syfy.com
There are a few genres in the television and film world that capture our imaginations more than any other. These genres often create cult followings of fans who swear by them over any other type of entertainment. Sure, we all love a good drama or comedy from time to time, but seldom will you find hundreds of thousands of people who are so obsessed with these more general genres that they dress up or cosplay their favorite characters from, say, Parks and Rec or Arrested Development.
These shows may be massive cultural phenomena, but they don't speak to a niche demographic the same way that shows that fall under the science fiction, horror, or fantasy categories do. There's something about these genres that makes people really passionate and take them more seriously.
I think it has something to do with the merging of the impossible with the real. Science fiction and horror, for example, are able to speak to certain elements of the human experience that other genres do not quite reach. In science fiction, for instance, fans who are fascinated with considering the future of humanity and what wild technological advancements could suddenly have a tangible link to latch onto between what is and what could be find a link made more material through series like Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica. And whereas dramas and comedies typically rely more on realism, these showsproduce an unparalleled level of fervor in fans.
For sci-fi, horror, and fantasy fans who want to stay up-to-date with what's happening in these worlds, a reliable source is essential.
A major site and cable network devoted to just the stuff that piques our imaginations has finally come about. Today, we will be taking a look at Syfy, which is a television channel turned online news resource and streaming site.
History
Believe it or not, Syfy was dreamed up in Boca Raton, Florida of all places. Communications lawyer Mitchell Rubenstein and his wife Laurie Silvers conceived of the Syfy network while living there in 1989. They'd hoped to have it up and running by December of 1990, but lacked the resources, it turned out, to do so.
However, the husband and wife duo kept at it and by March of 1992, USA Networks had picked up the idea. At the time, USA Networks saw the Syfy network as a perfect fit for their classical-oriented programming, seeing as Paramount Pictures and Universal Studios had all of the rights to horror and sci-fi classics.
Interestingly, the creator of Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry, and famed sci-fi author, Isaac Asimov were already a part of the network's original board of advisors when it began broadcasting in 1992. This was fortunate because it was the bit of kismet that Syfy needed to finally get off the ground.
In 2010, Comcast purchased NBC Universal, giving Syfy a permanent home. The cable network has been praised for its science fiction and horror programming, and has won the James Randi Educational Foundation's Pigasus Award for questionable reality programming involving paranormal activity.
Design
To be completely honest, I'm not sure how I feel about Syfy's website design. On one hand, it looks a bit loud and cheesy (an aesthetic decision which I don't usually prefer on a website). But on the other hand, that makes sense for a site and network that has specialized in content that could be classified as, well, loud and cheesy for many years.
Many of the films and shows that Syfy caters to are intentionally cheesy and over the top - it is one of the staples shared by both the genres of science fiction and horror. So, you could argue that it is apt for Syfy.com to mirror its content in that way, even if it isn't necessarily my thing from a site design perspective.
That being said, personal taste issues aside, the site functions as it should. It is pretty well organized and not too hard to find what you are looking for. As soon as you land on Syfy?s home page, you will be greeted with a slew of featured articles - some of which concern themselves with sci-fi classics, others which revolve around exclusive news and content about upcoming or recently released movies and shows. Each article, too, has a convenient grouping of tags next to it, which makes it even easier to work your way through the site based on specific interests.
Content
This is where Syfy started to surprise me (pleasantly). I was happy to see that this site isn't just concerned with science fiction and horror news and shows, but it has so much more to offer than that too. In addition to science fiction, visitors can read up on current breakthroughs in real science too.
I like this aspect of the site because it offers interesting reads for the science fictionually minded individual who is likely to come here. Plus, oftentimes these actual scientifically rooted articles will be linked to popular sci-fi movies and shows in some way, which just adds to the fun and relatability.
Aside from that, Syfy also offers movie and TV reviews, criticisms, op-eds, and news surrounding any and everything that falls under the sci-fi and horror film and TV umbrella; links to podcasts; video content; as well as the ability to stream Syfy original and syndicated content, as well as a live stream of the network's current programming (provided you have a cable service provider).
Desktop and Mobile Experience
If you're like me, and prefer the desktop web browser version of the site, then perhaps the Syfy app will be more your speed. It has a much more subdued and professional feel to it, and it's just as easy to navigate on your smartphone or tablet. You can access everything on the app that you can on the site, but I think it looks and feels better in a much more streamlined and cleanly designed way.
Pricing and Plans
However, if you only have a cable subscription that doesn?t include Syfy, then you will have to purchase an add-on package in order to gain access.
There is no one specific way to get the most out of Syfy - it depends on what kind of cable service you have. If you subscribe to a service that includes Syfy, like cable or satellite, then all of the site's content and live streaming are free. However, if you only have a subscription to cable without Syfy, then you'll need to purchase an add-on package in order to gain access.
If you don't have a cable provider, unfortunately, you won't be able to watch most of the streaming content that Syfy has to offer. You can still read all the articles you want and view Syfy's short entertainment news clips and the like without having to worry about running into a paywall, but if you want to view actual full-length content on Syfy, you'll need to log in with a cable provider account.
Suggestions that I have for Syfy
I'd like to see Syfy switch to a more clean-looking website design and provide streaming services that don't depend on having traditional cable.
Every year, fewer and fewer people are renewing their subscriptions with cable companies. I think Syfy should follow suit and at least offer some sort of streaming service that you can sign up for directly through Syfy.com, cutting the cord and the middleman of the whole enterprise.
Conclusion
Overall, Syfy is a reliable resource for any and all fans of science fiction and horror. If you need a site that will keep you up to date on all things happening in your favorite genres, Syfy is the site for you. Plus, if you already have a cable provider, you can enjoy tons of classic science fiction and horror content at any time of day or night. You won't be bored on this site!
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