I haven't been reading as much science fiction as I used to. It's not there isn't great stuff out there, I just don't know who the great contemporary authors are. Instead, I'm discovering that there is great science fiction on television. As usual, I'm late to the party, but here's some great SF that's been made since Babylon 5:
Battlestar Galactica: It took me a long time to get past the idea of the cheesy 1970's "Bonanza in Space." When I finally decided to check out the show that's been called the best SF on television, I was sucked in pretty quickly. I remember James Edward Olmos from Miami Vice, and liked him there. He is a blisteringly great lead.
Firefly: It's a sin that this show lasted only a handful of episodes. Even though I have watched every one of the mere thirteen episodes multiple times, every time I watch one again I rail at the meatheads who cancelled this incredible piece of television.
The superb cast and the outstanding writing make the most of the universe created by Joss Whedon. The ship, Serenity, is a character as integral to the story as its crew. Firefly's cinematography makes the most of its innovative set design, wherein Serenity's interior is completely laid out, like the inside of the actual ship. I feel totally inadequate to the task of giving the show its due praise. Just go watch it.
The spinoff movie, Serenity, ties up a lot of loose ends and dangling mysteries that were unresolved by the untimely demise of the series, but at a cost. The characters seemed much rawer, more intense, less likable. A major part of the series backstory was completely changed. And characters -- damned good people -- die, seemingly needlessly. But, as a friend observed when I complained about the latter, "life is like that." The reason you need to see it is that you get to see where the series was headed. It wasn't a meticulously laid out arc like Babylon 5, but there was assuredly a destination, and Serenity takes us there.
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