Archive for October, 2007

New SF on TV

Here are some quick opinions on the new slate of SFnal network TV programming:

Reaper – B+

Kind of a been-there-done-that premise is enlivened by some interesting tweaks to the deal with the devil concept, but it’s the humor that really makes the show work.

Pushing Daisies – A

The premise–a man has the ability to bring the dead back to life temporarily (or permanently with consequences)–is a cool one, but what’s really going to make this show great, I think, is the relationship between the male and female leads who are obviously in love with each other but can never have a physical relationship–they can’t even touch.

Bionic Woman – F

This was really just ghastly. Everything from the writing to the acting to the directing was just terrible. If I kept watching this show, I’d need some bionic eyes to replace my own, which will have been gouged out.

Chuck – B-

Amusing and fun high-tech spy-thriller type of thing, with liberal doses of humor. The first two episodes were enjoyable, but I have a hard time imagining this show holding my interest for long.

Journeyman – C

Kevin McKidd is great, but the nonsensical time travel and passive protagonist make me yawn. I haven’t given up on it yet, but I’m not hopeful for its future.

Moonlight – D+

There’s no particular reason this shouldn’t be good, I just didn’t think it was.

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F&SF in Best American Short Stories

In Best American Short Stories 2007, edited by Stephen King, F&SF has one story reprinted and a few honorable mentions.

In the book:

  • The Boy in Zaquitos by Bruce McAllister

Honorable Mentions (100 Other Distinguished Stories)

  • Billy and the Fairy by Terry Bisson
  • Counterfactual by Gardner Dozois
  • With by Good Intentions by Carrie Richerson
  • Another Word for Map is Faith by Christopher Rowe

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F&SF in Year’s Best Science Fiction

Here’s the F&SF-relevant info from Gardner Dozois’s Year’s Best Science Fiction:

In the book:

  • Damascus by Daryl Gregory
  • Okanoggan Falls by Carolyn Ives Gilman

Honorable Mentions:

  • Pop Squad by Paolo Bacigalupi
  • Hallucigenia by Laird Barron
  • El Regalo by Peter S. Beagle
  • Billy and the Fairy by Terry Bisson
    • Billy and the Spaceman
    • Billy and the Unicorn
    • Planet of Mystery
  • Dazzle the Pundit by Scott Bradfield
  • Parsifal by James Cambias
  • The Song of Kido by Matthew Corradi **
  • Animal Magnetism by Albert E. Cowdrey
    • Imitation of Life
    • Immortal Forms
    • Revelation
    • The Revivalist
  • Czesko by Ef Deal *
  • Counterfactual by Gardner Dozois
  • Senora Suerta by Tananarive Due
  • Killers by Carol Emshwiller
  • Abandon the Ruins by Charles Coleman Finlay
    • Passing Through
  • Terms of Engagement by C. S. Friedman
  • How to Talk to Girls at Parties by Neil Gaiman
  • Kansas, She Says, Is the Name of the Star by R. Garcia y Robertson
  • Thirteen O’Clock by David Gerrold
  • Gardening at Night by Daryl Gregory
  • From the Mouths of Babes by Trent Hergenrader
  • Poor Guy by Michael Kandel
  • By the Rules by Matthew Hughes
    • A Herd of Opportunity
    • Shadow Man
  • Shambhala by Alex Irvine
  • Just Do It by Heather Lindsley *
  • The Boy in Zaquitos by Bruce McAllister
    • Cold War
  • Iklawa by Donald Mead *
  • The Protectors of Zendor by John Morressy
    • The Return of the O’Farrissey
    • The True History of the Picky Princess
  • The Moment of Joy Before by Claudia O’Keefe
  • Republic by Robert Onopa
  • Holding Pattern by Steven Popkes
  • Intolerance by Robert Reed
    • Less Than Nothing
    • Misjudgment Day
    • Pills Forever
    • Show Me Yours
    • Starbuck
  • Journey into the Kingdom by M. Rickert
    • The Christmas Witch
  • Boon by Madeline Robins
  • Horse-Year Woman by Michaela Roessner
  • Another Word for Map is Faith by Christopher Rowe
  • Pol Pot’s Beautiful Daughter by Geoff Ryman
  • A Daze in the Life by Tony Sarowitz
  • The Cathedral of Universal Biodiversity by Gary Shockley
  • Memory of a Thing That Never Was by Jerry Seeger *
  • Diluvium by Steven Utley
  • The Lineaments of Gratified Desire by Ysabeau Wilce
  • Penultima Thule by Chris Willrich
  • Bea and Her Bird Brother by Gene Wolfe

* Slush Survivor
**Story by one-time slush survivor

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F&SF in Year’s Best Fantasy & Horror

Since all the cool kids are posting the honorable mentions from Year’s Best Fantasy & Horror (edited by Ellen Datlow and Kelly Link & Gavin Grant) that their magazines accrued, I thought I’d do so as well.

But first, reprinted in the book are:

  • Pol Pot’s Beautiful Daughter by Geoff Ryman
  • Another Word for Map is Faith by Christopher Rowe
  • Journey into the Kingdom by M. Rickert
  • The Lineaments of Gratified Desire by Ysabeau Wilce

Honorable Mentions:

  • Hallucigenia by Laird Barron
  • El Regalo by Peter S. Beagle
  • Billy & the Fairy by Terry Bisson
  • Parsival by James Cambais
  • Perfect Stranger by Amy Sterling Casil
  • John Uskglass and the Cumbrian Charcoal Burner by Susanna Clarke
  • Animal Magnetism by Albert E. Cowdrey
  • Czesko by Ef Deal *
  • Killers by Carol Emshwiller
  • Passing Through by Charles Coleman Finlay
  • Terms of Engagement by C. S. Friedman
  • Damascus by Daryl Gregory
  • The Boy in Zaquitos by Bruce McAllister
  • The Moment of Joy Before by Claudia O’Keefe
  • Intolerance by Robert Reed
  • Show Me Yours by Robert Reed
  • With By Good Intentions by Carrie Richerson
  • The Christmas Witch by M. Rickert
  • The Horse Year Woman by Michaela Roessner
  • Memory of a Thing That Never Was by Jerry Seeger *
  • Penultima Thule by Chris Willrich
  • Bea & Her Bird Brother by Gene Wolfe

* Slush Survivor

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Robot Chicken vs. Flight of the Conchords

While on the subject of TV, why didn’t anyone ever tell me how freaking awesome Robot Chicken is? That show’s hilarious. It’s stop-motion animation random sketch comedy at its best. Don’t believe me? Check out this clip on YouTube and find out what happens when President Bush discovers his midichlorian count is very high…

And while you’re at it, also be sure to check out Flight of the Conchords, another great comedy show. FotC is about two New Zealand musicians trying to make it in the Big Apple. Every episode features some of the bands’ songs, which are presented as music videos within the context of the show. You can see (I think) every song/video from the first season here. Several of their songs are SFnal–including a great parody of Lord of the Rings (it was required they parody LOTR, being from New Zealand).

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Beauty and the Geek

I’m somewhat embarrassed to admit that I’ve become hooked on watching Beauty and the Geek. For those that don’t know, B&tG is a reality show in which 10 female “beauties” and 10 male “geeks” all live in one house together, pair up into teams (one beauty/one geek on each), and compete in challenges designed to help the beauties become more than just a pretty face and help the geeks become, um, not socially retarded.

One thing that surprised me is how real the geeks appear to be. This isn’t one of those situations where you have people acting unlike themselves in order to get cast on the show; these guys are the real deal. And man, the producers really got a nice cross-sampling of geeks. This season they have a filker and a LARPer.

As if there were any question which one of these groups I most identify with, further evidence was provided in this week’s episode. During one of the one-on-one’s (when the beauty or geek talks candidly directly to the camera, out of ear-shot of the other contestants), one of the geeks was wearing a shirt (“Viva la Relativity!”) that I not only own, but was actually wearing right at that moment.

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