Single Best Sci-Fi Television Moment . . . EVAR!?

[Mistwell]

Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II", seeing the results of the Battle of Wolf 359 (first major battle between the United Federation of Planets' Starfleet and the Borg). What can beat seeing 39 dead ships in one moment?

 

[Aesthetic Monk]

The ending of Best of Both Worlds PArt 1.

Riker: "Fire"

Fade to black

Me: "Noooooooooooooooooo"

Yes, I agree. As much as I was tempted to put down the moment in the finale of Season 3 of B5 with the White Star -- or really just about *any* moment from that masterpiece -- I'd have to say this one moment. I was alone in a crummy apartment in Columbia, Mo., at the time, taking two 3-hour summer classes in four weeks, doing practically nothing but reading and going to class, and then this came on. I didn't even know it was the season finale or a cliffhanger, so I had no expectations of it, but even if I had had, this'd have blown them all away.

But I also have to add ...

That episode of Buck Rogers where Erin Gray is in that sauna, and the humidity makes her skintight spandex jumpsuit even tighter.

I don't remember that scene, although I really wish I did, but Erin Gray was my first TV girlfriend. Still holding up pretty well, I gather from the VH1 appearances. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[Ed_Laprade]

Only one? Ain't no such animal. I'm up for several that have been mentioned, but I'll throw out another. The end of the Outer Limits episode 'The Glass Hand' when Robert Culp's character realizes that he's really a robot.

 

[danzig138]

The ending of Best of Both Worlds PArt 1.

Riker: "Fire"

Fade to black

Me: "Noooooooooooooooooo"

B5 is one of my favorite shows, with many great moments, but in answer to this question, I thought of two scenes. The first is Earth: Final Conflict, "Sandoval's Run" - near the end, when they're re-implanting Sandoval, and Boone shows Sandoval Didi's ring, and says "I took care of that for you." The whole sequence of cruelty and vengeance and justice.

The other one was when Locutus of Borg first shows up. I couldn't remember the name of the episode, so I looked it up on Wikipedia. Huh, apparently, that's the end of Best of Both Worlds part 1.

 

[VorpalBunny]

The ending of Best of Both Worlds PArt 1.

Riker: "Fire"

Fade to black

Me: "Noooooooooooooooooo"

This was the first scene that popped into my mind. Those SOBs ruined my entire summer that year.

 

[Richards]

Only one? Ain't no such animal. I'm up for several that have been mentioned, but I'll throw out another. The end of the Outer Limits episode 'The Glass Hand' when Robert Culp's character realizes that he's really a robot.

Ooh, good one! There have been a lot of good suggestions in this thread, but I like this one quite a bit. I think "Demon with a Glass Hand" was probably my favorite episode of Outer Limits, ever.

Johnathan

 

[trilobite]

Only one? Ain't no such animal. I'm up for several that have been mentioned, but I'll throw out another. The end of the Outer Limits episode 'The Glass Hand' when Robert Culp's character realizes that he's really a robot.

There is that Twilight Zone episode "Time Enough At Last" when the Burgess Meredith breaks his glasses just when he thinks he has all the time in the world to read.

 

[GSHamster]

Buffy, Season 2, "Innocence". The moment/scene where she confronts Angel in his bedroom after he loses his soul.

Buffy: I, I don't understand. Was it m-me? Was I not good?
Angelus: You were great. Really. I thought you were a pro.

Quite honestly, that is still the single best and cruelest dialogue I have ever heard.

 

[John Crichton]

There isn't just one. And there are some great ones here, most notably the B5 Delenn speech defending B5/Sheriden, the cliffhanger of TNG's "Best of Both World's" and Mal's engine kick.

I would like to add a few -

* Star Trek: Next Gen - The finale "All Good Things..." which, for my money, until Angel was the best genre series finale show ever. The scene where we learn Q's true relationship with Picard at the very end and his role in letting the Captain save humanity was classic. Put a bowtie on a tremendous series which just happened to have a subpar last season. But that ep and that moment was a great payoff and the best thing Brannon Braga ever wrote.

* Angel -Again, a finale "Not Fade Away." There were two. The entire scene where Wes confronts the wizard and Illyria's vengence. And then the last stand in the alley:

Spike: Any terms of a plan?
Angel: We fight.
Spike: Bit more specific?
Angel: Well, personally? I kinda want to slay the dragon. Let's go to work.

* Deep Space Nine - "Sacrifice of Angels" when the Federation races again the clock to retake DS9 and stop Dominion forces from coming through the wormhole which is having its mines deactivated. Yeah, not really a moment but the Defiant punching through the line (with help) is an image burned into my brain.

* Buffy - When she sends Angel to hell in order to save the world just after he gets his soul restored. Season 2 finale. Crushing scene. Out of all the Buffy moments, this is easily the most memorable. The show stepped up from really good to great at that moment.

* Babylon 5 - "Point of No Return" Sheriden's speech declairing B5's secession from the Earth Alliance. Trumped maybe only by the aforementioned Delenn speech.

* Firefly - "War Stories" There are two. You know what they are, but juuuust in case:

Book: Oh... my.
Kaylee: Well, gosh, I knew she took female clients but... They look so glamourous together.
Jayne: [after a beat] ... I'll be in my bunk.

and

Just after Serenity's crew blasts their way into Niska's spacestation, they get to where Mal is struggling with Niska's bodyguard on a ledge, Jayne starts to aim at the bodyguard and:

Zoe: Jayne. This is something the captain has to do for himself.
Mal: No. No, it's not!
Zoe: Oh! [guns a-blazing]

 

[bodhi]

a few more moments

I don't really have a single standout either, but...

Babylon 5
Neroon beats the crap out of Marcus, then asks him why he fights. Marcus replies "I am a Ranger. We walk in the dark places no others will enter. We stand on the bridge, and no one may pass. We live for the One. We die for the One." And in that moment, you know he is completely serious.

G'Kar is told of the Alliance and Leagues woefully inadequate response to the Narn Regime's plea for help, and he walks down the corridor, laughing and sobbing at the same time.

Buffy
Xander talks evil veiny Dark Willow down from destroying the world. I like it because it's Xander saving the world. Not the Slayer, not the UberWiccan, not the vampire-with-a-soul (or the other vampire-with-a-soul). Just plain old mortal human Xander. Xander who wins not by combat strength, or mystical might, but by the power of love for his best friend.

Firefly
Niska: "For you, my reputation is no gossip. Is solid. Is fact." Now that's a BBEG.

And yes, Mal kicking the guy into the engine. I liked the typical setup of the recurring henchman, followed by the -yoink- of Whedon going "gotcha!".