Doctor Who Season 2--10/06/06

[BlueBlackRed]

Well, if that isn't just about the stupidest thing I've ever heard of. Doesn't the United Nations have better things to be worried about than whether or not they're being portrayed, on a science fiction TV show, as having a branch that protects humanity from alien incursions? Considering all of the real-life scandals that that organization produces, you'd think they be happy for "Doctor Who" casting them in a positive light.

Johnathan

I seem to remember UNIT being mostly shown as bumbling & nothing but targets.
Not the best light I would think.

 

[Richards]

Well, sure, they can't always be able to save the Earth on their own - what would we need the Doctor for, then? (I remember one episode where the Brigadier even grumbles to himself how almost everything they fight turns out being bulletproof.)

But they've managed to do all right in the past - they took care of the Silurians (even against the Third Doctor's wishes), for example. Or does the real-world United Nations only object to their fictional "Intelligence Taskforce" branch not being able to make the Doctor unnecessary in his own TV show? I just don't get it.

Johnathan

 

[Mark Hope]

Well, you need to understand that "the United Nations" is not a monolithic entity that thinks, speaks and acts with a unified will. So of course "they" have better things to do with their time. That said, decisions regarding media representation of the UN will have been delegated to a specific branch of the organisation, and decisions within that branch may actually be made on a personal level by individual staff members or small committees, with no further recourse to the upper echelons of the UN.

Off-hand, I can easily imagine that such a group might object to the depiction of a UN "intelligence" taskforce as little more than a group of British soliders (throwaway references to "trips to Geneva" notwithstanding). They may also object to the completely fictional nature of UNIT (because there is no such UN group, or even one similar to it), or the connection to a show like Dr Who (I am just speculating here, though). I doubt that the specifics of actual Dr Who episodes are even an issue.

 

[Brown Jenkin]

I would, however, be surprised beyond words if this matter came anywhere near the attention of the Secretary General of the UN.

I agree that he wouldn't likely have any direct connection to any specific decision. He will however likely replace various top staff people and he may or may not be involved in a larger scale decision over what kind of PR/Media representations of the UN are acceptable or not.

 

[Mark Hope]

I agree that he wouldn't likely have any direct connection to any specific decision. He will however likely replace various top staff people and he may or may not be involved in a larger scale decision over what kind of PR/Media representations of the UN are acceptable or not.

Well, the SG will by definition be involved in large-scale decisions, but that will be through a process of delegation and reporting. I strongly doubt that he will have any personal interaction with the actual decision making process. At the very most I'd expect it to get to USG level.

 

[Brown Jenkin]

I'm just saying that with a new SG and the likey shakeup of staff that previous decisions could be looked at again in light of the SG's position on what he thinks overall PR/Media depections of the UN should be, and that it is possible that things could change and UNIT be deemed ok again.