10 Perplexing Sci-Fi Film Problems Solved By The Internet

2. What If The Truman Show Got Cancelled?

As if Big Brother wasn't terrifying enough as it is, The Truman Show prefigured the rise of reality television whilst also taking it to its natural, horrible conclusion. In Peter Weir's 1998 classic Jim Carrey's eponymous Truman Burbank has all his living moments filmed and broadcast to televisions across the world, the star of one of the most successful shows in history since he was born. Oh and he was no idea that it's happening, or that his home town is a totally fake constructed reality, or that all of his friends, family, neighbours and lovers are just actors. Then weird stuff starts to happen, like a light falling from the sky, and people returning from the dead. Eventually Truman discovers the truth about his world and confronts the show's creator and executive producer Christof, who is slightly insane and definitely sociopathic in the way he has orchestrated and controlled the young man's entire life. The film ends on a hopeful note as Truman chooses to reject this artificial life in favour of finding out what the real world looks like. But what if he'd never got a chance to? What if The Truman Show didn't maintain the high ratings that meant networks looked over the horrible human rights abuses taking place within? What if it got cancelled before Truman ever found the truth? The users of Reddit had a few ideas. And all of them were equally as chilling as the existing show. One suggested that it would be a slow move to a new location, where Truman is filmed as part of a "documentary" that's so successful, they suggest a follow-up in a sunny locale that's just another biodome. Another thought they'd just simulate the apocalypse and watch Truman go insane. Perhaps the creepiest - and most believable - answer was that the producers would break the news to him gently, and then pressure him into appearing in a series of spin-off shows. Considering the career paths of real-life reality stars, this is utterly convincing and also heartbreaking.