44 replies to this topic

[V.T. Eric Layton]

Firefly was a western that took place in space.

[crp]

Temmu, on 06 July 2012 - 09:56 AM, said:

true. some resolutions to star trek (original show) were no-tech - example: the corbomite maneuver where kirk's resolution was a bluff.

TOS was in some ways more sci-fi than TNG and DS9 (please don't tell me it should be DSN) due to lower budgets and makeup capabilities.  The writers were also paying attention to the movements in science thought. I still get a chuckle out of people complaining that the writers got it wrong in calling an energy sucker a 'black star' instead of a 'black hole'

[ross549]

I would tend to agree with the statement, only because I believe that sci fi should *not* rely on a tech solution to solve a human problem. TOS was pretty good at it. DS9, Voyager, and Enterprise tended to favor the tech solution. I think the stories in TOS were much deeper and though provoking.

My wife and I literally just finished watching Voyager today by watching the final episode, Endgame. In reality, the episode focused on wrapping up a few interpersonal relationships, the almost complete destruction of the Borg, and the return of Voyager to Earth. All in all, a very dissatisfying conclusion to the series. Voyager did hit some interesting stories during its run, but I think TOS was light years ahead in that respect. Even DS9 had some great stuff. It looked like Voyager focused on tech and the bigger guns at times.

Adam

[LilBambi]

Have to say Enterprise I liked too. I liked every Star Trek franchise. Even ones that others didn't like. LOL! And they were all scifi.

Firefly was a scifi western.

[Temmu]

yes, and firefly was short-lived. some movie came out based on it, as i recall.

but tos was 100% about the human condition as viewed during the time it was written -
it was a platform to express what otherwise then could not -
racism, sexism, hippi-ism, fascism, etc.
to me, the superior series.

voyager, well, i've caught glimpses of it, and did see "endgame"
it appeared more steeped in tech than story line.

star trek the next gen w/ picard fully realized the thinking man's space opera.
unfortunately, i missed well over 1/2 of those shows too.

enterprise started off as a gritty, how we get there from here saga, but by season 3
it kinda ran out of steam.  ok, when florida was split by the particle beam weapon, that's when it changed.
kinda got tired of the, "whatever it takes" to save humanity thing.
the last show was... sigh.

ah, and ds9, the shopping mall in space.
i missed 75% of that show,
but did love the little multi-photon tubed warship
that the station master got to go to war in.

the extremely rare times that i've caught a piece of
one of the non-tos episodes, it's always been one
i've seen before - tragic, considering how much i missed. lol!

[V.T. Eric Layton]

Firefly was an absolutely outstanding series! I have the DVD collection + the full length movie. It was short-lived because FOX was stupid and it's always about ratings/advert $$$.

[V.T. Eric Layton]

sunrat, on 08 June 2012 - 08:07 PM, said:

And an S for Sturgeon, Theodore. More Than Human is an all-time favourite.

Roger, More Than Human was excellent. I just finished it. I have a couple more Sturgeons on my book list at the local library, too.

Thanks!

[sunrat]

V.T. Eric Layton, on 07 July 2012 - 01:15 AM, said:

Roger, More Than Human was excellent. I just finished it. I have a couple more Sturgeons on my book list at the local library, too.

Thanks!

You're malcome. (2 internets prize if you can name that reference). I must read More Than Human again soon. I think I only read it 3 times.

Firefly was great. River Tam is one of my favourite characters whose development through the series was inspired writing. The movie was called Serenity btw.
I also liked Farscape although it was a bit more cheesy. The living ship idea was unique, especially when it had offspring. It was produced in Australia by the Jim Henson company (you know...Muppets). Claudia Black was great as Aeryn Sun, the defected Peacekeeper. She's an Aussie too, and later appeared in the movie Pitch Black, and Stargate.
Some of the SF comedies were good too. Red Dwarf in particular, and Quark, about a deadbeat intergalactic garbage collection ship.

[ross549]

Temmu, on 06 July 2012 - 11:33 PM, said:

ah, and ds9, the shopping mall in space.
i missed 75% of that show,
but did love the little multi-photon tubed warship
that the station master got to go to war in.

I really think DS9 got a "bad rap" by the fans. it was an outstanding series with deep story lines (much more so than Voyager) and compelling characters. Once they got into a rhythm, it was hard to beat.

Adam

[V.T. Eric Layton]

Not sure of that reference, Roger. Search was no help either.

Yes, More Than Human is one of those books that requires a second or third pass through to really get it all.

I fell in love with all the ladies on Firefly. My favorite character, though, was "a man called Jayne".

[ross549]

"It is my very favorite gun."

http://www.imdb.com/...es?qt=qt0457274



Adam

[V.T. Eric Layton]

HAHA! Vera. I remember that scene.

[ross549]

We just had to watch it this afternoon. So much fun........



Adam

[LilBambi]

Jane and Vera are great! However, I loved every single actor. actress, and character on Serenity. It would be really hard to pick a favorite.

[sunrat]

V.T. Eric Layton, on 07 July 2012 - 12:51 PM, said:

Not sure of that reference, Roger. Search was no help either.

I'm not so sure now either. It was the voice of an elevator with a loose grasp on AI speech. May have been Quark. I thought it was Hitchhiker's Guide, but the elevator in that used to complain about having a brain the size of a planet and only running the elevator.

[ross549]

That sounds like the robot...

Adam

[sunrat]

ross549, on 08 July 2012 - 07:43 AM, said:

That sounds like the robot...

Adam

Oops, think you're right. It's been a while since HHG.

[Temmu]

lol, the robot was hi larious!

[sunrat]

One of the great H's of SF has just passed on, RIP Harry Harrison. You may remember Soylent Green which was based on his book Make Room! Make Room! He also wrote for the Flash Gordon comics, and Stainless Steel Rat and Deathworld series. There's a nice homage at Neil Gaiman's blog.
And speaking of Neil Gaiman, I recently had the immense pleasure of watching one of the most uplifting speeches ever - Neil Gaiman Addresses the University of the Arts Class of 2012

[V.T. Eric Layton]

I read Harrison's Make Room! Make Room! just a few weeks ago. Back in my youth, I was a Stainless Steel Rat fan, too.

R.I.P. Mr. Harrison.