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{"id":28175,"date":"2015-01-20T08:51:36","date_gmt":"2015-01-20T13:51:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/exploringourmatrix\/?p=28175"},"modified":"2015-01-20T08:51:36","modified_gmt":"2015-01-20T13:51:36","slug":"doctor-who-the-seeds-of-doom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2015\/01\/doctor-who-the-seeds-of-doom.html","title":{"rendered":"Doctor Who: The Seeds of Doom"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

$\"Seedsofdoom_Krynoid_ravaging_house\"$ The Seeds of Doom<\/a> $\"\"$ is an episode which explores yet another widespread sci-fi trope, namely spores which fall to Earth from space and have the potential to take over humans and overrun the planet. The episode also has elements of the typical spy thriller, including the Doctor getting into more fist fights than usual.<\/p>\n

The discovery of Krynoid pods in Antarctica might not have led\u00a0to anything very dangerous, were it not for the actions of humans. An eccentric and wealthy individual named Harrison Chase loves plants obsessively, and the idea of having a unique plant leads him to try to obtain it. The Doctor thus comments<\/a> on greed as \u201cThe most dangerous impulse in the universe.\u201d Chase views nature in a religious manner \u2013 he speaks of his \u201cgreen cathedral,\u201d sits in the lotus position, composes music including a \u201chymn of the plants\u201d as well as a requiem. And when he envisages the plants taking over, he talks of this as the restoration of \u201cparadise.\u201d When the Krynoid takes control of him, the Doctor refers to him as \u201cpossessed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hit man Scorby\u2019s greed is also spoken of in religious terms, when he says that, when it comes to money, he and Chase are \u201cof the same religion.\u201d But Chase\u2019s willingness to see the world become completely vegetable proves to be at odds with Scorby\u2019s self-interest in survival.<\/p>\n

That leads to additional point worth mentioning, namely the treatment of gender. While Scorby calls the guards who fled \u201cwomen,\u201d this is in marked contrast to Sarah Jane\u2019s heroism. And although (and because) Scorby self-interestedly tries to save his own life, he dies, while the Doctor is ready to sacrifice himself to save others, and survives.<\/p>\n

There is a tendency to idealize nature, especially in its pristine state. The Seeds of Doom reminds us that nature is not to be idealized \u2013 it is not to be treated lightly, but neither is it to view nature with an excessive religious awe which assumes that whatever is \u201cnatural\u201d is\u00a0better, or even good.<\/p>\n

$\"Doctor$ <\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"