With 2015 coming to a close, genretvforall admins Emma and Jessi take a look back at the highlights and lowlights for diversity in genre television. Read on for recommendations, opinions, and a look forward to 2016!
What were your favorite new shows of 2015?
Emma: There were 38 new sci fi, fantasy, horror, and superhero shows in 2015 – and I checked out nearly all of them! Out of this abundance, my favorite was definitely Sense8, a Netflix original sci fi/fantasy series from Andy and Lana Wachowski (Matrix, Cloud Atlas) and J. Michael Straczynski (Babylon 5). It totally drew me in with its diverse characters, progressive themes, and gorgeous, on-location filming. The central idea is that eight strangers become telepathically connected and are pursued by a secret organization. But more so than the plot, it’s the exceptionally diverse and empathetic characters that make this show a standout for me. Netflix also produced my second favorite new show of the year, Jessica Jones. I’m developing superhero fatigue at this point, so it was really refreshing to find such a grounded, relatable heroine and storyline within the genre. Newbie honorable mentions: 12 Monkeys, Agent Carter, Daredevil, Dark Matter, The Expanse, Humans, Into the Badlands, iZombie, Killjoys, Other Space, Powers, and Supergirl.
Jessi: 2015 was a rough year for me, so I spent most of it rewatching Buffy and Gilmore Girls over and over like the TV version of security blankets, which means I missed out on a lot of shows, and a lot are still on my to-watch list, including Emma’s pick Sense8. That said, I fell in love this year, with a little gem on Syfy called Killjoys. If you listened to our podcast you would know I was excited and wary anticipating this new sci fi series about bounty hunters in space coming from Lost Girl creator Michelle Loretta and Orphan Black production company Temple Street. Excited because the team behind it, and because the multiracial black lead Dutch, played by Hannah John-Kamen, looked absolutely badass. Wary because the last time I had been so excited about a new show with a female lead was iZombie which ended up disappointing me by keeping Liv the exceptional girl in a world frequently only populated by men. The teaser for Killjoys Syfy put out did nothing to dissuade my fears. I ended up pleasantly surprised, Dutch’s world is filled with dynamic compelling men and women played by a relatively diverse cast, at least in relation to what we normally get on TV. Dutch herself manages to always remain three dimensional, and even when sexualized escapes falling victim to the male gaze by forever being active and the owner of her own agency. Even the premise, bounty hunters in space, fun enough on its own, quickly expands to show our protagonists caught between sides as a class war brews on their planetary system, The Quad. Throw in a mysterious figure from Dutch’s past and secretive and questionable political machinations and you get one of the best new shows in years.
