When you are watching something about an alien society, do you apply your own values to it? (tv show, movie)

[TamaraSavannah]

Such as a movie or a TV show? Odds are, the answer is yes for otherwise, how can one enjoy it?

For example, the 80's TV series "V". I watched it when it was broadcasted and I am watching the DVDs now and I am seeing what I saw later on in the series in the first episode. When it comes to the Visitors, it's a soap opera with the blonde and brunette being snippy at each other. The brunette has delusions of grandeur, is constantly plotting, is caught short each week, and is never brought to pay.

BUT, there is an element mentioned in the first episode that I never saw that might make this more understandable. "Martin" saying on his world, "Diana" would have been executed long ago. Maybe that's the reason many are like that, maybe that's the reason why they are in the expedition forces, because that is the only place they are useful, efficient in the conquest of space..........but they are far too dangerous to have around at home.

Maybe, except for two things. First of all, a 50 minute TV show moves a little bit too quickly to be able to apply such considerations to its enjoyment. Secondly, we know that we will never get those answers, really, as that the series only went one season.

Of course, the values applied to watching may go the other way. Look at Star Wars or Battlestar Galactica. There, the different forms of government, the different customs are more accepted, even to the point of practically being impossible in "our world". Adama holds a coup, finds out he really can't run the place like that, puts the president back in place, and then things go on like he never betrayed the trust of the people.

It's one thing to act like that when you wear the black hats; it's quite another when you are suppose to be the good guys.