Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2005 01:04:21 -0500
From: thaughey <thaughey at acnet.net>
To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at WSFA.org>
Subject: [WSFA] Re: Enterprise - the end is nigh!
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at WSFA.org>

Andromeda is the reverse of Enterprise.  It started with a clear mission
and some interesting shows (if one ignored the ineptness of the invaders
(Magog, etc.) who entered stage left with the single purpose of being
shot and killed stage right).  Then the tinkering started with the
coloration of hair and the banishment of Rev. Bem.  The grand challenge
became bogged down in shoot-em-ups on the surface of junkyard-like
planets.  The series has gone decidedly down hill with the passage of
time.  Enterprise, on the other hand, improved (with the exception of
last year's altered history theme which seemed a not very wise attempt
to get out from under prequil constraints.  The reason for Enterprise
being a prequil is very simple.  The conclusion of Voyager advanced the
shields to the point where they were impervious and the overall
technology to the point where human beings would no longer exhibit the
weaknesses necessary for compelling plots.  It was necessary to return
to simpler days where man's character and enginuity could be tested to
the fullest.

Mutant X is mostly fantasy of the Buffy and Angel variety with pseudo
scientific trapings tacked on.  Stargate is science fiction of the
unexplained ancient scientific wisdom variety and is well done.  Dead
Zone has some extremely interesting and well-constructed episodes.  The
X Files were well done in a brooding kind of way.  Much of current
fantasy and science fiction, in fact, has a dark quality to it.  The
various Star Trek series, by contract, avoided film noir in favor of an
optimistic view of man and his future.  That's something we need today.
Even Deep Space Nine ended with victory of good over evil.  Contrast
that to Babylon 5 which I loved but which ended the second time with a
gift to be presented to Sheridan's son at some future time which would
worm inside of him and make him a slave to evil.  --Tom Haughey

samlubell at verizon.net wrote:

>>From: N Lynch <sfbookfan at yahoo.com>
>>Date: Mon Apr 18 15:46:05 CDT 2005
>>To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at WSFA.org>
>>Subject: [WSFA] Re: Enterprise - the end is nigh!
>>There may not be a show set in outer space on
>>broadcast TV, but SF and fantasy is represented there.
>>
>
>On broadcast?
>There are a few network shows with sf/fantasy elements like Lost, Alias, and Joan of Arcadia but not much (certainly not more than the standard James Bond movie and no one would call those sf (except possibly Moonraker))
>
>There are a few syndicated shows like Andrometer and Mutant-X. And old StarGate episodes from cable are rerun in syndication.  Is there anything else?
>