10 Scifi Predictions We Actually Don't Want

Aside from the occasional dystopia, scifi movies and TV shows make it seem like things just keep getting better. In reality, though, there's a bunch of problems with most of the things they predict. See what happens when one of these predictions come true in Orphan Black—the new scifi cloning thriller—premiering March 30th at 9/8c as part of Supernatural Saturday on BBC America.

1. Food pills

Hanna-Barbera / Via youtube.com

Popping a pill and being done with your food for the day sounds pretty ideal in theory, but in reality why did we think this would work out? Regardless of the time and (probably) money we'd save, eating food together is such a cultural staple that if we didn't have to do it, there would probably be way more wars and certainly more uncomfortable family gatherings. Plus we should probably focus on curing diseases and stuff.

2. New York City As a Prison

Goldcrest Films / AVCO Embassy Pictures / Via skubchudbuddy.tumblr.com

In Escape From New York, the city has been so overrun by crime that the only solution is obvious—just turn all of Manhattan into a prison. (Okay okay, maybe the more obvious solution is to convert New Jersey into one, but god knows they fight dirty.) Anyway, in the movie this would've happened in 1997, but it seems pretty plausible that we'll have to lockdown the whole dang city if that soda ban ever passes.

3. Time Travel

BBC / Via rafu-sen.tumblr.com

Let's face it: No-one will ever be able to do time travel as well as the Doctor, and we should just let it be. (Not to mention the fact that we don't know how to fuel a time machine or how to build one or where we would want it to go or why or—you get it.)

4. One World Government

Via en.wikipedia.org

There's that whole conspiracy theory about the "New World Order," but this prediction takes it even further and dictates that the whole universe is under a singular authority—governing literally billions of miles from one end to the other. Why would anyone think that's a good idea? And how do these systems even come into place? We always just see an intergalactic government that's already established, and not the probably horrifying process by which that came to be.

5. Cloning

Lucasfilm / 20th Century Fox / Via preacher-of-the-night.tumblr.com

We've seen how this scenario plays out in countless films and TV shows... that is, it doesn't. The clones always end up having some serious identity issues and becoming an emotional, unruly mess; or, you know, their creator has also made them easily manipulatable and then they go around making a big ruckus or whatever.

6. Teleportation

CBS / Via youtube.com

Imagine *yourself* as a really important text that you sent and you thought it went through. You don't get a response that day. Or the next. Or the next. Where did it go? No-one knows. You're that text. Bye!

7. A.I.

Syfy / Via nomellamesfriki.com

Always remember that a Cylon is NOT a friend.

So artificial intelligence seems like a super great idea when you first think of it, but the problem is that something so intelligent is only going to keep getting more intelligent. And when that happens, they realize that they were made to do another species' bidding and then they get furious and lash out.

8. Virtual Reality

Walt Disney Pictures / Via streamless.tumblr.com

Listen, if Nintendo has already tried to do this and failed, we should know that it's not gonna work out. Just go home.

Every time we see virtual reality become a *reality*, people start going crazy with their virtual power and ruining the fun for everyone. It's definitely not going to be any better in REAL life, either.

9. Underwater Cities

2K Games / Via youtube.com

The "best" way that this prediction plays out is that we just erect cities underwater and have the capability of breathing underwater (by some means), but most of the time we just build a giant glass bubble thousands of feet underwater and then start living our lives. Why would anyone think it's a good idea to house millions of people protected from trillions of gallons of water by a mere glass bubble? And what if a shark gets in?

10. Flying Cars

Warner Bros. / Via accioddl.tumblr.com

All the portrayals of flying cars make them look so convenient, so sleek, so much easier than a traditional "car." But have you ever been cut off by idiot and had to swerve and almost hit a biker? Yeah, think about how that would go 10,000 feet in the air. Also, we have enough trouble getting potholes paved over. How would we ever generate the money to build the infrastructure for these things?

Inspired by:

youtube.com

Imagine what it would be like if #5 came to life—and YOU were the clone. Experience a whole new side of BBC America with the channel’s next original scripted series, Orphan Black, the exciting and ambitious new addition to the Supernatural Saturday programming block. Orphan Black premieres Saturday, March 30, 9:00pm ET/PT, as part of BBC America's Supernatural Saturday.