Poster of I Am a Lunar Contractor
China's first aerospace-themed sci-fi mini series, Wo Zai Yue Qiu Dang Bao Gong Tou (I Am a Lunar Contractor), recently started filming with an inaugural ceremony, quickly drawing attention from science fiction enthusiasts. With the explosive rise of the mini series format, could this mark the moment when sci-fi breaks free from its niche and sparks a new wave of nationwide interest?
Mini series exemplify the growing popularity of bite-sized entertainment. Compared with traditional TV dramas and web series, they exhibit three defining characteristics: ultra-low budgets (many are made for just a few hundred thousand yuan), fast-paced storytelling with heightened emotional expression, and a primary audience concentrated in lower-tier markets—a result of both simplified storytelling and production cost constraints. All of these traits fundamentally conflict with the traditional requirements of science-fiction genre.
Sci-fi has long been a genre defined by high production costs.Think of the vast, swirling cosmos and meticulously designed space stations in Interstellar, the neon-soaked cyberpunk cityscapes of Blade Runner, or the menacing alien dreadnoughts in District 9. In the popular imagination, sci-fi means sweeping backdrops, intricate sets, and cutting-edge technology—precisely the elements that mini series, by nature, tend to avoid. The first major challenge, then, is how to create a convincing sense of "sci-fi-ness" on a shoestring budget.
The second major challenge lies in audience disparity: the typical sci-fi viewer and the mainstream mini series audience come from distinctly different ends of the spectrum. Sci-fi-themed works are rooted in scientific theory, presenting speculative scenarios grounded in established scientific principles. Such content demands at least a basic level of scientific literacy and a willingness to engage in in-depth thinking—traits that contrast sharply with the preferences of the majority of mainstream mini series audiences, particularly in lower-tier markets, who tend to favor fragmented storytelling.
Despite these constraints, sci-fi mini series hold considerable potential for growth. The rapid advancement of AIGC (AI-Generated Content) tools is significantly reducing production costs and lowering budgetary barriers. However, beyond branding efforts, the broader appeal of sci-fi-themed content ultimately hinges on a compelling narrative core—one that resonates with universal human concerns. If mini series can channel their heightened emotional intensity into a sci-fi framework, address real-world issues, and respond to shared social needs, they may well succeed in transcending their current limitations.
