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1. "Remedial Chaos Theory" (Community)
This is the only episode of Community I've ever seen, and it was AMAZING. Amazing! I immediately wanted to re-watch it. It somehow managed to be thoughtful and lighthearted at the same time. I was also really impressed that I could show up at episode 4 of season 3 of a TV show I knew nothing about, and have no trouble whatsoever following the story. I like that it avoided the easy ending of having any of them be a "real" timeline, while still avoiding getting too tragic with the darkest one. Definitely great TV, but also great sci fi. Humor isn't easier than melodrama, and a short episode isn't easier than a long one-- rather the opposite. And, I feel like it means more when a non-SF show does a SF episode. It's a bigger risk, and it has a bigger impact on their audience. I want more shows to do stuff like this.
2. "The Girl Who Waited" (Doctor Who)
Now this is good sci fi. Perfectly, beautifully self-contained. Haunting. Completely driven by its sci fi elements, but driven to explore the human condition. Old Amy humanizes the time travel convention of undoing imperfect timelines. Of course it feels like a death to her; of course she would rather be rescued than erased. And of course Rory still loves Amy, and they're both "Amy 1". The only thing I found implausible was the Doctor's insistence that the TARDIS couldn't sustain the paradox, since it's sustained much bigger ones for much longer time periods-- but he's enough of an asshole, in his own way, that it also works to believe that he doesn't want to be faced with the existence of Old Amy, that he actually prefers for her to be erased so he can erase his own failure. And the worldbuilding was fantastic.
3. "The Doctor's Wife" (Doctor Who)
A stunning episode of Doctor Who. Perfect character moments for all our cast. But reflecting, I think the massive love for this episode hinges upon fifty years of love for the Tardis, rather than any particular conceptual heavy-lifting in the episode itself. Then again, is that a problem? Sexy's time-tangled conversations are great sci fi, as are Amy and Rory's time-twisted terrors. I think the episode would still make sense on its own, and carry much of the same emotional heft. The long history just helps catapult it from 'great' to 'unforgettable'-- and, however it gets there, 'unforgettable' has been my primary Hugo criteron so far.
4. No Award
"A Good Man Goes to War" (Doctor Who)
A pretty enjoyable episode of the show, but totally reliant on previous episodes in a way that I don't think allows this one to stand as a singular piece. Lots of beautiful tiny worldbuilding moments but just not that thoughtful.
"The Drink Tank's Hugo Acceptance Speech"
Yes, this makes me cry every time, but seriously? This is not a work of science fiction, and it does not deserve a Hugo. Giving this video a Hugo will not give us a repeat of those amazing feelings. It would actually be kinda dickish.
This is the only episode of Community I've ever seen, and it was AMAZING. Amazing! I immediately wanted to re-watch it. It somehow managed to be thoughtful and lighthearted at the same time. I was also really impressed that I could show up at episode 4 of season 3 of a TV show I knew nothing about, and have no trouble whatsoever following the story. I like that it avoided the easy ending of having any of them be a "real" timeline, while still avoiding getting too tragic with the darkest one. Definitely great TV, but also great sci fi. Humor isn't easier than melodrama, and a short episode isn't easier than a long one-- rather the opposite. And, I feel like it means more when a non-SF show does a SF episode. It's a bigger risk, and it has a bigger impact on their audience. I want more shows to do stuff like this.
2. "The Girl Who Waited" (Doctor Who)
Now this is good sci fi. Perfectly, beautifully self-contained. Haunting. Completely driven by its sci fi elements, but driven to explore the human condition. Old Amy humanizes the time travel convention of undoing imperfect timelines. Of course it feels like a death to her; of course she would rather be rescued than erased. And of course Rory still loves Amy, and they're both "Amy 1". The only thing I found implausible was the Doctor's insistence that the TARDIS couldn't sustain the paradox, since it's sustained much bigger ones for much longer time periods-- but he's enough of an asshole, in his own way, that it also works to believe that he doesn't want to be faced with the existence of Old Amy, that he actually prefers for her to be erased so he can erase his own failure. And the worldbuilding was fantastic.
3. "The Doctor's Wife" (Doctor Who)
A stunning episode of Doctor Who. Perfect character moments for all our cast. But reflecting, I think the massive love for this episode hinges upon fifty years of love for the Tardis, rather than any particular conceptual heavy-lifting in the episode itself. Then again, is that a problem? Sexy's time-tangled conversations are great sci fi, as are Amy and Rory's time-twisted terrors. I think the episode would still make sense on its own, and carry much of the same emotional heft. The long history just helps catapult it from 'great' to 'unforgettable'-- and, however it gets there, 'unforgettable' has been my primary Hugo criteron so far.
4. No Award
"A Good Man Goes to War" (Doctor Who)
A pretty enjoyable episode of the show, but totally reliant on previous episodes in a way that I don't think allows this one to stand as a singular piece. Lots of beautiful tiny worldbuilding moments but just not that thoughtful.
"The Drink Tank's Hugo Acceptance Speech"
Yes, this makes me cry every time, but seriously? This is not a work of science fiction, and it does not deserve a Hugo. Giving this video a Hugo will not give us a repeat of those amazing feelings. It would actually be kinda dickish.
