Sci-Fi, Where Are You?

Several years ago we ditched cable because it seemed we were getting more reality shows than anything else and paying a ridiculous amount for the privilege. Instead we stream the shows we want to see and even paying by the episode for a few still puts us ahead of our old cable bill. Usually, we have more than enough to keep us busy, but this year, sadly, we have not found an “it” show. Worse, we don’t have a sci-fi show in our queue at all. What happened to sci-fi television?

I should be clear that I am talking spaceships and aliens and not just shows with an “out there” theme. I am a big fan of Fringe, but it does not involve space travel. There are no new planets or green-skinned aliens so it doesn’t count. Same with Terra Nova which, honestly, I am only half interested in to begin with because it’s just Jurassic Park revised. No space ships there, although that big thing they walked through to go back in time was a Stargate if ever there was one.

No, what I want is a Battlestar Galactica, a Firefly, a Star Trek. Heck, it doesn’t have to be remotely related to a franchise that already exists as long as it gets us off of planet Earth and on to planet-not-yet-discovered. What happened to those shows? Why have they forsaken us?

Perhaps it’s Sci Fi Channel becoming SyFy that started the downward trend. If even the network that is supposed to be the go-to place for science fiction decides it doesn’t want to be that anymore, then you know the genre is headed for trouble. At this point, I’d take reruns of Lost in Space like they used to air when the network was new. Those shiny, silver spacesuits were so cool. I wanted one. Okay, I still want one.

I suppose I will have to be content with the huge amount of older sci-fi that can be streamed. Re-watching Star Trek: The Next Generation has gotten my kids completely hooked which makes me happy. I also found a little gem in The Captains, a movie documentary that is a touching look at the people who brought the Star Trek captains to life, courtesy of William Shatner. And there are those Firefly DVDs that I haven’t broken out in awhile.

It looks like I’m out of luck this season and will have to resort to old favorites to get my fix of spaceships and aliens. Maybe next year the networks will remember there are plenty of viewers who love sci-fi and that we’d really like to have a new favorite show. So say we all!