In 2022, the biggest-budget shows on the small screen engage in what’s termed “world building.”
These sci-fi and fantasy programs are escapist entertainment, but only up to a point. It’s hard to avoid drawing parallels between world-building narratives and modern-day issues.
Whether it’s Elves pitted against Dwarves in Middle-earth (Amazon’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” debuting Sept. 1, rated TV-14), rival houses vying for power in Westeros (HBO’s “Game of Thrones” prequel “House of the Dragon,” premiering Aug. 21, rated TV-MA), or the United Federation of Planets’ racist attitude toward Romulans (Paramount+’s “Star Trek: Picard,” final season due in 2023), these tales often reflect tribalism in the real world.
It’s a recognition that an “us versus them” instinct has beset humankind since, well, forever. Yet these adventures also offer timeless ideals. Archetypal heroes illustrate the leadership qualities that can ameliorate polarization and develop unity and cooperation.
“The mandate when you’re telling stories is to find something where there’s some tension,” says Daniel Abraham, co-author of “The Expanse” novels that were adapted into a recent Amazon series (for ages 16-plus). “The thing that epic fantasy and science fiction lend themselves to on this kind of scale is there’s a largeness to the stories. They’re well built for telling stories about clashes between cultures and nations.”
In “The Expanse,” the solar system is divided into three warring factions: the people of Earth, those who have colonized Mars, and Belters, who mine asteroids in deep space. The miners are an exploited caste, recognizable by their tall and thin physiology because they live in a low-gravity environment. They speak a language called Belter Creole. At its core, “The Expanse” is a critique of racism and tribalism. The difference between the heroes and villains is a narrow versus expansive view of humanity.