I dunno, Jessica. With books, you get the (admittedly small) chance to become part of the literary teaching canon, which is about as crossover as these things get. Also, various SF authors escape the ghetto: some by denying it, some by ignoring the boundary, some just by persistence and quality.

There are 100s of cheap mass markets that nobody who doesn't go to cons or subscribe to Asimov's will ever hear of for every one escape artist, but it's not unheard-of.

As for Firefly/Farscape, I think the quality varies a lot for both shows; but that the basic premise is very different. In some ways, Firefly feels like the more adult show, having fewer "standard SF trope" escape clauses; but Farscape's canvas is avowedly bigger (and bigger, and bigger). They've got their merits -- I think the acting and writing is mostly better on Firefly, while Farscape wins universe-design and visuals hands down.

Farscape wins universe-design and visuals hands down.

Sometimes to the detriment of the plot. Note the beach planet on which everybody wears color-coordinated magenta-and-gold Thai silk.

(Plus, writers of science fiction generally know they're writing sci-fi, and aren't apologetic about it. As opposed to TV and film, which, as you said, are almost always watered down for mass marketability. Film more than TV, probably.)

Yeah, I had a feeling I could just be projecting....

By universe design, you don't mean internal logical consistency, do you?

Sometimes to the detriment of the plot.

True, true. Then again, what plot wouldn't you sacrifice for armies of tight-butted young things all dressed in black leather?

By universe design, you don't mean internal logical consistency, do you?

No. I mean cool ideas put on the screen, like aliens that really look alien (or like Skeksis) and not like people with bumpy foreheads. Moya is a very different spaceship from any I'd seen on TV or in movies to that point. Finding out Zhaan was a plant (and not till quite a ways along in the series). That planet where, to make everything alien-like, they just tinted the film stock so all the green leaves were blue.

So, yes, no internal consistency -- that is decidedly a Farscape weakness. Actually, my love of the show began in the premiere, when Crichton needed to do math and had no scratch paper: he flopped to the floor and did his math there. Probably something someone would really do in life, in a pinch; but you don't see it on TV much.

what plot wouldn't you sacrifice for armies of tight-butted young things all dressed in black leather?

In a distant future where everybody shops on Folsom Street...

like aliens that really look alien (or like Skeksis) and not like people with bumpy foreheads.

This was a MAJOR thing for me, and one of the main sources of my Farscape love.

Actually, my love of the show began in the premiere, when Crichton needed to do math and had no scratch paper: he flopped to the floor and did his math there. Probably something someone would really do in life, in a pinch; but you don't see it on TV much.

Heck, that he had to do math at all. This was another major draw to the show for me.

Along that same line, I keep meaning to check out Numbers, but I'm always working on Friday nights, and there's only so many shows my roomie can tape at once.

Even though I know how expensive it will be, I won't say "Wow, those are REAL aliens!" until I see a show where at least 50% of the aliens are something other than upright bipeds.

I won't say "Wow, those are REAL aliens!" until I see a show where at least 50% of the aliens are something other than upright bipeds.

Yeah but the DNA Mad Scientist really moved and looked...alien. Though bipedal it had the elongated dog-joint going on for it.