I need a break from writing about writing and writing about the sucky things in the world, so I thought I’d share some of my fave current spec fic TV shows!
Ghosts
CBS/Paramount+
Seasons: One
We stumbled upon this comedy a couple months ago, and what a delight it is. The premise – ghosts haunt the living – is as old as the hills, but somehow the quirky cast – a ditzy hippie, a prim-and-proper 18th century housewife, a pants-less stockbroker, a Boy Scout troop leader, a native american guy who was… well, no spoilers, and a Viking warrior with an endearing fondness for all things cod – combined with a sparkling script just works. An old mansion’s owner dies, and when a young couple (Samantha and Jay) inherit it, they decide to move in. A bump on the head lets Sam see the ghosts, and mayhem ensues. It’s a delightful bit of fun, and far better than it probably should be – laugh-out-loud funny.
Discovery
CBS/Paramount+
Seasons: Four
This is the Trek I always wanted. Like the later parts of Next Generation, it departs from the episodic nature of the original Trek to tell one long story in each season’s ten-episode arc. The series is film-quality with beautiful special effects, and the fact that it includes Trek’s first gay couple (well, ok, there was the brief Sulu thing in one of the films) and a couple non-binary characters make it a must-watch for LGBTQ+ sci-fi lovers. Plus, since this takes place ten years before classic Trek, the trick they pull at the end of season two to explain why we never knew Spock had a sister (or about the spore drive) in the original series is epic…
Lost in Space
Netflix
Seasons: Three (cancelled)
It’s all Elizabeth Noble’s fault. She encouraged me to watch this show, and I couldn’t be happier about it. It’s a rip-roaring adventure filled with cliffhangers – often three in a single episode. I love the way they wove the robot into the story, even reusing the old catchphrase “Danger Will Robinson” in a cool new way. A fitting update that brings the original into the twenty-first century (and beyond), a ton of fun with a heart. Plus it’s done, so you can binge-watch the whole thing.
The Orville
Hulu
Seasons: Two (Season 3 Starts March 10th)
I went into this one totally prepared to hate it. It’s a satire of Star Trek and other space operas, and I don’t like anyone messing with sci-fi or Trek. And yet… it’s another one of those shows that’s far better than it ought to be. The effects are good, and the comedy doesn’t get in the way of the show’s heart. It won me over when the Klingon-ish Moclans were revealed to be kinda gay, and there’s a great subplot about being born different in a society that hates you for it. Two great seasons so far. The third was delayed by Covid, but it’s in the can now and coming to the small screen in just two months.
The Expanse
Amazon Prime
Seasons: Six
I’ll be honest, I’m only a couple seasons into this one, but it’s the sci-fi show I wish I had written. Filled with Big Ideas and epic in scope, it literally spans the solar system, with hints that there’s more out there in the great beyond. Sci-fi storytelling at its finest.
The Flash & Supergirl
CW
Seasons: Eight & Six
I was a DC kid growing up. It started with Superman, and grew with the Justice League, Wonder Woman (OMG Lynda Carter), and Batman the Dark Knight. I’ve always found Marvel to be a bit dark, though I have some loves across the aisle too. Marvel has the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), but DC has the … DCTVU? CW has become the home for almost all things DC, and these two shows in particular stand out for their insistence on finding the right way to solve problems. The Flash regularly wins over his enemies by actually listening to them, and Supergirl stands up for women’s rights and against guns and gun violence. It’s nice to have heroes I can actually look up to.
Locke and Key
Netflix
Seasons: Two
While this show sometimes makes me yell at the screen when the characters misuse their magical keys for stupid things or the plot makes a leap so great that you can see its private parts as it passes over your head, it’s still a really fun show with really cool ideas. I loved the dollhouse in season two, and the whole get-inside-your-own-head thing is amazing. Dodge is seriously starting to piss me off, though – she needs to die. LGBTQ+ points for the gay uncle, but it would be nice to see the show go further with queer representation.
Those are some of my current faves on TV/streaming. What are yours? 🙂