Charlie Jane Anders

Everything You Always Wanted To Know About The Making Of Blake’s 7

The British space opera TV series Blake’s 7 has never gotten the props it deserves, in part due to dodgy special effects. But the show’s influence on genre television and storytelling in general cannot be understimated. And now, you can watch a massive documentary on its genesis. Kevin Jon Davies created a four-part documentary on…

Shyamalan Reinvents The Prisoner And Hieroglyph Sexes Up Ancient Egypt

Surprise! M. Night Shyamalan’s creepy new show Wayward Pines actually looks downright watchable in this first three-minute promo. Mostly because of the incredible cast. And below, watch the first short promo for Hieroglyph, Fox’s Egyptian mythology show. We’ve been comparing Wayward Pines to Twin Peaks, because of the obvious similarities — but the above promo…

How To Find The Best New Science Fiction And Fantasy Stories

Jonathan Strahan has been editing collections of the year’s best short fiction for several years — and it’s no easy task. In this essay, Strahan talks about reading a whole year’s worth of stories for the Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Volume 8. Reading for a year by Jonathan Strahan Being a year’s best editor…

The Star Wars Characters Who MUST Be In The New Movies

The brand new Star Wars trilogy is a blank canvas, wide open for J.J. Abrams, Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg to create something new and brave. But we’re bound to see some familiar characters from the original films, plus some people from the E.U. Which characters absolutely need to be in the new films? Please…

Tyrion Is Among The Least Skilled Players Of The Game Of Thrones

Back in Game of Thrones season two, we heard a lot about how Tyrion was taking to court intrigue in King’s Landing. How he was enjoying playing politics, and discovering he was quite good at it. The sad thing? He was horrible at it. Almost as bad as Ned Stark. Last night’s episode pretty much…

Watch Dean Cain Kill A Guy Using A Tiny Bottle Of Contact Lens Spray

Here’s one of the most inventive methods of killing a guy ever shown on screen. Dean Cain is cornered by two guys with machine guns, and he’s out of bullets. (They don’t know this.) So he waits for one of them to go through the safety door, and sets a cunning trap. Spoilers ahead… How…

Everyone Has To Make Sacrifices For The Corporate Future, On Continuum

Continuum’s dystopian corporate-dominated future, featuring chemical weapons and indentured servitude, isn’t going to arrive all by itself. That beautifully dark world will require work — and yes, sacrifice — on the part of everyone to arrive. But it’s the way things are supposed to turn out! Spoilers ahead… There’s a moment towards the end of…

Kelly Richardson’s Beautiful Futuristic Landscapes Hide A Dark Secret

Kelly Richardson has exhibited her video installations at galleries all over the world. Captivating, silent visions of alien worlds and futuristic landscapes, her art seems calming and contemplative — but when you look further, you find something sinister. A warning about what awaits, if we don’t change course. Top image: The Last Frontier, 2013. Photo…

That Time An Unscrupulous Vixen Hypnotized And Enslaved Superman

We all know that Superman’s powers include super-hypnosis… but it turns out he’s highly susceptible to hypnosis himself. All you have to do is dangle a watch in the big guy’s face and he becomes yours to command. At least, judging from this Lois and Clark episode. In “Illusions of Grandeur,” a struggling female magician’s…

Finally One Person Does The Right Thing On Vampire Diaries

Yay for Julian, the Traveler inhabiting Tyler’s body, for doing what needs to be done, on last night’s Vampire Diaries. Seriously, did anybody else spend half an hour shouting at the screen for somebody to do this? Spoilers ahead… Just how selfish are Stefan and Elena? They’re so afraid to give up their immortal lives,…

Fan-Made Trailer For Jim Butcher’s Next Dresden Files Book Is Splendid

Jim Butcher’s next book in the Dresden Files series, Skin Game, doesn’t come out until May 27 — but you can feed your Dresden Files addiction right now, with this action-packed book trailer. This trailer was created by the talented folks at Dresden Files Fan Filming, featuring Tiffany Briels as Mab, Queen of Air and…

What Movie Was Way Better Than You Expected?

Sometimes low expectations can pay off. Sometimes, you expect a movie to be kind of terrible, and it surprises you by being actually quite good. Sometimes, a movie looks dumb, but turns out to be charming and fun. Which movie did you expect to suck — and then were pleasantly surprised? Please include a picture,…

Never-Before-Seen Star Wars Storyboards Show The Original Trilogy Anew

We’ve already seen a ton of astonishing artwork from the making of classic Star Wars — but the new book of storyboards from the original trilogy is still a revelation. So many cool images, so many glimpses of how key sequences could have looked different. We’ve got some exclusive images to share with you. Top…

Legends Of Oz Comes From the Island Of Misfit Animated Movies

Legends of Oz: Dorothy’s Return arrives in theaters limping. After long delays, endless rewrites and decisions like “let’s add songs by Bryan Adams,” it finally comes out with a 5 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. What the heck went wrong with this film, anyway? Legends of Oz is a sequel to The Wizard of…

Evil Drug Company Hides An AIDS Cure So It Can Keep Selling Treatments

Look at Dean Cain’s sad face in that screencap from this video. He’s sad because he’s learned that an evil drug company has been killing off all the former AIDS patients who were cured by their miracle drug. Because there’s more money in NOT curing AIDS. Prepare for some truly ham-fisted polemics! Yep, companies are…

The dangerous beast known as the “attack novel.” It seizes you and will not let go until it’s been deposited on paper, as Charles Stross explains. If you see one, do not call the authorities.

Read The First Chapter Of Jeff VanderMeer’s Authority Right Here!

Authority, the second volume in Jeff VanderMeer’s Southern Reach trilogy, just came out. Givenhow much Annihilation thrilled us, that’s exciting news. So we’re stoked to be able to bring you the first chapter of Authority, exclusively at io9. 000 In Control’s dreams it is early morning, the sky deep blue with just a twinge of…

We Need A New Literary Movement With A Slightly Ludicrous Name

When I first obsessed about the idea of being a science-fiction writer, I was captivated by the Slipstream movement, which aimed to bust genre boundaries and shatter expectations. And reading about 1975’s science fiction boom makes you realize how great the New Wave was. So maybe it’s time for a new movement with a zany…

The Evolution Of Special Effects From 1878 to Today, In Just 3 Minutes

The history of visual effects on film stretches back to the late 19th century… and it’s amazing to appreciate the ingenuity of those early pioneers. But this video also showcases just how far we’ve come since then. [via Huffington Post]

The Absolute Worst Trope In Science Fiction Romance Novels

There’s a lot to celebrate about science fiction romance novels — apart from anything else, they’re one of the fastest-growing areas of the genre, and they’re getting a lot of people reading science fiction. But there’s one trope in the genre that writer C.E. Kilgore finds really repulsive: “dubious consent.” Top image: Manuhell on Deviant…