In space no one gets any respect. Or at least that's how the trailer for a film exploring science fiction's history at the Emmy Awards would go. Year after depressing year, sci-fi fans tune in to watch their favorites (assuming they were nominated at all) get passed over in favor of more conventional, and supposedly more credible, fare.  

It's a shame too, because the last fifteen years have provided a number of compelling, ground-breaking, sci-fi series that can stand toe-to-toe with their mainstream counterparts. For every ER or NYPD BLUE or GREY'S ANATOMY a typical Emmy voter can name, I can bring up an X-FILES or a BUFFY or a BATTLESTAR GALACTICA.
 

Oh yes, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (or BSG as the cool kids call it), Ronald D. Moore's innovative space opera about a ragtag fleet of humans scouring the stars for their lost homeworld, while staving off extermination at the hands of the half robot, half human Cylons. Sound silly? Don't be fooled, it's one of the best dramas on TV. The show's 'reimagining' (TV talk for 'new show, same name') of the campy early-80's cult favorite, over two seasons, has compiled an impressive amount of critical and commercial acclaim, spawning a toy line, soundtracks and a host of top-selling DVD's—and has about as much chance of picking up a non-technical award on Emmy night as a Viper starfighter landing on Terry Hatcher's head.


Emmy bias against sci-fi is nothing new to Moore, who first encountered it during his days on STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION, the godfather of brilliant, popular, yet perpetually overlooked sci-fi shows (Yes, I know NEXT GENERATION was nominated for best drama it's final year, but c'mon that was a mercy vote). Moore admits that selling a show called BATTLESTAR GALACTICA on the Sci-Fi Channel to Emmy voters as a serious drama is about as easy as trying to make the Kesel run in under twelve parsecs, but still believes the show shouldn't be viewed as second-class material just because of those facts. Sci-Fi Channel seems to agree. The network seems committed to presenting their little darling to the awards community as a legitimate heavyweight drama (BATTLESTAR's promotional DVD booklet has fourteen pages of critics' quotes before the show's title ever appears). Still, I don't think anyone's holding their breath for Edward James Olmos to beat out James Gandolfini for the best actor award.


Changing attitudes towards sci-fi will undoubtedly be a slow, gradual process but there's still reason to hope. A sci-fi series about love, life and loss can elicit the exact same emotions from its audience as a police drama about love, life, and loss. Here's hoping the Emmys one day decide to take a chance and boldly go where no one has gone before.

-Scott K.

 

In space no one gets any respect. Or at least that's how the trailer for a film exploring science fiction's history at the Emmy Awards would go. Year after depressing year, sci-fi fans tune in to watch their favorites (assuming they were nominated at all) get passed over in favor of more conventional, and supposedly more credible, fare.  

It's a shame too, because the last fifteen years have provided a number of compelling, ground-breaking, sci-fi series that can stand toe-to-toe with their mainstream counterparts. For every ER or NYPD BLUE or GREY'S ANATOMY a typical Emmy voter can name, I can bring up an X-FILES or a BUFFY or a BATTLESTAR GALACTICA.
 

Oh yes, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (or BSG as the cool kids call it), Ronald D. Moore's innovative space opera about a ragtag fleet of humans scouring the stars for their lost homeworld, while staving off extermination at the hands of the half robot, half human Cylons. Sound silly? Don't be fooled, it's one of the best dramas on TV. The show's 'reimagining' (TV talk for 'new show, same name') of the campy early-80's cult favorite, over two seasons, has compiled an impressive amount of critical and commercial acclaim, spawning a toy line, soundtracks and a host of top-selling DVD's—and has about as much chance of picking up a non-technical award on Emmy night as a Viper starfighter landing on Terry Hatcher's head.


Emmy bias against sci-fi is nothing new to Moore, who first encountered it during his days on STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION, the godfather of brilliant, popular, yet perpetually overlooked sci-fi shows (Yes, I know NEXT GENERATION was nominated for best drama it's final year, but c'mon that was a mercy vote). Moore admits that selling a show called BATTLESTAR GALACTICA on the Sci-Fi Channel to Emmy voters as a serious drama is about as easy as trying to make the Kesel run in under twelve parsecs, but still believes the show shouldn't be viewed as second-class material just because of those facts. Sci-Fi Channel seems to agree. The network seems committed to presenting their little darling to the awards community as a legitimate heavyweight drama (BATTLESTAR's promotional DVD booklet has fourteen pages of critics' quotes before the show's title ever appears). Still, I don't think anyone's holding their breath for Edward James Olmos to beat out James Gandolfini for the best actor award.


Changing attitudes towards sci-fi will undoubtedly be a slow, gradual process but there's still reason to hope. A sci-fi series about love, life and loss can elicit the exact same emotions from its audience as a police drama about love, life, and loss. Here's hoping the Emmys one day decide to take a chance and boldly go where no one has gone before.

-Scott K.