WORST Sci-Fi TV series of all time.....

[Seto Kaiba]

Stargate(insert series here)

I'll second that emotion... the Stargate movie was bad enough on its own, but the various attempts to make that particular brand of drippy brown lightning strike twice are some of the worst Sci-Fi TV ever made. I made several brave attempts to soldier my way through episodes of Stargate SG-1 at the behest of a friend who found the show enjoyable Amanda Tapping highly decorative, and it didn't end well. He seemed to take umbrage over having me describe the show's writing and general premise as "G.I. Joe meets Star Trek". My attempt to watch Stargate Atlantis never began, as my brain rebelled as soon as said friend attempted to explain the show's basic premise to me.

'course, if we're counting poor quality in terms of the sheer amount of FAN RAGE a show produces, there can be only one answer... Star Trek: Enterprise. I remember the day that same above-mentioned friend totally lost it and put his foot through his television over this episode of the show's second season. I remember this one didn't go over well with him either. It got so bad that for a while we were honestly afraid to use the word "enterprise" in a sentence around him for fear of it provoking another tirade about what a crime the series was.

[frothymug]

The "Stargate" movie was pure win. There. I said it. So, tell me why it was bad.

The series that spawned from it, I'm indifferent. I never really watched them.

[jenius]

I seem to recall a show called "Andromeda" that wasn't particularly good but my recollection is extremely vague.

How about "anything having to do with Starbuck in the last couple seasons of Battlestar Gallactica reboot"?

[Seto Kaiba]

The "Stargate" movie was pure win. There. I said it. So, tell me why it was bad.

Okay, I'd turn it around and ask you why the movie was in any way good. I mean, come on... the premise at the movie's core is a silly conspiracy theory that dictates that there's no way ancient Egypt could've put together an ordered society or figured out how to stack stone blocks on top of each other without the timely intervention of space aliens. Even if you can get past that, and the question of why the advanced alien technology used by Ra and his guards seems to be, on average, far less effective and practical than modern U.S. Air Force gear; you've still got the lousy writing, wooden acting, and a boatload of cliches that you're expected to take seriously. Even James Spader, the actor who played Daniel Jackson, felt the movie was awful and only accepted the role due to his outlook on acting as being a form of manual labor.

The series that spawned from it, I'm indifferent. I never really watched them.

They take everything that was bad about the Stargate movie and attempted to reformat it in the same vein as Star Trek, just without all that faffing about getting from place to place by starship... something they added in later with some truly ugly ship design. The writing was pretty sub-par too. I found my take on the villains that were supposedly driving the plot tended to be graduates of the Gargamel Memorial School of Villainy, armed as they were with weak motivations and weaker writing.

I seem to recall a show called "Andromeda" that wasn't particularly good but my recollection is extremely vague.

Not an entirely bad show, IMO... it suffered from many of the same cliche problems as Stargate SG-1, though with more of an "action" slant to it. I only caught bits and pieces of it, but what I saw made me think that it could've been a lot better than it was if the studio'd been willing to spend a bit more money on it. The effects budget seems to have been particularly small. Kevin Sorbo is not a man cut out to be acting in sci-fi, that much I'm sure of.

Edited August 18, 2010 by Seto Kaiba

[frothymug]

Well, to take the movie's premise and completely debunk it based on there not being any actual proof of its theory is just a bad way to say it's got a bad story. We can all logically say that ancient humans somehow figured out how to raise humongous blocks of granite to the height of the pyramids. I can see how that might be accomplished using the Egyptian's engineering technologies. It's a stretch, but okay...

How, then did, even older humans create Stonehenge? It just makes you wonder, that's all. Easter Island? Curiouser and curiouser...

So, before you go about debunking the obviously science-fiction explanation of the movie, how about you let us know how you think they did it in real life? It's just someone's "what if" explanation, like a fable. Nobody ever claimed that it was really true. If you don't like seeing movies that take a leap of faith, then stick to watching only documentaries.

Last time I checked, the US Air Force didn't have a huge juggernaut intergalactic spaceship that covered up the Pyramids when it landed on them. Maybe Ra was just an average alien who was only able to USE the technology, not create new ones.

[Ghost Train]

Well, to take the movie's premise and completely debunk it based on there not being any actual proof of its theory is just a bad way to say it's got a bad story. We can all logically say that ancient humans somehow figured out how to raise humongous blocks of granite to the height of the pyramids. I can see how that might be accomplished using the Egyptian's engineering technologies. It's a stretch, but okay...

How, then did, even older humans create Stonehenge? It just makes you wonder, that's all. Easter Island? Curiouser and curiouser...

So, before you go about debunking the obviously science-fiction explanation of the movie, how about you let us know how you think they did it in real life? It's just someone's "what if" explanation, like a fable. Nobody ever claimed that it was really true. If you don't like seeing movies that take a leap of faith, then stick to watching only documentaries.

No one ever goes around questioning incredible architectural feats done by the Greeks / Romans because that would be an incredible insult to western civilization.

The alien-intervention theory is nothing short of racism. It's implausible to a western-centric view of the world to accept that brown/black/yellow people had an incredible grasp on Mathematics, Engineering, and the General Sciences... GASP! That's just amazing lawlzzz!

Note that it's an ongoing field of study, and who knows, maybe ET did lend a hand, but perhaps we should exhaust the billion other earthly possibilities before lending any credence to the alien astronaut theory.

Consider the fact that humans in the 20th century went from barely being able to fly for a few seconds to being able to land on the moon in just 66 years. If the historical record would lost, future generations would have surely believed that aliens gave humans the knowledge of space travel.

[taksraven]

No one ever goes around questioning incredible architectural feats done by the Greeks / Romans because that would be an incredible insult to western civilization.

The alien-intervention theory is nothing short of racism. It's implausible to a western-centric view of the world to accept that brown/black/yellow people had an incredible grasp on Mathematics, Engineering, and the General Sciences... GASP! That's just amazing lawlzzz!

Note that it's an ongoing field of study, and who knows, maybe ET did lend a hand, but perhaps we should exhaust the billion other earthly possibilities before lending any credence to the alien astronaut theory.

Consider the fact that humans in the 20th century went from barely being able to fly for a few seconds to being able to land on the moon in just 66 years. If the historical record would lost, future generations would have surely believed that aliens gave humans the knowledge of space travel.

This sort of discussion gets threads closed as its now getting way beyond the original discussion point.

Taksraven

[areaseven]

SMALL WONDER. End of debate.

[Einherjar]

Homeboys in Outer Space. Total false advertising on the premise.

[BeyondTheGrave]

SMALL WONDER. End of debate.

I'll see your Small Wonder and raise you CLEOPATRA 2525.

[areaseven]

I'll see your Small Wonder and raise you CLEOPATRA 2525.

Don't make me bring up TATTOOED TEENAGE ALIEN FIGHTERS FROM BEVERLY HILLS again.

[BeyondTheGrave]

Don't make me bring up TATTOOED TEENAGE ALIEN FIGHTERS FROM BEVERLY HILLS again.

At least the premise of that is better than CLEOPATRA 2525.

Edited August 19, 2010 by BeyondTheGrave

[anime52k8]

I'll second that emotion... the Stargate movie was bad enough on its own, but the various attempts to make that particular brand of drippy brown lightning strike twice are some of the worst Sci-Fi TV ever made. I made several brave attempts to soldier my way through episodes of Stargate SG-1 at the behest of a friend who found the show enjoyable Amanda Tapping highly decorative, and it didn't end well. He seemed to take umbrage over having me describe the show's writing and general premise as "G.I. Joe meets Star Trek". My attempt to watch Stargate Atlantis never began, as my brain rebelled as soon as said friend attempted to explain the show's basic premise to me.

Well I love Stargate the movie, SG-1 and Atlantis. Furthermore, Stargate stars Kurt Russell which automatically makes it superior to everything; so you can politely shut your filthy blasphemous mouth.

:edit:

and as for SG-1, the fact that it stars Richard dean Anderson makes it even better than the movie.

Edited August 19, 2010 by anime52k8

[areaseven]

and as for SG-1, the fact that it stars Richard dean Anderson makes it even better than the movie.

Yeah, but did he have a Swiss knife and a flattened roll of duct tape with him?

[Keith]

Nope, Kurt Russel mops the floor with Richard Dean Anserson, in every concievable way, "including" mullets. Stargate TV was a long drawn out never should have happpened 'cus the store already ended in the movie waste of time. But from the depths of memory, i pull another trick out of my hat.

"It's like anime, but American!"

And damn, I totally almost forgot, the "new" Bionic Woman.

Edited August 19, 2010 by Keith

[anime52k8]

"It's like anime, but American!"

HOLLY F*CKING MONKEY BALLS, I REMEMBER THIS SHIT!!!

this was F*cking mind-blowing when I was 8 years old. all I remember about it now are that opening scene, motorcycles that turned into hovercraft, and a guy trying to chase down the space shuttle in an F-117.

[The Shade]

I'm torn between saying "Hard Time on Planet Earth" was bad or good. Sure, it was typical of your late 80's sci-fi show, but it had its charm. The good: lead was played by Martin Kove (aka John Kreese of Cobra Kai/Karate Kid fame) and the show was created by the 2 guys who created Predator. The bad: Kove's character was saddled with an annoying gay robot that followed him everywhere.

[GU-11]

...And damn, I totally almost forgot, the "new" Bionic Woman.

That one gets my vote. Horrible choice of a lead actress, even worse choice of a potential love interest (that CIA guy...gah!), and all-around too melodramatic considering the fact that they're targeting a largely male audience (I think). It's like chick-lit with a cyborg woman in it.

The lead looked too tame despite her best efforts, and ended up acting like some whiny brat instead of the headstrong woman she was trying to portray. Nevermind that, the action scenes were lame thanks to the none-too-agile lead. Wire-fu at its worst.

IMO, Katee "Starbuck" Sackhoff stole the show, although she hardly had any competition.

Little wonder why the show lasted for all of 8 episodes.

[areaseven]

I'm torn between saying "Hard Time on Planet Earth" was bad or good. Sure, it was typical of your late 80's sci-fi show, but it had its charm. The good: lead was played by Martin Kove (aka John Kreese of Cobra Kai/Karate Kid fame) and the show was created by the 2 guys who created Predator. The bad: Kove's character was saddled with an annoying gay robot that followed him everywhere.

"Negative Outcome: Not Good."

[BeyondTheGrave]

Highlander the series.

[anime52k8]

Highlander the series.

The series was decent, particularly the middle seasons (not better than the first movie but much better than all the sequels). the spin-off, "highlander: the Raven" however, was one of the worst things I've ever seen.

[BeyondTheGrave]

The series was decent, particularly the middle seasons (not better than the first movie but much better than all the sequels). the spin-off, "highlander: the Raven" however, was one of the worst things I've ever seen.

I just hate Adrian Paul as an actor.

And the fact that the series is dated.

[CoryHolmes]

Well I love Stargate the movie, SG-1 and Atlantis. Furthermore, Stargate stars Kurt Russell which automatically makes it superior to everything; so you can politely shut your filthy blasphemous mouth.

:edit:

and as for SG-1, the fact that it stars Richard dean Anderson makes it even better than the movie.

Word

[Keith]

I'm torn between saying "Hard Time on Planet Earth" was bad or good. Sure, it was typical of your late 80's sci-fi show, but it had its charm. The good: lead was played by Martin Kove (aka John Kreese of Cobra Kai/Karate Kid fame) and the show was created by the 2 guys who created Predator. The bad: Kove's character was saddled with an annoying gay robot that followed him everywhere.

Damn, totally blocked that one out. That's why I love these topics, they let me access long sealed away memories

I just hate Adrian Paul as an actor.

And the fact that the series is dated.

Speaking of Adrian Paul, he ruined the already prett bad "War of the Worlds" in the crapiertactular post apocolyptic second season.

[BeyondTheGrave]

Speaking of Adrian Paul, he ruined the already prett bad "War of the Worlds" in the crapiertactular post apocolyptic second season.

I read that on wiki. but can't find anything on it.

[Keith]

I read that on wiki. but can't find anything on it.

Plenty of clips on youtube.

Season 1 intro:

Season 2 intro:

[BeyondTheGrave]

Plenty of clips on youtube.

Season 1 intro:

Season 2 intro:

I think it was the animated one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=971MeJPTQGM

[Keith]

I think it was the animated one.

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=971MeJPTQGM

This is why we're not allowed to have nice things.

[CoryHolmes]

My vote goes for Nu-Bee Ess Gee. The original miniseries was quite enjoyable, as was the first half of the first season. But once it became apparent that the show runners didn't have any clue what was going to happen I knew it wouldn't work for me. The actors were quite good, but the pedestrian and predictable story just nauseated me. The only thing could have made the show worse was if the lead characters all hooked up in their predictable pairings... and guess what happened? Yuck.

Also, I need to cast my vote for Geewun Transformers. I tried to rematch it and couldn't make it through the first episode without pausing and groaning. Maybe we should make it a drinking game?

[Agent ONE]

SMALL WONDER. End of debate.

WINNER

Guys, seriously the campy dumb shows you mention are meant to be dumb. Small Wonder was intended to be a good show, good job A7.

[areaseven]

WINNER

Guys, seriously the campy dumb shows you mention are meant to be dumb. Small Wonder was intended to be a good show, good job A7.

Sad part is that the show actually ran for four years.

[Dynaman]

WINNER

Guys, seriously the campy dumb shows you mention are meant to be dumb. Small Wonder was intended to be a good show, good job A7.

I have to cancel my earlier vote and agree, I never knew this stupid show lasted four seasons, now I have to go lobotomize myself.

[taksraven]

Small Wonder is a sitcom with an SF element, it would be like calling Get Smart SF just because Hymie was in it....

[areaseven]

So we have a unanimous vote, then? Even this mock E! True Hollywood Story is funnier than that show.

DISCLAIMER: Not the real Tiffany Brissette, who disappeared off the face of the Earth after the show was canceled. Edited September 17, 2013 by areaseven

[taksraven]

So we have a unanimous vote, then? Even this mock E! True Hollywood Story is funnier than that show.

Unanimous for worst sitcom ever maybe, but its not SF....

DISCLAIMER: Not the real Tiffany Brissette, who disappeared off the face of the Earth after the show was canceled.

If its not really her then the joke falls completely flat. Its only when people take the piss out of themselves that it becomes really funny.