Science Fiction: Greatest TV Shows Part III

[Snarf Zagyg]

No my Best Of list.

For example, I think Babylon 5 and Farscape were both muddled messes. And the original Battlestar Galactica's campiness was better than the reboot's grittiness.

Ha!

You want camp?

Galactica 1980.

ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTE.

 

[payn]

Ha!

You want camp?

Galactica 1980.

ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTE.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Hey now!

By bringing in Buck Rogers, you're dangerously close to discussing something vaguely related to roleplaying games or TSR.

Can't have that at enworld!!!!!

 

[Ryujin]

How has no one mentioned Sliders? Sure, it changed channels and went out with a mediocre final season, but it was great for the first couple of seasons.

They lost me when they switched to the other brother.

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

They lost me when they switched to the other brother.

Killing off John Rhys-Davies' character was the turning point for me. There were still good episodes after that, but it was not the same without his attitude.

 

[Ryujin]

Does anyone remember "Primeval"? And no, I don't mean the stillborn American version.

 

[MarkB]

Does anyone remember "Primeval"? And no, I don't mean the stillborn American version.

I remember it, but mostly in the sense of "that's taking up file space in my brain that I could be using for something useful".

 

[BrokenTwin]

Man, it would be really hard for me to fill a top ten list of scifi shows. Top five, I think I could manage.

1. The Expanse. No question, I loved the books, I loved the show and its casting. One regrettable discovery about a member of the main cast aside.
2. Stargate Atlantis. One of my first real introductions to scifi, and a solid show for the majority of its episodes.
3. Deep Space 9. Not gonna lie, I had a hard time getting into most Star Trek. Everyone always talked about its engagement with philosophy, but ever time I tried to watch an episode I got cheesy scifi camp instead. DS9, on the other hand, had a few misses, but its tighter character focus made it a lot more enjoyable for me.

Hmm... already getting to the point where I don't know what shows I'd add to this list... I really need to watch more scifi... Andromeda started strong but was ruined by the lead actor in a spectacular fashion, Firefly doesn't meet the OP's requirements despite being a show I love, Dark Angel I loved as a kid and still have a fondness for, but was honestly not a great show quality wise... The Orville is shaping up to be a solid show, but isn't in a "finished" state, so it doesn't qualify either...

 

[Ryujin]

Does anyone remember "Primeval"? And no, I don't mean the stillborn American version.

I must apologize for this statement. It wasn't a "stillborn American version", but a crappy Canadian version. Shot in Vancouver by CTV/Bell Media/eONE, with Canadian military trappings. They did obviously aim for the American market, however, as they kept on saying 'lewtennant' instead of 'leftennant.'

 

[Cadence]

Rewatching Dark Angel (Cameron/Alba/Weatherly/etc ..) for the first time in a decade or so, and am about 2/3rds of the way through season 1. It is holding up really well so far. I remember some changes in season 2 in terms of characters and focus, so I'll see how my opinion changes.

It's also pretty amazing to be reminded how LGBTQ+ open that first season was (from Original Cindy to Normal's girlfriend).

 

[Hex08]

Rewatching Dark Angel (Cameron/Alba/Weatherly/etc ..) for the first time in a decade or so, and am about 2/3rds of the way through season 1. It is holding up really well so far. I remember some changes in season 2 in terms of characters and focus, so I'll see how my opinion changes.

It's also pretty amazing to be reminded how LGBTQ+ open that first season was (from Original Cindy to Normal's girlfriend).

I remember so wanting to like Dark Angel when it was first released and it just not grabbing me. Maybe I should give it a try again.

 

[Tonguez]

Rewatching Dark Angel (Cameron/Alba/Weatherly/etc ..) for the first time in a decade or so, and am about 2/3rds of the way through season 1. It is holding up really well so far. I remember some changes in season 2 in terms of characters and focus, so I'll see how my opinion changes.

It's also pretty amazing to be reminded how LGBTQ+ open that first season was (from Original Cindy to Normal's girlfriend).

I liked Dark Angel for its superhero premise though it did get a bit silly in season 2, with Dogboy and the Starfish man (albeit that was a Halloween special). The Vampire Medic and the Heuristic stalker were interesting storylines.

What is the probability of us being here right now?
100% because we’re here, its already happened

 

[Cadence]

I had totally forgotten/didn't recognize that Rainn Wilson was in an episode of Dark Angel!

 

[Cadence]

Finished rewatching Dark Angel season 2 for the first time in ages.

I found the various non-human looking transgenics didn't seem that bad and liked the way it embraced where it was going in that regard. But maybe part of that was how reasonable they seemed compared to some of the other powers (like Brain's) that seemed silly for what they were claimed to be. (Maybe fine in something with more about general psi-powers, but not for what they were saying it was).

It felt like the cult was the weak link -- I wonder if part of that is me remembering how much I disliked the sequel book (iirc).

Spoiler: Book spoiler

Was it a disease bringing comet that was supposed to kill everyone not bred right? Did it not even really come to pass? (It's been a long time).

I wonder if I would have thought the final episode fight was so full of out of place, inefficient, obvious "pro" wrestler moves if I didn't know Lita was a wrestler. I'm wondering at what point she was hurt in the filming.

I hated one character death.

Did Max originally live with Cindy before Kendra, or was there a continuity error about it.

That they abbreviated transgenics as trans made some parts painful given current irl politics. <comments snipped to avoid politics>

All in all, very enjoyable. I'm not sure they had a good place to go in a season 3 that would have been satisfying -

Spoiler: spoiler

so maybe leaving it open

was the best ending.

 

[Irlo]

I would put Space:1999 on the eligible shows?

Best opening credits and theme music ever!

 

[dragoner]

Best opening credits and theme music ever!

That funky bass.

 

[Ryujin]

Best opening credits and theme music ever!

Season 1 or season 2? I didn't like the switch in the music for season 2.

 

[Irlo]

Season 1 or season 2? I didn't like the switch in the music for season 2.

I was referring to Season 1. I try to forget that Season 2 ever existed.

 

[Ryujin]

I was referring to Season 1. I try to forget that Season 2 ever existed.

Many people seem to

 

[Irlo]

Many people seem to

WHY DID THE ALIEN SHAPESHIFT INTO EARTH ANIMALS? WHERE IS VICTOR BERGMAN??