Defying Gravity

[bluescribbler]

Is anyone watching the new series on ABC? Set about 50 years in the future, the plot revolves around a group of astronauts on a space ship setting off on a tour of the Solar System. For the most part, the science seems plausible, but I noticed a few things. The ship doesn't have artificial gravity. The astronauts are able to walk by means of some sort of magnetic footwear, so it got my attention when one of the astronauts was tossing a ball from hand to hand, and the ball described an arc as if it were being affected by gravity. Also, communication with Earth seems to be instantaneous, not affected by the delay which would be imposed by the speed of light.

There also seems to be some genetic manipulation going on which hasn't been explained yet. I expect that there will be some explanations in upcoming episodes.

[phantom power]

1. It's because TV and movie producers are science ignoramuses.

"magnetic footware" is one of the three cliches they know for dealing with the need for gravity on a space ship. I'd be surprised if it occurred to them that the ball wouldn't act like it was in gravity using that scheme. If they understood anything about providing gravity, they'd just have the ship spin. Then they could have their realistic-looking earthlike gravity.

I happened to watch "2001" last week, and it occurred to me, as it always does, that Kubrik is just about the only person I can think of who did a really rigorous job of depicting the various weightless and simulated-weight environments in space. Even his scenes with the people walking around with velcro are more realistic than any others I can think of, with the altered gait from pulling the velcro every step. And actually seeing the curve of the space station at the beginning, and the curve of the rotating portion of the jupiter ship.

Everybody else falls short.

[bluescribbler]

2. I agree

Isaac Asimov must be spinning in his grave.

Have you watched the show? It is interesting, there is some good drama, and perhaps some good science. In one scene from last week's broadcast, one of the astronauts is testing the "Venus Suit", the suit she is supposed to be able to wear on the surface of Venus. The door on the airlock blows and she is shot out into space with only a length of aircraft cable tethering her to the ship. Her suit develops a leak, and another astronaut is unable to reel her back into the airlock in time. Things are getting desperate, when the ship's physicist suggests that she spit into the suit. The spit finds its way to the leak, and upon coming into contact with the cold vacuum of space, seals off the leak. Might be plausible, and it did create some good drama.

I'll see how it all plays out. For now, it's good enough to keep me watching.

[phantom power]

3. I don't think I've seen it. What's it called?

[bluescribbler]

5. It's called, "Defying Gravity"

It's on at 10PM, EDT, Sunday nights on ABC

[MrModerate]

8. That was AC Clarke's influence. He was a stickler for precision . . .

And Kubrick had the sense to listen to him (most of the time).

[Orrex]

4. Maybe the ball was a magnet and he was wearing steel gloves?

:yoiks:

[scubadude]

6. Maybe they were accelerating at 32 feet per second squared...

[and-justice-for-all]

7. Its not terrible, I am watching it on Hulu...

it is hard to tell what technological advances we will see in 50years.

The artificial gravity is made possible through some electromagnetic materials that is part of their clothing and anything that has the possibility of floating around.

It is SciFi, so we can allow ourselves to imagine possibilities. We should not be so critical, after all, we have cell phones because the guy who invented them was fascinated by the triquarter in TOS.

[kedrys]

9. It's already been cancelled!

:grr: We get it on Friday nights on Space. Yesterday morning, I saw an ad touting this week's episode as the season finale, then I found out it was canceled several weeks ago. Now I'm pissed - it was just starting to get interesting...! :mad:

[X_Digger]

10. Not cancelled.. not yet

http://www.thefutoncritic.com/showatch.aspx?id=defying_gravity

The futon critic is a great site to check the status of a TV show.