h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi Sue,

Yes, although by a circuitous route: an acquaintance, who is a science fiction media journalist (he writes articles about almost every sf tv show going, and his personal favourite was B5) lent me his recordings of the series because 1)I rarely watch television, least of all commercial television (I find the writing level too dull for my tastes[point of reference: I love the Singing Detective, Prime Suspect...all of which I've seen on tape only]); 2)I wasn't interested in keeping up with a weekly series; that felt too much like being a slave to the box....(In case you wondered, I'd usually get my Red Dwarf fix when the local PBS affiliate did a marathon).

I liked a lot of it....more than I was expecting to, although I did get bothered by the seemingly-unlimited power of the place and EVERY ship had no visible ceilings (I KNOW that's a tv convention:It gives them somewhere to hide the lights; I also know that in any pressurised space, EVERYTHING is visible because the space is constricted).

I also liked the continuous narrative; they assumed the audience was paying some attention....even if they did have to make some stuff really obvious...

To the rest of you: I have seen some impressive episodes of Trek: Yesterday's Enterprise had me interested right up until that cop-out of an ending when Guinan has to convince Picard of something he has NO reason to accept besides her word....and at that point, he had no reason to trust her enough to stake the ENTIRE SHIP on.

For the one or two episodes that shone for me, the whole series wasn't worth the bother. I could find better between the pages of a good book and often did. Star Trek allowed me to survive a childhood and adolescence by proving that there was a future worth living to see, that people weren't the colossal shits I thought they were, that technology really had its uses, and that the good guys would always win.....even when they lost.
Having reached early adulthood, and learnt something about writing for the screens, I quickly discovered that Trek was written for those that need to be led by the nose to (what was to me, who reads more sf than most) the very, very obvious (so that the non-readers could be included). That made the shows VERY dull because I could always see what was coming, the action ground to a halt for an unnecessary explanation of what was going on....and now I'm repeating myself.


Fruitbat

As much as i like star trek i think that babylon 5 is the best sci-fi show since blake's 7 and i watch a lot of sci-fi see my A to Z of sci-fi(http://www.h2g2.com/F33772?thread=49528&latest=1) I still watch all forms of star trek but do not much like the holo deck storys or the fact that they use the same plot over and over again however some of them still are very good. I love red dwarf but would class that as a comedy as the sci-fi comes second to the laughs. I also think that the plot has got to be good i can watch a show with rubbish f/x if the plot is good but something that has first rate F/X but no plot is a waist of time e.g loved survivors no F/X hated the film independece day no plot and a scriped that could be writen by a five year old,or the batman films they were ok but i can't help thinking that with all that money and a good plot they could make a great film.

I've just hit on something that's quite relevant here: the want of the t.v. companies to have the same show milked to death to a) pay for the settings through amortisation; b)have enough episodes in the can to merit syndication and overseas sales; c) continue to feed the audience something that they're familiar with so they'll keep coming back for more.
The logic of television producers/executives derives from their institutionalised-need for the comfort of the familiar....which is passed on to the viewers. If the situation they've created merits that much variety, then they've got something that works; if not, they're flogging a dead horse.

From the viewer's perspective, most people want something familiar enough that they can understand quickly, be entertained by and sometimes root for and don't expect to have to think too much.
My personal preference is to be show smart people doing smart things and assume that I'm smart enough to keep up with it, or to be shown stupid people doing things for an intelligent point being made, or being taken somewhere utterly unfamilar and being kept interested enough to want to watch what happens.
The latter point happens so rarely because it's the terror of those financing programming, who want to be able to bank on a reliable audience....which isn't going to happen with the unexpected or unfamiliar.

Red Dwarf has made some quite interesting points about the nature of time and space in a comical fashion...although some of it is utterly preposterous....and clever ideas will carry a lot more currency than tacky F/X.....

The majority of sf readers generally demand to be made to think....which is the anethema of most commercial television, where simple ideas are okay and complex ones can't be fitted around a 10 minute chunk of drama.....at least, that happens infrequently.

Fruitbat

YES YES AND YES AGAIN but when you think about the few times that they take the chance to do something total diffrent it is a show that is so great that you wonder why they don't take more chances.

One more point i got a tape of an old sci-fi show called timeslip it was a childrens show from 1970 black and white little F/x but began with itn's science correspondent explaining how time travel works.
I compare this with todays shows that think children are to be talked down to(did you see the new tomorrow people a few years ago)at one time tv was there to help educate as well as entertain.

If you enjoyed Babylon 5, and have some concerns about the lack of depth that Star Trek sometimes exhibits, you may enjoy the writings of a gentleman and scholar who goes by the moniker 'Harlan Ellison'. You may recognize him as the author of the "City on the Edge of Forever" episode of Star Trek.

AAMOF I am a great fan of Mr. Ellison and his work; half of one bookshelf is dedicated to his books. There's a wonderful tale to be told in the published script for "City on the Edge of Forever", which will set all the Trek fans in this forum howling in outrage (someone dares slag the Great Bird of the Galaxy?).....I also commend you to his screenplay of "I, Robot" which is light-years ahead of the tripe now doubling as science fiction on either screen (and of course, it won't be made because they spent so much money attempting to write the sense out of it before shooting.....).

If you want to see a brilliant use of television, which has yet to come to pass, check out an anthology called "Faster Than Light", edited by George Zebrowski. In that book is the complete Ellison screenplay for "The Starlost". Makes me cry to think something so good was left to languish....

And in the forthcoming publication of "The Glass Teat" and "The Other Glass Teat" (referring to television as a breast to be suckled at) is a completed television script of his for a late-sixties series called "The Young Lawyers", along with commentary about how the production was hideously mangled by idiots on the production....

Fruitbat

Fruitbat! A fellow Ellison admirer! I, too, have a half a shelf dedicated to Mr. Ellison. My fiancee recently presented me with a signed, leather-bound copy of "Angry Candy", and a cd from the Harlan Ellison Recording Collection (H.E.R.C.) of the story from that volume, "Paladin of the Lost Hour" (wonder where I got my name...). I've found the first four volumes of the series you made reference to, Edgeworks, from White Wolf Press. I've been waiting for volume five, which is to include "The Glass Teat" and "The Other Glass Teat", but I've yet to see it. It was supposed to be out last year...if you know any more about a release date, or if I've been living under a rock, let me know. (I may be under that rock--I worked for Barnes & Noble Booksellers for a year, and I do not recommend the experience. It may be why I've only visited used book stores for the last year. Unfortunately, Ellison is rarely found in used bookstores in the Eastern Washington area. Must be because people who buy Harlan's books know quality when they see it.)
You're not the first to recommend the "I, Robot" screenplay to me, I need to get off my duff and get to a real bookstore...Seattle, perhaps, or Portland...and find it.
Have you read "Harlan Ellison's Movie"? It's one of my favorites...

I think the problem with TV co's taking a chance on new stuff is that with something like Trek they have guaranteed viewing figures from day one, whereas with an original series they usually take some time get going. Babylon 5 is one example - the first season was so-so but the rest - wow!. Red Dwarf is another example , huge now but it did take some time to get the viewing figures up. The TV exec's job relies on being able to say that so many million people are watching something, NOT on the quality of the program or enjoyment level of the viewers. Sad fact but true.

My head hurts now, where were we again?

I am another of the Next Gen. fans. I love Picard. Anyway, I've seen some commercials here for some new show fron Gene called Andromeda, or something like that. I have my reservations about it cause it stars the guy from Hercules, Kevin something. Has anyone heard anything about this?
Polkastria

*picking herself up off the floor
PLEASE someone tell me this is true!!!

If you enjoyed Patrick Stewart as Picard, you'll be mesmerized by his performance in the X-men movie...perfection. Hugh Jackman wasn't half bad, either

W/r/t the caution t.v. execs exhibit toward new and different ideas...remember "Twin Peaks"? Bizarre, surrealistic, intelligent, if sometimes hard to understand...personally, I think the hard to understand stuff inspired viewers who were trusting and interested enough to follow it a certain level of faith, if you will. Faith in the fact that David Lynch would continue to amaze and enthrall us all with magnificent visuals and the off-the-beaten-path storytelling. Unfortunately, season two nixed that faith rather quickly. Maybe strange, intelligent, different television doesn't work...good lord...are the t.v. execs right?

As far as a new Roddenberry show...haven't we gotten to a point where we can demand more intelligent stories, more interseting and layered characters?

Another series comes to mind..."Touching Evil", which came to the states earlier this year on PBS via the show "Mystery". How about more like that? After all, if I must put down my book for the idiot box, shouldn't I hope for something that won't present itself to me as though I'm three years old, as well as entertain me?
Or do I expect too much?

I make a habit of collecting the special editions of anything I'm keen on: I'd love to know where the leather-bound edition of "Angry Candy" came from and buy it; I've got the leather-edition of Ellison's Movie (which tied into a lot of his rantings in "An Edge In My Voice" about consumers expecting products to be crap and buying them anyway.....and built-in obsolescence)......Every time I've gone to order CDs or tapes, I've come across the "out of print" labels.....I'm aching for Harlan's talk about the early days of sf and comic books.

Given Harlan's penchant for self-abuse via overwork (a trait I adhere to, although not necessarily from overwork), the Glass Teat editions could be out as soon as he gets around to dealing with it; remember, the civilised/rational world is STILL waiting for "The Last Dangerous Visions" , which were promised fifteen years ago....(sigh).

Ellison's books are rarely found ANYWHERE; I usually discover them in second-hand bookshops where the owners don't know their value, or where people actually SELL them. Many are available through the H.E.R.C., which is where some classics are available: the limited-edition Repent, Harlequin. Said the TickTockman came through there....or he states precisely where to find the errant tomes. You mgiht also check out the web-site: w.harlanellison.com/home.html (someone else maintains it for him)

By now, I, Robot is available in Paperback (I only collect hardcovers where I can), so finding it should be fairly easy. Because I'm a self-taught film student I found this screenplay both stimulating, educational and utterly compelling.

And yes, I did notice your name...as soon as this thread started I was struck by that. I've not seen the episode although I read the story. Wow!....which reminds me, (and anyone else keen on the difference between television and novels) have you noticed the difference between the ending of his short story "The Soldier" and the Outer Limits episode of the same name? Imagine having the story's ending on television in the early sixties....?!

Fruitbat

My fiancee picked up the leather-bound "Angry Candy"...I'll have to check with her and let you know exactly where she found it. I believe it was on an auction site. She's told me she's seen the "I, Robot" screenplay on a few different auction sites.

Have you heard about (or by chance seen) the new Essential Ellison, which is supposed to cover 50 years worth of H.E.'s best? Speaking of, I own the paperback of the 35-year edition, and "The Deathbird" is hands down my favorite Ellison story. I cry when I read about Ahbhu, every time. Emotional Blubberhead was the original name I was going to post with, but Paladin won out, for obvious reasons.

I've managed to grab a copy of "Repent, Harlequin...", hardcover, and the excellent "Mind Fields", w/illustrations by Jacek Yerka--beautiful surrealism, excellent short-short storytelling by the master of short stories.

Before this becomes a mutual Ellison admiration society (or is it too late, and who cares if it is?), I'll answer that last question...I've read the story "The Soldier", loved it, but never saw the Outer Limits episode based on it. I had a deprived childhood.

Lots of Star Trek reruns.

If anybody finds out anything about "Andromeda" starring Kevin Sorbo, I would be very grateful for any information....
*hands out vouchers for a free massage in her Beauty Shoppe

hehehe
I *love* the internet...
For those interested:-http://www.andromedatv.com/splash.htm

I thought that I should never see anything better than an episode of "Voyager" featuring Seven of Nine; but I was wrong. I saw it last night. "Relativity". Voyager in a time travel paradox where Seven of Nine met herself.
(Sigh)
From what I remember, the storyline was quite good, too.

I remember that one, very good, {I have Sky One}....and didn't the green uniform suit her?

Green, you say?
Must save up for one of those new fangled colour sets.