|
|
Back to UserFriendly Strip Comments Index
|
The SF vs. SciFi Debate | by Illiad | 2004-05-11 01:06:19 |
| Science Fiction is usually reserved now |
by DragonLady |
2004-05-11 01:34:39 |
for narratives that involve other worlds or a significant alteration of a technological/scientific fact. Since "SF" could be construed as Science Fantasy as well as Science Fiction, it is as well to define exactly which you mean - or use SciFi .. which in literary circles is now considered to be a slightly out-of-date term :).
The general term these days is Speculative Fiction, which covers all the narrower genres. Using it recognises that contemporary science fiction/fantasy narratives tend to be cognate, drawing on many elements of more narrowly defined genres. Hard science fiction (Asimov /Philip Dick style) is less attractive to readers today - they require a more densely written narrative with more elements that would properly move into the fantasy area. Speculatove fiction has come a long way since the 1930s :)
That said, I doubt you would see much "good SF" on tv these days - it is too expensive to make, and the literary demands are too sophisticated to make good television. So yes, Babylon 5 was probably the last good one I saw - and yes, it can be classified as Space Opera. Space Opera is a natural choice for tv - it is fast moving, has romantic developments, can have parts of it made electronically without actors, and need not draw too heavily on the credulousness and moral intelligence of its audience. Which does not make it "not-good SF" - merely recognises that it has aesthetic limitations - which contribute to its financial success.
In comparison, something like The Matrix - which you really need to see as all 3 episodes together - requires intense attention to detail, a wide literary background on the part of its audence to get the full benefit (and hence understand why it might be said to be "good SF"), and is not easily broken into smaller segments - so it is not a viable choice for tv. It is aesthetically far in advance of Bab5, but is better presented to a different market. It still possesses a large number of the elements that make good tv - lots of action, fast(ish) movement, love interest, some cosmogonic significance. Which contribute to its commercial success. |
|
[ Reply ] |
|
|
[Todays Cartoon Discussion]
[News Index]
|
|
