Much as we love Star Wars, the flood of imitations that followed it nearly drowned out other approaches to science fiction. Enter William Gibson, whose "future history" kicked off a genre revolution. This episode was brought to you by The Great Courses Plus! Start your free 1-month trial today: ow.ly/3iLM30egcfR
You guys can turn something as boring as the articles of Confederation and turn it interesting keep up the good work and you were one of the good parts about UA-cam rewind
Extra Credits I'm sure I won't be the only one who will say this, and I know that for all intents and purposes of this video it doesn't matter that much, but Star Wars is a science fantasy movie, not science fiction. Science fiction aims to put the reader (or watcher) into a world similar to their own and have the characters perform actions using science or technology that is usually explained (not always correctly, but in some way or another). Science fantasy; though, which is what Star Wars is, focuses on placing the reader in a world completely unknown to them and have the characters perform actions using science or technology without explanations. For example, in the original trilogy, the force is just a part of their world, it is unexplained, and as a viewer we are expected to just accept that it is there, without questioning why.
David Hueso Well, you're going above and beyond here. This episode was jam-packed with lovely nods and visual references that didn't need to be there, but were absolutely perfect for the topics of discussion.
He didn't seem to despise it, just had a bit of disdain for it. His vision of a cyberpunk dystopic future sullied by things like elves and orcs and made a bit more 'pulp-like'. Also he notes that none of the people who made Shadowrun really acknowledged his work or collaborated with him, so there might've been some jealousy there.
I think the show Black Mirror paints a view of technology, becoming unknown and wild in its infornot worlds of culture and social networks we as people perceive.
Ben Lawrence I know black mirror is trying to do that. Still they paint (in my view) unoriginal pictures of problems that have been shown before and everyone acts like they invented the scenarios. They show reall problems we have neen thinking about for decades as if we didn't think about that already. For most this is true which makes me sad.
Please, please, PLEASE, make an episode about Stanislaw Lem. He's one of the greatest sci-fi minds, and though there is "Solaris" movie, I feel like not many people know about the author. Please, make it happen, and I will be subscribed to you till the day I die.
Excellent as always. I enjoyed Neuromancer when I read it like 15 years ago, but it didn't grab me. I had enjoyed Shadowrun and other cyberpunk stuff more, and saw Gibson as the one who primarily launched cyberpunk, but being a bit superseded. This video made me appreciate how he achieved much more than just that.
I love the sheer number of Sci-Fi references in this show! From Space Core to the "Stair Compatible" ED-209 and Asimov to Adams, each random reference makes me laugh. Love your videos!
oh my god, kudos to the illustration artist! the one at 1:00 is a hell of a interpretation of abstract, also the quick heck puns are always *so awesome!!!* looove them!!!!!😁
Question to EC team: Do you consider Star Wars Science Fiction? Because to me, it's fantasy in a science fiction setting. At its core, it's a story about magical knights and fighting an evil wizard and his evil empire. It was designed to be a combination of a fanciful retelling of the American Revolution mixed with WWII movies mixed with popular scifi imagery. It doesn't ask any questions about science and how it interacts with humanity, and deliberately ignores science wholesale it unless it looks or sounds cool. What do you guys think?
One of the aspects of science fiction being a genre is that there are works that use the established tropes of the genre as a setting to tell a different type of story rather than telling the same type of story. So Star Wars fits squarely into the genre, while not actually having the substance normally associated with the genre (though space opera has been a thriving sub-genre at least as far back as Buck Rogers...)
Neuromancer was the first e-book I ever purchased even though I owned a paper copy, it seemed appropriate at the time. PS While you *can* read it on a 4" smartphone I wouldn't recommend it.
I know that since you’ve talked about him before in EC, you will probably do videos on him, but could you do a series on H.P. Lovecraft and his pantheon of Great Old Ones and Outer Gods?
Yay, Gibson! This is gonna be a fun ride. Also crossing my fingers for Octavia Butler, Ursula Le Guin, and Harlan Ellison. This is currently my favorite series in UA-cam at the moment, thanks for doing this.
So it's like ....star treks future of peace and love ...vs warhammer 40ks future of religious oppression , ultra nationalism , and slow inevitable fade to black ?
well its true that 40k has a religious oppression , ultra nationalism , and slow inevitable fade to black. but thats only waht you see when you look at the surfice. it has more shades than just black and white. for exemple.: the irony that the "being" that wanted the humanaty secular is in the current fluff timeline worship't as a god .
Warhammer isn't really trying to ask questions. I'm not bashing it but it is much more like Star Wars in that it is more about telling stories than pondering societal questions.
The funny thing is, said oppression and ultra nationalism is one of the best possible options in that mythos. Most of the alternatives are far worse. At least the Imperium probably won't wipe out your whole planet without a good reason. At least they don't imprison people and subject them to unimaginable torment (except when they really need to in order to allow interstellar travel to continue)
I don't know if y'all take suggestions or questions, but there's two things I would love to hear from you guys, since you make stuff so easy to understand. I've read Frank Herbert's Dune, I love Dune, I know it's supposed to be important to sci-fi, but i don't know how. Did it just sell really well? Did it set trends? And the other thing, how do you tell the difference between science fiction and science fantasy? Is there a clear distinction? I've heard different things from different places, and with how well I usually absorb your videos, I'd love to hear y'all's thoughts.
Logan Atreides Sir Atreides, of House Atreides, you should know how the Dune collection made its own waves on literature and science fiction. It was not pretty, but life isn't. Why do you fear? Isn't fear the Mindkiller?
I second the idea of a series on Dune, for a multitude of reasons. It was an interesting blending of cultural interpretations, ecology, and human nature.
As I understand it, Dune is like Lord of the Rings, but for science fiction. Asimov took Edward Gibbon's Decline and Fall of Rome, and used it as the basis for his Foundation series. Herbert took it one step further and used Mohammed and the rise of Islam as the basis for Dune. He also did some fantastic stuff with the 3rd person omniscient point of view, which very few others have been able to replicate. You know, from the moment he walks onto the page, which character is going to backstab House Atreides, and yet it still makes for a gripping story. I think Dune was one of the first works of science fiction that turned world-building into a thing. Before, most SF novelists struggled to reach 40k words (about 150 pages), as short stories tended to dominate the genre. The emphasis was more on ideas than on character or setting, which tends toward the short form. Dune was one of the first books to create a massive world capable of telling an epic story comparable to Lord of the Rings.
Syn's Arcade I don’t know, actually. I loved Dune, but I don’t read as often as I should because I play video games too much, so I don’t really know where it fits in the context of sci-fi. I’m just not well-read enough. Nice catch on the Atreides, btw, a lot of people either don’t get the reference or don’t bring it up.
Dune plays with a lot of tropes that are common in fantasy, and in other parts, is very much _science_ fiction. (And I think that drawing a clear distinction is futile, anyway.) It sold only decently in its day (the first part, _Dune_ , came out in 1965), but it has been groundbreaking in a literary sense. Its focus on ecology, religion, AI (or the lack thereof), drugs, language, and generally human society instead of space adventures or strictly "hard" SF changed science fiction was very influential for later SF, and while it's not part of the New Wave talked about in this video, it probably laid part of the groundwork for it.
Well... Justinian also started out as farm boy, but unlike Luke he fought to save the empire (and with it the last embers of classical greco-roman civilization) not tearing it down.
Great episode, a big fan of William Gibson and Cyberpunk... Would love to see an episode dedicated to the sub-genre. Perhaps also discussing where it can go..
It's weird that you jumped from Shelley to Gibson. I assume at some point you'll talk about Verne, EE Smith, Stanisław Lem, Asimov, Heinlein, Campbell, even Ellison. In fact I would give Ellison way more credit than Gibson for the 80s SF sea-change.
Stanislaw Lem gets no love for his original, thought provoking works. Eschewing the woosh and zap of science fantasy. He hearkened to ask why. Science wasn't just stageprop to be interchanged with other genres "a cowboy story BUT IN SPACE" but used to ask questions about ourselves.
You're right. Lem always was the most creative but still most philosophical SciFi-author I knew. I consider Solaris as one of the best books of all time, but his other works (especially Fiasco and Memoirs, found in a bathtub) are just great pieces of literature as well. Stanisław Lem just should be in the SciFi-"canon" of every interested SciFi-reader!
4:53 Is it just me or is Marvels entire lineup basically what he's talking about with not really asking questions but giving us what sells, that said I can't wait for Infinity War. :)
I've never heard of this guy before, yet he asks a lot of the questions I do when writing. I can hardly wait until you do a series on him. Thanks for the introduction! =)
Hah! Awesome Shadowrun reference with the Ares poster at 8:21. For the record: I have a hard time counting Star Wars as sci fi. Everything is explained with magic and the science has totally gone out the window. Star Wars is chromed up fantasy
Seeing a lot of future in this series! Maybe an "Extra Fantasy" would be needed to cover the atmosphere of Lovecraft. Or better yet, stay Sci-Fi and do P. K. Dick's psychadelic twists of technology and humanity playing themselves.
Another interesting thing about Gibson is that he defined the conventions of not just cyberpunk but steampunk too with the novel The Difference Engine that he wrote with Bruce Sterling in 1990. Gibson and Sterling essentially copy pasted the cyberpunk themes into the 1850s in an alternate history where Babbage continues the development of the difference and analytical engines and Britain becomes a technocratic state ruled by people like Byron, Darwin, and Brunel. It even replicates the rising powerhouse of Japan as a theme since the story takes place right around the opening of trade between Japan, but using elements of historical Japonisme.
As a reader that started in the 80’s; my evolution went from Isaac Asimov, to Larry Niven, to David Brin, and then Gibson.... which are pretty much the father’s of the genera in their successive generations/decades, since WWII; and each deserving of at least an episode... one could probable start a whole channel just on Asimov’s writings, both fiction and non-fiction, but that’s another story all together...
I didn't really start getting into scifi until the 90s. In the 80s about all I read was some random Heinlein, but once I hit upon Gibson and Stephenson I was hooked. I was like, 'Oh, so this is the thing that was missing in all that fantasy I read and mostly hated.'
This is just like the sci-fi class I took in high school years ago. I would love to see an episode/series on Ray Bradbury somewhere down the line. Fahrenheit 451 is always worth a read (or three).
I would love it if you'd include a chart that lists all the sub-movements within the SciFi genre. I feel like I may have seen one in one of the episodes. These episodes are so informative! Thank you! :)
His most famous work is in Fantasy, not Sci-Fi. While Moorcock did do some sci-fi in the Eternal Champion series, if you wanted to cover that, wouldn't Roger Zelazny be better?
I kinda wish this series went through the biggest innovations in science fiction more or less in order. Ah well, we'll get to them eventually. Will there be an Extra-Sci-Fi-In-Historical-Order playlist, like there is for Extra History?
Much as we love Star Wars, the flood of imitations that followed it nearly drowned out other approaches to science fiction. Enter William Gibson, whose "future history" kicked off a genre revolution.
This episode was brought to you by The Great Courses Plus! Start your free 1-month trial today: ow.ly/3iLM30egcfR
Please note Gibson got the _Future History_ from Heinlein
I love hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy.
You guys can turn something as boring as the articles of Confederation and turn it interesting keep up the good work and you were one of the good parts about UA-cam rewind
Will there ever be an extra fantasy?
Extra Credits I'm sure I won't be the only one who will say this, and I know that for all intents and purposes of this video it doesn't matter that much, but Star Wars is a science fantasy movie, not science fiction. Science fiction aims to put the reader (or watcher) into a world similar to their own and have the characters perform actions using science or technology that is usually explained (not always correctly, but in some way or another). Science fantasy; though, which is what Star Wars is, focuses on placing the reader in a world completely unknown to them and have the characters perform actions using science or technology without explanations. For example, in the original trilogy, the force is just a part of their world, it is unexplained, and as a viewer we are expected to just accept that it is there, without questioning why.
I just love the art on this channel. So many references and nods here and there. Someone give David Hueso an award pls.
Thanks a lot ! just doing my job :D
David Hueso
Well, you're going above and beyond here. This episode was jam-packed with lovely nods and visual references that didn't need to be there, but were absolutely perfect for the topics of discussion.
I see you Hecknomancer
RedDragonShard Hecknomancer 2099?
I like the visual Shadowrun reference in a video about Gibson. Especially given how much he hated it.
you sure it was a shadowrun reference given how heavily it "borrowed" form Gibson?
The Posters that read "Horizon" and "Ares" were definitely shadowrun reference .those are two of the 6 biggest megacorps in the game world
He didn't seem to despise it, just had a bit of disdain for it. His vision of a cyberpunk dystopic future sullied by things like elves and orcs and made a bit more 'pulp-like'. Also he notes that none of the people who made Shadowrun really acknowledged his work or collaborated with him, so there might've been some jealousy there.
5:32 for people who are wondering what they are talking about.
I think the show Black Mirror paints a view of technology, becoming unknown and wild in its infornot worlds of culture and social networks we as people perceive.
Ben Lawrence I know black mirror is trying to do that. Still they paint (in my view) unoriginal pictures of problems that have been shown before and everyone acts like they invented the scenarios. They show reall problems we have neen thinking about for decades as if we didn't think about that already. For most this is true which makes me sad.
infornot?
pop pop I feel the same.
Please, please, PLEASE, make an episode about Stanislaw Lem. He's one of the greatest sci-fi minds, and though there is "Solaris" movie, I feel like not many people know about the author. Please, make it happen, and I will be subscribed to you till the day I die.
I know him, but he gets confusing to read sometimes.
"He took a duck in the face at 250 knots"
What timing! I'm just about halfway through Neuromancer.
So lucky! If I could go back and read a book for the first time again, I think Neuromancer would be a strong candidate.
Same here
Excellent as always. I enjoyed Neuromancer when I read it like 15 years ago, but it didn't grab me. I had enjoyed Shadowrun and other cyberpunk stuff more, and saw Gibson as the one who primarily launched cyberpunk, but being a bit superseded. This video made me appreciate how he achieved much more than just that.
I love the sheer number of Sci-Fi references in this show! From Space Core to the "Stair Compatible" ED-209 and Asimov to Adams, each random reference makes me laugh. Love your videos!
Thanks a lot , I try to cram there as many as I can all from shows , books and stuff that I love.
I saw Douglas Adams in there. Can we get an episode on him?
He's my favorite too! I think he'd make for a good Extra Sci-Fi as well.
I always bring a towel because of him
I rank Vernor Vinge over him (might guess from my name), but on the humor side he is the best one since... Ever?
Note that 'likes' currently sit at '42'.
HypurrLily Although Adams is my favorite author also, he wasn't really that influential, was he?
In extra sci-fi there are just so many gorgeous images. Great job
With this opening, this next series should be a interesting ride.
oh my god, kudos to the illustration artist!
the one at 1:00 is a hell of a interpretation of abstract, also the quick heck puns are always *so awesome!!!* looove them!!!!!😁
Question to EC team: Do you consider Star Wars Science Fiction?
Because to me, it's fantasy in a science fiction setting. At its core, it's a story about magical knights and fighting an evil wizard and his evil empire. It was designed to be a combination of a fanciful retelling of the American Revolution mixed with WWII movies mixed with popular scifi imagery. It doesn't ask any questions about science and how it interacts with humanity, and deliberately ignores science wholesale it unless it looks or sounds cool.
What do you guys think?
One of the aspects of science fiction being a genre is that there are works that use the established tropes of the genre as a setting to tell a different type of story rather than telling the same type of story. So Star Wars fits squarely into the genre, while not actually having the substance normally associated with the genre (though space opera has been a thriving sub-genre at least as far back as Buck Rogers...)
Lol only ignorant "nerds" would think Star Wars is sci-fi, rather than fantasy in a futuristic setting.
It's space opera, which is a genre of science fiction.
I'm watching this on my Ono Sendai cyberspace 7 deck right now.
Neuromancer was the first e-book I ever purchased even though I owned a paper copy, it seemed appropriate at the time.
PS While you *can* read it on a 4" smartphone I wouldn't recommend it.
I know that since you’ve talked about him before in EC, you will probably do videos on him, but could you do a series on H.P. Lovecraft and his pantheon of Great Old Ones and Outer Gods?
Anextlomara He is a fantastic autor, not sci-fi... yes it’s technically aliens gods, but the focus is more on the unknown and horror
God I love that shoutout to Shadowrun. So subtle you can miss it if you're not paying attention. Well done!
I’m so glad that you mentioned Star Crash! It’s one of my favorite so bad it’s good movies!
Yay, Gibson! This is gonna be a fun ride. Also crossing my fingers for Octavia Butler, Ursula Le Guin, and Harlan Ellison. This is currently my favorite series in UA-cam at the moment, thanks for doing this.
I love you guys so much for doing this sci-fi series. So. Much.
(Especially talking about William Gibson. THANK YOU)
So it's like ....star treks future of peace and love ...vs warhammer 40ks future of religious oppression , ultra nationalism , and slow inevitable fade to black ?
well its true that 40k has a religious oppression , ultra nationalism , and slow inevitable fade to black. but thats only waht you see when you look at the surfice. it has more shades than just black and white. for exemple.: the irony that the "being" that wanted the humanaty secular is in the current fluff timeline worship't as a god .
P K *SMASH IT* !!
f ing heretics!!!
Warhammer isn't really trying to ask questions. I'm not bashing it but it is much more like Star Wars in that it is more about telling stories than pondering societal questions.
The funny thing is, said oppression and ultra nationalism is one of the best possible options in that mythos. Most of the alternatives are far worse. At least the Imperium probably won't wipe out your whole planet without a good reason. At least they don't imprison people and subject them to unimaginable torment (except when they really need to in order to allow interstellar travel to continue)
Literally first thing I said when I saw the title is "Oh, are we talking Neuromancer?" Then the intro set me straight.
Looking forward to this series.
HOW DID I MISSED THIS SERIES UNTIL TODAY!?
I should ring that alarm Bell for this channel.
6:15 I see that it says heck and hecknomancer in a few spots there. Nice touch.
Please note Gibson got the _Future History_ from Heinlein
Heinlein was the first place I saw the term, too.
What's that? I've only read Starship Troopers, Stranger in a Strange Land, Starman Jones, and Farnham's Freehold and I don't know if they're related.
I really hope they do not eschew Heinlein for political reasons. TANSTAAFL
Joseph Rogers Acronym is for There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.
Merritt Animation Basically, most of his magazine stories were part of a shared timeline.
Thank you so much for covering Gibson, love you guys.
Neil Stephenson founded the modem Steampunk movement with his book: "The Diamond Age: Or, A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer"
Even tho it's new I love this series, keep up the good work!
Even thou you love this series what?
So many easter eggs in this episode. Loved it!
Can I just say there is some amazing artwork being done here. Really awesome job.
I appreciate the shadowrun shout-out so very much!
Damn it..... you total nailed that intro. My first 30 seconds of this video: "YES! YEEEESSS! Yes? Hell YES! Hmmmmmm...... go on...."
No mention of Frank Hebert Dune for the 60s ?
I love this new extra series! please, do an episode about Ursula K. Le Guin and /or Ray Bradbury! It would be awesome!
Just wanted to let you guys know that I'm loving this series so far.
Having met the man, William Gibson is a fantastic guy and great to listen to.
Gorgeous flaming samurai robot warrior at 5:46 would love a full on portrait of that creature
So many lovely references in the background. Awesome.
I don't know if y'all take suggestions or questions, but there's two things I would love to hear from you guys, since you make stuff so easy to understand. I've read Frank Herbert's Dune, I love Dune, I know it's supposed to be important to sci-fi, but i don't know how. Did it just sell really well? Did it set trends? And the other thing, how do you tell the difference between science fiction and science fantasy? Is there a clear distinction? I've heard different things from different places, and with how well I usually absorb your videos, I'd love to hear y'all's thoughts.
Logan Atreides
Sir Atreides, of House Atreides, you should know how the Dune collection made its own waves on literature and science fiction.
It was not pretty, but life isn't.
Why do you fear? Isn't fear the Mindkiller?
I second the idea of a series on Dune, for a multitude of reasons. It was an interesting blending of cultural interpretations, ecology, and human nature.
As I understand it, Dune is like Lord of the Rings, but for science fiction.
Asimov took Edward Gibbon's Decline and Fall of Rome, and used it as the basis for his Foundation series. Herbert took it one step further and used Mohammed and the rise of Islam as the basis for Dune.
He also did some fantastic stuff with the 3rd person omniscient point of view, which very few others have been able to replicate. You know, from the moment he walks onto the page, which character is going to backstab House Atreides, and yet it still makes for a gripping story.
I think Dune was one of the first works of science fiction that turned world-building into a thing. Before, most SF novelists struggled to reach 40k words (about 150 pages), as short stories tended to dominate the genre. The emphasis was more on ideas than on character or setting, which tends toward the short form. Dune was one of the first books to create a massive world capable of telling an epic story comparable to Lord of the Rings.
Syn's Arcade I don’t know, actually. I loved Dune, but I don’t read as often as I should because I play video games too much, so I don’t really know where it fits in the context of sci-fi. I’m just not well-read enough. Nice catch on the Atreides, btw, a lot of people either don’t get the reference or don’t bring it up.
Dune plays with a lot of tropes that are common in fantasy, and in other parts, is very much _science_ fiction. (And I think that drawing a clear distinction is futile, anyway.)
It sold only decently in its day (the first part, _Dune_ , came out in 1965), but it has been groundbreaking in a literary sense. Its focus on ecology, religion, AI (or the lack thereof), drugs, language, and generally human society instead of space adventures or strictly "hard" SF changed science fiction was very influential for later SF, and while it's not part of the New Wave talked about in this video, it probably laid part of the groundwork for it.
Does Luke Skywalker not look slightly like Justinian?
Adventurer32 yes yes he does Mark Hamil:😑
Well... Justinian also started out as farm boy, but unlike Luke he fought to save the empire (and with it the last embers of classical greco-roman civilization) not tearing it down.
I'm really digging this scifi series, especially now that it's getting into stuff I can relate to.
5:19 Is that a Mr. Handy? Yes, yes it is lol
I saw that Hecknomancer logo at 6:15 Scott!!! You can't fool me!!!
The art in this episode is so clean and on point :)
Great episode, a big fan of William Gibson and Cyberpunk... Would love to see an episode dedicated to the sub-genre. Perhaps also discussing where it can go..
My goodness man, the drawings in this video are outstanding! Bravo! 👏👏
OMG I love t he 5:15 Wolfenstein 3D reference. What a throwback.
Heck snek hype
Heck snek for the heck.
Heck did me a bamboozle.
No step on Heck Snek!
It's sad this series didn't go so well. I would have really enjoyed a series on the sprawl trilogy.
It's weird that you jumped from Shelley to Gibson. I assume at some point you'll talk about Verne, EE Smith, Stanisław Lem, Asimov, Heinlein, Campbell, even Ellison. In fact I would give Ellison way more credit than Gibson for the 80s SF sea-change.
4:12 I wrote a short story in 8th grade about a cat gunslinger on a weird future earth with no sun. I was ahead of the curve with that one.
"Now stairs friendly!" Okay, that got a laugh out of me, and I've only seen part of RoboCop.
Let's be honest if you don't at some point do at least one episode on cyberpunk James will go on a murderous rampage
I like that wolfenstein 3D refference at 5:10 great video!
I'd love to see, evidently, an analysis of the book "Stalker", or about its authors, Boris and Arlady Strugatsky.
I saw what you did with Portals on the Moon.
Especially great art this time. Looks like David has a real passion for this stuff
5:32 Was that a shadowrun reference?! That's awesome.
Stanislaw Lem gets no love for his original, thought provoking works. Eschewing the woosh and zap of science fantasy. He hearkened to ask why. Science wasn't just stageprop to be interchanged with other genres "a cowboy story BUT IN SPACE" but used to ask questions about ourselves.
YES YES YES! Lem is probably the most underappreciated SF writer of them all.
You're right. Lem always was the most creative but still most philosophical SciFi-author I knew. I consider Solaris as one of the best books of all time, but his other works (especially Fiasco and Memoirs, found in a bathtub) are just great pieces of literature as well. Stanisław Lem just should be in the SciFi-"canon" of every interested SciFi-reader!
man this already sounds good can't wait to see and hear more bring it on
4:53 Is it just me or is Marvels entire lineup basically what he's talking about with not really asking questions but giving us what sells, that said I can't wait for Infinity War. :)
Do one for Douglas Addams
He did: 1:47
Only 11 seconds into the episode. If I can't get a cyberpunk snek shirt for Christmas, I will cry.
I approve of the running joke of the heck snakes in the Extra mediums lately. Knocking it our of the park, art teams. Keep it up!
"Now with stair-friendly Tech" - we needed that upgrade! xD xD xD
I've never heard of this guy before, yet he asks a lot of the questions I do when writing. I can hardly wait until you do a series on him. Thanks for the introduction! =)
Could we at some point get an episode about Foundation, that is one of my favorite series.
Excited for this series. Hope you guys cover Dune but that's a Titan of SciFi to explain
Love this series. Hope you get into Jeter's Farewell Horizontal in this section. Underrated and relevant.
Damn. Love me some Gibson, great topic! Looking forward to the next part.
5:04 I appreciate the V for Vendetta reference very much
Loved the Shadowrun reference. You guys are the greatest
6:19 nearly says "----mancer" at the bottom. Nice touch.
Hah! Awesome Shadowrun reference with the Ares poster at 8:21.
For the record: I have a hard time counting Star Wars as sci fi. Everything is explained with magic and the science has totally gone out the window. Star Wars is chromed up fantasy
I know that I'm going to love this series!
"... with style!" - loved it!
I LOVE this new series. Keep it up, guys!
Science Fiction can be true Art, but it can also be just lots of fun and exciting. There’s plenty of room for all of it, not just Art.
Seeing a lot of future in this series! Maybe an "Extra Fantasy" would be needed to cover the atmosphere of Lovecraft. Or better yet, stay Sci-Fi and do P. K. Dick's psychadelic twists of technology and humanity playing themselves.
Another interesting thing about Gibson is that he defined the conventions of not just cyberpunk but steampunk too with the novel The Difference Engine that he wrote with Bruce Sterling in 1990. Gibson and Sterling essentially copy pasted the cyberpunk themes into the 1850s in an alternate history where Babbage continues the development of the difference and analytical engines and Britain becomes a technocratic state ruled by people like Byron, Darwin, and Brunel. It even replicates the rising powerhouse of Japan as a theme since the story takes place right around the opening of trade between Japan, but using elements of historical Japonisme.
As a reader that started in the 80’s; my evolution went from Isaac Asimov, to Larry Niven, to David Brin, and then Gibson.... which are pretty much the father’s of the genera in their successive generations/decades, since WWII; and each deserving of at least an episode... one could probable start a whole channel just on Asimov’s writings, both fiction and non-fiction, but that’s another story all together...
I didn't really start getting into scifi until the 90s. In the 80s about all I read was some random Heinlein, but once I hit upon Gibson and Stephenson I was hooked. I was like, 'Oh, so this is the thing that was missing in all that fantasy I read and mostly hated.'
This is just like the sci-fi class I took in high school years ago. I would love to see an episode/series on Ray Bradbury somewhere down the line. Fahrenheit 451 is always worth a read (or three).
Love your guys' reference to ShadowRun with your multinational corporations.
And your Wargames reference.
As someone who collects old books, I can verify pretty much all of this. Some of the old stuff is astonishingly bad, but some of it is pretty good.
I would love it if you'd include a chart that lists all the sub-movements within the SciFi genre. I feel like I may have seen one in one of the episodes. These episodes are so informative! Thank you! :)
I'm glad that Sci Fi has gone back to its unsanitized and somewhat gritty futures
"Internet capable learning human" sounds like the kind of thing a robot pretending to be a human would say about itself and/or humans.
I'm really looking forward to seeing how this develops.
An episode on the Sprawl Trilogy is an EXCELENT idea!
Excellent timing on this episode, team.
Michael Moorcock, dammit!
His most famous work is in Fantasy, not Sci-Fi. While Moorcock did do some sci-fi in the Eternal Champion series, if you wanted to cover that, wouldn't Roger Zelazny be better?
I love your artist to bringing Shadowrun into the mix
Every day is a day for cyberpunk!
I love the drawing of GlaDOS.
Fascinating to learn about the history of sci-fi
I kinda wish this series went through the biggest innovations in science fiction more or less in order. Ah well, we'll get to them eventually.
Will there be an Extra-Sci-Fi-In-Historical-Order playlist, like there is for Extra History?
6:04 When I saw that IBM PC with that angle, I immediately thought of LGR
I see you at 5:35 David and James. I see your Shadowrun.
What a nice Shadowrun reference 5:31