Some science fiction cliches need to die

[spdk1]

I watch a lot of sci-fi, and I can usually get into just about any sci-fi show especially if it is a space opera or cyberpunk show. No matter what show you can think of there has always been at least one instance where the main characters go to some remote planet and you start to realize that this planet could really double for the turn of the

Comments

Why Nazis?

[anonymous]

Writers sometimes need to take shortcuts to make the audience instantly understand what they are trying to convey. TV writers especially need to do it so they can crank out an episode or two by deadline.

Nazis are a shortcut conveying, "Pure Evil", but one that is safe. What do I mean by safe? Nazis dredge up few positive emotions in viewers or readers, you're not going to find many sane Nazi defenders who are willing to out themselves by doing so. But what if instead of Nazis, a writer uses the Catholic Church of the Crusade period. Oops, now you've got the League of Thin Skinned Catholics crawling up your nether region complaining that they want an apology and your head. Any mention of the American treatment of Native Americans would equally be frowned upon by historically challenged "real" Uh-murricans, each of them tap-tapping away at their keyboards with angry and threatening e-mails. God forbid you should have an analog to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that paints the Israeli side as the wrong one. This would be interesting (and I think it was handled in a subtle way in the early Bajoran stories on ST: TNG) but also a major, major no-no. Actually, it would not only be a public relations nightmare but the writer and producers would instantly be painted "anti-Semites" relegated in the future to writing for Next Top Model.

Nazis, Ancient Romans and Soviets are an easy evil that convey a message without pissing off people who actually might complain.

Re: Why Nazis?

[spdk1]

I like the "space nazi" archetype, just not literal space nazis :)