Best sci-fi TV questions of all time

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Pilot - S1-E1

Question: What is the song the kicks in when Tommy says, "Have you noticed how hot your sister has gotten?", and then plays on when Tommy and Oliver are driving around in the SLR?

Friso94

Chosen answer: "C'mon Doll" by My Goodness.

Bishop73

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Fringe picture

The No-Brainer - S1-E12

Question: Why would Luke Dempsey be arrested along with his father? He had no idea what his father was doing, never aided him in any way and only found out the truth after catching him in the act.

Answer: He helped his father evade capture, impeding the investigation.

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Leaping of the Shrew - September 27, 1956 - S5-E3

Question: Shortly after Sam throws some items off the life raft, Al appears and tells him that because of what Sam had done, neither he nor Vanessa would be saved for quite a while. If Sam had not done anything, both of them would have been rescued within an hour. I might be wrong about this next part so further verification will help. Al also said that because of Sam throwing stuff into the ocean, that somehow, instead if only being stranded in the lifeboat for a few minutes, four whole hours have passed. How could tossing anything into the ocean have made time move so rapidly?

Answer: Sam threw items off the raft to lighten the load, so it wouldn't sink, in doing so he made the raft less heavy. Which made easier to float with the currents, if it was heavy the raft would have moved slower and not moved so far.

Except that Al said that immediately after throwing stuff out of the boat four hours passed and it was shown that they didn't really move from where they were. They were still in the same spot. Forgot to ask this too. When Sam and Vanessa are stranded on the island, one of them, can't remember who, did something and when Al appears, he tells them that because of it, time had suddenly skipped several more hours and if the event hadn't been interrupted, they would have been rescued by a boat. So, what happened on the island that once again caused time to speed up? It seems kind of strange that time could move so quickly on the island, especially since it was still day time and it never showed any sort of changes like the sun or clouds moving.

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Answer: Max's disease is specifically tailored to work only on cells exhibiting Logan's genome. No one else would notice it.

Phoenix

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Battlestar Galactica picture

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Question: In the first main movie, Baltaar the traitor (as a human) is executed before the Cylon's supreme ruler; yet in the later movies (and probably the TV series, which I did not get to watch) he reappears. How can this be possible?

Answer: The original BSG has something of a complex version history. Several versions exist, but the rationale behind what you're referring to is as follows. BSG, before anything else, was a TV series - the 'pilot episode' was a three-part tale called "Saga of a Star World". In that three-parter, a last-minute alteration to the script meant that Baltar was ultimately spared execution, because Glen A. Larson, the series producer, decided that he liked the Baltar character enough to keep him around for the rest of the series. The theatrical version, which was edited down from the three-parter and was shown in some countries before the US TV broadcast, lost quite a number of scenes, including the one where Baltar is spared. The real continuity of the series can only be found in the TV version - the movies, all of which were created by editing together existing episodes, miss out scenes leading to such apparent continuity errors.

Tailkinker

Answer: Baltar wasn't executed... the supreme leader decided to spare him to send him on a peace mission with the humans. I have every episode... just watched it again.

Answer: Strange... given I saw Battlestar Galactica at the movies when I was a kid. Aka the 'pilot' you refer to (which WAS a movie shown at the cinema).

Yes, there was a theatrical release of the film, which was released after the original 1978 series ended. This 1979 film is the edited compilation of the 1978 series "Saga of a Star World" episode.

Bishop73

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Chosen answer: This is Dick Grayson who will later become Nightwing.

Greenman37

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Chosen answer: Report 30185 is a joke report referring to the time when SG-1 go back in time to 1969 in the episode '1969'. The joke is that Colonel O'Neil knocked up a hippie and made sure Mitchel was taken care of throughout his life, like how he got into the 302 program while his buddy, a better pilot, did not.

Answer: This answer is incorrect, because after Mitchell said, I'm being parked on a Samantha, in a very serious tone, said seriously we can't tell you about 30185.

To clarify this entry, what Mitchell asked is "Oh, I'm being punk'd, aren't I?" The joke in the scene was 30185 was too classified for Mitchell to know, but then they turn around and tell Vala. O'Neill isn't really Mitchell's father, they were joking around. But then Samantha does honestly say they can't tell them about 30185. From there we never learn what it is.

Bishop73

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3rd Rock from the Sun picture

Dick and Taxes - S4-E12

Question: When Mary asks Dick what he expected for not paying his taxes when he learns he owes thousands to the IRS, he responds with, "I certainly didn't expect my girlfriend to wear my ass as a snowshoe!" I'm not sure I have ever understood this joke. What is the meaning behind it?

Phaneron

Answer: The writers often have Dick respond to Mary with a retort that he thinks is in the common vernacular but makes a mistake in wording that is often funny. Dick seems to be imputing a criticism from Mary and responds with a corruption of the more common "I'm going to wear your ass like a hat!" I doubt it has anything to do with owing taxes. Probably just one of the writers assuming a common regional phrase would be universally recognized.

That makes total sense. I always interpreted it as perhaps snowshoes are an expensive item, and given that he was blaming Mary for his newfound financial woes, he was equating her living off his generosity and used snowshoeing as a metaphor.

Phaneron

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Answer: The Hulk is a giant brute who smashes everything in his path when he is angry. In Ang Lee's "Hulk," General Ross, played by Sam Elliot, explains it to his daughter.

Answer: Because he feels the Hulk is a threat to all life on Earth, and particularly his daughter's close relationship with Bruce Banner puts her at risk when Hulk enters the equation.

Phaneron

Why does Ross think the hulk is a threat?

Because the Hulk is nearly mindless and goes on destructive rampages with high risk of collateral damage.

Phaneron

If that's the case, what's the problem with the way general Ross judges the hulk?

It's nuanced. Ross is correct to recognize the potential danger the Hulk presents, but he's also too stubborn to realise that he usually exacerbates the Hulk's rampages by trying to engage him in combat instead of trying to calm him down.

Phaneron

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Kyle XY picture

Season 2 generally

Question: Why don't Amanda and Jessi like each other in the second part of season 2? In the episode "Ghost in the Machine", Jessi was interested in Kyle because Madacorp programmed her to go after him. But why doesn't she like Amanda later on, after she is free from Madacorp?

Answer: Jessi is jealous of how close Amanda is to Kyle. Kyle and Jessi have a psychic link and Jessi feels no one should be closer to Kyle than she is.

Grumpy Scot

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Chosen answer: One of the premises of the show is that the two major Earth societies that survived, and ultimately merged, were the Chinese and Americans. As a result the common language includes much Chinese. Clothing, signage, and building designs also have a heavy Chinese influence.

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Eureka picture

Show generally

Question: I've been re-watching this show, and have noticed this in nearly every episode. In scenes inside GD, there's always one person, a background extra, who seems to have clear plastic wrap over their clothes. Do you know what that is all about?

Holly Halfman

Chosen answer: It's basically just a type of suit that's made for whatever special project they're working on. No different than a lab coat, hazmat suit, fire coat, etc.

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Answer: They came from Azarath aka Earth.

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Question: Why is John's Farscape-1 module able to navigate wormholes where some other, more sophisticated craft, notably Peacekeeper Prowlers, cannot without liquifying passengers?

Socks1000

Chosen answer: It's never explained. John mentions a theory that his less technologically developed craft simply interferes with the wormhole less than the "superior" Vipers, but they never make a concrete determination on that point. But we also have to take into account the fact that Moya traverses wormholes with no ill effect as well.

Garlonuss

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Show generally

Question: Now that season 3 is out, has there been any updates about why Alara was written off, or why Halston Sage left the show, near the beginning of season 2? In 2019, she seemed to indicated her leaving wasn't her choice and it was what was best for the show. But, the fact that they replaced her character with another female Xelayan makes it seem like they weren't really making any changes. And with a 4th season unlikely, are there any rumors Sage will return in season 3?

Bishop73

Answer: No official reason has been given. Halston Sage has only stated in an interview that leaving the show was not her choice. It is considered that her possible return is "open ended", and while there has been no official announcement, she did make a reappearance at the end of Season 2.

raywest

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The Mandalorian picture

Chapter 13: The Jedi - S2-E5

Question: Ahsoka's "head-tails" (called Lekku, technically) seem to have creases in them. Are these meant to be scars from battles, or are they just folds in whatever material was used to make the prosthetics? With all the high production values elsewhere, this would seem to be a fairly ropey oversight if so.

Jon Sandys

Chosen answer: They could be just like wrinkles from age, like the elderly Togruta in the Zygerrian slaver arc in The Clone Wars series, as Ahsoka is considerably older than her animated appearances. I think there is probably a character design/stylisation aspect to it as well - the other Togruta we've seen in live action, Shaak Ti, has four segments or folds in her lekku that were not visible in her Clone Wars appearances, so it would seem the character design in Clone Wars and Rebels reduces such features.

Sierra1

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Chosen answer: I don't think it's ever said. I always assumed Pidge was a boy, and I'm not sure why. I think because it was a man who did the voice.

Kaite13

She is a girl it is made clear she is a girl in episode 5 season 1. It is also made apparent she is a girl in season 8.

More Voltron: Defender of the Universe questions

Answer: The transformation twirling was invented for the 1970s TV series only, to explain her quick change from Diana Prince to Wonder Woman. However, it would have been nice to do a little spin homage in the movie.

Answer: She does. However, if she were to use any of her abilities as Diana Prince, everybody, including her enemies would be able to make the connection that Diana Prince and Wonder Woman are the same person which could be used to get revenge on her. By not using her abilities in her civilian disguise, nobody would suspect anything at all and she could keep herself and her friends safe.

So it was more a choice that she decided an Ice Skating move was less conspicuous than say, ducking in a phone booth like Superman? If Clark Kent enters a a phone booth, and Superman comes out, don't you think even the dull of mind would get the connection?

That's because Clark Kent has super speed so he can easily run into a phone booth quickly and leave as Superman as quickly too or whenever Clark does need to change into Superman out in the open, there's never around to see him change. It's a plot device that's really effective.

Could one man or gal. We're supposed to just believe almost everyone these two are around can't figure out of the obvious. Characters like Spider-Man and Batman can do this because of their masks, so these excuses just don't pass with me.

Rob245

Answer: As Diana Prince she didn't have the super powers that Wonder Woman has, although as an Amazon princess she does have greater strength than normal humans. Diana's mom taught her how to transform her ordinary clothes into her Wonder Woman outfit (as opposed to just doing a quick change like Clark Kent does). Her outfit, which her mother gives her when she leaves includes the "golden girdle of Gaea." The girdle provides enhanced strength and heightens her other abilities. As to why she spins, it was a stylized choice to add something extra to the show and hadn't been done in the comics. Although they did change it up a bit due to budget and time. Later, Wonder Woman comic writers would include the spin into the comics, but by then it was generally to put her into her secret identity, not to give her her powers. But as to why Diana Prince doesn't have super powers in the 70's show, as opposed to other incarnations of her; the original TV movie pilot had Diana powerless like the character was during the Bronze Age of Wonder Woman (late 60's) when Diana decided to stay on Earth and became mortal. That series was not picked up, but a 2nd attempt at it, starring Lynda Carter, was and the series loosely based Diana on the first pilot but through magic could transform into the superhero Wonder Woman.

Bishop73

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X-Men picture

Show generally

Question: Does anyone know why Gambit was featured less and less in episodes as the show went on? He was one of the most popular characters in not just X-Men, but all of Marvel Comics around the time this series first aired, so unless it had something to do with his voice actor's contract, it seems odd they wouldn't have utilized him more.

Phaneron

Answer: Chris Potter, the original Gambit voice actor, did indeed quit the role in the 4th season. His last episode was The Phalanx Covenant Part 1 so it seems reasonable that Fox would limit the use of the character even though it was recast. It doesn't appear that Potter left the role due to animosity, he stated in an interview that he wished to play Gambit in the first live action X-Men film.

BaconIsMyBFF

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Mork & Mindy picture

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Question: I may have this scenario slightly wrong, since I haven't seen it since the show was brand-new, but is there a scene in one episode where Mork (just him-no egg) falls from the sky and into a lake or some kind of body of water? I slightly remember this as a kid but wanted to see if I was right. Anyone know what episode this was from?

Answer: Maybe s02e02, "Mork in Wonderland, Part 2"? Mork started shrinking in part 1 and continued till he became microscopic and fell down a space warp into the lake of another world.

Bishop73

Yes, that was it. I found it shortly after submitting the question, but thank you anyway.

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