How come there isn more science fiction on television?
Zuckerman: The network is terrified of the term “science fiction.” We’re not allowed to call it science fiction. We say “futuristic.” Glaser: The Sci Fi Channel is successful, but as a niche channel, not a broadcast channel. How has audience taste changed in the past decade? Landau: People respond negatively to stuff they see as packaged. They see through it because they’ve been inundated with media since they were really young. Today, by the time you’re 18 you’ve seen hundreds of films, and you’re as visually literate as only cinephiles were 20 years ago. Glaser: Look at The Daily Show. It deconstructs the media in a way that would have been a Marshall McLuhan book 25 years ago. But how many times can you be winking at yourself, winking at yourself, winking at yourself? Landau: This audience has grown up with media that’s been deconstructed for them. The Daily Show has to continue pushing it beyond the level that you can do yourself.
