Did The Screwtape Letters Inspire Darin Morgan?

[ethsnafu]

I don't know if you guys recall but we banded together in the not too distant past to ensure that our man Lance didn't end up at the top of the annoying celebrities list at AmIAnnoying.com. Now Millennium has made it on to the list but what interested me was the following that was contained in the blurb about the show:

One episode, 'Somehow Satan Got Behind Me,' was the first film version of C.S. Lewis' 'The Screwtape Letters.'

Now I don't ever recall hearing that before and wondered if you guys knew if there was any truth in the assertion or if it was simply a piece of received wisdom the article writer had happened upon. "The Screwtape Letters" for those not in the know, and I was one of them, I found the following at wikipedia:

The Screwtape Letters is a Christian apologetics novel written in epistolary style by C. S. Lewis, first published in book form in 1942. The story takes the form of a series of letters from a senior demon, Screwtape, to his nephew, a junior tempter named Wormwood, so as to advise him on methods of securing the damnation of a British man, known only as "the Patient".

Lewis dedicated The Screwtape Letters to his friend J. R. R. Tolkien.

There's absolutely nothing in the Wikipedia article to suggest that Darin was inspired by this tale but there are indeed some similarities. Does anyone recall an interview in which Darin may have talked about this book as a source of inspiration?

Eth

[Guest WaveCrest]

First I've ever read about The Screwtape Letters. I thought CS Lewis only wrote Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass! Fascinating link to one of the best second season MM episodes.

[Walkabout]

he wrote many short stories as well the 'Chronicles of Narnia'. It is said he was influenced by JRR Tolkien.

[Guest WaveCrest]

Forgot about The Chronicles of Narnia.

[ethsnafu]

Right I've been doing some searching and though I cannot find a definite link between the book and the episode I have found a number of references to articles in which people describe the thematic similarities between the two. This is from the Blog "Musings of A Mad Hen" and is an interesting read that discusses the episode and the book.

Eth

The Folly of Free Will

We were so angry when Man was given free will, but why, when they all hold the belief their lives are determined by anything other than their free will? And the right to vote.

(Darin Morgan, “Somehow, Satan Got Behind Me”)

As Hesse states in Steppenwolf, “Enough with death-dealing!” No more depressing reads. There have been a slew of them – Atonement, On Chesnil Beach, The Road, Boys and Girls Together, the short story "Bridges of Eden Park" (sob! Kisten!)…

Instead, I went to see Juno, the perfect antidote to a depressed worldview, and read Loretta Chase’s Lord Perfect, a book that almost makes me want to start writing again.

I haven’t worked on a book in two years. Unprofessional to admit, true, but with work and child I have no energy to gather the will and put paper to pen. Nora Roberts, I am not. Luckily, I have mostly stopped caring and have shed the mantle of guilt that has hounded me.

Should I feel guilty about wasting my God-given talent? Probably. Maybe it’s a phase. Maybe not. All I know is that I’m nearly content to let other authors entertain me for a while.

The problem is that I do get two hours to myself each night, which is way more time than most professional women with children, job, spouse, house, dogs, possess. Sometimes I watch a movie (Little Miss Sunshine is up next), sometimes I watch “Lost,” but mostly I just read and end up putting away three or four books a week. I feel this is wrong.

C.S. Lewis would agree. In one of his essays, he states that reading, his passion as well as mine, is a sin because it steals one’s will from focusing on God’s will. I suspect that this is true. Reading too much leaves one with a nasty taste in one’s mouth. As discussed in a previous blog, it’s an addiction, really, much like heroin. Or cigarettes. Or Haagen-Das.

Speaking of old C.S., if you haven’t read the Screwtape Letters, do pick it up. It’s a hilarious account of the demon Screwtape’s lessons to his nephew on how to lure humans from God. Yes, it’s a religious theme, but I promise it is not preachy. It’s funny and offers insight on human behavior. Whether you’re an atheist or a thumper of the Good Book, if you want to better your own human condition, you’d best pay attention to Screwtape’s lesons and avoid becoming a victim.

I just Netflixed a few episodes of the 1990’s television series, Millennium. One episode, called "Somehow, Satan Got Behind Me", features four demons in a coffee shop discussing their personal methods of corrupting humans. The show’s hero, Frank Black, is the sole human who can see through their human disguise and know them for the demons that they really are. Whether Darin Morgan wrote this episode as a tribute to Screwtape, I do not know, but it’s a poignant and humorous spin on the book.

Back to my confessions. As you can see, I could be utilizing my free time in a much better fashion. I could work on my marriage, summon the willpower to write a novel, lose excess belly fat, help my fellow human sufferer, practice my banjo so I can learn something other than "Little Sadie." Volunteer my time to help better the human condition. Become a Big Sister. Maybe take my neighbor’s children for an evening so that she can have a date with her husband.

Okay, already, so I’m feeling guilty. Admission is half the battle, right?

Blogs of Note: Devshirme. Who knew a priest could be so cool?

On the iPod: Minor Threat, White Stripes, Cathode, Remy Zero, Fergie MacDonald, Kitchens of Distinction

After Little Miss Sunshine: Whether its my upcoming trip to historic Alexandria, Virginia or the fact that Patrick Swayze is in the news, I woke up with the theme music to North and South in my head and have the yen to watch, for the tenth time, Books One and Two of John Jake’s brilliant North and South. (I choose to forget the abysmal Book Three. The book was good; the movie detestable.)

And isn’t it an easy world in which most of us Americans live? Every ridiculous whim is fulfilled by a click of the mouse. I want to waste a dozen hours watching a miniseries from my high school era and voila! There it is. Blessings are wasted on such as me. I scorn Paris Hilton but really, I’m not any better.

Waiting on the Nightstand: Yes, it is time for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

[Who Am I?]

I sure as hell never heard of "The Screwtape Letters", and whoever put Millennium on that list should be shot. If for some reason SSGBM was influenced by it, there are billions of other shows, episodes, etc that have been influenced by other works. Pick on the rest of those before you pick on Millennium.

[Guest SpooktalkGiGi]

Oh yes C.S. Lewis wrote the Chronicles of Narnia and I had heard that about The Screwtape Letters and Somehow Satan Got Behind Me but cannot remember where. I have not read The Screwtape Letters but heard it was pretty good. :)

Laura :)

[ethsnafu]

HI guys,

From what I have read, Producer Ralph Winter (Fantastic Four) intended to partner Philip Anschutz's Walden Media to bring The Screwtape Letters to the big screen according to Variety back in 2007. The IMDB has the project listed as still in development with a view to release in 2010. There's absolutely nothing to be found with regards to any cast as of yet.

After reading the premise of the book I would love Darin Morgan to tackle a movie version of it with Glen in the directors chair. Now that would be special.

Eth

[IHaveGoodInstincts]

One of my draws to the show was seeing "Somehow Satan" and noticing the references to "The Screwtape letters." It's not what I would consider typical Christian reading, which is what makes it so cool. Having read the book and seeng the similarities, I figured that the parallels were a no-brainer!

[ethsnafu]

Hi there IHaveGoodInstincts and as this is your first post may I welcome you to TIWWA and say that I hope you enjoy your stay and make many new friends in the process.

Now that we have someone who has read the book is it really that overt in terms of the similarities? I got the impression that the premise was similar but that the content differed or would you say that it is easy to where Darin the specifics of that episode from when reading the book? What I'm trying to say, I guess, is do you consider it a coincidence that both deal with a similar theme or would you say it is more striking that than?

Eth