Category Archives: 37 Minutes

A story, as an author* once wrote, exists in three times: the time in which the story is set, the time in which it is written, and the time in which it is read. In the case of science fiction, the first of these times will necessarily never come to pass, even when the future date eventually becomes the present and then quickly recedes into the past. We did not send the spacecraft Discovery to Jupiter to rendezvous with humankind’s destiny in the year 2001 (nor did we even send the Leonov — from the Soviet Union, mind you — nine years later to find out what had happened to it). And of course we still don’t have hoverboards or self-lacing Nikes, and in a few years the only Nexus Androids that will be around will look like tablets.

Nor is a story’s third time a static thing, either. A reader today who picks up a Jules Verne novel will marvel not just at the sweeping adventure, but also at the archaic courtesies, the quaint presumptions, and the casual racism and sexism that were simply taken for granted by readers in fin de siecle Europe. Verne’s fiction is often described as the original steampunk — a concept that would not have made sense to anyone reading Verne before steampunk was invented.

It is the second time of a story — the time in which the story was written — that concerns us here.

Science fiction as a genre was born and grew up in the United States between the two World Wars, and as such the literature was dominated for much of its formative years by white males (though, it should be noted, not exclusively men of Anglo-Saxon descent nor of the Protestant faiths).

As times changed, so too did American society’s appreciation that women and people of color were among those who had been created — and should be treated — equal. During that time science fiction evolved too, gradually opening its doors wider to welcome those newly recognized equals and to hear the stories they had brought with them to share. And with this greater diversity of voices, science fiction became a richer, more subtle, more complex literature that no longer simply entertained, but challenged society to aspire to a better future.

More recently, science fiction has become a place in which the the manifold complexities of gender are being explored in innovative and exciting ways, once again inviting us to try and see the world through a different lens — so that once again, the world of yesterday will feel as foreign to us as the world of Verne.

Channel 37 was established as an homage to the style of science fiction of the 1950s, the waning days of the white male dominance of science fiction and immediately prior to the cultural revolutions of the 1960s that broadened the genre’s vision and voices and set the tone for its second half-century. However, though our stories may be set in the retro-future, the time in which they are written — and thus the sentiments they share — is very much the diverse, embracing, affirming, validating present.

The convulsions that have gripped the science fiction community as a result of “Puppygate” are deeply painful to watch, as authors and fans who have claimed the mantle of “classic science fiction” argue that we would be better off tearing down what the collective imaginations of nearly four generations of writers have labored to build.

What needs to be said about this sad situation has already been said more eloquently than we ever could by such lights as Connie Willis, George R.R. Martin, and Eric Flint. But as practitioners of the particular type of science fiction that is at the heart of this debate, we feel that we have something to say about it, too, however humble our own efforts have been compared to their accomplishments.

Our message to the Puppies and their supporters — like our stories, you might be tempted to say — is short and simple: though your stories may harken back to the styles of the past, they can never succeed in reestablishing that past. You are, like it or not, writing in the present, for readers in the present — the big, wide-open, all-embracing present in which women, people of color, gay men and lesbians, and transgender people, representing a broad range of cultures and creeds, have joined the white males in transforming what once was a one-room house into a mansion. And to which voices yet unheard will soon be contributing, we sincerely hope.

By and large, the Hugos are awarded to the builders — the writers who work at the frontier of the genre, exploring new storytelling forms, speaking in new voices, inviting us to see in new perspectives. The stories that the Puppies tell, by definition, don’t represent the leading edge of science fiction anymore, and they haven’t for quite some time.

That’s fine, of course. There is still, and will always be, room in the mansion for the old styles, while new rooms are being added to accommodate the styles to which the Puppies take offense. But that being said, the Puppies need to understand that science fiction is never going to go back to being a one-room house run by white guys.

And we are all the better for it — as a genre, as a fandom, and as a society.

Paul Lagasse and Gary Lester
Co-founders, Channel 37

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* — We have been trying in vain to identify the source of this quote. If you know who said it, please leave us a comment below so that we can update the post accordingly. We believe in giving credit where credit is due!

Hi Channel 37 fans! We will be at Balticon 48 this weekend. We are giving away 37 Bags of Swag! Come by out table and enter our 37 Bags of Swag contest!

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Our latest Audion Invasion revisits our “Global Warming – Change for Good?” article.

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In a strange turn of events, our senior editor has been Zombiefied!

Really it’s just the work of the mad Photoshop Genius Sarah G.

Zombiefication of our Senior editor by Sarah G.

By the way.. The bunny ears are a tribute to “they Came From New Jersey!”

Zombie Power!

Enjoy!

The epic game “Skyrimwas released by Bethesda Studios on November 11, 2011. This was the successor to “Oblivion” by the same company in the same world. It was met by huge success and still is popular among gamer to this day.

Before the game was released, Bethesda had various videos showing game play and videos of various creatures. There was a lot of build-up to the game, and a lot of enthusiasm resulted.

One interesting promotional tool they announced was this: If you had a child born on November 11, 2011 (11/11/11 – the release date) you (the responsible parent) name it Dovahkiin (which means “Dragonborn” – the hero of the game), Bethesda Software would provide you (the responsible parent) with free Bethesda Software games for life!

As chance would happen, we met a team member of the Skyrim crew the other day. He was quite proud of the work that he did on the game. He was also glad that we thought it was one on the best games around. As he started to leave, we asked if there were any takers on the birthday thing. He told us three.

Three.

Three children named Dovahkiin. Three kids, who in two years, will start preschool and have to explain the name to their teachers. All for free Bethesda Software games for life? Is worth it?

Seems good to us.

I recently read a Blog by Emily Finke on he experiences at Balticon. You can read the whole thing at: here

I actually met Emily at Balticon while she was wearing the costume mentioned in her blog. I told her how I thought it was well made very authentic. Having watched the original series, her costume was very nostalgic for me, and I appreciated the attention to detail.

Apparently, others at the event felt Ms. Finke was sending a message, and proceeded to let her know how they felt about it. The last few days, I’ve been glued to the comments section and have read some of the most bizarre statements. To her credit, Ms. Finke answers these comments in a forthright, yet non-insulting manner. I commend her for that.

This issues raises some real concerns. This is after all, the 21st century.

I have been most of my life, a feminist. I have always felt that women should get the same respect as men. Perhaps this is because my older sister had no problem beating me up when I was a kid, or keeping me in line. I never had a “weaker sex” role model in my life. My mother lived through the worst part of World War II, my grandmother eked out her existence on a small farm after both her husbands died – leaving her with nothing but a bunch of kids.

Ms. Finke’s experience seems like something better suited for the 1950’s a lá Channel 37. Generally, our stories try to have positive female role models, women who can fend for themselves. It is Major Candace Dare that frees a tied up Colonel Fitzhugh from the mad scientist as drags him to safety on a rocky road in high heels, without once twisting her ankle. It is Professor Madeleine Abbott that saves the world from alien invasion. Irene “Smitty” Smithson keeps the Pickett in one piece and functioning even after a crash landing. And so on.

Another great article I found this week is Lisa Bloom’s How to Talk to a Little Girl: here
This article could be used as a primer, teaching guys how to talk to women and girls in public places.

Guys, this IS the 21st Century. Let’s start by not acting like cavemen (my apologies to the Geico guys). Please Grow Up! And thank you Emily Finke!

Our normal schedule will resume next week. Thank you!