I miss old school sci-fi!

[katikat]

I miss the old days of Star Trek: Whatever and SG-1/SGA. I miss sci-fi where people were excited to explore the universe, where they were curious about what the next planet would show them, what hid under the next stone they would turn. I miss shows where people wanted to be out there, among the stars, where they couldn't wait to see more, go farther and deeper, explore the universe in all its glory.

I've never been a fan of gritty, dark shows like BSG. I know that they have their audience and why not? People's tastes differ. And it was awesome that there was a time when we got both - fun and adventure in one show and dark and grit in the next.

But these days? All sci-fi shows out there are about people who want out, who don't want to be where they are, who betray each other, who kill and maim and whatnot. The beauty of the space exploration is gone. Trust and friendship and camaraderie are gone. And it just hurts to watch it. Whatever show you take today, be it SGU, V or Caprica, their tone is ALL THE SAME - despair and darkness! And I'm tired of being served the same dish over and over again. The Star Trek reboot proved that there IS audience for campy fun - then why are we being force-fed grit over and over again?

I know that the aforementioned genre has their fans and GOOD FOR THEM! But I want variety. I want something for everyone!

*sigh* Sorry about the rant. I'm just irked by the fact that I can't find one sci-fi show - and by sci-fi I mean space ships and all, Star Trek not The X-Files - these days that I would actually like.

Comments

[leoraine.livejournal.com]

I didn't even realise until you mentioned it, that there really aren't any new sci fi shows! Everything you said above? So true! There's not one show that would be about team work, space travel, and exploring new worlds. The only show that fits the category now is maybe Doctor Who, but even that isn't for everyone and it's more for fun than the real deal. Sigh. Now the only thing I can do is re-watch all the old shows.

I have an idea. Why doesn't someone start the Star Trek reboot TV show? With the cast from the movie:-) After all, their reality was changed so there's a whole alternate universe and plenty of space for the Enterprise's new/old adventures.

[katikat.livejournal.com]

Exactly, I don't understand why they can't make a ST:Reboot show, it doesn't even have to be about the Enterprise, just some other ship/explorers in that universe. I mean, come on!

[leoraine.livejournal.com]

I've stopped watching SGU with the last episode. I didn't like the fact that most of the show was about one character trying to get rid of another. There was absolutely no 'team' feeling, the only people who worked well together were the ones who were sleeping together or who wanted to sleep with the other.

I would sooo like to watch another ST rip off. Heck, I even liked the last one, Enterprise. Lately all the SF shows are about big arcs. Like BSG. I didn't see few episodes and I become completely lost. That couldn't happen with ST or even Stargate [the first few seasons. The only thing I could've get lost in there was which God was momentarily the bad guy and which one was killed off] Sigh. Sorry I stole your rant:-)

Anyways, I've started downloading Space Above and Beyond, hopefully it's the old school stuff, at least the reviews were good. And I might check out the Primeval. I think I saw an episode or two, although the dinosaurs made me think 'kid show'. I will give it another try though:-)

[leoraine.livejournal.com]

Okay, I was so inspired that I've put up a question at Yahoo!Answers about reccing some older sci fi. We'll see what the folks come up with there:-)

[daug21.livejournal.com]

if you haven't done so watch 'Red Dwarf' starts off as a comedy set in space but develops into quite the nice sci-fi series

[katikat.livejournal.com]

I loved Enterprise because of Trip. Even bought all four seasons on DVD!

Space Above and Beyond is full of action - but so dark that every episode gave me depressions. I mean, it's SERIOUSLY dark - as in suffering, suffering and more suffering, depression, abuse etc., I saw it years ago on Vox - and literally dark, too - all is military green and grey and it's filmed in these tones. And let me just say that it definitely doesn't have a happy ending, if you avoid stuff like that.

I watched an ep or two of Primeval but the show kinda didn't click for me. And I heard that they killed some of the cast after S2? Erm, not my thing. Kinda like with Torchwood. After they started killing regulars, I dropped it. Didn't watch Children of Earth at all.

[leoraine.livejournal.com]

Oh, well, thanks for the warning about Space. Will give it a try still, I've already dl half of it. I was watching Torchwood's first season, then only sporadically and episode or two. I watched Children of Earth and didn't really mind one of the main characters getting killed off, but what Jack did to his grandson well... that threw me off. I couldn't even think of torchwood after that for few weeks. I mean, seriously, do what you want to adults, but leave the kids alone. Even shows like TW should respect that, duh.

[seraphim-grace.livejournal.com]

Warehouse 13

it caught me unawares one day on the syfy channel here in the uk and i ended up mainlining it

it's about two secret service agents - miss prim and mr fun - who are recruited for a top secret government project collecting items that are "charged" ie the person who owned them left part of themselves in them
some of them are harmless, some very dangerous indeed, like Sylvia Plath's typewriter causes feelings of intense despair, Lewis Carroll's mirror
it's like a sci fi bones (in fact Pete was the spare fbi agent in bones), it's fun, cheesy and NOT DARK!
also their government liaison is Amanda Waller from the Cadmus program which sent me into squees. she actually looks like she does in the JLU cartoons!

that's pretty much the best i can do
space ships.....
Flash Gordon?, that was campy
not that i watched that mind you,
ummm

i was very little tv but i understand
i know BSG was popular and I know why, because it wasn't sci fi, it was the tensest political drama on the tv just with robots and ships, V was always dark so I'm not getting on that, haven't seen Caprica but SGU, turn on the bloody lights, ship McKay through the stargate to fix the ship and airlock the bloody lot of them! except maybe Eli who may have a personality

[katikat.livejournal.com]

I know of W13 - I plan to buy it on DVD - but unfortunately, that's not space exploration :( It's as much sci-fi as The X-Files or Fringe. I'm talking more of Babylon 5, Stargate or Star Trek. Alien races, space battles. Lately, every space based show has to boarder on soap opera and my soap opera days are long behind me *sigh*

I think I'll just pull out my DVDs and watch the shows from the beginning... :(

[seraphim-grace.livejournal.com]

well that leaves me with flash gordon
other than that I'm stumped

[katikat.livejournal.com]

Exactly, me too. And that's what irks me so much.

I mean, what's wrong with making a show about a team of space explorers who actually want to be out there, exploring the space? Why do we have to have a ton of shows about people with "issues", but not one that would be simple fun action/adventure?

Remember SGA's Rising? When they arrived in Atlantis? The sheer look of wonder on their faces, their need to go out there and just... see what Pegasus can offer them? Or when Picard, Riker, Troi and the rest boarded Enterprise? It's... I miss these shows like crazy! *wails*

[seraphim-grace.livejournal.com]

i can't do TNG, I was raised by a rampant Kirk fangirl, even poor Mr Pine can't fit that avacado wrap shirt
it comes on and I hear my mother in the back of my head

there must be some
maybe you need to go abroad, maybe an anime
or a J drama
umm
I mean I grew up with old school sf where it was all hardcore and the stuff on the telly was a poor imitation that you watched for fun but even so I'm going dear god people cheer the F up, and blow up the Destiny

you could try Primeval, it's not space ships but they're time explorers, with dinosaurs and stuff

[katikat.livejournal.com]

I've never seen the old series. I started with TNG. Though I did read some books from ST:TOS.

I used to watch anime, but dropped them some years ago. I found out that they didn't hold my interest anymore :(

I gave Primeval a try but it didn't really click for me. A bit like Torchwood - not a bad series but something felt... off, I guess.

[seraphim-grace.livejournal.com]

apparently it's like a great divide, those of us raised with kirk and those with picard and never the twain shall meet
TOS is like a submarine drama a lot of the time, because of budget mostly, but you always get the impression most of the characters are seconds away from the giggles which is always nice to see

anime i love in phases and when I'm in a yes phase I'll watch anything and everything, when I'm not I can't be bothered with it at all
so i understand
i might come out of lurkdom for devil may cry but vanish back into it at the end of ep 12
there probably are some out there, it's just a matter of finding them

[katikat.livejournal.com]

I loved watching Bleach or Samurai Champloo because the fights were amazing! And in Bleach, the music too - whenever a Hollow appeared, it gave me shivers!

I want to buy ST:TOS on DVD, once the price of the re-mastered version drops, that is. I don't have a preferrence, really. I liked all the shows - except for ST:DS9, that one I watched solely for Dr. Bashir, the rest was just way too political for my liking :(

[whitecollarfan.livejournal.com]

Not always. I was raised on TNG - but TOS became my favorite (via the movies and then I got to see the show itself) of the Treks and still is. And I still prefer the original movies to the new version.

[creedcascade.livejournal.com]

I was lamenting at work the other day of sci-fi shows I want to watch without slitting my throat at the end. Even "Firefly" was dark, but it always had a grit of hope, too. I miss that. I still watch SGU, but it depresses me.

[katikat.livejournal.com]

I need humor, team spirit and stuff like that in my shows. That's why I adored SGA and loved Star Trek: Reboot. Right up my alley. Why are the networks suddenly affraid of these plots. ST: Reboot proved that the fans are out there!

[dragonsinger.livejournal.com]

I understand what you're saying. Fantasy seems to be going the same way (especially in urban fantasy novels) - the lone hero or heroine, on their own, causing trouble and fighting it. Sometimes I get a little bored with that concept.

But, hey, have you seen the current season of Doctor Who? It looks like they're trying to bring back the fun of exploration, and Amy and Eleven have a great friendship going.:)

[katikat.livejournal.com]

I couldn't agree more about urban fantasy. I even posted a request on GoodReads, asking about urban fantasy that are somehow different, that don't follow the same pattern of: a girl is a vampire/dhampir/werewolf/zombie/etc., she lives alone/her family died/her family doesn't want her/she hides, she meets a man/two/three and they fall in love with her, she can't decide whom she wants, she needs to kill the big bad. Lather, rinse, repeat, for Pete's sake!

I watched one whole season of Dr. Who, the one where Jack was introduced. The show seemed way too silly and the daleks were laughable, not threatening. It really didn't click for me. I preferred Torchwood but even that seemed... off for me. Maybe because I didn't like anybody there except for Jack :(

[dragonsinger.livejournal.com]

That could be it. I only liked Jack, Ianto, and Tosh, and two of those three have been killed off. *Sigh*

Give this season a try. Steven Moffatt is the showrunner now, and he's writing is very, very good.:)

Have you had any hits on your request yet?

[katikat.livejournal.com]

This is all that I received for my request: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/245565-looking-for-recommendations-new-original-premises

But it seems to me like most of the poster really didn't get my point *sigh*

[dragonsinger.livejournal.com]

Some of them made some good suggestions, but it is hard to find an urban fantasy that doesn't fit the mold in some way. I shall keep an eye out here at the library.

[whitecollarfan.livejournal.com]

I mostly agree but I'd like something in between the really campy stuff like Star Trek/Stargate and the really dark stuff like BSG/SGU... Campy can be fun but there needs to be good plotting and seriousness within it. And there still needs to be some actual science to go with the fiction ...

But I agree with you - lately most shows seem to go for the darker side of things with characters who hate each other and / or would betray each other in a second.

[katikat.livejournal.com]

True, I need a serious plotline in my shows, but also lightness, camaraderie and fun. That's why I loved when Jack and Daniel or John and Rodney bickered.

And that's why I love White Collar - they like each other and they have a lot of fun doing what they do, they like doing it. It's really important to me. That's why I can't, for example, watch Southland or Sons of Anarchy. It's just way too dark!

[whitecollarfan.livejournal.com]

Agreed on all counts. :)

[klingonpoo.livejournal.com]

I agree with you. I miss Trek. I didn't watch the new Galactica series but I sure loved the original.

One of my all time favorite movies is the original "The Day the Earth Stood Still". When I saw previews for the remake starring Keanu Reeves, I felt like crying. The story was completely different. I didn't see it, but from what I've heard, it missed the whole point of the original version. They should have made it as an original movie and called it something different.

They don't make sci-fi like they used to.

[katikat.livejournal.com]

I loved the original Galactica too! Apollo and Starbuck were awesome. And there was so much camaraderie and team-ness! It was great.

[klingonpoo.livejournal.com]

Apollo and Starbuck were awesome! I couldn't believe that they made Starbuck a chick in the new Galactica. That was wrong.

[katikat.livejournal.com]

After I got over my shock seeing Starbuck as a chick, I actually liked Kara. But I hated the UST between her and Apollo. I mean, either leave them as friends or make them a couple, but the on-again, off-again thing they had going was quite annoying :(

[klingonpoo.livejournal.com]

Kara was very popular. I just thought they should have made her an original character. I only ever watched one or two episodes.

[layne67.livejournal.com]

I was just a kid when these shows were around but I remember enjoying them very much. Do you know any of these? BSG the original, Space 1999, Lost in Space, Buck Rogers in the 21st century. *sighs* Good times.

[katikat.livejournal.com]

Wasn't the original BSG much better? I mean, they all worked together, they had a common goal, they were friends! I hate it that these days, it's all about personal agenda and back-stabbing :(

[layne67.livejournal.com]

You know of the original one? \o/

I love the original very, very much ( Apollo! ) but I can't say whether it's better or not since I haven't really watch the remake. But I'm attempting to, because of Katee Sackhoff. I've got the first part of the miniseries downloaded!

[katikat.livejournal.com]

I do know it. I'm actually thinking of buying it on DVD. But only the old one, not the 1980, that one was quite lame. But Apollo and Starbuck were such awesome, amazing, great friends! Loved it :)