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I was wondering to myself the other day why we even bother sometimes with bad movies, especially with the mass exodus of great storytelling to the world of television. Watching the most recent seasons of Dexter and House reminded me of this quandary. It reminded me that I’d rather be on my couch, re-watching Battlestar Galactica instead of going out to see most of the drivel that Hollywood is presenting us these days. It’s not sad, it’s just different than what we’re used to.

That said, I stumbled across the sizzle reel for a show called Slingers this past week thanks to a tip from Totally Rad Show co-host Dan Trachtenberg. It comes from British production house Sleepydog Productions and director Steve Barron.

Here’s how their official site describes this stylish sci-fi show: “Slingers is anything but just another science fiction show. Think the action of Bullitt, the sophistication of Ocean’s 11 and the humour of M*A*S*H all wrapped in a futuristic package and you have an idea of the potential of Slingers.”

“Slingers is set in the year 2263 A.D., following mankind’s first interplanetary war. Humanity is now clustered into a finite, but still vast section of the universe known as Enclosed Space. Humanity won the war with an aggressive alien enemy, but at a cost. The way back to Earth is now cut off by an impassable barrier – a side effect of the blast that finally pushed the enemy back.”

If you’re like me, you’re probably sold on premise alone. But wait, there’s more! How about that sizzle reel? I’ve embedded it below. It’s victim to its own devices in that it lacks the production values of some of the more impressive cable sci-fi we’ve seen in years, but like many of the great shows that end up on the BBC — I’m looking at you, Doctor Who — it makes lemonade out of the lemons it’s given. See for yourself.