Deconstructing Universes

Movie Meltdown - Episode 352 This week we are coming to you "live" from WonderFest as we are joined by our adopted cast member Eric Chu (conceptual designer for SyFy's retooling of Battlestar Galactica), to discuss the different approaches to building a sci fi universe. From Battlestar to Star Trek to Star Wars... just what are the differences in each of the universes? And how do the creators and the fans connect and interact with their own unique world? Plus a bonus segment on how to be a good geek father and we round things out with a wrap-up that involves Star Trek, Gilmore Girls, Beauty and the Beast and Laverne & Shirley. It kind of has to be heard to be believed. And as we order off the dim sum cart, we also discuss... loving ghosts, robots and monsters, The Manchurian Candidate, metal ribbed vases, the guy in the Daggit suit, Shields and Yarnell, Asteroids, "experienced" women, like Charlie McCarthy or Jim Henson, it engages their imagination, if you make it too perfect for them... they don't need to do anything, shlemiel, schlemazel, hasenpfeffer incorporated, Boxey's stunt double, Sci-Fi Channel vs. Syfy, it's amazing we ever got out of the 20th century alive, you're best friend is the cool sports guy, The Little Mermaid horror story, my younger snot-nosed cousin, it engages their imagination and they can fill in that gap, but if you make it too perfect for them... they don't need to do anything, we don't want it to look like the old show, man's never going to have this utopia, Gerry Anderson, Milwaukee, it's more real and edgy and there's neck ties, that's like an SAT question, he's basically Elmer J. Fudd Millionaire, Sarah Connor hooks up with the guy from Sons of Anarchy, he's chasin' the Shirley dragon, Grover, Universal Monsters, they were really drinking the Gene Roddenberry Kool-Aid, geek parenting 101, that's why I stopped listening to Coldplay, real dolls, Team America 2, it looks like every other CGI show on TV, it's the pre-apocalyptic future and I've gotta draw a whole bunch of dill pickles now. "...but it worked. 'Cause I think it made it more accessible to people that weren't normally into sci fi." A huge thank you to WonderFest for letting us be part of the fun! Plan your trip next year, go to: http://www.wonderfest.com/