As a self-confessed (and moderately proud) SciFi fan, I naturally consider my favourite genre to be incredibly important to the progression of society. Not to the extent that my fanaticism destroys my ability to socialise with other human beings (although I do find small-talk incomprehensibly dull), but it does open up deeper thoughts and considerations regarding the human condition. When I talk about influential SciFi, I’m not necessarily thinking of the staple work of science fiction, Star Trek, but it is a start!
Star Trek was, and probably always will be, a landmark in the world of science fiction television, not least due to it’s massive fan base, but also it’s vision of the future. Back in 1966 when it first began, automatic doors and mobile communication devices adorned the original series, and lo and behold we have such things today - just need to invent teleportation and warp drive now and we’re away - but that’s not what I found most remarkable. Star Trek’s future was almost Utopian, with global peace and cooperation achieved, poverty abolished and currency made redundant. Human society was depicted as a glittering exemplar of civilisation, a bright and hopeful future for our kind, exploring a Universe packed with a multitude of life forms and curiosities. Star Trek didn’t revel in conflict and war between races with differing variants of lasers, but rather delved into a Universe of cooperation and understanding, only to seek further knowledge of the Universe.
However, Star Trek’s future Utopia had been preceded by long years of war on Earth, which only came to an end on April 5th 2063 when Zefram Cochrane carried out the maiden-voyage of the Phoenix, the first warp capable starship, drawing the attention of a Vulcan fleet in a nearby region of space initiating first contact between humanity and extraterrestrial life, subsequently uniting humanity and bringing an end to war, famine and poverty (yes, I do have a degree in future history!). Gene Roddenberry’s vision of the future was a bright one, with a society based around Utilitarian principles (the greatest good for the greatest number, the needs of the many out-weigh the needs of the few or the one) and no need for monetary gain, but he knew it would take a monumental occasion, such as first contact with other intelligent life forms, to truly bring about such a realisation. If anything, I feel Star Trek’s society is the model of a decent and balanced civilisation. The next important step in the evolution of mankind, according to Roddenberry’s vision, does not lie in conjuring up new technologies and prolonging life, but through acceptance of one another.
The main impetuous for this article, however, is my recent indulgence in the re-imagined series of Battlestar Galactica and it’s spin-off, Caprica. Rather than dealing with SciFi through advanced technology and space battles, the Galactica Universe explores the best and worst attributes of humanity in a post-apocalyptic and dystopian society. The 12 Colonies of Man are destroyed in an attack by the Cylons, a robotic race created by humanity to serve as their workers, and the survivors escape the devastation in a ragtag fleet and set a course across the Galaxy in search of the fabled home of the 13th Colony, Earth. That setting alone is what makes it the perfect example of why SciFi can convey certain elements of our society, as it removes the concepts of an established social construct, thrusting the characters into a minimalistic and survivalist lifestyle. Compared to Star Trek, Galactica explores the much darker aspects of humanity, and more depressing plotlines, but it certainly succeeds in capturing the essence of what it is to be human.
Caprica, my most recent SciFi indulgence, explores the era almost six decades prior to Galactica, viewing the initial creation of the Cylons and the controversy not only surrounding the advances in technology but also the religious fanaticism, terrorism and corrupt enterprise which frames the entire piece. Whilst both Caprica and Galactica look into the intricacies of man, the endeavours, the follies, and the sheer ambition of our species as a whole, they also investigate just how this can all backfire. In a world of decadence (Caprica, before the fall), how long can luxury last? When advances in artificial intelligence eventually create what could be considered a new form of life, what rights of ownership do we really possess over another being’s consciousness, be it artificial or otherwise?
On April 25th of this year, a documentary titled ‘We Are All Cylons’ premiered at SciFi London. The film investigates exactly what it means to be human in the digital age, treating Galactica as an activation transmission, rather than a TV show, to awaken the Cylon within us. Interviewing the cast and fans of Battlestar Galactica, film-maker Ilana Rein discovers just what the show meant to it’s followers.
Galactica and Caprica have had such a massive impact on their fan base because it focuses on the human drama at the heart of it and resonates with the world of today. Combined with the optimistic and role-model future envisioned in Star Trek, this has lead me to believe that science fiction is much more than a medium of entertainment - it’s a work of art, a thought-provoking form of entertainment and a brilliant way to convey philosophical stances to the masses.
How many other television series can claim to have been such an influential force on people?!
More about We Are All Cylons can be found here.
And here's a link to possibly one of the greatest fan-made trailers for Battlestar Galactica I've ever seen! Click here.
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