Speculative Fiction On TV
As the new TV show previews have increased this summer, I’ve noted a number of debut programs that have decidedly speculative elements, if not complete speculative premises. So I did a little research. Here’s what I found.
The Flash, airing on CW
“This Arrow spin-off stars Grant Gustin as Barry Allen, who becomes the fastest man alive, aka The Flash, after an explosion at the S.T.A.R. Labs particle accelerator bestows him with superhuman speed. The Flash is set in Central City,where Barry works as a forensic investigator and uses his special power to help fight crime.”
Forever, airing on ABC
“Ioan Gruffudd stars as New York City medical examiner Henry Morgan, who harbors an unusual secret —he can’t die. Working alongside his new partner, Det. Jo Martinez (Alana De La Garza), Morgan studies the dead in an effort to discover the mystery of his own immortality.”
Gotham, airing on FOX
“Ben McKenzie stars as Gordon, a fresh-faced police detective whose life begins to change when he and his partner, the brash Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue), start investigating the murder of the parents of none other than a young Bruce Wayne. However, the noir crime drama isn’t just about Gordon’s rise through the ranks of Gotham City’s PD; it also promises to tell the origin stories of several DC Comics’ villains, including Catwoman, the Penguin, and the Riddler.”
Intruders, airing on BBC America
“Jack Whelan, a former Los Angeles cop, has relocated with his wife to the Pacific Northwest in search of a quieter life. But that all goes to hell when she suddenly vanishes —just as an old friend appears on his doorstep asking for help with a murder investigation. As these and other seemingly disconnected events converge, Jack discovers a secret society known as Qui Reverti, whose members chase immortality by seeking refuge in the bodies of others.”
(Quotes, with minor editing, from TV Guide New Shows.)
It seems to me this list is shorter than those of the past few years. But in fact, some of the past seasons’ successes are still going strong. Here are the ones I know of:
Once Upon A Time, airing on ABC
Resurrection, airing on ABC
Sleepy Hollow, airing on Fox
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., airing on ABC
The Vampire Diaries, airing on CW
Grimm, airing on NBC
Of course there are still the shows airing on the Syfy Channel which include Being Human, Face Off, Ghost Hunters, Warehouse 13, SmackDown, Eurkea, Haven, Sanctuary, and Lost Girl.
And then there is Dr. Who, Season Eight which airs on BBC One starting August 23.
So which are your favorites and which of the new shows do you think might be promising?
Do you prefer reading speculative stories, watching them on TV, or seeing them on the big screen?
What stories would you like to see made into a movie or used as the basis of a TV series?
Also, alongside Agents of Shield we’re getting Agent Carter as a side-show.
Legend of Korra: Change (Season 3) has been particularly excellent. It’s moved to online (the story got a little more intense than a kid’s show), but the finale is this Friday. Which is a relief, because the last episode was the worst cliffhanger!
I didn’t know season 3 was so far along! We got rid of Dish and Hulu has not done the greatest job of reminding us when new episodes air. Grr!
I love Agents of Shield! I can’t wait to see where they take the storyline. In general, I prefer speculative fiction shows to most others on television . . . especially the unending lineup of monotonous crime dramas.
Warehouse 13 and Eureka have both ended.
You also left off Arrow and Constantine. And I know there’s one or two more, at least. I saw a longer list a few days ago, but I can’t remember where and what I’m forgetting.
Oh, duh… Person of Interest! One of the best ongoing shows out there. Highly speculative in its premise involving AI.
I really liked ABC’s The Neighbors and am very disappointed it was canceled. My husband & I were also enjoyed Almost Human but it went the same way as The Neighbors. Needless to say, our opinion of quality tv and the networks has gone downhill. We’ve tried a few other shows (like Agents of Shield) but we get frustrated at the boundary pushing. We just finished a rewatch of our collection of Star Gate: Atlantis and decided we’re going to get rid of it – they always ruin a good show by going too far with a few episodes.
I think I prefer books and tv series – when the story is really good, I like the ongoing nature rather than movies which are shorter and not as far-reaching. Plus the recent trend of nonstop action and mayhem annoys me. (I did love the recent adaptation of Ender’s Game and put the book on my must-read list as a result!)