[theophrastus]

someone needs to craft a Bechdel test (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bechdel_test) for sci-fi.

  1. has to have at least two established theories (cosmological or otherwise) in it
  2. they must combine to create a dramatic plot issue
  3. in a fashion which doesn't involve a time-loop paradox

that or some generic metric; "Firefly is delightful, but only scores 2.7 Asimovs"

...or not

[jerf]

You're probably looking for something like http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MohsScaleOfScienc... , though it isn't entirely clear what you're fishing for.