Is Science Fiction In Terminal Decline?
I read recently that the plug has finally been pulled on Stargate Universe. So the Stargate franchise will shortly go the same way as Star Trek, to become endless repeats on obscure satellite channels.
I am not aware of any new main stream Science Fiction series on the horizon are you? And before any one says what about Dr Who on the BBC? The viewing figures for that are declining as well so it is only a matter of time.
As for books, new authors are in the main being ignored. You only have to browse the Sci Fi forums to see which ones are being read and recommended. Unless your name is Asimov, Clarke or Heinlein et al. forget it! You will be completely ignored.
There are of course the odd exceptions such as the film Avatar, which had record viewing figures and should have put Sci Fi firmly on the map. But what has happened since? The decline continues.
Are Sci Fi fans in the main conservatives afraid of new things, change or experimentation? Happy to watch constant re-runs of Star Trek, Stargate, Babylon 5 and re-read the same old books written by long dead authors?
If that is the case then the outlook for Sci Fi as genre is bleak. What do you think?
