Here We Go Again...
Everyone knows what the Groundhog Day Syndrome is, right? It's the concept of looping time, where you relive a certain amount of time over and over again. The storyline was best done in the movie Groundhog Day, where Bill Murray lives the same day over and over and over again, each day starting with "I Got You Babe" on the radio. Some may call it cheesy, some may call it cliché, some may call it a weak, cheating storyline.

I love it.

No, Not the Morals
Morals shmorals. It's the immoral I love... the concept of being able to do anything you want with no consequences. Think about it. No consequences. Think about it once more. No consequences. Before the morals starting taking over, Bill Murray got to eat what he wanted, deck people on the street, kidnap Punxsatawney Phil, even commit suicide!

TV Has Done It a Few Memorable Times
Buffy The Vampire Slayer:
Jonathon of The (evil) Trio put a spell on Buffy that won't be lifted until she satisfies one challenging customer in the Magic Box. And of course, that customer wants a mummy hand that doesn't want to be had. Buffy gets to relive only moments in time, not a whole day, and it loops every time she doesn't satisfy her customer. In her frustration, she does take a little bit of advantage of her time with no consequences. She crushes Giles' glasses, tells the easy customer he'll never get laid and attacks (dare I suggest there's decking involved?) the challenging mummy hand-wanting customer. It's not full advantage, but she was having a bad day, so I forgive her. This episode also serves to introduce my next two occurrences.

"I hope this doesn't take her as long as Data in that episode where the Enterprise keeps blowing up." - Andrew (you know, that blonde guy), Member of the Trio.

Star Trek the Next Generation:
There's more moral than anything in this one, but it needs mentioning if only because there was Riker! The time loop ends with the Enterprise exploding (for the first time!), but the crew doesn't realize its happening for a while... remember the poker game where Beverly slowly starts to realize she knows all the cards Data's about to deal? It's a great episode but how much better would it have been if Riker and Picard took advantage of their time with no consequences? How funny would it have been to see Riker say to Picard, "We need a break. Let's take a loop off, go deck some red shirts, and then find us some ladies!"

"Or as long as Mulder when that bank kept blowing up." - Warren (flailed soon after), Leader of the Trio.

The X-Files:
Poor Mulder and Scully. They get caught in a time loop without knowing it... it's a bad day for Mulder (leaky waterbed, water damage, must deposit check) that ends with in a bank robbery and both their deaths. Loop! It all starts again. The day repeats itself with enough varieties to make it interesting to watch. Sometimes Mulder goes to the bank directly, sometimes the ATM, sometimes he makes Scully go, but they always end up at the bank together in time for it to blow up. Soon, you realize that the one person who does have time with consequence is the girlfriend of the bank robber with the bomb. I hope that when she wasn't trying to stop the explosion, she was out having some fun... and decking someone!

And then, the best example of taking full advantage of time without consequences: (Sadly, not mentioned by any member of The Trio.)

Stargate SG-1:
O'Neill and Teal'c get stuck in a time loop that belongs to someone else. O'Neill starts the loop during breakfast, soon sickening of Fruit Loops and Daniel's technical chitchat. Teal'c, even unluckier, begins the loop by getting hit in the face with a door. They concentrate so hard on not blowing themselves up (they try to decode a message in the hope it will tell them how to stop the loop) that they don't even realize the "no consequences" clause until Daniel points it out to them. Then they take full advantage. It's golf drives into the Stargate, Teal'c decking people (a theme in this theory?) and my personal favorite, O'Neill's resignation. General Hammond looks at him and says, "You're resigning? Why?" and O'Neill replies, "So I can do this!" He then grabs Carter and passionately kisses her. Sigh... Funny and romantic! My favorite combination!

Why Not Sitcoms?
It's a wonder that sitcom writers haven't figured out some way to incorporate the Groundhog Day theory into their scripts. Because of the nature of "time loops," the idea has a tendency to remain in the land of television science fiction. Groundhog Day was a wonderful breakthrough into the movies, but how can it ever be done again? Who wouldn't watch it thinking, "Yeah, but where's Bill Murray?"

I think time without consequence is the true human dream. Immortality is great and all, but there are always consequences and consequences have the ability to haunt you until the end of time. It's definitely my ultimate dream because I would be able to do anything, experience anything, try anything... all without hurting anyone.

In writing this, I've been thinking a lot about what I would do if I were given the gift of time without consequences. One thing keeps coming to the front of my mind. It would take a few loops to accomplish, but I have faith in my determination. I'd do... Riker!

P.S. I know there are probably more examples out there. If you know of one, write me! I'd love to know, so I know what to watch out for!! - Kerri