Sure, the malevolent A.I. GLaDOS may have spent the entirety of the Portal video game series trying to kill our characters, but on the plus side, she had a lovely singing voice. Now, Ellen McLain, the actress who portrayed GLaDOS, is voicing another A.I. creation: the NASA Official Talking General Leisure and Diversion Operational Server. She may be NOTGLaDOS, but this A.I. is also suspiciously interested in world domination. And to achieve her goal, she’ll sing an entertaining and educational song about the electromagnetic spectrum.
This video was posted on NASA’s Universe Unplugged YouTube channel earlier this month, and it’s actually a very clever way to teach the science behind the many different forms of light. Babylon 5 fans may recognize Ed Wasser, the man who portrayed Mr. Morden on the series. This time, Wasser is playing Dave, an altogether too trusting NASA technician who is willing to be swayed if NOTGLaDOS makes her argument in song.
Tim Pyle wrote the music, the screenplay, and directed this short. This is actually a sequel to NOTGLaDOS’ first appearance in 2014, which was also written and directed by Pyle. Casey McKinnon and Mike Romo co-starred in the “Fusion vs. Fission” short as NOTGLaDOS impatiently (but accurately) explained the difference between Fusion and Fission.
Both of these videos were well-made and fun to watch. Hopefully this won’t be the last time that NOTGLaDOS is forced to sing for educational purposes!
What did you think about NOTGLaDOS and her attempts to educate and destroy the world? Let us know in the comment section below!
Image: Universe Unplugged
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