I don't think Clone and Lab Rats indicate bad times for high-concept, they just weren't that good in their own right. Like some conventional sitcoms that haven't impressed, I don't think its the concept its the writing/performing.
Bad times for the High Concept? Page 3
Quote: Godot Taxis @ January 14 2009, 12:48 AM GMTSure thing, Mr. B. I had in mind 1984, The war of the worlds and Brave new World, but it could equally be Tiger, Tiger, Ubik and say Flow My Tears the Policemen Said. I'd have to move a few plays and a copy of Razzle to see them though. I'm also playing Fallout 3 at the moment, if it helps.
Those are all VERY OLD books are they not; though I'm not sure about Ubik.
I remember avidly waiting for each episode of "Tiger Tiger" when it was first published in Analogue SF magazine [Though I think it was called "The Stars My Destination" then]. The plot, of course, is a straight lift from "The Count of Monte Christo".
[I have around 3000 SF paperbacks in my library here]
Peter Hamilton
Quote: Lee Henman @ January 14 2009, 11:17 AM GMTI'm only going off what I've been told by people in the industry (including a commissioner).
That's why I bow to you.
Quote: Marc P @ January 14 2009, 11:38 AM GMTPeter Hamilton
Didn't he write The Reality Dysfunction trilogy? About dead people coming back to life. Great books, but don't drop them on your foot.
That's him, enormous books but great writing.
I reccommend Richard Morgan, but have only read his first two.
What about a flatsharing sitcom set in space?
Quote: Marc P @ January 14 2009, 11:48 AM GMTI reccommend
Are you just doing this to keep Aaron busy?
Quote: Marc P @ January 14 2009, 11:48 AM GMTThat's him, enormous books but great writing.
Like Stephen King, he would benefit from better editing.
Quote: chipolata @ January 14 2009, 11:57 AM GMTLike Stephen King, he would benefit from better editing.
I don't mind the enormity of them with him somehow. It's a bit like some classial music- it gooes on and on sometimes but it's great to just wallow in it, like the Flashman books, which I am doling out to myself slowly, as a treat - I have them all but am only up to Flashman at the Charge which I am curently reading. Will probaby give it six months before I sample the next after finishing it.
Quote: Marc P @ January 14 2009, 12:04 PM GMTI don't mind the enormity of them with him somehow. It's a bit like some classial music- it gooes on and on sometimes but it's great to just wallow in it, like the Flashman books, which I am doling out to myself slowly, as a treat - I have them all but am only up to Flashman at the Charge which I am curently reading. Will probaby give it six months before I sample the next after finishing it.
The older I get, the less I like to wallow. Nowadays, I like the quick dip of a Raymond Carver or Ray Bradbury short story.
Quote: chipolata @ January 14 2009, 11:44 AM GMTThat's why I bow to you.
No need to bow, Chip.
Just a quick tug of your forelock and a respectful "Mornin' squire" will suffice.
Quote: chipolata @ January 14 2009, 12:07 PM GMTThe older I get, the less I like to swallow.
Are you my wife?
Clone fair enough, but does Lab Rats even count as high concept? Yes, it was surreal, but wasn't that in its style of comedy rather than its concept and execution? I thought it was quite a traditional show, myself. Yes, it had science fiction-y concepts, but they were done with all the complexity of an episode of Chucklevision.
Quote: Godot Taxis @ January 14 2009, 12:48 AM GMTI had in mind 1984, The war of the worlds and Brave new World, but it could equally be Tiger, Tiger, Ubik and say Flow My Tears the Policemen Said.
All of which use science fiction as a prism through which to look at the world; metaphor is not in itself lazy writing. What I do have a problem with is when the clichés of one genre are transposed onto another, as in Star Wars or most jarringly for me, Firefly. However having said that John Crowley's The Deep brilliantly transposes the dynastic politics of the Wars of the Roses into a science fiction setting. Execution counts for a lot.
Genre fiction does not itself encourage lazy writing, and there are doubtless as higher proportion of bad non-genre novels as there are bad genre ones. The difference is that bad genre novels stand more chance of getting published because the demand is so strong, which makes British television's failure to get to grips with certain genres, most notably SF, all the more lamentable.
I do think genre television is much more successful when the writers have a genuine enthusiasm; even with old SF potboiler shows such as Star Trek and Blake's Seven the most engaging episodes tended to be written not by TV writers who understood the medium, but by SF authors who understood the genre (Theodore Sturgeon, Amok Time, Harlan Ellison, City on the Edge of Forever, Tannith Lee, Sand).
Quote: Griff @ January 14 2009, 2:08 PM GMTI liked Firefly.
Me too, though I never much liked Buffy.
I like westerns and I like science fiction, but westerns in space I struggle with.