Axiom’s Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy

Well, we have finally come to the end of this year’s Hulu Awards.  It has been a long, and at times tedious, process, but in the end it was definitely worth the effort.  I definitely want to thank Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling from the Hulu Review for giving myself and Sam Christopher the opportunity to participate on the panel.  Sure, it wasn’t always a picnic having to sample offerings like Living Lohan and The Gorgeous Tiny Chicken Machine Show, but for every turkey like those that I watched I also discovered gems like Spacerip and The Devil’s Trade.  My time as a panelist over the last few months has definitely been a rewarding experience (okay, I couldn’t resist the pun).

For my final column from this year’s awards I will first run quickly through the last two categories awaiting their final nods, then I will reflect on some of the best television shows available at Hulu.com and some of the discoveries I made during the nominations process.

First, my final two nominations:

Best Comedic Clip

Unfortunately, none of the ones that I had in my top five in the semi-finals round made it to the finals.  Sure, most all of the final selections have their merit, but almost none of them make me laugh out loud like the two SNL clips I picked or Comedy Gumbo.  Still, the one I’m going with was pretty darn funny so it’s worthy of the nod: Shaun of the Dead: Throwing Records

Best Clip (Non-Comedy)

Many of us have only read about pivotal moments in history like John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address or Martin Luther King’s march on Washington and did not have the opportunity to witness them in person or at least live on television.  Years from now, President Obama’s inaugural address will rank among these pivotal moments and we will say that we witnessed as it happened.  And this doesn’t mean that I am gloating over the victory of the Democratic Party in the 2008 elections.  I am not a Democrat (or a Republican either).  This moment transcends party politics and shows that a people who for many years accepted inequality and discrimination based on irrational prejudices can overcome their biases and move forward with a person as their leader who never would have been accepted previously simply because of the color of his skin.  This moment represents the culmination of a step forward in the maturity of the people of this nation: Presidential Inaugurations: Obama’s Inaugural Speech

Now on to some of my select highlights from Hulu.com

Top 10 Television Shows on Hulu.com:

I did not get the chance to vote on Babylon 5 and Picket Fences in the top slot during the awards since they were both snubbed in the finals, so I’m presenting my own Top 10 list here.  Note that I have left Battlestar Galactica (the new version) off this list because Hulu only offers the most recent three episodes.  So I went with entries that provided a more extensive sampling of episodes:

1. Babylon 5 – J. Michael Stracynzski’s epic television series represents a high point for Science Fiction and Fantasy television as it gives us an over-arching storyline that unfolds across five seasons, highlighted by some of the best science fiction and dramatic stories ever seen on the small screen.  Unfortunately, Hulu only has the first two seasons available at the current time, but that still represents some of the show’s best moments (especially Season 2).  Highlighted episodes:  “Deathwalker”, “Babylon Squared”, “The Coming of Shadows”, “Confessions and Lamentations” (the latter being one the best episodes of any television series).

2.  Picket Fences – This early David Kelley series flew under the radar, but really pushed the boundaries of Prime Time television when it aired.  It ranged from police procedural to courtroom drama to riveting social commentary.  It did descend into melodrama during its final season, but still provided plenty of engaging viewing during its four year run.  If you are looking for proof, watch the Season 2 episode “Cross Examination“.  A powerful question of faith episode that provides a true challenge to the viewers by presenting multiple perspectives instead of simply skewing to one side.  An all-time high point for television.

3. Firefly – Joss Whedon’s space western only made it through fourteen episodes (and a subsequent big-screen sequel), but what an amazing handful of episodes he gave us!  FOX’s cancellation of this show is one of the greatest injustices in the history of television and it truncated what could have been the next major Science Fiction franchise.  Even if you’ve seen the entire series already, it’s worth watching it all over again.

4. Hill Street Blues – For better or worse, this show changed the cop show genre and moved it away from action-oriented shows to drama.  And Hill Street Blues presented some pretty riveting drama throughout its run (while also adding a healthy dose of black humor).  This show set the template for many of the crime dramas that would follow in the years to come.

5. Buffy the Vampire Slayer – I’ve been slammed by a few for not including Joss Whedon’s seminal work on my Best-of Science Fiction and Fantasy list, and I admit to the deficiency.  Mostly its because I stopped following the series after its first season (no particular reason really) and I never encountered some of its better episodes.  Hulu has Season 2, so it has given me the chance to pick up where I left off, so expect to see this one find its way to my Best-of list before too long.

6. Barney Miller – An intelligent comedy that managed to be funny as well.  How come they can’t figure out how to do shows like this anymore?

7. Alfred Hitchcock Presents / Alfred Hitchcock Hour – Presented well crafted stories with unexpected twist endings framed by Hitchcock’s sardonic quips as series host.  A good representation of the lost art of the anthology show.

8. The White Shadow – A unique series that took a rather real look at urban life among predominately minority teen-agers.  It wasn’t afraid to address the issues faced by young people and to sometimes provide realistic if unsatisfying conclusions.

9. WKRP in Cincinnati – This irreverent and often chaotic series ranks as one of the all-time best sitcoms and managed to stay funny throughout its run.

10. The Tick – This short-lived series provided a great skewering of the superhero genre and delivered more laughs during its nine episodes than some series do over multiple seasons.

Best Discoveries of the Hulu Awards:

I was a Hulu regular before joining the panel for the Hulu Awards, but the nomination process, which took me on a in depth tour of the site’s content, led me to discover some gems I had not previously known about.  Following is a list of the best of those finds:

Television Series:

Raines – I glimpsed this one during its brief network run, but the Hulu Awards presented the opportunity to revisit it in depth.  Yeah, yeah, I know it’s another of those “talk to the dead” shows, but it gives an interesting spin on the well-worn device.  I’m a huge fan of Jeff Goldblum and this odd little series seemed like the perfect vehicle for his talents.  Unfortunately almost no one tuned in and it disappeared after seven episodes.  The good news is that Hulu has the full run of the show available.

The Crow: Stairway to Heaven – I caught bits of this during its initial run, then rediscovered it during the Hulu Awards.  Probably not too many people remember this rather well done one-season wonder.  Imagine if you will that Kurt Cobain did not commit suicide but instead became goth/grunge superhero and you will get a good idea of what to expect.

Uncorked – Comedian Billy Merritt is an average Joe who knows nothing about wine so he decides to go on a tour to educate himself on the subject.  Presents a good rundown on wine for the non-connoisseur and you will learn a thing or two along the way.

Kitchen Nightmares – If you ever thought about opening a [beep]ing restaurant, watch this first.  It will [beep]ing scare you the [beep] away from the [beep]ing idea.  Oh, and be prepared for half the [beep]ing dialogue to be beeped the [beep] out.  Pure guilty pleasure and actually quite addictive.

Anime:

Death Note – A teenager finds a notebook that will kill anybody whose name is written in it and decides to use it to kill evil people.  The episodes I have seen so far present some compelling moral ambiguities along with the dilemmas that follow from them.  I would have considered putting this one in my Top 10 above, but I have not seen enough episodes yet to know if the series maintains its quality throughout.

Mushi-shi – This is an interesting and beautifully illustrated tale about a man who seeks out the supernatural creatures known as Mushi and helps people who they have brought misfortune to.

Web Originals:

Devil’s Trade – This seven part mini from FearNet.com really hits the mark.  It presents a scary and engaging story that does not have to rely on gore or violence.  It outdid any of the episodes from last summer’s failed horror anthology Fear Itself on NBC and I would love to see more in this vein.

Spacerip – This fascinating series of clips and shorts takes us on a tour of the universe brought to life with stellar (pun intended) computer animation.

Comedy Gumbo – Like any sketch show, it has its hits and misses, but averaging around 4 – 6 minutes per episode means that it moves along a quick pace.  At times this show had me laughing out loud, and I don’t understand why it did not get any respect from the other awards panelists.

Beyond Human – I stumbled upon this series while browsing through available clips for the Best Clip nomination.  It is a really interesting look at the potential of cyborg technology; science fiction meets science fact.  

Carpet Bros – I can’t find his name attached to it anywhere, but I would swear that Quentin Tarantino had a hand in this one with its sharp, droll dialogue and retro look.

Short Clips:

Shaolin Delivery Boy – A Chinese Canadian actor gets lessons on how to be more Asian.  A great parody on the entertainment industry.

Non Fat – For those who did not die laughing at this short one-minute film, we know how often you go to Starbucks and what you order!

Poor God – There are several world leaders who should be locked up in a room and forced to watch this repeatedly until they finally get it.

Nun Fight Club – The name says it all.

Given more time, I’ll bet I could find twice as many gems on the site if not more.  But that’s all for now.  For more information on the Hulu Awards and the upcoming ceremony and to cast your own votes for the winners, go to the Hulu Review site.

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