Tarot on Journeyman

We caught a glimpse of Tarot on television earlier this week: a psychic character telling fortunes on NBC's sci-fi series, Journeyman.

The first card pulled from her brand-spankin' new copy of the Rider-Waite deck was the Seven of Wands. "Ah, yes," the reader purred. "You're very successful at everything you do." (Hmmm. Was she thinking, perhaps, of the Six? Hard to get "Success!" from a screaming man using a wand to himself from six potential pokes!)

The final card pulled was called "The Significator" card -- "a card that summarizes the essence of the entire reading." Hmmmm ... last we heard, a significator represents the querent in the reading. The writer was probably reaching for the term quintessence -- a summary (calculated mathematically, or represented by a single card) of the overall energy of the reading.

The so-called Significator turned out to be the Hanged Man. "Something has turned your life upside down!" the reader gasped. Seconds later, she was on her feet, having one of those psychic moments that seem only to happen in television dramas, complete with rolled-back eyes and heavy breathing.

We completely understand that Tarot cards make for great visual drama, and we applaud efforts to include them as props in books and scripts. That said: would it be too much to ask for you t.v. writer-types to Google the subject, visit Tarotpedia, or drop a question or two to TheTarotChannel.com ... you know, just so your use of the cards will incorporate a little accuracy and authenticity?

I mean, while you're all on strike, it's not like you got anything else to do!

Comments

[Matt]

Yeah, sounds like they could have researched the Significator card a bit more. The "psychic moments" often annoy me as well, but I guess it's just part of the dramatization by television and of the general stereotypical image of a tarot reader.

The interpretations of the Seven of Wands and the Hanged Man are perfectly fine with me though - it's not necessarily how I would see them, of course, but "success" is not that far-fetched for a card that shows a man towering over others, taking a stance. And I could definitely see the Hanged Man as signifying one's world being turned upside down. (It sure beats the death-like meaning given to it on Married with Children ages ago!)

[Morgana Fillion]

*Thank* you. I was googling minutes after that scene to see what others were making of it. I can deal with the meaning of the Hanged Man and the 7 of Wands (the figure is on a pinnacle, so there's a battle of some sort, but it could be said the figure will come out on top), but the use of the word Signifier in a totally random way bugged me.

I didn't even peg on the psychic's dramatics, it's become so standard. But I'm with you totally - it would have taken just a couple minutes to look up a bit of accurate detail. For that matter, if they'd asked around to their staff, odds are high at least one of them has a decent familiarity with Tarot.

[Erin]

I think that show is getting canceled anyway...

[poetryman69]

Canceled? A little less magick in the world.