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Welcome to Paradox
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<p><i>Welcome to Paradox</i> was a Canadian <a href="/facts/Science_fiction/d9hE2Lwt">science fiction</a> television series aired on the <a href="/facts/Sci_Fi_Channel_(United_States)/nxRV1eCB">Sci Fi Channel</a> in the U.S. and subsequently on <a href="/facts/Showcase_(Canadian_TV_channel)/c4agCfFV">Showcase</a> in Canada. It was first broadcast on August 17, 1998, ran for one season, with the final episode being released 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. <i>Betaville</i> was the original title for the series. </p><p>The series is an anthology hybrid. The stories all took place in the fictional future city of "Betaville", a nod to <a href="/facts/Jean-Luc_Godard/8zsCx57L">Jean-Luc Godard</a>'s <i><a href="/facts/Alphaville_(film)/uzlQyyx6">Alphaville</a></i>. However, the majority of the stories were adapted from short stories that were originally unconnected with that 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 <i><a href="/facts/The_Twilight_Zone_(1959_TV_series)/gcxyGSnI">The Twilight Zone</a></i> and <i><a href="/facts/The_Outer_Limits_(1963_TV_series)/1hRVLeVn">The Outer Limits</a></i>. The <a href="/facts/Volkswagen_New_Beetle/1BLQBznk">Volkswagen New Beetle</a> was chosen to be the transportation of Betaville; one was used whenever a car was needed in a story. </p><p>Guest stars in the series include <a href="/facts/Steven_Bauer/SJ8kkXFY">Steven Bauer</a>, <a href="/facts/Roma_Maffia/pV5VHBq3">Roma Maffia</a>, <a href="/facts/Ice-T/RwURNdkK">Ice-T</a>, <a href="/facts/A_Martinez/r06N6del">A Martinez</a>, <a href="/facts/Nicholle_Tom/Wg0r0VPg">Nicholle Tom</a>, <a href="/facts/Rodney_Rowland/GTct2U4S">Rodney Rowland</a>, <a href="/facts/Justine_Priestley/eFX1aygG">Justine Priestley</a>, <a href="/facts/Mayim_Bialik/UIVdexwB">Mayim Bialik</a>, <a href="/facts/Lochlyn_Munro/RLog3acr">Lochlyn Munro</a>, <a href="/facts/Channon_Roe/4vp8Y1Cp">Channon Roe</a>, <a href="/facts/Henry_Rollins/FSmVnX40">Henry Rollins</a>, <a href="/facts/Alice_Krige/B0gqaVsY">Alice Krige</a>, <a href="/facts/Justin_Lazard/zSQTcJUE">Justin Lazard</a>, <a href="/facts/William_McNamara/u5jJzY8J">William McNamara</a>, and <a href="/facts/Dana_Ashbrook/ukjvsTB7">Dana Ashbrook</a>. </p>