#45 – I can think of no better training for playing Spock than playing Sylar for two years. Granted, Spock’s not a serial killer, but the Sylar character has the same challenge of being cold on the surface while still portraying an inner emotional struggle, and playing dead-calm while keeping it interesting.

His lecture is propped up by numerous pop references, and he can’t even muster the energy to say “Science Fiction,” though he manages “bifurcated” quite well.

Hugo Weaving was great as the computerized Agent Smith, but seemed to phone in his take on Elrond. He and Liv Tyler seemed like they were reading cue cards whenever they spoke to one another.

Stephenson doesn’t mention that Spock, Ripley, Smith and Elrond represent huge paychecks to these actors. It’s not “bifurcated,” it’s “Benjamins.”

I disagree that bifurcating careers is caused by “the ability to portray intelligence”. Type casting happens in other genres – Archie Bunker comes to mind and he wasn’t supposed to be that brilliant.