TOS Weekly - The Values of Love and Friendship
Plus the impact of Alexander Hamilton, the goodness of GMOs, and the genius of James Madison.
Welcome to this week’s TOS Weekly!
Modern cinema is replete with movies that claim to be love stories, but what many of them depict as “love” is really infatuation rather than the esteeming of another person’s values and character. In his new review essay, Tim White highlights a recent example of this tendency, Luc Besson’s new adaptation of Dracula, noting the film’s merits compared to many modern movies while examining the errors it makes in depicting the nature of love.
True love can of course exist in the form of close friendships as well as romantic relationships. This week, I have decided to highlight a classicTV series—1971’s The Persuaders!—that depicts loving friendship exceptionally well, and that depicts the fact that a life of wealth and pleasure won’t be satisfying without a meaningful purpose.
I hope you enjoy this week’s articles,
Thomas Walker-Werth
Managing Editor
What’s New?
Dracula: A Love Tale (2025): A Sincere but Fatally Flawed Love Story
Dracula: A Love Tale (2025) engages deeply and sincerely with fundamental human values, and it respects its audience rather than lecturing them. It deserves meaningful praise on these grounds, but its reach ultimately exceeds its grasp because it tries to tell a love story without understanding what love is.
Purpose and Friendship in The Persuaders!
Like most classic spy shows, The Persuaders! is a fun opportunity to enjoy action, glamor, and intrigue—but unlike many, it has at its core a valuable message about why the pursuit of a life-serving purpose, not merely of pleasure, gives a man’s life meaning.
From the Archive
America at Her Best Is Hamiltonian
250 years ago, on March 14, 1776, Alexander Hamilton was commissioned as a captain of a New York artillery company. In less than a year, he would be promoted by Gen. George Washington and would go on to become one of America's most important and impactful founders.
GMOs: Good, Man-Made Organisms
Do you know what genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are? Could you explain it clearly to a twelve-year-old? If your answer to these questions is “no,” you’re not alone.
This Week’s Birthdays
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