It’s a slightly click-baity title, but as we’re still generating more content for our magazines, this one included, why not?
My Sci-fi unpopular opinion is that 2001: A Space Odyssey is nothing but pretentious, LSD fueled nonsense. I’ve tried watching it multiple times and each time I have absolutely no patience for the pointless little scenes which contain little to no depth or meaningful plot, all coalescing towards that 15 minute “journey” through space and series of hallucinations or whatever that are supposed to be deep, shake you to your foundations, and make you re-think the whole human condition.
But it doesn’t. Because it’s just pretentious, LSD fueled nonsense. Planet of the Apes was released in the same year and is, on every level, a better Sci-fi movie. It offers mystery, a consistent and engaging plot, relatable characters you actually care about, and asks a lot more questions about the world and our place in it.
Maybe on re watch just read the synopsis of episodes 1-3 if you’ve now seen the “boring” ones a few times now as a reminder, then start at 4.
I think I might try this, starting to feel the guilt of not liking it so time to try again!
Don’t feel guilty but as an example I love the BSG remake. But when I introduce somebody to it I suggest they watch 33 if they can’t get through the mini series.
Yes it presumes a lot but it gets you into what’s going on without hours of setup in the mininseries.
33 is an exceptional episode, I still feel uneasy watching it after all this time. Really great Sci fi.
I need another battlestar-equsr series in my life!
For me that’s where the expanse is so good.
Moral ambiguity, a man who wants to do right encounters so many things that make it hard to know what that is.
The importance of those closest to you.
Come on over to /m/bsg when you do! We’re planning on having a BSG rewatch discussion sometime soon!
Already joined! But a rewatched discussion would be fantastic!
Do you know where you can find the mini series to watch? I’ve been wanting to start into bsg finally but haven’t found those to start with.
No sure about outside the UK, but in the uk the full battlestar series including miniseries is on bbc I player. Worth taking a look to see if you can access!
Usually it’s included alongside the bluray editions. I’m not sure if it’s included on Peacock (the only streaming platform that has BSG). Also, it’s not really “miniseries”. It’s more like an extended episode zero that sets up all the characters going into main series. Honestly, IMO, it’s critical for maximum enjoyment of the early series.
I wrote up a watch guide for the series over on /m/bsg:
I think peacock (nbc’s streaming service) has it.
With out the “miniseries” you go in without any context as to what’s happened to humanity, no? Like, doesn’t the miniseries set up Roslin as president and explain her cancer? Without details like that I would just be confused going into “33”.
Absolutely. So I suggest the mini series first. But if they came back with “it was so slow… I couldn’t get through it” then I suggest 33 as a “taste” of things to come.