"Masters of Science Fiction" (2007) TV series 2007-????

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Seasons:

1

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi

Plot:

A series adapting science-fiction stories by well-known authors into 60 minute episodes, introduced by renowned physicist Stephen Hawking...

Plot Keywords:

Anthology | Voice Over Narration

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Stephen Hawking

...

Himself - Host (6 episodes, 2007)

Runtime:

42 min (excluding commercials)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

IDT Entertainment

Finally! Some real sci-fi.

It's so refreshing to get back to a show with some real, pure science fiction. This isn't your "aliens, robots, and spaceships" sci-fi of Star Wars (more properly called space opera), it's not filled with meaningless techno-babble that grabs randomly at today's scientific buzzwords like Star Trek, or your partly supernatural plots of The Outer Limits, but short stories from proved science fiction writers of the past several decades put to film, and so far it's well done.

It doesn't concentrate on special effects, but more the human questions, both spiritual and political, that advances in science or future fortunes force us to answer. That is the type of thinking man's (and woman's) science fiction that made the genre a success in America in the 1950's and when most of the greatest writers, and even the movie plots of today, got their start. It says, "What would YOU do in this situation?" "People can create androids that think. Do you treat them like humans?" Or "Aliens demand we decide whether we trust other nations or risk certain nuclear annihilation. What would you do?" So far the acting has been really good, using first rate movie actors, with the first episode starring Judy Davis, the second Terry O'Quinn, and the third Anne Heche and Malcolm MacDowell.

Unfortunately for the show I've seen a lot of negative comments about it from the self-appointed judges of all that is quality TV since it doesn't fit in the cookie cutter mold made for it by all the previous "science fiction" shows that showcase a lot of large breasted female cyborgs, space dogfights, laser gunfights, and alien forehead prosthetics. Seeking only escapist entertainment, they claim it has politics and real issues, so it must be worthless. I say, if it doesn't have those, what worth is it? But it is the only true science fiction show in recent years, and one that I intend to continue watching closely for as long as it is on.