Masters of Science Fiction, 2nd Episode.

[Ed_Laprade]

Saw it. Thought it was better than the first, at first, but it got all religiousy and philosophical toward the end. Looks like that's going to be the theme for the series. No wonder it got chopped down to four episodes. Great stuff for those who like it (I can do without it for the most part), but it sure isn't going to bring in the viewers of todays audience. IMO.

And I hated the 'when will they learn' bit. One person left alone with the 'pod', and something happens to them. What a surprise! You'd think they'd have seen enough genre flicks to have several people eyeballing it, with remote cameras and mics, at all times...

I also was wondering how come it was the Commie who was going all religious, and the president of the US ready to start a nuclear war rather than agree with all of the available world leaders? Not that I couldn't see the latter happening, but it did seem to be reaching a bit to go that far with it. (Oh wait, the plot demanded it!) And I very much doubt that simply being able to understand each others languages would help all that much. Not in the long run anyway. Its certainly never stopped people from disagreeing to the death before.

 

[Crothian]

Science fiction has a long standing history of lecturing to the audience. However, even this was a little heavy handed. It was a neat idea but like most of the shows like this it stops to soon and never gives us the afterwards. All we see is the events leading up to the big event and then its over. Still, much better then the first episode and next weeks looks even better.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

I felt this was worse than last week's episode on the lectureometer. I felt I was being beaten into submission with a sledgehammer.

*pound*
Not
*pound*
Even
*pound*
Trying
*pound*
To
*pound*
Be
*pound*
Subtle
*pound*
*pound*
*pound*

 

[Fast Learner]

I didn't mind the message or the preachiness, I just minded the lousy scifi story. Two in a row, very underwhelming. And from another non-science-fiction writer. Gah, "Masters" my ass.

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

I think the executives in charge of this simply do not understand the difference between fiction and science-fiction. The writer's they've been getting are NOT "Master's of science fiction!" They aren't Master's at all at least IMO and mainstream fiction/drama rather than science fiction. The second to last episode is a script based on Heinlein and somehow I think I'm going to see another instance of that great author's work being rendered into trash.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

I think the only think I liked about it was the fact that the X-Files "Cigarette-smoking man" played the President and that the man they needed to get was named Skinner. I got a chuckle from that. The rest was pretty much garbage.

I have little hope for the remaining two episodes.

 

[Fast Learner]

The next two are, as I understand it, based on stories by Harlan Ellison (he even has a cameo) and Robert Heinlein. Two actual masters of scifi. My fingers are crossed.

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

The next two are, as I understand it, based on stories by Harlan Ellison (he even has a cameo) and Robert Heinlein. Two actual masters of scifi. My fingers are crossed.

One is based on a story by Heinlein but the script was written by someone I've never heard of before. Considering how much science fiction I read and keep up with the script writer probably is new and writes more fiction than actual sci-fi or I would at least recognize the name. So I'm not holding out any hope there.

 

[Anthraxus]

Subtle
*pound*
*pound*
*pound*

THERE IS A LESSON HERE TO BE LEARNED!!!

*pound*

I missed the first one, wasn't too thrilled with this episode. Now I idly wonder(with a hint of horror) what the next couple episodes will be like.

 

[Technomancer]

I also was wondering how come it was the Commie who was going all religious, and the president of the US ready to start a nuclear war rather than agree with all of the available world leaders?

The story was by Howard Fast, who was actually blacklisted back in the day for being a communist, so maybe a little personal bias there?

But that was pretty ridiculous for POTUS, certain death at the hands of the rest of the world or possible death at the hands of weird alien things? I'll take my chances with the aliens I think.