What is the single best science fiction or fantasy franchise?

[pukunui]

I think Discworld should get a mention.

 

[Tonguez]

I think Discworld should get a mention.

“Truth! Freedom! Justice! And a hard-boiled egg!”

I had considered mentioning the Disc, but decided that it only fit a certain definition of Best rather than being fundamentally Best, but yes I concur that it should get a mention

 

[MarkB]

I think you're just more aware of the trope lineage of Star Wars because George Lucas has been very upfront and public about his influences. But rest assured, there is nothing new under the sun.

For me, the problem with Star Wars is not the series as a whole being derivative, but that almost everything since the original trilogy has tried to be derivative of that trilogy. It was so beloved and set up a load of tropes that subsequent movies, books, novels etc. tried to emulate and were measured by in the eyes of the fans, usually unfavourably.

Only a few products have seriously tried to build anything new, and fewer still did it well.

 

[Divine2021]

I think Discworld should get a mention.

Fritz Lieber would like a word

 

[Divine2021]

For me, the problem with Star Wars is not the series as a whole being derivative, but that almost everything since the original trilogy has tried to be derivative of that trilogy. It was so beloved and set up a load of tropes that subsequent movies, books, novels etc. tried to emulate and were measured by in the eyes of the fans, usually unfavourably.

Only a few products have seriously tried to build anything new, and fewer still did it well.

George Lucas tried to do something radically different in the prequels, and the nerds turned on him because it wasn’t derivative enough. Lesson learned: don’t trust nerds.

 

[MarkB]

George Lucas tried to do something radically different in the prequels, and the nerds turned on him because it wasn’t derivative enough. Lesson learned: don’t trust nerds.

Even the prequels were derivative of the tropes and styles of the originals. All Jedi wear the robes Obi Wan wore when hiding out incognito in the desert. All their students practice lightsabering using the remotes and helmets he found in a cupboard on the Falcon.

 

[payn]

George Lucas tried to do something radically different in the prequels, and the nerds turned on him because it wasn’t derivative enough. Lesson learned: don’t trust nerds.

 

[AnotherGuy]

George Lucas tried to do something radically different in the prequels, and the nerds turned on him because it wasn’t derivative enough. Lesson learned: don’t trust nerds.

Counterpoint
Lesson Learned: Don't trust George Lucas or Disney.

 

[nevin]

For fantasy, and overall, I'm going to go for the various Tolkien Middle Earth works, mainly on the basis that I don't think any other modern work better and more consistently walks the line of of being functional and satisfying as popular entertainment while simultaneously feeling like it has real literary weight. Maybe you can think of a work that achieves the same, but Lord of the Rings was the bestselling novel of the 20th century, and whatever you're thinking of probably can't compare with that impact wise. And practically the whole fantasy genre exists to some degree in Middle Earth's shadow (if in many case's only in the sense that they employ world-building and Tolkien is far and away the most influential worldbuilder there ever was). Adaptations have been a mixed bag, but that shouldn't be held against the underlying work, and some of the adaptions have been impressive achievements in their own right.

But seriously, page three of this thread and Star Wars has only been mentioned (dismissively) once? Has the galaxy far, far away fallen so low? Look, prequels, Disney Star Wars, one or another lame novel from the 90s, an infamous holiday special... these things shouldn't matter. The original trilogy has more iconic things per minute than anything else ever committed to film except maybe Casablanca, to an extent that it's hard to really appreciate and easy to take for granted. Those movies are an achievement unto themselves, and I just don't think anything else Sci-Fi is really comparable. Whatever Star Wars media has come since is just a feather in the franchise's cap when its good, and when it is bad... well that should be insignificant compared to the power of the Force.

If Star Wars' star has fallen so far for you to not even be worth discussing I understand, but beware... it was a very different story at the franchise's reputational height (before the dark times... before the Phantom Menace), and whatever franchise you're going to bat for may yet suffer some variation of the same fate.

the weight of too many terrible to mediocre choices since the great 3 have buried it like atlantis

 

[nevin]

no he made 3 terrible stories.

Two many duds in Trek. Trekkies just fairly fanatic with high tolerance of pain.

Similar with Star Wars to many duds.

B5, Farscape hell even Stargate have a better dud to hit ratio but lack the cultural impact imho.

So if you can find a good trilogy or 4 part/season you have a winner.

A sci fi/fantasy Breaking Bad, The Wire or Breaking Bad.

strange why do other people's opinion matter on your opnion of best show? Not a dig I'm really curious.