Fiction Genres: The Comprehensive Guide to Rule Them All
Fiction genres are much debated and revised, but they’re crucial to providing logical order to the storytelling arts.
Television
GLOW: TV Series Cancelled On Verge Of Battling Social Issues
Netflix cancelling its GLOW TV series left more than plot threads unresolved. The series had just begun to tackle problematic social issues.
The Stand (1994): Re-Watching the Original Miniseries (Review)
Before you check out the new nine-part series of The Stand (2020) coming to CBS in December, let’s journey back to the mid 90’s and revisit the four-part television miniseries of The Stand (1994).
Away VFX Artists Talk Details of the Netflix Series’ Zero G Visuals
The Netflix series Away takes place in outer space, and VFX can make or break that illusion. Enter the Away VFX artists from Framestore.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Fictionphile Podcast #11
In this episode of the Fictionphile Podcast, the crew analyzes why Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV) is a work of art.
Community: An American Retrospective
The TV show Community featured lots of laughs, but it did so with a truly touching and American-centric message of acceptance, togetherness, and strength through diversity.
7 Must-See Veronica Mars Episodes Streaming Now
We recently revisited the pint-sized blonde detective and rekindled our love. But not all Veronica Mars episodes are created equal.
Girl Power Shows: 5 Amazing Series to Binge Watch
Girl power was on the move in 2020, but like most things, it was derailed by the Coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe and driving many indoors, voluntarily or not.
HBO & WB Form Warner Max Label to Make Original Streaming Content
HBO Max’s May 2020 premiere was already anticipated, but with Warner Max it’s clear WarnerMedia will enter the streaming wars guns blazing.
20 Best Upcoming Sci Fi Movies, TV & Books (2020)
At Fictionphile, we’re pretty big science fiction nerds, so it’s only natural that we keep a close eye on upcoming sci fi across all of fiction’s mediums.
Too Old to Die Young is Too Slow, Too Weird, Too Hard to Stop Watching (Review)
Too Old to Die Young is one of those oddities that cause some of us to say to ourselves and viewing partners, “Just a… little more.”
Aeschylus: Ancient Greece’s Father of Dialogue and Drama
If you ever loved a movie, play, TV show, or book–anything with dialogue–take a moment and thank Aeschylus. Not convinced? Let’s talk.
Carrie limited series on FX gets greenlight
A Carrie limited series just got approved for FX based on the horror novel of the same name by Stephen King.
High Fidelity TV remake trailer drops (Hulu)
The trailer for Hulu’s TV series remake of High Fidelity dropped today. The series and the original movie, starring John Cusack, is based on the Nick Hornby novel.
Fictional Locations: 12 Made-Up Destinations We Wish We Could Visit
Thanks to various forms of fiction, popular culture is rife with different fictional locations from Hogwarts to the Mushroom Kingdom.
Body Swap Fiction: The 7 Best Examples of All Time (2019)
Just like bodies, no two examples of body swap fiction are exactly the same. They can range from the macabre to the quirky or cringe-worthy to brilliant.
A Constant Reader’s Guide to the Stephen King Multiverse
If you’re relatively new to Stephen King, you might not know the terms constant reader or the Stephen King Multiverse. That’s why we’re here to break down the fiction universe you simply must know.
Ranking Science Fiction Weapons by Amount of Destruction
The battles of science fiction usually need heavy artillery. However, sci-fi movies do not all follow the rules of a single universe.
Game of Thrones Theories: 10 Awesome Predictions for the Final Season
With April 14th fast approaching, Games of Thrones theories are getting more accurate and also a lot more weird.
31 References in Rick and Morty We Totally Missed (One Per Episode)
Pop culture references in Rick and Morty run deep. Even the concept of the time traveling duo started as a satire of Doc and Marty from Back to the Future.
Altered Carbon and Morality: Who Wants To Live Forever?
Watching Altered Carbon, one inevitably asks, would life lose its savor if we lived forever?
Breaking Bad vs Weeds: 5 Surprising Similarities You Didn’t Notice
Drugs and the talkies share a storied history. But two still-popular series show a scary resemblance. Let’s compare Breaking Bad vs Weeds.
5 Most Plausible Black Mirror Episodes
Many episodes of Black Mirror can have a tendency to feel both prescient and totally plausible. Turns out, some are totally possible.
5 Totally Plausible Brain-Machine Interfaces from Sci-Fi
Researchers shook the Internet by the brain this week when they partially restored a quadriplegic man’s control of his hand, and we saw a glimpse of a potentially game changing brain-machine interface.
5 New Discoveries in Science Ripe for Science Fiction
Hearing about new discoveries in science sometimes feels exactly like reading or watching science fiction.
4 Chat Bots Easily Mistaken for Skynet Harbingers
The singularity, otherwise known as Dawn of the Planet of Computers, has been predicted for years. All we’ve received thus far are chat bots.
Companion Clara A Hard Nut To Crack
The Doctor’s companion Clara “Oswin” Oswald continues to baffle. And it’s clear to me now that this, the latest of many Doctor Who mysteries, won’t be quickly solved. Sunday night’s return, “Bells of St. John,” started out intriguing and laughable at once. Because the way they reveal the doctor after an absence is always intriguing. …
Walking Dead Episode 12 Review
The Walking Dead Episode 12 review: Clear showed last night on AMC. It was… Well, it was very good. Maybe not as amazing as everyone says. But good. SPOILERS AHEAD First, what was great about the episode. Morgan Jones returned. I loved the character, and it shows a departure from the comic book that both …
The Last Community Article I Will Write
I won’t make this long. It took my a few days to consider this, but I figured I’d go ahead and let everyone who follows my blog know my thoughts. This is the last Community article I plan to write. Fictionphile operates under the belief that every article is an endorsement, including reviews about TV …
American Horror Story Season Three To Feature Kathy Bates?
Looks like American Horror Story Season Three will star Kathy Bates in the role of villain. TVLine.com broke the news in an exclusive story. Other tidbits include Jessica Lange playing a “glamour cat leading lady,” and the season generally having a lighter tone than Asylum. The third season will also jump time periods, like season …
American Horror Story Season Three To Feature Kathy Bates? Read More »
The Walking Dead Home Postmortem (Review)
Let’s get one thing out of the way: The Walking Dead Home (episode 10) was a bazillion-times better than The Suicide King (episode 11). Also, yes, I was wrong about quite a few of my predictions. What the writers did instead was just fine and dandy, though, so I’m cool with it. Although, I will …
The Walking Dead Home Spoilers and Predictions
EOnline.com released a few spoilers for The Walking Dead Home (episode 10) in an article yesterday. One we already knew, but the others… Here’s the critical section from the article. WARNING: Walking Dead Home Spoilers Ahead Death Visits Zombieland…Again: Yep, we’re about to see another death. But will it come at the hands of humans …
Community Without Dan Harmon A Train Wreck
It’s obvious to say that NBC’s Community without Dan Harmon is different, but is it worse? Yes. A thousand times worse. First, go read this story about the whole Harmon getting booted thing and his thoughts on future involvement (see: none). Dan Harmon IS and WAS Community. The show ended when he left. Community without …
Walking Dead Suicide King Limps Into Second Half
It’s back. The Walking Dead “Suicide King” aired last night after much hype. It did not live up to it. Here’s the thing: I love The Walking Dead. I love the comic book, and I love the TV show. But it’s a TV show. As a result, it’s hampered by the age-old timing of the …
Walking Dead Suicide King Limps Into Second Half Read More »
Do No Harm Canceled After Only Two Episodes
News came today via The Hollywood Reporter that NBC is turning out the lights on its new drama. With Do No Harm canceled, I’m left to wonder why I repeatedly put my faith in good cable TV. There were three hugely hyped TV dramas this season. The Following, The Americans, and Do No Harm. Out …
Why the American Horror Story Finale Sucked
Well, the second season (second mini-series?) is over. But am I the only one that thought the American Horror Story finale sucked? OK, so I won’t be talking too much about it here. The reason being that I’m a little too disappointed to put every piece of my thoughts together. So I’ll just hit the …
The Following Review: Kevin Bacon Saves Pilot Episode
I won’t make the mistake of other The Following reviews and go on ad nauseum about Edgar Allan Poe and the killer inspired by him. Because, let’s get one thing straight. The Following’s pilot, Jan. 21, was only good because Kevin Bacon was in it. Let’s break down, quickly, just a few of the show’s …
The Following Review: Kevin Bacon Saves Pilot Episode Read More »
Face Off season 4 premieres tonight on Syfy
The Syfy original reality series returns. Face Off season 4 begins tonight (Jan. 15) at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Now, before I dive into why this excites me and should excite you, let me clarify why I’m talking about a reality show on a blog about fiction. Well, I’ve mentioned in the official Fictionphile manifesto how …
Walking Dead showrunner replaced, new trailer for Feb. 10 return
The Walking Dead showrunner will be replaced for the start of the fourth season by Scott Gimple. Glen Mazzara, who took control midway through season two, won’t be missed by fictionphile.com. Mazzara was best known for his work on The Shield prior to becoming The Walking Dead showrunner. The Hollywood Reporter, which broke the story, …
Walking Dead showrunner replaced, new trailer for Feb. 10 return Read More »
Doctor Who Christmas “Snowmen” a Great Present
Doctor Who is prolific with its holiday specials. There’s a common problem with TV shows and the holidays; it usually results in schmaltzy storytelling and reliance on ready made symbolism. The good Doctor, however, consistently uses the showcase — it is commonly during a episode break — to accelerate the overall plot or concentrate on …
Mad Men season 5 premiere
Mad Men’s premiere tonight left me feeling flat. It had a few watercooler moments, like Don’s new wife doing a “burlesque,” but it only promised and hinted at anything deeper coming up. Of course, they did open with the protest for equal employment and closed with its conclusion, which was done very smoothly, as …
The Walking Dead Season 2 Finale
AMC’s The Walking Dead closed its second season Sunday on a high (or low, if you’re the characters) note, but I’m left hoping this isn’t a bait-and-switch. I’m a fan of the comics, though I must admit I didn’t read them until the first season aired. I bought the entire series in TPB form …
