Sci Fi Fidelity

As alt-history science fiction stories go, For All Mankind on Apple TV+ is right up there with The Man in the High Castle and Watchmen, both of which we discussed on the podcast as well. Speculating on what the world would be like if the Soviet Union landed a man on the moon first, this series starts out as a sort of historical drama inside 1970’s NASA but begins to show the larger effects on society of a continuing space race during the Cold War, taking things in a much more sci-fi direction as time goes by.

As is usual for the show topics on Sci Fi Fidelity, we discuss the first two episodes of the series and share what we think of the established characters and the central conflict. The spoiler zone includes broad discussion of the later episodes in the series that have aired so far and predictions about where things might be headed.

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HBO has done a much better job of adapting Philip Pullman’s fantasy adventure series His Dark Materials than Hollywood did for 2007’s The Golden Compass, and we’ve been enjoying watching Lyra Belacqua work through the mystery of the missing children in an alternate world ruled by a restrictive theocracy. It’s hard not to be charmed by the concept of each human having their own familiar-like daemon as their animal companion, and the world-building is rich with witches, Gyptians, and armored bears.

As is usual for the show topics on Sci Fi Fidelity, we discuss the first two episodes of the series and share what we think of the established character and central conflict. At first, there were some reservations that His Dark Materials was more oriented towards children with its young protagonist and “chosen one prophecy” premise, but we quickly gained appreciation for the thematic depth and attention to detail with the various culutures in this parallel world.

Then we dive into the spoiler zone for some real talk about passages between worlds, the nature of Asriel’s investigation of Dust, and the fight that surely lies ahead for the Gyptians.

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With the launch of the Apple TV+ streaming service on November 1st and the Disney+ debut right around the corner on November 12th, a question arises for us to discuss on the podcast: what is worth watching on these new subscription channels, and does the content justify the additional monthly fee? HBO Max also announced part of its lineup for its May 2020 premiere, and it's becoming clear that tough decisions will have to be made very soon.

This first part of the podcast tackles the price breakdown of each service and compares their various chances for survival in the coming "streaming service wars," as we're calling them. Apple, for example, is trying to lure customers in with their low price point and with free trials and a year's subscription for those who purchase new iPhones or computers. Disney has less of a battle ahead with the built-in draw of their massive Star Wars, Disney, and Marvel libraries, but with so many players in the game, who can tell?

Our list of genre content we're looking forward to includes one choice from each of the three services in question. Plus our listeners get in on the action, too, via our Facebook group!

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When we decided to take on Watchmen for the podcast, we had no idea how different the series would be from its graphic novel source material. The show has proven to be exactly the “remix” that showrunner Damon Lindelof said it would be, but a central question of our podcast discussion is this: Do you have to be familiar with the 1986 Alan Moore/Dave Gibbons comic in order to understand what’s happening in the HBO series?

Other points of analysis include why this version of Watchmen decided to make race a central factor, whether or not police chief Judd Crawford is a good guy, why the costumed vigilantes like Red Scare and Looking Glass have such simplistic costumes, and what the heck is going on with Will and Adrian Veidt: two equally mysterious characters. We also break down nods to the original comic such as the squid storms, the Minutemen biopic, the Rorschach masks, and the many references to Dr. Manhattan.

As with most of our show discussions, we focus on the events in the first two episodes of the season, and because that’s all that has aired on HBO so far (until tonight anyway), there is no “spoiler zone” in this edition of the podcast. However, the opening story gave us plenty of fodder for discussion and debate even as far as analyzing the delightfully cumbersome episode titles: “It’s Summer and We’re Running Out of Ice” and “Martial Feats of Comanche Horsemanship.”

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Impulse snuck up on us. Having aired on YouTube's premium service, it wasn't until the entire first season of this series was made available for free that it drew our attention, especially since the fact that it was loosely based on the Stephen Gould Jumper novels wasn't necessarily a strong draw. However, Doug Liman, who directed the 2008 film and also executive produces on Impulse, may have finally found the correct formula in this iteration of the teleportation story.

Impulse is a show that not enough people are watching, but everyone should. Centering around Henry Coles (Maddie Hasson), a sullen, rebellious young woman who has followed her drifter mother to yet another sleepy town, the show sees her teleportation powers awaken after a sexual assault triggers a deep-seeded sense of self-preservation and a hidden anger that activates her ability.

Because of the "hidden gem" nature of Impulse, the podcast critiques the premise and the characters of the show before discussing the first two episodes of season 2 in the spoiler zone. YouTube is airing episodes of Impulse season 2 one at a time each Wednesday for non-susbscribers even though the entirety of season 2 is available to those who pay for YouTube Premium, so anyone can access the show to enjoy along with us.

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With The Good Place season 4 being the show’s final run, the story, which often had paradigm shifting twists each season, should provide an satisfying ending for fans of the unique, metaphysical, philosophical series. On this episode of the podcast, we analyze the four episodes that have aired thus far to determine whether things are on track to give a sense of closure to its audience, and the good news is: they very much are.

It’s interesting to explore the possibilities for improving the behavior of all four of the new experiment’s subjects, particularly gossipy John and the truly horrible Brent, but with the continuing sabotage and the differing missions that present themselves, it seems an almost impossible task. However, the true strength of the season, as is discussed in the podcast, lies in the powerful dialogue taking place in the many heartfelt conversations between our main characters. On that alone, The Good Place season 4 is deserving of praise.

To leave room for those who have not fully caught up on The Good Place season 4, we begin by discussing the first three episodes without referencing the big reveal that happened in the latest in installment, “Tinker, Tailor, Demon, Spy.” That episode instead is broken down and appreciated in the Spoiler Zone

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The premise for Raising Dion may seem simple: a single mother struggles to raise her seven-year-old son when suddenly he begins to manifest superpowers. But this family drama from creator Dennis Liu and executive producer Michael B. Jordan is anything but a typical superhero tale. When the show premieres on October 4, 2019, audiences will certainly see a boy with powers, but they will also experience the community that surrounds him, including family members like his “Auntie Kat,” played by Jazmyn Simon.

Simon spoke to us about her role in the show as well as her own experience with motherhood, having just had a son with her actor husband Dulé Hill, whom she met on the set of Ballers. Simon also played a doctor on the HBO show, but this time around she's in a more active hospital role, also acting as the family skeptic when it comes to Dion's powers. Simon covers everything from the show's setting in Atlanta to Michael B. Jordan's involvement in this interview, giving us a quite complete picture of what we can expect when Raising Dion comes to Netflix on October 4th.

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