I came across The Grand List of Overused Science Fiction Cliches recently. It was so much fun I had to share. As I perused the list, I found myself laughing (at myself) because while I recognized so many of the clichés I don’t always question them. Sometimes it’s because when it comes to niche genres, beggars can’t be choosers. Other times I’m willing to suspend my disbelief beyond the call of duty.
But I could definitely question some of them more often. Many of the clichés listed are the result of lazy worldbuilding or poor execution. On the other hand, there are those that can be recycled and still deliver quality stories.
The following either had me chuckling with delight or made me go “Hmm….”:
* Dueling characters who have access to advanced, futuristic weaponry, will eventually resort to using simple primitive weapons or means (stake, knife, blunt intstrument [sic], cauldron of hot liquid, etc) to finally defeat their enemy.
* The Captain of the protagonist ship is never a mutant, alien or non-standard human stock, even when the culture on board the ship is multi-cultural and has mutants, aliens or non-standard human stock.
* The Good Guys are always human, while The Bad Guys are never anything but the most inhuman and / or disgusting species availible.[sic]
* Women who are small-breasted, uncurvy or otherwise "not feminine" are never important.
* An entire world of peaceniks and pacifists who have absolutely no military or planetary defenses of any kind.
* If the heroine and hero initially hate each other, they will become best of friends and lovers. Resistance is futile.
* Villainesses are either elderly battleaxes or promiscuous young temptresses.
* The main male character romances many different women before settling on the main female character, even though she has been available all along.
* Enitre[sic] planets are used as rubbish tips. Recycling has disappeared in the future.
* The engines of a space-bound ships are always needlessly located at the aft section of the craft
* Even in the 50th century, after Faster Than Light Travel and A.I. have become common technology, it doesn't seem to be possible to get a radio to work on a spaceship : radio transmission is always filled with static, screeches and sound distorsions, especially if it's a SOS or a warning message.
* However far the into the future a story is set, and however advanced the civilizations are, all space vessels in the era lack simple circuit breakers. An energy beam attack or sudden energy surge therefore causes computers on the ship to explode, usually only on the bridge, killing or incapacitating at least one character.
Which ones made you laugh? Which ones annoyed you or caused you to reflect? Which ones do you still enjoy reading, or in the case of authors, using?
Joyfully yours,
Heather
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
The Grand List of Overused Science Fiction Cliches
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23 comments:
Great post! I laughed all the way through :)
Oh, yipes! I've used that last one.
*scurries off to revise her manuscript and while she's there, checks for the location of the engine*
Great list. Loved it!
(and look at all those RED SHIRTS in that image!)
Laughed at all of them, haven't used any posted here. Yet ; )
Here are a couple from the original list:
No comedies, romances, dramas or tense intrigue or small slice of life stories are worthy of skiffy treatment.
Let's fix *that*, shall we?
After having sex with innumerable females (human and otherwise) throughout the planet or galaxy, the hero has yet to pick up a venereal disease or sire a child.
Oh, I'm TOTALLY writing this story : ) Though DH, who has been reading over my shoulder, suggests that once you reach Commander you should be rendered neuter to avoid the child issue. Is that a bonus or a way to keep the ranks down????
Thanks, Heather, this is a great link.
{chuckle} I caught a few errors in the examples given in the list you linked to. However, most were pretty funny. Many made me think as well, but none seem to have stuck with me long enough to get quoted. {lop-sided smile}
Anne Elizabeth Baldwin
Engines needlessly positioned at the aft of the ship.
Erm...ah... They're there in case of collisions, you know. So you don't plow into the station engines-first.
Yeah, that's it. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. *shifty eyes*
Thanks, Jemi!
Ella, it makes for fun visuals, though.
Oh, Cathy, please do!!!
Anne, thanks for reading!
Hi, Nathalie! I've never questioned aft positioned engines, and I probably never will, lol! I like the visuals as well as the throwback to seafaring vessels.
The engines have to be in back because the BRIDGE is in the front. And the observation deck. And the guns.
Great list! They all made me chuckle.
The Captain of the protagonist ship is never a mutant, alien or non-standard human stock, even when the culture on board the ship is multi-cultural and has mutants, aliens or non-standard human stock.
Oh hey! New book idea!
Women who are small-breasted, uncurvy or otherwise "not feminine" are never important.
Um, I don't know about that one, at least in Star Trek. Capt. Janeway, Keira Nerise, Jadzia Dax, and Tasha Yar were certainly not curvy. Meanwhile, curvy Counselor Troi was more often fluffy than not. Seven was so blantantly an Amazon caricature and emotionally inacessible.
Okay, so my main villianess is an old battle ax. I love that character though. It's not that I had to make her unappealing in order to make her unheroic. She's just been in the evil biz a really long time, and she's very good at it.
Forget circuit breakers. Has no one heard of a seat belt? Seems to me the first thing that would fail when the power dropped would be the artificial gravity--but it just looks SO uncool to be strapped into your seat while glaring defiance at all those humanoid enemy captains. And BTW, some of those cliches are just romance cliches (eg. they fight like cats and dogs until they last third of the book),but some readers just love that sort of thing.
Jess, that's the thing: some of this stuff is the equivalent of SF comfort food. I didn't even think about your villainess as cliche at all--it fit the story.
Donna, seat belt, exactly!
Sometimes cliches are common for a reason. Sometimes it's just because everyone is used to them, and no one is questioning them. Then again, sometimes it's for a more pressing reason.
The list complained about the absence of 3/4ths hybrids between human and aliens? My father, as a biologist, has enough trouble believing in Spock's heritage, never mind him being fertile. {Smile}
Most aliens on stage and screen will continue to be humanoid. Even with CGI and other special effects advances, humans are still essential when you want to portray emotions the human audience will recognize enough to sympathize with the charcters. {smile}
For that matter, most stories will be focussed on humans, not because they will automitically dominate over non-humans, but because we're telling stories to humans. There aren't too many people who'd identify as strongly with an intelligent praying mantis-based alien as with another human. {smile}
Still, other cliches are problems, some of them big ones. That's what such lists are good for. {Smile}
Anne Elizabeth Baldwin
P.S. Thanks for the reassurance this morning. {take hand, gentle squeeze, SMILE}
I've been marginalized in a few communities because I didn't agree with them enough. So I did need a little reassurance that I'm still welcome. {BIG SMILE}
Anne Elizabeth Baldwin
Makes me think of Pete's Evil Overlord List. Can't paste a link to it, but if you use Google you'll find the site, and it's well worth the effort.
LOL. My radio doesn't work either and they resort to primitive weapons (but I found a good reason for that one.)*whew*
Great post. Needed the laught.
I just skimmed the list but here's one for you...
Why is it, human or alien, everyone sits at tables?
Oh, and I'd like to give a shout out to my boy Zorak. I sympathize with him. LOL
Anne, your insights are always welcome here. I like your style {Grin}. I'm a firm believer in healthy discussions where everyone's opinion is valued, even if we don't always agree with each other. I've learned so much from the contributions of my fine passengers.
@Anidaadler, I love the Evil Overlord list! Here's the link:http://www.eviloverlord.com/lists/overlord.html
@Annie I never questioned the radio static/noise one either! That made me laugh the most because it is so prevalent. So prevalent it became invisible. I guess that's a holdover from the early days of SF...?
@Jess good one! What about two moons for whatever planet is the setting? Might just be me, but I find that kind of distinction somewhat cliched (i.e., the author/filmmaker takes pains to have a planet with two moons to make it seem more "alien."
I give certain planets two moons so that their tidal waters and storms will be so fierce no one lives on the coast. It's a way of forcing populations inland if I so desire.
Ah. I was thinking of stories where having two moons seems to have no impact whatsoever. Love the fierce storm angle.
I'm still relieved at the welcome. I've learned there will always be differences, and some will be big ones. Same with the similarities. I try to acknowledge both, and I'm delighted when I find others who are willing to do the same. {BIG SMILE}
Anne Elizabeth Baldwin
Oh Anne, you're delightful.
* Dueling characters who have access to advanced, futuristic weaponry, will eventually resort to using simple primitive weapons or means (stake, knife, blunt intstrument [sic], cauldron of hot liquid, etc) to finally defeat their enemy. *
Uh, as a retired private detective with a BA in the field and MA level work in crim...that's because it works. The 9-11 hijackers used common box cutters. I don't see the use of non-high tech weapons as a trope or cliche at all. Five hundred years from now, you'll still be able to kill someone by bashing his head in with a rock.
The other avenue is that the more sophisticated the weapon, the more likely it leaves a trail or traces. Those capable of using high-powered sniper rifles are few. Anyone can use a rock.
Verily, there are times I think the SF community is a bit too impressed with itself... ;-> ~Linnea
{DELIGHTED LAUGH}
Yes, Linnea, always read lists like this with your brain in gear. Always. Once folks start poking holes in fiction, they never know when to quit. These lists always have a few complaints which work exactly as described. {SMILE}
(For example, I promise that biologists can and sometimes will explain in detail why hybrids between humans and aliens shouldn't even exist, never mind be fertile. So I found the complaint about the lack of 1/4 or 3/4 hybrids amusing in a very similar way. {wink, SMILE})
Anne Elizabeth Baldwin
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