Science Fiction TV Turns Toward Biology

Rather than the coldness of computers, imaginative organic science has been popular in scifi TV recently, the prevalence of machinery giving way to a more biological interpretation of the mysteries of the universe. To put it bluntly, spores, trees and fungi infect our perception of the future.

Imagining Future Science

What will science allow humanity to do in the future? That is the core of science fiction. For many years the focus was on projecting a version of current technology. Yet recently it feels like a more imaginative interpretation is happening.

Plants and organisms, even if they're made of light and data rather than solid matter, are everywhere. Has the way we think about what is possible, changed?

Contrary to popular belief, science isn't linear. It experiences trends. One recurrent theme has been time, or the manipulation of time, and that has bled into our entertainment, bringing with it an almost spiritual aspect.

Below are some popular television shows that include an organic element (for want of a better term). Perhaps organisms are the ultimate storytelling metaphor for life and a sense of mortality. Maybe, like time, they are symbolic of the boundaries that fascinate humanity the most.

12 Monkeys

The red forest is an integral part of this show's mythology.

12 Monkeys is a beautifully written series. Time travel is a twisting concept and it can be difficult to maintain a narrative hold. The show begins with the character of Cole being sent back in time to stop a plague that wipes out humanity. He partners with the virologist Cassie, and they encounter resistance from a group called The 12 Monkeys.

The 12 Monkeys are revealed to be fanatics dedicated to bringing The Red Forest into existence. The red forest exists beyond time. At certain points characters drink tea made from leaves sourced in the red forest, and experience visions.

The scenes in the red forest are eerie and compelling. They tie in with science but seem to speak to a primal part of the mind.

Star Trek Discovery

A recent addition to the Star Trek television universe, Discovery moves beyond the standard ways of navigating through space that have been created by Star Trek over the years, and introduces the Spore Drive.

You'll see a lot of debate online regarding the plausibility of this tech. The Spore Drive takes the ship from one place to another in an instance. Basically the idea is the technology utilizes a network of spores to move across the galaxy.

Rather than arguing the logistics or potentiality, my interest is focused on the fact it is a spore-driven concept: modeled on an organic idea. That at the heart (or should that be seed) of Star Trek's greatest engineering technology, are spores.

 The OA

An alternate reality thriller, The OA follows a lead character that inadvertently travelled across dimensions, a journey kick started by a series of body motions that need to be carried out by a group.

The recent season introduced the idea of a giant tree network that spreads across dimensions. The tree communicated with our lead. Seeds and branches are utilized as a way of explaining a complex multiverse reality. The tree also represents a continuing thematic thread for the show: that community is essential to survival.

The OA is at heart a series about alternate realities but it uses this exploration of a possible corner of science to also explore the concept of self. The OA appears to blend science and the spiritual, but it's interesting that a large reveal in regards to interdimensionality takes science to an organic place.

The Expanse

A brilliant example of science fiction TV, one of the story cornerstones to kick start the show is Detective Miller's hunt for a missing woman. By the end of the first season we see that she has been taken over by a seemingly sentient organism.

The Expanse includes a lot of political drama. Conspiracies abound, thanks to a book series that provides fantastic fodder in terms of complex narrative. But it was the futuristic organism (I've seen it referenced online as protomolecule) transforming people that cements an organic element within a series that prides itself on scientific accuracy.

Aliens are behind the infectious construct. The plot is quite complex and becomes more so when it's revealed humanity has begun its own experiments using the protomolecule. But a protomolecule that manipulates biomass, with references to seeds and infections, makes it a great example of an organic representation of futuristic science.

In conclusion…

What messages are currently echoing across small screens in the science fiction genre?

Perhaps that everything in the universe is interconnected. That our minds relate to plants and living organisms as representations of life and death, themes that are always a human preoccupation even when we're travelling the stars.

It's interesting to see where our cultural imagination takes us. Here's to constantly intriguing unfolding scifi stories on the small screen.

A dozen reasons why a Star Trek medical drama would make for great TV

Doctors are a staple of the Star Trek universe. But how great would a series focused entirely on medical characters be? Imagine the possibilities…

People love medical shows

Old school moment.

The one hour scripted medical series has produced a lot of successful television: House, Grey’s Anatomy, ER for starters, not forgetting heartwarming and humorous classics like MASH and Scrubs.

I'm also including the scientists who work as MEs and associated roles in procedurals—say, forensic anthropologist in Bones, a psychologist focusing on mental health and crime in Mind Hunter, and the forensic scientist in Body of Proof.

No one can deny medicine/medical science practitioners and researchers create entertaining television. A futuristic medical drama seems a logical next step. Why not make it part of a popular franchise?

Here are a dozen reasons Star Trek Medical would be awesome aka a solid investment for a smart network.

Star Trek can get a version of a

sonic screwdriver

Seriously, do you lot not have one of these?

Star Trek shows have always held to the idea advancements in science do not make humans Godlike. The medical science in Star Trek extrapolates from modern science, but also takes imaginative leaps. 

In medical subplots, Starfleet doctor characters have to face the truth: that healing tech is fallible, meaning people still die. Humanity’s battle against death retains tension in the Star Trek universe.

A healing tool that helps tackles medical issues in a vague way would make for a great series trademark. Dr Who has a classic fix-all tool that overcomes a lot—including plot holes. 

Would be fascinating to see what Trek comes up with.

Peak Star Trek aka addressing social issues

The issue of the wealthy receiving better medical care than the poor,
addressed in ST Voyager episode Critical Care, remains sadly relevant.

Medical storylines in Trek shows usually address blurring lines between morals, ethics, duty, and science. A medical drama in the future can visit worlds with unimaginable quandaries. Say, wealthy societies letting people die because corporate greed has out-priced medical care for the average citizen (oh, wait…).

Other possible issues to mull over are stem cell usage, biotech, plagues, vaccines, discrimination based on gene status, organ marketing, and the use of radio frequency in medicine.

Popular tropes from medical dramas set in the present day also work: misdiagnosis, medical genius with bad social skills, mentor and apprentice issues, problems with bureaucracy, discrimination based on diagnosis, experimental surgeries, human testing, reproduction, and euthanasia—for starters.

Endless VIP guest stars, including Q

The wildcard is always welcome.

Delving into the back catalogue of Trek characters... What a feast of storytelling potential. I could imagine Q offering to heal a loved one—for a price. (Moral quandaries are his forte.) Obviously the Borg, or an ex-Borg, would rock up at some point. And any captain ever is eternally welcome!

Star Trek isn’t averse to time travel, so getting characters from different timelines (or realities) is never a problem plot-wise. Older and younger versions of fan faves would be fun to see. Movie crossover characters, characters from alternate realities—so much fun to be had.

The Prime Directive as a

trope/storytelling device

Are we seriously trying to sell this Prime Directive stuff?

The good old super-flawed Prime Directive offers an array of plot opportunities. The rule is Starfleet doesn't interfere with developing cultures, but such an inactive stance isn't always an easy choice—especially for a doctor.

The pros and cons of non-interference with other civilizations lends itself to medical moral dilemmas and the problematic (from Starfleet’s perspective) Hippocratic oath. Whether a character chooses for or against, there are often unforeseen repercussions.

Don’t forget the battlefield medics

The revelation the Jem'Hadar were drug addicted soldiers
made them more than just indoctrinated killing machines.

For a peace-loving mob, the Federation spends a LOT of time at war. We’ve seen field medics and storylines related to conflict scenarios in various Star Trek TV shows. Star Fleet medics are at greater risk of kidnapping too since they’re well trained. Storylines set in adrenalized, extreme conditions, where empathy and aggression face off, make for entertaining television. 

Fixed shots were a signature element of past Trek TV dramas. And traditionally a lot of Star Trek medical scenes had a sense of distance, the treatments being tech-focused, making for family-friendly viewing.

Change these two elements, and the whole mood changes. Firstly, modernize the visual format to sharper edits and handheld shots, upping the ante of combat scenes. Secondly, introduce more archaic battlefield conditions. Seeing Starfleet medics getting their hands bloody, literally, would be shocking.

Starfleet Medical Academy

Side note: these cadets proved dodgy AF.

The cadets of Starfleet have never had a series, just guest appearances in other shows. In a TV market that likes late teen/early twenty casts, a drama set at the cadet level would be worth exploring.

Starfleet Medical has been referenced numerous times throughout Trek TV shows so the place isn’t unknown to fans of ST. Think a fusion of a high school/college series, and a medical drama.

Alternately, interns could showcase different places a Starfleet doctor might be posted. Or scatter a graduating class across the galaxy, some even ending up on the opposite side of a war to the Federation, as medical defectors. The sky is the limit (or not).

Costume me up, Scottie

Casual Friday.

Oh, the outfits. Utilitarian has never been so snazzy. Seeing the interpretations of Star Fleet uniforms is always fun. New doctor and nurse uniforms might be interesting.

Not gonna lie though, the aliens bring the freshest styles. Headpieces get a lot of action, as do floaty fabrics. Stepping it up, at this point I’m ready for threads that breathe, read body data, and might be symbiotic organisms.

The politics and intrigue of the Federation

I spy... Section 31!

My favorite parts of the Star Trek reality? Later shows when the gray shades of espionage came into play, peeling glossy surface layers from the utopian tendencies of earlier outings.

Corruption in Starfleet has always produced interesting episodes. On the medical front maybe a black market for drugs, social media and psychological manipulation, conspiracies relating to availability of treatments, poaching medical discoveries from other planets, doctors with political agendas/affiliations, discrimination against clones and other races, religious beliefs that conflict with medical protocols, treatment of prisoners of war for political gain… Lots to explore.

Give us some doc love to ship

Cuties.

Romance in medical dramas is part of the genre sell. Maybe it’s the life and death vibe: romantic  passion balancing out the heavy psychological fare.

Star Trek shows boast interesting couples and hook-ups. I would say unexpected relationships and weird ships have long been a positive aspect of Star Trek. Not just partners from different planets, but even holographic love interests.

Of course in today’s world, television is showing more than hetero couples so there are a wider range of romantic options on the table for a new Trek.

I wanna see all the docs again

Bring back Bev!

Star Trek has had so many fantastic doctor characters, and a Star Trek medical drama means they can pop by whether as lecturers, mentors, patients—or holograms. Not just human ones but alien ones too. All members of Doctor Club are welcome!

Historically famous docs from the past are encouraged, whether via time travel, hologram or some other storytelling device. Fictional doctors are likewise welcome.

New aliens

Always fun to make (Trek) friends.

One of the best things about Star Trek: the aliens introduced to audiences along the way. And not just as cultures the characters cross paths with but as Federation members too. Each alien character is a chance to introduce a whole new ideology.

Sure, there are fans of Vulcans, Klingons, Romulans, Bajorans, Cardassians, Batazoids, and many other established ST races out there who would be happy to see them again. But meeting new races is part of the thrill of a fresh ST series.

Final note: This idea originally came from my director friend Rob, whose suggestion I pitch a medical Star Trek drama kick started this blog post.

The Contradicting Tastes of Today's TV Audience

Trying to satisfy modern viewers is a complex riddle. Everyone imagines they know the answer, but even a TV series considered a sure bet can crash and burn.

The quality of the product is only one aspect; scheduling, marketing, and social media presence (in terms of public reaction/interaction) play a part.

But the basic pitch is the first step. And whether or not a pilot is picked up is influenced by broad ideas of what the audience wants.

Turns out today’s audiences are a fickle bunch.

Nostalgia vs. Dissatisfaction With Reboots

For a long time television makers clung to the idea reboots were a sure-fire key to a ratings winner. If people have fond memories of the original, they’ll love the reboot, right?

Wrong.

Whether the show is faithful to the original or reworked to match current storytelling styles, the initial interest soon turns to dissatisfaction, disinterest, and downright hostility. Sure, a few succeed, but it’s rare.

Dynasty

You see a similar effect with shows that are sourced from books and graphic novels or comics, but the success rate is higher. Still, it’s far from a guaranteed route to small screen success.

In each case, the network feels the financial risk is lessened because of the established fan base. But the premise is flawed.

Shadowhunters

Personally, I loath the presumption a bad show based on a book series or comic will be an easier sell than a great original show. I’d much prefer something fresh and fantastic, than a mediocre adaptation soon dropped. The fear of losing money has made the industry forget so many cult shows became hits out of nowhere. In summary, this business model is overrated.

The best take on the nostalgia angle has proven to be creating a show that reminds viewers of a past series, but is technically a fresh entity. People experience familiarity but the show isn’t competing with an earlier version of itself in their memories.

Stranger Things

Sex and Violence Sells vs.
Tired of Sex and Violence

Sex and violence in entertainment has been increasing over the years to the point where it’s not just common, but expected in adult TV fare.

What’s interesting is “gritty” television has become code for content with graphic sex and violence. A show gains cred with the audience by offering excessively violent scenes. They take it more seriously: darker themes have become synonymous with an interpretation of quality.

Westworld

I believe it has to do with a Western interpretation of feminine and masculine, in the traditional sense. Sex and violence are connected to ideas of strength and power, past definitions of masculinity. Thus shows that offer more “masculine” fare—to clarify, it can be female characters partaking in sex and violence; the trait itself is what is subconsciously gender identified by the culture—are taken more seriously.

Game of Thrones

Television shows that focus on traits historically viewed as more traditionally feminine, are more readily derided: quirky, kind, romantic are now often presented in simplified formats, as if the themes are only allowed to exist in substandard material.

This is obviously a fallacy. Television can be intelligent with or without graphic violence and sex. But the audience has become accustomed to this idea and Western networks now use it as a framework for new material. When combined with intelligent plotting, it is often successful. If not, well, not so much. 

Santa Clarita Diet

As a result, some viewers are tiring of fare that is graphic yet doesn’t have a decent storytelling foundation. Upping the anti, in terms of risky content, isn’t the drawcard it once was. Audiences are suffering a form of ennui when it comes to violence and sex. 

The formula needs to be redefined: more complex storylines, and a cleverer use of onscreen violence that isn’t just gratuitous, and inclusion of a broader emotional spectrum that may have been omitted from “gritty” fare in the past.

Walking Dead

Intelligent Storylines vs. Too Complicated

With so much television production these days, and full season drops becoming common, people are demanding diverse scripted dramas. Jaded audiences are less tolerant of lazy and generic television writing.

Thing is, how intelligent a script are we talking? This is also the point where emotional intelligence comes into play. A lot of great television isn’t so much about standardized intelligence, as it is about brilliant characterization.

12 Monkeys

I’ve written about E.I. before. Nuanced characters and complex emotional subtext make for memorable television but like a classic novel, sometimes the person taking in the story just doesn’t get it.

Sherlock

A quick browse through recap blogs shows even avid fans may miss underlying themes and character motivations in innovative episodes. Intrigued is one thing; puzzled is another.

Twists are great, but if the viewer can’t understand the motivation behind them, and foresee the potential consequences, they end up disgruntled rather than engrossed.

Finding the fine line between challenging and entertaining television, without alienating less intelligent viewers, is key. And it’s not an easy task.

The Expanse

Celebrating Tropes vs. Trope Fatigue

Tropes aka plot devices are a funny thing. Storytelling patterns that reappear over and over, they’re a large part of what people love about television. Thing is we’re comfortable with the familiar, but familiarity can also breed contempt.

At it’s best a trope is a tool, and they’re favorites for a reason. Some tropes are associated with certain genres. Star-crossed lovers are popular in teen dramas, and odd couple pairings in procedurals. Sci-fi is packed with antiheroes and reluctant heroes who end up fighting the system.

Elementary

Modern audiences are beginning to split when it comes to tropes. A lot of people love feeling comfortable with certain types of characters, and plot twists. They prefer shows that are remixes of their favorite elements. Tropes for many TV writers are a necessary part of their creative arsenal.

Killjoys

On the other hand, other viewers are extremely tired of seeing the same tropes repackaged. They want fresh blood. Added to which, a lot of established tropes aren’t quite up with the times, being at best stereotypical, at worst sexist or racist.

A less heavy-handed approach is probably the path of the future; a sparing use of established storytelling devices mixed with the creation of new ones that challenge old norms. Whether or not this makes for riveting TV is still to be seen. At least it'll be an interesting ride.

Riverdale