Television: Blade Runner 2099 Coming in 2026

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Credit: Gollancz

It seems two movies covering Philip K. Dick’s novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? was not enough, so an entire television series is being readied by Amazon Prime for release this year.

Of course, Amazon Prime has been talking about this series since at least 2022, with the Motion Picture Association stating back then:

Blade Runner 2099 will no doubt continue these storylines, but considering it’s set a full 50 years after Villeneuve’s film, you can expect entirely new characters, plot points, and environments. Amazon has now proven itself successful working on a massively scaled genre series with the current success of its most ambitious project to date, Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Blade Runner 2099 will provide the streamer with another major opportunity to continue the story of an already hugely popular franchise, with a fan base no less fervent than those who love Lord of the Rings.

I am not so sure that Amazon Prime’s Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is a good comparison since it was not a great success. Forbes magazine called it a flop, noting that:

Just under two-thirds of all Rings Of Power viewers quit watching the show before the finale, missing out on some truly ghastly television in the process. The big question I have is: Out of all the viewers who did stick around for all eight episodes, how many were hate-watching?

It also doesn’t help that (1) Blade Runner 2049 was a flop at movie theaters and (1) the main star in this new television series, Michelle Yeoh, was part of an already discussed movie flop last year with Star Trek: Section 31. Given that Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh did well in the series Star Trek: Discovery, I blame the film creators more than the actors.

The good news is that Ridley Scott will be back at the helm on this new series. Denis Villeneuve gave us the Blade Runner 2049 film. While he was brilliant with the two Dune movies he crafted from the books, for some reason he could not make it work when expanding on another director’s work.

I am not seeing any specific premiere date, but the industry noise seems to be pretty upbeat about a 2026 release.

The odds are not in Amazon Prime’s favor, yet I am rooting as much as anyone else that this series is successful.

Movies: The 2025 Golden Raspberry Awards

Posted on by onespaceman2000

It is that time of year to look back at the science fiction movies of 2025 and determine which ones were really bad. We might as well go through this process because I cannot remember any that were really good, particularly in the area of space adventures.

The 46th Golden Raspberry Award nominees for Worst Picture in 2025 are:

  • The Electric State
  • Hurry Up Tomorrow
  • Disney’s Snow White (2025)
  • Star Trek: Section 31
  • War of The Worlds (2025)

You may be surprised to see a Star Trek film among the contenders, but you would not be if you actually watched it. It was an embarrassment for the franchise to show something like this. The story line made no sense, the acting was horrendous, the special effects and music were subpar, and the only words that came to mind were “Section 8,” that retired military term for those diagnosed with a psychiatric condition.

Section 31 was originally planned as a spin-off television series from Star Trek: Discovery, but instead it was released as a film. I cannot image any of this as a series. At least with a movie it is once and gone, rather than a continuing open wound.

I am just happy that the Star Trek creative team spent its time and money on the new series Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. While the new series is not perfect, it has heart and closely follows the expected story line. In the case of Section 31, I cannot remember anything that tied it to the larger Star Trek story line other than one Starfleet character who was not really much of a character at all.

Of course, one could argue that the Federation entity Section 31 was all you needed as a tie-in, but the role of this group was never properly explained within the overall Star Trek universe. Anyone wandering into this film would not understand the basics and hopefully left the room before experiencing any real brain rot.

But wait, there’s more. If you thought that actress Michelle Yeoh would save the movie, you can forget that idea. In fact, she was nominated for Worst Actress. Section 31 was also nominated for Worst Supporting Actress, Director and Screenplay.

I think it would be best if we all pretend the movie never existed and get on with our lives. Looking back is just too painful.

Image (Credit): Some of the characters from Star Trek: Section 31. (Paramount+)

Sci-Fi Quote: Expect Some Fun with Starfleet Academy

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): Paul Giamatti and Holly Hunter in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. (Paramount+)

“I was immediately enthralled with reading it. I wanted to see what Paul was going to do next and could I do it with him? That was an unusual opportunity that was presented.”

–Statement by actress Holly Hunter (playing the part of Starfleet Academy’s chancellor) regarding actor Paul Giamatti (playing the part of Klingon and Tellarite villain Nus Braka) in the new Star Trek: Starfleet Academy television series premiering on January 15th.

Regarding the involvement of Hunter in the series, Giamatti stated to his co-star:

I had heard that you were considering the part and that was very exciting to me because I thought it was a brilliant choice…I thought this makes a lot of sense. It’s going to fit right, but it’s going to be different. And I don’t know what she’s going to do with it, but it’s going to be something great. So it was a big selling point for me.

We can only hope that the rest of us have as much fun watching the series as they did making it. The filming of season two of this new series is almost complete as well. Hopefully, the jump to a second season is not presumptuous.

Television: 2025 Was a Good Year for Sci-fi Space Shows

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): Some of the characters from Alien: Earth. (FXNetworks)

Before the year is over, I want to highlight five sci-fi space television series that kept me entertained. I cannot do the same with sci-fi space movies because 2025 lacked exciting, well-made films.

Here are my top five sci-fi space television shows in order of preference.

  1. Andor on Disney+
  2. Alien: Earth on FX/HULU
  3. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds on Paramount+
  4. Foundation on Apple TV
  5. Murderbot on Apple TV

While Andor saw its second and last season this year, the remaining four will be returning for another season. When combined with the other new shows to premiere in 2026, such as Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, then we are looking at another good year for sci-fi space television series (assuming we do not need to wait years for the returning seasons).

I wanted to rank Murderbot a little higher, but it still lacks the energy of the books and each episode is too short to leave you satisfied. That said, it has a lot of potential and it is still a solid series.

Overall, great television made up for so-so movies in 2025.

Let’s hope some great sci-fi space movies in 2026.

Happy New Year!

Note: Apple TV’s Pluribus was not considered for this list. While it involves a “virus” from a distant exoplanet, we never learn anything about the distant civilization. Moreover, it is basically an Earth-based drama not involving any travel away from our planet.

Television: Star Trek’s Starfleet Academy is Almost Here

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): Some of the new characters in the upcoming Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. (Paramount+)

You only have to wait until January 15th for the latest Star Trek series on Paramount+, but you may want to see this most recent trailer because it sets up some of the background on the characters.

Paramount+ has already shared quite a few details about Star Trek: Starfleet Academy on its site, so here are some important items:

  • Plot: Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is about a young group of Starfleet cadets navigating friendships and rivalries, as well as first loves and a new enemy that poses a threat not to just the Academy, but to the Federation.

  • The Names of the Cadets:
    • Caleb Mir is an orphaned human who hasn’t yet declared his major, or focus, at Starfleet Academy.
    • Jay-Den Kraag is a Klingon cadet whose focus is the sciences.
    • SAM is a hologram – a Series Acclimation Mil, or SAM, for short. She’s the first of her kind at Starfleet Academy. SAM’s focus is operations.
    • Darem Reymi is a Khionian from a well-to-do background who aims to be in command – hence, the focus of his studies at Starfleet Academy.
    • Genesis Lythe is a Dar-Sha, a species new to the Star Trek universe. She’s the daughter of an admiral, and is also studying command.

  • Time Period: Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is set in the 32nd century, at the upper end of the Star Trek timeline. More specifically, it takes place 125 years after The Burn, a catastrophic event that ravaged the galaxy, and hobbled the Federation. The cadets we meet represent a fresh start for the Federation; they belong to the first Starfleet Academy class since The Burn. You will need to watch Star Trek: Discovery season three to understand The Burn.

  • Key Actors in Season 1:
    • Holly Hunter as Capt. Nahla Ake Hunter’s character is the Chancellor of Starfleet Academy – and the captain of the U.S.S. Athena.
    • Tig Notaro as Jett Reno Notaro reprises her role as Jett, an engineering whiz, from Star Trek: Discovery.
    • Robert Picardo as The Doctor Picardo reprises the role he originated on Star Trek: Voyager.
    • Gina Yashere as Lura Thok Yashere is billed as a recurring guest star. She plays a Klingon/Jem’Hadar hybrid who serves as the Chancellor’s First Officer and Cadet Master.
    • Stephen Colbert as the voice of Starfleet Academy’s Digital Dean of Students The Emmy® winner (The Late Show With Stephen Colbert) will be heard as the faculty member who makes daily announcements – and issues alerts.

  • Number of Episodes: Season 1 will have 10 episodes.

  • Number of Seasons: A second season has already been green-lighted.

  • Your Mission: Simply enjoy this new Star Trek series.