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dystopian science fiction
Posts Tagged “
Firefly
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dystopian science fiction
battlestar galactica
Jane Espenson On Battlestar's Morbid Humor And Superstitious Atheists
Last Friday's Battlestar Galactica left us excited, dazzled — and racked with debate about its implications. It was almost like we were having a civil war, as we argued over its implications for everything from monogamy to atheism. Finally we decided to ask writer Jane Espenson — whose trademark Buffy wit finally got to shine in a BSG episode — a few questions about the episode. Click through for her answers, which only fueled our frenzied speculations. More »
sci fashion
It's just not an election season here in the United States — it's smartass t-shirt season. To celebrate the fact that fictional people and monsters would probably make better presidents than the real-life humans currently running, we've got a few choices for scifi presidential swag for you. First up is the lovely Firefly-themed "Reynolds/Washburn" ticket (that's the captain and pilot of the smuggler ship Serenity). Personally, we'd prefer Reynolds to run with his first officer Zoe Alleyne, but we'll go with this because their slogan is so good. Below we've got treats for those who are campaigning for Cthulhu or Battlestar's Admiral Adama.
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Support Your Candidate for Scifi President of the United States
It's just not an election season here in the United States — it's smartass t-shirt season. To celebrate the fact that fictional people and monsters would probably make better presidents than the real-life humans currently running, we've got a few choices for scifi presidential swag for you. First up is the lovely Firefly-themed "Reynolds/Washburn" ticket (that's the captain and pilot of the smuggler ship Serenity). Personally, we'd prefer Reynolds to run with his first officer Zoe Alleyne, but we'll go with this because their slogan is so good. Below we've got treats for those who are campaigning for Cthulhu or Battlestar's Admiral Adama.
More »
morning spoilers
Meet The New Characters In Smallville Season 8
Smallville season seven doesn't end for another few days, but there are already new spoilers for season eight — including Clark's newest human adversary. Also, someone has posted the alleged ending of M. Night Shyamalan's new film The Happening. Also, there are new hints about Battlestar Galactica, Doctor Who, Lost, Stargate: Atlantis, and the next Star Wars novel. Oh, and we may finally get to find out what was the deal with Firefly's mysterious man of god, Shepherd Book — and the first details are already leaking out. Click through to get your spoilers on. More »
roswell
WB To Give Back Alien Teen Drama Roswell
Everyone's favorite angst-ridden teen aliens will be back on the internet, thanks to The WB. Fans can stream all of Roswell's old episodes from the WB's new website, which is set to launch in August of 2008. Too long have we gone with out the Royal Four of Antar. Science fiction shows are burning up the internet these days: BSG, Firefly, At The Earth's Core, Surface, Land Of The Giants, Buck Rogers and Lost in Space are among the most popular shows on online video site Hulu. It's only a matter of time until more teen scifi such as The Secret World Of Alex Mack join in on the streaming fun. [Syfy Portal]
anti-heroes
The first time I ever read the word "anti-hero," it was in an article about science fiction, and it's always seemed a very science fictional type of word — like anti-matter, or anti-gravity. Science fiction has its share of one-dimensional white hats, but the characters who capture our imagination are usually the morally blurred rascals, who have their own best interests at heart. You never quite know what an anti-hero will do next. Here's our guide to the roots of science fiction's greatest anti-heroes.
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Why Do Anti-Heroes Rule Science Fiction?
The first time I ever read the word "anti-hero," it was in an article about science fiction, and it's always seemed a very science fictional type of word — like anti-matter, or anti-gravity. Science fiction has its share of one-dimensional white hats, but the characters who capture our imagination are usually the morally blurred rascals, who have their own best interests at heart. You never quite know what an anti-hero will do next. Here's our guide to the roots of science fiction's greatest anti-heroes.
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dollhouse
Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Joss Whedon's Dollhouse
Dollhouse will be about "identity, self-determination" and the fact that "free will is both a blessing and a pain in the ass, " says creator Joss Whedon, who helped revolutionize science fiction with his space western Firefly. Also important strands in the show: Joss' view that Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation "is a great TV character," and the hotness of star Eliza Dushku. Joss spilled tons of details on the Dollhouse pilot, plus the first script review just popped up online. Spoilers, as they say, ahead. More »
lame con-artists
Weakest Con Artists Of The Distant Future
In a few centuries, everybody will be a rube. Centuries of in-breeding in deep space will remove everyone's street smarts and turn people seriously gullible. That's the only explanation for why anybody would ever get taken in by some of the grifters you run into in science fiction, who practically have a sign around their neck that says "CON ARTIST!!!" With the three exclamation marks and everything. Here's our round-up of some of the most obvious and least crafty con-men and women in SF. More »
interview
Jane Espenson Talks About Writing for Firefly and Battlestar -- and Gives a Little Secret Cylon Backstory
Jane Espenson is the only person to have written for both Firefly and Battlestar Galactica, the two best TV space operas of the past decade. She wrote Firefly's "Shindig" and at least three episodes so far for BSG. Back when Battlestar first launched, many people felt it was trying to copy the grittier look and handheld camera action of Firefly, so we decided to ask Espenson what she thought. Find out what she thinks the differences between the shows are — and how Cylons share memories — in our spoiler-free interview. More »
torchwood recap
Torchwood Shocks Our Nipples With Sudden Greatness
Wow. The latest Torchwood episode was amazing, and not just for this chloroforming, nipple zapping scene. If only "Fragments" had aired during season one, preferably as the second or third episode. It would have made the BBC's Doctor Who spinoff seem like a much cooler show, and might actually have improved the other episodes. Spoilers ahead! More »
poll
Which Science Fiction Ass-Kicker Would You Want As Your Bodyguard?
It's a tough world out there, and if science fiction is any guide, it's only going to get more dystopian and hairstyle-challenged in the years to come. You're going to need some protection from all those tinfoil-clad harpoon-punks who want to steal your teeth. Ideally, it should be someone dependable, as well as a person you'd like to spend all your time with. Someone like one of the great bad-asses of science fiction. Which sci-fi bruiser would you want to have as your personal bodyguard? More »
poll
Which Overexposed Scifi Actor Should Take A Nice Break?
You keep seeing the same faces over and over again in science fiction. At first it's like, "Oh, there's my old friend Summer Glau. I'm so glad she's getting work." And then, it slowly turns into, "How many maniacs of science can Jeffrey Combs play before he actually falls asleep in mid-speech and lights his hair on fire with his bunsen burner?" Especially when people like Will Smith admit they're only doing scifi because it's commercial. Click through to vote for the most overexposed science fiction actor. More »
movies vs. television
Why is science fiction so much hotter at the movies than on television? People have wondered for a while. Recently, the universally panned Jumper and the blah I Am Legend and Cloverfield have hit big. But the well-received Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles is on the brink of cancellation. We explain this strange phenomenon, after the jump.
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5 Reasons Scifi Does Better In Movies Than In TV
Why is science fiction so much hotter at the movies than on television? People have wondered for a while. Recently, the universally panned Jumper and the blah I Am Legend and Cloverfield have hit big. But the well-received Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles is on the brink of cancellation. We explain this strange phenomenon, after the jump.
More »
tv theme tunes
5 Eras In Science Fiction TV Theme Tunes
Here's a catchy compilation of theme tunes from the late 70s and early 80s, featuring Shaft-esque guitars and stomping drum-beats. It's amazing how every science fiction TV show from a particular era features a similar-sounding opening theme tune. And the trends in theme music say something about the shows of the eras they belong to. Click through for a complete history of TV openings. More »
quiz
Could You Be a Shipper? Take Our Quiz
In the science fiction world, "Shipper" stands for for "relationshipper," and it means anybody who is completely obsessed with one particular couple on their favorite show. Usually, but not always, it's a non-romantic pairing that the Shipper wishes would get hot and sexy. We all have a little shipper in us, but some romanticism can easily slide into dangerous, capital-S Shipper territory. Take our quiz to find out how much of a Shipper you really are — if you dare! More »
joss whedon
Joss Whedon Wants to Dance
Joss Whedon did double duty of the Y: The Last Man party in Los Angeles on Friday, serving not only as keynote speaker, but also as one of the Big Draws for the evening. We spent a few minutes with Joss once his speech-giving duties were over, and he filled us in about Dollhouse, his dance project with Summer Glau, and why Ronald D. Moore is putting up with his salivary glands. More »
must read
Firefly Novel from Steven Brust is Action-Packed and Fun
Firefly fans and the Browncoats at Whedonesque are rejoicing this week because they have a free ebook set in the Firefly universe from author Steven Brust. Yes, My Own Kind of Freedom is today's lunchtime reading (and, depending on how quickly you read, possibly tomorrow's and the next day's too). More »
gtd in space
