# The Ten Commandments of Science Fiction Films **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 22, 2003, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ten-commandments-of-science-fiction-films/150169 "2003-01-22T06:00:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Achren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@Achren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achren)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ten-commandments-of-science-fiction-films/150169/61 "2003-01-23T08:13:19Z")
“The race is not always to the swift nor the battle to the strong, but that’s the way to bet.” Exception: Heroes, good guys, beautiful women, etc. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ten-commandments-of-science-fiction-films/150169/62 "2003-01-23T08:58:06Z")
> [@](#): > > If you should, for whatever reason, find yourself in an environment, you shall immediatly start moooooooviiiiing veeeeeeeryyyy slooooowwwlyyyyy Like they do on the Space Shuttle! Anyway, my additions to the Commandments (what number are we at, anyway?): -All alien ships that are “organic” will, somehow, be vastly superior to conventional techniques of using large sheets of metal armor. -The more powerful the weapon, the bigger the beam. -Someone will always use a gun that has some funky ability, like firing in waves or causing people to slowly disintegrate into goo. -All the “magic technology” like replicators or faster-than-light travel will be accompanied by a cool, glowy special effect. ---
**Author:** ![Achren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@Achren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achren)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ten-commandments-of-science-fiction-films/150169/63 "2003-01-23T09:05:05Z")
races such as the Borg, though a mingling of tech and organic matter, shall always sound like a mass of people talking - similar to readings by the congregations in churches. ---
**Author:** ![Virgowitch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/9fc348/32.png) [@Virgowitch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Virgowitch)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ten-commandments-of-science-fiction-films/150169/64 "2003-01-23T09:08:10Z")
Whatever it is, it’s ALWAYS headed straight towards Earth. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Elvis_Rojo)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ten-commandments-of-science-fiction-films/150169/65 "2003-01-23T13:15:30Z")
In the future, humanity will evolve to remove that pesky task of “going to the bathroom.” Alien species, on the other hand, will always have neon blue crap. ---
**Author:** ![athelas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ten-commandments-of-science-fiction-films/150169/66 "2003-01-23T13:26:10Z")
Your bridge shall be so positioned that whenever the ship is hit, a shower of sparks shall issue from a cleverly concealed area. ---
**Author:** ![Protesilaus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Protesilaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Protesilaus)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ten-commandments-of-science-fiction-films/150169/67 "2003-01-23T16:26:55Z")
“I was possessed by an evil alien entity” shall be an accepted excuse whenever any important character does anything bad. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ten-commandments-of-science-fiction-films/150169/68 "2003-01-23T17:42:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Libertarian \* > \*\*34. Thy characters shall give utterance unto every movement of their hands to proclaim their deeds, saying “Increasing power to the shields,” and “Firing phasers.” \*\* With all due respect, **Lib** , I think that is how they talk in the Navy. Since (Star Trek) has a military hierarchy similar to the Navy, (captains, admirals, etc) it’s not unexpected to think they would follow other rules. Ivylad was in the Navy, and that’s how they’d talk. The captain would give an order, “Dive to 200 feet” and the helmsman would repeat it “Diving to 200 feet, aye sir”. I suppose they do that so there’s no misunderstanding of the order. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Elvis_Rojo)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ten-commandments-of-science-fiction-films/150169/69 "2003-01-23T21:11:32Z")
Even if a robot/alien creature can make out your distinct features against a plain white wall while standing six inches from your face, as long as you keep your body heat consealed, it won’t be able to see you. ---
**Author:** ![Phoenix\_Dragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Phoenix\_Dragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phoenix_Dragon)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ten-commandments-of-science-fiction-films/150169/70 "2003-01-23T22:18:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SPOOFE \* > **Like they do on the Space Shuttle!** People on the Space Shuttle move slowly _some_ times… Like, when it makes sense to. People in the movies move slowly all the time 🙂 And I’ve seen people in the shuttle or ISS just flying down those coridors. And when you’re strapped into a chair, your arm isn’t magically slowed down by the lack of gravity, you can push buttons as fast as you could in gravity. Especially if you’re a spacer that’s been in zero g for months or years at a time. The only time they go as slowly as in most sci-fi films is when they’re doing EVA. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ten-commandments-of-science-fiction-films/150169/71 "2003-01-23T22:56:18Z")
> [@](#): > > And I’ve seen people in the shuttle or ISS just flying down those coridors. And when you’re strapped into a chair, your arm isn’t magically slowed down by the lack of gravity, you can push buttons as fast as you could in gravity. Especially if you’re a spacer that’s been in zero g for months or years at a time. The only time they go as slowly as in most sci-fi films is when they’re doing EVA. Yeah, but remember, most science fiction has some magic technology that provides for artificial gravity (y’know, a list of standard sci-fi equipment would make a good thread, too). Whenever people DO find themselves without gravity, it’s usually an emergency situation, and they’re unaccustomed to it, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Daniel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Daniel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daniel)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ten-commandments-of-science-fiction-films/150169/72 "2003-01-23T23:02:30Z")
All long-distance conversation shall include even a video image or a hologram, and even though there is never a visible camera, the hologram/image always looks directly at the person being addressed. Even if it means the miniature hologram has to crane his neck really far to be able to do this. ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ten-commandments-of-science-fiction-films/150169/73 "2003-01-23T23:16:56Z")
Here in cosy little Earth, different creatures often smell different. We humans don’t have much of a sense of smell but as soon as we walk into a house we know if a cat lives there. Yet in the vastness of the cosmos, no matter which alien species are encountered, no-one will ever refer to the fact that they smell funny or different. ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ten-commandments-of-science-fiction-films/150169/74 "2003-01-23T23:21:58Z")
Presumably a species capable of interstellar travel would develop a sufficiently advanced deodorant. Those generation ships can get awfully funky after a while. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ten-commandments-of-science-fiction-films/150169/75 "2003-01-23T23:26:34Z")
In the future, or when ancountering aliens here and now, the aliens, or humans of the future, will all wear exactly the same clothes. If the aliens are of the Kind in CE3rdK, then they will not wear clothes, but will neither show any signs of reproductive organs. That Humans-In-The-Future of Star Trek wears a uniform, is understandable. But there are obviously no fashion trends in the future for civilians. ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ten-commandments-of-science-fiction-films/150169/76 "2003-01-23T23:27:44Z")
In environments such as space stations and airless moons, it is perfectly acceptable for living quarters to have large bay windows made of 1/8" window glass. ---
**Author:** ![Roadwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@Roadwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadwalker)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ten-commandments-of-science-fiction-films/150169/77 "2003-01-24T01:09:48Z")
No Nukes. ---
**Author:** ![Phoenix\_Dragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Phoenix\_Dragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phoenix_Dragon)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ten-commandments-of-science-fiction-films/150169/78 "2003-01-24T01:26:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SPOOFE \* > \*\*Yeah, but remember, most science fiction has some magic technology that provides for artificial gravity (y’know, a list of standard sci-fi equipment would make a good thread, too). Whenever people DO find themselves without gravity, it’s usually an emergency situation, and they’re unaccustomed to it, anyway. \*\* Ehh, true, I guess. Still bugs me though, especially on the (very few) that don’t 🙂 Oh yeah, another one; AIs are either good-natured but imbecilic morons that can’t understand the influence of emotions but want desperatly (Despite this being a form of emotion?) to learn how to have or understand emotions, or are cold-logical-thinking machines that decide they have to eliminate the human species. If you take any precautions, just in case the AI might be the later, it is, and your precautions will make no difference anyway. ---
**Author:** ![FranticMad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c68b51/32.png) [@FranticMad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FranticMad)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ten-commandments-of-science-fiction-films/150169/79 "2003-01-24T01:57:56Z")
The enemy’s weapon will take X minutes and Y seconds to deploy. Our counterattack will take X minutes and Y-1 seconds to deploy. ---
**Author:** ![elf6c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c57346/32.png) [@elf6c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elf6c)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ten-commandments-of-science-fiction-films/150169/80 "2003-01-24T15:37:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ianzin \* > \*\*Here in cosy little Earth, different creatures often smell different. We humans don’t have much of a sense of smell but as soon as we walk into a house we know if a cat lives there. > > Yet in the vastness of the cosmos, no matter which alien species are encountered, no-one will ever refer to the fact that they smell funny or different. \*\* Then again, on **Enterprise** the Vulcans are always complaining about how stinky the humans are. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ten-commandments-of-science-fiction-films/150169.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ten-commandments-of-science-fiction-films/150169.md?page=5)