SF conventions have been making appearances in comedy films for decades. It’s not hard to understand why, as the exotic fantasy worlds of science fiction meeting the mundanity and compromises of the present day and its fallible inhabitants creates a gap that is ripe for observation and storytelling. Then there’s the glamour of celebrity and the shared contract of delusion that exists between artists and their fans. Fandom is a place that build marvellous communities, but also be tawdry and hurtful.

Amongst films and television that have depicted this are Staggered, G.B.H, Paul, Free Enterprise, Frasier, Community, The Big Bang Theory and most famously Galaxy Quest. Less well known but a marvelous example of this sub-genre is the 2002 TV movie Cruise of the Gods. Made by Baby Cow Productions for the BBC, it stars Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan as actors Andy Van Allen and Nick Lees. Both were the stars of an imaginary 80’s tv show Children of Castor. The show was set on a post-apocalyptic Earth, minus the USA (“America is Pollux!”) and featured a New Wave pop group who survived to become the inheritors of humanity. Now in 2002, Nick is globally famous for the US show Sherlock Holmes in Miami, whilst Andy is a barely working actor, supporting himself as a hotel porter. We learn that Andy has been a self-centred jerk most of his life. His lack of success and his resentful reliance on his cult fame has left him lonely and bitter. Most of the film takes place on a cruise ship taking holidaymakers, including a SF convention, around the Greek islands. Andy is the guest of honour, along with the show’s writer and a former actor who played a mutant in the opening credits. But his minor celebrity is overshadowed when Nick turns up completely by chance, filming the latest episode of his series. Andy is initially furious, but when Nick offers him a chance to appear in his programme, Andy sees an opportunity to finally become a star again.

SF conventions on cruise ships are regular events, but there is an extra nostalgia for me in seeing this manner of grassroots event, with guest panels, discussions and competitions, in an era where many conventions have largely become merchandise markets. The film features several actors who would become famous in the Noughties, including David Walliams and James Corden. As well as amusing guest appearances playing themselves from Jack Jones and Brian Conley. It’s a funny, feelgood drama that gently pokes fun at fans but without cruelty.

Cruise of the Gods is the subject of the latest episode of Very British Futures. You can listen to the podcast on Goodpods or any of the major podcast platforms. My guests, actor Cliff Chapman and podcaster Dani Wray, had originally recorded an entirely different episode about The Comic Strip Presents, but due to my clumsiness I lost the recording. So they very generously offered to record a new episode. I had toyed with the idea of covering Cruise of the Gods for a while. Whilst it is not science fiction, it is definitely about British cult television. Hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed recording it.