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| Left to right: Horse, Sandy, Monkey, Tripitaka, Pigsy (Wikipedia) |
Note: Great books often lend themselves to a deeper way of reading. Let's see how that works with this popular Chinese novel.
Get Ready: Are you familiar with the Chinese novel (or Japanese TV show) about the Monkey King?
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| Two heroes: Batman and Robin; and three villains Penguin, Riddler, and Joker (top) |
Note: The show Batman brought a whole new idea to the superhero genre: heroes could be funny!
Get Ready: Do you like superheroes? If so, who's your favorite? If not, why not?
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| (Wikipedia) |
Note: The best learning happens in an atmosphere of fun! And this program from the 1990s managed to offer up heavy doses of both.
Get Ready: Do you like science? Would you learn it better if it was presented in a fun, exciting way?
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| Miss Kitty, Doc, Festus, and Marshal Matt Dillon (Wikipedia) |
Note: One of my dad's favorite TV shows--and mine, too!
Get Ready: Do you think cowboy shows or westerns are stereotyped--that is the good guy is perfect, and the bad guy purely evil?
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| Cover of the first issue of The Sandman graphic novel (Wikipedia) |
Note: As usual. Neil Gaiman has created a convincing alternate reality, this one influenced by seven supernatural beings called "The Endless."
Get Ready: Do you believe that dreams have any importance to our waking selves?
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| Macnee as Steed and Rigg as Peel (Wikipedia) |
Note: Before the rise of the Avengers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (but around the time the Avengers superhero team first "assembled" in the comic books, in 1963) there was another team of "avengers" on British television--not as awesome, but a lot more fun!
Get Ready: What do you think an "avenger" does?
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| A TV version of the Cisco Kid and his sidekick Pancho (Wikimedia) |
Note: The Cisco Kid is best known as a hero. Who knew that in his first appearance he was a murderous desperado?
Get Ready: Is it possible for person--real or imaginary--to be both a "good guy" and a terrible person? Must people always be one or the other? Think of some examples to prove your point.
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| Left to right: Pugsley, Uncle Fester, Morticia, Gomez, Wednesday, Lurch, and Grandmama (from a Russian fan site) |
Note: Few cartoons have transitioned as successfully into television and film as the work of Charles Addams. Let's learn its background and meet the key Family members.
Get Ready: What is the attraction of the macabre? And how is it that we often find the most somber things to be hilarious?
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| Cast members William Frawley (Fred), Desi Arnaz (Ricky), Vivian Vance (Ethel), and Lucille Ball (Lucy) (Wikipedia) |
Note: A scrappy redheaded comedienne dominated the "Golden Age of Television." Meet Lucille Ball of I Love Lucy fame.
Get Ready: Have you ever gotten yourself into a difficult situation where, the harder you tried to get out of it, the worse it got?
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| The Iron Throne as seen in the TV series (Wikipedia) |
Note: George R. R. Martin, the "American Tolkien," has created a complex world of medieval warfare that has spun off numerous books and TV series. Let's find out the secret of their popularity!
Get Ready: What sort of books or stories translate well as television shows or films? What types are harder to adapt?
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| Spock, Kirk, and McCoy from The Original Series (Wikipedia) |
Note: Sometimes a TV series transcends its humble origins and becomes an important cultural phenomenon. That's what happened with the show Star Trek.
Get Ready: Which would you rather see in a leader: action (sometimes without thinking), cold logic, or warm compassion? Why?
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| Carl Sagan with the model of the "Viking" reentry vehicle (Wikipedia) |
Note: Few scientists have popularized science for the masses like the late Dr. Carl Sagan, and nothing he did had a bigger effect than his television series and book, Cosmos.
Get Ready: What do you know about astronomy? How did you learn it?
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| The cast of The Big Bang Theory (Wikipedia) |
Note: Mark, an American student, talks with his Indian friend about the TV show, The Big Bang Theory.
Get Ready: Do you know any "nerds"? Do you think they're funny?
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