SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

I am so excited...I just received an autographed script by David Kemper!He happens to be the cousin of my new IT guy.
The Episode is "Die Me, Dichotomy" Can't wait to read it.

Who thinks that a "Farscape" movie would be a good idea?

didn't they do a movie after the series to wrap things up? Or are you speaking of a stand alone movie?

A Farscape movie? I don't know if I like that idea. Could they recapture the magic? Could they do a decent story given the changes that occurred in The Peacekeeper Wars?

When I think of the idea, I have to think about the original Star Trek series. Of the six movies they did after the show's demise, there's only one that I would say really was really good.

In the end, I think I would be content to simply watch the old episodes again and remember how good it was.

I was thinking of a stand alone. But also can agree with John. I have the old episodes and it just leaves me wanting more.

Anyway it was just a thought.

I'm more of a fan of leaving it be, I really liked the series when I had the chance to catch it, but I agree with the other john in thinking that as a fan it might seem really awesome, but in the end it would be degrading to the franchise.

I would love to see more Farscape....

That said, I'm not sure a movie would be the best way to go. It was so heavily dependent on the characters and their relationships and the backstory that it's hard to imagine a movie being accessible enough to the general movie person to make back its money and pleasing the long-time fans of the show.

It's actually The Peacekeeper War, not "Wars" - why does everyone keep saying that?

I don't know, it's one of my favourite shows ever since the first episode aired, but I think the mini-series wrapped it up - granted, it was a bit too condensed and rushed in places but at least it went out with a bang. I'm still mad that the show got cancelled, when stupid Stargate is still going. Grrr.

Weird, I'm a fan of Stargate (the first few seasons of the original series), but couldn't stand Farscape. I made it through the first season and couldn't do any more. People told me to keep going and it gets better but I wasn't willing to take that chance. I also couldn't stand Babylon 5. Managed the first season of that, too, but the acting and the effects were just bad and made it hard for me to take seriously.

My problem with Stargate (apart from how boring it is ;) is the same one I have with Star Trek and all the rest: it's about a bunch of humans going round the universe spreading freedom and saving the lives of aliens because we all know they can't look after themselves though they've been doing it (in the world of the show) for millennia! Ugh such arrogance!

Farscape is more of a fantasy show, and I love that it just has one human in it and he's bonkers. Yeah he's full of himself but it's mostly a survival tactic. And they're usually trying to avoid trouble rather than presume that everyone needs their help.

My brother loves Stargate too. I don't get it. I've not even been able to sit through a complete episode yet.

I tried watching Stargate way back when it first came on and I couldn't get through an entire episode either, which is too bad, because I did like the original movie.

I agree with you about Farscape as well. I also get tired of the thinly veiled idea that we humans always know best and must save the galaxy. Very imperialistic.

My problem with Stargate (apart from how boring it is ;) is the same one I have with Star Trek and all the rest: it's about a bunch of humans going round the universe spreading freedom and saving the lives of aliens because we all know they can't look after themselves though they've been doing it (in the world of the show) for millennia! Ugh such arrogance!

I'm not exactly sure what you are trying to say here. Stargate SG-1, at least the first six or so seasons, is about a rebellion against an undeniably evil and oppressive race, the Goa'uld, who get off on pretending to be gods. Sure, Earth humans try to spread freedom and save people. Why is that bad? And yeah, these civilizations can't look after themselves because they have been enslaved and are kept at a primitive technology level while their "gods" are shooting them with lasers and flying around in space ships.

I've enjoyed all the StarGate iterations (movie and series and now DVD movies). Of course, I was also a Star Trek fan (all iterations of it as well).

Personally, I've got some good things and bad things to say about each of the series you guys have mentioned, but generally I'm happy to watch them all.
The more SF/Fantasy on tv, the better, is my view!
= )

Now if only we could get rid of those psuedo-'reality' shows, I would be soooooo happy!

Oh, Carolyn, you hit the nail on the head!

I despise reality shows. It's just low budget crap the networks throw at me. If I wanted to watch reality, I'd turn off the television and step outside my front door!

I also enjoyed Stargate and Star Trek. Any Sci-Fi on TV is good, even if it is not for everyone. I actually did not like Farscape but am glad that many people did because the more people that like the funky Sci-fi shows the better.

As for Stargate and Star Trek and the notion that it is nothing but a bunch of humans running around saving the poor pathetic aliens, I have to disagree. First, in both shows the purpose of their travels is exploration, not heroism.

Second, in Stargate, it just turns out that every time they go somewhere new the bad guys are always there too. Unfortunate, but makes for good TV. And yes, it is true, the Earth Humans tend to be the rescuers on most episodes. However, every now and then they run across an alien species that is 'doing it better' and don't need rescue. One example would be the Nox (a peaceful species that hides instead of fights...which works extremely well).

And Star Trek is FULL of other alien races participating in the rescue and being smarter than us poor stupid humans. Vulcans for instance are much superior to Humans in many ways. And Q...wow, they are so much more advanced that they are actually judging our right to exist!

The real problem might be that the actors are all human and look rather human (even with all the latex). But there's really no way around that one at this point. :)

Wow, I think I just geeked out. Sorry about that. :)

After reading your very astute comments, Gbina, about the limits of putting human actors in alien make-up, I've changed my views somewhat about how these shows seem to show humans always going around saving the day. You are absolutely right, and I continue to love Star Trek, despite the fact that all the aliens, forehead and nose ridges or unusually shaped ears notwithstanding, all have primate teeth and eyes!!

Baaaaaaa! ;-)

The other John: ROFLOL!

Simon: Yes, that's why I called them 'psuedo-reality' shows - several years ago I read an article about the first Big Brother show where the author dissected what was filmed/what happened, vs what the film was edited to imply and/or show. (Plus, sound effect added, show 'creators' meddling with the contestants, telling them the have to do or say certain things if they want to get paid, etc.)

I never liked those shows before, but that article really demonstrated what fiction they really are - and really bad, lowest-common-denominator fiction at that!

I watched a few episodes of "The Real World" when I was in college, but otherwise have opted out of the reality TV and contest show phenomenon. They just don't "do" it for me.

I loved Star Trek and SG-1 and Farscape and Firefly and many other SF&F shows. And since I only really have one clear TV channel (no cable or dish) I generally get to watch them on DVD via Blockbuster Online. This means I still have a lot of catch-up to do and many more hours of entertainment to look forward to!

I got some outstanding deals on complete series on DVD this week. I've got Farscape, Andromeda, and X-files winging their way to me as I type. I'm pretty much done getting xmas gifts for myself this year! LOL...

speaking of stargate and farscape, (completely off topic i guess) but i really liked the farscape spoof on the 200th (or whater ever) episode of stargate sg-1!

I loved that episode and yes they need to make a movie or something to wrap up the storyline. The end of the peacekeeper wars was less than satisfying.