As good as anything I’ve ever watched.

[insert ORLY owl here]

In any case, all of the other episodes are much more overtly science fictional. Since you seem to be hankering for something very overtly sci-fi, I’d suggest the next episode, which is a pretty by-the-books 1984/Brave New World future dystopia story. It’s a little hackneyed, but that makes its genre pedigree more unambiguous, which should serve you well.

The third episode involves the ramifications of an embedded Google-glass-type chip that records everything you see, and the newest episode is a near-future extrapolation from the contemporary ubiquity of social media and the huge amounts of externally-stored data about ourselves.

I don’t remember the first episode in details, but I remember it being a little bit speculative and set in the (near) future.The other 3 stories so far have been definite sci-fi, though of a similar style of projecting technology that *almost* exists to a point where it tests the human condition.

I think the average viewer wouldn’t even recognise it as sci-fi unless you pointed it out. Most people seem the think Star Wars (or Trek) when you mention sci-fi, which is a shame. I do love Star Wars/Trek, but they are not representative of sci-fi in a broad sense.

The team behind these productions seem to go out of their way to strike as near to the heart strings as possible on every opportunity.

The best way I can come up with to describe it is this:

It is the television equivalent of an abusive relationship.

But I love it, and it didn’t mean to scare/hurt/terrify me, not really, we’re better now. You know, until next week

Science fiction is about exploring the way technology changes the way we live and relate to each other. That’s why a lot of people won’t call Star Wars SF, because it’s more of a space fantasy. 

I’m sorry your delicate sensibilities were transgressed because there was bestiality in your tv show and somehow everyone at Boing Boing was supposed to know that’s not what you wanted to watch with your wife that night. :/

Also, speculative fiction can encompass science fiction. And fantasy. And historical fiction. Because the episode dealt with technology specifically I feel that it should still be considered science fiction. But that’s just my opinion.

I also feel that people going into it looking for hardline “science fiction” will be sorely disappointed. It has a lot of the feeling of Samuel R. Delany’s science fiction, where the sci-fi takes a background to the drama, emotion and character development. All of that just happens to be occurring in a sci-fi world, and sometimes you even forget. S01E03 “The History of You” took my breath away, and brought tears to my eyes at times.

How about “SwineFi” for that first one?

Does that make Castle or Hawaii-5-0 science fiction too?

By that Wikipedia definition, I still say–it’s a stretch to call that first one science fiction, (and certainly not “very sci fi” as someone above said) though speculative fiction might apply. Not in the future, no futuristic technology, no parallel world, space travel or paranormal elements.

In fact, I have to say I kinda felt the same way. Downloaded that first episode, convinced my wife there was this awesome, highly recommended science fiction anthology– like the Twilight Zone! –we had to watch. (We even postponed watching the Dr. Who Episode we had planned.) Sat down all ready for some dark, science fiction, and…. we got… Pig Fucking.

My own fault for not checking into it a bit more but I hate risking spoilers.

And it’s a stretch to call that first one science fiction in my opinion, and not because it doesn’t have lasers. (Patronize much?)

Science fiction is a genre of fiction with imaginative but more or less plausible content such as settings in the future, futuristic science and technology, space travel, parallel universes, aliens, and paranormal abilities.

I would think parallel universe counted for the first episode. Second episode is even more clearly in your more narrow view of science fiction – dystopian future, shiny technology and implants, etc. Third is also futuristic and deals with implants that record our experiences and allow us to play them back, and the effect it would have on our personal relationships and how we view the world.

Certainly the most powerful sci-fi show I’ve ever seen.