A Tsunami of Science Fiction Shows

== A multitude of new shows ==

Turning from the (almost always) ridiculous to the (very often) sublime, CBS plans to release a new Star Trek television series  in 2017. 

The new television series is not related to the upcoming feature film “Star Trek Beyond,” which is scheduled to be distributed by Paramount Pictures in summer 2016.  Which is fine. I don’t mind the reboot started by J.J. Abrams as much as some do -- it's fun-fluff that offers little depth -- but it should be clearly demarcated (I know how) as an offshoot parallel world from the main line of this spectacularly successful mythic universe. 

J.J. Abrams will also produce Westworld, an HBO series based on Michael Crichton's 1973 movie about a futuristic Old West amusement park (with robotic cowboys), starring Yul Brynner. 

But that’s just one drop in a veritable tidal wave of new, televised science fiction coming up.  

From Jonathan Nolan’s planned epic version of Isaac Asimov's Foundation to the vivid Expanse series, based on the James S. Corey series of novels.  From Fred Pohl’s Gateway all the way to three different productions of John Scalzi tales, including (possibly) an adaptation of Redshirts. 

As a fellow at UCSD's Arthur C. Clarke Center for Human Imagination, I am thrilled to see plans for Arthur C. Clarke's  concluding tale 3001 to reach the screen… 

…along with optioned stories by China Mieville, Kim Stanley Robinson, Octavia Butler, Anne Leckie, Dan Simmons and Ian McDonald and a timely remake of Brave New World, plus a TV series based on H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds.

See this site for a full listing of twenty-three SF projects in the works.  And no, not all of them will make it. Still, we had better hope that some of them (at least) are big hits, so that this trend will be more than a mere flash in the pan.  

Philip K. Dick’s “The Man in the High Castle” is already out on Amazon. Released in December was a miniseries based on Arthur C. Clarke's "Childhood's End" -- (an earnest and sincere effort, if bloated and ultimately kind of tedious. I know exactly how it could have been much better, alas.)  See more below...

Then there is the panoply of already running shows, like the under-rated “Extant” and “Humans,” “Minority Report,” “Limitless,” “Defiance,” the amazing “Person of Interest,” and the new dystopian "Colony," (And possibly a dozen more.)

Sometime fellow at the Clarke Center and by revered bro Kim Stanley Robinson has signed for Red Mars to be a miniseries. Ten episodes, with Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski in charge.

Yipe, who is funding all of this… aliens? Is our explosion of dramas evidence that we’ve been secretly contacted – subsidized to broadcast amazing-lurid-naïve dreams about what’s going on, out there? 

If so… then what am I, chopped liver? ;-)

== And finally... ==

Oh, one last note. Did you actually join in the like-frenzy for Mad Max: Fury Road?  Really?  I found it awful. Some of the fight scenes were okay, but fairly routine and... endless. The first three Mad Max flicks were notable for punctuating the action with some very interesting and provocative musings on what it takes to maintain a semblance of civilization. And the meaning of being a hero. When Beyond Thunderdome was not infuriating me, it was dazzling me with sharply-pangful poignancy or things I had not contemplated before.  I wanted to argue with Thunderdome. 

Look, I am willing to try to enjoy films that appeal to only part of me... e.g. the ten year old who loves cool visual fight scenes and gutsy women punching mean guys. And that part of me liked this flick... though the fight scenes palled as they stretched on and on and on...

But when a flick gives nothing to the rest of me?  Not an instant of thoughtfulness or interesting dialogue or attention to the Mad Mad tradition of discussing the meaning of civilization? Just Sauron-like demonics complete with red, glowing eyes and not a clue how all these people got either food or the gasoline they spent in tanker-loads. Seriously, another masked-hissing villain behaving in ways that would get any feudal lord swiftly killed by his own men, in any real world?  And you liked that? Feh.

Yes, yes, I am told it is significant in having "strong female characters." Say what? Sure, that's kind of true -- amid a giant, misogynist rape fantasy, wherein the spunky women still need a male hero when the chips are down. But okay, points for that. Still, might I ask, where the folks saying this have been for the last 30 years, since Sigourney's Ripley and Xena and all the Kick-Ass Ladies (KAL) who followed? Science fiction is the genre that embraced KALs first and most thoroughly, from Underworld to Stargate and Sanctuary and Serenity to Trek's Captain Kathryn Janeway to Storm and Mystique and Buffy! From Sarah Conner to Katniss to Lara Croft to Trinity and... oh please.  Make your own list and if you cannot reach fifty within 5 minutes then you've been a hermit.  

Be proud! Our genre is the leader. And MM:FR added nothing much.

Look, I am willing to try to enjoy films that appeal to only part of me... e.g. the ten year old who loves cool visual fight scenes and gutsy women punching mean guys. And that part of me liked this flick... though the fight scenes palled as they stretched on and on and on...

But when a flick gives NOTHING to the rest of me?  Not an instant of thoughtfulness or interesting dialogue or attention to the Mad Mad tradition of discussing the meaning of civilization?  Just idiots who have endless supplies of gasoline to burn?

Sorry,  This is a roadrunner cartoon.

In contrast, we rather enjoyed - despite ourselves - the amusing and very stylish - The Man From Uncle. A minor action flick, but with good/clever dialogue and real sensitivity to all the cliches in the genre, it tried (often successfully) to offer a different riff on those cliches.  Kinda cute.  Mostly harmless.

== addendum re: Childhood's End ==

Because some of you asked me to elaborate, let me explain how the Childhood's End miniseries -- while pretty good in many ways and faithful to the text -- could have been far, far better. 

Why, oh why, not have one of the kids actually TALK to an adult human? Offering a little solace and kindness? If they are incapable of any nostalgia or affection for their parents and birth-civilization, then they are not "graduating" to a higher level. In that case they are a blank slate, being absorbed by aliens whose aim is anything but to grow larger and wiser from human experience.

This kid - and by proxy representing all of them - could easily say:

"We still love you but we have to move on to things you won't understand. Though in a sense, isn't that the old story of parents bewildered by their brilliant kids? We're just moving faster and farther. Be happy for us! We'll take Beethoven and Van Gogh and all human arts and literature and stories with us! And we take with us your affection, which will warm us for challenges ahead. You prepared us for a great adventure! And we are grateful. HERE is how much you are loved..."

And the children touch nearby adults and all the adults in the world experience a moment of utter joy.

Then: "Goodbye." And they are gone.

That would have been faithful to Clarke... but also a deeper, better moment.

SF on the big screen...and TV

What is Science Fiction? Here’s my take on the Literature of Change – nicely edited into a vividly animated clip-vid by Trekspertise.

So now Yahoo is creating original sic fi content? "Other Space" is a comedy by Paul Feig …. another garbage scow headed into the galaxy? (Does anyone get that reference?) 

Wow, the SyFy Channel has really veered back into realstuff scifi!  Here is the Childhood's End teaser (based on the classic by Arthur C. Clarke) -- to premiere on SyFy in December.  

Another series....based on Philip K. Dick's award-winning novel, and executive produced by Ridley Scott (Blade Runner), The Man in the High Castle explores what it would be like if the Allied Powers had lost WWII, and Japan and Germany ruled the United States.  Watch the first episode -- free on Amazon.  

We've just started watching Person of Interest, a Sci Fi crime series directed by Jonathan Nolan. A mysterious billionaire designs a computer to predict terrorist events; it also generates social security numbers of people who are to be involved in a murder in the next few days... I hear season three gets even more sf'nal.

Today we watched a play downtown: "The Uncanny Valley," a two actor riff on artificial intelligence that was moving and well-written and provocative  and plausible... much more so than "Ex Machina." Keep your eye open for it.

Vintage Sci Fi: And here's a lovely rumination about the old "X-minus-one" radio show from the 1950's, with stories from Bradbury, Heinlein, Sheckley and Pohl, available in podcast. "At its worst, “X Minus One” is dated drama told well, but its better episodes have matured into half-hour exercises in a peculiar and intoxicating form of temporal eavesdropping. They let us watch, with great ease and clarity, people who are straining much harder to see us. Usually they’re looking just slightly off to the side. Sometimes they’re looking the wrong way entirely. But occasionally, in the show’s most thrillingly prescient moments, it’s as if they were staring straight at us."

== On the Big Screen ==

Watch this gorgeous new short/proof of concept by Irish filmmaker Ruairí Robinson: The Leviathan takes place in the early 22nd century, after humans have colonized multiple worlds, and are now on "the hunt" for a whale-like species that naturally collects the dark matter needed by space drives.  Kewl! How much better is set in the Startide Rising universe, though? And now, spurred by this trailer...Twentieth Century Fox has just optioned The Leviathan, with Neill Blomkamp producing.

Getting back to Alex Garland's Ex Machina...The dialog contained some moments of intellectual heft and there’s genuine acting. Best of all, the film proved that a small team can do inexpensive thought-provoking science fiction. Alas, the macro story arc -- and the bizarrely over-the-top villain were banal caricatures of a yawningly predictable Frankenstein remake, including Mary Shelley’s fundamental lesson: the creator is not punished for hubristically picking up god’s tools, he is punished for being a horrible dad. I am saddened most by works that have so very much going for them, yet fail tragically on maybe just one dismal fundamental. 

Garland's next project is an adaptation of Jeff Vandermeer's novel -- Annihiliation. Way to go, Jeff.

Disney's Tomorrowland stars George Clooney, directed by Brad Bird and Damon Lindelof. This could turn out to be worth watching ... at least it seems vivid.  Even if it also appears to be another damned “chosen one” story. Watch the trailer.

In sharp contrast, we watched “Big Hero Six” at home. Yes… I lag a bit! But it is just intensely good!  With a delight in tech and nerdiness and optimism that we badly need. About characters who aren't "fated" or destined "chosen ones," or mutant demigods... but merely way above average.  Like some kid you might have, some day.  Oh, and hilarious!

== Back in Print ==

Back in print! My first short story collection - The River of Time, winner of the Locus Award for best SF collection, in its year, and containing the Hugo winning tale “The Crystal Spheres” -- has been re-released in both e-book and paperback. And...

Just released: an excellent audio version of The River of Time, beautifully narrated by my friend, actor Stephen Mendel! 

Newly re-issued by IDW, my epic graphic novel – The Life Eaters – with spectacular hand-painted art by the great Scott Hampton. This tale starts off from the premise of “Thor Meets Captain America” (found in The River of Time) -- my runner up for a Hugo in the novella category ... taking you on an adventure that confronts the darkest parts of the human soul, with our dauntless potential for courage and freedom.

Sample the stirring video trailer for The Life Eaters! Movieable?

DC printed very few copies. So this improved re-issue will turn heads! The Life Eaters was nominated for one of the “bande dessinee” prizes in France, where the graphic novel is king.

== Sci Fi: A World of Ideas ==

Uri Aviv runs the Utopia series of science fiction festivals in Israel. (see below)  Here he makes some very interesting connections between SF and the history of the eventful 20th Century: 

“Over the years science fiction has inspired the exploration of space and cyberspace and was first to imagine the robot, cyborg, clone and technological singularity. All of these are "mere byproducts" to the real focus of science fiction -- society -- communities, relationships, individuals -- how we transform, mutate and evolve through science and how we use and abuse technology. Science fiction creators imagine the un-imaginable and explore the impossible, they perform huge scale gedankenexperiments and by doing so they give birth to our future, for giving shape to the impossible today, gives shape to the every-day of tomorrow.”

For more about the the Utopia Festival: ‪http://www.utopiatlv.org

==Other Sci Fi ==

Alas, farewell to good old Terry Pratchett.  He was a delight.  And had fun.  And gave the rest of us so much fun. And stayed vibrant and busy till some character with a scythe and bad diction hauled him off.  To Discworld, I hope!  (See him in one of his more humorous roles - in the photo on this site - creating satires of pompous religious and political leaders who take themselves too seriously....)

Cracked has a pretty good stab at laying down a bill of indictments in "6 Reasons The Jedi Would Be The Villain In Any Sane Movie." Ah, but six becomes FIFTY in my fun take-down of this silly-betrayal of sanity -- STAR WARS ON TRIAL. More detail and more laughs, by far!   Still, Cracked does crib from the best ;-)

Oh and Star Wars on Trial will soon be re-issued, in a new Jedi-Mouse edition!  

Check out Living Tomorrow, a new anthology of science fiction stories exploring futures shaped by environmental and biological science and technology, from ASU’s Center for Science and the Imagination.

This lovely manga about two gal-roomies-dealing-with-life is utterly sweet and fun. A mutual fan also alerted me that one of the strips refers to me and my work. As a must-purchase to be weighed against buying food! Well now, there’s a tradeoff I hope none of you ever face! Still, if you ever do, I hope you’ll choose wisely. ;-)  ‪

Okay…. This is fun:  Kung Fury

The great web artist Patrick Farley has created a new video book trailer for Cecil Castellucci's new science fiction novel, Stone in the Sky. Patrick’s art is terrific and you should all be following his work at Electric Sheep Comix.

Stefan Jones reminds us of this cool-minimal but evocative animation: Rendezvous: The Murf.

== A few memorable words ==

"Fascinating is a word I use for the unexpected, in this case I would think interesting would suffice.” — Spock

"That is the exploration that awaits you! Not mapping stars and studying nebula, but charting the unknown possibilities of existence." — Leonard Nimoy