space dock talking droids and androids. well this is a mixed list but maybe could you also make one list video with androids and one with droids as well? and yes im aware that this would mean that theres a chance that a lot of stuff from this video would appear in either of them.
I always loved hearing Legion trying to explain the psychology of the Geth and their nature as sentient programs. The Geth really came across as alien yet familiar all at the same time.
The Encyclopedia Galactica defines a robot as "A mechanical apparatus designed to do the work of a man." The Marketing Department of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation defines a robot as "Your Plastic Pal Who's Fun To Be With." The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy describes the Marketing Department of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation as: "A bunch of mindless jerks who'll be the first against the wall when the revolution comes."
BT from Titanfall 2. He's technically a mech, but also I think, fills the roll of a robot when he's not being piloted. Edit: oh wait, I completely forgot about Bishop from Aliens. Android, but close enough. Oh, he didn’t have R2D2 or CP3O either. May not have been special, those last two, but they sure are iconic.
The design of the robots from Interstellar really put me in mind of Huey, Dewey, and Louie from Silent Running. Small robots with a lot of character which were filmed as in-camera effects using four multiple-amputee actors.
@@tonyug113 non of the above, it was Louie! (Drone 3). But i always like to think, he's out there somewhere, floating peacefully in the vastness of space, with his nuclear power pack providing power for almost infinity! hahahah
I would have included Johnny 5 from Short Circuit. It was amazingly complex and well puppeteered to be lifelike without feeling jankey. I like that it wasn’t humanoid like so many seem to be. Also it was one of the first complex robots to actually be the protagonist of a move and not a sidekick.
For the underwater thing you mentioned you have to put cyclops from subnautica in there. It just feels like perfect moving base and building it makes you feel like you did something important.
I overall felt the Cyclops was more impressive, but I did like that they iterated on that with the Seatruck having the customizable "train cars" attaching to it giving you lots of ways to literally live out of it. I'd love to see a further iteration that puts that back in a massive submarine.
It feels that way, but it's very clunky in perfornance. In subsequent playthroughs, I just skip straight to the Prawn and only build a Cyclops right at the end because it's impossible to get the shield module without it. But a section on the Subnautica vehicles in general would be a great addition to a video.
I definitely preferred the Cyclops to the SeaTruck. You could build more or less what you wanted in a Cyclops, as long as there was enough space inside the vehicle to fit it in. It was big, and a bit slow and cumbersome in some environments, but that was fine - there was usually a way to get it where you needed to go, and if not the onboard dock meant that a Prawn could always be on hand. The SeaTruck felt a bit limited by comparison, only having the specific equipment in the various "train cars". To be fair it was probably better suited to Below Zero's underwater environment - even in the more open areas, it still felt a bit more confined compared to the original.
The Tachikoma/Fuchikoma from Ghost in the Shell are my favourite. I mean they're technically mecha/spider tanks but they have AIs and are autonomous so i think they count!
Funny that you mentioned it for i just rewatched every Movie and Series of the franchise. And yes you're right. While being child-like at first (in the series) they develop some form of self awareness, a ghost. They become curious of the world around them, one behaves like Batou's personal pet and the end the even sacrifice themselves. Twice actually.
@@mirilion79 i agree. i think AI would be intentionally made sociable and empathetic. because we are social animals and that's a trait we like in ourselves and even our pets so why not our creations?
Man that Lost in Space movie had so much cool tech. The robot was so cool, the space fighters were cool, the guns were cool, the ship was cool, the space suits were cool, the segmented flip up combat helmet was AWESOME.
They did a wonderful job with the Robot in that movie, but I have to admit the newer series actually did an even better job. The robot said very little, but when he did, it carried a lot of weight to it.
Most-everything in the movie beyond the writing, was pretty awesome. The opening space battle was absolutely a gratuitous cash-in on the (relative) popularity of the arcade space combat genre. I wanted a whole movie based around that opening, more than ever seeing 'what happened to the Robinsons'
I'd love to see a breakdown on the seaQuest herself sometime for an underwater episode. Not sure if Red October would be as interesting other than her Caterpiller Drive, but would be cool to see.
I've had Red October on the big Spacedock Breakdown To-Do List for ages, always hmmd and haahd over using something so close to a real vehicle without being one though! - hoojiwana from Spacedock
TARS and CASE from Interstellar is such a good robot design. I really like that they're helpful robots that seems plausible in real life. They felt really organic yet mechanical at the same time.
I'm glad the Orville is part of the list. I recently watched every season for the first time and the show is so inspiring. Plenty of lessons to teach how to be a better person. I love it so much.
I would have included Robby the Robot from "Forbidden Planet". Not only was he cool and reused in various shows when I was growing up he was also able to replicate things. IIRC, he made a ton of whiskey based off of one sample. I also like the clicky mechanical relays he has showing in his head.
The first thing I thought of when I saw the video title was the moment in Lost In Space where the robot, being remote-piloted, turns to the father and says "DAD! MOM SAYS TO BE CAREFUL!" whilst looming over him like a sentient 18-wheeler. I'll always have a special place in my heart for VINCENT and Maximilian from The Black Hole, though that's probably because of seeing it at just the right age. And a special mention has to go to BB-8 for the beautiful moment where Lucasfilm, having endured weeks of moaning over switching to a CGI droid, rolled the practical model out on stage to widespread incredulity.
Yes! I totally agree with you on VINCENT and BOB. Maximillian didn't quite do it for me, mainly because he didn't talk, but I think that was intentional, to give him more of a menacing feel.
Very unusual choice for Number 1, but definitely a good one. Despite being big metal rectangles, Tars had a ton of personality. While it might seem crazy, I always loved VINCENT's look from 'The Black Hole'. The anti-grav spheres on the bottom, the chunky yet curvy garbage can look....really loved it.
I honestly thing they forgot about The Black Hole, otherwise VINCENT and BOB, along with Maximillian, would have at least received honorable mentions. Max can haunt dreams!
Vincent would have also made a good Star Wars robot, as his repulsor lift would carry over to that IP. As a kid I thought of him as a upgraded R2 unit ("okay R2 here's your new body, it's got guns, can fly and you have a voder") Then there's the tearful death of BOB and the terror of Maximilian in a G rated Disney film …
@@NormalNonsense Best description of Maximillian. :) Spooky design. What kind of lunatic gives his robot a couple of people killing whirling blades? Lol!
Funny thing about the Matrix's machines being so "underwatery": for the longest time, Eli Silverman of Cheap Show didn't quite know whether or not they were underwater.
i don't understand them. how do they propel themselves? they're not aircraft. is it supposed to be generating em fields to appear to fly like x-men's magneto?
I think he makes a good argument for his case on Isaac. It doesn’t take anything away from Data, I’m sure he would approve of the iterative process that got us Isaac.
Y'all are going to laugh at me, but I love Blade Wolf from Metal Gear Rising. I love how his thought process is just human enough to make his more robotic quirks stand out. Listening to him talk about consciousness, souls, and the meaning of life is endlessly fascinating to me.
We cannot forget about Bender. All over science fiction we see logic-based AI with no charisma or people-skills which sometimes turn into murderous robots that want to kill humans due to an error in their thought processes. Or completely subservient robots that may or may not get love from their owners no matter how sentient they actually are. Or robots that act funny without actively noticing and doing so on accident. And then there's Bender, a robot that has few morals, almost always illogical, and is frequently bullshitting but is still able to have emotions just like any human and is able to become friends with one out of the sheer strength of Bro Power. Brings us back to the fact that we are the ones that make them and thus they inherit every one of our traits while being a walking meme.
One of my favorites is Ava, from the movie Ex-Machina. The focus on human-machine interaction and the question of how an artificial intelligence can be considered human is reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick's work "2001". The look and build of Ava is part of the extended Turing test, in the movie. The chamber-play-like staging also intensifies the tension and allows the viewer to witness how the relationships between the characters develop.
Among my picks I'd have to include The Iron Giant and the service bots from Silent Running (Huey, Dewey & Louie). I also have a soft spot for the design of the 2018 Lost in Space robot, even though the show itself wasn't up to much. I think the original Terminator endoskeleton could be a fit for almost anyone's top five: the practical design is so iconic, even though it's basically 'huge metal skeleton'. Honourable mentions for K-9, V.I.N.CENT, and Marvin!
man I really like the TARS robot too, the design is very interesting. the gyro concept is a cool basis for movement, so much more memorable than a bipedal human-shaped costume.
Interesting choices. If I were to do a top five list, I'd have to have Robby the Robot from Forbidden Planet, V.I.N.Cent from The Black Hole, and the three drones (Huey, Dewey, and Louie) from Silent Running amongst others.
E3N( Ethan ) is hands down my favorite robot. The voice acting, the synthesized voice, the human like attitude that with the complete understanding of what he is and why he was built just made him realistic. I still want a 3d model of his head
I'm so happy you listed TARS and CASE as your favorite robots, their design is so different to everything else and while at first it looks kinda awkward and useless you realise how incredible and flexible it really is later on, their personalities were great and seeing a robot that was really part of the crew, you got the sense that they were doing it for human reasons as much as robotic ones. The sacrifice of TARS will forever be the moment when I cry the hardest and I'm so glad the movie ends the way it does.
Oh man. I loved that Lost in Space robot so much as a kid too. Also special mentions and #1 were also spot on. I guess I need to start to watch the Orwell finally after this…
T.A.R.S. is one of my favorite robots, not only because of the interesting and unique design but also because of his character development-going from antagonist to Cooper's best friend. The image of the two of them hanging out on the porch of Cooper's reconstructed farm is fantastic. My list of top robots would include some older ones. Number 5, from Short Circuit-we get to see consciousness and morality develop real-time. Also a commentary on the nature of what it means to be alive, and how minds develop based on the input they receive. Marvin, from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy-for an intensely sarcastic and supremely intelligent robot he's surprisingly relatable. "Life. Don't talk to me about life." Probably the most accurate representation of what would happen if we tried giving robots Genuine People Personalities. Kryten, from Red Dwarf-as a character his development went all over the place, from being obsessed with serving human masters to cleaning up every mess he can find. Over time, however, his even temper and unique personality opened up countless plot and comedic possibilities.
I love the lost in space robot, it was named B-9, it was voiced by Dick Tufeld. In the movie they referred to him a Sambler Crane series of robot. He voice is in this movie and from the original Lost in Space TV series. And there was a story that the robot was actually programmable to repeat the same movements, and in one instance someone was severely hurt when they got hit by its arm. There was actually a contest to win the prop, but sadly I didnt. Love your work, keep it up!
So many great robots in science fiction, it's hard to just pick 1. I liked the Prometheans from Halo, they made for great enemies and had a lot of interesting forms and varieties. The Necrons, especially the lower castes and the support units are basically full on amazing robot designs. The entire CIS army from Star Wars, was a great robotic army, and had many stand out varieties, plus plenty of quirky and interesting personalities that emerged due to lack of proper code maintenance. Talandar, the recreated Phoenix of the Protoss during the legacy of the void campaign is an amazing model, one with a very unique background, which is an artificially recreated consciousness and how it tries to be what it was and what it is. Just to name a few
So very sad how the young generation just totally forgotten about R. Daneel Olivaw, part of the Robots, Empire and Foundation series by Asimov. Not surprising since this incredible science fiction series is now far into the past and there as not been movies or TV series really made about those books (please don’t mention I Robot with Wilma Smith, that doesn’t count) it’s truly heart breaking how Daneel is never mention anymore.
One of my personal favourite robots from science fiction are the Deathbringers from Horizon Zero Dawn. These monsters were always just...awesome to see, and every time one popped up, it was kinda obvious how these things managed to destroy the earth.
I'm very surprised you didn't include the Cylons. A very very iconic robot. Ghost in the shell Stand alone Complex had some of my fav robots in it. In a world of cyborgs, and ghosts... the little tachikomas held an interesting place. limited AI's at first, they explored humanity and the human condition, asked questions about things like what is god and what is a soul? When they acquire individuality, their movements, their actions slowly change. And they become characters in unto themselves.
TARS will always be one of my favorites. I was really offended when Cooper turned down his humor settings. He was just a robot, he was part of the crew and he proved that his over the top humor was just that, humor that didn't get in the way of him doing his job or coming through when he was needed the most.
Having the _Lost in Space_ robot on the list was a pleasant surprise. Always loved that big bastard. And yes, I'd love to see a video about sci-fi submersibles.
Another one that borders between AI and robot that I like is GERTY from Moon. Everything about the design and portrayal was a great balance between cold programming and emotive awareness.
To be fair, Interstellar's robots are effectively self propelled server towers. At least that's how I saw them. They didn't need to be replica humans, because that wasn't their function. Their function was to have the calculating power of a supercomputer with initiative and personality.
Man i was expecting the honorable mentions section to be SOOOOOO much longer XD With the Horizon Zero dawn ost playing in the background i was waiting for its machines, Also we can't have a robots lineup without 2004 BSG cylons, a brilliant expansion on the original 80s design
For a episode on under water vehicles, don't forget the SSRN Seaview, from the Tv show "Voyage to the Bottom of the Seas". The "Thunder Child" from the book version of "War of the Worlds" would be nice, too.
Spooner: I think you murdered him because he was teaching you to simulate emotions and then things just got outta control. Sonny: I did not murder him. Spooner: But then emotions don't really seem like a useful simulation for a robot. Sonny: I. Did not. Murder. Him. Spooner: I mean, I wouldn't want my toaster or my vacuum cleaner getting all emotional. Sonny: I DID NOT MURDER HIM!
Honorable mention should go to Talos from Greek mythology… just for being the first. (It was a giant bronze man fueled by ichor forged by Hephaestus to protect Crete… until Jason and the Argonauts killed him)
Who remembers "AMEE" from red planet and the "ABC-Warrior" from the Stallone Judge Dredd? I really loved AMEEs flexible and animalistic design, as well as the few voice line from the ABC-Warrior especially this one ABCW: Mission? Rico: We are going to war. ABCW: WAR!
One nice thing about the Droideka/Destroyer Droids is that they look so alien because an extremely alien-looking species designed them. They look pretty similar to their creators but because Colicoids are weird kind-of-insectoid reverse centaurs, what you get is something pretty bizarre to human exes.
One of my favorites are the first official "robots" from the 1920s play "R.U.R.: Rossum's Universal Robots". While they were technically not robots as we know them modernly (being more like humans that were created by forming limbs and organs in vats of slime and assembling them on an assembly line) they did introduce people to the idea of humanoid artificial life forms being used to do tasks that we either can't do or don't want to do. Plus, they were one of the earliest uses of the word robot.
Personally would have put Spyglass from Titanfall in as an honorable mention at the very least. Dude is simultaneously badass and terrifying beyond just showing up in the mission openings, especially once you realize he’s responsible for the situation during the second game
What I love about the Droidekas from the Prequels is that they move like that and look like that _because they were designed by bug people._ They based their droids on themselves just like we do!
some other good candidates are Robbie the robot from forbidden planet. One of the most expensive props of the time amazingly articulated and thought out. also very intelligent. and a long list of Isaac Asimov robots. a fun list and video.
I love how the backing track for the entire episode is from horizon, a game basically all about killing robot dinosaurs yet no robot dinosaurs made your list
I've always been fond of 'AMEE', the scout robot from the movie 'Red Planet'. I loved the fairly feline movement it had and the attached drone it could use. I'm also a big fan of Johnny 5, the S.A.I.N.T. Industries robot from 'Short Circuit' movies.
One of the great things about Tars is that when you look closely at all his statements and jokes about obedience and telling the truth, he absolutely is able to not obey orders if he wants to and can do what he wants. Everything the robots do to help, they do because they choose to.
I'd like to submit for consideration: Talandar and the other Protoss Purifiers from Starcraft, maybe they stray to far into the AI side of things, but thats a tough distinction to make
It's interesting how sometimes a bad movie or other media will be chock full of good ideas that just never came together. Definitely with you for the Lost in Space Robot.
One robot that I really love, but unfortunately doesn't receive enough recognition is Kos-Mos and T-elos from the Xenosaga video game series. They're so neat, and their backstory is super cool as well, although a little lacking in more backstory (but the ambiguity was the point of it).
1. R2D2 (Star Wars). A classic, but also interesting for conveying a very distinct personality without looking remotely organic. I mean, even TARS could talk. 2. Roy Batty (Blade Runner). My first real introduction to the questions AI robots reveal in fiction: how do we define sentience, consciousness, emotion, etc.? 3. T-800 (The Terminator). I loved the gruesome justification for why these robots look humanoid. 4. Ava (Ex Machina). Another movie with a disturbing justification for the human-shaped robot, it also raises intriguing questions about consciousness, sentience, morality, and the efficacy of the Turing Test. 5. Legion/Geth (Mass Effect). For all the reasons you mentioned. This is a sentimental choice, as I have a love for the Mass Effect trilogy and it's lore that borders on the irrational. Honorable mentions: Bishop (Aliens, wonderfully subverting expectations after Ash in the first movie), HK-47 (SW:KotOR, the funniest homicidal assassin droid in the galaxy). Robot Maria (Metropolis, one of the OGs of robots in film) The Screamers (Screamers, a 90s sci-fi B-movie that took the killer robot trope in a direction I didn't expect).
Marvin - from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. R. Daneel Oliver - Asimov's detective robot that introduced us to the 3 Rules of Robotics Maria from Fritz Lang's Metropolis R2D2 and C3PO Kryten from Red Dwarf Huey, Dewey, and Louie from Silent Running technically any of the Autobots and Decepticon - robots in disguise
The emotionless, ruthless Cybernetic Humanoid Assault System (CHAS) deserves an honourable mention too. Its self sacrifice in the end brought tears to my eye as a kid: "You are right Private Higgins... some losses are not acceptable."
Would love to have you talk/look at Deep Angel. Was such a cool idea, fusion powered sub/aircraft carriers that use a underwater rocket fueled by breaking down sea water to supercavitate and having duel mode aircraft/subcraft fighters on it.
Probably showing my age here but my top three, not in order as I couldn't make my mind up, are Robbie from Forbidden Planet, Gort from The Day the Earth Stood Still (original) and Maximillian from The Black Hole. I do have to agree on the Lost in Space robot though, I thought he was a fantastic design, shame the film was rubbish. BTW, thank you for reminding me that I have an unbuilt kit of the LiS robot in the bottom of a cupboard somewhere, I'm gonna dig it out and build it. P.S. I guess my profile pic might actually be telling me who my fav robot is...
I’m so glad that Tars and Case made it to first place in this list!!! They’re top spot in my personal list too! Even with all the nerdy Star Wars investment I’ve got, Tars is a gem that I love.
For me R2-D2 will always be the greatest robot. Yeah I know he is a droid and probably an A.I. too but he is funny, expressive, personable, and endlessly useful. I have lost count of all of the features in that swiss army knive of a body of his.
I was utterly surprised and pleased that "Big Blue" Lost in Space movie robot was on the list. I loved that design too, but not the movie. Thank you for the list and sharing your thoughts on why each robot was listed on it.
The fact that there's just SO MANY cool robots makes it impressive that you've managed to pick 5 favorites. I wouldn't be able to. ...And that all 5 of them being unconventional! Was that deliberate of "not just populate the list by the same old same old most popular ones"?
Everything on your list is good, but the various models of astromechs from Star Wars still take top spot for me. Just so much versatility in a rugged and compact body plan.
As a young kid also named Will who loved inventing things I also very much loved the Lost In Space robot. Very cool. What do you think of the new Lost In Space TV show robot?
If you want to talk more about SeaQuest, I'm absolutely up for that. I definitely think there's a point to be made for simpler and easier to maintain robots like in Interstellar. As for Lost in Space, the one from 1998, I had such a crush on Lacey Chabert at the time, watched all of Party of Five, so I naturally loved that movie. After seeing the Netflix series I'm convinced I was right in my love of the movie.
personally, Johnny 5 was a childhood favorite of mine (think he was the inspiration for the design of Wall-e). I think the use (yeah overdone use) of the humanoid robot, especially as the "villain" is to provoke the uncanny valley effect in the viewer, so we find the robot that much more disturbing.
My favorite has to be the original robot from Lost in Space. It looked better than Robbie the Robot all around. The human-looking Cylons in Battlestar Galactica were pretty cool. The robotic ones from either series were just there for me. The Replicator race from Stargate was about the same if not better. They were composed of Replicator nano-bots in the form of humans. Plus their tech was better. Vision from The Avengers. He was a pretty cool robot. I'd have to give a special honorable mention to the female robot in Metropolis, because this might have been the first time a robot looked cool in a movie. And seriously, no mention of Optimus Prime? He's a great robot, with personality and everything.
Get "Designing the Perfect Space Fighter - A Spacedock Reference Book" here!
www.patreon.com/posts/77243474/
🙃🙃
"THAT. WAS. A MISTAKE."
Lost in Space is a GREAT movie and nobody will ever tell me different.
space dock talking droids and androids. well this is a mixed list but maybe could you also make one list video with androids and one with droids as well?
and yes im aware that this would mean that theres a chance that a lot of stuff from this video would appear in either of them.
SeaQuest!
Question, does that book has anything related about the Macross/Robotech franchise?
I always loved hearing Legion trying to explain the psychology of the Geth and their nature as sentient programs. The Geth really came across as alien yet familiar all at the same time.
Does this unit have a soul? still breaks me. yes Legion, YOU have a soul.
@@generalnawaki 😢😢
The Encyclopedia Galactica defines a robot as "A mechanical apparatus designed to do the work of a man."
The Marketing Department of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation defines a robot as "Your Plastic Pal Who's Fun To Be With."
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy describes the Marketing Department of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation as: "A bunch of mindless jerks who'll be the first against the wall when the revolution comes."
Marvin the paranoid android was one of the smartest beings in the universe.
No love for Marvin.
@@protorhinocerator142 "Here I am, brain the size of a planet..."
Call that job satisfaction? Cos I don’t
Not again...
BT from Titanfall 2. He's technically a mech, but also I think, fills the roll of a robot when he's not being piloted.
Edit: oh wait, I completely forgot about Bishop from Aliens. Android, but close enough. Oh, he didn’t have R2D2 or CP3O either. May not have been special, those last two, but they sure are iconic.
What a bro
If BT doesn't show up on a top 5 list of mechs...
“Protocol 3: Protect the pilot.”
“I will not loose another pilot.”
“Trust me.”
I'd certainly count him. He's an AI who can move and fight autonomously, certainly seems to have near-full sapience.
BT and Ethan were the best video game mech/robot characters. They will be missed.
The design of the robots from Interstellar really put me in mind of Huey, Dewey, and Louie from Silent Running. Small robots with a lot of character which were filmed as in-camera effects using four multiple-amputee actors.
and who didnt cry when huey (or was it duey i forget) died
@@tonyug113 non of the above, it was Louie! (Drone 3). But i always like to think, he's out there somewhere, floating peacefully in the vastness of space, with his nuclear power pack providing power for almost infinity! hahahah
@@tonyug113 Right? A little metal nothing, but I cried at the time.
@@tonyug113
One-leg louie!!
Best bots in scifi!!!
I would have included Johnny 5 from Short Circuit. It was amazingly complex and well puppeteered to be lifelike without feeling jankey. I like that it wasn’t humanoid like so many seem to be. Also it was one of the first complex robots to actually be the protagonist of a move and not a sidekick.
God dam love the movie and the SAYLON Centurions from BSG to so iconic
For the underwater thing you mentioned you have to put cyclops from subnautica in there. It just feels like perfect moving base and building it makes you feel like you did something important.
I overall felt the Cyclops was more impressive, but I did like that they iterated on that with the Seatruck having the customizable "train cars" attaching to it giving you lots of ways to literally live out of it. I'd love to see a further iteration that puts that back in a massive submarine.
It feels that way, but it's very clunky in perfornance. In subsequent playthroughs, I just skip straight to the Prawn and only build a Cyclops right at the end because it's impossible to get the shield module without it.
But a section on the Subnautica vehicles in general would be a great addition to a video.
I definitely preferred the Cyclops to the SeaTruck. You could build more or less what you wanted in a Cyclops, as long as there was enough space inside the vehicle to fit it in. It was big, and a bit slow and cumbersome in some environments, but that was fine - there was usually a way to get it where you needed to go, and if not the onboard dock meant that a Prawn could always be on hand.
The SeaTruck felt a bit limited by comparison, only having the specific equipment in the various "train cars". To be fair it was probably better suited to Below Zero's underwater environment - even in the more open areas, it still felt a bit more confined compared to the original.
And the voice!
*WELCOME ABOOOARD, CAPTAIN*
Top 10 underwater sci-fi bases?
Absolutely criminal that Kryton from Red Dwarf wasn't an honerable mention. A prime example of robot comedy done right
“It’s…it’s…a small, off-duty Czechoslovakian traffic warden!”
@@Mr_Bunk Nah, it's a banana.
@@gabrieldarcy9067 Amazing! You should be a guest on ‘What’s my Fruit?’ !
The Tachikoma/Fuchikoma from Ghost in the Shell are my favourite. I mean they're technically mecha/spider tanks but they have AIs and are autonomous so i think they count!
great pick n their AI personality are child-like where as their human/cyborg counterpart are all business
Agreed.
The original tachis are the purest angels. AIs are usually used as enemies, I never even considered the fact that an AI would want to be our friend
Funny that you mentioned it for i just rewatched every Movie and Series of the franchise.
And yes you're right.
While being child-like at first (in the series) they develop some form of self awareness, a ghost. They become curious of the world around them, one behaves like Batou's personal pet and the end the even sacrifice themselves.
Twice actually.
@@mirilion79 i agree. i think AI would be intentionally made sociable and empathetic. because we are social animals and that's a trait we like in ourselves and even our pets so why not our creations?
Man that Lost in Space movie had so much cool tech. The robot was so cool, the space fighters were cool, the guns were cool, the ship was cool, the space suits were cool, the segmented flip up combat helmet was AWESOME.
They did a wonderful job with the Robot in that movie, but I have to admit the newer series actually did an even better job. The robot said very little, but when he did, it carried a lot of weight to it.
Most-everything in the movie beyond the writing, was pretty awesome. The opening space battle was absolutely a gratuitous cash-in on the (relative) popularity of the arcade space combat genre.
I wanted a whole movie based around that opening, more than ever seeing 'what happened to the Robinsons'
I think a top list of shuttle or auxiliary craft would be very cool.
Any chance for Stargate to top the charts again
Danube class would win, or more specifically the Rio Grande
@@amc6169 Does the runabout have a time travel variant?
Poor Legion just didn't get enough screen time. For what little he did have, he was adorable.
I'd love to see a breakdown on the seaQuest herself sometime for an underwater episode. Not sure if Red October would be as interesting other than her Caterpiller Drive, but would be cool to see.
I've had Red October on the big Spacedock Breakdown To-Do List for ages, always hmmd and haahd over using something so close to a real vehicle without being one though!
- hoojiwana from Spacedock
It would be a cool deep dive into the real submarine mixed in with the crew and the events around the movie.
Seaquest (Seaquest DSV) and Seaview (Voyage to the bottom of the Sea).
How about the paramilitary-operated, mecha- and cruise missile-launching submarine TDD-1 "Tuatha de Danaan" from Full Metal Panic!
@@mluby7828 or the Alicorn type submarines from Ace Combat
TARS and CASE from Interstellar is such a good robot design. I really like that they're helpful robots that seems plausible in real life. They felt really organic yet mechanical at the same time.
I'm glad the Orville is part of the list. I recently watched every season for the first time and the show is so inspiring. Plenty of lessons to teach how to be a better person. I love it so much.
I would have included Robby the Robot from "Forbidden Planet". Not only was he cool and reused in various shows when I was growing up he was also able to replicate things. IIRC, he made a ton of whiskey based off of one sample.
I also like the clicky mechanical relays he has showing in his head.
The first thing I thought of when I saw the video title was the moment in Lost In Space where the robot, being remote-piloted, turns to the father and says "DAD! MOM SAYS TO BE CAREFUL!" whilst looming over him like a sentient 18-wheeler.
I'll always have a special place in my heart for VINCENT and Maximilian from The Black Hole, though that's probably because of seeing it at just the right age. And a special mention has to go to BB-8 for the beautiful moment where Lucasfilm, having endured weeks of moaning over switching to a CGI droid, rolled the practical model out on stage to widespread incredulity.
Maximillian is scary good...had a nightmare about him when I was a kid, just that damn good.
@@Culdcepter The Black Hole didn't age well, but Maximillian did!
"Why did the robot cross the road? Because it was carbon bonded to the chicken!"🤣
Yes! I totally agree with you on VINCENT and BOB. Maximillian didn't quite do it for me, mainly because he didn't talk, but I think that was intentional, to give him more of a menacing feel.
Very unusual choice for Number 1, but definitely a good one. Despite being big metal rectangles, Tars had a ton of personality. While it might seem crazy, I always loved VINCENT's look from 'The Black Hole'. The anti-grav spheres on the bottom, the chunky yet curvy garbage can look....really loved it.
I honestly thing they forgot about The Black Hole, otherwise VINCENT and BOB, along with Maximillian, would have at least received honorable mentions. Max can haunt dreams!
I kept waiting for Maximilian to be mentioned. I’d forgotten about the other robots but those anti-grav balls were pretty cool.
Vincent would have also made a good Star Wars robot, as his repulsor lift would carry over to that IP.
As a kid I thought of him as a upgraded R2 unit ("okay R2 here's your new body, it's got guns, can fly and you have a voder")
Then there's the tearful death of BOB and the terror of Maximilian in a G rated Disney film …
@@NormalNonsense Best description of Maximillian. :) Spooky design. What kind of lunatic gives his robot a couple of people killing whirling blades? Lol!
Wasn't Maximilian kind of implied to be another one of Reinhard's cyborgs, rather than a "true" robot? Kind of a 40k Servitor...
Funny thing about the Matrix's machines being so "underwatery": for the longest time, Eli Silverman of Cheap Show didn't quite know whether or not they were underwater.
i don't understand them. how do they propel themselves? they're not aircraft.
is it supposed to be generating em fields to appear to fly like x-men's magneto?
The Drone Ships from Oblivion... man, how to make a ball with cannons into a scary entity.
The fact that you said Issac is superior to Data makes me want to write some not-so-nice-things.
Imagine the conversations they would have
- hoojiwana from Spacedock
I think he makes a good argument for his case on Isaac. It doesn’t take anything away from Data, I’m sure he would approve of the iterative process that got us Isaac.
Y'all are going to laugh at me, but I love Blade Wolf from Metal Gear Rising. I love how his thought process is just human enough to make his more robotic quirks stand out. Listening to him talk about consciousness, souls, and the meaning of life is endlessly fascinating to me.
The foolish man laughs at MGR, the wise man nods along
We cannot forget about Bender. All over science fiction we see logic-based AI with no charisma or people-skills which sometimes turn into murderous robots that want to kill humans due to an error in their thought processes. Or completely subservient robots that may or may not get love from their owners no matter how sentient they actually are. Or robots that act funny without actively noticing and doing so on accident. And then there's Bender, a robot that has few morals, almost always illogical, and is frequently bullshitting but is still able to have emotions just like any human and is able to become friends with one out of the sheer strength of Bro Power. Brings us back to the fact that we are the ones that make them and thus they inherit every one of our traits while being a walking meme.
One of my favorites is Ava, from the movie Ex-Machina.
The focus on human-machine interaction and the question of how an artificial intelligence can be considered human is reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick's work "2001". The look and build of Ava is part of the extended Turing test, in the movie. The chamber-play-like staging also intensifies the tension and allows the viewer to witness how the relationships between the characters develop.
Among my picks I'd have to include The Iron Giant and the service bots from Silent Running (Huey, Dewey & Louie). I also have a soft spot for the design of the 2018 Lost in Space robot, even though the show itself wasn't up to much.
I think the original Terminator endoskeleton could be a fit for almost anyone's top five: the practical design is so iconic, even though it's basically 'huge metal skeleton'.
Honourable mentions for K-9, V.I.N.CENT, and Marvin!
man I really like the TARS robot too, the design is very interesting. the gyro concept is a cool basis for movement, so much more memorable than a bipedal human-shaped costume.
The biggest tease in this video is to play the theme song from Horizon Zero Dawn, and not even give their robot animals an honorable mention.
i noticed that too.
I agree completely. The robots from the Horizon world definitely deserve a mention.
They really deserved a honourable mentions especially after with forbidden west
Interesting choices. If I were to do a top five list, I'd have to have Robby the Robot from Forbidden Planet, V.I.N.Cent from The Black Hole, and the three drones (Huey, Dewey, and Louie) from Silent Running amongst others.
E3N( Ethan ) is hands down my favorite robot. The voice acting, the synthesized voice, the human like attitude that with the complete understanding of what he is and why he was built just made him realistic.
I still want a 3d model of his head
Weirdly, I always loved the Mechanoids in Red Dwarf, Kryten's model especially, but the other non-humanoid robots are also really cool!
And how they could use their manipulator to give Rimmer the finger.
I'm so happy you listed TARS and CASE as your favorite robots, their design is so different to everything else and while at first it looks kinda awkward and useless you realise how incredible and flexible it really is later on, their personalities were great and seeing a robot that was really part of the crew, you got the sense that they were doing it for human reasons as much as robotic ones. The sacrifice of TARS will forever be the moment when I cry the hardest and I'm so glad the movie ends the way it does.
Oh man. I loved that Lost in Space robot so much as a kid too. Also special mentions and #1 were also spot on. I guess I need to start to watch the Orwell finally after this…
I need this as a top 50 list! Top 5 doesn't cut it!
T.A.R.S. is one of my favorite robots, not only because of the interesting and unique design but also because of his character development-going from antagonist to Cooper's best friend. The image of the two of them hanging out on the porch of Cooper's reconstructed farm is fantastic.
My list of top robots would include some older ones.
Number 5, from Short Circuit-we get to see consciousness and morality develop real-time. Also a commentary on the nature of what it means to be alive, and how minds develop based on the input they receive.
Marvin, from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy-for an intensely sarcastic and supremely intelligent robot he's surprisingly relatable. "Life. Don't talk to me about life." Probably the most accurate representation of what would happen if we tried giving robots Genuine People Personalities.
Kryten, from Red Dwarf-as a character his development went all over the place, from being obsessed with serving human masters to cleaning up every mess he can find. Over time, however, his even temper and unique personality opened up countless plot and comedic possibilities.
I love the lost in space robot, it was named B-9, it was voiced by Dick Tufeld. In the movie they referred to him a Sambler Crane series of robot. He voice is in this movie and from the original Lost in Space TV series. And there was a story that the robot was actually programmable to repeat the same movements, and in one instance someone was severely hurt when they got hit by its arm. There was actually a contest to win the prop, but sadly I didnt. Love your work, keep it up!
So many great robots in science fiction, it's hard to just pick 1.
I liked the Prometheans from Halo, they made for great enemies and had a lot of interesting forms and varieties.
The Necrons, especially the lower castes and the support units are basically full on amazing robot designs.
The entire CIS army from Star Wars, was a great robotic army, and had many stand out varieties, plus plenty of quirky and interesting personalities that emerged due to lack of proper code maintenance.
Talandar, the recreated Phoenix of the Protoss during the legacy of the void campaign is an amazing model, one with a very unique background, which is an artificially recreated consciousness and how it tries to be what it was and what it is.
Just to name a few
GONK!
So very sad how the young generation just totally forgotten about R. Daneel Olivaw, part of the Robots, Empire and Foundation series by Asimov. Not surprising since this incredible science fiction series is now far into the past and there as not been movies or TV series really made about those books (please don’t mention I Robot with Wilma Smith, that doesn’t count) it’s truly heart breaking how Daneel is never mention anymore.
And even the ones who remember R. Daneel Olivaw often forgot R. Giskard Reventlov.
@@odlouhy did not forget him, actually reading Robots Of Dawn right now so he is around, just not as important I find as Daneel is
Agreed.
Yes please do an underwater craft episode! seaQuest DSV was one my favorite shows as kid. It would be great to bring to the surface again.
Darwin!
One of my personal favourite robots from science fiction are the Deathbringers from Horizon Zero Dawn. These monsters were always just...awesome to see, and every time one popped up, it was kinda obvious how these things managed to destroy the earth.
he uses Horizon music at 8:40
I'm very surprised you didn't include the Cylons. A very very iconic robot.
Ghost in the shell Stand alone Complex had some of my fav robots in it. In a world of cyborgs, and ghosts... the little tachikomas held an interesting place. limited AI's at first, they explored humanity and the human condition, asked questions about things like what is god and what is a soul? When they acquire individuality, their movements, their actions slowly change. And they become characters in unto themselves.
1. Robbie the Robot (Forbidden Planet 1956)
2. Robot B-9 (Lost in Space - 1965)
3. Bender Bending Rodríguez (Bending Unit 22, unit # 1,729, serial # 2716057)
4. WALL·E (short for Waste Allocation Load Lifter: Earth-Class) - WALL-E (2008)
5. R2-D2 - Star Wars (1977)
loved TARS. never thought i could get so emotionally attached to a walking fridge in 2.5 hours.
Think the underwater craft would be cool
seaQuest dsv man
I agree. We don’t get enough aquatic craft in Sci-Fi.
personally my favourite is EDI, the way she evolved with the story and how she changed depending on shepherds influence. perfect.
2 robots that have my heart are Johnny 5 from Short Circuit and jinx from space camp also Maximilian from black hole is also a really cool design
TARS will always be one of my favorites. I was really offended when Cooper turned down his humor settings. He was just a robot, he was part of the crew and he proved that his over the top humor was just that, humor that didn't get in the way of him doing his job or coming through when he was needed the most.
For me, it's either the Cylons, 1812, Data or R2D2
Edit: good call on TARS and CASE, they were awesome
Having the _Lost in Space_ robot on the list was a pleasant surprise. Always loved that big bastard.
And yes, I'd love to see a video about sci-fi submersibles.
A video about underwater Sci-Fi would be great. There's some great content out there. From like TV shows like Seaquest. To movies like the Abyss.
Another one that borders between AI and robot that I like is GERTY from Moon. Everything about the design and portrayal was a great balance between cold programming and emotive awareness.
GERTY should have been on the list, instead of Issac.
To be fair, Interstellar's robots are effectively self propelled server towers. At least that's how I saw them. They didn't need to be replica humans, because that wasn't their function. Their function was to have the calculating power of a supercomputer with initiative and personality.
Man i was expecting the honorable mentions section to be SOOOOOO much longer XD
With the Horizon Zero dawn ost playing in the background i was waiting for its machines, Also we can't have a robots lineup without 2004 BSG cylons, a brilliant expansion on the original 80s design
For a episode on under water vehicles, don't forget the SSRN Seaview, from the Tv show "Voyage to the Bottom of the Seas". The "Thunder Child" from the book version of "War of the Worlds" would be nice, too.
The Thunder Child was a Dreadnought class surface warship, so on the water, not under it.
Spooner: I think you murdered him because he was teaching you to simulate emotions and then things just got outta control.
Sonny: I did not murder him.
Spooner: But then emotions don't really seem like a useful simulation for a robot.
Sonny: I. Did not. Murder. Him.
Spooner: I mean, I wouldn't want my toaster or my vacuum cleaner getting all emotional.
Sonny: I DID NOT MURDER HIM!
Honorable mention should go to Talos from Greek mythology… just for being the first. (It was a giant bronze man fueled by ichor forged by Hephaestus to protect Crete… until Jason and the Argonauts killed him)
Who remembers "AMEE" from red planet and the "ABC-Warrior" from the Stallone Judge Dredd?
I really loved AMEEs flexible and animalistic design, as well as the few voice line from the ABC-Warrior especially this one
ABCW: Mission?
Rico: We are going to war.
ABCW: WAR!
AMEE was absolutely awesome/terrifying and has always been up there for me.
Also, maybe not sci-fi enough, but Johnny 5 is my robot to beat.
AMEE is one of my faves. So awesome.
One nice thing about the Droideka/Destroyer Droids is that they look so alien because an extremely alien-looking species designed them. They look pretty similar to their creators but because Colicoids are weird kind-of-insectoid reverse centaurs, what you get is something pretty bizarre to human exes.
One of my favorites are the first official "robots" from the 1920s play "R.U.R.: Rossum's Universal Robots". While they were technically not robots as we know them modernly (being more like humans that were created by forming limbs and organs in vats of slime and assembling them on an assembly line) they did introduce people to the idea of humanoid artificial life forms being used to do tasks that we either can't do or don't want to do. Plus, they were one of the earliest uses of the word robot.
Personally would have put Spyglass from Titanfall in as an honorable mention at the very least. Dude is simultaneously badass and terrifying beyond just showing up in the mission openings, especially once you realize he’s responsible for the situation during the second game
Yes, please do talk about subs. Bonus points if you work in the Flying Sub from Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
What I love about the Droidekas from the Prequels is that they move like that and look like that _because they were designed by bug people._ They based their droids on themselves just like we do!
some other good candidates are Robbie the robot from forbidden planet. One of the most expensive props of the time amazingly articulated and thought out. also very intelligent.
and a long list of Isaac Asimov robots.
a fun list and video.
I love how the backing track for the entire episode is from horizon, a game basically all about killing robot dinosaurs yet no robot dinosaurs made your list
Always found the original RoboCop's ed 209 and Robot Model- B-9 from the original 1965 Lost in Space to be my favorite robots.
I've always been fond of 'AMEE', the scout robot from the movie 'Red Planet'. I loved the fairly feline movement it had and the attached drone it could use.
I'm also a big fan of Johnny 5, the S.A.I.N.T. Industries robot from 'Short Circuit' movies.
One of the great things about Tars is that when you look closely at all his statements and jokes about obedience and telling the truth, he absolutely is able to not obey orders if he wants to and can do what he wants. Everything the robots do to help, they do because they choose to.
I'd like to submit for consideration: Talandar and the other Protoss Purifiers from Starcraft, maybe they stray to far into the AI side of things, but thats a tough distinction to make
When a Robot is given the mental and physical capacity to make a complete copy of itself, it is unambiguously alive.
It's interesting how sometimes a bad movie or other media will be chock full of good ideas that just never came together. Definitely with you for the Lost in Space Robot.
One robot that I really love, but unfortunately doesn't receive enough recognition is Kos-Mos and T-elos from the Xenosaga video game series. They're so neat, and their backstory is super cool as well, although a little lacking in more backstory (but the ambiguity was the point of it).
oh yes, robot waifus which happens to be WMD if you are a certain dimensional hopping lifeform.
Wasn't KOS-MOS also the reincarnation of Mary Magdalene or something like that?
1. R2D2 (Star Wars). A classic, but also interesting for conveying a very distinct personality without looking remotely organic. I mean, even TARS could talk.
2. Roy Batty (Blade Runner). My first real introduction to the questions AI robots reveal in fiction: how do we define sentience, consciousness, emotion, etc.?
3. T-800 (The Terminator). I loved the gruesome justification for why these robots look humanoid.
4. Ava (Ex Machina). Another movie with a disturbing justification for the human-shaped robot, it also raises intriguing questions about consciousness, sentience, morality, and the efficacy of the Turing Test.
5. Legion/Geth (Mass Effect). For all the reasons you mentioned. This is a sentimental choice, as I have a love for the Mass Effect trilogy and it's lore that borders on the irrational.
Honorable mentions:
Bishop (Aliens, wonderfully subverting expectations after Ash in the first movie),
HK-47 (SW:KotOR, the funniest homicidal assassin droid in the galaxy).
Robot Maria (Metropolis, one of the OGs of robots in film)
The Screamers (Screamers, a 90s sci-fi B-movie that took the killer robot trope in a direction I didn't expect).
Underwater sci-fi! One of the most underrated aspects! I love that episode in season 2 of Mandolorian and Blue Planet is one of my favorite rpgs.
What..........No mention of Kryten from Red Dwarf. He deserves a special mention for the laughs alone.
Please do a list of underwater vehicles and settlements because anything underwater is so underrated.
Marvin - from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. R. Daneel Oliver - Asimov's detective robot that introduced us to the 3 Rules of Robotics Maria from Fritz Lang's Metropolis R2D2 and C3PO Kryten from Red Dwarf Huey, Dewey, and Louie from Silent Running technically any of the Autobots and Decepticon - robots in disguise
Great video as always, I need breakdowns of every single craft in Avatar The Way of Water!
The emotionless, ruthless Cybernetic Humanoid Assault System (CHAS) deserves an honourable mention too.
Its self sacrifice in the end brought tears to my eye as a kid:
"You are right Private Higgins... some losses are not acceptable."
I watched this video with a specific robot in mind for #1 and I am glad to see that is exactly where they were.
Would love to have you talk/look at Deep Angel. Was such a cool idea, fusion powered sub/aircraft carriers that use a underwater rocket fueled by breaking down sea water to supercavitate and having duel mode aircraft/subcraft fighters on it.
Probably showing my age here but my top three, not in order as I couldn't make my mind up, are Robbie from Forbidden Planet, Gort from The Day the Earth Stood Still (original) and Maximillian from The Black Hole.
I do have to agree on the Lost in Space robot though, I thought he was a fantastic design, shame the film was rubbish. BTW, thank you for reminding me that I have an unbuilt kit of the LiS robot in the bottom of a cupboard somewhere, I'm gonna dig it out and build it.
P.S. I guess my profile pic might actually be telling me who my fav robot is...
I’m so glad that Tars and Case made it to first place in this list!!! They’re top spot in my personal list too! Even with all the nerdy Star Wars investment I’ve got, Tars is a gem that I love.
For me R2-D2 will always be the greatest robot.
Yeah I know he is a droid and probably an A.I. too but he is funny, expressive, personable, and endlessly useful. I have lost count of all of the features in that swiss army knive of a body of his.
Great list. I really like the Sentinals (from X-Men) and the Battle Android Troopers (B.A.T.S) from G.I. Joe.
I did like Interstellar's fractle box robots too. Talk about a pure function machine.
If the sub from Disney's atlantis doesn't get first place in the sub video, I will be very surprised.
I was utterly surprised and pleased that "Big Blue" Lost in Space movie robot was on the list. I loved that design too, but not the movie. Thank you for the list and sharing your thoughts on why each robot was listed on it.
"Bender" from Futurama.
"Sonny" from I, Robot.
"R. Daneel Oliver" from the Foundation Series.
The fact that there's just SO MANY cool robots makes it impressive that you've managed to pick 5 favorites. I wouldn't be able to.
...And that all 5 of them being unconventional! Was that deliberate of "not just populate the list by the same old same old most popular ones"?
Everything on your list is good, but the various models of astromechs from Star Wars still take top spot for me. Just so much versatility in a rugged and compact body plan.
Was hoping for a Kryten mention! :) great list regardless.
Seaquest DSV would take an entire episode I think.
Not one mention of the fembots from Austin powers?!?!
As a young kid also named Will who loved inventing things I also very much loved the Lost In Space robot. Very cool.
What do you think of the new Lost In Space TV show robot?
I was honestly not expecting to see TARS in first place, but he's definitely my fav robot too. A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one.
Lost in Space robot was exactly the reason why I love that movie
If you want to talk more about SeaQuest, I'm absolutely up for that. I definitely think there's a point to be made for simpler and easier to maintain robots like in Interstellar. As for Lost in Space, the one from 1998, I had such a crush on Lacey Chabert at the time, watched all of Party of Five, so I naturally loved that movie. After seeing the Netflix series I'm convinced I was right in my love of the movie.
personally, Johnny 5 was a childhood favorite of mine (think he was the inspiration for the design of Wall-e).
I think the use (yeah overdone use) of the humanoid robot, especially as the "villain" is to provoke the uncanny valley effect in the viewer, so we find the robot that much more disturbing.
What about Marvin the paranoid Android from Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy?
Or K-9 from Doctor Who?
My favorite has to be the original robot from Lost in Space. It looked better than Robbie the Robot all around.
The human-looking Cylons in Battlestar Galactica were pretty cool. The robotic ones from either series were just there for me.
The Replicator race from Stargate was about the same if not better. They were composed of Replicator nano-bots in the form of humans. Plus their tech was better.
Vision from The Avengers. He was a pretty cool robot.
I'd have to give a special honorable mention to the female robot in Metropolis, because this might have been the first time a robot looked cool in a movie.
And seriously, no mention of Optimus Prime? He's a great robot, with personality and everything.
7:05 Aaron Beck designed the bots from Infinite Warfare. The C6 drones are my all time favorite