Fiction/Science: Series2, Log 2.5 - "Curse of the Draco” [Part 2]

A psychedelic rainbow of color amidst the destruction

THE FICTION:

On Monday, we released episode 2.5, “Curse of the Draco” [Part 2], which you can watch on YouTube or in Koldcast’s high-definition player.

Previously on Space Hospital, Lyndsay revealed to Nurse Ratknee that she was the fused remains of Ratknee’s half-robot son and galactic tennis star Lyndsay Austin. Meanwhile, Draconoids bombarded the hospital, which was left vulnerable during software updates.

In Curse of the Draco [Part 2], Dr. Drake administers an ink blot test to Dr. Goode, concluding that his alien fixation requires brain surgery. Nurse Barbara, still angry that Goode stood her up at the altar, flaunts her pregnancy to Goode, bragging that Drake is the father. The software update complete, Lyndsay and Nurse Ratknee stand by as C.R.O.N.O.S. (Central Repository of Nominal Operating Systems) boots up and asserts its authority over the hospital. “Lyndsay, meet your daddy,” Ratknee says. Within seconds all systems are back on line, and Space Hospital blasts the Draconoids with such a force that the hospital is sent spinning back into a mysterious dark nebula.

THE “SCIENCE:”

It’s been modern man’s dream to create technologies that do our bidding and make our lives easier and safer. And in a spirit of camaraderie with technology, humans have happily submitted to an increasing level of surveillance: computers in our cars that summon emergency services after a crash; image recognition software in cameras in public spaces to match facial features to those of known criminals; and medical surveillance services that monitor the elderly 24/7 and even provide a caseworker who virtually “sits down” with them for a meal. 

But, on the other hand, the GPS embedded in our phones that allows us to become the “mayor” of our favorite Quiznos also enables advertisers to profile us, sell to us and re-sell that information to other companies.  And the trade-off for the all the freedom and access to information the internet provides us is that our interests, desires and personal lives are turned into a commodity by those wily entrepreneurs who saw a massive new market opportunity in doing so.

"You're not going anywhere, sweetheart."

With diseases to cure, social ills to heal, a universe to explore, a partnership with technology is too intoxicating to resist and, yet, even still we wonder what the dark downside is to such a transfer of power. 

Fiction/Science: Series 2, Prolog 0.5 - Confessions in Purgatory

Nurse Ratknee, portrayed by Adriana Róze, steps outside for a smoke.

THE FICTION: 

Space Hospital Season 2 is GO! Yesterday we launched the prolog to Season 2, which you can watch on YouTube or in Koldcast’s high-definition player.

In Season 1, the discovery of a television on an archaeological dig exposed the crew to such subversive programming as “The Andy Griffith Show,” sparking an anti-technology revolt that led to an assassination and a surprise inspection by Prince Plodd, sent by The Centrality to determine the ship’s fate. Nurse Ratknee made sexy moves on Prince Plodd in a valiant effort to save their jobs but learned afterwards that the Destroyers were already on their way.

As Season 2 opens, the Destroyers have yet to arrive, and the hospital drifts in space, awaiting word of its fate. On the upside, Nurse Ratknee received her long-awaited promotion to Chief Nurse, which enabled her to have her adversary, Nurse Barbara, transferred off Space Hospital. On the downside, boredom and uncertainty create a perfect storm of anxiety that drives Nurse Ratknee outside to smoke her first cigarette in 7 years.

THE SCIENCE: 

Space Hospital combines two significant sources of stress – a poorly managed work environment in which employees are under constant computer surveillance and the awesome, unknown terrors of deep space travel.

NASA suggests that teamwork is an excellent way for astronauts to manage stress.  Smoking is another excellent method of stress reduction. Although its health merits have been touted and challenged through the years, smoking is a solid alternative in environments like Nurse Ratknee’s where teamwork is not possible due to low morale and the imminent threat of death.

Stress management techniques will only become more important as private corporations move into the exciting new frontier beyond Earth’s atmosphere, and we see “space smokes” as a promising area of R&D.

BEHIND THE SCENES:  
Adriana Róze simulated her space walk on a stage at The Victory Theatre Center in Burbank. One of the most crucial components of her wardrobe are the striking anti-gravity boots she wears that enable her to light one up in the most awe-inspiring smoking sections ever. The boots were made for R.O.N.A.L.D., a remote-operated, nocturnally aggressive lizard-robot with rage issues featured in the visual-effects-driven feature “Diamonds of Metro Valley,” written and produced by Mary McIlwain and directed by Aaron Arendt (whose name will be popping up again in next week’s episode, “The Great Ape Race.”)





Great news, Space Hospitalians! We’re pleased to announce Space Hospital’s partnership with Koldcast TV, the premier online destination, delivering on-demand programming in full-screen, high-definition to audiences in 138 countries.

You’ll get a weekly dose of bad medicine over the next 4 months, starting Monday, with ...a never-before-seen version of Season I that will feature director’s cuts and new footage. Love us, hate us, have no idea what’s going on? Let us know. You know where to find us. Right here at the Main Desk where the Hospital Central Computer forces us to work 72 hour shifts.

A final note: we’ll provide details soon on where you can find Space Hospital on iTunes and Tivo. Until then, if you have an RSS Reader, you can subscribe to our feed on Koldcast. It’s like DVR for web content. We’ll always be sitting there, waiting for you.

Thanks for watching!