The Final Frontier

Confession time: I am a science fiction geek. Let the jokes begin.

No, I've never worn Vulcan ears. Yes, I did want my own time-traveling DeLorean. No, I was never in love with Princess Leia (now Chewbacca - on the other hand - what a hunk).

Perhaps I should clarify - I'm a fan of good science fiction. And guess what? So are you.

Don't believe me? This movie seemed to be pretty popular; this one was in the theaters for almost a full year; just about everyone saw this movie. This film is considered a classic; and, Will Smith became the world's biggest star based on this movie and this one.

I could go on, but because most of you have either gone insane or clicked to another web site, I'll stop.

I bring up the topic of science fiction because I recently saw The Dark Knight (also known as Batman VI). The movie has been out 10 days (as of this blog post) and has already made a LOT of money. Why? Because it's really, really good. In fact, it is the most well-written and entertaining movie I've seen in a long, long time. And while Batman doesn't have any traditional superpowers, many of his contraptions are a bit on the far-fetched side. So, for that reason, and for the purposes of using this example to suit my argument, I hereby label Batman as sci-fi. So there.

The problem with science fiction is that much of it is drivel. Because the story usually involves elements that require the viewer to suspend some measure of belief, writers/directors believe that plot and character development can take a backseat. The result is a TV show or film that is stereotypically bad. However, on the flip side, when a quality product is delivered, the result tends to be one blockbuster after another.

Although it is much harder to find, there is some good science fiction on television. Lost is one good example (although nobody knew that this show would incorporate sci-fi elements when it started). Another good example is Battlestar Galactica, which is down to it's last handful of episodes. For much of the 4 years that it's been on the air, this show was considered among the best, if not the best, on television. Hard to argue - it's an excellently written TV show that just happens to take place in space.

Of course, this simple fact is enough of a reason for most viewers to ignore it in favor of more compelling programming like this, this and this. Why watch intelligently produced shows when we can watch one reality show after another where three judges make someone cry, then eliminate them from the competition?

My personal favorite sci-fi TV show is called Stargate, which is derived from the movie of the same name. If you've been to the house, you'll no doubt notice the box sets of each season next to the DVD player. It's a smart, well-written show that doesn't take itself too seriously...and happens to be based on a portal allowing instantaneous travel to other planets. Given the high cost of gas these days, instantaneous travel has it's advantages.

Underneath the story line is a refreshing amount of dry wit and sarcasm, which precious few TV shows and movies have. Although the series was canceled last year after a 10-year run, two straight-to-DVD movies were made - one which was released in March and the other which will be released this week. Oh, and a spin-off series is currently in it's 5th season, which is a testament to the interest generated from a consistently produced high quality product.

Alas, I doubt I've converted the non-believers to give science fiction a shot. That's OK - I invite the jokes that are sure to follow. In fact, I demand them. That is, unless you are too busy watching such quality programming such as this.