vilakins | 'McKay and Mrs Miller' and me

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'McKay and Mrs Miller' and me

After a discussion with kerravonsen about why I hate a certain plot device, I decided I'd post here about the SGA episode 'McKay and Mrs Miller'. First of all, let me assure you that apart from said plot device and an instance of pervasive sexism, both of which I will address below the cut, I loved this ep. It was funny and just what I needed after a crap day at the office, making me laugh a lot. I highly recommend it to anyone who knows SGA, and I bet there's heaps of fiction based on it.

Most of what follows is about certain issues rather than the ep itself, but there are still a few spoilers.

The good

Most of the ep, but I'll single out a few things. Rodney and his equally brilliant sister added up to geeky sibling rivalry that was a joy to watch because, well, anyone who has brothers or sisters will recognise at least some of it. There was also some great dialogue.

SAM: He destroyed a solar system.
JEANIE: Meredith! [smacks his arm]
RODNEY: It was uninhabited!

RODNEY: Now, I don't want to scare you, but you need to know the stakes. We are at war.
JEANIE: [looks at him suspiciously] Did you start it?

And then there was ~~Ace~~ Rod McKay, brave, funny, likeable, and everything Rodney wasn't--to his extreme annoyance.

The bad

Rodney's first name is Meredith. This was a huge source of humour, teasing, and derision from the others when they found out. Why? [sigh] Because it's usually a female name. And of course being female is an insult in itself--watch any episode of Scrubs. Men should not have girls' names because none in their right mind would want to be or even throw like one, now would they? Of course it's fine if women aspire to greatness by having male names like Sam (Carter) or Charlie (in Heroes) or even Nico (ahem).

There's a prayer that Jewish men say: "Thank you for not making me a woman." Women however only get to say, "Thank you for making me as I am." [stab] Yeah, understandable for 5000 years ago, but it seems to still apply to our society. Even though a lot of people know that intelligence counts more than being able to lift a heavy weapon, and that whether one's sexual organs are on the inside or outside is irrelevant to their worth, it's still an insult to imply a man is like a woman. When will this change?

The illogical

The only big spoiler here (so hit the back button now if you haven't seen this), but I loathe parallel universes. They outrage my sense of logic and, um, morality, though I doubt that's really the right word.

Logic (and this applies to Start Trek PUs--or mirror universes--too): This is a whole other universe, yet their parents still met, the same sperm fertilised the same egg, and the same child was born--sort of. They all have different personalities from the ones in our universe, but they still all went to Atlantis and have the same jobs there. There's even a Ronin apparently, but why would the other crew have happened upon him in a different universe where they did different things for different reasons? And even if that universe was caused by some random minor decision, why would younger characters still get born after that split?

Morality (not the right word, but hey): I just loathe the whole idea that there are infinite universes and many versions of me which are better (probably) or worse than this version. It makes the decision to live a good life meaningless because somewhere I've made every possible decision, good or bad. Is there another universe now because I had cheesy toast for breakfast instead of an egg? Everything in me hates the whole idea.

I might add that I like AUs because they're not parallel universes, but what might have happened in the series one if something was changed.

Still, that was a very entertaining ep and one of my SGA favourites now.

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The whole 'female' issue annoys the hell out of me.
But hey. That's what we have Jayne for.

At least it doesn't bother him. Or wearing strange hats. That's a guy who's at ease with himself.

This was a huge source of humour, teasing, and derision from the others when they found out. Why? [sigh] Because it's usually a female name.

I share your exasperation with that one. My middle name and, later, my translated first name in French lessons at school often left me at the business end of that so-called joke. The girls seemed to derive as much pleasure from it as the boys though, so, unless sexism is rife amongst British 5 year-olds, I'm not necessarily convinced it's always (though often it may be) a pejorative directed at femininity, but, on occasion, some delight in misclassification. Bloody philatelists.

This is a whole other universe, yet their parents still met, the same sperm fertilised the same egg

At root, it must stem from some belief in predestination. I don't know if you've seen the 1970 Dr Who adventure Inferno (surely one of the best ever made), which is a parallel Earth story. There is a riveting moment in which the Doctor convinces himself that free will exists, thereby rejecting the conceit the story depended on and freeing him to save the world. If you'll permit me, *squee*

I'm not necessarily convinced it's always (though often it may be) a pejorative directed at femininity

Well, how often have you heard girls or women being laughed at for having boys' names? I bet you haven't, because it's considered cool. That's sexism.

BTW we have a good friend called Michel, pronounced the French way. I don't know how he handles it because I've never heard anyone take him on. Perhaps it's not such a big thing here.

At root, it must stem from some belief in predestination.

[nods] Yes, I think you're right. I've heard 'Inferno' mentioned before--is it a Sarah Jane story? I must see if I can find it somewhere.

Well, how often have you heard girls or women being laughed at for having boys' names? I bet you haven't, because it's considered cool. That's sexism.
To be honest, outside of school (and Scrubbs [never watched Stargate]) I've not observed this again (too much hanging about with grown-ups). Any notion of coolness ascribed to girls with boys names is beyond my ken. Doesn't it only work with selected (and widely-used) names (either perceived gender-neutral or contractions of more traditional names)? Name a girl David, Roger, etc., and she'll probably have some grief at school, until a similarly monikered pop-starlett rises to prominence. I'm no anthropologist (something readily apparent to you, I'm sure), but, despite that, I'm inclined to the view that deviating from the perceived norm is the main issue. You could argue the norm arises from cultural sexism though (*further thought required on my part, as always*).

But, while the school thing is the same (I think) as your Stargate example, the Scrubbs one isn't. I agree the latter relates to some sexist disfunction on Perry's (I'm uncertain whether to extend that to the writer's) part. I'd like to think he just hasn't thought it through.

BTW we have a good friend called Michel, pronounced the French way. I don't know how he handles it because I've never heard anyone take him on. Perhaps it's not such a big thing here.
As noted earlier, it's only a big thing amongst children and the childish, so far as I can tell. No one round here is giggling about it today anyway (we'll overlook the fact that I'm the only one in the lab though)!

[nods] Yes, I think you're right. I've heard 'Inferno' mentioned before--is it a Sarah Jane story? I must see if I can find it somewhere.
She didn't turn up until about 1974. It's a Liz Shaw story (shamefully she was considered too clever by the production team and, as such, less identifiable to the audience. For that reason we get Jo Grant in 1971). Jon Pertwee's first year is very different from his successive ones, and (I think) exceptionally good.

The series comprises Spearhead from Space, The Silurians, The Ambassadors of Death, and Inferno. Spearhead and Inferno have been released on DVD here. I hope you like them if you find them!

M :)

I didn't mean it was cool as in extremely fashionable. It's just that being called Jo or Frankie or Sam is fine. There's a female actor called Michael Learned, though I'm betting it's because her parents didn't know how to spell Michal. :-P

shamefully she was considered too clever by the production team

And this wouldn't have happened if the character was male. Yet people loved Emma Peel (who still rocks mightily); go figure. At least these days we can have Sam Carter and Atlantis run by Elizabeth Weir (though I bet she's as disliked as Janeway was), and kick-arse strong women like Teyla. :-)

Because it's usually a female name

Strange, I've always thought of it as a male name being used by women, like Charlie or Jo.

Shannon and Jordan are completely ambiguous.

Over here, Meredith was definitely a boy's name first. Like Robin. It's those Americans who do weird things with names, extending them to cover people God never intended 'em to cover. But I think the Johnny Cash song "A Boy Named Sue" proves Vilakin's point.

I've never heard it as a male name. I've known several Merediths and they were all female.

Only yesterday I saw the Hercule Poirot episode "Five little pigs" and one of the men was called Meredith, or Merry for short. He was a sort of scientist, too, come to think of it.

If you don't like the idea of parallel universes, you'd better not pick up this weeks' New Scientist.

I don't like New Scientist. Their articles are written as if they're unassailable truth, and they're about as accurate as science was 50 or 100 years ago. Science is a moving target which they don't seem to realise.

I love New Scientist, because they'll consider almost any idea. They don't like creationism, for instance, but if you could write a scientifically solid article about it (not likely), they'd probably publish it. Then they sit back and wait for the readers to shoot holes in the theory. The letters pages are often utterly brilliant just for that reason. So I think they do realize that science is a moving target. They allow anyone who can put together a convincing argument to take a stab at it. Which is a whole different market than the peer reviewed magazines which will only look at established science.

I love their letters and feedback pages. What I object to is that they don't talk about theories but write as though they're describing established fact. Also, the cover heading is almost always sensationalist and misleading.

Odie can type? I hope his keyboard is slobber-proof. ;-)

What I object to is that they don't talk about theories but write as though they're describing established fact.

Quite a few if not most of their main articles are written by the ones who made up the theory and who are in this instance not hampered by peer reviewers looking over their shoulders. Modesty is simply not a trait that is often found amongst scientists explaining their pet theories. That's why the letters page is such an important part of their magazine.

And lets face it: every single scientific "fact" is really just a theory that's been around for a very long time.

Also, the cover heading is almost always sensationalist and misleading.

Actually, I rather like that. They don't take themselves or the people writing the articles for them too seriously.

Odie can type? I hope his keyboard is slobber-proof. ;-)

{g} You'll have to ask sallymn. Like about three quarters of my icons, this is one of her creations. So is this icon and the one before this, for that matter.

In the Paton Walsh Wimsey continuation, it is revealed that Bunter has a brother called Meredith.

Maybe using it as a girl's name is a colonial thing, then? Looking at google, it certainly seems far more common as a girl's name.

Historically, Thomas Doughtie's uncle John had two children, a boy and a girl, and named them both Francis!

I find the idea of parallel universes enormously comforting. As if deity is churning out enormous amounts of rough drafts until the script is finally perfect. I'm happy to think that somewhere out there is a version of me who didn't make the same dumbass mistakes that I did. And the thought of a version of me that is completely different from me is fascinating. I wonder what I'd be like as a soldier or a drug addict? It makes me want to write my own AU. It would probably end up a Mary Sue, though.

I've known a girl called Francis (as opposed to Frances). But it must be so confusing have kids with the same name; even worse than naming them after parents. I did work with a guy who said all his kids were called Fred, and when I ran into him at the museum, he said, "Let me introduce you, Fred, Fred, and Fred." Damn, I miss him. Those were the days when it was still OK to laugh at work and play jokes on each other. Our economy makes everyone too scared to now.

I totally hate the idea of other mes. I'm dissatisfied enough to be stuck with this one.

I've never heard Shannon used as a boy's name. But Alex and Sam I consider completely androgynous. I also like Vyvyan as a boy's name. But for that I blame The Young Ones.

I don't know. Around here, to call a girl butch or masculine is just as insulting as calling a boy effeminate.

You think? I picked early that boys got a better deal and masqueraded as one on holiday. I called myself Stephen. :-)

People used to mistake me for a boy a lot back when I had my hair short. In the end I got bored correcting them and just went with it; I still have a name-tag reading 'Kevin' from that chapter of my life...

For the record, I also love New Scientist. I read it every week. Personally I see the more outrageous stories as an invitation for readers to shoot holes in them. 'Boltzmann Brains' for example - a little HHGTTG-sounding there...and Feedback is always hilarious.

Why Kevin? I picked Stephen because my mother once said that I was meant to be one because she wanted a boy as the first child. But Kevin? :-)

Feedback is wonderful, and I like the letters too.

Having tried Meredith on a baby name site this is what it came back with:

Meredith, a 3-syllable unisex name of Celtic/Welsh origin, means: Guardian of the sea.

Entertainers with this name include Burgess Meredith (Movies), Don Meredith (Sports) and Meredith Baxter (Television).

Nicknames for Meredith are Meridth and Merridie.

Other names associated with Meredith are Meridith and Merry.

Note it says unisex

Apart from a character in "Grey's Anatomy" I've never come across the name before myself.

As to Parallel universes, the whole point is they are parellel that is the two lines of fate do not diverge. So you end up with the same decisions getting the same results apart from the crucial changing one.
If say McKay had got a different job etc then it would have been an AU.

I only met the name when we lived in Wales and there it was exclusively male, often spelt Maredudd (pronounced Meredith)

I've only encountered it as a female name. OK, maybe the makers of the show didn't mean it that way, but female still equals insult.

female still equals insult

And so unnecessary.

There's been a fashion for some years for giving girls the cooler boys names - and it is a sad fact that once they become "feminised" or even androgynous, they slowly become less popular for the boys.

I haven't seen the episode (SGA does naught for me - Rodney's fine but I find the rest of them dead bores) but surely there are plenty of perfectly awful boys' names they could make cheap but non-sexist jokes about??? (In fact I know there are because, surprise surprise, I have lists of 'em...)

Yes, like Algernon or Silvester or Cuthbert... Then there wouldn't be a hint of sexism.

it is a sad fact that once they become "feminised" or even androgynous, they slowly become less popular for the boys

Exactly. Female=inferior. [stab]

I wasn't that keen on SGA at first but stuck with it (almost giving up at one point). It takes a while to get into its stride, but I've loved it since S2.

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'McKay and Mrs Miller' and me

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