Just about every alien I've ever seen in SciFi movies, books, etc. still seems on some level (if not many levels) to be human to me.

One of the things I liked about Farscape was that the aliens were pretty alien. They didn't all have the same culture and perceive people and the world the same way.

The Star Trek episode "Devil in the Dark" was also pretty good about making an alien actually alien. There are a few episodes where they do that, I think, although most of them are very human or near-human in their "alienness."

What kind of crazy, alien talk is this?

Being British (of Irish origin): one 'other' I'm delighted to be. Crazy timings and all.

Except when it comes to having to ahem all my TV. Or missing macaroni and cheese. Or decent mashed potatoes. Or waffles with really good syrup. Or... OK, I'm moving back to New York.

Just about every alien I've ever seen in SciFi movies, books, etc. still seems on some level (if not many levels) to be human to me.

Some shows/films/novels do better than others. Trek being among the worst, I reckon. But if we can't begin to comprehend the truly alien, as Shir points out, then should we just give up on sci-fi altogether? Is it a pointless genre?

Edit:

Oh, let's do so.

Then we shall!

But first, bedtime here.

Well, the aliens are often bipeds, with two limbs that serve the same purpose as arms. Vital organs (heart, eyes, brain) seem to be located in the general vicinity of human counterparts.

Except when it comes to having to ahem all my TV.

There's plenty of British TV I have to ahem. I'd love it if I could find episodes of Ready Steady Cook.

The Star Trek episode "Devil in the Dark" was also pretty good about making an alien actually alien. There are a few episodes where they do that, I think, although most of them are very human or near-human in their "alienness."

Yeah - so much so that it's written into canon that 99% of the aliens in Trek are offshoots of "The Progenitors", who seeded the galaxy with almost-copies of themselves.

Even the horta from "Devil in the Dark" turned into just another member of the Federation; "Ensign Rock" shows up in 2 (non-canon) Trek novels from the 80s, as a Starfleet Academy trainee.

Whee.

One of the things I liked about Farscape was that the aliens were pretty alien. They didn't all have the same culture and perceive people and the world the same way.

Yeah, but humans don't all have the same culture or perceive the world the same way.

I dunno - I don't think Farscape is much different from other popular SciFi shows in this way. D'Argo to me seems similar to Worf, and as members of "warrior races" they really don't seem much different from, say, Vikings....

Of course, I've only gotten as far as season 2 in Farscape....

Perhaps I should run away now....

Ugh. Someone tell me to step away from the Internet. It's telling me that basically high school teaching, getting a humanities doctorate, and/or being an adjunct instructor will lead to penury, misery and possible erectile dysfunction. (And I don't even *have* a penis!)

And Shir, have you ever read any Octavia Butler or Sheri Tepper? Butler especially uses the idea of Other/self, and both use the environment, gender and race/species as springboards in their writings. I like Tepper best, though.

But if we can't begin to comprehend the truly alien, as Shir points out, then should we just give up on sci-fi altogether? Is it a pointless genre?

Oh, hell no! It's the only genre I can think of which raises alternatives to the social order on a daily basis (unlike novels, which you have to wait to a truly great one to make you rethink about it).

But first, bedtime here.

Never truer words, but damn, now I'm tempted to stay up and continue the conversation. Bitches: is tempting.

Everyone has limitations, yes. But that doesn't mean you "know how I feel" because you're too short to be a runway model or something. Argh.

Octavia Butler

On my list

Sheri Tepper

Never heard of. Do you have specific recommendation(s)?