They say the first step in solving an addiction is admitting it, right? You have to realize the problem, then, if you actually vocalize it out loud so, people will know that you want help and will come to your aide. And, I’ve known for a while that eventually it would come to this point. I could only hide it for so long. There are so many excuses that you can use, such as “Oh, I’m tired I can’t go out tonight” or “You go on ahead, I’ll follow shortly.” You can never hide a lie forever; eventually, someone will come around and unearth the truth. It’s time to end the lies, the secrets, and the excuses; I’m going to come clean. Here it goes.

My name is Michelle. And, I am addicted to cheesy science fiction television shows. Okay, you might say haven’t nerds, geeks, and even some (gasp) normal people admitted to watching to the Sci-Fi channel ever since it was created? Isn’t everyone and their mother a Star Wars fan? Doesn’t the current trend dictate that it is cool to be a nerd? But, my addiction far exceeds what is socially acceptable. Give me an episode of Sliders, tell me that you have an unreleased episode of Freakylinks, or tell just tell me what time a repeat of the Outer Limits is on, and I’ll be your best friend. I want it in bulk, and I want it when I want it. I’ve been known to finish entire series while studying for finals or ditching going out in order to stay in and watch just four more episodes. I’ve lost sleep over thinking what happens on the next episode, fantasized about the characters, and even tried a short-lived career in fanfic. I’ve gone to the convention meetings, posted my theories on message boards, and even scared away some people on the random trivia I know about my favorite shows.

You probably couldn’t tell that I was addicted when you first looked at me. Most people don’t. But, It’s so bad that I spent about $400 on a bootleg version of the entire X-Files series. I don’t even answer the phone when I’m watching Battlestar Galactica. I’m addicted to the Twilight Zone to Firefly to Invader Zim. I’m not so forgone that every show I watch has never been heard of by the general public – I do love my Greys Anatomy, the Office, House M.D., and Project Runways – but, it’s pretty bad. In fact, out of my top 13 favorite shows, eight are over or have been cancelled. I live vicariously through shows on DVD and illegal downloads - without them, I probably would have a social life.

You see, I love my shows about alternate universes because, to me, they represent more about humanity and our current situation than anything that you can read or see these days. It’s our social commentary – when we can’t state the truth we place it in a parallel location and give it a different name. Take Battlestar Galactica. In the third season the events have an eerie resemblance to the current situation in the Middle East. And, no matter what your opinion is on the war, there is a lesson to be learned by everyone. The cult favorite Firefly ties in humor with ethical and moral dilemmas that even the most liberal news stations are afraid to talk about, lest they garner the anger of some higher up with lots of money.

And, that’s why sci-fi appeals to those who let it. It calls to those who are willing to accept reality, to those who won’t just accept the situation but want to know more about it. It appeals to the social conscious with an active imagination and a hope for change. Because, even when at it’s cheesiest, sci-fi is only mimicking the absurdity of our current state of affairs. It satire and irony sealed within the confines of a space ship and far away from us location-wise so we can claim it can never happen, even though it’s happening right now.

So, yes I’m addicted to science fiction. But, I don’t need your help to get over it. I’ll take my sci-fi with its dose of reality any day.