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Science Fiction has become a poisoned well . .
7-27-06 | Marc Costanzo

Posted on 07/27/2006 6:49:43 PM PDT by marc costanzo

The essay below was originally written in the early Spring of 2001:

With the passing away of LEXX ends an intriguing albeit tawdry experiment in Sci-fantasy. One that breaks with conventions, or should I say cliches of TV sci-fi of the 90's . The politically correct pabulum, the multicultural indoctrination, the BladeRunner motifs, and not the least; the steroid mutated superbabes that can punch the lights out of men, but never get punched back in return !?

How about creating a new sci-fi anthology with none of the puerile baggage of Rod Serling, Rockne Obannon, Michael J. Stracinsky, etc .. It is time to end their reign of un-American cynicism and fatalism !


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; Philosophy; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: canada; entertainment; fiction; firefly; heinlein; lexx; media; sciencefiction; scifi; serenity; tv; vanity
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To: zeugma

The Fremen of Dune were Muslim. One complaint they had of the Harkonnen family was that they did not allow them offplanet even for Hadj.

A sandy desert planet with something the rest of the galaxy could not live without, under their sands...


41 posted on 07/27/2006 7:15:01 PM PDT by DBrow
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To: marc costanzo

The same stracinsky as Babylon 5?


42 posted on 07/27/2006 7:15:36 PM PDT by Fred Hayek (Liberalism is a mental disorder)
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To: DBrow

I never saw LEXX, though, is it worth the effort?

Depends on what you like, LEXX is more risque, more semi-pornographic, and a lot more fun .

The concepts you mentioned for Serenity sound similar to LEXX, but not the same thing ofcourse . .


43 posted on 07/27/2006 7:15:38 PM PDT by marc costanzo (Strength & Honor)
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To: marc costanzo

I was pretty fed up with the PC Trek and it's naive humanism. Then I had to go read the Horatio Hornblower novels and Richard Bolitho series by Alexander Kent. I have loathed Trek with a passion ever since.


44 posted on 07/27/2006 7:15:58 PM PDT by Brett66 (Where government advances – and it advances relentlessly – freedom is imperiled -Janice Rogers Brown)
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To: marc costanzo

How about creating a new sci-fi anthology with none of the puerile baggage of Rod Serling, Rockne Obannon, Michael J. Stracinsky, etc .. It is time to end their reign of un-American cynicism and fatalism !

45 posted on 07/27/2006 7:16:19 PM PDT by Spiff ("They start yelling, 'Murderer!' 'Traitor!' They call me by name." - Gael Murphy, Code Pink leader)
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To: marc costanzo

Two words:

Frank Herbert.

Amen


46 posted on 07/27/2006 7:17:06 PM PDT by four more in O 4 (God Bless America. Let Freedom Reign.)
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To: DBrow

> I never saw LEXX, though, is it worth the effort?

The show had some interesting ideas, but was a bit too bawdy for my taste... and I never saw them actually go anywhere with those ideas. So, I'd have to say "No, it isn't".


47 posted on 07/27/2006 7:17:07 PM PDT by OneWingedShark (Q: Why am I here? A: To do Justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.)
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To: freedumb2003

Not a sci-fi person, but glancing through this thread I had to post and say: Great tagline!


48 posted on 07/27/2006 7:17:46 PM PDT by jocon307 (The Silent Majority - silent no longer)
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To: marc costanzo; All

I do like the SG1, Atlantis, and Battlestar Galactica.. Eurkea is ok, I still need to watch the show some more. My problem with the sci-fi channel is that they show, films like Frakenfish Island, or show wrestling.. Heads should roll at the sci-fi channel..


49 posted on 07/27/2006 7:17:55 PM PDT by KevinDavis (http://www.cafepress.com/spacefuture)
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To: marc costanzo

Just an extra tidbit of info. LEXX is the name of a living ship that looks like a giant firefly and can shoot fireballs that blow up planets. It was an invention of an evil empire and the show revolves around several characters who stole it finding someplace decent to live. Captain is a middle aged loser/pervert, there is an exassasin who is dead and kept "alive" by some type of blood, a women with lizard/insect genses spliced into her, and a robot who was horny for the woman, but became horny for the dead assasin. OH and a man eating plant lady.

It was an ok show. I watched on and of, it kinda grossed me out a little but there was some good humor.


50 posted on 07/27/2006 7:18:10 PM PDT by mojo_the_migo
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To: dynachrome

*That's kzin, monkeyboy. :)*

TANJ! Dang spell check missed it, too!
:)


51 posted on 07/27/2006 7:18:35 PM PDT by LRS
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To: marc costanzo

Yano, it's an old story, but Harry Harrison's The Stainless Steel Rat would make a fine series!

Sort of like McGuyver meets Grand Theft Auto.

Wonder how much the story rights cost?


52 posted on 07/27/2006 7:18:54 PM PDT by DBrow
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To: OneWingedShark; DBrow

Lexx always seemed more interesting in concept than it did in practice.


53 posted on 07/27/2006 7:18:59 PM PDT by Sofa King (A wise man uses compromise as an alternative to defeat. A fool uses it as an alternative to victory.)
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To: DBrow

You sell the idea, and get backers, and there will be a Long Arm of Gil Hamilton TV series!

Now that I got you started, I'll play a wirehead in your pilot, don't forget me, baby, I gave you your start!

Why not email Larry and see what he thinks?

I once had an email coversation with Jerry Pournelle on this issue, but it did not go well !

I once was told that Larry Niven wrote an episode for that 70's saturday morning children's show LAND OF THE LOST .
I wonder if it was that one were Holly was being stalked by that glowing being utterin: " it is not your time" .

In the end, it was Chalka, the monkey boy who evolved to a higher intelligence, he got to play the flute .

My mind is so good for these details !


54 posted on 07/27/2006 7:19:15 PM PDT by marc costanzo (Strength & Honor)
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To: jocon307
Not a sci-fi person, but glancing through this thread I had to post and say: Great tagline!

LOL! Thanks -- check my homepage for the original source (I keep a list of Tag material with the authors)

55 posted on 07/27/2006 7:21:10 PM PDT by freedumb2003 (A Conservative will die for individual freedom. A Liberal will kill you for the good of society.)
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To: marc costanzo

I think a well done Burroughs series would be awesome. Preferably Barsoom.


56 posted on 07/27/2006 7:21:14 PM PDT by cripplecreek (Everybody's entitled to my opinion.)
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To: freedumb2003

This is why I am not disturbed by the SciFi channel using the name SciFi. The channel can show both serious SF as well as garbage or camp. In addition moving into horror and fantasy seems logical when it is the SciFi channel and not the Science Fiction Channel.

Typically you have considerable cross over between SF, fantasy, and horror readership. I enjoy all three, but my interest has faded as I have gotten older. Reading or rereading Niven and Pournelle just does not give me the same charge at 42 as it did at 16. I guess you can't go home again. I am far more interested in history and biographies now, and most of my literature consumption is through audiobooks while exercising or commuting.


57 posted on 07/27/2006 7:23:20 PM PDT by exhaustguy
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To: mark_interrupted
Robert Heinlein

Before he started writing as a woman. :)

58 posted on 07/27/2006 7:24:12 PM PDT by Mike Darancette (999-TNS)
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To: LRS

And I say Keith Laumer's "Retief" series would make a fine miniseries on Sci-fi channel.

(didn't just want to jump on yur speling without a contribution)


59 posted on 07/27/2006 7:25:38 PM PDT by dynachrome ("Where am I? Where am I going? Why am I in a handbasket?")
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To: cripplecreek

I hear tell of a "Princess of Mars" series. With CGI you can finally get Tars Tarkus correct.


60 posted on 07/27/2006 7:26:50 PM PDT by exhaustguy
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