What do you want out of a sci-fi?
- Thread starter Vincent Law
- Start date
OK, my biggest beef about scifi on TV(and most movies) is it's made by non fans and plays to stereotypes. Two spaceships dueling it out, aliens w/glowing eyes, a horrible monster-oh, eek, I'm so frightened!
I read scifi(lots) and the good stuff is...more believable.
In Orbital Decay, Allen Steele writes about the 2020s and everyday, blue-collar types working to build a power sat. They are on a job, nothing more, and they go through a lot of "life stuff" because they have to live with their co-workers in a contained area. The characters range from an ex-Fla shrimp fisher to a former biker who jams to the Grateful Dead in his little "worker bee" space tug as he tows girders around. From this-great things.....
Or Beowulf's Children by Niven/Pournelle where colonists you recognize as real American citizens face the challenges of an alien world, one that is enough like Earth to lull them into a false sense of familiarity-which often proves lethal. The whole story is about them learning to really observe their new home and survive it. Kind of like Earth 2, only more so.
And how about a realistic alt universe? Fringe tries, but the tech disparities blow what is otherwise a beautiful example of how the seemingly familiar is really the great unknown.
In 1632 by Eric Flint a modern W.Va mining town is dislocated to the Hundred Years War. During the story, rather than act like The Noble White Men, the Americans struggle to survive in a harsh and alien landscape that happens to be their own history. The tale reflects on the IMPACT of these aliens arriving at this time and place and deals with the vast changes that have occurred over 400 years. Characters die because they would die, be it from a lack of modern meds or a complete misunderstanding of the mores and beliefs of this earlier age.
These are the types of stories I'd like to see on TV and in film. Instead, we get The Cape.
I read scifi(lots) and the good stuff is...more believable.
In Orbital Decay, Allen Steele writes about the 2020s and everyday, blue-collar types working to build a power sat. They are on a job, nothing more, and they go through a lot of "life stuff" because they have to live with their co-workers in a contained area. The characters range from an ex-Fla shrimp fisher to a former biker who jams to the Grateful Dead in his little "worker bee" space tug as he tows girders around. From this-great things.....
Or Beowulf's Children by Niven/Pournelle where colonists you recognize as real American citizens face the challenges of an alien world, one that is enough like Earth to lull them into a false sense of familiarity-which often proves lethal. The whole story is about them learning to really observe their new home and survive it. Kind of like Earth 2, only more so.
And how about a realistic alt universe? Fringe tries, but the tech disparities blow what is otherwise a beautiful example of how the seemingly familiar is really the great unknown.
In 1632 by Eric Flint a modern W.Va mining town is dislocated to the Hundred Years War. During the story, rather than act like The Noble White Men, the Americans struggle to survive in a harsh and alien landscape that happens to be their own history. The tale reflects on the IMPACT of these aliens arriving at this time and place and deals with the vast changes that have occurred over 400 years. Characters die because they would die, be it from a lack of modern meds or a complete misunderstanding of the mores and beliefs of this earlier age.
These are the types of stories I'd like to see on TV and in film. Instead, we get The Cape.
For alternate history shows, have any of you seen either Code Geass or Jin-Roh out of curiosity?
Although, for that matter, Star Trek and its spin-offs could also be considered an alternate history, as there were no orbital weapons platforms in the late 1960s and there was no Eugenics War in the 1990s.
To be frank, though, I'm trying to get away from Star Trek somewhat, simply because I don't want to focus on any one franchise, and because I like to try out things that are somewhat new and original. So it is interesting to see what others might like to see out of something like that.
Although, for that matter, Star Trek and its spin-offs could also be considered an alternate history, as there were no orbital weapons platforms in the late 1960s and there was no Eugenics War in the 1990s.
To be frank, though, I'm trying to get away from Star Trek somewhat, simply because I don't want to focus on any one franchise, and because I like to try out things that are somewhat new and original. So it is interesting to see what others might like to see out of something like that.
I want characters that are a lot more frank. For an example, in the Voyager episode "Threshold" (I think), when Tom talks about mating with the mutant-Janeway thing, he was like "Well, um..." and trailed off like a shy seventh-grader not sure what's considered appropriate to say in front of his teacher. A grown man, especially a grown man several hundred years in the future, would be much more plain-spoken to a friend of some years.
"Dude, I totally banged the Captain!"
I can't help but be somewhat disturbed at that idea.
I've seen Code Geass and thought it was fantastic. The first season was excellent and the second season, whle being something of a train wreck, was still a lot of fun. I loved seeing the writers defy the laws of the universe and probability to screw over Lelouch every episode each time worse than the last. Murphy's Law in hyperdrive.
I've never heard of Jin-Roh before though.
Really liked how Code Geass manages to turn things upside down and come out with a completely different show.
Jin-Roh was good, but there are better things in the Kerberos saga.
As for other alternate history anime:
- There's Zipang, one of my favorites (though its anime adaption is still in dire need of a second season).
- Ginga Eiyū Densetsu falls into a grey area, since their European imperialist movement never really ended.
- In Read Or Die the British Empire has survived into the 21st century.
- Sakura Wars and Steamboy for obvious reasons (steampunk).
- GitS shows a future where the Soviet Union has survived and the ongoing competition has sped up technological development.
Yes. She was the least important character. They could have dispensed with the character and actress altogether. (Citing her performance in V would be a better argument.)
Sure. They would have needed another actress to play the "ass-kicking chick" role but there was nothing particularly special about Tapping. A lot of actresses could have done as good a job.
Okay, now you're onto something - a vital character + indelible casting. Most actresses would have frakked up a complex and challenging role like that.
Ugh. I never liked Sirtis, but then again, I never much liked the character either.
If she did, I didn't notice. But I'm not familiar with any but the most major characters so I don't tend to notice people in the background as being particularly significant.
Now we're talking!
Ashoka in The Clone Wars. Maybe not "insightful" but reasonably competent, shows intelligence and curiosity, can hold her own with the grownups.
Book, Firefly; Locke, Lost; Dale, The Walking Dead.
Last edited:
I would like to have seen a TNG in which Troi was just a background character; it never made sense for her to be part of the bridge crew.
It's part of its time. The show started during the late 80's, when some people sent even their dog to a shrink.
If she could have actually read minds, she would have been a more interesting character and much more of an asset to Starfleet. 
I got real tired of "oh Captain, I sense their annoyance and boredom..." That's the audience, honey!
And people still send their dogs to shrinks, sad to say. But I guess pill popping has now become dominant, and people only lie on couches in New Yorker cartoons.
I got real tired of "oh Captain, I sense their annoyance and boredom..." That's the audience, honey!And people still send their dogs to shrinks, sad to say. But I guess pill popping has now become dominant, and people only lie on couches in New Yorker cartoons.
Got an example of that? A real SF show? Just curious.
A point: what we, as SF fans, expect of a TV series, is a long way from what, for want of a less fun word, muggles want.
Case in point, Farscape. It was made for people who are really into SF. TNG, OTOH, was more a crowd pleaser If you want SFTV made, you'll have to keep that in mind.
So yeah, great characters, a consistent arc (not one futzed about between seasons and that ultimately knows where it's going), good writers who know SF and can think outside the box. That'll cover it.
Oh, and just for the record, I though Sackhoff, as an actor and a character, sucked. So angry, so hormonal, so whiny. But her comedy timing on Big Bang Theory, I have to say, was pretty good, and I'd like to see her doing more comedy.
Last edited:
Farscape? That show didn't shy away from drama or, quite literally, Looney Tunes wackiness.
Dead Leaves?
Okay, I haven't seen all FS, especially later, but I am rectifying that slowly.
A
Amaris
Guest
I like "The Man From Earth" type sci-fi (love that movie, by the way).
(and Howard Wallowitz)Similar threads
