Welcome to Paradox


Welcome to Paradox is a science fiction television series aired on the Sci Fi Channel in the U.S. and on Showcase in Canada. Despite being filmed in Canada, the series was broadcast first in the United States. It first aired on August 17, 1998, and ran for one season, ending on November 9, 1998. As this was part of a crop of new shows produced in 1998 by Sci Fi Channel and it was not successful beyond the first season, it was never placed in syndication. Betaville was the original title for the series.
The series is an anthology hybrid. The stories all took place in the fictional future city of "Betaville", a nod to Jean-Luc Godard's Alphaville. However, the majority of the stories were adapted from short stories that originally didn't have anything to do with the fictional city. The stories were adapted from older works by famous science fiction authors which explored the impact of certain technologies on the human body and psyche, and the theme of humanity being overwhelmed by hostile technologies. Each episode had a host—originally to be named "Paradox" until the concept was dropped—that served as a narrator, adding a prologue and epilogue to the show as with The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits. The Volkswagen New Beetle was chosen to be the transportation of Betaville. Any time it was called for a car to be featured in an episode, a New Beetle was used.

Setting

Betaville is the setting for all the stories of Welcome to Paradox. Set in an unspecified time in the future, Betaville is a city of Utopian ideals. There is no crime, violence, disease, or any other problems of modern society. However, there is a dark undercurrent in Betaville that impacts some citizens directly. Technology has invaded daily life to the point that simulated reality is preferred to actual reality, perfect machines are wresting control from their wealthy and pampered owners, and humanity is challenged by genetic engineering and social engineering programs that push the limits of arrogance and sanity. Famous Guest stars include Steven Bauer, Roma Maffia, Ice-T, A Martinez, Nicholle Tom, Rodney Rowland, Justine Priestley, Mayim Bialik, Lochlyn Munro, Channon Roe, Henry Rollins, Alice Krige, Justin Lazard, William McNamara, Dana Ashbrook

Episodes

Home release

Though an Australian PAL box set of the entire series exists, the series was never released in any format in North America or Europe.