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Sci-Fi, by definition, is any story in which hard science' plays an important role in advancing the story line. The emphasis here, on hard science should be, and is, the true line from which all Sci-Fi should be differentiatedboth good and bad.

By those lines, and when we consider all the television that has attempted to garner viewers by tantalizing us with a Science Fiction' based story line, there are few, really, that have actually kept within the realm of actual science first, and fiction second.

In this reviewer's humble opinion, only one show really toed the line with hard science from which it based the rest of its story: Babylon Five.

Let's face it; there is no Anti-Gravity' (sorry fellow Trekkies) button that can be pushed in order to explain away the simple scientific fact of outer space's lack of gravity. No one, no matter what the name of the ship or the name of the show can walk around their star ship free of the effects of gravity-or the lack there of.

Babylon Five, is a large space station that is cylindrical by design, much like the great Science Fiction writer, and leader in his field, Sir Arthur C. Clark's' "Rendezvous with Rhama". B-5 obeys this first and most primary law of physics, therefore, all the great fictional stories that follow within this fold, are all the more believable, because they are probable, in most cases, scientifically.

Certainly, we have no scientific knowledge of what sorts of alien (to us at least) species would actually be interactive within such a fantastic station; but that is the point of Sci-Fi, to engage our minds to the possibility-without letting go of Science!

Once you let go of scientific fact, you no longer have true Sci-Fi. You have, instead, science fantasy. Star Trek, Star Wars and Battle Star Gallactica are actually Space Operas! They should not even be considered as Sci-Fi, even though the Sci-Fi channel uses them as filler.

More than a few Outer Limits and Twilight Zones have kept true to the genre, but far too many of what we watch are actually betraying the type by letting go of the rule by which the founders: Asimov, Clark, Heinlein and so many others originated back in the days when space travel was still a dream man was determined to achieve.

Best "Real Science Fiction" series? Babylon Five.

Best mini-series? Although a difficult choice, I have to go with Dune, and Children of Dune.

Learn more about this author, S Bond Herndon.
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