Golden Age of TV Sci-Fi

Remember the 90's? Duff whining indie music, teenage angst, the clone saga and empty Hollywood blockbusters. Its possibly the first era where people decided to do a 60's revival rather than have their own era. However it wasn't all dreadful.

TV SF was on something of a roll. The late 80s had brought back Star Trek, but it was through the 90s that things really kicked in. As usual, what helped was the holy grail of any SF TV series, Crossover appeal. For time frame, rather than dredge years up from my memory, think about from the start of The X Files through to the Start of Buffy the vampire slayer, which inadvertently was a factor in the early 2000 slump.

The X Files was a rare beast when it started. It was SF, undoubtedly so, unashamedly so (Lost, I'm looking at you) but it also had a real populist appeal. Helped by being set in the here and now, as opposed to the future, using existing organisations such as the FBI and particularly before it spectacularly exploded in its own mess, featuring a nice mix of Conspiracy madness and urban folklore. The result pulled SF into the mainstream and, as always, everyone wanted a piece. The advantage of this was that for a few years, it was easier to get a genre show commissioned. For the fans we got more space opera, like the Fantastic Deep Space 9, the legendary Babylon 5 plus a few that didn't make it past one season like Space: Above and beyond. People were also experimenting more, we got small town weirdness in American Gothic, a much more SF take on conspiracy theory and alien invasion from Dark Skies, decent episodic stuff from the likes of Sliders, Quantum leap, while starting early really gained prominence, and should really be considered alongside the X files in populist SF and more fun fantasy from Hercules and Xena. Now granted many of these fell by the wayside, but they all lasted their season and most still have followings. Towards the end we had Stargate SG1 who's franchise would be the torch bearer into the next millennium. Weird stuff was even produced like Lexx and the next mold breakers Farscape and of Course Buffy the vampire slayer.

So, what went wrong. Well, SF started getting expensive, Shows like The X Files from its stars, others from the level of effects. Second was the great populist shows going. X files vanished up its own continuity, Quantum leap finished, and X-Files spin off Millennium ended, never having made as big a splash as its parent series (In fact successful spinoffs in the genre are rare, Trek, Stargate, Buffy and Hercules are the only ones). Babylon 5's Crusade series died under the weight of networks seeking something less cerebral and more populist, and indeed that trend continued in the 21st century. Trek was becoming the very definition of bland, with Voyager generally preferring to be TNG 2. We also had Buffy, which broke the mold and re-write the rulebook on what a genre series could do, and naturally started its own brand of imitators, although the quality was far lower. Newtorks also became more nervous about putting money into a series that would flop. Stargate and Farscape aside (Both of which pretty much lived under the threat of an axe) Space opera was considered a no-no, too expensive. In fact the networks also developed an alarming habit of axing shows mid season, so episodes never got shown, we lost a good few good series like Odyssey 5 and Serenity this way, Buffy ran on but its spinoff Angel again was unloved by networks (Surprising since fans and critics were on the whole positive) and when Enterprise failed, Buffy, Angel and Farscape all ended we were looking at slim pickings indeed, Stargate, Andromeda and Charmed.

But now we're in a new golden age, and once again populist SF is at its core. Lost hit out at all, and while it was a little more ashamed of its SF trappings it did prove that people will accept a slow burn series with some pretty tricky concepts. Space opera was back with the remake of Battlestar Galacica and Lost was eventually followed by the superb Heroes. in the UK, where most terrestrial networks had conceded all Genre shows to sky, the BBC relaunched Dr Who, which was so successful that they commissioned two Spinoffs. It also gave a healthy kick to other networks who started making and buying their own series. Variety and experimentation are now rife again, and we have a wealth of great stuff out now aside from the aformenentioned shows we have the fun Chuck and Reaper, the ambitious Sarah Connor Chronicles, the just plain weirdness of Pushing Daises and a bionic woman remake, all available on free to view channels. And a fair few seem to have weathered the writers strike to get second series.

Long may it continue.

The DIanna non-Conspiracy

So the Trial verdict has decided that she was killed by a drunk driver and over zealous paparazzi. A trial that has cots the good taxpayer 12 million and worse yet allowed Paul Burrel on TV again.

I initially thought this was all part of a plan by Al-Fayed to embarrass the British Establishment for refusing him a passport. However now I do think he believes his wacky conspiracy theories, and for that he should be pitied. To be honest I'd never have let anything which used the phrase Masterminded by Price Philip into court, and would probably use that as grounds to section the Harrods boss for his own safety.

Dianna did not die in mysterious circumstances, she died in a very unglamorous car crash. Many conspiracy theories (Marilyn Munroe's death for example) crop up because people who are obsessed over by the general public can't accept that they can have an ordinary death, or indeed anything as mundane as an accident can take these supposed jewels out.

The Verdict is of course not entirely accurate. ! definite factor killed the occupants of that car, no-one at the trail mentioned this party and indeed it still lurks in that tunnel ready to kill again. Yes, its the concrete pillar. I'm not trying to be funny (Well, a little but still) you have a tunnel with support pillars down the centre, and no crash barrier preventing cars from smashing into aforementioned pillars. If there had been a crash barrier (As you see down the central reservation of most motorways) the car would have bounced and lost momentum. It would still have been crashed but the damage would have been far less severe. Because of there being no barrier the car quite literally went from its high (speeding) speed to dead stop. The seriousness of the accident was compounded by the fact that the occupants were not wearing seat belts.

So, its not a conspiracy, just an absent barrier (Wouldn't happen here you know) and no seat belts. Not exciting, but the truth.

So, 12 million wasted, and all they needed to do was ask me. I even have a solution for Al-Fayed if he wants more investigation. He can have it, funded from his own pocket. It annoys me that we have forked over 12 million, so that's 12 million that could have done some actual good in the world, to indulge a clearly disturbed man's wild conspiracy theories. Although if they're dishing out money for that I'll take some, I've got millions of wild crazy theories. And David Ike, he can have some too, I'd at least be entertained by his quest to prove that everyone in power is in fact one of the aliens off of V.

Secret Invasion

Well, this summer's Marvel event hit, and it hit hard.

I will now do the obligatory warning to anyone who has not read Secret Invasion #1 and wishes to keep mystery to look away now.

Well, cracking stuff, the Skrulls make their first move, and it looks like this invasion is about to become a whole lot less.... Secret.

The Skrulls put a virus into just about all Stark Tech, which due to Stark designing all the coolest stuff, takes the Hellicarrier out of the sky and disables a huge bulk of earths satellites and presumably a good lump of SHIELD technology. And as a bonus Iron Man. The Baxter Building, The Raft, The cube and Thudnerbolt Mountain are hit, the SWORD space station destroyed, Reed Richards is shot and a massive Skrull fleet is headed for earth. It was exciting stuff and has a real feel of "We are so screwed. We also had the ship opening up to reveal a host of 70's heroes claiming they've finally made it home. Also all the attacks have come with the cryptic phrase "He loves you"

I'm wondering if this is going to be more like Annihilation Conquest, where the invasion is swiftly over and next issue or issue 3 will be earth under Skrull Rule. Hope so, this is the sort of industry wide crossover I prefer, and I hope other titles will reference it in some way.

Now for some geeky analyses.

Page 1. Don't worry, not a page by page account, It reads out a SKrull prophecy, supposedly about their world being destroyed. and we then see skrulls approaching some sort of outcast leader. This destruction, is it the massive attack by the Illuminati after the Kree/Skrull war (As seen in Illuminati #1 I think) or the result of the annihilation wave pretty much wiping out the Skrull parts of the universe, or a bit of both.

Since New Avengers #1 there's been a hint that there are corrupting forces within both SHIELD and Hydra. Well, we now know that for an undisclosed period of time Duggan has been a Skrull. We also know from Ms Marvel that the Skrulls were sampling Human DNA just in case it became useful, could it be that an undetectable Skrull has to be in part cloned from an existing human? We don't know since Hank Pym shot Reed before he could say which happily reveals that Pym is the SKrull in Camp Hammond seen in The Initiative Annual #1 who had a goal of putting a Skrull on every one of the 50 state initiative teams.

Jarvis was a Skrull, wow.

We See Noh-Varr in The Cube, a secure holding facility last seen in Young Avengers/Runaways during Civil War, where he took over. Is he a Skrull, or will this forgotten element of an old Marvel Knights title be a key in resisting the invasion?

We also have the crashed transport full of 70s marvel heroes. Who think they've returned home. Which raises more questions. Are these heroes, abducted earlier and replaced by Skrulls. I doubt it. Note Jewel and Iron man amongst their numbers. I'm going to go out on a limb here, where sadly if I'm proven wrong I will be subject to the ridicule of my peer (Look at the comments, I only have one) but the heroes on that ship are Skrulls. The "Finally made it home" comment I reckon is based on one of 2 things. 1. It could be deep cover Programming, as in they are programmed as sleepers, who are convinced they are who they look like until a certain codeword is activated. 2. There is a Skrull belief that Earth is in fact some sort of new home, with the Skrulls definitely displaced by the Annihilation wave, that old prophecy must look pretty attractive now. That could also put a timeframe on when the infiltration started. Either way, the opening of the crashed ship seemed to trigger the attack, and the pieces were all conveniently in the places to do the most damage before it was open, so My guess is it is part of the invasion plan and not escaped real people. Thunderbolt Mountain was attacked by Mar-Vell, I'd heard he may be a skrull. Thought it was a nice response to the people complaining about his return to life if he is.

Worth considering is the list of current Skrulls living on Earth.

Zavin - Super Skrull in training currently one of the Runaways
Hulkling - Son of Captain Mar-Vell and a Skrull, Currently with the Young Avengers
Jazinda(sp) - She Hulk's sidekick, a Skrull bounty hunter, exiled from her own people because she stole some form of science that means she can't die
Crusader - Secretly a skrull, currently in Camp Hammond with the initiative.
Ms Marvel - Not the real one, we see in a recent issue that there has been a Duplicate, probably skrull, wondering around Avengers tower. In fact her issues showed her DNA being recorded by the Skrulls for future use, she may be the prototype for the undetectable Skrulls.

If I remember the splash at the end with the returned retro heroes, Ms Marvel in her first costume is amongst them. This may bring the current number of Carol Danvers's in the MU to 4. (The original, Warbird - the nutty one from an alternate universe, Duplicate Carol at large and seen in Ms Marvel, Duplicate Ms Marvel as seen in secret invasion)

So, theorising aside a great start. Hope for more of the same.

Guardian Hell

I have a problem with the Guardian Website. I think its just me but it seems to be the worst designed and most difficult to use website I've come across in a long while (And I've checked up Steam's tech support)

Now I don't ask for much, all I really want to do is look up http://www.guardian.co.uk/, and from there search for a certain columnist called Charlie Brooker who's ranting I particularly enjoy, and to any sane person the best way to do this would be to pull up the site and search for Charlie Brooker, or Brooker or some combination of those. Particularly as I'd like to read his comment columns as well as his ever popular screenburn.

However I'm thwarted at the first hurdle. Instead of taking me to the Guardian's homepage, which I would expect, I'm forwarded to the guardian's log in screen. But I just want to read your articles, why do I have to log in? Fortunately I did create a Login for here in the dim and distant past, and I actually remember the e-mail and password I used. So no bother and soon I'm looking at my details. Same as I left them, so i press the finish button and am prompted for my password again, which I dutifully give only to be brought back to my details screen. In fact just about any link I click here takes me to my details, why, will you not let me look at your website unless I agree to let you pass my name along to Internet scammers?

Frustrated I decide to google the guardian. First result, with the most detail brings me to, my personal details again. Second result brings up something resembling a homepage, I'm even logged in (So I bloody should be, I've typed my password about 4 times). Could we be making progress?

Well I can read papers by published date but if I wanted to trawl through the Guardian I'd buy it, but they have a search box, only apparently it can't find any of charlie Brookers articles no matter what permutations I use. In fact searches on things such as Gordon brown don't bring up anything other than the childishly coloured "Sorry" message. So, a search function that doesn't search. Joy.

Oh it could be in Guardian unlimited, lets go there, nope, you want my password again, I'm not falling down that hole again, back we go.

Looks like its trawling the A-Z listings for his name. Last ditch in bad web design. So I find Mr Brooker's name and sure enough a nice list of articles under a picture of him. Could this be it? Hang on last one is dated March 15th, either he's on holiday or this isn't all his stuff. Running down the comment is free section reveals a further truncated list of articles. No use there.

I know he posts up 2 articles a week, but due to a non functioning search and completely absent architecture on the site I seem doomed not to read it.

Is it just me, or is the guardian's website monumentally badly built. Perhaps I can e-mail Mr Brooker and ask him to send me his articles, I think its the path of least resistance.

Allegiance

Lord goldsmith, in his wisdom, has suggested to our dear leader that all children on leaving school should pledge allegiance to Queen and country. Apparently this will instill a sense of "Belonging" and "Britishness" and boost national pride. Full article is here

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7287984.stm

Now I'm all for a new bank holiday to celebrate Britishness that is also suggested on the condition that its mandatory, is additional to my current bank and public holidays and in no way shape or form will I be expected to partake in any Britishness event, by britishness cards or release a britishness badger into a stream.

You may think I'm down on Britain. I'm not, as a country it has its proud and not so proud moments in history. It's achieved many things, produced great thinkers, orators and scientists and is not a bad place to live. However we don't suit being a bombastic, flag waving nation boasting about our achievements, it harks back too much to when we oppressed billions. No, Britishness involves, Cynicism, sarcasm, politeness, good sportsmanship and knowing how to queue. It also involves quietly nodding and smiling during other nations bombast and subtly getting things done. Sadly our current government feels we should be more like America, with a flag on every porch, pledges of loyalty and indeed to boost has joined America's illegal wars, and is cracking down on personal freedoms like America.

America makes good TV and has a real knack for good customer service, but that's it. Everything else they do, they do either badly or wrong. Democracy, they have something every close to a workable electoral system, but they bung in the Electoral College so that the system is actually less fair than ours. And its like this across the board. Indeed who we should really be looking to for guidance is Europe, our closest neighbours. Of course many Scandinavian nations have solved their problems with national pride by use of transparent, trustworthy government and by doing things to make their nations proud. For example not cowtowing to America, going their own way and encouraging international co-operation.

So, please if anyone is reading this, refuse an oath of allegiance. Instead I propose the opposite. The Queen and all of government must pledge an oath to only act in the best interests of the people of Britain, and to represent their constituents before minority interests.

Pennance

Not the most controversial thing to come out of Civil war but still one that received a lot of attention was the conversion of goofy comedy character Speedball into the dark, brooding, self harming Penance. At the end of his first solo series I decided to review how well this new direction has gone and most importantly, will this open up new stories.

I'm normally quite up for a change in characters. I still think the world may be more interesting if Ben Reilly remained Spider-Man and Peter Parker was allowed to retire with a family (And a dead Aunt May) you could have had a young, single Spider-Man with a supporting cast of youngish friends. He could be skint, possibly even at college. Oh wait, like he is now but with less Satan.

First, the general character would have been pretty laughable if he was conceived from the ground up. Powers that only work when he's in pain, so he has a suit with hundreds of spikes on the inside to make his powers work. It is very late '90s and screams "I'm angst ridden aaaaargh" and in itself it doesn't really hold much interest. But all that's done is take one minor B-List character and turn him into another minor B-lister. There has been some abuse of this inside the marvel camp and you could object but for the most part its been really funny. I do feel for the writers of Civil War: Frontline, who dealt with the speedball to penance transformation but the GLI summer special where squirrel girl tries to talk him back into being speedball (And we see his cat Niels is dead, now all that remains is P-Cat, the penitent puss.)

What is surprising is that Marvel have been trying to give him a push. He had his own Limited series where he (Spoiler warning) takes bloody revenge on Nitro (Although notably doesn't kill him) which was actually really good, as has his depiction in Thunderbolts as he receives therapy from Doc Samson. So while I still think the makeover and nature of the powers are questionable, there is no doubt that Robbie Baldwin is getting some far greater character development. Indeed while he seems to have an obsession with pain and masochism once he's clear of his survivors guilt he may grow further. Penance: Relentless showed Robbie becoming more confident, where as before he was a self hating loon living in spartan quarters. He still lives up to his frequent nickname Captain Emo for now, but I have to say, I'm more interested in Robbie Baldwin's journey as penance that I was with speedball.

I know Kung-Fu

I like beat-em-ups. while they've somewhat fallen from favour these days nothing gives entertaining 2 player action like an old beat-em-up. What I want out of a beat em up is simple

1. Story. I want a premise for my fighting, a Tournament is fine but I'll want that expanded on. Each character must have more than just looks, I expect a character bio, personality traits and rivalries with other characters. I also want an ending, preferably an animated conclusion but text and pictures is fine. I remember the disappointment of Street Fighter Ex plus Alpha, where the endings were animated, but didn't seem to relate to any plot going on. It was annoying (Possibly the actual details were just left out on the translation)

2. Kung-Fu. This is the most important, and also in some ways hardest to define. I can't remember which one of my friends coined the phrase. All I know is that it was said during a bout of Street Fighter II, and it was at the point that we were both significantly good enough to really have a good fight.

Kung-Fu, in this context, which is only appropriate to myself and 2-3 other people, refers to the state in a fighting game when the combat flows. That's still quite vague isn't it. Think of it this way, if you remember the original Mortal Kombat, where every character could do the stock roundhouse/sweeps etc. ell an example of Kung fu would be ducking a roundhouse by doing a sweep and tripping your opponent. Its when you exchange blows but each block correctly high or low. In short its where a spectator could watch the screen and see it as a choreographed set piece rather than two people playing a game.

One of the things that left me cold about the more hardcore fighters Tekken and Virtua Fighter was that, while I'm told that when you have 2 people who really know the games it looks great, even after a bit of practice you look like someone hammering buttons. It also requires decent character models and animation (Why despite being cited as my example Mortal Kombat wasn't great for Kung-Fu)

SO, my top 3 list of games which lend themselves easily to Kung-fu.

3 - Mortal Kombat Deadly Alliance/Armageddon - Yes, its 2 games, but its important to note that they ditched the odd combo system from Deception in favour of most of DAs fro Armageddon. While a rookie won't Eb pulling off style branch combos any time soon the way the game animates itself and the way the fights flows lends itself very quickly to kung-fu. Particularly on the weapon fighting styles. MK also has full rich stories for its characters and is never afraid of a downer ending.

2 - Soul Caliber 2 - Actually quite well respected in fighting circles what I like is the simple button allocations (Overhead slash, sideways slash, kick/punch and grab) with stick direction, position and frequency of button mash dictating what you see on screen. with the addition of a solid block and better, an easily applied shedding block that allows for a free hit fights look fantastic with very little effort or experience. The characters all have a little history and the overreaching plot fits everything in nicely.

1 - Dead or Alive 2 - Ok, could have been 3 as well. Dead or alive is the button masher's dream. Scorned by hardcore fans for being too simplistic (it unashamedly is) and for being quite obsessed with, ahem, CG women, hell the unlockable costumes is a major part of the game. Besides all this what you have is a game that still lets you feel like you're in control, but where the computer fills in much of the gaps to make for spectacular fights with little or no experience. Its like the computer wants the thing to look good. If you can master some counters this is amplified considerably. The characters once again have a back story and the single player is more of a story mode and will usually have several cutscene supported battles.

I do sometimes wonder when games are reviewed as too flashy or easy. Because to me the Kung-Fu factor is primary, if the characters look like they're randomly stumbling as opposed to performing ballet like martial arts I just enjoy it less. And surely fun is the most important part of gaming.