For me the X-Files' debut series was the biggest single TV event in years. Probably not since my childhood and teenage had I been so excited. It did not disappoint either: monsters, werewolves, bile-gobbling creatures and best of all, gargoyles!
Alas, as with all iconic shows the format's X-factor wore off and inevitabley faded. I waited patiently for the next big thing in Sci Fi series, but it didn't happen, for me at least. I tried, amongst others, Dark Skies, Roswell, Lexx, Red Dwarf, Star Trek TNG, Deep Space Nine, Torchwood, Primeval and a recent US series about aliens infecting the water [?].
The last really exciting series was Season One of the new Dr. Who, starring Christopher Ecclestone and later, David Tennant. However it was the inclusion of Britbabe Billie Piper, which added that little extra something. The best episode by far was where they found Satan trapped in a huge crevasse in a cave. Wonderful.
I did get into in a short-lived US series called Surface about a huge oceanic monster but just as I was hooked it went off the air.
Of late Grimm has piqued my interest, although I can only watch it at my Daughters, as I don't have Sky. Grimm is about the last of the Brothers Grimm, who every week in the guise of a modern US detective, is pitted against monsters and creatures from Fairy Tales. The last one I saw the Ogre!
What do you think about Sci Fi on TV?
4 comments:
I've been cool on TV for along time now. The last Sci-Fi series I really liked was 'Enterprise' the prequel to Star Trek. I had started to watch the newere version of 'Battlestar Galactica' but it was just too dark for tastes. However, there are times I manage to catch "Ancient Aliens" on the History Channel and it's kind of neat.
Agree with Ed here, recent tv Sci Fi a bit cooled down. Babylon 5, Space Above & Beyond, Firefly are 3 older shows that come to mind with decent(not too dark, yes the new Galactica series was too intense for popcorn) writing, characters and effects...well...almost always. Even the animated series 'Roughnecks' based on Starship Troopers had some interesting material and ship/equipment designs. Anyway, I enjoy these even more on DVD.
Glad you mentioned Surface Paul, that was in my mind one of the most promising series of late.
There was a pretty chilling take on Invasion of the Body Snatchers, succinctly named Invasion (2005) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460651/ that also ended abruptly.
Must give due credit also to BSG, which pretty much revived the tv scifi for a moment. Apart from the top-notch production design, I think the story arc was seen through admirably well.
Arto
Have to agree with Ed and CS, most new stuff on tv doesn't do anything for me.
I watched Invasion when it originally aired but like most American tv the story arc took too long to reveal anything and it got cancelled. Same with Dark skies.
I did watch the first season of BSG, but I couldn't see what all the fuss was about. Like most American Tv the production was glossy and it took itself very seriously but I still found it a chore to watch.
I did like Babylon 5 until that ran out of steam but that's going back a bit.
Not keen on the new Dr Who. In my opinion its just wish fulfillment for geeks who all enjoy the overcomplicated plots and daydream about leggy assistants falling for them.
The last tv series I can honestly say I really looked forward to was probably Life On Mars and that's because of the nostalgia it evoked in me.
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