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1 Topic by paisley1 2021-03-07 09:31:31 (edited by paisley1 2022-01-15 07:47:58)
- paisley1
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Topic: Science Fiction on SYFY
SyFy? What kind of name is Siffy anyway, and who's idea was it to change it in the first place?
SYFY Channel Wiki If you take a look at the list of programming in the link above, SyFy Channel only has one science fiction show, Resident Alien, everything else is either horror or fantasy fiction or both; it should really be called HyFy Channel (Horror Fantasy Channel). In a true science fiction, actual science leads the story in the show, (ie. Eureka) of which, they have one. The definition of science fiction is a genre of speculative fiction that typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel universes, and extraterrestrial life. It has been called the "literature of ideas", and often explores the potential consequences of scientific, social, and technological innovations. A science fiction narrative is unlikely, though seemingly possible through logical scientific or technological extrapolation, whereas fantasy narratives do not need to be scientifically possible. Writers have to rely on the audiences suspension of disbelief, an acceptance of the unbelievable or impossible for the sake of enjoyment, in order to write effective fantasies. The genre of horror primarily evokes fear through the protagonists' weaknesses or inability to deal with the antagonists. I just find it rickroll clickbait offensive to hijack the name SyFy which sounds like Scifi and stands for science fiction, then flood the channel with horror and fantasy fiction, and misrepresent the genre of Scifi and the fan base; just change the name to HyFy Channel and be done with it. I disagree with a lot of what is considered Scifi on the browse function on Next-Episode, as many shows should be called Fantasy instead of Scifi, like the Genre for Van Helsing should be Fantasy, Horror/Supernatural, not Scifi, Horror/Supernatural. Vampires, Zombies, Witches, Wizards, Mutants, some Superheroes, etc, all Fantasy, as there's no science leading the fiction. I'm not trying to knock fantasy down a peg as I love fantasy fiction shows like Lord of the Rings, it's just a misnomer.
- graybags
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Re: Science Fiction on SYFY
The term "science fiction" has evolved I'm afraid. Just accept it.
2020. Meh.
- lighton
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Re: Science Fiction on SYFY
Reminds me of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_creep ... Someone at some point in time probably thought a new name was needed, some agency came up with something "cool", and now we have a weird name that doesn't really fit their offering. Maybe they'll be renamed Sy+ soon.
4 Reply by paisley1 2021-03-07 10:08:55 (edited by paisley1 2021-03-07 10:10:58)
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Re: Science Fiction on SYFY
Why not have a Fantasy Fiction Channel and just claim it proudly? Why hang on to SyFy which comes from Scifi and then have no science fiction on your channel? It's out of place, is all.
- graybags
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Re: Science Fiction on SYFY
paisley1 wrote:Why not have a Fantasy Fiction Channel and just claim it proudly? Why hang on to SyFy which comes from Scifi and then have no science fiction on your channel? It's out of place, is all.
I imagine creating a whole new channel would be rather expensive.
2020. Meh.
- graybags
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Re: Science Fiction on SYFY
Speaking of ridiculous names for TV channels, we used to have a comedy channel here in the UK called "UKTV G2". They renamed that to "Dave" because "everyone knows a bloke called Dave". Now that's stupid.
2020. Meh.
7 Reply by paisley1 2021-03-07 10:21:11 (edited by paisley1 2021-03-09 02:14:49)
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Re: Science Fiction on SYFY
graybags wrote:paisley1 wrote:Why not have a Fantasy Fiction Channel and just claim it proudly? Why hang on to SyFy which comes from Scifi and then have no science fiction on your channel? It's out of place, is all.
I imagine creating a whole new channel would be rather expensive.
Cost-Benefit, I think they'd gain viewers and make money if they re-brand to HyFy as they'd be marketing the product they already sell more accurately; right now, it's a lie. Mission creep, is apt, because, they've lost their target audience in their programming, ie, the classic nerdy introverted type. It's hilarious that the word science is being undermined by the word fantasy, when these genre's are easily divisible. DAVE is amazing! Much better name. lolz.
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Re: Science Fiction on SYFY
graybags wrote:Speaking of ridiculous names for TV channels, we used to have a comedy channel here in the UK called "UKTV G2". They renamed that to "Dave" because "everyone knows a bloke called Dave". Now that's stupid.
I do know a bloke called Dave, but yes, that's stupid.
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Re: Science Fiction on SYFY
Resident Alien redeems the entire SyFy network; without it, it's a derivative wasteland.
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Re: Science Fiction on SYFY
paisley1 wrote:SyFy? What kind of name is Siffy anyway, and who's idea was it to change it in the first place?
SYFY Channel Wiki If you take a look at the list of programming in the link above, SyFy Channel only has one science fiction show, Resident Alien, everything else is either horror or fantasy fiction or both; it should really be called HyFy Channel (Horror Fantasy Channel). In a true science fiction, actual science leads the story in the show, (ie. Eureka) of which, they have one. <....> I'm not trying to knock fantasy down a peg as I love fantasy fiction shows like Lord of the Rings, it's just a misnomer.
Another way to categorize it would be through saying that "Science Fiction" is largely everything that deals with "Out-Of-This-World"-topics which would include horror, mystery, fantasy and more since they pretty much all stems out of some sort of "science going beyond the norm" either in application or inspiration and then add the "fiction" at the end. It's also worth noting that you could say with your categorization that e.g. Sherlock Holmes is an example of an "actual science leading the story" as he investigates and makes use of reason and observation throughout a story so arguable your categorization has its own problems when "Murder She Wrote" starts popping up which it would. The issue you're dealing with here is a variation of deformation(creep) of the language, it happens over time, you might be familiar with the word "mission creep" as an analog. Instead of thinking about language as "definitions", you should be thinking about it as "concepts" that is being conveyed to you and examine what the most likely understanding of the concept that is being conveyed to you would be rather then if it fits this single predefined definition you have of the word.
11 Reply by paisley1 2021-03-12 23:00:36 (edited by paisley1 2021-03-12 23:35:11)
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Re: Science Fiction on SYFY
Kanga wrote:paisley1 wrote:SyFy? What kind of name is Siffy anyway, and who's idea was it to change it in the first place?
SYFY Channel Wiki If you take a look at the list of programming in the link above, SyFy Channel only has one science fiction show, Resident Alien, everything else is either horror or fantasy fiction or both; it should really be called HyFy Channel (Horror Fantasy Channel). In a true science fiction, actual science leads the story in the show, (ie. Eureka) of which, they have one. <....> I'm not trying to knock fantasy down a peg as I love fantasy fiction shows like Lord of the Rings, it's just a misnomer.
Another way to categorize it would be through saying that "Science Fiction" is largely everything that deals with "Out-Of-This-World"-topics which would include horror, mystery, fantasy and more since they pretty much all stems out of some sort of "science going beyond the norm" either in application or inspiration and then add the "fiction" at the end. It's also worth noting that you could say with your categorization that e.g. Sherlock Holmes is an example of an "actual science leading the story" as he investigates and makes use of reason and observation throughout a story so arguable your categorization has its own problems when "Murder She Wrote" starts popping up which it would. The issue you're dealing with here is a variation of deformation(creep) of the language, it happens over time, you might be familiar with the word "mission creep" as an analog. Instead of thinking about language as "definitions", you should be thinking about it as "concepts" that is being conveyed to you and examine what the most likely understanding of the concept that is being conveyed to you would be rather then if it fits this single predefined definition you have of the word.
No. Speculative Fiction is the umbrella that scifi, horror, supernatural, fantasy, mythology, etc, is all within, as its a broad category of fiction encompassing genres with elements that are nonexistent in terms of reality, recorded history, or nature and the present universe. I encourage you to click the wiki link above, it's informative. Specky would be a great name for a revamped SYFY channel! Science fiction however, uses the scientific method and logical extrapolation to create a speculative future based on science, 'typically dealing with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel universes, and extraterrestrial life', and that's what I mean by the science leading the story; a creative use of science beyond our current scope leads the story. That's better phrasing. These are informative links too: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_fiction https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantasy The genre of Sherlock Holmes is a detective crime drama, neither fantasy nor scifi. His use of logical inference and the scientific method is for solving crime, not for developing advanced technology nor for traipsing around Mirkwood. Scifi/Fantasy Sherlock Holmes though, sounds amazing, I so want to watch that! Doctor Strange, so good!
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Re: Science Fiction on SYFY
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic, therefore all shows about magic are actually science fiction, the science is just so advanced you don't even know it's science.
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Re: Science Fiction on SYFY
aesaa wrote:Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic, therefore all shows about magic are actually science fiction, the science is just so advanced you don't even know it's science.
Without scientific extrapolation its called Fantasy Fiction.
14 Reply by Gaghiel 2021-03-26 21:06:00 (edited by Gaghiel 2021-03-30 17:43:32)
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Re: Science Fiction on SYFY
I have a big list of favorite movies because I'm a big fan and all my free time is my main occupation to watch full movies online on Fmovies because namely this site offers me a lot of satisfaction. In addition, I love that there are not many ads and that gets rid of extra nervousness. In general, I love the genre of action movies and detective the most because it makes me feel in the middle of some mysteries, and that's a unique feeling, but at the same time, I adore science fiction a lot.
- h3ctic
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Re: Science Fiction on SYFY
IMO it shld be rebranded as NoFy.... Resident Alien is something Im lookin fwd to (and I should rewatch Third Rock From the Sun....AGAIN), and they had TONS of shows worthwhile way back...but right now....the only leftover seems to be The Expanse ...which is ...um... Amazon now?
16 Reply by paisley1 2021-03-27 02:51:57 (edited by paisley1 2021-03-27 02:53:22)
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Re: Science Fiction on SYFY
Gaghiel wrote:Indeed very useful. Thanks a lot for sharing.
You're very welcome Gaghiel. h3ctic wrote:IMO it shld be rebranded as NoFy.... Resident Alien is something Im lookin fwd to (and I should rewatch Third Rock From the Sun....AGAIN), and they had TONS of shows worthwhile way back...but right now....the only leftover seems to be The Expanse ...which is ...um... Amazon now?
h3ctic, I empathize, as I've wanted to get this whole discussion off my chest about the lack of science fiction on SyFy for years, where my once favorite channel, the old Scifi Channel, that seemed to produce programming exclusively for me, like Stargate SG1, Stargate Atlantis, Battlestar Galactica, and Eureka, has nothing to replace them with and it's kinda sad that re-watching old shows is infinitely better than any new offerings.
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Re: Science Fiction on SYFY
paisley1 wrote:re-watching old shows is infinitely better than any new offerings.
What!? It's not yet April Fools' Day!
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Re: Science Fiction on SYFY
As usual i totally agree with paisley1. I would define Star Wars is fantasy, since the focus is on the fantasy elements rather than the scientific elements. But I would define Star Trek as science fiction.
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Re: Science Fiction on SYFY
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Re: Science Fiction on SYFY
lighton wrote:paisley1 wrote:re-watching old shows is infinitely better than any new offerings.
What!? It's not yet April Fools' Day!
Changing the name to SyFy's been a long term April fools joke! Resident Alien is the best show they've had in 10 years, and it's not even in the same league as BSG. Moze wrote:As usual i totally agree with paisley1. I would define Star Wars is fantasy, since the focus is on the fantasy elements rather than the scientific elements. But I would define Star Trek as science fiction.
Ya, I agree, there are many genre's going on in Star Wars, it leans closer to action fantasy/mythology superhero fiction because George Lucas set out to make a show palatable for kids, and classic science fiction is more heady; it's still a science fiction, just more in the backdrop than the plot. Isn't Trek great, classic Scifi at it's finest. Cancelling Eureka was worse! I'm good with the amount of seasons of SG1, an 11th season would've been nuts. I just want newer better shows, which they've never made since they changed the name.
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Re: Science Fiction on SYFY
They rebranded as Syfy in 2009. Just off the top of my head Caprica, 12 Monkeys, Dark Matter, Killjoys, Expanse were all actual sci-fi I liked after that. I wonder if budget is the issue as I'm guessing it's much cheaper to make stuff like Van Helsing and Wynonna Earp (the only things I watch on there now, the latter having just ended) than space stuff.
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Re: Science Fiction on SYFY
mrverene wrote:They rebranded as Syfy in 2009. Just off the top of my head Caprica, 12 Monkeys, Dark Matter, Killjoys, Expanse were all actual sci-fi I liked after that. I wonder if budget is the issue as I'm guessing it's much cheaper to make stuff like Van Helsing and Wynonna Earp (the only things I watch on there now, the latter having just ended) than space stuff.
Ya, they've chosen to produce a lot of poor quality television, like everything you've listed, but maybe there's hope for SyFy, as we got Resident Alien this year.
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So it's not that they haven't produced scifi since the rebrand, just that they haven't produced any that a true Scotsman would enjoy ;P
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Re: Science Fiction on SYFY
mrverene wrote:So it's not that they haven't produced scifi since the rebrand, just that they haven't produced any that a true Scotsman would enjoy ;P
No, it's both. The quality and quantity of science fiction shows on SyFy has been on a downward trajectory since the rebrand, to the point we're at today where they only have one science fiction show, Resident Alien, and I love it, but is it on par with Scifi Channels 2007 lineup? No. This ties neatly into Lighton's discussion forum about why we rewatch old shows.
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Re: Science Fiction on SYFY
Somewhat
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