- Science Fiction Turn-Offs -

[quiet_samurai]

I hate alien invasions or anything that instantly portrays anything non-Human as completely genocidal for no reason. Not so coincidentally, I like sci-fi where the aliens are portrayed as heroes, such as District 9.

Agree... kinda. It would be a lame movie if it was about ET's coming to earth and wanting to just be pals and all. Besides the evil alien invader story is one that evry person on earth can relate to... it's just an old story retold with a modern spin.

OT: Nothing really, even though alot of them have been done to death. It is fiction by the way, and you could always... you know... not read or watch it.

 

[Mythbhavd]

Ships that make sound in space.

 

[TheTaco007]

I don't really have anything specific, but whenever I'm in a library and I go to the sci-fi section, it's always books with covers of people trying to fight dragons by shooting them with laser pistols.
I'm usually looking for something more modern, so I end up judging the book by its cover and getting turned away from it.

Ships that make sound in space.

Also this.

 

[Arikos]

I really dislike the blurred line between science fiction- fantasy-- and generic adventure. I'm about to say something that is going to anger a lot of people... deep breath... here we go: I don't consider Star Wars science fiction. Dune is science fiction. Trek is science fiction. Star Wars is a space adventure that happens to involve a ton of racist aliens, pseudo religious mumbo-jumbo, incestuous situations, and Wookies. While these elements are potentially "cool" (baring the incestuous situations) and interesting, and hell, I'll even go so far as to say fun, they do not science fiction make. Star Wars is an action adventure for the whole family-- (once again, barring the incestuous situations-- no pun intended). I used to really enjoy sci-fi... then my favorite channel for such things changed its name to SyFy... wtf? With that, the programing shifted as well. Gone was my Dr.Who, and in came paranormal hunters... Thanks guys- really.


In summation, I dislike things that masquerade as Science Fiction. Most of what is produced today is watered down action/adventure genre casually thrown into a space setting. I would love to see a future that isn't so removed from standard middle class United States as it is this decade. Perhaps with a few changes here and there, but nothing major.
Science Fiction should explore a paradox, not an epic.

 

[Vrex360]

I hate alien invasions or anything that instantly portrays anything non-Human as completely genocidal for no reason. Not so coincidentally, I like sci-fi where the aliens are portrayed as heroes, such as District 9.

Same here, it annoys me greatly when this occurs, in reality any savage and destructive alien race is no more guilty of desire for destruction than any amount of human cultures.
So yeah, I too like sympathetic aliens and really hate the whole 'graaaagh evil aliens' movement.

EDIT: One thing that really annoys me though are aliens that look almost exactly like humans. As if the only way I can empathise with them is if they look and sound almost exactly like humans, it's okay if you are trying to make said alien look attractive but for god's sake aliens need to look like actual aliens.

 

[Ldude893]

Sound in space. Sci-fi movies just keep doing that.

 

[Ranorak]

Gun metal grey space ships?

I mean... really?
If the thing is so advanced that you can live in it, dress it up a little!
And also, swooshing automatic doors.
...at least make 'em sigh of happiness.

 

[GodsAndFishes]

How armies are able to conquer planets easily, especially when multiple superpowers have attempted to conquer the middle east over the past few centuries and none have been able to do it. So why would a space empire be able to take control over an entire planet in a couple of weeks?

 

[Samurai Goomba]

In general when special effects are used in a situation where a practical effect (an actual explosion, good makeup, some quality set building) would work just as well.

Really, just look at the Star Wars prequel for a good list of everything I hate in Science Fiction, then look at the original movies, Gattaca or Irresponsible Captain Tylor to see how to handle SF properly.

There was a short SF story called "Shadow on the Stars" which brought up a point about how it is effectively impossible to "conquer" or invade a system or galaxy. I wish more films would keep this idea in mind.

 

[BubbaJeff]

Sigourney Weaver, what a *****.

 

[Queen Michael]

When, a thousand years into the future, the English language remains exactly the same as now and all words mean exactly the same thing as they do here in 2010 except that there's new swear words that the writer can use without losing your PG-rating.

 

[Hargrimm]

Conquering planets: How exactly can you conquer a planet, when the crew of your fleet is about ten thousand people at best? I mean, we are talking about taking over an entire PLANET.
Just proves that [URL="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SciFiWritersHaveNoSenseOfScale" (title,target)]sci-fi writers have no sense of scale[/URL] (Warning: a Link to tvtropes.)

Forgetting the science part of sci-fi. I can understand making up stuff for having FTL drives and similar unlikely devices. But when they get basic physics, biology, chemistry, etc. wrong, that makes me really angry.

A [URL="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PlanetOfHats" (title,target)] Planet of Hats[/URL] is also really, really stupid. As if humans would be the only species with a wide variety of cultures.

Xenophilia. The idea of having a sexual relationship with another species disturbs me.

Because Humans will have sex with ANYTHING!

Considering the existence of necrophilia, bestiality, etc. sex with aliens doesn't surprise me.

 

[Vohn_exel]

Whenever humans

When the humans are evil because they are humans and when aliens beat humans.

This...well slightly. I hate it when humans are evil just because we are humans, but I hate that in any story. If the author feels that Mankind is the most horrible thing in existance, then go and either write a book solely about it, or go and be a hermit. Aliens aren't going to be magically more awsome then us simply because they don't live where we do.

I actually wouldn't mind a movie where the aliens win, that would be different.

 

[Wicky_42]

Also, how come Aliens are always the ones with the laser-rifles? Why can't we be space-conquerers, and their species is in their stone age? WHY NOT? I'm sick of us being invaded, and us winning EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

Avatar And they won - looks like technology backfires

 

[w-Jinksy]

In nearly every sci-fi theres the main protagonist who is the chosen one or something and they always lead to victory/defeat the evil space corporation/foil an ancient species/save humanity.

it's bullshit how the fuck does one person do all that, probably why i prefer 40k none of whats listed can be done hell the emperor had countless normal soldiers and 20 legions of space marines just to take back some of the galaxy and that took a long ass time.

also when the science is explained too much but its explained wrong and then they rely on the fucked up interpretation as a plot device.

 

[Ender0Speaker]

I hate alien invasions or anything that instantly portrays anything non-Human as completely genocidal for no reason. Not so coincidentally, I like sci-fi where the aliens are portrayed as heroes, such as District 9.

If that's the case, I'd recommend the Ender series. You might not like the 1st book a whole lot (there are 5 books in all) if this is the case but just stick with it. After that there's a ton of science fiction stuff and the characters are just great. My username is actually based off of the series. There's also a parallel series with a lot of political fiction in it if you're into that.

In any case, I just like books that are written well and at least have a little bit of scientific backbone. Take the Foundation series by Isaac Asimov for example. Is the science all that spectacular (though Asimov was an accomplished scientist)? No! But is the writing good? By god, yes. It even beat out the Lord of the Rings at the Hugo award's one-time 'Best All-Time Series.' Now THAT is something to be proud of!

 

[kurupt87]

Bah, just watched an episode of Stargate Universe, well several to be exact. Not consistent with itself = very annoying.
A ship that can...

Spoiler

Fly into and through a star

...but can't...

Spoiler

stand up to weapons fire.

.......................

It wasn't exactly amazing, I was only watching it for Rush and the occasional funny from Eli, but that just pushed me over the edge.