Showdown No. 1
Movie stars have fans. These fans tend to attach themselves to the actor, not the movie. They support their chosen star from joint to joint, regardless of the quality of their work.
Sci-fi or fantasy TV geeks, fans, fangirls, fanboys, superfans or however you want to label yourself buy into the characters of a show. We might have a favorite, but we understand the series is the product of a group effort. Their looks and style are not unimportant, but a pretty face alone will not sway us.
Alas, we do tend to get a little obsessed. As a perfect outlet, I will on a semi-regular basis arrange little head-to-heads between two of my favorite shows.
This week, my guest contestants are Stargate (SG1) and Farscape.
Stargate
One of the most humorous sci-fi series on TV, it is based on the Stargate movie, but dig a little deeper — or watch the show — and it’s clear the two are nothing alike. Pyramids are ancient landing places for Alien spaceships, and large rings (=star gates) spin and whir before the event horizon of a wormhole creates a gateway between two planets. Assemble a team consisting of an experienced soldier, an alien soldier, a brilliant scientist and an archeologist, send them to explore alien worlds, and you have a hit on your hand. Fact.
Farscape
Occasionally unfairly described as the love child between Sesame Street and Star Trek, Farscape features puppets and aliens. Sounds daft? It isn’t. The writing is fantastic, the acting superb. John Crichton, a pilot on a test flight that goes wrong, is flung far to the other end of the universe. He is rescued by a living star ship and its colorful crew of misfits and rogues. He wants to get home. The universe, it seems, believes he finally is home.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
This has been a fiercely fought battle. You may notice Stargate carries only one con as opposed to two for Farscape. So the winner is — *drum roll* — Farscape. Why? John Crichton in leather. Just kidding. Subjectively objectively, they’re level pegging.
It’s a draw. Case closed.
PS: Disagree? Leave your arguments in the comment section, and if the demand is there, I may schedule a rematch. Meanwhile, let me know if you have any suggestions for further head-to-heads.
