*Used for review purposes only. No attempt is made to supersede any copyrights.*

Okay, I’m sure you’re saying, tell me something I don’t know.

Well, maybe my reason is different to yours. For years now I’ve been wanting a futuristic science fiction adventure that is, well, in the future. Not since Bablyon 5, Farscape and Battlestar Galactica have we had a space opera that really invests in the futuristic tech idea. You know, physics, chemistry and science, extrapolated several hundred or thousands of years hence, or in the present but with aliens who have tech far more advanced, or featuring an entire ensemble that are from an advanced race unrelated to Earth.

Another Life had a few references but it was more about relationships. Pandora had a few more, but it’s mainly about uni students with some tech and rayguns. Even the Orville, apart from a brief flit to the 29th century, seems to have stagnated somewhere in the 25th century, afraid to go all high concept hard future tech.

I had little interest in the first season of Discovery as I struggled to be engaged in a prequel series. The 2nd series was a bit better, but only because I loved the time travel tropes. The fact it was still before had me sighing, though that is probably due to the propensity of many TV show writers needing to write for an American audience that prefers familiarity over strange. But now, with Discovery’s third season, and especially episodes 5 & 6, I am absolutely thrilled that they’re in the ‘far’ future. There are some nostalgia references that are part of this trade off but, this is exactly what I’ve been looking for, for years. It’s also the kind of stuff I write in my short stories (though, usually a bit further than the year 3000. I doubt humans would still be living on Earth at that time.)

Still, I’m always on the lookout for new series set far from our own.

Foundation sounds like it might be worth a look, especially considering Asimov had combined his Foundation series and his robot series. As much as I would like to be excited by Dune, Herbert made a conscious decision to resign artificial intelligence to the history books. In this case, unless the series is full of non-anthropomorphic aliens, I’m more inclined to watch the Mandalorian instead, which while science fantasy, at least it’s not as restricted. Picard was great, but for those of you who saw the last episode, should it really have that name anymore? I am looking forward to the next series and am dying to see Guinan in it. That is going to be one awesome episode. (Though, not wanting to overpromote, I might end up saying ‘There she is, there she is. My life is complete,’ and not really notice the story.) I might try to watch Lost in Space after episode 3 again, but I’ve never really got into any science fiction TV show that has children in it. Generally, when child actors are added (don’t get me started on Raised by Wolves) the show becomes an emotional mess. (Yeah, I’m one of those viewers who would love a series focused solely on future scientists and their discoveries, with guest appearances by a hologram of the late Stephen Hawking.) Dark Matter had potential but there were too many “seriously?” moments that I had trouble staying in the reality to really enjoy it. The Expanse is just war and politics until season 4 but you’ve really got to watch the first 3 seasons. I couldn’t get past episode 5. Maybe when world politics becomes boring again I might need this kind of drama. Still, it had some great science; I’m just not interested in drama, intrigue, fighting and politics. (Yeah, that kinda wipes out 90% of American science fiction right there.)

So, I think that Discovery Season 3 is awesome purely because of the future tech. That’s why I’ll be watching, while, of course, enjoying the character arcs and stories that come from this tech. When you create a world that is completely different to any world writers have written in before, you’re more likely to get stories that have never been written before. This is the most exciting part. Original science fiction! (Well, to be more specific, original space opera!)

Now, if Discovery could just have a permanent time travel system, I might consider switching my allegiance from Doctor Who.

Feel free to leave a comment below if you disagree but I’m only really into far future space opera with as much science, aliens and exploration as possible, preferably with a utopian or joyful atmosphere. Doctor Who and Star Trek are at the top of that list, though Stargate comes a close second, with Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (the radio play) and Red Dwarf a close third. More of these please!

Current SF First Episode Rant

Can we have some ‘REAL’ SF please?

Alright, who’s decided they’re going to destroy live action SF?

Of course, I understand that science fiction is really something for subscribers, or government sponsored free to air TV. It certainly doesn’t lend itself to advertising too easily. Though, if marketers really were on the ball, every SF episode would be advertising the latest technology, mobile phones, apps and more. If we’re into tech we’re into SF and visa versa. VR googles and bendable mobiles would be the ideal thing to advertise.

But, what’s with the ‘accessible scene followed by plot twist’ to get those who are not so interested in SF to be interested? I think this is an old trope from the 60s, and has no place in today’s SF. Consider the 60s mentality of almost a decade getting ready for the moon landing and seeing the rocket launch.

Guys, SF fans are over that. We don’t need the lead up.

Disappointed

Anyway. Why this rant? Friends repeatedly recommended me to watch Stranger Things. First ep starts with a Dungeons and Dragons game in the 80s. Following scenes are set in the 80s, with a school. Limited budget?

Friends said I should check out Philip K Dick’s Electric Dreams. Although the trailer looked a bit hodgepodge, I thought, you know, give it a go.

Started with a contemporary scene. What?

Episode 2 was better but if it is over 700 years in the future, why are they using LCD screens, and why does one of the main characters have a double row of mail pigeon holes above his desk?

Read reviews of Black Mirror. Thought, yeah, alright. Flicked through all episodes. Most were contemporary. The first episode starts with the Prime Minister sleeping in bed. <Raises eyes heavenward>

If it is on free to air TV, and the goal of the channel is to attract a new audience to sell advertising too, fair enough. I understand these have to exist and create revenue somehow. But, for something to be billed as science fiction, then made available via Netflix, Amazon video, or other pay per view portal, I would expect to pay for something, well, science fictiony!

So, I thought, well, I really should check out episode 3 of Lost in Space. Two bottles of wine got me through the first two, so surely the third will start out not so saccharin, now that the crazy Doctor Smith bitch is in residence. (Very excited. Parker Posey is going to bring some awesome scenes to that show.) But guess what?! It started with a scene in a house on Earth over food and wine. Looks like that bottle of Muscat I started drinking is going to need a sister.

Now, I’m not saying LiS was bad. It continued with a nice twist, and I love the fact that there wasn’t an explanation as to what she did next, leaving it to us simple viewers to work it out, but, still, why the ‘reality’ scene at the beginning? And why is this so common now? It’s not just the USA and the UK doing it. It’s every country that produces SF. Did someone write a manual? No, it was a dot to dot book, wasn’t it?!

Modern SF Episodes

Step 1. Write an accessible scene for those stuck on the lounge who didn’t bother to hit the remote. Let them think it’s a basic soapy story with a mystery. Make the scene as realistic and contemporary as possible, but slightly mysterious and interesting, so that they don’t think to change to something else.

Step 2. Add an interesting twist that isn’t too confronting that gets them to think that, woah, wait, WTF is going on.? Okay, I’ll watch a bit longer.

Step 3. Slowly introduce the SF element bit by bit, but always have flashbacks to reality on Earth, just so they doesn’t feel left out.

Step 4. Make the scene end on a poignant, cliffhanger note related to Earth life so that they sit in their lounge thinking about it long enough to play a tech or relationship ad.

Step 5. The next scene after the ad should also help ease them back into the series without being too confrontational or too otherworldly.

Step 6. Leave enough mystery so that they decide to watch the next one.

Tired

Was very happy when both The Discovery and The Orville started as I was sure that the writers knew how to write real science fiction. Then it turned out Discovery was about love and loyalty, and The Orville was about divorce.

Sigh.

Ok. Rant over. Overall, I love both Star Trek: Discovery and The Orville. I want more of that (just, no boxing episodes, thanks). Please powers that be, please consider some SF scripts that don’t bother with the contemporary stuff.

Why not look into what producers did in the 50s? Contacted soap producers and got their advice on how to make a show where they could sell washing soap. Or the 70s – got advice on how to create a show that would sell action figures.

Or the 90s. Created shows that would sell music.

Why not contact SF writers, producers, directors etc and ask them what they could do to create a compelling show that would increase the sale of high tech stuff.? There’s so much possible advertising revenue just begging to be matched with SF.

Mobile Phones

VR glasses

Computers

Fitwear

Relationships

Bitcoin

A.I. Investments

Robot merchandise

Alexa and Google Home assistants

Drones

The list is endless

And you wouldn’t need to start with a contemporary scene. You could start with a futuristic one using ‘ancient’ contemporary gear.

Looking forward to a new series on Netflix or Amazon video that starts immediately with a science fiction scene that only science fiction lovers will understand.

Exploding binary stars followed by non-humanoid aliens surviving and looking for help? Anyone?

Or, aliens and humans working together to solve a problem in another galaxy in the far future?

I live in hope.

At least Doctor Who didn’t bother with the whole contemporary start to…

What? Russell T. D? Why did you have Rose working in a clothing store? Steven M? Why did Bill turn up at a contemporary uni? Chris Chibnall? Is the Doctor really going to crash land in 2018 London and meet a family?

Wait. The first episode in 1963 started in a school?

OMG!

Back to reading books.

😛

Tag: star trek discovery

Star Trek: Discovery Season 3 is Awesome!