The Catholic Weekly 14 June 2020

catholicweekly.com.au 20 14, June, 2020 ENTERTAINMENT ACROSS 1 Boat company in the south-west (4) 8. Rows in houses provided a pleasant domestic state! (10) 9. Aging types associated with gaol birds! (8) 10. What directs the ship without any hesitation to the fish (4) 12. The stronghold, we hear, went into action (6) 14. I’d seen the girl very confused (6) 15. Speculator having made a recovery (6) 17. To reach here from Baltimore, go north! (6) 18. Kind of fight without any charge (4) 19. Provide a substitute for Diana’s position (8) 21. Criminal fellow with an agent (10) 22. One heard in antiphonal tones (4) Quick Crossword answers also fit the large grid CROSSWORD DOWN 2. Care to hire different performer at the Hippodrome (10) 3. Part of Muffet’s meal (4) 4 I’m getting agreement for what a striking statement makes (6) 5. Came to an end and shut up (6) 6. Cause one to be enraptured at stage appearance (8) 7. Accustomed to being second-hand (4) 11. Record on sure winner is enough to put you off (10) 13. Got together to make the grade (8) 16. Bird is a Chinese international (6) 17. Attacks with stones, maybe (6) 18. Chief American celebrity inside (4) 20. Sounds like one who has a unpleasant look at foreign currency (4) CRYPTIC CLUES QUICK CLUES SOLUTION FOR LAST WEEK ACROSS 1. Wicked (4) 8. By chance (10) 9. Assassin (8) 10. Whirlpool (4) 12. Unmarried (6) 14. Enhance (3,3) 15. Rebound (6) 17. Believe (6) 18. Enquires (4) 19. Recollections (8) 21. Walker (10) 22. Row (4) DOWN 2. Bulky (10) 3. Country (4) 4. Increase (6) 5. Venerates (6) 6. Disturb (8) 7. Kill (4) 11. Self-effacement (10) 13. Desperado (8) 16. Hatred (6) 17. Perpetrate (6) 18. Mountains (4) 20. Rave (4) 15,754 QUICK Across 7 Noted; 8 Correct; 9 Extreme; 10 Emend; 12 Infectious; 15 Improbable; 18 Exact; 19 Incense; 21 Breadth; 22 Steal. Down 1 Indefinite; 2 State; 3 Idle; 4 Accede; 5 Oriental; 6 Develop; 11 Deservedly; 13 Noontide; 14 Apparel; 16 Alight; 17 Inter; 20 Cost. CRYPTIC Across 7 Halve; 8 Lioness; 9 Wealthy; 10 Class; 12 Simple past; 15 Aerial view; 18 Heart; 19 Cutting; 21 Recover; 22 Staff. Down 1 Shower-bath; 2 Glean; 3 Feet; 4 Play up; 5 Concrete; 6 Getaway; 11 Setting off; 13 Inactive; 14 Truancy; 16 Vicars; 17 Dinar; 20 Tass. SAINTS OF THEWEEK From an aristo Galaxy of stars doesn’t save Space Force GREG DANIELS, co-creator of the US version of The Office , collaborates with that pro- gram’s lead, Steve Carell, to launch the new limited-series comedy Space Force . Fans of the popular and award-winning earlier show, which ran on NBC from 2005- 13, will likely be hugely disap- pointed in this new offering. The dreadfully flat and painfully unfunny program streams now on Netflix in 10 half-hour episodes. In addition to its aesthet- ic shortcomings, Space Force also is morally defective. The script promotes “open” mar- riage, for instance – albeit in unusual circumstances – thus essentially endorsing adul- tery. Gay and lesbian relation- ships, moreover, are portrayed without the discernment de- manded by scripturally based church teaching. Some illicit drug use and cartoonish violence also are included, the latter presented in the context of war games. The show also contains a high level of vulgar language and scatological and risque humour, which is sometimes gratuitous and offensive. Carell plays Air Force Gen. Mark Naird, whom we first encounter as he’s receiv- ing his fourth star. Mark’s wife, Maggie (Lisa Kudrow, Friends ), and teenage daugh- ter, Erin (Diana Silvers), look on proudly. Despite Mark’s promotion, it’s his principal rival, Gen. Kick Grabaston (Noah Em- merich), who snags the cov- eted position of chief of staff. This development factors into Mark’s reluctant decision, a year later, to accept the post of commander of the newly formed Space Force. An old North American Aerospace Defence Com- mand (NORAD) facility in Wild Horse, Colorado, serves as the fictitious headquarters for this latest branch of the armed services, established in real life by the Trump admin- istration in December 2019. One of the series’ rare gen- uinely funny moments comes as Mark comments to Maggie, “I can be flexible if I’m or- dered to be.” When Mark relocates to Wild Horse, only Erin accom- panies him. For reasons not explained to viewers, Maggie is serving 40 years in a federal prison. The estimable John Malk- ovich, his considerable talent wasted here, portrays chief scientist Dr Adrian Mallory, who advises Mark against Parody that falls flat: John Malkovich, left, as Dr Adrian Mallory and (next to him) Steve Carell as General Mark Naird in Space Force . PHOTO: COURTESY OF NETFLIX SPACE FORCE Find the career you deserve catholicjobsonline.com.au SEE OUR LATEST JOBS A shepherdess, Germaine Cousin was born near Tou- louse, France. An unhealthy child, she had a swollen neck, possibly from tubercu- losis, and a withered hand. At home, her stepmother treated her badly, giving her scraps to eat and making her sleep in the stable or a cupboard under the stairs. From the age of 9, she was sent out daily to tend sheep. Neighbours ridiculed her generous nature and reli- gious devotion until the day she opened her apron and beautiful flowers fell out. This patriarch of Constan- tinople, born in Sicily, is venerated in the East for opposing Iconoclasm, a movement to destroy all holy images and the veneration of saints. Methodius went to Constantinople, now Istanbul, to obtain a post at court, but instead entered one monas- tery, built another on the Ae- gean island of Chios, and was called to Constantinople by the patriarch. Because he fought Iconoclasm, he was imprisoned twice, once for seven years and once with a broken jaw. S treaming Germaine of Pibrac c. 1579 - 1601 Feast: 15 June Methodius I of Constantinople died 847 Feast: 14 June Space Force’s plan to launch a satellite called Epsilon 6. This aspect of the story throws into doubt how fully the writers understand the mission of the military’s new- est arm, which they seem to confuse with that of NASA. Other incidents include Mark’s stint in an experimen- tal habitat where the only available food is potatoes. He’s also seen testifying be- fore a congressional commit- tee, one of whose members is Latina Congresswoman Anabela Ysidro-Campos (Gin- ger Gonzaga). With her repetitive ques- tions about people on food stamps, Ysidro-Campos is a none-too-subtle stand-in for New York politician Alexan- dria Ocasio-Cortez. Domestically, Mark has to cope with Erin’s garden-va- riety adolescent restiveness. More disturbingly, Maggie gives him license, during a conjugal visit, to take up with Space Force contractor Kelly King (Jessica St Clair). Numerous actors instantly recognisable to sitcom fans lend their luster to the series. Patrick Warburton, Puddy from Seinfeld , plays the com- mandant of theMarine Corps; Jane Lynch ( Glee ) is the chief of naval operations; while Diedrich Bader ( The Drew Carey Show ) takes on the role of another Chiefs of Staff member, Gen. Rongley. Even the late Fred Willard appears as Mark’s father. But this illustrious support- ing cast can’t rescue Space Force . Neither can Carell. In dramatic roles – the eccentric and pathological billionaire John du Pont in 2014’s Foxcatcher comes to mind – Carell commendably stretches himself beyond his usual boundaries. But as a comic actor, he always seems compelled to strain to get viewers’ attention. Perhaps sensing how bad his material is, Carell works overtime to impress here. He barks dialogue in a labored, raspy voice that makes him sound like a caricatured ver- sion of Seargant Carter on the 1960s sitcom Gomer Pyle, USMC . Together with its ethical- ly problematic elements, the few laughs to be reaped from Space Force make it less than rewarding entertainment. While the show builds toward a cliffhanging climax, viewers would do well to step away from the precipice. - CNS ¾ ¾ Chris Byrd STREAMING ON NETFLIX