Childhood's End (2015 TV)

[Woodsman]

Isaac Asimov's Childhood's End was one of the first 'grown up' sci-fi novels I ever read after graduating from the children's and young adult's sections at my local library. My Mom, a big reader of sci-fi, recommended the book to me. I was maybe 8 or 9 years old.

I can't say I completely grasped it, (we were not a religious family, so the whole significance of the "Supervisor for Earth" looking like a biblical devil was largely lost on me), but as a whole, the story left a deep impression and it has resurfaced in my thoughts over the years in conjunction with the material studied here.

Anyway.., I thought I'd see what this 3-part TV adaptation was like.

Several things about it immediately struck me...

Below are two images of the Mothership design from the show, and two different shots from a recent UFO sighting reported in early November of 2015:

Check out the similarities. What's up with that? -Deliberate hyper-dimensional marketing of some kind? Metaphoric reality doing its thing? Pure coincidence?

As for the story itself...

Childhood's End seems to fit in tightly with themes presented in numerous other bits of mass-consumption media. The x-Men films (with their 'mutant genes suddenly expressing' story-line), and the next installment of the Independence Day franchise due to release in mid-2016 come to mind.

There was also a strong Children of Earth vibe going on there in a few scenes, with the depiction of the alien ambassadors from each story moving around behind walls of one-way glass, dictating their dictates and making spooky monster sounds. Children of Earth, a horrifying British sci-fi story from 2009 about aliens demanding 10% of Earth's Children be delivered for recreational/drug purposes, is not to be confused with Asimov's tale, however I do suspect the British version was deliberately riffing on the some of the same concepts arising in the Asimov book surrounding the loss of our children.

Anyway, even Asimov's 'nice' version is a pretty scary message; tough love from the Space Brothers helping us through these difficult transitory times.

And.., there's a Ouji board in the story. Hm.

Right now only 2 of the 3 part series have been aired, I'm still digesting and I haven't worked out what the overall thrust means in terms of population programming. But I thought I'd post the subject here in an effort to (net)work out what is being beamed at us this time.

So...

Thoughts?

 

[Woodsman]

Shoot.

I only just noticed that there was a Christian cross icon in both the real and movie image of the moth ship, (first and last image in the parent post). For the subconscious, it's essentially the same graphical composition. (I think Derren Brown would agree.)

Unless you drag this stuff up into the conscious layer for examination, it will affect your subconscious layer in ways bypassing free-will.

 

[EricG]

The series is based on Arthur C. Clarke, not Isaac Asimov's writings. ;)
I never read the book but the series are OK... it's a 3 episode series and it feels a bit rushed IMO.

Yes there are some themes that me makes me go hmm just like you.. the "evil" Ouija board for instance.
And there's the end of the world theme and the you humans are responsible for it.

 

[Woodsman]

The series is based on Arthur C. Clarke, not Isaac Asimov's writings. ;)
I never read the book but the series are OK... it's a 3 episode series and it feels a bit rushed IMO.

Hah ha! Yes. I always mixed those two up. Oh dear.

Asimov = the Foundation series.
Clarke = 2001: A Space Odyssey.

 

[Corvus]

Childhood s end (2015) mini series

I stumbled upon this three episode series based upon A. C. Clark work: Childhood's End is a 1953 science fiction novel by the British author Arthur C. Clarke. The story follows the peaceful alien invasion of Earth by the mysterious Overlords, whose arrival begins decades of apparent utopia under indirect alien rule, at the cost of human identity and culture.

I watched first episode and I was not disappointed, it is very intelligently done and it depicts how it would probably be when it comes to 4D STS revealing themselves. What I found interesting is their looks, they did not reveal themselves until some time passed so people could accept them easier, and they look like christian depiction of devil, wings, horns, slit eyes, hoofs. It says something about their intrinsic nature. And the main character in the first episode when they take him to be their messenger is always put in virtual reality of a hotel and there is his deceased wife also so they are using emotional hook to get him cooperate and trust them. The resistance aka Freedom League used some two videos depicting how the farmer nurtures and medicates his pigs to be in the end slaughtered and the video of Nazi occupation and how people under them were first afraid but it gave them security and stability. It also shows how it is a long process from human perspective, involving many years or as C s say programming. I recommend it. It seems maybe there was some beaming from Thor Phanteon going on recently.

SPOILER:

First episode: "The Overlords"

In a distant future Milo Rodericks, claiming to be the last living human, records a message from the ruin of a post-apocalyptic Earth. In 2016, a fleet of massive alien space ships appear in the skies of Earth. Dubbed 'the Overlords', the alien 'Supervisor for Earth' Karellen speaks to humanity claiming they have come to usher in an age of utopia. Karellen speaks to a farmer named Ricky Stormgren in the form of his deceased wife Annabelle, and chooses Ricky to serve as humanity's representative. Despite initial resistance and distrust from governments, the Overlords systematically eliminate disease, war, hunger, and pollution, setting the stage for the 'Golden Age of Humanity'. When Milo, currently confined to a wheelchair, is shot and killed by a drug dealer, the Overlords kill the attacker and resurrect Milo, including giving him the ability to walk. Media mogul Hugo Wainwright secretly organizes a counter-group dubbed the Freedom League which uses social media to spread distrust about the Overlords. When their years-long campaign fails to slow the aliens' changes, the Freedom League kidnaps Ricky to force Karellen's hand. Karellen intervenes saving Ricky's life while simultaneously projecting Wainwright's entire conspiracy to the world. Shortly afterwards, Wainwright is found hanged and Karellen dismisses Ricky saying his work is now finished. Ricky asks Karellen to show his true self to humanity, but the alien retorts that humans are not yet ready to 'accept' his true form. Fifteen years later, Milo has become an astrophysicist, and watches along with Ricky and the rest of the world as Karellen reveals himself for the first time. With Earth now a near-Utopia, humanity has dubbed the Overlords their 'guardian angels', but are shocked and alarmed when Karellen emerges, his appearance resembling the devils and demons of ancient religions.

2 "The Deceivers"

In 2035, life on Earth resembles a pastoral idyll. Dr. Boyce leads a research institute for Karellen, at which Milo and his friend Rachel work, until the space program is ended and Milo has to leave. Boyce delivers samples of Earth's species for a zoo on the overlords’ planet. An overlord pod visits the Greggsons, after which the mother Amy is pregnant, and son Tommy is changed. The faithful Peretta Jones is called as counsellor when Tommy is haunted by night terrors of a dark and hot place, but he refuses to reveal more as not to frighten the adults. During their encounter, Peretta's cross necklace is destroyed, a deeply spiritual experience for her, and she eventually travels to the Stormgren farm. Ricky falls ill, allegedly from exposure to poisons on the overlord ship. After the Overlords build a room with a Ouija board, Boyce invites the Greggsons to South Africa under false pretense, where Karellen makes Amy operate the communication device through her unborn child. Milo finds out that the message was directed at the constellation Carina. Karellen returns to Ricky, this time Ellie and Peretta interrupt them. Peretta confronts Karellen about his lies, and he confesses he sterilized Ricky because the upcoming change will be more painful for parents. Peretta shoots Karellen, for which she later pays with her life, but Ricky saves him with the cure that was meant for himself. Finally, Amy gives birth to her daughter Jennifer.

3 "The Children"

Four years later, the children of Earth begin to demonstrate advanced psychic abilities and form a mental link with Jennifer. The Greggson family is wary of what is happening to her and they move to the free city of New Athens, hoping to escape Karellen's influence. Ricky finally succumbs to his illness. Karellen announces to the world that all of the children will be gathered together, that no more children will be born, and that the adults are free to live out their lives as they wish. The children begin to float off through the sky. The mayor of New Athens decides that hope is lost and sets off a nuclear bomb, destroying the city. Milo smuggles himself aboard one of the ships transporting zoo animals, and upon arrival at the Overlords' home world he is shown a glimpse of the Overmind, a vast cosmic intelligence which they serve. Milo returns to Earth some 80 years later (due to time dilation), just before the moment when the children join the Overmind. He goes to the surface and begins transmitting a report to Karellen (the first part of which was shown in Episode 1). He asks Karellen to leave behind some memento of Earth's culture, and Karellen obliges. The Earth is destroyed as the children join the Overmind.

UPDATE: I found there is already topic about this series, I typed it in the search function but it did not show it first time, so best to merge it.

 

[KJS]

I watched the first episode yesterday, and I must say that it was really bad. After reading the novel, I had some expectations, but even my wife (she hasn't read the book) confirmed that it was terrible. The novel is a very easy read, perhaps even more so for the forum members, because of the general theme of the evolution of humanity, but watching these series could ruin the message that easily could get lost between bad acting and huge differences between screenplay and book. Avoid.