Your Favorite Science Fiction TV Series/Mini-Series (any decade)/TV movie

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by wayneklein, Feb 15, 2018.

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  1. wayneklein

    wayneklein Forum Fool Thread Starter

    Thought I'd start a thread on favorite Science Fiction TV shows. Any decade is fine.

    For me:
    1) First season and select episodes of the second season of The Outer Limits (original 60's show)
    The visuals haven't dated well but the storytelling holds up for many of the episodes especially those written by Joseph Stefano (and his gothic science fiction approach) 2) Leslie Stevens (a more clinical presentation although The Borderlands combines both), Harlan Ellison (especially Demon with A Glass Hand but even Soldier has its moments)
    2) First three seasons of The Twilight Zone
    A mixture of the best episodes written by Serling, Matheson, Beaumont.
    3) Star Trek Discovery
    A strong first season IMHO--a couple episodes of cheese the Klingon story line was exceptional.
    4) Farscape
    A pity that this can't be seen in transfers from the original film in high def.
    5) Quantum Leap
    The Blu-rays of this are a mixed bag in terms of quality but most are really nice looking.
    6) The Invaders
    Would love for this to get the Blu-ray treatment but the DVDs are, with the exception of one episode, really good looking.
    7) The X-Files (through season six)
    Nice high def transfers from Fox although some of the visual effects are upscaled.
    8) Brisco County Jr. -almost a Steampunk type series.
    Warner probably won't go back to the original film elements but this series would certainly benefit from it and the show does have a cult following.
    9) The Love War (TV Movie)
    Wish this would receive a nice home video release
    10)Star Trek: The Next Generation
    Excellent if occasionally stodgy series with the first five seasons being the best.
    11) Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
    Seasons 3-7 really took off. A pity that we probably won't see a high definition transfer.
    12) The Orville
    A loving tribute to ST:TNG with some nice comedy mixed in.
    13) Dr. Who
    I'm a fan starting with the Tom Baker episodes but enjoy those with Patrick Troughton (well those that survived) , Jon Pertwee (even if they are more Earth bound) but, after Baker, lost interest for a while. The revival really took off with David Tennant (although Chris Eccelston's portrayal was a favorite). I'm curious and happy to see the role recast with a woman.
    14) Colony
    One could argue that this isn't any different than watching a show about, say, the occupation of France by Nazi Germany but the show has worked in some pretty fascinating stories and themes beyond that template and works well in exploring some contemporary issues as well.
    15) Space: 1999
    The science could be wonky and the second season was largely cheesy crap but I still enjoy the first. it managed to capture some of the wonder of a film like 2001 and didn't try to copy the Star Trek template like may other series did.
    16) Star Trek-Just because it's number 16 doesn't mean it isn't among my top favorites. It still is especially for the first two seasons (the third has some good episodes mixed in with a lot of low budget clunkers).

    What are some of yours and why?
     
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  2. Ghostworld

    Ghostworld Senior Member

    Location:
    US
    Great roundup.


    I would say:
    Twilight Zone
    x-files
    Star Trek
    Outer limits. - outer limits is a stone cold favorite, but the portions are so small!
     
  3. DetroitDoomsayer

    DetroitDoomsayer Forum Middle Child

    Location:
    Detroit, Michigan
    Hands down the 2004 Battlestar Galactica series. Seeing the previews for the then upcoming mini-series I was very much in the camp of "why?", but after watching the first 45 minutes or so I was hooked.

    I also really liked Farscape, Star Trek: TNG, certain series of Dr. Who.
    Hell, I even enjoyed Enterprise, which I did not see first run, but finally got around to watching it only last year.
     
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  4. Luvtemps

    Luvtemps Forum Resident

    Location:
    P.G.County,Md.
    Star Trek[original series-season one]Star Trek Voyager[entire series].
     
  5. slovell

    slovell Retired Mudshark

    Location:
    Chesnee, SC, USA
    Babylon 5, The Expanse
     
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  6. wayneklein

    wayneklein Forum Fool Thread Starter

    I would add The Expanse. Babylon 5 is also pretty good--I do wish that Warner had given them the extra money (I think it was around $2000 more per episode) to shoot it either on film or in high def. It would have complicated some of the visual effects though.

    I'm also a fan of Battlestar Galatica and it's spin off Caprica although the latter steers itself into soap opera category a bit too much but once it gets back to the main story line, it is pretty good. I do wish we had gotten a handful more of episodes to see how the self aware Cylons came to be. The final episode of Caprica does set that up for ONE Cylon.

    I also think that the revival of The Outer Limits does a good, solid job although some of the episodes weren't quite as compelling as I would have liked. It stayed true to the themes though.

    The 80's Twilight Zone had a great first season (another show that will never make it to high def because it was edited on videotape with visual effects post done in the video domain as well) with top notch writing talent. it did, however, lack a central figure like a Rod Serling which would have made it more compelling. The Bill Friedkin episode is a stand out.
     
  7. Charles Buxton

    Charles Buxton Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Antonio, Texas
    The Prisoner - Impressed upon me TV's potential
    Star Trek TOS - I'm going to beat this one to death, but, basically, the tight ensemble work of the cast just floored me. Everything else was just icing on the cake.
    Andromeda (Gene Rodenberry) - The original Star Trek's ensemble cast feel + continuity
    The Expanse - Just freakin' mind blowing
    UFO - Seemed very "down to earth" for it's time
    Blake's 7 - Again, I'm a sucker for that Star Trek ensemble cast feel + continuity thing, never mind the bad special effects.
     
  8. tman53

    tman53 Vinyl is an Addiction

    Location:
    FLA
    The Invaders from the 60's. I think it was only one or maybe two seasons. The premise behind this is what made it interesting for me. David Vincent, the only man who really knows what's going on.
    X-Files - really enjoyed the first five seasons, after that they lost me. Top notch writing for those first five.
    And of course, Twilight Zone and Outer Limits. Loved those when I was growing up, some scary stuff for the time.
     
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  9. slovell

    slovell Retired Mudshark

    Location:
    Chesnee, SC, USA
    Babylon 5 would've been fantastic with a Star Trek budget. It was pretty awesome what with the meager budget they had.
     
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  10. slovell

    slovell Retired Mudshark

    Location:
    Chesnee, SC, USA
    The Expanse is off the charts. Best thing SyFy has ever televised, I'm surprised they haven't canceled it.
     
  11. wayneklein

    wayneklein Forum Fool Thread Starter

    Even with the budget they had, the scripts were always high quality especially for a series that was largely written by its creator for almost every single episode. I still wish that it had been assembled on film but the budget would have gone through the roof because even DS9 which had a much larger budget, was still assembled on videotape hence the reason why we don't have a high def version. The Star Trek: Next Generation sets didn't sell as well as they had hoped (the first two seasons as I recall sold well but it diminished after that) and what with streaming, there just isn't the incentive right now. If CBS All Access is willing to pay for an upgrade for streaming purposes, then we might get a physical release but, as it stands now, it's unlikely although there was a proof of concept done for on episode that would have been cool to see expanded.
     
  12. wolfram

    wolfram Slave to the rhythm

    Location:
    Berlin, Germany
    There are probably a few I could name, but the first that comes to mind is "Firefly". Why? Because it's gorram awesome.
     
  13. wayneklein

    wayneklein Forum Fool Thread Starter

    Part of the reason the show has survived is that they are producing it in partnership and, I suspect, because they "own" the series for U.S. If it was like some of the other shows they have cancelled, they probably wouldn't do it. I'm hoping we get at least four seasons as that would wrap up the mysteries from the novel before opening up a hole new question about what the Protomolecule was created for as a defense again (which the books are just now getting into).
     
  14. wayneklein

    wayneklein Forum Fool Thread Starter

    Forgot about Firefly. It really threw me when I watched it on broadcast at the time as they aired the series out of order making it a bit of a head scratcher as to why these characters weren't established in a pilot episode. Dumb move on Fox's part (among many dumb moves they've made over the years).
     
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  15. wolfram

    wolfram Slave to the rhythm

    Location:
    Berlin, Germany
    I first saw it on DVD, so I was spared this silliness. It's such a shame that we only got one season, though the movie made up a bit for that.
     
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  16. socorro

    socorro Forum Resident

    Location:
    pennsylvania
    Two very different shows come to mind immediately.

    On the more traditional "space western" end of the spectrum, Battlestar Galactica (the 2004+ version) is a favorite.

    On the psychological and technological dystopia side, Black Mirror is pretty disturbing but really good.
     
  17. wayneklein

    wayneklein Forum Fool Thread Starter

    8888
    I never understood Fox's logic at doing this as it lost some of its potential audience with a good but hardly outstanding episode and without any context at all (Reevers showing up without explanation? Who the hell or what the hell are Reevers? Luckily, later episodes explained this mystery in depth along with the movie).

    Black Mirror is excellent over all and this generations The Outer Limits with one guiding vision behind the series (much like Twilight Zone) where, Leslie Stevens created the series (TOL) wrote a handful of really good episodes but largely left the first season in the hands of Psycho screenwriter Joseph Stefano who wrote some ballsy and powerful episodes as well as rewriting a number of scripts when the original screenwriter wasn't available to work on his submission. By my count Stefano wrote over twenty of the first season episodes either providing an original script, story or doing rewrites on others.

    I would have loved to include Phil Dick's Electric Dreams but the writing on that was so uneven with too many so-so to bad episodes. I think there were only three that were really good and, perhaps, I'm to generous to say three.
     
    Last edited: Feb 15, 2018
  18. Solitaire1

    Solitaire1 Carpenters Fan

    Since others have mentioned the live-action series, I'm going to go for favorite animated/anime science fiction (listed as they come to mind):
    • Gal Force Eternal Story
    • Cowboy Bebop
    • Armitage III
    • Robot Carnival: Unlike the others, this is a collection of theme-related segments somewhat like Fantasia. In this case, each segment features robots in some form.
     
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  19. Trashman

    Trashman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Wisconsin
    1. Doctor Who (classic series) - The original series still holds up well for me, at least for the first five Doctors (Seasons 1-21). The show is more of a fun escape back to my childhood than a serious drama, but some stories are still great after all these years. It drops off quickly for the last two Doctors of the original run, hitting a low during Seasons 23 and 24 before making a small rebound at the end. The budget of the program was never high enough to do the stories justice, but I learned to look past that when I was a teenager. In fact, now I'm amazed at what they accomplished despite the tiny budget they had.

    2. Star Trek: The Next Generation - For me, this was Star Trek at its best, with the right mix of cast, writers, strong stories (mostly), and good effects (for their time). Disliked the movies, but loved the TV series... especially Seasons 3-6. (Season 2 is also better than most give it credit for.) Never quite found the same appeal for the other shows in the Star Trek universe, including the original series.

    3. The X Files - Like most others have said, the first 5-6 seasons are the strongest. But I find all of the seasons to still be watchable.

    4. Blake's 7 - Kind of like a proto-Firefly, with a Star Trek-like ensemble, and Doctor Who-like production (involving many of the writers, directors, and production team that worked on the later). One of the first Sci-Fi shows that wasn't afraid to kill off main characters, at a time when it wasn't popular to do so. Now it's almost mandatory.

    5. The Twilight Zone - Some of the episodes have obviously dated better than others, but still entertaining overall.

    6. Tripods - Excellent series that was cut too short, so we never got to see how it was supposed to conclude.

    7. Firefly - Speaking of series cut too short...
     
  20. Wounded Land

    Wounded Land Forum Resident

    Battlestar Galactica (reboot)
    DS9 (middle seasons)
    Original Star Trek (first two seasons)
    Twilight Zone
    Firefly

    Those are the ones that leap to mind.
     
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  21. xdawg

    xdawg in labyrinths of coral caves

    Location:
    Roswell, GA, USA
    Star Trek
    Star Trek TNG
    Firefly
    The 4400
    Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea
    Heroes
    Battlestar Galactica (both)
    Lost In Space
    Space 1999
     
  22. malcolm reynolds

    malcolm reynolds Handsome, Humble, Genius

    Location:
    Oklahoma
    Fringe - I have watched this through more times than a person probably should. All five seasons are excellent and John Noble's Walter Bishop is my all time favorite character in television/film/literature.

    Buffy The Vampire Slayer/Angel - More Fantasy or horror than Science Fiction but they are close enough for me. Also watched these through more times than a person probably should and can quote from the episodes if needed.

    Star Trek The Original Series - Wasn't around for the original airings but they still hold up today. I even enjoy season three. Love the six films...even the fifth one.

    The X-Files - The only show that I have watched from the beginning until the end as it aired. I enjoyed all nine regular seasons, both movies and now both reunion series.

    Firefly - Damn you FOX (shakes fist)

    Star Trek The Next Generation - Never really got into this as it aired although I would watch an occasional episode when I would get off work from my job in high school at night. I bought all of the recently released seasons on blu-ray and really enjoy it now. Same goes for the four films.
     
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  23. slovell

    slovell Retired Mudshark

    Location:
    Chesnee, SC, USA
    I've got the entire Babylon 5 series, including the TV movies, on the DVD box set and now that I'm retired it's my intention to binge watch it all again. :uhhuh:
     
  24. wayneklein

    wayneklein Forum Fool Thread Starter

    The fourth season (not that the first three weren't great) was awesome with the Shadows conflict.

    I keep wondering WHY Warner doesn't reboot the property as a series of films--TV or theatrical I don't care.
     
  25. Dubmart

    Dubmart Senior Member

    Location:
    Bristol, England
    We have a channel currently showing it five nights a week, deep into season 3 and it's just as good as I remembered, except the video/effects quality of course, such a great series and such a contrast with Star Trek TNG at the time.

    Other favourites of mine:
    Stargate, good to see there's something happening with the franchise again.
    Doctor Who
    Star Trek in all it's forms, some bad episodes, but plenty of good stuff in there and groundbreaking in so many ways.
    Eureka
    The Expanse
    Day Of the Triffids (the early eighties BBC version)
    Battlestar Galactica (reboot)
    Firefly, I must rewatch it.
    Altered Carbon
    Stranger Things
    Quatermass watched it originally and then watched it again on blu ray a couple of years ago it stood up well.
    The Changes Loved it as a kid, must try and track down the DVD.
    Hitchhikers Guide To the Galaxy
    Red Dwarf
    Farscape

    There's a ton more that I loved thirty or forty years ago, but just haven't stood up well.

    If we're counting Buffy as sci fi I'll include that as well.
     
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