I’d always wanted the show to be more reality based science fiction, something along the lines of The Day the Earth Stood Still, which I consider to be the classic science fiction film.

Gerard contrasts two traditions within screen science fiction: flamboyant space opera and a more grounded, socially legible “reality-based” mode. By invoking The Day the Earth Stood Still as his benchmark, he signals admiration for science fiction that treats extraordinary events with plausible tone, moral seriousness, and contemporary relevance rather than pure spectacle. The remark also implies a creative tension common in long-running genre television—between an actor’s or creator’s preferred thematic direction and the production’s established formula, budgetary constraints, or audience expectations. In effect, Gerard frames “classic” science fiction as a vehicle for ideas and allegory, not merely futuristic décor.