-"5e Michigan Daily Weekend Magazine - Thursday, January 22, 1998
0
I TV Feature
New drama 'Prey' battles NBC's
Thursday night television lineup
The Michigan Daily Weekeni Maga:
BAMN members unite
Snation's af rmative act
By Gabriel Smith
Daily Arts Writer
This is the time in the year for net-
works who have had failed shows to
attempt to rectify their situation by
bringing in midseason replacements.
Much of the
time, these fail
also. Right now, R1
the programs we
have available
show the clear-
cut lack of orig-
inality that we
often come to
expect from our television sets.
So, among these failures, what's
new? There are a few possibilities,
and one is on Thursday nights at 8.
Wait, "Friends" is on NBC at that
time! But those viewers who are in
the mood for something different can
flip their channels to ABC to watch
"Prey."
"Prey" resurrects Darwinian
philosophies that date from the 19th
century. It is literally the story of
evolution and survival of the fittest.
Prof. Colter (Natalie Nogulich) is
one of the most esteemed bioanthro-
pologists in the country at this time,
working on a murder trial involving
DNA evidence.
Parker Sloan (Deborah Messing)
is Colter's protege and must contin-
ue Colter's research after Colter is
brutally murdered.
Sloan continues her work and, in
examining the DNA evidence, finds
a genetic anomaly. The DNA is
enhanced 1.6 percent, indicating that
Sloan has discovered a new species.
In finding that more members of this
species exist, Sloan also finds that
she is No. 1 on their hit list.
Remember the biology-class idea
that only the strong will survive?
Hence, the program offers instant
conflict.
Messing's acting is more than ade-
quate as the feisty and determined
Sloan. This is important because the
cast does not include any famous
names, except for
E®
r
Larry Drake
V I E W (Prof. Atwood)
whom some
Pre might remember
as Benny from
ABC "L.A. Law."
Thursdays at 8 p.m. "Prey" conjures
up aspects of
many different shows. It contains the
suspense of "The X-Files," coupled
with the aura of "V," the campy sci-fi
series from the early '80's that
starred some of the greatest 'B'
actors of all time. Like "V," "Prey"
focuses on the
concept of inva-
sion.
The show
offers several
questions that
need to be
answered. Where
did these
enhanced beings
come from, and
how did they
evolve? Global
Only time
whether c
"prey" wi
becomegp
survives
Storke and
cast of ABC's new drama "Prey" (top) and two of its stars, Adam
>ra Messing (bottom).
warming has been mentioned, but
this is only a hypothesis.
Similarly, Sloan is helped by an
enhanced man named Glenn, whose
original intentions seem to be to kill
Sloan.
But this later is not the case, as
Glenn defects to her side. Why did
this happen? Hopefully, this subplot
will be developed further,
ABC has laid the foundation for a
decent series to grow. Admittedly,
until something drastic happens,
NBC will still control Thursday
night with its "Must See TV."
But with the imminent end of
"Seinfeld", NBC will be forced to do
extensive juggling with its Thursday
night lineup. With a new time slot,
though, "Prey" has the potential to
be a decent show.
It has been billed by ABC as the
next "X-Files" - a show built
around Fox's Sunday night lineup of
"The Simpsons" and "King of the
Hill." ABC will be able to do won-
ders by placing "Prey" in a lineup
with some big hits like "Home
Improvement."
Given the clich6d trend of televi-
sion networks going to movie adap-
tations for ideas, such as "La Femme
Nikita," "The Magnificient Seven,"
"Clueless:" "Fame L.A." and
"Timecop." it is
definitely nice to
will tell see something
different.
or not "Prey" has the
potential to last
tll a few seasons,
but the next
Prey or month will
d e t e r m i n e
whether or not
"Prey" will get
off the ground.
As interesting as the premiere was,
the idea is one-dimensional, with the
focus solely on how the enhanced
beings combat the humans.
But who knows. though - it took
Dr. Richard Kimble several years of
episodes to catch that one-armed
man.
Right now. "Prey" serves as an
alternative to the usual diet of come-
dy on Thursday night. Only time will
tell whether or not "Prey" will
become prey or survive.
We're No. 1
You know it. So why not
buy a "We're No. 1"
poster? The Michigan
Daily is selling posters of
its Jan. 7 front page,
featuring Rose Bowl
photos and stories from
the Daily. Buy one for $5
and receive "The Victors"t
poster, with coverage of
the Ohio State game, for
only $2.50! Come to the
Fishbowl in Mason Hall
between 9 a.m. and 4:30
p.m. today Then call up
all your frends at
Nebraska and brag about
how eyen your posters
a1E bttr ti~n tkeri
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LSA junior Mark Potts is president of the College Republicans, a group that
sponsors conservative political activities on campus.
College Republicans
promote political action
By Kerri Murphy
Daily Arts Writer
Students campuswide seem to be
ambivalent about politics. Some are
passionately involved with individual
issues but others are not overly con-
cerned with political events and debates.
And, of course, many people lie in
between.
But the campus chapter of the College
Republicans has taken strong conserva-
tive stands on local and national issues.
With an e-mail list of several hundred
people and an active dues-paying popu-
lation of approximately 75 students, the
College Republicans promote a conserv-
ative viewpoint on campus. The group's
activities range from monthly meetings
to social events and community service.
This year, affirmative action has been
at the forefront of debate on campus.
"The College Republicans disagree
with the University admissions policy,
which gives preference based upon race,
ethnicity and gender," said College
Republicans president and LSA junior
Mark Potts. "We feel this policy is
defeatist to the goals of a society striv-
ing to eliminate these factors and a form
of discrimination. Republicans are com-
mitted to expanding financial aid and
opportunity to all people."
Diversity can be achieved without
affirmative action through recruitment,
and by providing equal opportunities
beginning in primary and secondary
schools. say members of the College
Republicans.
"The leveling factor should be eco-
nomics and not gender, race and ethnic-
ity," said Adam Silver, an Engineering
sophomore and the College Repub-
licans' vice president.
The College Republicans also state
that the University is diverse but segre-
gated, and that the University adminis-
tration should be more concerned with
integration of current students than with
numbers of incoming students.
A milestone for the group was
November's four-day affirmative action
symposium, at which various campus
organizations with differing political
views gathered to discuss this contro-
versial issue.
"in past years we haven't been a part
of the University community, and we
learned thatit got us into trouble,"Silver
said This-ya wur' god tms
with other groups. It helps us - it's
name recognition."
The College Republicans have taken
steps to work with groups such as LSA
Student Government to recruit speakers.
Community service is also a priority for
the group, and Potts said a bipartisan
community service event is planned for
this spring.
Although 1997 was politically
uneventful, the College Republicans
used the time to draft a new constitution
for the group.
But with gubernatorial elections,
Congressional elections and four state
office elections on the horizon, Potts
predicted that "'98 is going to be a big
year."
Enthusiasm is high among the
College Republicans. "It's a fun group
- it's a balance between having fun and
truly making a difference," Potts said.
By Jeffrey Kosseff
Daily Staff Reporter
A group of University students
have decided they will not sit back and
observe a lawsuit that could bring an
end to the University's affirmative
action programs - they want to start
another civil rights movement.
The University chapter of the
Coalition to Defend Affirmative
Action by Any Means Necessary
(BAMN) was founded in September,
when rumors surfaced that a lawsuit
challenging the University's admis-
sions policies was looming.
The only other BAMN chapter is at
the University of California at
Berkeley, where affirmative action
programs were eliminated in 1995 due
to Proposition 209.
"We're trying to build a national
movement to defend affirmative
action," said BAMN member Jessica
Curtin, an LSA senior.
BAMN has an e-mail list of about
400 members. The group was formed
when members of the National
Women's Rights Organizing Coalition
met to decide how to combat political
attempts to eliminate affirmative
action.
BAMN views all attacks on affir-
mative action, from lawsuits to refer-
endums, as an attack on the civil rights
of individuals.
"This is a big backlash to the civil
rights movement," Curtin said. "The
right-wings are trying to attack it on
all sides."
Curtin said that while it is unfortu-
nate the University's admissions poli-
cies are being challenged, she is glad
that BAMN has the opportunity to
BAMN members protested at an
lead the fight to continue affirm,
action.
"We're appreciative of the opp
nity to be part of this debate," C
said.
BAMN has succeeded in gai
national attention duing the past
months. Its members have been
tured in newspapers, and on
national radio, CNN and manyI
television stations.
They are best known for brea
up a hearing on affirmative ac
held by state Sen. David Jaye
Macomb) and state Rep. Greg I
(R-Bloomfield Hills), two legisl,
who spearheaded the original
suit.
About 15 BAMN merr
stormed the September hearing
chanted loudy to prevent particil
from talking. Police released pc
spray and arrested four BAtMN n
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