KILLJOYS is your Summertime Sci-Fi Solution

Last month I read an interview with Aaron Ashmore (Warehouse 13) by Geek Girl Diva over at Entertainment Weekly. For those who aren't aware, Aaron is the identical twin of Shawn (Iceman from the X-Men franchise). The interview focused around the new Syfy show titled KILLJOYS, where he plays a bounty hunter.

Killjoys are “multidisciplinary professionals who are licensed to pursue specific types of warrants throughout the galaxy". They aren't bounty hunters in the sense that they do whatever they want. They are bound by strict regulations, that need to be followed, handed down by the R.A.C. (Recovery and Apprehension Coalition).

They only have one rule: "The Warrant is All".

The first episode drops you right in the middle of the action and it's up to the viewer to get caught up. They aren't going to spoon feed you information, so it appeals to a very specific type of Sci-Fi fan. The show is full of acronyms and the assumption that, in the vast regions of space, there are competing organizations and hierarchies of government. New fans of the genre could get lost easily because the show doesn’t behave like it’s in its first season. It moves along as though it doesn’t need to explain every little detail.

The show is centered around a trio of bounty hunters: Ashmore's character, John Jocobis, his brother D’Avin and the mysterious Dutch. There is a lot of unexplained backstory for all three of the characters and for some, this can be a problem. For many Sci-Fi fans, however, this type of storytelling adds to the intrigue and encourages viewers to pay close attention to the details.

Personally, I enjoy a slow burn, watching the characters develop; learning more about them with each episode.

Fans of good Sci-Fi will enjoy this show as an excellent summertime filler. As many of our favorites don't return until the Fall, KILLJOYS offers plenty of stylized action and special effects. There's also just the right amount of humor to smooth out some of the grittier moments.

Much like the cult favorite FIREFLY, there's obvious concern that this show gets lost in the mix and cancelled due to poor ratings. However, because this show will appeal to the same audience, fans could rally around it to show it the support it needs. Syfy is the perfect place for this sort of show, but airing during a time of year where people seek to get outdoors, the ratings could suffer. On the other hand if it aired any other time of year, the plethora of options wouldn’t allow this show to register a single blip on any viewers radar. With any luck it will find a sweet spot by hitting ratings on the night it airs and getting views from outlets such as online and on-demand streaming.

If KILLJOYS can bring in the number of views it needs to succeed, it's possible a second season could be in order. Five episodes have aired so far and in this viewer’s opinion it’s highly deserving of a return.

So if you’re a fan of good Science Fiction, and aren’t sure where to find it during the summer, swing over to Syfy and give KILLJOYS a watch.

New episodes of KILLJOYS can be seen on Fridays 9/8c on Syfy, while previously aired episodes are available at Syfy.com.