Best Sci-Fi television series EVAR!

[Staffan]

I heard that the end of shadow war/ battle agianst Clarke was suposted to be one big battle above Earth, JMS was forced to change things.

As I understand it from his archived Usenet posts and the episode guides at Lurker's Guide, season 4 was supposed to end with Sheridan's capture. I'm not sure if Intersections in Real Time (the interrogation episode) was supposed to be the last episode of season 4 or the first of season 5.

Oh, and an unrelated(sort of) question about Firefly. I caught a few episodes(loved it), but how long did it run in the USA? From what I'm told, its running very strong in Britain....

Ten episodes, plus a double-length pilot episode that was aired last. Three more episodes were made but not aired (one including Saffron again), but they're going to be on the DVD set coming in December.

 

[Starman]

Star Trek:ToS without a doubt. It had the three greatest characters in sci-fi TV: Kirk, Spock, and Bones.

Starman

 

[Tsyr]

Space: Above and Beyond rocked. Plain and simple. I only wish it had run longer.

 

[mojo1701]

TNG #1 in my book, man (although I wasn't a fan of Star Trek or sci-fi in general at the time - I was like 8 at the time).

Honorable mentions also go to DS9 (loved that Dominion War), Voyager (certain plots and characters, but barely made it in my book), the X-Files (pre-8th season), the X-Files spinoff, the Lone Gunmen (I love those conspiracy-type shows, and the guys were great). I didn't get into much else, and I only got basic cable here, so I don't get the reruns of the other shows (just Voyager every weekday at 4 p.m. and the X-Files every saturday on NBC).

 

[paulewaug]

Red Dwarf! hehe!

I like B5 a lot.

Stargate has done a terrific job of keeping their seasons going and I enjot the show a lot.

STS9 is the only ST show I care for anymore. Old trek is amusing and I appreciate their ahead of the times quality they had. And although orgially I loved ST:TNG I have snice become very disillusioned with it. To repetative IMHO always getting into trouble/checking anomalies and pulling some trick out of thier @$$ at the end to save the day with little regard to their own continuity. I give them a lot of credit for the Nemesis and the ending.

I loved Farscape and I think that the season before the last just got too wierd and killed the show, although the final season was mostly fantastic, very sad to see it go.

Space Above and Beyond was a good show and I was also very sad to see it end.

 

[Darrin Drader]

Absolutely Babylon5. There is no argument.

 

[demiurge1138]

Does MST3K count?

Demiurge out.

 

[Ghostwind]

I don't think you can single any one series out as the best ever. Too many of them have had major impacts on television culture through the years.

The original Outer Limits probably did more for setting the pace for consistent quality writing than any other series of that time. It also served as the launch vehicle for many star's careers (the same can also be said for Twilight Zone). Just take a look at the star roster on some of those old episodes when you get the opportunity: Martin Sheen, Leonard Nimoy, and Robert Culp all come immediately to mind.

Star Trek: TOS brought the space opera theme to television and broke many barriers that were never done before (such as the first interracial kiss to be aired on TV). It also showed how character driven episodes were feasible and yet still retain the fantasy element.

Dr. Who also bridged the gap for consistent writing and showed a side of science fiction that only the British was willing to tackle; humor. I still catch Who episodes whenever I am somewhere with cable and they are airing. Gotta love Tom Baker...

In many ways Babylon 5 picked up the reins that had been dropped by the 70's and 80's sci-fi shows (so many stinkers) and showed how multi-episodic story arcs were not only feasible but that the fans literally ate them up. Some of the best sci-fi writing of the period goes to Babylon 5 (with nods to Star Trek: TNG and Star Trek: DS9).

Farscape certainly had the potential to become the best series of the new century had it been allowed to live. The key component that is vital for a series' success was there; the writing but the powers above didn't see it fit to continue to series despite fan outcry.

So, call this list my favorite of the various time periods where sci-fi was making important contributions.

 

[Corinth]

Babylon 5, no contest.

 

[Shadowdancer]

The Time Tunnel.

"The X-Files" is probably the only multi-season scifi show I can say with certainty that I saw every episode. It gets my vote.

"Firefly" -- Every time I think of what could have been, I get mad at Fox again. If I had a rocket launcher . . .