Forthcoming TV sci-fi

There are two BBC sci-fi progs coming in the near future, one on Monday and one later in the year. The former is the new show Outcasts (I did read somewhere or other they don’t like it being referred to as ‘sci-fi’ but given that it is sci-fi, that’s how I’ll describe it).

The programme is set on the world of Carpathia, in the settlement of Forthaven where a small group of humans have made their home, having fled Earth. There are 8 episodes (unlike America, the UK doesn’t seem a fan of massive 20-24 episode seasons) and the first is on Monday at 9pm, BBC1.

Ben Richards, the writer, has said that Outcasts is about the possibility of redemption and refuting the idea that humans are bound to be bad. I subscribe somewhat to the tabula rasa (blank slate) view of humanity, so that seems fair enough to me.

Hard to say how good or bad it’ll be, given it’s entirely new, but the cast seems decent enough. If I do a review, it’ll be on Tuesday.

The other programme is Doctor Who, which returns in the Spring. I’ve got a bit of a love-hate relationship with New Who. Some bits have been excellent (the entire Blink episode, for example) but some have been abysmal (the Master). The new series sees the return of River Song (not a fan of her), and both companions.

Here’s my Doctor Who wish list:

1. When the Master comes back, he must have an evil beard
2. Killing robots/cyborgs with emotions is a cop-out, stop it
3. No gaping plot holes, please
4. Return of the Mondas cybermen
5. Sort out the Time Lords. The daleks have been brought back properly, the same will eventually happen for the Time Lords, so get on with it

For the first time ever, it’s been shot on location in America. I wonder if they’ll mess about with cowboys and Indians, or suchlike.

Neil Gaiman, famous fantasy author, has written one of the episodes but I don’t have any details of what’s written.

Incidentally, I think Matt Smith is signed up for at least this year and the next, which is good. I rather like his sarcastic utterances. Not sure about companions (I’d quite like an alien, or someone from the past, as the next one).

For those with Sky, Game of Thrones (the television version of George RR Martin’s fantastic first part of A Song of Ice and Fire) will also come out later in the year. Damned shame I won’t be able to watch it, but there we are.

Thaddeus