I see a bright future ahead.
Quantum physics, time travel, wormhole technology, extraterrestrial contact, travel to other planets, walking streets in an extraterrestrial city, peace with conscious robotics, living-breathing ships (likened to the Spaceship Earth theory by Buckminster fuller)...I get so wet over all these ideas!! 8-)
I have always dreamed of travelling the stars, ever since I was a child looking at the night sky with my father. Those dreams have always been backed by peaceful thoughts, thoughts that do not revolve around warfare or battle ships or vast intergalactic battlegrounds where humans or other species have to fight each other to be the best. (An idea that has unfortunately too often been promoted by the various movie industries).
If the main characters of a Sci-Fi TV show are of a peaceful nature and can look to go about doing well for other conscious beings around the universe, with humility, passion and a drive for peace, then I can accept some fighting scenes. But, only if it helps build context and depth to the story as an aid to creative entertainment. Not, however, to have war as the focus of the story. Nor one that promotes fear of extraterrestrials. That I can absolutely NOT accept!
In saying this, all of the TV series I recommend in this post are unfortunately in some way inclusive of warfare.
Given that, there have been very few TV series or movies that have been released that focus on other aspects of space-based topics, like love, friendship, companionship, commitment, growth or progression or true to life scientific theories/discoveries.
Most are just Hollywood bollocks made for entertainment's sake and to make a quick buck.
Science Fiction has to teach me something about myself and about the universe to give me that sense of wonder. That true sense of fragility; for example, imagining myself as a member a crew on a ship, travelling deep space. A Sci-Fi series has to be of real value for me to watch it!
I am forever vigilant not to fill my mind with Hollywood-junk that either consciously or subliminally teaches me to that it’s OKEY that extra-terrestrial activity needs to be accompanied by weapons. My love Sci-Fi is too great for this.
Here are my TOP 5 Sci-Fi SERIES RECOMMENDATIONS that hope can give you some insights, a sense of belonging and wonder!
1 Farscape
The oldest TV series in this list, Farscape puts the ‘human element’ in the context of a space. A scientist experiment gets accepted by NASA to be tested in space just outside Earth’s atmosphere. The experiment goes terribly wrong (or right) shooting him through a wormhole and into a very different landscape. The entire journey is based around his quest to find his way home, taking the viewer on an experience of one possible way of how a human being meeting, living and working with ‘extraterrestrials’, could be like. Along with this, a ground breaking technology is stumbled upon, leading the story down a deep, psychological and sensually-trippy journey for the viewer. It includes spirituality, questions morality, explores psychedelia and touches on so many sensitive subjects, that only we humans can associate with (as far as I know).
2 Dark Matter
Based on a crew of ex-convicts, the story starts from the time when they wake up from a mass memory wipe, setting the basis that sets the scene for an entire series. After having no recollection of who they once were, the crew and their android pursue a life based on innocence and in a just manner. They have no recollection of what the state of the universe was before their memories were wiped. They, after time travelling space, learn the truth of who they really once were and go about rewriting their history in a manner that looks to help communities and build connections, instead of torture, murder and theft from their enemies, as they once did. It takes you on a trip of parallel universes, time jumps, quantum realities and such. Fighting is ordinary in this series but from a more anarchist view.
3 The Expanse
Perhaps the series in this list with the most war and space-based fighting, The Expanse, however, will take you on a journey accompanied by high-quality CGI that portrays human civilisation 200 hundred years in the future. After Mars, a series of moons and Asteroids have been colonised within our solar system, disharmony between civilisations builds, leading to political and social unrest on an interplanetary scale. The crew of the Rocinante are key influencers of behind -the-scenes events; events that are, seemingly wholly disconnected to the bigger picture, which lends itself to an unpredictable storyline and an element of investigative science. Emotional content is very subtle in The Expanse, however, mortality and equality are often key qualities the main characters possess.
4 Extant
When an astronaut is assigned to spends a year in orbit around the Earth, she comes back carrying an extraterrestrial infection. The plot to this series is built on the question of what could or would happen based on today's-world-view if such an event were to happen.
The series plays a lot more on the paranoid aspects of higher government, and the need to feel that the facts of life-beyond earth should be hidden. Executively produced by Steven Spielberg, this series depicts a realistic view of Earth in the not too distant future. The struggle between a questioned Molly Woods (the lead actress Halle Berry), a militarised government and a dying extraterrestrial species.
5 People Of Earth
A comical take on paranoia of ‘the unknown’, People Of Earth is a satirical series whose characters play out the role of ‘wanna-be ufo believers’ and bring up a lot of the uneasy and cheesy subjects of being abducted by aliens. It’s a clean and simple sketch that does not include war. Based on Earth and not in space, it’s a series that cleans the ‘paranoia’ slate with simple witty and somewhat whacky humour.
Thanks for reading!