If you’re like me, you tend to watch a fair amount of TV. I am not one to watch any old show, however. I’m a very meticulous television viewer and an even fussier judge of script, color, theme, and character development. Therefore, shows like Scrubs just piss me off quite frankly. Yet, I know it fits a certain demographic. That said, I’ve noticed some interesting themes arising within certain television shows lately. Themes that are theological in tone and nature. The two shows that I currently have on my mind are Fox’s Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles & Fringe.[i] Both of these programs have some very interesting “apocalyptic” messages hidden within them. Let’s start first with Fringe.[ii]

 

Fringe is a show that chronicles the life of FBI agent Olivia Dunham (Played by Anna Torv), Olivia is placed on a “special” team to investigate strange socio-scientific occurrences that revolve around fringe science—in other words stuff like teleportation, psychic energies, time travel, time/ space disruptions, and kinetic energy. Olivia quickly finds herself in many “unexplained” phenomena and does not have clear answers for them whatsoever. Moreover, she is working with a team that has an estranged genius, a former institutionalized scientist (who was performing scientific experiments on the fringe of science before placed in custody), and a boss that appears to have more secrets than answers. The team deals with such issues like life after death, supernatural powers, teleportation, and even spiritual issues. All of these culminate to make an interesting show that depicts a futuristic world filled with several strong themes that correlate with our current cultural trends. Some are:

• Systems cannot be trusted
• The government is hiding something; potentially something big that could kill the whole of humanity
• The masses are unaware of this impending doom
• Corruption is a natural course of life
• Science, by human kind, is considered to be “as smart as God”
• Greed rules
• Power hungry people

These trends point to a very dark and “spooky” end to humankind. Yet, the Bible doesn’t exactly paint that pretty of a picture either. There are textual images of flesh burning, evil gone awry, death and destruction, and the final showdown of good vs. evil. Hollywood is no stranger to “end of the world” grand narratives. One need only watch Independence Day, Omega Man (Or the new version with Will Smith  I Am Legend), Armageddon, The Day After Tomorrow, The Day The Earth Stood Still, and the new film set to be released in July 2009: 2012. The end of the world, from Hollywood’s perspective, will come in one or all of several ways:

• Machines and or  robots taking over and killing all of humanity
• Aliens attacking Earth with the ensuing enslavement or destruction of humanity
• Satanic forces entering this world through some “gate” or “portal”
• A virus that destroys humankind leaving only a few survivors.

 

Fringe is a show that preludes some (or all) of these events. It is a period in time when science is “out of control” and the “end is near.” Fringe illustrates the unknown and mystery, which many of us wonder about often. Fringe begins the discussion on “how will it end” and the historical ontological question of “where do we come from?” Within the show references are made to God and His “judgment” and the audience is held in the tension that something big is about to happen—we just don’t know what that “something” is yet. As a person who has studied “end times” a great deal, I cannot help but make the connection to pre-apocalyptic events that lead up to the “Anti-Christ” and the “Mark of the Beast.” Fringe is just that, on the fringe of Armageddon events that could lead to the destruction of humankind and bring about the “end of the world.”

Now, the show isn’t without its holes. It seems every week that Olivia and her team find a solution to whatever problem they are facing rather quickly. Those solutions take on the typical MacGyver “solve it in an hour” fashion and bring about a neat conclusion to the end of the show, leaving the audience satisfied for yet another week. Olivia’s team also seems to have come together a bit to “easy” and everyone has the staged “role” within the cast. Yet, the narrative premise that weaves its way through the series is that something big is coming and that humanity is on the brink of possible destruction—will there be a savior?

Let’s move on to the Terminator series. Let me first begin by saying I’ve been a fan since I saw Arnold (in his bulging muscleman says) burst down the door looking for Sarah Connor in the first Terminator Film. This TV show is set right after Terminator 2, and narrates the life and times of Sarah Connor. The show took a spin when the new Terminator, Cameron (played by Summer Glau), leads the Connors into a time machine thrusting them into the year 2007—a neat way of making the series “current” and without having to spend a lot of money on a period context. The show discusses certain biblical terms: Judgment day, judgment, God’s wrath, holocaust, apocalypse, Armageddon, and the end of time. These all connect with the overall series/ film theme of humankind’s last stand. Within the film, FBI agent James Ellison (played by Richard T. Jones), is cast as a “religious man” and is in constant possession of a bible. Ellison, while at first a non-believer of Sarah’s wild tale about machines taking over the planet, quickly becomes a believer when he is faced with one of the machines that kills his entire unit. Ellison, who was already contemplating life and society, begins to take a closer look at death, human nature, and the book of revelation. The show teases out issues of:

• Morality
• Ethics
• The sanctity of human life
• Machines vs. humans
• Death and violence

In addition, within the show, Ellison becomes a sort of “missionary” if you will. In several episodes, he is seen opening up the bible with people to discuss life, theology, and human’s plight in life as he pleads with characters to “get right” with God. He is plagued with questions and mystery about who God is, yet, he is faithful and believes God still has a “plan” though all of the mess. Ellison makes his peace with God and pushes through the mystery toward enlightenment with God. He knows that we do not have all of the answers and that time is running out for humans.

In the latter part of the 2^nd season, we now find Sarah contemplating some of the same issues and struggling with the ultimate questions we all struggle with: why would God allow this to happen?

Eschatological literature within the bible has several patterns in it that connect to both of these television series. The Dictionary of Bible Imagery states:

The Bible’s images of the end are built around a cluster of time images. One of these is the image of “latter days” (Jer 23:20; 30:24; Ezek 38:16; Jas 3:5) or “last day(s)” (Jn 6:39–40, 44, 54; 11:24; 12:48; 2 Tim 3:1; Jas 5:3; 2 Pet 3:3). Another motif is “the end” (Dan 8:17; 9:26; 10:14; 11:35, 40; 12:4, 9, 13; Mt 10:22; 13:39–40, 49; 24:3, 6, 13–14; 28:20; etc.). Yet another image is a coming Day of the Lord (two dozen references). While the details of sequence are not always clear in these references, they establish an important aspect of the Bible’s view of history, namely, that it is moving in linear fashion to an appointed consummation.^[iii]

 

Both of these television series are:

 

1. Built around a cluster of time images
2. “Latter Days” are all painted to be dark and dismal for the human race
3. The Bible and human history is moving toward an “appointed consummation”
4. The terminator series makes constant reference to “The coming Day of the Lord” while Fringe hints of that through the strange scientific discoveries.

 

Further, these shows (along with many films) see eschatology as ugly, dog eat dog, and part of the natural discourse of humanity. This is not much difference within the bible either:

 

It is a nightmare vision of cosmic collapse, an equally violent disruption among people and nations, persecution for believers and spiritual deceitfulness and power by evil forces. The only positive note for Christians is the possibility of heroic endurance (“he who endures to the end will be saved” [Mt 24:13; Mk 13:13 RSV]) and the certainty that at the very end Christ will appear as divine rescuer.^[iv]

 

Revelation thematic correlations can be made here from TV shows and films like this. They depict the fall of humanity as brutal, cruel, vicious, and extremely violent. Revelation is no different:

 

While such events as cataclysmic upheaval in nature and violence among people might be a picture of the earthly and human sphere left to its own disintegration, the book of Revelation views these developments on earth as part of a process of divine judgment against a wicked human race. At this point the imagery of the two spheres-the heavenly and the earthly-becomes important. The book of Revelation presupposes a two-tiered universe (or three-tiered, if we add hell) in which reality is divided between an unseen heavenly realm and the earth. The general pattern of Revelation is to shuttle back and forth between these and for events to be visited upon earth from a heavenly source, as though they are being stage-managed by a higher power (e.g., Rev 7:3; 8:7–12; 9:13–15; 16:1–21). Indeed, the tumultuous events at the end of history are explicitly presented as the outworking of the wrath of God (Rev 14:9–11; 15:1), and the events can therefore be interpreted as images of divine punishment against sinners.^[v]

 

However, with these shows, we are left with the question, will Christ show up to rescue us and take us all on His horse riding into the Armageddon sunset? For the terminator series, the “hero” is John Connor and it is his responsibility to save humanity from its impending destruction. Moreover, John becomes the focus for Sarah and her quest to save him is for “The good of all.” In Fringe, Olivia’s team becomes the “hero” and the “hope” for a better tomorrow. One might wonder what might Mary have done if terminators were sent back to kill Jesus?

 

As I said before, I am no stranger to “end times.” I grew up in a Seventh Day Adventist home and part of the Adventist mantra is the study of last day events. So, I naturally gravitate toward television shows and films that depict the end of time. At first, I would laugh off directors and screen writer’s interpretation of eschatology. I would count it all as sheer “entertainment.” However, after growing a little more, I see many parallels. Moreover, I am faced with the reality that I don’t have the answers—I use to believe I did. So, TV and film begin to fill in the blanks, because the reality is, none of really know, we think we know, but we really don’t, exactly how the “end” will come. So when I see preachers grandstanding on how it will all end and their positive assumption that “end times” will happen “this way,” I tend to get leery—even more so when actual dates and times are given.

 

One thing is seen in throughout the bible: God rarely shows up the way humans expect God to show up. So why would the “end of the world” be any different? One thing is constant though, perseverance:

 

The coming judgment of unbelievers and apostates at the end of the age is a repeated theme in Hebrews (Heb 6:2; 9:27), especially as a warning and an encouragement to persevere (Heb 10:27–31, 36–38; 12:25–29; 13:4; cf. Toussaint). Those who heed the warnings of judgment and the exhortations to persevere will receive at the consummation of history full salvation (Heb 9:28), their reward (Heb 10:35; 11:26) and the complete inheritance that was promised (Heb 6:11–12, 17–18; 9:15; 10:23, 34–35; 11:39). The inheritance of the promised land of the new earth is the author’s irreducible summary of what true believers will receive at the eschaton (Heb 11:9–16; 13:14). God will raise them from the dead in order that they might participate in the inheritance (Heb 11:35; cf. Heb 6:20). This final inheritance will be indestructible (Heb 12:27–28) and eternal. There God’s presence can be more fully experienced (cf. Heb 12:14). The readers should not be lax about these exhortations because the final “day” is “near”^[vi]

 

We are continually encouraged to “hold on” and “rest” in the Lord. In “crazy” times like the ones we live in, I find it hard to do that often. Fringe and Sarah Connor have made it a little more difficult to picture and embrace “rest” and or even “peace.” I see many connections here and I’m sure that there will continually be debate and discussion of how it will “all end.” As humans, we tend to not deal too well with obscurity and ambiguity—especially in the Western World. In the modern age, we strive for solid conclusions and answers; however, within the post-soul context, those answers and grand theories become almost irrelevant and obscure. People are striving to make sense of life and society; films and TV, along with our bible, do not paint a very nice picture, so we are left wondering.[vii] So, while I conclude, I try to take solace in that “rest” in the hope that tomorrow is a better day and that the “inheritance” that was promised from God, will eventually come—hopefully not stolen by some greedy corporate CEO hungry for power and control of the human race.