Sci-fi is a genre that uses futuristic, technological and conceptual worlds for storytelling. Sci-fi allows for the breaking of normal world rules through the prism of scientific explanation and technology, even if it is pseudo science techno babble.
World building is of supreme importance to Sci-Fi stories. Futuristic or technological worlds often require large series bibles to keep track of the details. Conceptual sci-fi must be careful of its logic to create what is astounding and unbelievable but that a popular audience can follow.
Sci-fi can be serious and dry like early Doctor Who. Sci-fi can also be a goofy romp full of bright color and zany plots, as with Lost in Space. It can be full of violence and intrigue as with Battlestar Galactica, or it can be gentle human comedies as in Quantum Leap.
The Doctor, but Who does he think he is?
There are many character traits common in sci-fi. Highly intelligent and scientific minds are extremely prevalent and usually show up as scientists and doctors: Mr. Spock (Star Trek), The Doctor (Doctor Who), Dr. Sam Beckett (Quantum Leap), Mr. Data (Star Trek: TNG), Dana Scully (X-Files), Dr. Gaius Baltar (Battlestar), John Crichton (Farscape), Dr. Daniel Jackson (Stargate SG-1), Dr. Walter Bishop (Fringe), Cosima Niehausen (Orphan Black) or a whole town of mad geniuses in Eureka. These characters are also great at delivering exposition and techno-babble.
Adventurous Spacefarers are found driving many series: The Star Treks, Battlestar Galactica, Lost in space, Red Dwarf, Andromeda, Farscape. Starships are usually at the heart of these stories, sometimes taking on a character of their own either literally as with Moya (Farscape), the Tartis (Doctor Who) or emotionally like Kirk’s Enterprise (Star Trek).
Geordi La Forge, always out for that extra .035% efficiency.
Engineering and technical genius are also prevalent in sci-fi stories. Starships usually require engineering specialists and the future requires gadgetry to accomplish the undoable. Brilliant people are able to use technology to solve problems, build new things or cause problems bigger than people thought possible. The most famous engineer is the Enterprise’s chief engineer Scotty (Star Trek). Geordie La Forge took over on the next Enterprise in Star Trek: TNG.
Danger! Will Robinson! Danger!
Robots, cyborgs and computers are frequently characters in sci-fi. Sometimes they are helpers like Robby the Robot (Lost In Space), the Enterprise Computer (the Star Treks), Mr. Data (Star Trek: TNG), Andromeda AI (Andromeda) and Kryten (Red Dwarf). Other times they are monsters like Cylons (Battlestar), Cybermen (Doctor Who), Borg (Star Trek: TNG), Replicators (Stargate).
Interstellar response squad.
Warriors and soldiers also have an important place in sci-fi. Battlestar Galactica is entirely militaristic. Doctor Who has the Brigadier and U.N.I.T. to take on the chap with the wings there, five rounds rapid. Stargate has a freedom loving human military battling tyrannical powers across the galaxy. In Farscape, Aeryn Sun is an officer of the authoritarian Peace Keeper military.
Not all Aliens are out to eat you, some just want to eat your cat.
Alien species are found both in outer space and in terrestrial worlds like X-Files, V: The Series, Alf and Alien Nation. Aliens are represented through makeup/prosthetics, visual effects, special effects, puppetry, props, robotics and costumes in all shapes, sizes and configurations.
Sapphire and Steel have been assigned!
Sci-Fi lends itself to high flying imagination which makes one of its major challenges the budget. Special and visual effects, alien effects makeup, outer space, planets, starships and gadgetry can quickly escalate costs. At the same time clever writing and production ingenuity have created some of the best sci-fi with minimal budgets. Sapphire and Steel creates phenomenal sci-fi with absolutely minimal budgets, relying on conceptual stories and solid acting to create the unworldly.
Controversial, but Sci-Fi was the first to make it happen.
Sci-fi can be just spectacle and action but the best of it balances audience grabbing excitement with thought provoking depth. Lost In Space and Star Trek both struggled with this balance as they battled each other for ratings. Lost In Space spiraled off into absurdity while Star Trek accomplished TV’s first inter-racial kiss and garnered the praise of Doctor Martin Luther King Jr., a stalwart fan.
TV sci-fi is a genre that allows people to travel the vast stretches of the imagination through a screen in their living room. Sci-fi’s capacity for complex world building and insightful social commentary find strength in a TV format. TV gives room for longer story lines and a chance for ideas and consequences to play themselves out. TV’s episodic nature allows sci-fi stories to explore the different aspects of their premise and their world.
Sci-fi series garner some of the most devoted and demanding audiences. Fans go over sci-fi worlds with a fine toothed comb and technology and terminology are ruthlessly scrutinized. Yet the actors and creators of past and present sci-fi series still populate the Comicons. Judging by the growth of these events, sci-fi is set to continue growing in popularity.
I’m a space man, not a merry man, dammit!
Cross genre in storytelling allows for refreshing takes and new ideas. Sci-fi is very adept at engaging cross genre stories. In fact, the breadths of its worlds often demand it.
Star Trek, Firefly, Farscape and Battlestar Galactica all find themselves heavily influenced by Westerns and in many ways have replaced this genre on TV. Wagon train to the stars described Star Trek. Battlestar could be described as embattled circled wagons amongst the stars. Farscape and Firefly have outlaw gunslingers on the run.
Space suspenders, who knew?
Series sometimes have explicitly Western episodes. Doctor Who has done them in The Gunfighters and A Town Called Mercy. Star Trek: TNG used its holodeck to give Worf a gunslinger story in A Fist Full of Data’s.
Conspiracy, My personal favorite episode of Star Trek: TNG, ventured into horror territory with a gory invasion from within story about brain worms taking over Star Fleet. Unfortunately this thread was never followed up as it was too intense for many viewers.
The thematically driven series concept is extremely important to sci-fi. The limitless possibilities of sci-fi means it can easily mutate out of control. A strong theme keeps a series coherent and a good theme makes it relevant to people’s lives.
Star Trek’s theme is the idealistic future, where humans have surpassed their differences and built a principled, cooperative civilization. Star Trek is based on external conflict, presenting the audience with a diverse crew that is united and functional in the face of adversity. This crew of the future is free of the 20th century tensions that exist between nationalities, races, genders, classes and beliefs.
Clone Club!
Orphan Black explores the theme of identity. A woman finds herself to be one of many genetically identical clones, yet all the clones are very different people from very different back grounds. Orphan Black must discover who is killing her clone sisters. Each new step in the story challenges her sense of who she is and what identity means.
Stargate SG-1 exemplifies the genre of Sci-fi. The SG-1 team uses the Stargate portal network to explore the galaxy. Starships are sometimes used but our heroes get around largely through the Stargates, a story device which lends itself to episodic storytelling. The Stargates also lend themselves to boots on the ground stories, with our heroes face to face with people and toe to toe with enemies. This also allows for low tech stories with outdoor landscape locations that are cheaper then elaborate sets and effects.
Highly advanced alien species are also using the Stargate network. Tyrannical parasitic aliens called the Goa’uld are a powerful enemy of Earth and seek to enslave all the peoples of the galaxy. Other advanced species are allies and help to battle these aggressive, expansionist powers. Most encounter’s are with species that need help and SG-1 plies effective problem solving skills with combat effectiveness to defend the weak and the vulnerable.
The themes and values of Stargate SG-1 have led it to a long run of international success, transcending language and cultural barriers. Stargate SG-1 puts human differences in the context of conflicting galactic powers. It gives us a world that asks the best of us and this is where sci-fi is at its most powerful, when it gives us ambitious visions of what humans can accomplish, producing the kinds of stories that humans continue to love.
(By: Michael Zepf)
CineSpeak 