Beware of the Trekker...

Yes, I admit I'm a big sci-fi fan. So long as it's not Independence Day. I watch and read quite a variety, but my favourites are Star Trek: Deep Space 9 and Space: Above and Beyond. I'll also try to answer what I like about sci-fi and come to the defence of old sci-fi shows.

Starship Troopers

Well I finally got to see this in January 98. Fantastic. That says it all really.
I did have a few criticisms, but not as many as for Independence Day. Only two in fact, namely:
1 - The personality of the military intelligence guy seemed wrong when Dizzy died, it didn't match up with his other scenes.
2 - Dizzy's death. It seemed somewhat cheap, reminding me of Winslow's death in Space: Above and Beyond. A female character who fancies a male one of more importance to the storyline gets killed all of a sudden. I just wonder why put so much effort to create a character and then kill them off in a way that doesn't have any real affect on the storyline.

Apart from that I though the film was great. I loved the presentation style, done brilliantly, the size of the battles, the cunning of the bugs (remember the dead bugs falling together to form a ramp to climb over the wall?), all of it was GREAT!

Comparisons with the book are one sided. I read the book first, and thought the author (Heinlein) forgot he was writing a story. It pales into insignificance compared to the film. He spends so much time discussing politics and law and armour and weapons.... and he forgets the people. Infantry from the Greeks until today is still about people, and so I think are good films.

In case you were wondering, the background image is the battlecruiser Roger Young from the film.

Deep Space Nine

Over the past year I've virtually stopped watching this for lack of time. However I still think what I've seen is the best of Star Trek. The show has benefited considerably from its constant presence at one point which guarantees a continuing story line. Combine that with some excellent actors and a tiny little star ship which kicks ass and it's a recipe for success.

Since there are already 100,000 Star Trek web sites I won't waste my time by making another one. To find out more try Yahoo's DS9 page.

Space: Above and Beyond

Set in 2063 this show follows a group of US Marines at war against an mysterious alien race. That description doesn't really do justice. The show excels at showing the 58th as they change from a group of men and women into a team. Unfortunately it was cancelled after twenty-four episodes due to political infighting at FOX. I now have my own S:AaB pages.

That's the best...and this is the worst

I don't suppose you missed the hype surrounding Independence Day. Who didn't? I duly went to watch the film, just as everyone else did. Classic Catch-22 situation; only after you pay to watch do you realise how bad it is. What I didn't like:

Poor special effects

For a film based on special effects they were pretty lousy

Ridiculous characters

The world's most gung-ho fighter pilot who never seems to care about casualties
The ridiculously overplayed geek
The command staff who never try communicating overseas until the last minute

War of the Worlds

Is the same film, even down to using the same Marine airbase

Alien computers

That connect to "foreign" Apple PowerBooks without question

Aliens communications

Aliens aren't intelligent enough to relay signals amongst themselves

Alien commanders

Desperately in need of watching S:AaB (Ray Butts), showing how Identification Friend and Foe and Air Space Early Warning are supposed to work.

Panicked civilians

Try to leave cities but remember not to drive on the left-hand carriageway.

I'd better stop before I make this page absolutely immense.

What's so good about sci-fi then?

It took me a while to think up a decent answer to this. No single issue carries the day, but several come to mind.

Making a difference

Sci-fi characters get to make a difference. If they die then it's normally for a cause they believe in. They don't get run over by a car.

Real characters

Most sci-fi characters get to show off different sides of themselves. Contrast Angel from Home and Away (or about half the Eastender's characters) with Shane Vansen in Space: Above and Beyond. Angel spends her entire life going from one misery to the next. Shane has had her bad times too, but there are other aspects to her character.

Lack of the mundane

The sci-fi setting tends to do away with the mundane, giving a lot more emphasis on characters and story.

In defence of old sci-fi

Old sci-fi shows frequently look terribly dated in style and effects. Even so I don't think that's the point of sci-fi. I totally agree with the below. Since I couldn't put it any better I've just quoted the author.

In an e-mail Hugh Brower <hughb@rapidcity.com> wrote:
The films were two older British Sci-fi flicks, late 50's, and something struck me. Both:

1. made the viewer use the imagination;
2. used available mood, visual effect, and expectation;
3. caused the viewer to live with the movie.

The older sci-fi (in this case British) did not have all the lights, whistles, noise and bells that the recent special effect gods use. They created a mood with good acting, the ability to create anticipation and live in the moment.
Edited for conciseness.

Anyone who's ever seen the new Doctor Who movie and the old series would probably agree.