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Sci-Fi Movies and Shows with "Pandemic" Plots

Posted 11 Months ago by Weird Occurance

I think it's interesting that there are shows like SG-1 and Star Trek that have multiple episodes centered around "x race has horrible pandemic and it must be resolved somehow right this second".

Not to make this thread a COVID-handling debate, but I think it's funny how this was a tragedy-trope in media and it seems almost in bad taste when watching these episodes now. Or at least, they feel somewhat awkward. I guess living through it makes the content relatable and changes the lens with which we view this content?

I'm in a group at work that watches sci-fi episodes of shows during lunch on Thursday and whenever one of these episodes comes up, we make lots of "if only the real world took it that seriously" jokes (good god.)

I bet this bridges into video games and reading, too.

I wonder if we'll see an influx in this trope-plot now that it's relatable, or if COVID will be viewed as so tragic that this sort of content will be taboo (like how there's still a taboo on terroristic content, ever since 9-11).

What do you all think?

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I wonder if we'll see an influx in this trope-plot now that it's relatable, or if COVID will be viewed as so tragic that this sort of content will be taboo

COUGHCOUGHhaaaack

11 Months ago

Xhin

Sky's the limit

There are a few, but to me, personally, I would call the 2019 game Death Stranding.

¤LðŗÐ Ð£ŋįd@¤

11 Months ago

Lord Denida

Not specifically Sci-Fi or explicitly about pandemics, but I've actually been trying to keep track of all the movies I've watched that have somehow resonated with me extra because of the pandemic.
https://boxd.it/5oT2K

11 Months ago

Jet Presto

, but I've actually been trying to keep track of all the movies I've watched that have somehow resonated with me extra because of the pandemic.

Damn, half of those are in my google play library and come highly recommended from me too!

Also impressed you know about attack the block -- underrated and relatively unknown movie

11 Months ago

Xhin

Sky's the limit

Attack the Block is dope. They just started shooting a sequel a few months ago, I believe. (Or they're closing in on the shooting; can't remember.)

Meant to add that this is by no means a complete list. It's just been movies that made me think of the pandemic in some way as I watched them. So it's likely to grow throughout the months. I'll also list them and a brief explanation as to why:

1. ALIEN - "Listen to me; if we break the quarantine, we could all die." 'Nuff said

2. HER - A movie about a man increasingly disconnected from other people and develops a relationship with a computer.

3. THE HOST (2006) - Features a plot point in which the Korean government (under US pressure) is pushing a false narrative about a parasitic virus spreading from close proximity to the monster in order to try to maintain order. (Note saying *I* think this way about COVID, but you don't have to wander far to find someone who does.)

4. ATTACK THE BLOCK - An alien invasion movie where everyone is basically locked into this one apartment complex the whole time.

5. THE WORLD'S END - Really, just features a plot in which the world gets destroyed and a new world emerges from the devastation.

6. MOON - Sam Rockwell is literally just alone (with a computer and then, uh, with himself) for the whole movie, isolated on the moon.

7. SNOWPIERCER - End of the world due largely from the government's own hubris. Everyone's supposed to stay in their proper cart and not move. (Obviously more criticism of the global capitalist system than pandemic/pandemic response, but still kinda works here.)

8. 28 DAYS LATER - A plague hits the world.

9. PALM SPRINGS - Time loop. Every day felt like it was the same day during shutdowns. Time has ceased to have any meaning.

10. ANNIHILATION - Stick with your pod of women as you enter something quickly consuming the entire world!

11. 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE - Stay in your bunker!

12. IT FOLLOWS - Ghost virus, basically. It's gonna get ya.

13. THE MARTIAN - Isolation movie. Gotta stay in your bubble and grow shit potatoes, ya know?

14. SHAUN OF THE DEAD - Another plague threatens to destroy the world.

15. INTERSTELLAR - Another "isolation" movie.

16. I HEART HUCKABEES - Nothing matters. Or everything matters? Who knows.

17. JOHNNY MNEMONIC - I mean, this is literally the opening crawl:

"Second decade of the 21st Century.
Corporations rule. 
The world is threatened by a new plague: NAS
Nerve Attentuation Syndrom, fatal, epidemic, its cause and cure are unknown."

'Nuff said.

Attack the Block is dope. They just started shooting a sequel a few months ago, I believe. (Or they're closing in on the shooting; can't remember.)

Meant to add that this is by no means a complete list. It's just been movies that made me think of the pandemic in some way as I watched them. So it's likely to grow throughout the months. I'll also list them and a brief explanation as to why:

1. ALIEN - "Listen to me; if we break the quarantine, we could all die." 'Nuff said

2. HER - A movie about a man increasingly disconnected from other people and develops a relationship with a computer.

3. THE HOST (2006) - Features a plot point in which the Korean government (under US pressure) is pushing a false narrative about a parasitic virus spreading from close proximity to the monster in order to try to maintain order. (Note saying *I* think this way about COVID, but you don't have to wander far to find someone who does.)

4. ATTACK THE BLOCK - An alien invasion movie where everyone is basically locked into this one apartment complex the whole time.

5. THE WORLD'S END - Really, just features a plot in which the world gets destroyed and a new world emerges from the devastation.

6. MOON - Sam Rockwell is literally just alone (with a computer and then, uh, with himself) for the whole movie, isolated on the moon.

7. SNOWPIERCER - End of the world due largely from the government's own hubris. Everyone's supposed to stay in their proper cart and not move. (Obviously more criticism of the global capitalist system than pandemic/pandemic response, but still kinda works here.)

8. 28 DAYS LATER - A plague hits the world.

9. PALM SPRINGS - Time loop. Every day felt like it was the same day during shutdowns. Time has ceased to have any meaning.

10. ANNIHILATION - Stick with your pod of women as you enter something quickly consuming the entire world!

11. 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE - Stay in your bunker!

12. IT FOLLOWS - Ghost virus, basically. It's gonna get ya.

13. THE MARTIAN - Isolation movie. Gotta stay in your bubble and grow shit potatoes, ya know?

14. SHAUN OF THE DEAD - Another plague threatens to destroy the world.

15. INTERSTELLAR - Another "isolation" movie.

16. I HEART HUCKABEES - Nothing matters. Or everything matters? Who knows.

17. JOHNNY MNEMONIC - I mean, this is literally the opening crawl:

"Second decade of the 21st Century.
Corporations rule.
The world is threatened by a new plague: NAS
Nerve Attentuation Syndrom, fatal, epidemic, its cause and cure are unknown."

'Nuff said.

11 Months ago

Jet Presto

COUGHCOUGHhaaaack

Fair point.

There are a few, but to me, personally, I would call the 2019 game Death Stranding.

Right. I wasn't going to mention it, but like *all zombie everything* is some sort of pandemic plot.

I'm still trying to gauge whether or not Zombie stuff is starting to die out, yet. I haven't been seeing much Walking Dead merch around anymore (FINALLY), but I know it's ongoing so it must have some success, right...?

And there are still zombie games and movies, though they seem fewer and far between than they were in recent years.

I can't gauge this fad. It's odd.

Not specifically Sci-Fi or explicitly about pandemics, but I've actually been trying to keep track of all the movies I've watched that have somehow resonated with me extra because of the pandemic.

Very nice! Cool idea to keep this list.

¤¤♅êîrÐ Øccu®＠nç€¤¤

11 Months ago

Weird Occurance

Right. I wasn't going to mention it, but like *all zombie everything* is some sort of pandemic plot.

Not as high at least, but that isn't a zombie game lol, you meet holograms of people cause to not meet in person, like the beginning of COVID.

¤LðŗÐ Ð£ŋįd@¤

11 Months ago

Lord Denida

Entertainment & Media

Sci-Fi Movies and Shows with "Pandemic" Plots

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