What makes the genre of science fiction so appealing is how it brings together old and familiar elements, with new and imaginative ones. The combination of these seemingly two different worlds creates a fine line for creators to walk to create a story that successfully caters to both without coming off as too much or off-brand.
That said, the genre is full of moments that are cringy, corny, or simply don’t make sense. Just within 2022, sci-fi television was full of moments that left viewers scratching their heads or grinding their teeth, and here are five examples to show it:
5 The Book of Boba Fett — A Hallucinogenic Lizard Crawls Up Boba's Nose
For starters, this concept borders on problematic in how it seems to exaggerate or mimic the use of hallucinogens for spiritual pursuits by some cultures, through how it makes such an unappealing show of the concept. Beyond that, it’s also just really hard to watch, considering that nearly anyone would be uncomfortable at the thought of a lizard trying to wiggle its way up their nose. Although the hallucinations that Boba Fett experiences play a big role in the story, it’s the way that this aspect was approached that made it such a difficult scene to witness.
4 Obi-Wan Kenobi — Leia Resists Sith Interrogation
Obi-Wan Kenobi broke suspension of disbelief when a child (Princess Leia) is able to resist Sith interrogation techniques with no realistic means of doing so. The scene attempts to speak to some of Leia’s future actions that we’ve seen in the films, but it seemed unrealistic the way it was presented in this scene, considering Leia would have been so inexperienced at this point — even if she is force-sensitive.
A lot of this show seemed focused on Leia, and other characters, far more than the name might suggest. In general, the series seemed to struggle to stick to what it set out to be. This ultimately affected it tonally, and took away from the potential of the characters in this show.
3 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds — Gorn Babies Emerge
Firstly, it’s not a particularly unique idea, ripped straight from Alien's iconic chest-burster scene. Secondly, the graphics are too advanced for a scene like that not to be off-putting. Though the episode storyline that encompasses this scene is interesting, it leans in a horror direction, structurally.
From the beginning of the episode, there are several moments that seemed to suggest something creepy is just around the corner. Nonetheless, that point doesn’t spare viewers the nightmarish vision of the alien character, Buckley, having his core ripped apart as Gorn babies make their exit from his host body and scatter about. To top the moment off, one of the creatures even goes after its own sibling in its retreat, reminding the audience just how brutal they are. Though the scene certainly got viewers' attention, it also likely left them with some lingering phobias or nightmares.
2 The Peripheral — The Eyeball Removal Scene
This series, in general, has received a lot of criticism for its storyline being all over the place. This scene in particular did not feel worth it to watch because of how gory the visual approach was. Even though it may have technically been a part of a simulation in which Flynne’s AI body has its eye surgically removed, it was still unnecessarily cringey to watch.
Even creators have spoken to how realistic the eye was designed to be, making the scene a difficult one to view, even for them. Despite being surrounded by sci-fi elements, the actual moment is so painful to watch that it feels more like horror. It adds a disruptive shock factor to the story that makes it difficult for viewers to focus on the main point.
1 Stranger Things — Nancy, Steve, & Jonathan's Love Triangle
While the fourth season of Stranger Things was full of iconic moments and lovable characters, it still didn’t achieve perfection, which is likely why its name didn’t come up as much as anticipated in the various award shows of 2022. One of the details that kept it from achieving perfection is how it backtracked to the Nancy, Steve, and Jonathan love triangle. While this love-triangle worked for the first couple of seasons, as a source of tension and festering romance, it was surprising and almost irritating to see it coming back up in the most recent season.
The love triangle dynamic isn’t the problem in this situation. It’s that it is between the same three people, making Nancy appear indecisive or greedy. Though Steve and Jonathan are both lovable characters, considering the way that they all have evolved throughout the seasons, it doesn’t really make sense that Steve and Nancy would end up together again. It would negate the evolution of their characters. So, what creators surely intended to be one of the romance storylines of the season, actually just served as a distraction from the otherwise alluring dynamics and situations going on.