The new favorite
Five years ago, if someone had asked me what my favorite TV series was, the answer would have been “Battlestar Galactica (2004 series)”. BSG was an unforgettable experience and a very thought-provoking series. Unlike many other sci-fi series or movies, it didn’t have aliens. The fight was between humanoid robots (Cylons) and humans. The series made you see things through the eyes of individuals from both sides - humans who brand Cylons as terrorists and blame them for everything that goes wrong, Cylons who view humans as flawed and blame them for all the wrong in the world. Both sides are victims and both are oppressors.
Now, if someone were to ask me about my favorite TV series, I think would say ‘The Expanse’ hands down. Though when I think of it, it is kind of tough to choose from a lot of series that I’ve watched in the past decade and a half - The Man in the High Castle, Westworld, Counterpart, Stranger Things, Dark, X-Files, Under the dome, Dark Matter, Continuum, Fringe, 12 Monkeys, etc.. I haven’t seen all the seasons of all the series and I’m sure there are many other good ones I’ve missed. The best aspect of sci-fi movies and series is that they answer the key question of “What If?” - “What if Allies had lost World War II?”, “What if you could go back in time?”, “What if a large dome falls on your town and you’re cut off from the rest of the world”, and so on.
The answers to the philosophical question of “What If” can highlight a lot of societal issues that we face in the world today. At the same time, they also are humbling, making us grateful for the life that we have.