Science-Fiction Weekly – The TV Shows You Should Watch, Divide, Guardians Of The Galaxy

Friends often ask me if they should watch Doctor Who. I believe it's one of the most heartfelt, whimsical, and interesting shows on television today, but I can't in good conscience recommend it to most of the people I know. Why? I don't see an easy entry point. I don't think you need to go back the series' inception in 1963 – even I can't get into those episodes – but to understand what makes this show great, you have to start with the 2005 season, starring Christopher Eccleston as the ninth Doctor. He's the least charismatic of the recent Doctors, but the events that unfold around him carry on into future seasons. To put it a better way, you want to watch the Russell T. Davies era of Doctor Who. He's the showrunner, writer, and director who gave this series new legs. Watching over a decade worth of Doctor Who to "get it" is overkill, and something few people will do, but that's the completionish approach.

The alternative is starting with Matt Smith's run in 2010. This means you'll miss the greatest Doctor Who era (with David Tennant as the Doctor), but Smith's first season is another solid entry point, as it almost feels like a reboot. If you want to see David Tennant's run from 2006-2010, I recommend starting with that Eccleston season first. He was only the Doctor for one year, but his story sets the table for Tennant's reign.

If not Doctor Who, what science-fiction shows do I recommend to my friends? I have a handful that I divide up into levels of nerdom. The least nerdy and easiest to follow is Netflix's Stranger Things. The characters are front and center more than the experiments, science, and, well, strange things. The binge-worthy show is set in 1983 and focuses mostly on the disappearance of an 11-year-old boy. The mystery of what is happening at any given time is a driving force for this show. The second season begins on Halloween, so you have plenty of time to catch up. If you were living under a rock during the Super Bowl on Sunday, here's the teaser trailer for season two!

Sticking on the Netflix theme, I also recommend Travelers, a new show about time-travelers who journey back to the 21st century to save the planet. Their version of Earth in the future is mostly destroyed. They return to the past by entering the body of a human who is seconds away from death. Since that person would technically no longer exist, they aren't altering the timeline too much. Travelers is another show that tells a great science-fiction mystery by focusing intently on each character. The modern-day content is just as engaging as the sci-fi angles.

If a big mystery is the hook you are looking for, HBO's Westworld is one of the best shows on television. The first season doesn't dawdle in ambiguity for long. It delivers just as many answers as it does new mysteries to unravel. This is another easy show to jump into, as the first season just concluded, and it tries to root itself in reality as much as possible. The sci-fi themes are heady, yet are communicated clearly enough that anyone should understand what is happening.

If you are in the market for something a little different, Syfy's The Expanse is a must-watch show. Set roughly 200 years from now, mankind has taken to the stars and populated our solar system. Shocker: We haven't learned much about empathy in the time that has passed. A great social divide still exists, and people are fighting for survival. The show is mostly seen from three radically different perspectives; one focused on a noir-like detective, another on a political advisor, and one following an unlikely starship captain. The Expanse is beautifully shot and hasn't slowed in the slightest on delivering intrigue.

Syfy has another little hit on its hands in Killjoys, a pulpy show about bounty hunters living on the fringe. I'd only go into this show if you have an appreciation for shows like Farscape or Stargate, as the tone often fluctuates between serious themes and camp. Other shows I enjoy are Continuum and Orphan Black, but both have hit rough spots later in their runs. I hope these picks help you find something fun to watch right now. If you dive into one, let me know what you think of it in the comments section below.

Next to Mass Effect Andromeda, the most exciting development in science fiction right now is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. The  Super Bowl trailer is fantastic, and highlights new recruits for this ragtag crew. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 opens in theaters on May 5.

Don't expect to be playing anything exciting this week. The only notable science-fiction game is Divide, a top-down adventure that focuses more on exploring offices designed like rat mazes than anything else. Divide gets off to a strong start with meaningful character development between your character David and his daughter, but quickly loses its story hooks in favor of exploration.

After learning of an experiment his wife was working on, David becomes a stranger in a strange land, trapped in a different reality. Rather than figuring out what this world is, David is quickly tasked to hack computer terminals over and over again. The complex he inhabits is confusing in design. Getting lost is easy. Figuring out what to do next is mostly trial and error given the lack of clarity in the mission and map systems. I wanted to see David reunite with this daughter, but I grew bored of the simplistic gameplay, which sees the player walking from terminal to terminal and door to door. Combat is a part of the equation, but in the early stages of the game, running past enemies is the easiest solution, as their A.I. cannot pinpoint you quick enough. The combat itself doesn't offer anything you are missing. Just point your gun at an enemy and fire.

The science-fiction world in Divide is fascinating. David uses augmented-reality contact lenses to reveal hidden information in his environment. A glistening glass city can be seen on the horizon. Storms prevent you from getting there. This is a rich world that we sadly don't learn enough about in the opening acts. The visuals and score set the tone perfectly, but again, the entertainment isn't there to back them up. I'm only three hours into the game, but it doesn't seem like it's going to evolve at this point. I just keep interacting with computers to unlock more doors, and more of the office complex. Bummer. I really wanted to see where this story went. If you are still intrigued by Divide, check out the trailer below.

That's it for this week's column, everyone. Thanks again for supporting this silly little editorial. I can't stress that enough. See you in seven days!