Tuesday, December 18, 2007

A little astrology in "Journeyman"

In a posting last winter, HERE, I listed a few novels which feature astrology in the plots. It's surprising that the subject doesn't feature in plotlines more frequently. Perhaps authors don't know enough about it to construct an interesting theme, or if they do understand astrology, fear that the average reader will be put off by its inclusion.



Astrology came up, fleetingly, in last night's episode of NBC's "Journeyman". Dan Vasser (Kevin McKidd, who also appeared in "Rome"), plays a San Francisco newspaper reporter and family man who inexplicably begins to travel through time and change people's lives. Along the way, he also must deal with the difficulties and strife at work and home brought on by his sudden disappearances.

In last night's episode, Dan's wife and sister-in-law had enlisted the assistance of a psychic. During a tarot reading Dan suddenly re-appeared. He had returned from his most recent time-travel trip, where, inadvertantly he'd left behind a small digital camera, causing that most intriguing of concepts in time travel stories - a paradox.

The psychic immediately sensed something very unusual about Dan's energy, and asked for his birthdate. Later in the episode she presented him with his natal chart and told him that he was born during an exceptional celestial configuration. The same configuration had occurred only once before, on 6 March 1923. There is a link to this date and another character. I'm hoping that this aspect of the plot might be expanded later.

A special episode is scheduled for tomorrow evening, when it is promised that "many questions will be answered". We shall see!

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