Sunday, September 07, 2008

Watch FRINGE, Tuesday on Fox

This is old news to most of my friends and family, but some of you might not have heard yet: I am currently taking a leave of absence from the university, because I’ve taken a position on the writing staff of a new television show, FRINGE, which debuts on Fox this Tuesday (8/7c). Please watch! (But don't expect to see my name in the credits anytime soon. My writing partner and I are very low on the totem pole.)

When we took the job back in May, I wondered if it would provide more inspiration for blogging. I can now say the answer is “yes.” I constantly have these fleeting out-of-body-ish moments where I see how something I’m doing – from helping shape a story to witnessing the internal politics of show biz – also offers a fantastic example of this-or-that economic concept.

So where are all the fresh blog posts? Well, sadly, most of those great stories are things I can’t talk about! Posting spoilers about upcoming episodes on the internet could get me in a heap of trouble. Or at least I assume it could, as no one has specifically told me what I can and can’t reveal to the outside world.

But there are at least some things I can speak freely about, and hopefully I’ll blog them soon. You know, when I have the time. But my time, I’ve found, has become a lot more scarce lately. I’m often reminded of a favorite scene from Ghostbusters, in which the just-fired academics consider starting their own business. Dan Aykroyd objects, “I’ve worked in the private sector. They expect results.”

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Glen,
CONGRATULATIONS! I have Fringe scheduled to record on DVR due to family stuff, but will be watching...later. Your brother informed me a few weeks ago. Pretty neat stuff! Thanks for sharing this with us. Good luck on your efforts. We'll be looking for your name, anyway, okay?

Viola

Ran said...

Wow, that's really cool! Congratulations!

How many people do they have on their writing staff? (Assuming that's not confidential?)

Anonymous said...

Yes, that is a great scene from Ghostbusters, and I have found it's true also. Good luck with the show.

dgm said...

glen, congratulations! you have made me want to watch regularly scheduled tv again. i've been waiting for months.

Anonymous said...

Fun Sci-Fi!! Keep those scripts flowing. Thought it was nice that Bell was mentioned. Did you have anything to do with that?

Jenny said...

Sorry, I missed it when it aired...but I did find the pilot online! :)

dgm said...

So Olivia had to enter the tank in her bra and panties--was that your touch?

Anonymous said...

Hmmm. The show's creators seem to have a very un-Hayekian view of science:

http://io9.com/5049264/science-has-gone-mad-because-it-lacks-a-purpose-say-fringe-creators

-Franklin Harris
http://www.franklinharris.com/

Glen Whitman said...

Thanks to all the congratulators! (Is that a word?)

VWBug -- Sadly, the name "William Bell" was not a shout-out to my co-blogger. I didn't write the pilot, and the actual authors don't know Tom.

DGM -- I wish I could claim I had something to do with Olivia's stripping down, but no... see above.

Franklin -- Well, this is Hollywood, and it's fair to say that people here have un-Hayekian views about all kinds of things. And it's a trope of science fiction that science often gets used for evil, because if it didn't there just wouldn't be much story. That said, you might be reading a little too much into that quotation from Pinkner (my boss, by the way). He acknowledges that science is being used for morally good purposes, as well as more questionable ones, in the private sector. And while he doesn't say it in that quote, I'm certain he would recognize that government science has been used for morally questionable purposes as well.

jabrwok said...

Hey Glen,

Add me to the list of congratulators! I'd have done so earlier, but I only just read the post.

So...Congratulations:-)

I'd make some comments on the show, but I don't have a TV. It certainly seems to be a new direction given your background in economics.

Jason B.