeed?  Not quite. But stopping one attack is better than none.  That’s why it’s always important to protect oneself from the attacks of enemies who cannot be seen.  It sounds eerily like what Paul told the church in Ephesus when describing the armor of God.  The various components—helmet, breastplate, sword, and other elements—protect a Christian from the attacks of the devil and his minions (see Ephesians 6:11-20). Protection can be a good thing—we just need to be aware of the problem and prepare accordingly.

Genius Ep. 1 – Knowing Your Place

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(National Geographic/Robert Viglasky)

One of the most lauded advertisements of Super Bowl LI aired immediately after the halftime performance.  In it, a gentleman looks out the window of his study while playing Lady Gaga’s song “Bad Romance.”  It turns out to be Albert Einstein, who sticks out his tongue at the camera once he’s finished playing.  The screen then cuts to black, revealing an upcoming series called Genius airing on the National Geographic Channel.

Genius is a 10-part, fully scripted series chronicling the life of Dr. Einstein as never seen before (the first part airs tonight at 9 PM/8 CT).  I was at the world premiere in Los Angeles last night and had the opportunity to hear from executive directors Brian Grazer and Ron Howard before viewing the first episode.  Grazer noted that Einstein was the earliest modern example of disrupting the status quo and was thus the perfect subject to portray.

Ron Howard speaking before the premiere (ScreenFish/J Alan Sharrer)

The series is based on the work Einstein: His Life and Universe, written by Walter Isaacson.  In the opening episode, broad strokes are painted as Howard intersperses the younger and elder versions of Einstein (played by Johnny Flynn and Academy Award-winner Geoffrey Rush, respectively).  The younger Einstein is a daydreaming free thinker who has an extremely difficult time with school in Munich due to the rote memorization of facts.  His disregard for the systems of the day put him at odds with his teachers and his father. After his parents move to Italy, Einstein stays with the Winteler family in Switzerland for a year before continuing his studies in Zurich (he failed his entrance exam the first time he took it, so there’s hope for the rest of us).

(National Geographic/Dusan Martincek)

The older version of Einstein is wiser, yet extremely stubborn.  While at the University of Heidelberg, the SS begin to make their presence felt in German life.  For those of Jewish heritage, these days are difficult as people are beaten up, assaulted, and in some cases, assassinated. When Einstein is told his name is on a list to be killed, he steadfastly refuses to leave, much to the chagrin of his wife Elsa (Emily Watson).  It takes a series of events involving copies of Mein Kampf and a child’s request for an autograph to change his mind.  But it’s not easy leaving Germany, as the US Embassy wants to know more about his political leanings and refuses him asylum until he talks.

Einstein once said, “Falling in love is not at all the most stupid thing that people do—but gravitation cannot be held responsible for it.” To this end, he is shown to be incredibly smart, a bit reckless, and very attracted to women.  By the end of the first episode, Einstein has been involved with three—Marie Winteler (Shannon Tarbet), Elsa, and his secretary.  Upon his entrance to Zurich, he meets a fourth lady named Mileva Maric (Samantha Colley), who in later years will change Einstein’s life for the better—or worse.

(National Geographic/Robert Viglasky)

As for the first episode, I thought it was quite good.  The camerawork was exquisite, as can be expected with something coming from Ron Howard. The interspersed scenes were a bit jarring and didn’t quite work for me, but that may change since there are still nine episodes left.  I was impressed, however, at the level of detail given to the scenes—it helped to draw me into the story more. There is some CGI used for a few daydream sequences, but they’re used to good effect in explaining some rather difficult mathematical and scientific concepts. The episode is designed for mature audiences due to the romantic interludes and some graphic killings.

It was interesting to watch the struggle the elder Einstein had about leaving Heidelberg due to Hitler’s ascension in power.  After hearing news that his friend was assassinated for his common ancestry, he stayed put.  Even when informed that he was on an extermination list, he stayed.  Could he make a bigger difference for the world where he was? This reminds me of Esther in the Old Testament.  In an oft-quoted verse of Scripture, she was reminded and challenged by Mordecai, “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14 NIV) As a result, she used her position of authority to save her people from extinction via the hands of Haman.  It’s always better to know your place and make a difference there than run away from the tasks God has planned for you to accomplish.