Science Fiction has predicted most of the great advancements of our age:
wireless communications, genetic engineering, personal computers.
But there is
one promise of science fiction that we have yet to achieve: the humanoid robot
companion.
You know, like a convincingly realistic robot friend to dull soul-
crushing pain of your lonely existence.
So in the spirit of ValentineÃ?s day and to pay homage to this stalled out dream of
the future, IÃ?ve rounded up my picks for the top 5 Valentine-worthy robot
girlfriends of sci-fi.
Now, I wouldÃ?ve included some dude robots to balance things out, but it turns out
that the man-bots of sci-fi movies are either murderous psychopaths or things
that look like C-3PO.
So this list is ladies only.
BODY
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Alright, starting off at #5: Cherry 2000 from the 1987 movie that bears her name.
HereÃ?s a robot that is so convincing and so lovable that when she short circuits,
her boyfriend is willing to gun his way into a dangerous post-apocalyptic
wasteland just to find an identical replacement.
Just be sure to keep her away
from the hot tub.
At #4: Andrea from the original series of Star Trek, episode 7.
If youÃ?re going to
spend your life stranded on a remote icy planet, there are worse companions to
have than this.
SheÃ?s a sweetheart.
Easy on the eyes if youÃ?re into that Ã?60s
bombshell look.
Knows how to use a 3D replicator.
A little clingy, though.
But if blondes are more your thing, Number Six comes in at #3.
Now there are
plenty of entertaining humanoids to covet from Battlestar Galactica, but none
more seductive than Number 6.
I mean, youÃ?ll have to look past her whole quest
to eradicate humanity.
And if youÃ?re trying to be discreet about the fact that youÃ?re
dating a robot - this is not the way to do it.
So how about #2: Call from Alien Resurrection.
Maybe itÃ?s just because IÃ?m a
child of the Ã?80s, but nothing says Ã?girlfriend materialÃ? to me more than Winona
Ryder.
You can goth her up Beetlejuice-style for Halloween.
And if the world is
ever attacked by ravenous aliens, sheÃ?s totally got your back.
Now before we get to my #1 sci-fi robot girlfriend, letÃ?s take a look at a few I had
to cut from the list based on technicalities.
Seven of Nine was disqualified
because she was born human.
The Terminatrix was too deadly.
Cameron from
the Sarah Connor Chronicles was too young not to be creepy in the long-term.
Yori or Quorra from Tron are technically computer programs.
And really the
toughest one to let go was Lisa from Weird Science, but itÃ?s not clear sheÃ?s
actually a robot.
SheÃ?s more of a sexy genie that came out of a computer.
Disappointing, I know.
Alright, so with that out of the way, letÃ?s move on to my #1 pick for the ideal robot
girlfriend from science fiction: Rachel from Blade Runner.
I mean, at the end of
the day, do you really want to spend your life with a robot who knows theyÃ?re a
robot?
Rachel is smart, attractive without being scandalous, and sheÃ?s outfitted
with enough implanted memories to keep conversations interesting.
SheÃ?s a
keeper.
So there you go, my carefully considered list of the most Valentine-worthy robots
in sci-fi.
IÃ?m sure I missed a few, though, so if you have one to nominate, or just
want to tell me IÃ?m a sexist pig for coming up with this list at all, head over to
Top5.cnet.com and leave a comment.
IÃ?m Donald Bell, thanks for watching.
