Sometimes.
I have very strict parameters when dealing with science fiction. The genre is too finicky, too varying in taste and quality, and I need to protect myself. There's nothing worse than having to sit through two hours of bad sci-fi.
Here are some of my rules:
1. Have something to say. For me, good sci-fi is not about spaceships, lasers and pointy ears, but is a tool for talking about something more universal and timeless. Futuristic films, for example, stress the present fears of technology, big government and the devastation of war. How many books have you read or movies have you seen about a futuristic dystopia or post-war anarchy? The Matrix tapped into Millennial fears of rapidly expanding technology, the loss of humanity and identity. They are also often about searches or journeys, both literal and metaphorical: Buffy was often about isolation and the journey for redemption. Firefly (and later Serenity) was about the search for home and family in a hostile environment.
A lot of sci-fi claims to have something to say, but it says it in a way that's too blatant or cliched. Or the maker mucks the message up by putting too much other crap in it. Star Wars is a good example. Sure, anyone could talk about the battle of good versus evil, the Greek tragedy flawed protagonist with Anakin, blah blah blah. But any quality message is devoured by Jabba the Hut, and to take away any meaning also means you have to swallow hours of unnecessary puppets and prosthetics. Which leads me to my next rule:
2. All prosthetics, make-up and fancy-looking gadgets must be integral to the plot to be included. For example, my very favorite sci-fi TV shows to date are Firefly and the new Battlestar Galactica. Want to know what's cool about both these shows? No prosthetics. Killer robots, yes. Bumpy foreheads, a big resounding no. The extraneous material, while sometimes amusing and/or integral to the plot, often gets in the way of the story. The props and the make-up become what you see, sacrificing the dialogue or the performance. Part of the joy of Battlestar Galactica is how rudimentary their technology is, how they have to get along with the bar minimum because the cylons could infiltrate anything technologically beyond it (long story- rent the DVD.) The people of Battlestar Galactica run the show- not the technology.
3. Love stories should be kept to a minimum. I want to see space battles, complicated political machinations, and men in brightly colored tights- not sappy love scenes. This was part of my issue with the new Spider-Man. I don't care about Peter Parker and Mary Jane. Especially when Mary Jane is played the thoroughly uninteresting Kirsten Dunst. Every minute of screen time spent on the love story in Spider-Man II was a minute taken away from the fabulous Alfred Molina and his animatronic tentacles. In other words: completely wasted. If I want to laugh derisively at a love story, I'll rent You've Got Mail.
4. Just kidding. I would never rent You've Got Mail.
5. Nine times out of ten, if the word "star" is in the title, I'm probably not going to like it. The only exception I can think of for this rule is, obviously, Battlestar Galactica. Star Wars, Star Trek, and the interminable Stargate series- I hate them all. I know right now sci-fi geeks across America are clutching their chests in horror- how can I honestly call myself a sci-fi fan if I don't like Star Trek or Star Wars? They just don't interest me. I think with Trek there was a point in one's childhood where one makes the choice to be a Trekkie, and the opportunity just passed me by. As for Star Wars, I simultaneously despise it and am fascinated by it. I hate it because it's boring and unnecessarily long and pointless and badly written with no character development, and is purely a vehicle to push massive amounts of merchandise. And I am fascinated by it because of George Lucas's great gift for taking truly talented actors and killing that talent slowly and mercilessly. This caused me small bouts of amusement when he was just screwing with Harrison Ford. But then he grasped the divine Liam Neeson in his clutches, shredding his acting prowess and dignity like a fat, bearded hawk. This, I cannot forgive.
And as for Stargate... forget it, I'm not wasting any more time on Stargate than has already been wasted by Sci-Fi channel making me watch promos for it. Let's just say it's kind of like Sliders, meets Dawson's Creek, meets a lot of really bad one-liners. Plus one of the characters has both a bumpy forehead and this little gold doo-hickey on top of the bumps. I have no patience for this.
Well, there you have it. I am a picky eater when it comes to sci-fi, but when I can find something good, I devour it obsessively. Below is a list of my five favorite science fiction films/shows, the five worst (in my opinion,) and my five sci-fi guilty pleasures. Disagree with me? Let me know!
My Top Five Favorite Science Fiction:
1. Battlestar Galactica (the new one)
2. Firefly
3. Twilight Zone
4. The X-Files
5. Blade Runner
Top Five Most Hated:
1. Stargate
2. Star Wars
3. Star Trek
4. Farscape
5. Quantum Leap
Top Five Sci-Fi Guilty Pleasures:
1. Sliders (oh how I loves the Jerry O'Connell)
2. The Fifth Element
3. Plan 9 From Outer Space
4. Invasion of the Body Snatchers
5. Alien
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