THe irish and sci-fi?

Mal-Adjusted

So, can anyone tell me why the Irish people have such an aversion to science-fiction in all it's forms. i mean, it's almost taboo here. SG-1 and BSG are two of the biggest t.v. series in history, yet not one irish channel would ever show them. then compare that to england, home of some of the best Sci-fi (Torchwood, Primeval, Dr who, RED DWARF!!!)

ixoy

Well all the shows you mention above are British made - they're not very good at airing US productions either. The budgets required for sci-fi are too high for RTE so we've no home grown stuff.
As for importing US material and showing it at odd times - true that, but BBC or ITV never gave US material prime time. Look at "Farscape" for example which was shown in an entirely unsuitable tea-time slot that necessitated edits. The Star Trek franchise, when it aired initially, got as decent slots on RTE as BBC I believe.

Now as to RTE never showing Stargate - you're just plain 100% wrong. It's where I started watching the show (RTE2) and it's still now airing on RTE, albeit in a poor slot. Yes, they didn't show BSG but neither did any of the main British channels (Sky One doesn't count). Truth be told, as good as it is, neither of those shows are among the biggest in history and wouldn't get a fraction of the audience of 'Lost' even if they deserve it.

Mantel

ixoy wrote: »

Now as to RTE never showing Stargate - you're just plain 100% wrong. It's where I started watching the show (RTE2) and it's still now airing on RTE, albeit in a poor slot.

Staying up till 2 in the morning to watch the first season of Stargate was awesome or even recording it and watching it with breakfast the next morning

Sarky

I'd imagine a lot of Irish folk still live in fear of being labelled as a nerd. I've met and worked with many, many people around the 20-30 year old range who think it's all childish makey-uppy rubbish and who would much prefer to spend their time "going out" or watching soaps.

And at that point I have to turn away in case they see me smiling.

mcgovern

As one of my best friends constantly says,
"But how can you watch that, its not real!". :rolleyes:

Mal-Adjusted

come-on! I meant sci-fi shows, (and they were:D). all i ever saw of Sg-1 was a random episode on sat. morning. and why would'nt you count sky one? fair enough, it's a soulless tabloid channel, but it's big buisiness.

The only time i remember proper sci-fi on rte 2 in my youth was the Monday sci-fi night. Red-Dwarf, Voyager, sg-1, FIrst wave (maybe) and sg1. but that was really late and got canned fairley quick!

But the main point i'm making is the Irish practically burying their heads in the sand as far as the entire Geanre goes...what gives.

azezil

I believe it is as Sarky suggests, an almost 'taboo' topic for a lot of Irish people, many fear being labeled a "geek" or "nerd". :rolleyes:

So with people afraid to stand up and say they're fan's, why then would RTÉ bother showing these shows? From their perspective there is no demand

*grabs his princess Leia costume and goes to protest for increased sci-fi shows*

Mal-Adjusted

still, it's a pity. the only sci-fi to come into mainstream outside it's own community seems to be ones disguised as something else, i.e. "Lost"
i would love to see one or two sci-fi shows on a regular basis. it would definatley help with the oversaturation of medical dramas! i mean, exactly how many of those are there?

Johnny Storm

FWIW I have never experienced or even been aware of any particular antipathy towards science fiction in Ireland.

nyarlothothep

I wouldn't lose any sleep over this, Ireland is not a place for anything cool. Just look at our music-singersongwriter crapology with no place for hard rock, theres no fashion sense here or style, Irish women are ugly and no surprises but sci fi is nerdy aka "I don't understand the esoteric intellectual plots so I'm going to eat my potato and watch fair ****ty"...and don't forget, we have no national cuisine thats refined and tasteful, we have potatos and stew. We're just a post agrarian nation with no history history of substantial technological development. So as I said, don't worry yourself over this crap nation covered in the dung heap of a thousand fertilizers

Mal-Adjusted

wow, that's pretty heavy handed

nyarlothothep

I love my country

Mal-Adjusted

?? are u sure;)

evil-monkey

Sarky wrote: »

I'd imagine a lot of Irish folk still live in fear of being labelled as a nerd. I've met and worked with many, many people around the 20-30 year old range who think it's all childish makey-uppy rubbish and who would much prefer to spend their time "going out" or watching soaps.

And at that point I have to turn away in case they see me smiling.

that's exactly what it is. i love Star Wars, therefore everyone says i'm a "geek"!! i also love hurling and surfing...does that make me a jock as well?? i'm doing computers in college, and so i know a lot of guys that tend to like sci-fi, fantasy etc. one of my buddies from school once came out with us, and claimed we spent the whole night talking what he dubbed "Yoda-speak". The same guy lists Bring It On as his favourite film!! In this country, wearing a football shirt from Manchester or Glasgow and getting f**ked drunk and talking a load of shyte makes you cool...not watching / having an interest in sci-fi.

the minute you mention anything along the lines of Sci-fi you're a nerd. but if you act like a drunken r****d you're totally cool...it's our society.

The majority of Irish people consider the following as the bounds technology; Bebo, iPods, Crazy Frog ringtones...so, how exactly are they supposed to find Sci-fi enjoyable??

ixoy

Do we have any reason to suppose it's better in other countries? Because looking at US and British TV, liking sci-fi has always classified you as a nerd as is treated dismissively.

Nevyn

I would rather sit having cool converstaions with nerds then drunken soccer heads.

Ivan

Dr. Who, I'll give you.
Torchwood is pretty dire.
Never heard of Primeval
And Red Dwarf was a comedy

Mal-Adjusted

Ivan wrote: »

Dr. Who, I'll give you.
Torchwood is pretty dire.
Never heard of Primeval
And Red Dwarf was a comedy

I gave a handfull of random examples of sci-fi shows, (Nothing says Red Dwarf can't be a sci-fi and a comedy) curiously enough, i'm after realising all from england.:rolleyes: i am talking about the Genera (sp.) in general
Your assessment of Torchwood is your own opinion. that show is actually very highlt regarded in america and canada.

Mr. Presentable

V.

In the 80's V was the biggest thing on TV - even in Ireland. People's Mas watched it. I am pretty sure it was on RTE.

Wreck

In my experience there is quite a large section of the populace who watch and read sci-fi but don't advertise the fact for fear of social stigma. And I for one am unbelivably greatful that RTE don't have the budget to produce original sci-fi, just imagine how bad it would be if they tried.

nyarlothothep wrote: »

I wouldn't lose any sleep over this, Ireland is not a place for anything cool. Just look at our music-singersongwriter crapology with no place for hard rock, theres no fashion sense here or style, Irish women are ugly and no surprises but sci fi is nerdy aka "I don't understand the esoteric intellectual plots so I'm going to eat my potato and watch fair ****ty"...and don't forget, we have no national cuisine thats refined and tasteful, we have potatos and stew. We're just a post agrarian nation with no history history of substantial technological development. So as I said, don't worry yourself over this crap nation covered in the dung heap of a thousand fertilizers

I like sci-fi, but I also like stew. I don't like Fair City though.

monkeyfudge

Ivan wrote: »

Dr. Who, I'll give you.
Torchwood is pretty dire.
Never heard of Primeval
And Red Dwarf was a comedy

Torchwood greatly improved with season 2. If you haven't given it a second chance yet then you should definitely check it out.

Primeval is an ITV show about dinosaurs coming through time portals into the modern day. I haven't seen too many episodes but the effects were pretty good for TV and there seemed to be some great tension in the action scenes... and over all it looked like a fun show... I'll have to try and watch more of it.

And Red Dwarf is way more of a science fiction show than most stuff out there. Look at some of the things it's touched upon over the years... AI, virtual worlds, time travel, alternate realities and more.

Sarky

Don't forget the inter-species erotica :pac:

evil-monkey

ixoy wrote: »

Do we have any reason to suppose it's better in other countries?

mad for Sci-Fi in the US!! absolutely mad for it!!

all in all it's just a cultural thing i suppose...

Mal-Adjusted

monkeyfudge wrote: »

Primeval is an ITV show about dinosaurs coming through time portals into the modern day. I haven't seen too many episodes but the effects were pretty good for TV and there seemed to be some great tension in the action scenes... and over all it looked like a fun show... I'll have to try and watch more of it.

It's a fun little show, but a little hard to take seriousley. the third season is due out in Jan/Feb and should have about ten Episodes

User45701

ixoy wrote: »

Do we have any reason to suppose it's better in other countries? Because looking at US and British TV, liking sci-fi has always classified you as a nerd as is treated dismissively.

im happy with that, i remember when computers where nerdy and now somehow anyone any "scanger" or "scumbag" and most people in school will have them or laptops ect. And now its accetable, those who would use word like you said nerd and stuff like that now use pc's and internet.

I figure in many years to come scifi will become more accetable and more mainstream once this reality tv bollox dies off

CiDeRmAn

I used to watch the 80's series The Twilight Zone on RTE, also V, as previously mentioned.
Back in the day, I watched the Stargate SG1, Earth Final Conflict, Milennium and the XFiles on RTE.
Not to mention that they carried Startrek TNG on RTE from 91 or so, showing 2 eps every week until they caught up with the US, who at that stage were a couple of years ahead.
Then on kids tv we had Batman the Animated Series, awesome stuff indeed.

So, we weren't so parched back then, now though, I guess the volume of channels available to the average viewer means we don't have to rely on the national broadcaster to show reruns of Startrek, not with Virgin 1 showing 3 episodes a day, not to mention Bravo.

Shiminay

It's only really the last 5 or 6 years that Sci-Fi has died out from RTE's schedules. Unsurprisingly, this is probably linked with the increase in Sky subscriptions and since Sci-Fi seems to make up the majority of programming on Sky One and Two, to say nothing of the other channels mentioned.

The closest we ever got to home grown Sci-Fi here is Zig and Zag

shanegj

Mal-Adjusted wrote: »

So, can anyone tell me why the Irish people have such an aversion to science-fiction in all it's forms. i mean, it's almost taboo here. SG-1 and BSG are two of the biggest t.v. series in history, yet not one irish channel would ever show them. then compare that to england, home of some of the best Sci-fi (Torchwood, Primeval, Dr who, RED DWARF!!!)

a list of more resent sci-fi and fantasy series on irish channels rte1 rte2 tv3 and channel 6 that i've seen, not necessarily enjoy them but seen.


Lost, Fringe, Heroes, The twilight zone, The dead zone, Ghost whisperer, Medium, Stargate sg1, Day break, Charmed, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Reaper, supernatural.

some are on late and some are early but atleast there shown, also if you go away from series there is alot of films they show.
I do think alot of irish people look at us as nerds (etc) but they don't realise they like sci-fi and fantasy media too especially movies
I know i included fantasy so if ya wanted it to be sci-fi only sorry lol

Mal-Adjusted

intiresting you mentioned that, because in the cinemas, EVERYONE watches sci-fi, be it star wars, terminator, wall.e, matrix's...as well as whatever comic book films are sci-fi orientated, Iron man, spider man, supes...

Gunmonkey

Yeah but they get round that by saying they are "Action" or "Family" films and so are ok.

Mal-Adjusted

Gunmonkey wrote: »

Yeah but they get round that by saying they are "Action" or "Family" films and so are ok.

lol I remember hearing that the studio heads wouldn't admit that the terminator was a sci-fi film, despite James cameron saying it for years!

GerardKeating

Mal-Adjusted wrote: »

lol I remember hearing that the studio heads wouldn't admit that the terminator was a sci-fi film, despite James cameron saying it for years!

And now the SciFi chanell is changing it name to SyFy to made it sound less "nerdy"...

norrie rugger

Thaedydal wrote: »

I would rather sit having cool converstaions with nerds then drunken soccer heads.

Ha ha, you should go out with my friends. The amount of geek-speak is off the scale

norrie rugger

Was it not Tuesday night that had slots on RTÉ 2 for SciFi.

I remember Earth: Final Conflict, Outer Limits, Mysterious Ways, Veritas etc on home stations

Trojan

I recall the Lost producers insisting in an interview in Season 1 that it wasn't SF. They were clearly worried about getting that label.