Summer Sci Fi

Having sat down and worked out my Summer Reading as blogged a few days ago I thought a quick look at what science fiction was worth both watching and listening to. I had recently competed season one of Star Trek: Discovery which got a thumbs up from both me and the missus so I picked up the remake of Lost In Space Box Set whilst wandering around Sainsbury's.

We're just three episodes in and this isn't the stable patriarchal family from the sixties that despite everything we loved. The Robinson's are separated, Will is a wimp who has bonded with this alien robot (the only thing it has said so far is "Danger Will Robinson" but there the similarity with the old robot end.

Even Dr Smith, who isn't actually Dr Smith has changed. Still a selfish bastard but this time a woman. However with the dysfunctional family and a little hope the Robinsons will survive. Things are quite different and this takes the show to new levels.

If you loved the remake of Battlestar Galactica you will probably like this show, though it's only a "12" so aimed at a teen audience whilst the remake of BSG was far more adult.



Next up is something a little different. For the last twenty years a company called Big Finish have been making audio episodes of Doctor Who featuring the actors from the series. In the time when there was no Doctor on TV I devoured them then it came back and I stopped. Wish I hadn't now.

Having picked up a few Tom Baker episodes with Daleks, Cybermen and Sontarans I quickly delved into a box set of Missy, the Masters female incarnation. Great stuff which I featured in a Sunday Supplement a while back.  There's plenty of material out there including adventures featuring Paul McGann who shows he could have been a great Doctor if given the chance. These episodes fill in for the missing incarnation.

In this vein I picked up the Lucie Miller box set which features Sheridan Smith as the Doctor's companion. Four great stories that turn out to have a link with an old enemy of the Doctor long thought dead.

I have a large collection of these adventures including the spins off including three series of Dalek Wars, the origin of Davros, the Cybermen and even David Tennant with Catherine Tate which was in a sale recently.

Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy feature regularly with a variety of companions both new and old. Sadly Matt Smith is missing but perhaps one day. The stories vary like the show did. Most are good to excellent, some are downright weird and some didn't impress, but there's plenty to choose from.