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.
Universal Shows
[Generic Name]: [Generic Name] is one of the most popular shows produced by [PC nation]. It follows [action/sci-fi/fantasy premise] and is noted for its excellent plot and characters and [1-3 other desirable traits]. It is also popular internationally, even in [opposed bloc], due to its fair and balanced portrayal.
European Union Shows
Revolutions: Shown on EBC throughout 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 trumpets its historical accuracy, 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 quite 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.
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.
Gravity Effect:
A showed with mixed reactions Gravity Effect deals with the members of a joint-EUF special forces unit through its early formation period and various missions in the immediate post-war years. Dealing with the themes of adjustment and political change within the Union in the first season by the second the show drifted into a much more political story arc. It starts with investigations into a supposed Harawayian/New Mercian plot to restart the war by conducting a false flag operation (amongst other schemes) in order to give ZOCU a cassus belli for restarting the conflict. In the half-way mark of the second season the team discovers the plot is a fabrication on the part of Admiral Wallace Shepard, DSF, and goes rogue immediately before termination orders are cut for them.
Receiving much criticism by various segments during its broadcasting in the Union the show generally received favorable reviews in sections of the public opposed to the war and the Union in general but received, strangely enough, some of its harshest criticism from commentors in ZOCU for its rather "lukewarm depiction of colonial concerns" and "stereotypical treatment of transhumanism".
In the later half of the second season the team brings down Admiral Shepard and foils the plot. The show was lined up to include another season-wide story, this time to explore the themes of Union-Magnate-League relations in the context of the team being shuffled off to the rim to be forgotten about. However the show was cancelled because of waning popularity and casting issues.
On Outremonde the show was edited (with about twenty minutes extra footage total as well as creative dubbing) to change the meta-plot to reveal that Admiral Shepard was a New Mercian plant after which the show was broadcast for the rest of the season but was not picked up for the third, being passed over in favour for The Rosenritter Legend.
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.
The Unforgettable Year A semi-interactive opera produced by the Primeira Aterragem Opera Society, based around the year-long period of brutal fighting against the Libertador invasion of 2186-87. Follows the exploits of a group of Fuzileiros throughout the war, and ends on a triumphant note as the counterattack against Guevara begins. Was criticized by ZOCU and other Transgenic audiences for being extremely propagandistic and anti-transgenic.
GAEA: A science-fiction/alternate history show that postulates that the first FTL jumps brought Something Back which infected most of Earth's land life, both plant and animal, turning the various continents into jungles of evolutionary hell. The human survivors managed to establish underwater colonies where, in 2150, they vie in post-apocalyptical superpower politics. The show is noted for its grim and sometimes unapproachable cast.
Speaker For the Dead: Speaker for the Dead, a multi-part adaptation of Orson Scott Card's "Ender's Game" series of novels is one of the most popular shows produced by Esperanca.
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.
The Diamond Sands: Science-fiction drama set on a distant Precursor copy of Earth, where humans went on to evolve independently. As the information age dawns on this alternate Earth, it becomes possible to interact with the relic dust, leading to a radically changed early space age. The series recieved initially good reviews, but failing ratings led to a cancellation after one series.
Dragons & Eagles An alternate history drama set in the early twenty first century, where a new US government led by a religious maniac sets out to destroy the emerging Chinese economy and defeat its growing threat to American hegemony. While considered well written most serious historians find its claims to be a serious alternate history to be rather silly.
Spin State A soap opera set in Earth Orbit, specifically China's giant New Shaanxi space platform, Spin State follows the romantic, political and work lives of a group of orbital workers. Filmed in earth orbit, the plot has included numerous EVA walks and dealing with orbital garbage clean up and dangerous space junk.
Exhuman Warfare 2: Magnate Assault: The sequel to the smash hit action game, Magnate Assault continues the tradition of rigourously researched special effects and models, complex and real-to-life gameplay that would only appeal to the hardcore enthusiast or former SPF operator, paper-thin storyline and two-dimensional characters.
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.
A Hundred Days of Night A Harawayan Soap Opera set on a submarine mining platform deep in the sea, concentrating on romance.
The Seventh War: A popular though controversial Harawayan Game series also exported to other ZOCU states, the Seventh War depicts a ZOCU invasion of Earth in the twenty third century, following various groups of characters from ZOCU member states invading Earth landmarks and defeating evil Core armies and insurgents. The Seventh War's scenario is extremely unlikely but does include considerable verisimilitude due to the number of ex-military people included on its design team.
The Seventh War has gained some recognition in the Core, mostly from right wing news and entertainment sites such as Transeuro, who made particular millage out of the nuking of Cape Canaveral and other launch sites, and the depiction of carnage in major landmark locations, considering it a "training tool" for ZOCU insurgents.
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 and multiple nuclear strikes against Core landing zones.
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 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 led by a sadistic New Silesian colonel working for the EU's Internal Investigations Department.
Bloody Sand Based on a popular autobiographical account, Bloody Sand tells the story of Reiko Izumi, a former army NCO who returns to civilian life at the end of the ZOCU war. Reiko is unable to find a job, and experiences misunderstanding and prejudice from members of other castes, as well as psychological problems brought on by post traumatic stress. She eventually goes to prison after beating an immigrant man to a bloody pulp in a bar fight and becomes involved in criminal activity before slowly beginning to pull her life back together with the help of a sympathetic blue caste psychologist Sarah Random. In its third season, Bloody Sand now focuses on Reiko's attempt to get her book published and help her less fortunate comrades.
Kaleidoscope A popular Harawayan action drama following the adventurers of a five person (one from each caste) team of Harawayan security agents attempting to stop various plots by European fifth columnists, anti-transgenic terrorists, and traitorous or misguided Harawayans. It has attracted controversy (and no little praise from some quarters) for its characters that frequently break legal and ethical boundaries, including executing suspects without due process.
Kaleidoscope has been accused of caste bigotry due to its stereotypical treatment of its Red protagonists, one of whom died saving her team-mates, and the other of which was revealed as a traitor in the second season finale. It has had some success internationally on other ZOCU worlds, but has been further hampered by its sexist portrayal of men.
Crimson Crimson is a feature length tells the story of a squad of drop infantry who, after the war and being unable to adapt to civilian life come together and make a pact to take revenge on a system that has betrayed them and they now feel no loyalty too (despite fighting bravely during the war). The group launch a campaign of assassination and attacks on prominent public figures and the like.
The main character, Lina Stewart is a former member of the squad who missed the reunion and now hunts the group together in her role as a police SWAT operator. Crimson has caused controversy due to its sympathetic portrayal of the antagonists, it portrays as thoroughly justified in lashing out at a system which has betrayed them. The film ends with a discussion between Lina and her former lover and squad leader Miranda aboard one of the partly constructed orbitals culminating in them both falling off it presumably to their deaths.
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.
Trawl: Mindscape: The second spinoff of the Londenium crime procedural Trawl, Mindscape delves into the psychology of criminals and the committing of criminal acts. Unsurprisingly these tend to be ones with grandiose or otherwise sensational disorders. While generally deemed unrealistic by both forensic cognicians and psychologists, it has proven to be enduringly popular.
MC Squared: The self-titled docudrama of the Heaven's Shore melodic gangsta artist, MC Squared follows the (suitably embelished) path of the half-black, half-spanish, half-chinese rapper from his roots in the barrios of Heaven's Shore to a tumultuous but successful career as a neuromusical artist.
SIYAN
Down To Earth: Originally a comedy about a posthuman who was expelled for nebulous reasons and forced to inhabit a physical shell among humans, the death of female lead in the middle of the second season saw a massive shift in tone as the actress continued to perform as a hard light stand in remotely from the upload space where her mentality now resides. Now in the third season it has become one of the highest-rated dramas with the original comedy elements sidelined for stories about loss and change.
Twin Spires: A drama that purportedly follows the lives and intricate plot of posthumans in various power plays. Known for an almost ridiculously complex trail of betrayal, counter-betrayal, face-heel and heel-face turns it has become something of a joke among those who don't follow it avidly. Often derided as rehash of the Greek gods for the 22nd century.
Galactic Wonders: An 'science' show about various feats of technical and engineering ability, with episode topics such as the Terran orbital elevators, FTL catapults, jump drives, posthuman dust factories, fabricators, etc. Oriented towards a demographic of intellectually-augmented transgenes Galactic Wonders tends to be quite dense for a pop-science show.
Lightsiders: An urban fantasy show that postulates that the human galaxy is the 'dark universe', and the 'light universe' is one full of life - often of a mythical bent. Episodes tend to alternate between events caused by lightsiders coming onto Erebus where they generally cause some form of havok and missions where the main cast is sent into the lightside universe.
New Mercia
Planetfall: A drama based on the early years of the colonisation of New Mercia. A large budget, high production values and all-star cast make it popular on New Mercia, but due both to the subject matter and the creative re-interpretation of history to favour the current administration's policies and demonise the EU, it has at best niche appeal offworld.
Signal: Now in it's second season, Signal is a series of feature length films based on the popular books. Set during the Breakdown, it charts the battle by New Mercia and stranded EU forces against the threat of an unsealed Posthuman doomsday weapon unearthed on another of Deira's moons and capable of seizing control of humans and computers alike. Despite criticism of it's extremely dark tone and (positive) portrayal of European soldiers, it remains extremely popular.
Fire in the Sky: A well recieved pop science programme, Fire in the Sky charts the course of human spaceflight from the launch of Sputnik by the USSR up until the launch of the longshot colony ships that established human habitation across much of the Sphere.
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.
S3: An intentionally over-the-top action game produced by Choson, Ophen and Nidaros that can only be described as bizarre.
League Media
Billy's Stand:
Ares
The Alliance: This historical epic was produced and released Leaguewide but specifically aimed at the divided Aresian public. It showcases the dawn and early period of the Magnate war, when the varied planets of the League found common cause against invaders, and in the stress of war discovered shared values across religious, national and genetic lines. That last element created foreign interest and led to the film's release in some Inner Sphere markets, to mixed reception.
Fighting Back: An underground film produced by the radically anti-transgene Knights of Jiang. An alpha-upgrade local governor has sold out to the Magnates, but is exposed and killed by the Knights before he can do any damage. Alarmingly, the graphic final murder scene appears to be real, using a different 'actor' for the victim than the rest of the film.
Red Dust: An independent film about love between a pair of transgene and baseline boys in a divided region. It ends badly, when both are killed in a spate of violence over the affair followed by a government crackdown.
Finnegan's Folley
Wild O'Hara: The titular naturalist takes the viewer on an exciting trip through various parts of Finnegan's hideously unpleasant biosphere, dispensing interesting information and survival tips along the way. O'Hara's gung-ho approach has already seen the replacement of two extremities since filming began, but the Magnate War veteran shows no signs of slowing down.
Minkowski
Dock Nine: Drama serial shortly to celebrate its tenth anniversary. Dock Nine follows some inhabitants of the (fictional) titular location and its associated habitation clusters as they go about their daily lives. It is the single most popular programme in the Minkowski system and is noted by analysts for its ceaseless reinforcement of the favoured constructions of the government.
Fusipon and Friends: Minkowskan animated educational programme. Colourful Fusipon teaches young children about important topics such as fusion power, structural engineering and relativistic mechanics.
- Wise old Orby teaches about the mechanics and dangers of gravity.
- Well-travelled Borid teaches about genetics, physiology and the varieties of humanity. A rare guest.
- Fusipon's New Friends: Fusipon goes on an adventure around the Sphere, teaching young children about foreign places using her remote avatar 'Funipon'.
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.
Midway:
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.
An Open Trajectory: A long-running programme started during the war. Apogee Deneb provides advice on morality and spirituality to viewers, including answering specific questions from callers.
Titan: It's 2222 (again), and Andromeda Titan is at the forefront of the fight against the Magnates. With advanced xenological Science, unshakable faith, quick thinking and her trusty wrench she delivers stinging defeats to Neo-Magnate Overlords like The Genelord and Doctor Dystopia.
The Anomaly: Minkowskan strategy game. The player must fend off feral drones, posthuman defence systems and heavily stereotyped Zodiac rivals in a bid to gain control of a mysterious posthuman structure in the Rim. The game's key features are the use of mobile and captured industry, the management and acquisition of information and computing power inside the station, and high-resolution 0g violence. It is famously uncompromising, as the player must struggle uphill against superior technology and resources for the entire length past the introductory sequence. Regarded a classic, though most people will quietly admit they never passed the Corona Activation mission.
High Command: Minkowskan edutainment strategy game. Groups of schoolchildren take control of one of the League worlds each, as the first reports of the Magnate invasions filter in. They must industrialise and militarise to defeat the Magnates, all the while struggling against the nightmare communications and logistics restrictions imposed by the Breakdown.
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.
The Deacon Wallace Talk Show: A former Magnate war "hero" and Eternal Dawn news talking head spends an hour every week mocking the latest developments by the baselines, the inferiority of other transgenes, and the League's infinite host of shortcomings. Due to its inaccuracy and faulty logic, it has gained an ironic viewerbase throughout the rest of the Sphere, especially as his conspiracy theories are often legitimately entertaining. His successful prediction of 45 of the last 2 major galactic crises didn't hurt his popularity either, especially with the gullible "wannabe Magnates" who make up the vast majority of his Core audience.
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.
Power Rangers: Incursion: If it could be described in a single sentence, is this: Evil hypertech aliens invading from outside reality. Incursion is a long running show, originally adapted with material from Quantum Sentai Taoranger, but later producing its own new footage and material. Spanning seven seasons, and two spinoffs, it is one of the more popular shows produced by Nefer.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Azadistan
Rio Icarus: A carefully framed rendition of the South American disaster, showcasing the folly of uncontrolled and overambitious transhumanism. Renamed The Nightmare and selectively edited in the Minkowskan broadcast to remove perceived anti-scientific bias.
Immortals: Four Azadi policewomen are saved from the brink of death by extreme cybernetic and biological replacement, and become part of a new covert intelligence/counterterrorism organisation. They use their newfound capabilities to root out and destroy Magnate infiltrators in a series of semi-episodic adventures, with high production values, frequent use of violence and body armour more form-fitting than is strictly plausible. The corruption and uselessness of every politician seen over the course of the series has led to accusations that it is Unifier propaganda, but supporters say it is merely accurately representing contemporary Azadi society. Apart from the boomers.