I am a die-hard Sci-Fi fan in both print and film/television media. I am not much of a Trekkie (never much cared for post-Spock era) or a Star Wars fan, but count me lock-step with Herbert, SG1 & Atlantis, Babylon 5, Firefly, Serendity, Dr. Who, Donaldson, Battle Star Galactica, Heinlein, Huxley, Goodkind, and Dick - just to name a few.
As a matter of fact, I will be spending my lunch hour curling up with Terry Goodkind’s latest book on a park bench in the garden of my office building with the Ipod going full blast. I may not be the brightest bulb, but at least I know how to enjoy a good gig when I get one. Of course, I have never understood why some people don't enjoy science fiction. I just marked it down to a failure of imagination. I may have to revise that theory - let me put a call into the Pegasus galaxy and get back to you.
3 comments:
Working in I.T. killed sci-fi for me. Used to enjoy reading that stuff until 10+ years in the industry convinced me that people are just too stupid to make any high-tech wonderland functional for any length of time. =)
Chris, I think your IT experience might have been kind of Huxley's point. The idea that technology can save us from the worse excesses of our desires is not really the focus of most modern sci-fi themes. I gather you have not been following the new BSG either?
I watched it just past the halfway point of the second season (either "Resurrection Ship" or "Epiphanies"); then it more or less permanently destroyed my suspension of disbelief for the BSG universe.
I am the world's worst TV/movie critic, especially when it comes to portrayals of pilots and military personnel. The second a character does something flagrantly violating SOP, flight safety, etc I instantly hate the show.
One thing I really insist on for military dramas is the ability of portrayed soldiers / sailors / airmen to live under military discipline (i.e. not kill superiors, not switch sides every other episode, not have big angsty monologues in the middle of a critical mission, carry out the mission in spite of your own personal misgivings, etc). For me the characters went off the rails and ceased to be believeable military personnel; they became about as believable as the average episode of JAG. So I quit watching.
On the other hand I really enjoy CBS' The Unit. Occasionally the missions stretch my ability to suspend disbelief, but the characters never do. The great thing about that show is that even the wives ring true -- they behave like real life military spouses, as team players understanding the importance of opsec. The civilians and hell, the servicemen on BSG never do.
It's a shame because I had high hopes for BSG, and it slowly became Just Another Space Opera. I am not saying it is necessarily a bad show; it's just unwatchable to critical ol' me.
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