good science fiction
What is good science fiction? What separates the legendary stuff from the mediocre outings on the Sci-Fi channel?
Some say that good science fiction is, at the core, good social commentary. The old Twlight Zone, which had something surreal to say about everything from beauty queens to nuclear war, is a great example. The same is true for the original Star Trek, with episodes like “Let that Be Your Last Battlefield”. This school of thought says that science fiction is only good if it’s trying to do something of overt importance.
Some theorists like to think even bigger. Carl Jung, one of the most famous of Freud’s students, developed a theory of psychology that held mythological themes to be of incredible importance in the everyday lives of men and women. In short, we are nothing without our mythology. The problem is that modern life separates us from and renders irrelevant these time honored stories. Enter science fiction, says Jung. You want magic? Grab a tricorder. Quests for immortality? Cryogenics. Hero myths? Star Wars.
This is why Firefly and Buffy are great, but The Lost Room is not. With Buffy, your high school is hell and the world is literally ending. Great metaphor. The Lost Room, in contrast, is essentially just an action show with an interesting sci-fi gimmick as the motivator. I can’t really speak to Battlestar Galatica, but from what I’ve seen of it there’s plenty of great stuff in there about human survival and, yes, mythology. For an even more acute comparison, look at the Matrix trilogy. The first film works because it takes innovative, tight technopunk action and overlays a story straight out of the Gnostic bible. The sequels, however, alternate between nonsensical fight scenes and a clunky, overwrought plot that reads like a Theology 101 class. It’s either feast or famine, and the audience gets nauseous.
I decided to write about this because I just found a link to Isaac Asimov’s “The Last Question”. I read the story years ago and it became one of my favorites. I never knew that it was also Asimov’s favorite. It’s a quick read, and it’s got all the right stuff. Just substitute Google for Multivac and you’ve even got some decent social commentary in there.
Poor, poor Jon. You have confused epic with great. The two aren’t the same at all.
Ah, the chance to comment on my favourite television genre. Personally, I enjoy scifi that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Look to Farscape, co-produced by the Jim Henson company. Ben Browder is an excellent hero, and when accompanied by a warped version of Kermit, our Dominar Rigel XVI of the Hinerian Empire, who farts Helium…priceless! Furthermore, Claudia Black makes a wonderful heroine. Then there is the long running classic, Stargate SG-1, and its spinoff, Stargate Atlantis. Both marvelous shows. I should mention that my ego looks something like Chris Judge and I would do anything for Richard Dean Anderson to be my adopted father.
For recent scifi, Battlestar and Heroes are absolutely amazing.
Have you had the opportunity to see more of Battlestar Galactica than the miniseries yet? It’s the only show I get angsty waiting for the next episode.As for the Matrix, I saw more of Plato’s Allegory of the Cave in that. The problem as I saw it was that the first movie rushes through the first three parts of the allegory, and the last two movies take all these diversions dealing with the fourth part.