TV Space Tactics (Was: Trek/SFB conversions)

David writes,

>  Do you really think B5 is any better? 

Several other people have already rallied around the B5 flag on this
one, so
I won't MeToo them, but...

> Star Trek is about characters and stories. 

Exactly right, and this is true for most all TV, sci-fi or not. B5's
battles
are light-years ahead of anything else on the box, but the show is still
primarily character and plot driven. Now, I'm not saying this is a BAD
thing!
All the military sci-fi I've ever seen on TV has been wretched! (sorry,
"Space: A&B" fans)

While many of us war-pigs might enjoy tactics-based stories, I doubt the
"wargamer demographic" is a significant factor in the ratings. The vast
majority of the viewing audience thinks the "Picard Maneuver" *IS*
tactics!
Have you ever tried to explain strategy or tactics to a non-military,
non-wargamer? I have -- it can be done, but you'd better not have any
appointments for the rest of the day!  :-)   Most viewers are just not
interested enough to sit through the hours of exposition this would
require.

Secondly, even if you wanted to, it seems to me that TV-as-a-medium is
poorly-suited to depicting tactics. Imagine, for example, trying to
follow
the tactics of a wargame without looking at the map. TV can generally
only
focus on one or two people (or ships or whatever) at a time, so if you
want
to explain the tactical picture, you're back into exposition again. Even
most
war movies rarely show much of the tactics involved, although there are
certainly exceptions.

Sorry for the long ramble, but you got me thinking. (And you KNOW how
dangerous that is!)

Scott Field

PARANOIA: The pathalogical belief that one is *important* enough to be
the
object of a conspiracy.