Living Without A Contract

We here at PSTB aren’t just all about Video Games, we want to cover the entire entertainment spectrum. For this reason we are starting a new feature called Living Without A Contract by Guest Editor Alicia Sherman. 

In this feature Alicia will tackle the vast library both Netflix and Hulu possess, letting you know what is worthwhile. I, like many of my compatriots have loaded netflix only to have no clue of what the hell to watch. What is good, what is bad? Where can I find the best content on these streaming services? We hope Alicia can provide you with some insight into digitally distributed entertainment, A blueprint for how you can “Live Without A Contract.”

For PT.1 we will be looking at Sci Fi & Fantasy

Enjoy!

by: Alicia Sherman

For the Sci-Fi and fantasy fans out there it can be hard to live without a contract, the SyFy Channel doesn’t release a lot of episodes next day, and a good amount of science fiction and fantasy shows aren’t easy to come by on Netflix or Hulu, but here is what you should and shouldn’t watch online to get your Sci-Fi fill. Lets start with some Netflix shows

Netflix: You Must

Torchwood

If you haven’t watched the original Torchwood and just experienced the poorly written Starz Miracle Day you are living a sad sad life. Torchwood is a well thought out, cheaply but well produced Doctor Who spin-off (yes the Adventures of Sarah Jane were terrible, don’t even try to pretend they weren’t). This BBC Torchwood is dark, brooding, sexy and adult. You will be shocked how watered down the Starz version of the show was and Jack Harkness will make all the more sense in his original setting.

If you don’t have a ton of time to watch it all you can pass on a few episodes for the best ones because it is a lot like Doctor Who. How? It has an over all long plot but it is split up into “case or problem solving” general stories that don’t really pass from episode to episode. Good episodes are Countrycide, Out of Time, and Meat; though I highly suggested you watch it all. The last season on Netflix is Children of the Earth a Torchwood mini-series that knocks the socks off of Miracle Day. 

Farscape 

Farscape is amazing. It just is. The story line is interesting, the actors are lovable and it has puppets, yes puppets. We aren’t talking just any puppets either, these are Jim Henson puppets. Produced in late 90’s and running from 1999-2003 in its original run this SciFi show feels like it was produced in the early 90’s, which was when O’Bannon and Henson conceived it. It doesn’t make it any less likable however. It has some familiar SciFi traits in the fact that it replaces “bad words” will its own new versions “frell and dren”.

It has a hot ass painted chick that wears revealing outfits. There are interesting make-ups and the crew is traveling from planet to planet through space. Just because its formulaic doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its break through moments. The episode DNA Mad Scientist being one of them, amazing puppetry and a golden age SciFi like story, if you don’t want to watch the entire series this episode is amazing just to see the production value and Henson puppetry at its best in the series. 

Netflix: You Must

Being Human US and UK

Okay so maybe I am biased because I have read, and watched so many Vampire related things but this wasn’t one of those shows that was so good is needed to have a US version. The Office was one of those conversions that worked but Being Human isn’t good on either side of the pond. The characters aren’t lovable and in the US version of the show they are even at times whiny, frustrating and annoying. The UK version is dry and slow moving and doesn’t benefit form that dark brooding you can sometimes only get in a UK televised show. Furthermore its like Threes Company had a baby with Twilight, it just isn’t good. 

Caprica

I am one of the hugest Battlestar Galactica fans, and I was super excited for Caprica; which is possibly one of the reasons why this is on my skip it list. It just paled in comparison. The production value felt like it was cut down, it felt too clean and crisp in comparison. Granted I know that this was pre-Battlestar and it wasn’t meant to be as apocalyptic, but even the scenes that were meant to seem dirty and worn felt impossibly clean to me. The kicker is that one of the main characters; Zoey as played by Alessandra Torresani, is terrible, annoying and just blah. She can’t act and her voice, to me at least, is ghastly. If Zoey was played by someone else this series may have been worthwhile.