Let's make sci-fi
The premise of this show is very simple. 3 comedy writers come together to bring to life their lifelong journey of writing a sci-fi show. The podcast is documentation of their process.
Mark, Ryan, and Maddy have 8 weeks to create a world and characters for their sci-fi show. But they are not alone!
In each episode, a sci-fi writer, producer, or scary executive will come and help them with their feedback and advice.
At the 8 weeks end, real actors will read the pilot and we'll have a new potential sci-fi show on our radar.
I think this show accomplished something important. It made the process of writing fun and exciting. Like a "will they, won't they" kind of rom-com.
Usually writing is happening inside the head of the writer.
As I write this review I'm sitting alone in the room with my headphones on. Britney Spears's Break the ice is playing, and I... write. From the outside, nothing is interesting about this process.
"Let's make a sci-fi" ticked so many boxes at the same time.
I felt the fear when Mark, Ryan, and Maddy came up with a plot and they had to *actually* show it to someone.
I felt effective procrastination. When you don't want to write something in particular, so you write another plotline instead altogether.
Who will like this podcast?
I think this is a very unique podcast, it will suit both people who just genuinely love sci-fi, and people who want or already wrote sci-fi.
Sci-fi lovers will enjoy following the process of worldbuilding, and seeing how the hosts are coming up with all these characters and little quirks about their world.
Writers (like myself) I'm sure will enjoy seeing how creatives are going through the non-linear process of bringing a world to life.
There's also a thing called "Aquans" and you'll need to listen to the podcast to learn what it is. I live for the Aquans drama.
Let's talk about the episodes
This is a spoiler-free review!
Because this is a podcast where episodes are meant to follow a chronological order it's impossible to pick out and recommend one. So here are small blurbs and quotes I loved from each episode.
Episode 1. Mark, Ryan, and Maddy are just brainstorming ideas, throwing them all together to see what sticks. Phrases like "Nana the slime creature", "feral old people", and "dolphin people" are thrown around. Aquan's make their debut.
Episode 2. This episode features a Sci-fi movie binge-fest with friends. Ryan is still bullish on Aquans. Simulation, a bomb, or a cult is a potential thing in this world. Also, Ryan mapped out the whole season in 1 day and it goes great! Amazing actually. No notes.
Episode 3. An empty world without a character is it even a thing?. What the hell is a logline? Kirby. Lee. Girlboss. Sci-fi with horny people is apparently a thing.
Quote, I loved: "If it's not about a person you don't have a pitch, you have a setting. People are endlessly fascinating, but starships you see them and say okay there's a starship".
Episode 4. Seems like the story will have a Frisby area. The episode spends a lot of time thinking about the science part of sci-fi. Mark, Ryan, and Maddy discover time dilation, which is apparently an important thing. A question appears: should astronauts know how to drill? Aquans.
"First get your facts straight, then distort them at your leisure." - Mark Twain.
Episode 5. Sci-fi is always created with some social commentary. How to make it apparent, but also not like a lecture for the audience.
Quote, I loved: "You have to be razor-sharp with what you're saying when the audience comes out from the film image the best-case scenario. What would it be? And work backward."
The episode spends time discussing good and bad exposition. Meanwhile, the story may or may not feature a candle ceremony. Purpose versus Auqans is a thing in this episode and I'm here for it.
Episode 6. Taking into account the extensive comedy background of the hosts it's hard to imagine how they can rule out comedy from their writing. But they certainly will try!
The episode features one of the most relatable lines from Maddy about writing your first draft: "My thing is just I know we're gonna change everything, so I wasn't asking it super well."
Episode 7. Showing your baby, your writing to scary executives is... scary, but our hosts are brave and in this episode, we'll see what executives things about their story. Featuring a feedback shitsandwich, also known as positive feedback followed by crushing negative feedback. This is fun!
Episode part 1 and 2 finally features the magnum opus "Progeny" written by Mark, Ryan, and Maddy.
I hope this review translated the magical chaotic energy "Let's make a sci-fi" had, and you'll be inspired to listen to it as well.