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It’s a giant sized special episode — episode 100 and the Strangers and Aliens Ben, Steve, and Dr. Jayce countdown their favorite sci-fi and fantasy characters.
Featuring a ton of feedback from the best listeners ever and Ben’s really bad math skills!
Some great choices here. Wish I had gotten the time to throw in some votes.
I agree that it’s hard to separate the Firefly cast, so unless you want to put ALL of them on the list, it’s hard to separate. (I, however, think if it’s gonna be one character – I have a soft spot for Shepherd Book)
As far as Sherlock reimaginings are concerned, Ben — check out “A Study in Emerald” by Neil Gaiman. It’s a short story of Sherlock Holmes if he were written in a Lovecraftian universe. It’s in his Fragile Things compilation of short stories.
I’ll have to check out that story. There was a time when I would read everything that Gaiman wrote, even seeking out weird and obscure things (like his book Don’t Panic about Hitchhikers’ Guide.
Not going to say that I outgrew him — that’s not the right word. But just before American Gods I stopped reading him. Not sure why.
American Gods IS a tough book to read. Not comprehension wise – just content wise. It’s definitely got a solid R rating if it were a film, and I wouldn’t give it to a child . . . or some adults I know. But at the same time – American Gods, without question, ranks at the top of my favorite works of fiction of all time. That’s a very fluid list, mind you. There are times when it’s not THE top. But the farthest it’s ever slid for me would be about 3rd out of a lifetime of reading.
Rats, so Sherlock Holmes is valid here? He would have been easily in my top ten. I considered him for basically the same reasons you guys suggested in the podcast, but in the end felt I couldn’t quite justify it. Very interesting, and extremely entertaining list, though. And here’s to another 100 episodes! Maybe you can have a top 200 list for the 200th episode, eh? ; )
Top 200? I’m not compiling it! 🙂
The problem for me with the mystery genre, as opposed to the western genre, is that westerns feel more like fantasy. For me, a western is about strange lands in a strange time with larger than life (many times) characters. The rules of the western are closer to the rule of a fantasy.
The mystery genre tends to fall more toward realism. Yes, there are still sometimes superhuman feats, but to me it’s harder to bend it into what is normally found in sci-fi or fantasy unless you are purposefully creating a mystery set in a sci-fi or fantasy setting, but that’s a blending of tropes.
Happy Anniversary!
Well, If I had submitted my list in time, it would have been under false pretenses. I was thinking it was a top 100 Sci-Fi/Fantasy characters (pertaining to influence), not just personal favorites.
Still, a cool list. Glad to see Optimus in there 🙂 You know, the only BIG surprise on the list for me was the #1. It was kind of anti-climatic for me. While I like Doctor Who, I’d hardly place him at #1 or even close to #1. Certainly not on my top 25 either influential or favorites. Probably Top 100 though.
I’ll have to listen through again, but was Luke Skywalker on there? While also not on my top 25 he’s still a hugely significant character in Sci-Fi even today. (but that’s not necessarily favorites)
Well, I’ll just keep my list tucked away until you do your top influential Sci-Fi/Fantasy characters. 😀
Great episode!
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