Now I pretty much watch the SYFY channel for Futurama reruns or the New Year Twilight Zone marathon (although I’m sure they will deem that problematic soon). I used to love that channel but now they have given in to the usual diversity/sjw nonsense. I stopped looking at their website when the review of Brightburn was a rant against white males and Wheel of Time was sexist because multiple women were in love with the protagonist.
I saw a show being advertised about Leia and the summary mentioned women and “non-binary” fans of Star Wars discussing representation. I honestly think that if everything you watch has to represent you then you have deeper issues. I’m a black guy who will be 40 soon and When I was younger I read lots of golden age sci fi and loved it for the stories. I cared more about entertainment/good stories. A simple reading of history will show you that men and women of all races are capable of greatness so I don’t need to see a black person being a scientist to know that I can be one or attempt to be one.
I love Superman and Spider-Man because they are awesome. Loved John Stewart green lantern because I am a huge green lantern fan.
Why do the usual suspects get so angry when you question if they are really a fan. Like in gaming I’d ask these women who constantly whine why not make a game they like or find one they relate to instead of ruining games for devoted fans. Not just women. Plenty of men in the industries that seem to get hired for diversity points and not talent.
I’ll never understand this. It still cracks me up when I hear the term gatekeeping thrown around. Sounds logical to me that someone who hates the material and wants to change it shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near it.
Oh, man, I remember the early days of the Sci-Fi Channel. On C-Band, Galaxy 5 Channel 4 I think. For a week it was nothing but a vortexy screensaver, no idea what was going to show up. Then it added a countdown set to end on Friday or Saturday night. And the first thing that came on when the countdown ended? The original Star Wars.
And their weekend lineup! I think it was Sci-Fi Buzz that gave Harlan Ellison five minutes every week in front of a camera to be... well, to be Harlan Ellison. And then it was followed by this weird conspiracy theorist show where the host promoted stuff like the expansion of the Bermuda Triangle and the had odd "advice" like taking truffles out of the bag before weighing them at the till so you don't pay truffle prices for the bag. ( Because I guess you can buy hideously expensive mushrooms at Bob's Bulk Bonanza...? )
The first time I ever saw Doctor Who was on the Sci-Fi channel. Genesis of the Daleks, one afternoon when I wasn't at school for some reason. Speaking of things that have fallen far.
They were so pissed that they couldn't get exclusive rights, but Iowa Public Television had been buying Doctor Who for about 30 years at that point and BBC told Sci-Fi they weren't going to throw existing customers under the bus.
Skip forward to Nu Who where they decided to throw the existing fans under the bus instead along with lots of the lore.
Detroit PBS was big on it since forever, too. Got confused when I saw anyone other than the Fourth Doctor for a while.
Oh yea! I do remember that. Good times. Also the first time is saw Night Gallery.