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by Rick Norwood
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SF on TV | |
When is a TV show science fiction? The most obvious answer is when it is set in outer space. By that criterion, the only
current SF on TV is Star Trek Enterprise, Stargate SG-1, and Andromeda. Stories
set in the future, add Jeremiah to the
list. Stories about super-powers, add Smallville. Then, in the fantasy realm, we have stories about vampires and other
supernatural beings. Add Angel. There are some TV shows I would classify as religious fiction, but that seems a
whole 'nother genre. Anime and animated super-heroes -- again a different genre. I'll only mention the very best. Have
you been watching Trigun (at 1 A.M. on the Cartoon Network, right before Cowboy Bebop)? If not, give the adventures of
Vash the Stampede a try.
From this list, Jeremiah is far and away the best, followed by
Superboy, while Enterprise has sunk to number three. The only
character on Angel I find interesting is Spike, but even when they attempt classic Spike dialogue, what seemed fresh and
appealing on Buffy seems forced on Angel. There was one interesting conversation between Spike and Angel, sitting on a
sofa side by side, talking about how much they hated one another. But after Smallville, I usually turn off the TV and
read a book. And I catch the Saturday rerun of Enterprise.
After mid-November, many TV shows are either pre-empted by holiday specials or air reruns. The shows marked below
with a * may not air until January.
Note there are two new Jeremiah episodes back to back on October 31 and two more on Nov 7. Seems like Showtime is in a
hurry to get Jeremiah over and done with. Fine by me. The sooner Showtime
finishes with Jeremiah, the sooner I am finished with Showtime.
November:
And I'm sure you'll be watching those three minute Star Wars shorts on the Cartoon Network. Still
no air date announced for the delayed eighth season of Stargate SG-1.
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Rick Norwood is a mathematician and writer whose small press publishing house, Manuscript Press, has published books by Hal Clement, R.A. Lafferty, and Hal Foster. He is also the editor of Comics Revue Monthly, which publishes such classic comic strips as Flash Gordon, Sky Masters, Modesty Blaise, Tarzan, Odd Bodkins, Casey Ruggles, The Phantom, Gasoline Alley, Krazy Kat, Alley Oop, Little Orphan Annie, Barnaby, Buz Sawyer, and Steve Canyon. |
Here is what you can watch in November, but first this.
Monday, Nov 3
 
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