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.
Bellow 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.
East Street: a popular soap opera in England, centring around East Street, a small suburban street in London, and the tribulations in love and life of the families who live there. East 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 ears 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.
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.
ZOCU shows
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 aliens) on the rim. Fire Knives is notable for it’s 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
The show has seen some controversy at home however, due to several fairly sympathetic depictions of EU and PACT units, though this has only increased it’s viewing.
Zero-Hime: A popular Kanonese 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.
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 glamour.
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 [I]Ares[/I] 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.