For the fourth edition of the Thursday Movie Picks 2017 hosted by Wanderer of Wandering Through the Shelves. We step away from the big screen to the smaller screen in television as well as sci-fi TV. Now honestly, I don’t watch a lot of TV shows and I haven’t seen a lot of sci-fi TV shows so I’ll just try to make the best of it. Plus, I’ve never seen Star Trek but have seen the movies starring its original cast.
1. Firefly
From Joss Whedon comes one of the greatest shows that should’ve had more than one season but the fuck-heads at FOX didn’t know what they had. For those who had seen it know how special it is as it’s just a nice good old space western set in a futuristic world involving a couple of war veterans, a dinosaur-loving pilot, a geisha/mistress, a weapons-loving mercenary, a wholesome mechanic, a wise shepherd, a gifted surgeon, and his troubled yet brilliant little sister. It’s a show full of diverse characters and situations largely in space in a somewhat dystopian universe where this group of people struggle to survive while making some money and kill some people along the way.
2. Lab Rats/Lab Rats Elite Force
This is a recent discovery of made thanks in part to Disney XD as it’s fit’s the bill though it bends all sorts of genres from teen-comedies and the superhero films as it’s about this kid whose mother marries a billionaire who has created three bionic teens with some super powers as they all cope with being in high school and growing up. The show lasted four seasons leading to a spin-off crossover with another Disney XD show in Mighty Meds where three of its kids with superpowers team up with two kids from Lab Rats to form a superhero/bionic force team as it’s quite enjoyable while also being funny without trying to be forceful.
3. Westworld
Definitely the best new show of last year which is based on a film by Michael Crichton as it is reinvented into something grander and more vicious. Recreated by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, the show is definitely this strange blend that defies genres from the western, dramas, suspense, and sci-fi though it is set in a futuristic world that feels modern. It’s not just the premise of the show about a group of people going into a fantasy world pretending to be heroes or villains while doing all of the things with robots that is intriguing. It’s the ensemble cast led by Evan Rachel Wood in a career-defining performance as a robotic host named Dolores as a killer music score that really makes the show such a joy to watch.
© thevoid99 2017
I have been told Firefly is good, may have to give it a spin. That gif made me laugh.
ReplyDeleteSince I don't have HBO I haven't seen the new incarnation of Westworld but I did enjoy the original film. I'll have to check it out when it hits DVD.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of Lab Rats but we have a match on Firefly! I've never been much for science fiction series but I gave this one a shot because Nathan Fillion started out on one of the soaps I use to watch, One Life to Live as Joey Buchanan, and I've followed his career since. It was an underappreciated gem with a great cast, Wash was a particular favorite of mine, but like My So-Called Life it wasn't fully acknowledged as so until it was too late.
I like the new TV focus every fourth week but this was a bit tougher for me since sci-fi based shows aren't ones I normally gravitate to. I did manage to come up with two others beside Firefly that I love:
Firefly (2002)-A ragtag group of astronauts tour the galaxy in their rust bucket ship Serenity lead by cheeky leader Mal Reynolds (Nathan Fillion). Often not functioning as a harmonious whole due to squabbles between the opinionated crew they pull together when the going gets tough and manage to emerge from their scraps banged up but unbowed. Serio-comic sci-fi series with a strong cast was regrettably brief but did lead to a big screen sequel “Serenity”.
My Favorite Martian (1963-1966)-Somewhat zany comedy of a stranded Martian (Ray Walston) taken in by young reporter Tim O’Hara (Bill Bixby) who uses the cover of being his Uncle Martin as he tries to repair his spaceship in an attempt to return home. While he works away the pair are confronted with many situations where Martin is constantly at risk of exposure. What could be idiotic is kept from being so by the skillful playing of Walston & Bixby as well as Pamela Britton who is simply aces as their charmingly addle-brained landlady Lorelei Brown. Adapted into a wretched decades too late feature in the 90’s.
The Twilight Zone (1959-1964)-Trend setting anthology series created, hosted and largely written by Rod Serling. Generally but not always with either a science fiction or supernatural theme this weekly series was consistently eerie with a cavalcade of future stars, including Robert Redford, Elizabeth Montgomery, Charles Bronson and Robert Duvall, and top flight character actors-Agnes Moorehead, Gladys Cooper, Burgess Meredith etc.- in strong stories. For the length of time it ran the series stayed uniformly high in quality but has some episodes that have remained justly more famous than others…Eye of the Beholder, The Invaders, The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street, Nightmare at 20,000 Feet, Time Enough at Last, Nothing in the Dark, and my personal favorite The Hitch-Hiker among them.
A small addendum: A moderately successful reboot of the series was done in the 80’s with varying results but there were some excellent episodes produced especially in the first season. Two directed by Wes Craven: the series’ first “Shatterday” starring Bruce Willis and “Her Pilgrim Soul” with Kristoffer Tabori and Anne Twomey are exceptional.
I saw Firedly only once and loved it and when I tried to find it again, I couldn't find it...they kept moving it. I have not seen the Rats one or even heard of it but would love to see Westworld but I don't have HBO....love the original movie though.
ReplyDeleteFirefly is definitely one to watch. Never had a chance to watch it, but since everyone seems to refer it as a cult classic, I have the urge to watch it.
ReplyDeleteI love it knowing that you chose Westworld, too! I hope it'll be something to remember in the future!
I prefer Lab Rats: Elite Force. Bree's suit makes her look bootylicious
ReplyDeleteYaaaas for Westworld! It fully deserves all the love it's been given this week :)
ReplyDeleteI've never seen Firefly, other than the first episode a few years ago, but I really should watch it. I think the fact it was so wrongfully cancelled has been holding me back :(
I've never seen any of Firefly, but I did see Serenity and felt pretty lost. Didn't even know the two were connected until after seeing the movie.
ReplyDeleteI've seen quite a few episodes of Lab Rats thanks to my kids and the kids I work with. Not my favorite, but I don't hate it.
Haven't seen a single second of Westworld.
I loved Westworld but I wasn't expecting it to be so popular this week.
ReplyDeleteWestworld! I see Lab Rats all the time because it's on after Star Wars Rebels, but I've never bothered to try to watch it.
ReplyDelete@vinnieh-Well, it is a fine-looking booty.
ReplyDelete@joel65913-Firefly was something I discovered after Serenity as I enjoyed those characters. Wash is a favorite of mine as well. I think my favorite episode is when Mal tries to defend Inara's honor by dueling as well as the ball where Kaylee wore a lavish dress accompanying Mal and impressed the fine gentlemen there with her knowledge of mechanics.
@Birgit-I want to see that show again as I just love its blend of sci-fi, western, drama, and comedy in a futuristic setting.
@Paskalis Damar-See it. It is such a fun show and I think the best thing Joss Whedon has done on TV.
@Carson Maitland-Smith-Agreed. Her and Skylar look gorgeous in those jump-suits.
@Allie Adkins-I blame FOX. They don't know a good thing when they see it and never have the balls to take a risk.
@Wendell-It's better than a lot of the kid shows I grew up with like Full House and Saved by the Bell which I felt were unrealistic and sentimental. Lab Rats I think is funnier and more entertaining with some realism that I can relate to.
@Sonia Cerca-Westworld is becoming popular as of late and I hope everyone gets to see it as we'll have to wait more than year for the 2nd season.
@Brittani-I haven't seen a lot of Star Wars Rebels though I have been seeing a few episodes of Lego Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures.
Nice buns there Nathan Fillion! YES on Westworld, perhaps my fave scifi TV series now :D
ReplyDeleteI think everyone can appreciate a good booty.
ReplyDelete@ruth-That is a nice ass. I knew just posting a picture of that ass of his. Someone was going to comment on how nice it is.
ReplyDelete@vinnieh-And that is a damn good booty. Of course, FOX never aired that episode (I think) but it's just too good to censor. Come on, that's the kind of nudity that is fun to watch and you could tell Nathan Fillion was feeling very comfortable.
If I had an ass like that, I'd be comfortable walking around naked.
ReplyDelete@vinnieh-Same here but I wouldn't be walking... I'd be... struttin'
ReplyDeleteYou gotta strut if your butt looked like that. It's the law.
ReplyDelete@vinnieh-As long as you're not John Travolta circa Stayin' Alive.... that was so gay.
ReplyDeleteI still haven't seen Firefly....would love to see it, since it's recommended so often.
ReplyDelete@Wanderer-See it. It is phenomenal!
ReplyDeleteLove Firefly - that one movie after was just not enough!!!
ReplyDeleteNot heard of Lab rats....
And i LOVED Westworld, I still need to see the film. I saw Futureworld and that wasn't great.
@Katie Hogan-I know although we all know it's not going to happen as 2 of its characters are gone as one of its principle actors is also no longer around. :(
ReplyDelete