Who Say's There's Nothing Good On TV Anymore?

To be sure, the majority of television is brain rot. The reality shows, in particular, are mind numbing. Yet, in the past few years, there have been three shows that have been examples of outstanding speculative fiction--which doesn't often translate well in this medium.

[1] Lost

Mystery. Suspense. Originality. Tight, interconnected plotting. Cliffhangers. Twists within twists. Complex characters with colorful pasts. Long sweeping arcs that span episodes and seasons.

On a show like, say, Star Trek, several problems occur at the beginning of an episode. Usually, there are minor problems and there are major problems, sometimes in the form of: a personal issue, a frivolous issue, a ship issue, an intergalactic issue. In the last five minutes, somebody presses a button, and all the problems go away (except for a token issue, in the form of a character quirk). The very next episode, all is forgotten. Most episodes could be done in any order. It's the equivalent of a short story.

Lost is speculative fiction as it should be. It makes full use of being a series. Sure, there is a structure to each episode: The main story on the island and a loosely related flashback, but each episode is a chapter (each section is a section), part of an ongoing whole.

The speculative elements are weaved in so seamlessly that the unsuspecting viewer probably doesn't know they're watching SF&F. The speculative elements are a constant source of unpredictable mystery, and evoke a sense of wonder, as well as giving a sandbox for the characters to play in.

[2] Terminator: The Sara Conner Chronicles

I was prepared to shrug off this show and allocate the time for better uses. However, this show has sunk in its hooks into my stomach and won't let go. The speculative fiction isn't original--it's based on prior works. Yet, there's much to explore in the relationship between Sara Conner and her son John, the future savior of mankind. And of course, there's John himself, who struggles to prepare for the End, to develop into the man he must become, as well as survive Skynet's attempts on his life, all while attempting to live a normal teen life.

For all characters, there is much conflict, both internal and external, both with friends and enemies. The plotting is intricate--and unpredictable. Like Lost, I've absolutely no idea of what's coming next.

[3] Journeyman

Unfortunately, in part due to the writer's strike, this show did not last a season. [The writer's strike is also the reason Season 4 of Lost is compressed and some of the plot developments seemingly arbitrary].

However, for such a fly by the night show, it really had a way of gripping my heart. Superficially, it did resemble Quantum Leap. A time traveler who goes back to correct some wrong. Yet, unlike Quantum Leap, the protagonist gets to go home. But since he can't control his mysterious ability, he can disappear at any time, and this leads to tensions between his wife, his brother, his boss, and nearly everyone else. The speculative element, therefore, is not mere wish fulfillment, rather it adds to the conflict.

While episodic, each episode wasn't insular. While he had a basic mission each time, it was chapter in an ongoing story. What happened in one episode, added to the subsequent arc.

Alas, we'll never get to know what caused his time traveling, or where the story would end up.

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For me, storytelling is storytelling. It doesn't matter if the fiction is written or in a visual or audio medium, as long as it's good. These three shows reveal that the venue is capable of hosting complex storylines with sophistication and character depth.