FIRST on "The Fosters" - Monday Nights on FreeForm 8e/5p Starting Tonight!

[Pauline Tasci]

Originally Posted by Sperkowsky

Off topic but assuming Boeing didn't allow those comments to be said couldn't those sorta comments be ground for a lawsuit?

Boeing allowed use for their name in this scene.

[sanddrag]

Am I the only one who feels like I just watched a Lifetime movie?

[David Brinza]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

Am I the only one who feels like I just watched a Lifetime movie?

Perhaps more like teenage drama TV?
If there isn't enough bad behavior coupled with super-charged emotional outbursts in the show, their target audience quickly loses interest.
I never expect this to be a glowing documentary about FRC, so I wasn't at all disappointed in the show.
On the very positive side, the show did portray the challenge and excitement in FRC, maybe that will intrigue some HS viewers enough to join a team!

[Ryan Dognaux]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

Am I the only one who feels like I just watched a Lifetime movie?

It's a similar feeling to watching any show on Freeform, but you nailed it.

https://vimeo.com/179005395 Still laughing at this Boeing mentor jab.

[Libby K]

Originally Posted by Ryan Dognaux

It's a similar feeling to watching any show on Freeform, but you nailed it.

https://vimeo.com/179005395 Still laughing at this Boeing mentor jab.

I didn't watch the entire episode (yet - I've got work to get done today), but that clip alone feels disgusting.

The worst part is this "awful mentor" was right. Consistency is key and wasting your time on something too complex and over their ability level will lose teams that consistency. Seems like the show writers (and whoever the 'FIRST advisor' was) took their own bias into the show.

I'm disappointed FIRST used this opportunity to essentially color any newcomers this might bring to the organization, against teams with involved mentors, or even just against teams who have a winning streak. What does that say about our community?

FIRST's own mission statement mentions 'mentor-based programs'. Demonizing mentors, or teams who utilize them to the best of their ability, probably wasn't the way to go here.

Editing to add: I just watched the 'master cut' of all the FRC storyline content. It was a nice cover of FIRST - and it did well, as Ryan mentioned, for showcasing what events look and feel like. I understand where the underdog story works, but I still stand by that demonizing the other team (the 'powerhouse') went a little too far. The use of language/tension/ungracious attitudes seems like a facet of their show, so it felt a little weird to see that with FIRST logos all around. I'm not the biggest fan of the all-girls' motto (b*tches get stuff done), but that's a very separate rant for another time. Ryan's pros-and-cons a few lines up are spot on, in my book! Not much more to add.

[AllenGregoryIV]

the weird coach from the favored team, who is way too invested in a high-school robotics competition

- Maggie Fremont of Vulture

There was so much to dislike about the portrayal of FRC in this show but I think this quote demonstrates the worst of it. If people new to FRC are coming away with the idea that adult mentors shouldn't be passionate about FRC, clearly this has failed to do its job. Passionate mentors are reason the vast majority of teams of survive. We have students stand and clap at every event for the efforts of dedicated mentors and to have them discarded so easily by a TV show that has gotten so much support from HQ is extremely upsetting.

Countless times in this show I was hoping a mentor, key volunteer, or anyone would actually mentor these students and provide for some kind of character growth but you're left just feeling worse at each and every interaction. The people that are supposed to be teaching these students right from wrong are instead cheering profitably from the stands (I'm not above using harsh language but clearly there is a time and place and this isn't it). This show is not the behavior we should be promoting from team members or from our society. I understand it's just a TV show but that doesn't mean we should sacrifice our core values just for the publicity.

If this is the culture change that HQ thinks we need I dont want any part of it. This doesn't represent the FRC I know and love, and I regret promoting the program before watching how they would depict FRC.

[s_forbes]

Originally Posted by David Brinza

Perhaps more like teenage drama TV?
If there isn't enough bad behavior coupled with super-charged emotional outbursts in the show, their target audience quickly loses interest.
I never expect this to be a glowing documentary about FRC, so I wasn't at all disappointed in the show.
On the very positive side, the show did portray the challenge and excitement in FRC, maybe that will intrigue some HS viewers enough to join a team!

Yep, that's my take on it. It's a family drama that's using FRC as a premise for the episode, it's not a TV spot about FIRST. Drama first, robots second. Maybe squeeze in some FIRST ideals if there's time.

Even so, I'm kind of amazed at how accurately the competition was portrayed. The teams that helped work the robotics atmosphere into the show did a good job. It's also a pretty good testament to how entertaining the games FIRST releases are, seeing that they didn't have a need to dress up the competition much.

Also, keep in mind that people googling "Fosters FIRST robotics" will see this thread as one of the top hits, so maybe don't stomp all over the show they like with your tall horses.

[bkahl]

Originally Posted by s_forbes

Also, keep in mind that people googling "Fosters FIRST robotics" will see this thread as one of the top hits, so maybe don't stomp all over the show they like with your tall horses.

Maybe don't stomp all over our mentors, our mission, a platinum sponsor, and display the opposite of gracious professionalism next to FIRST's name like they did on the Hollywood high horse?

[wilsonmw04]

according to this recap: http://www.vulture.com/2016/08/foste...episode-8.html , FRC isn't done with the Fosters just yet. I hope we will see more growth and depth from the characters as time goes by.

On a slightly different note: I don't think the Cobra Kai damaged martial arts in 1984. In fact, the Karate Kid sparked interest the martial arts for a generation. Relax a bit.

They weren't insulting anyone or any team in their dramatized TV portrayal of a FRC event. Gotta read the disclaimers

The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons, places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.

[wilsonmw04]

Originally Posted by AllenGregoryIV

- Maggie Fremont of Vulture

If people new to FRC are coming away with the idea that adult mentors shouldn't be passionate about FRC, clearly this has failed to do its job.

But isn't that what outsiders think about ANYTHING they aren't personally interested and excited about? For example, when I was at GENCON last week, I had my first run in with cosplay. Why would anyone get so passionate about a costume? I don't get it, but I don't have to! It's what they enjoy. So, more power to them.
It's the same with FIRST. There are many rookie parents and students who don't get my passion and interest in robotics. Heck, my principal doesn't even get it. Most of them begin to understand after they attend their first event. You have to admit, from the outside looking in, we are an odd group of people.

[Pauline Tasci]

Originally Posted by bkahl

Maybe don't stomp all over our mentors, our mission, a platinum sponsor, and display the opposite of gracious professionalism next to FIRST's name like they did on the Hollywood high horse?

I understand your anger, but all over might just be a tad harsh.

They did show the main mentor of Anchor bots in a good light and the importance of having an encouraging mentor on your team. He supported his team and his students, and that's what a mentor also does. So maybe not all over but certainly understand the engineer mentor comments.

A platinum sponsor wasn't "stomped all over" and the scene was much more about the individual mentors on team palomar than on the company as a whole.
People are not solely defined by the companies they work for, but rather their own personality. With that said, I understand the disgust behind the use of that phrase being read as "engineering mentors are bad" and its unfortunate the community is upset. And although this program is BUILT on hardworking engineering mentors, I don't think that idealism was as lost in the show as many are making it out to be.

Gracious Professionalism- I thought they upheld that value fine. They stressed the competition was about cooperating, working together, and learning more. The entire story line with "Baby Got Bots" and collaborating to make one mechanism work, and although I understand the "we need to beat Palomar mentality" is not the typical definition of a gracious professional, it honestly is true to events.

Everyone wants to beat the best, competitiveness is in all of us.

I understand everyone's lively comments about the show.

But I encourage everyone to get out and read comments from people who just watch the show and are not FIRST participants. The comments are amazing.
I've read great ones like "wait this is real? Sign me up" and "Those robots were so cool! "

One of my favorite parts they did with our story line is they did not make everyone a typical nerd, and did not point out only geniuses can do this. I really think they captured that anyone can do this and that robotics is competitive and fun. It is truly a sport of the mind! I love that the characters were so intense about competition because that's how a lot of us are!



The show averages about 1 million viewers per episode of people who would of not been exposed to FIRST otherwise! And although the episode is not the cookie cutter depiction of FIRST, I do think they got a lot of aspects right and that alone makes me proud and excited this is on TV.

With that said, god I hated the "$@#$@#$@#$@#$@#es get things done." Devaluing the hard work by calling the women $@#$@#$@#$@#$@#es is not okay in any world .

[Michael Corsetto]

Originally Posted by Libby K

Seems like the show writers (and whoever the 'FIRST advisor' was) took their own bias into the show.

Not to go all tin-foil-hat on this, but I agree.

Could the show just as easily had your typical "elite team" without demonizing involved mentors? How would the show writers even know about this specific topic of supposed "mentor-built robots"?

This specific aspect of the story line unnecessarily reinforces a viewpoint many members of our own community still hold; specifically that involved mentors do not belong in FRC. From my perspective, whoever the "FIRST advisor" was, that person (or group of peoples) made it a point to inject their viewpoint (which is contrary to FIRST's mission statement) into the show.

Kudos to all the teams and volunteers that made this show a success. It's clear this was a lot of work, and your involvement is something to be proud of!

-Mike

[Cothron Theiss]

Originally Posted by Libby K

Editing to add: I just watched the 'master cut' of all the FRC storyline content. It was a nice cover of FIRST -

Any way for those of us not able to watch or record the show to view this master cut? From the small clips I've seen, I have mixed feelings about this whole spectacle, but I'd like to watch the FRC-related portions and make my own decision.

[wilsonmw04]

Originally Posted by Cothron Theiss

Any way for those of us not able to watch or record the show to view this master cut? From the small clips I've seen, I have mixed feelings about this whole spectacle, but I'd like to watch the FRC-related portions and make my own decision.

Here ya go.
https://vimeo.com/179003515

[techtiger1]

Did anyone else find the bit about the 120.5 lb robot funny. Maybe it 's because my team is always so close on weight. I also could be wrong but at one point I was told by a regional inspector there is a .5 lb tolerance because of the accuracy of the scales. This could have been because at this event the scale was known to be off by a certain amount.