Visual Fiction in 2195

Visual Fiction in 2195

Despite all the advances in culture since the end of the twentieth century, there is still a market for passive (or indeed active) visual fiction entertainment shows. Rather than televisions, most programming is now supplied as software through planetary computer networks rather than through specialist devices like old style televisions.

Below are by no means exhaustive selection of drama, science fiction and comedy shows showing in 2195.

European Union Shows

Revolutions: Shown on EBC through out Europe, Revolutions is a lavish and high budget retelling of the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars, told from the perspective of both real historical figures and several fictional characters, both military and civilian. The story follows all sides of the war and is very historically accurate, generally giving a sense of the grandeur of 18th and 19th century Europe, but also reflecting themes of the terrible cost of nationalism.

The show has been a general critical success, though it’s depiction of action between Britain and American during the war of 1812 has attracted some negative reviews in America.

Special Unit Five: a police procedural drama set in contemporary Paris and following a French police unit and investigative judge attempting to solve a the murders of a series of young men, leading them into a tangle of intrigue involving a corrupt European MP and illegal biotechnology research. Unit 18 has been an international success across Europe, though some non-European audiences have found some points of the inquisitorial system hard to grasp.

South Street: a popular soap opera in England, centring around South Street, a small suburban street in London, and the tribulations in love and life of the families who live there. South Street is quiet popular across Europe and features several characters from other EU nations.

Excelsior: one of the few professional science fiction produced in the European Union, and one of the longest running, Excelsior follows the adventures of a European Union exploration craft more than a hundred years in the future. While initially heavily focused on education and teaching children the physics of space travel later seasons have moved more towards high adventure and drama, including the exploration of new worlds, and confrontations with hostile aliens.

The aliens, who resemble giant scorpions called the Tokomids, and are regarded by many as a thinly disguised stand in for ZOCU, with the hostile group the Excelsior encounters being separatists from a much larger and more civilised alien empire, and using extensive cybernetic modification.

Excelsior has gained a good following across earth and in the colonies, and now includes several characters not from the EU, including a charismatic American fighter ace and a Russian navigator.

The Guardian Force: Guardian Forces is a crime/law enforcement drama show produced by one of Garun's largest entertainment networks. Rather surprisingly, considering it's original focus on GEIB and Garun, the show has become popular throughout the EU and networks are beginning to air it in the PACT to fairly good reviews.

The show follows an elite major case team of GEIB Agents(Garun Enforcement and Investigation Bureau) as they investigate and solve crimes, face terrorists, and other threats and issues. Part of the show's charm is it's eclectic mix of agents and support staff - from the retired GFN team leader to the medical examiner and forensic specialist. Each character is well developed and rounded and the writers have built on that as the show goes on by further developing the characters, killing some off, etc etc.

Among other rewards Guardian Force has won significant acclaim for it's realistic, fairly accurate, and well researched depiction of law enforcement work. The fictional criminal cases used in the show are noted for being well thought out and put together, often with a number of surprising twists. They have law enforcement experts serving as consultants and advisers and they actually listen to them when appropriate. They also take the time to talk to the agencies they are planning to use and just get some general feedback. The actual director of GEIB has appeared on the show more then once and GEIB along with other agencies have also cooperated in other ways with the show's directors and producers.

It was never thought that the show would become popular beyond the Federation but as it has the producers have begun adding in episodes with GEIB cooperating with law enforcement agencies from other powers both in the Polgara system and outside. There was even a small arc involving a murder on an ARROWs ship which was filmed on an actual ARROWs vessel.

Guardian Force is scheduled to begin airing it's third season in late February 2195. It has become one of if not the most popular shows produced by any Federation entertainment company.

Colonists Marooned: Colonists Marooned is an interactive drama focusing on the survivors of the passenger liner Maria. The Maria's power plant goes critical and only a small group of colonists make to 'safety' in the liner's escape pods. The survivors land on a strange but seemingly Earth-like planet that grows even more mysterious with nearly every episode. The show focuses on the survivors exploits and adventures as they try to survive and discover the truth about the uncharted planet that they have found themselves.

Colonists Marooned is popular in the EU and surprisingly ZOCU, and has a cult following in PACT space. Marooned has won acclaim for it's acting and plot, but has also been the subject of controversy over several very gory scenes - especially one involving some of the few surviving children. Colonist's Marooned is scheduled to start airing it's second season in February of 2195.

PACT Shows

The Crisis in August: A popular historical drama in Korea, the Crisis in August follows the events of leading up to the Reunification of Korea from the perspective of the various political figures involved. The drama contains a high degree of historical accuracy, but is more willing to fictionalise events than EU historical shows like Revolutions. The show is based on the book of the same name.

Black Lions: A recent historical show, Black Lions follows the adventures of a US Marine armoured unit during the ZOCU war, fighting in several engagements across PACAM. The show is completely fictional, and follows entirely fictional engagements on Theia both against ZOCU tanks and mobile suits. The show is supported by the US Marine Corp. who provided the armoured vehicles used on the show. The program has spawned several spin offs including video games and a sister show dealing with marine infantry in the same conflict.

Izanagi X (Earth Defender Izanagi X): Produced in Japan in the old anime style, Izanagi X is a homage to the old super robot shows that were popular in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The show follows the adventures of a teenage boy named Ken who encounters an injured post human girl and upon saving her is recruited to fly the titular Robot, Izanagi X in battle against a race of mysterious aliens, the Mazids who are overrunning humanity in space, and launching terror raids against earth. The show also features a romance between Ken and his post human benefactor. It has seen substantial success in Japan and has been a surprise hit elsewhere and in the colonies.

The Shining Tower: A Brazilian soap opera following the adventures of the Brazilian elite in Rio’s glitzy financial district. The show includes quiet a large amount of plot for a soap opera, with episodes dealing with office politics, business dealings and frauds as well as the usual soap opera staples of relationships and family.

Into the Black: A wild west in space historical epic about the initial American colonisation to the stars. Notable for including three real starships (members of the UN stargazer triad) leased from the UN, and its rather uncompromising portrayal of early colony life. Into the Black has a generally pro-colonisation pro-exploration message however, and is popular, feel good television to many American households.

Razor Bradshaw in: Return To Kanon A high octane, high patriotic action movie staring the currently most famous action star of the Hollywood circuit, former Marine, William Duke. In this movie, former Marine Razor Bradshaw, is recited from his isolated cabin in Pacific Northwest to lead a small commando team to rescue, his former commanding officer and several other officers thought dead that are still secrectly in captivty of an depraved Kanon noblewoman. Notable for breaking budget on SFX, to its witty one liners, it broke the record as one of the highest grossing movies of the year it came out. Though, its not that popular outside of the PACT arm. Lead to a series of films that are while considered good, are never quite acheived the same magic as the first.

Some Like It Cold an comedy movie about a inept dysfunctional cargo freight crew trapped onboard their ship for months, set during the Breakdown. Known for its anachronism in having ZOCU space pirates fighting Magnates. Critical acclaimed was held for first time Director Alonso Rameriz. It won best picture of the year, as well as best supporting actor for Bryant Kennedy, who played the over the top menacing Captain Rockbottom of the Hampshire commerce raider that was chasing the freighter. Panned by some critics for its poor history and stereotypes of Hampshire as being full of drunken Irishmen.

Power Corrigedor for the most part hadn't had much of its own entertainment industry, till recently. The Delta Hills media complex was only recently built by a coalition of actors and directors who were wooed away from Hollywood by the promise of tax free exemption for several years, as well as moving towards creating an unique market for the rich colony. The first native drama series is based on Deckard Maxwell, who plays a thinly disguised version of the controversial first Territorial Governor of Hiram Maxwell, who ran Corrigedor at the beginning. Dealing with issues such as the catapults worker's strike, as well as the problems of trying to organize a mobile population such as Corrigedor into something resembling a government, to his famous secretly love affair with his political rival. Power often uses the past events to comments on the current affairs, and surprising holds a rather critical view of the United States government and its writers are often accused of putting in Sons of Liberty talking points in.

Chinese shows

The Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Yeah, this again.

Chronicle of Heroes: This lavishly produced TV show is a digital reconstruction of famous battles and campaigns throughout the the history of China, using a blend of archival material and reenactments. While state-funded, the show portrays mistakes accurately, and presents enemies realistically, though still focusing on heroic units and leaders. It has some popularity in other states, but is one of the more popular shows on State TV.

In The Shadows: Set in mid-21st century Shanghai, with its corruption and crime, this portrays a disgraced cop trying to infiltrate the Triads amidst a web of betrayal and deception. Noted for its amazing action scenes and tense drama, it is a hit both in China and abroad. Many of the minor characters have become almost as popular as the heroes, but critics have complained about the astounding amount of violence.

All in Heaven: Set in an alternate history where China remained at the apex of power on the treasure fleet and jump network, striving to rule all in heaven as Imperial China was strove to rule all under heaven. The show chronicles an official who leads expeditions into the Rim in hopes of uncovering of expanding Chinese influence. The show is widely liked, though many critics believe the replacement of the director and lead writer for supposed ideological subversion has taken much from the show.

ZOCU media

Haraway

Azure Skies: A Harawayian Soap opera set in the city of New Reykjavik’s immigrant district, and dealing with the culture shock between immigrants and native Harawayians. Filmed on location in New Reykjavik.

Case Lilith:Created by General Mitzi Val, Case Lilith is an interactive alternate history scenario exploring what a third invasion of Haraway after the defeat of the combined ZOCU fleets at the battle of Haraway would have looked like. It is known for its punishing difficulty, exciting visuals and extreme realism, as well as it’s downer ending, with Haraway being simply overwhelmed by massive numbers of core forces and remaining Harawayian forces waging a grinding insurgency.

While not exactly a best seller either on or off world, the fact a general created it lends it a certain cachet, and it’s huge level of difficult has won it many fans among hard core gamers.

ESA: A Harawayian alternate-history show that postulates that the end of the ZOCU war was brought about by a massive EU bombing campaign in 2187 that destroyed almost half of Haraway's population with high-yield nuclear weapons. The first season was set in an alternate 2184, where Haraway ended up breaking away from ZOCU and forming its own political bloc. The second season was set in 2185 but was cancelled midway through due to failing ratings. General criticism was the implausibility of the premise and the unsympathetic portrayal of everyone not Harawayan or allied.

Fire Knives: One of the first Harawayian shows to attract an off world following, Fire Knives follows the adventures, military and romantic of a group of Harawayian shock infantry in a near future conflict with a virulent strain of feral drones (recently revealed to be a new alien race) on the rim. Fire Knives is notable for its high level of interactivity, with some regarding it as more a game than a program, and the capacity for view choice to influence how the show goes for them. Fire Knives is also known for its extremely realistic portrayal of battle suit combat, and has attracted audiences of both sexes off world, it is also one of the first Harawayian interactive fictions to include options for heterosexual romance.

Journey: A Harawayian non-interactive drama following the adventures of an embassy team to the EU during the beginning of the breakdown, and their attempts to get home to Haraway from Earth through the chaos of the break down and the magnate war. Themes include prejudice, diplomacy, politics and romance between members of the team.

Many Worlds: a Harawayian science fiction show featuring a group of four Harawayian Sarissa pilots during the ZOCU war who are abducted by a mysterious post human entity and sent back to change the results of famous historical battles, sometimes using their suits, sometimes using period aircraft. Notable episodes include the team fighting destroying the Coalition fleet during the second gulf war, the team flying American interceptors over Pearl Habour, and the team flying PAK-FA’s during the Venezuela-American War of 2040. Many Worlds is notable for featuring period aircraft recreated in loving detail, and a very realistic depiction of contemporary mecha, and many mind screw elements.

Scarlet: Harawayan secret agent Scarlet Blanche adventures up and down the Sphere, fighting criminals, Magnates and Europeans and in this series of feature-length entertainments. Notable installments include:

The Princess in the Tower, about a Magnate plot to steal new-model megaparticle beams from Kanon.

Carved in Chrome, which featured total-conversion cyborgs working for the EU's Internal Investigations Department.

Ithaca

Heroes of the Elements: An Ithacan digitally animated TV show, Heroes of the Elements follows a group of chosen warriors from across a technomagic fantasy kingdom. HotE fans are found across known space, and the show has spawned a large franchise of novels, games, and a number of spin-off shows. Some of there are quite notable - the Minkowski-produced Gravitomancer is one of the few Mink shows that is popular off of the fleet, and the Corregidor-produced Gunsmith Chronicles puts a Western spin on the setting. Politics are generally absent from the setting, and Ithacan conservative values seem less unusual in a fantasy setting.

Sphere Academy: Sphere Academy is a extremely popular stereovision show on IthacaNet Stereovision (INS). It follows the adventures of a group of high school students at Sphere Academy, a major secondary school in the suburbs of Telemak, and is a cel-shaded animation akin to those popular in the Pac-Am arm. What makes Sphere Academy special is that the characters and plot are based on a light-hearted version of current political events. Every major nation is represented as a student, and the producers aim to be at least somewhat fair in their depictions. (though Ithaca-tan and her ZOCU [in this case referring to Zany Outsider Classmates United] friends are clearly the heroes of the show)

What is Human?: Created by a team of experts in transhuman development and history, this documentary series has become a major critical success, with elements of serious facts and comedy elements. The show first appeared on Ithacan Stereovision with a detailed discussion of the Harawayan Colors, but has been widely syndicated. The most famous program was the "Outside Looking In" program, distributed to Magnate exhuman nations, which focused on the unique features of near-baseline and slightly advanced humans.

Kanon

Zero-Hime: A popular Kanonian anime, Zero-Hime is set in an alternate universe with a larger similar level of technology to ours, but also including hidden magical and supernatural elements. The story follows a princess named Ayeko whose home planet has come under the control of the oppressive Empire of the Grand Wheel, which rules earth and the inner colonies. The show centres on Ayeko’s quest to raise an army and navy to liberate her home world from the Wheel Empire, and on the strange power she finds attached to her bloodline and that of the Empire’s royal family.

Zero-Hime is currently in its second season.

Sign of Asilis: Based on a once obscure manga, Sign of Asilis is about a fictional strategy game with mystical properties that enable biological humans to easily outplay cyborgs or computers regardless of the processing power or dust used in their construction. It features a contemporary high school setting with a largely female cast as well as an unexpectedly depressing ending. It was the most popular anime on Kanon for 2194 and propelled three members of its cast to great fame. A second series has been confirmed, rumored to start airing in early 2196 with "what should be a very surprising plot twist".

Londenium

Tales of the Winter Court: a long running Londiniumsoap opera, Tales of the Winter Court centres around a young noble woman from the Londinium country side arriving at the royal court during the breakdown Londinium. Tales includes some heavy political elements but really centres on romance and glamor.

Secrets of the Rim: another ZOCU science fiction, created in Londinium, Secrets of the Rim follows the multinational crew of a fictional Ionia class starship, the Ares tasked with investigating strange alien ruins in the rim, and battling the Magnate super villains, feral drones and core forces. The show includes a considerable amount of science fiction technology, mostly created from the alien sites on the rim, and is generally designed more towards adventure and fun than more serious shows like Fire Knives.

Now in it’s third season, the crew of the Ares have recently confronted live variants of the aliens that created the sites, with hostile intent.

The Great House: a political drama about a fictional, recently married ambassador from Londinium to Kanon, and the affairs of the embassy; it’s great house and the like, notable for dealing with issues of the day, and produced jointly by teams from Kanon and Londinium.

Other

Lords of Ether: Written by a small Choson gaming company with art by Kanonian studio Eastern Wonder, LoE is by far the most popular MMORPG outside the Core. However, its recent anime adaptation received negative reviews.

League Shows

Azadestan

Arcana:Iron and Magic Azadestani Fantasy series.

The Magnate War: Azadestani episodic documentary, with each episode focusing on a specific battle or ground campaign during the Magnate War. Popular episodes include the Eid al-Adha war and the Battle of Finnegan's folly, as well as the episode focusing on the use of mobile suits throughout the war, culminating in the first deployment of the Arsames type Combat Frame in the final stages of the war.

The Revolutions: Azadestani Historical fiction, documenting the multiple political upheavals and periods of strife that the people of Iran suffered in the 20th and early 21st century, eventually culminating in the downfall of the Islamic Republic and the rise of the Republic of Iran.

Trojan: Modern Combat: Azadestani war based Game/Interactive Fiction, concerning a hypothetical Space War 2 in the late 2190's or early 2200's, between an Alliance of the ZOCU-League against the EU and PACT, with a Magnate-China alliance attempting to take advantage of the war to violently crush independent and League worlds along the Sino-Russian Arm and in the Sea of Solomon. The show focuses on the 122nd Tactical Frame Wing "Thunderbolt Team", a combined League outfit, as their Pegasus Class Light Carrier "Trojan" is deployed in ZOCU space as a show of goodwill. As hostilities break out again between the EU and ZOCU over the New Mercia issue, the crew of the Trojan and the Bolt Squadron find themselves stuck in ZOCU space, fighting EU DSF forces. Eventually, the Trojan's crew finds itself in the PACT side of ZOCU, serving as the flag for a light carrier task force reinforced by 2 Harawayan Concords(Renamed the Marjane Satrapi and the Bouboulina) and a Kanonian Ionia(Renamed the Shah Reza).

While here, the Trojan's Aerospace wing, which had been heavily mauled over Londenium leaving on the Thunderbolt Team and their Darius' and Xerxes' supplemented by the Kanonian Sarissa-based Murakumo team and the ZCM mixed bag Sprue Team. While fighting PACT forces, The Thunderbolt team, through co-operation with the Murakumo and Sprue teams, are able to sink or missionkill atleast 4 USASF Light Carriers in the Back-o-Beyond campaign defending Kanon and Choson from being encircled by PACT forces. Eventually though, after a running battle against the JSSDF Shinano Class "Tokugawa", the Trojan is forced to limp to Haraway, where the pilots onboard are given time to rest and relax before the Trojan returns home.

Making a speedy blitz through the redline Haraway-Solomon Route, managing to bypass the EU blockade and make return to League space, only to discover that the Magnates and China, seeing most of the League military caught up fighting the EU, decide to launch an invasion of the League. While the initial defense of Azadestan is mostly successful, the Trojan is quickly redeployed to assist in the defense of Minkowski. Following a brutal week long battle, the League forces are able to break the back of the Magnate offensive, and are able to begin preparing for a counteroffensive, whilst the Trojan, her sister ship the Achaean, the Marjane Satrapi, the Bouboulina, the Shah Reza, the Susa(Alexandria Class), and the Kismet and Sulan(Salamis Class) are sent into the Neutral Zone and decoy Magnate forces until a sufficient counterattack can be launched. .

The show is noted for its large cast, and the somewhat complicated love dodecahedron that forms: such as the one around Behram Siavush, the brash young Azadi Frame pilot who serves as the main focus; and , the Minkowskan female who serves as the classic tsundere archetype in contrast to Ragnhildur Anna, the Harawayan Red who becomes a love interest for Siavush when the two are shot down over a PACT conquered world, and are forced to work together to survive, which leads to an extremely complicated love triangle which is ignored(for the most part), by the somewhat Mechaphilliac Behram. And then the Kanonian Noblewoman, Hilde Emi takes a shine to Behram because she simply wants to have him under her control.

Minkowski

Fusipon and Friends: Minkowskan animated educational programme. Colourful Fusipon teaches young children about important topics such as fusion power, structural engineering and relativistic mechanics.

Fusipon's New Friends: Fusipon goes on an adventure around the Sphere, teaching young children about foreign places using her remote avatar 'Funipero'.

Horizon: Minkowskan science fiction. In AD 2222, Minkowskan scientists notice Mara's event horizon beginning to grow spines. Some weeks later Earth collapses in on itself, followed by the Sun and other bodies, spreading outwards. Minkowsky's relevant experience thrusts it into a leadership position in the fightback against the sinister, inhuman Horizon. The programme is criticised for dodgy special effects, ham acting, contrived plots and nonsensical science but is nevertheless popular domestically.

Minkowski Jones: Drone Hunter: Minkowski Jones hunts drones in the Rim and the Neutral Zone with his intelligent hybrid sidekick (and her hot humanoid avatar). Frequent enemies include a moustache-twirling hunter working for the Magnates, the actual Magnates, unique hybrid drones and sinister Rim states.

Other/Defunct

Lost Frontier: The Agm Ciik Chronicles: Altan historical fiction chronicling the final days of a now long dead alien race, ruins of which were discovered on Gehenna's moon. While initially drab, the show has been cited for its intense character focus, emotional developement, and growing intensity. Currently being renewed for a third season.

Magnate Shows

Redemption: This details a former deathist, now converted into a transhuman, who has realised the errors of his ways. After joining the Hyperborean Intelligence Service he's sent to infiltrate a world belonging to an unspecified powerblock. Here he has to deal with the terrible consequences of an unmanaged society, most poignantly shown by his elderly landlady who is slowly wasting away, much to the horror of her young daughter. All through the series it's an open question of how many people will die because of the cruel and backwards policies of the world he is on. Sometimes his own good deeds, such as secretly providing advanced medication, almost give him away to the rather stupid but still dangerous secret police.

The Storm Clouds: A complex Hyperborean drama that begins a few years prior to the Magnate War. The first season is weirdly upbeat, showing a generally contented people who seem almost excited about the prospect of a War of Liberation against the fringe. The main focus is on five young men and women who volunteer for the Special Reconnaissance Battalions in hope hopes of being able to make a difference. Throughout their fairly rough boot camp, and the troubles of adjusting to their new cybernetic implants, they tend to retain a remarkably upbeat attitude. Indeed everyone seems to get along reasonably well with everyone else.

This creates a sharp contrast with the beginning of Season Two where our five protagonists are loaded aboard a stealth ship and sent off to the Styx system. The trip to the Styx system and the approach to the planet itself has a dark almost claustrophobic feel to it. This sense of loneliness continues as the heroes drop into the atmosphere in their disposable pods, landing in a deserted wilderness hundreds of miles away from any settlement. The alien feel of the world they're on, the strange radio chatter they pick up on, and the way they have to continually hide from both satellites and UAVs gives the second season a strange, almost surreal feel. Most of Season Two shows scouting, intercepting enemy signals, and checking various potential landing sites. The only combat comes towards the very end when the Hyperborean fleet arrives and begins its invasion.

Seasons Three and Four are more standard war movies, where the 4th Special Reconnaissance Battalion travels to various hostile worlds to gather intelligence or carry out assassinations. Interestingly enough there is one example of the unit breaking off an assassination when it becomes clear that the target does not have the responsibilities intelligence claimed he did. Throughout the team grows closer together and reveal previously hidden sides, such as when they adopt a puppy they find abandoned by a bombed out house.

Season Five shows the unit dropped off into Finnigans Folly, where they continue their standard operations. However as the Magnate fortunes turn they are cut off from resupply and retreat, while League troops begin to close in on their position. In the last episode they are all huddled together, wondering what to do, but in the end they agree with Marc Aureigny who says, "We fight, because we're right." During their Last Stand the five main characters actually close in to close quarter combat, before being cut down.

Indie media

Alienation Zone: A highly atmospheric survival horror game from a somewhat quirky mid-size Valeran studio set on the planet's strange ruin zone, Alienation Zone has won plaudits for it's ability to immerse a player into it's highly disturbing setting and it's solid core gameplay mechanics, as well as derision for it's rather rough around the edges feel, it's myraid number of bugs stemming from a rushed release, and an inexplicable(even on Valera) complete lack of male characters amongst the hundreds in the game.

Where the Lost Numbers Lie: A deconstruction of the 'Super Robot' genre popular on worlds of japanese descent, the series follows a small group of elite pilots and their missions to stop an invading alien force known only as Zero Point. Grim and with a unusually realistic portrayal of technology outside of the mighty super robots which themselves are only cameo appearances until the second season, Where the Lost Numbers Lie was a sleeper hit. Originally canceled after the first season, it was picked up for syndication by the Nefertan News Service, which later payed for a second and third season. Where the Lost Numbers Lie is notable in that none of the primary cast have access to the mighty super robots typically required to fight the invaders, and must instead do so via cutting edge technology, government funding, and with the aid of a competent military apparatus.