The Best Science Fiction Series

[Wanzerfan]

I've got a few candidates here.

Alien Nation the television series- a good spin on a good James Caan movie. A series where the immigrants were actually from interstellar space.

Babylon 5- started out rather weak, but once Bruce Boxleitner joined the cast, the show took off. Too bad J. Micheal Starzynski (sp?, those Eastern-European based names are so hard to spell) had a falling out with TNT over Season 5, because I would've loved to have seen a season 6. It's also too bad that TNT aired Crusade out of numerical order, the story would've made more sense.

[F-ZeroOne]

Doctor Who, which - for us in BritUKland at least - fully deserves the label "iconic".

Of course, "iconic" is not always the same as "respected", and for a very long time it was a case of "Great ideas, budget of six pence (not adjusted for inflation, or indeed, decimalisation)". But even before the reboot, the TARDIS and Daleks were as much a part of the UK as cups of tea and missed football penalties. And now its back and - well, not kicking butt as such, but sort of stumbling into scene, and then pulling a few levers, and maybe running down a corridor, then eating a banana - I like bananas - and, oh by the way, sorry, was that your Ultimate Death Machine self-destruct button? So sorry - and, oh, RUN!

Turn-A Gundam. Seriously. Arguably the closest Gundam has ever come to making a live-action SF novel.

[Ghost Train]

Glennn Beck... followed closely by Lou Dobbs.

[Penguin]

Well, the latest Battlestar Galactica, Firefly, and SDF Macross are top contenders for me. The Eccleston and Tennant runs on Doctor Who are right up there too, as are Star Trek TOS and TNG, and Babylon 5.

Honourable mentions to Deep Space Nine, which rallied in its later seasons, Space: Above and Beyond, which had some good ideas but uneven execution (to be charitable), and the last season of Enterprise, which I throroughly enjoyed.

My 10-year-old self compels me to mention the original Battlestar Galactica and Buck Rogers, which I still get a kick out of now and again, but definitely wouldn't count as "best".

[CoryHolmes]

Deep Space Nine is the top of the list for me. It was funny, serious, wowing, epic, and all points in between. But most of all, I enjoyed the way it thoroughly deconstruction the Roddenberry ideal as expressed in Jean-Luc Picard, showing us that even in the 24th century and with all the advancements made in the meantime, that humanity is still... well... humanity and with all the flaws that comes with the species.

TNG, Stargate SG-1 and Universe, and Robotech round up the list for me. Yeah, you read that last one right

[macrossnake]

My heart always have a special place for Farscape.

[Golden Arms]

Twilight Zone, Star Trek TOS, Doctor Who

[renegadeleader1]

Say what you want but Hercules: The Legendary Journeys was pretty entertaining. I also recomend The adventures of Brisco County Jr.

[Einherjar]

Futurama is good sci-fi satire.

[Dynaman]

The new BSG has been the best. Runners up (some merely for age, rated within what was on at the time they would be best.)

Twilight Zone (really, neck and neck for the top spot, if for no other reason then "it's a cookbook!")

Star Trek (TOS, others were good but TOS was the best)

B5 (budgets and first season knocked it from top spot, Gkar and Londo almost make up for that though, incredible characters with great performances)

Firefly (just didn't last long enough, movie was great too)

Macross

Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Space Battleship Yamato (second season)

Quark (Terrible, Terrible, show - good lord how I loved it)

Buck Rogers (ok, it stinks too, but the female lead could easily have Played Misa in a live action Macross...)

[1st Border Red Devil]

Babylon 5, neo-BSG and Firefly are probably my top faves.

[Frogze]

I also recomend The adventures of Brisco County Jr.

Absolutely! What a great series this was, so much fun and very entertaining characters and stories

The 90's had also these 2 great series : "Earth Final Conflict" (season 1 was epic) and "Space 2063" (by James Wong and Glenn Morgan, the guys behind some of the best X-Files episodes)

[Duke Togo]

After MASH.

[Keith]

Earth Final Conflict was too much of a clusterf^ck to consider as good.

Edited August 29, 2011 by Keith

[Frogze]

You guys are certainly right if you consider all they did with this show in the long run of 5 years (I only watched a few episodes of season 2 and gave up because it went south), but the first season was definitely one of the most interesting sci-fi shows I've seen

[knoted]

Blake's 7 classic stuff : Blakes 7

[CoryHolmes]

Absolutely! What a great series this was, so much fun and very entertaining characters and stories

The 90's had also these 2 great series : "Earth Final Conflict" (season 1 was epic) and "Space 2063" (by James Wong and Glenn Morgan, the guys behind some of the best X-Files episodes)

In these here parts, we called it Space: Above and Beyond. It was as uneven as most first-season shows and it got cancelled just as it was finding its footing.

You guys are certainly right if you consider all they did with this show in the long run of 5 years (I only watched a few episodes of season 2 and gave up because it went south), but the first season was definitely one of the most interesting sci-fi shows I've seen

Agreed. I keep watching and rewatching the first season of the show as it was that good. Lots of plot ideas, interesting characters (for some reason, I keep sympathising with Sandoval), and decent actors. Then it nosedived with Seasons 2-5.

[taksraven]

Doctor Who for the best series. Runner up is The Prisoner and special mention for great concepts but ultimately flawed executions goes to Blakes 7, Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy and Space:1999.

[electric indigo]

I used to think that "Lost" was the greatest thing on TV until they ruined everything with the last season.

Any "Fringe" lovers here?

[JELEINEN]

Star Trek TOS, Blakes 7 and Babylon 5 are probably my top 3 picks.

[Graham]

Here's the list of my favorite science fiction series:-

1. The Prisoner (but not sure you can actually call it sci-fi).
   
2. Blakes 7.
   
3. Firefly.
   
4. Farscape.
   
5. Babylon 5.
   
6. Star Trek - The Original Series.
   
7. The Twilight Zone (original black and white series).
   
8. Tom Baker era Doctor Who (my favourite Doctor as a kid).
   
9. New Battlestar Galactica.
   
10. Star Trek - Next Generation.
    
11. Star Trek - Deep Space Nine.
    

Honorable mentions go to:

• Black & white Larry Buster Crabbe era Flash Gordon (used to love watching the reruns as a small kid).
  
• Gil Gerard era Buck Rogers.
  
• Original Battlestar Galactica.
  
• Terminator Salvation (showed promise).
  
• Doll House (should promise).
  

Graham

[Keith]

I used to think that "Lost" was the greatest thing on TV until they ruined everything with the last season.

Any "Fringe" lovers here?

I wasn't big on Fringe at first, it just seemed like too much of an X-Files knock-off. Then I realized how much better & more consistent it was with its mythos than the X-Files ever was. Did I mention how much I hate the X-Files for backtracking on everything once Duchovney left? Talk about a way to ruin a series.

I'm surprised no one's mentioned Red Dwarf yet.

Edited September 1, 2011 by Keith

[Graham]

Fringe is OK, not completely sold on it yet though.

Hated Red Dwarf.

Graham

[CoryHolmes]

Hated Red Dwarf.

Graham

*crosses off of Christmas card list*

[EXO]

Huge fan of Fringe because of the last 2 seasons. I'm not a big fan of the 2 leads but Walter is awesome and the story is the only thing that matters. I do hope they have an ending for it.

[Dynaman]

Hated Red Dwarf.

Are you Smegging nuts?

[Scream Man]

I dunno about best, but Stargate would be my favorite series overall. Loved all 3 shows. Space: Above and Beyond is also genius from go to woah. I liked Star Trek: Enterprise.

But Im a big Sci Fi guy, so there isnt much I outright hate, just degrees of like. never liked Farscape for example. Just never hit with me. i find most of the Star Treks middling. Dr Who I appreciate but dont like. Stargate isnt a great show, but hit the right notes with me.

taste is taste.

[Agent ONE]

After MASH.

HAHAHA, in two threads.

[Wanzerfan]

Here's the list of my favorite science fiction series:-

1. The Prisoner (but not sure you can actually call it sci-fi).
   
2. Blakes 7.
   
3. Firefly.
   
4. Farscape.
   
5. Babylon 5.
   
6. Star Trek - The Original Series.
   
7. The Twilight Zone (original black and white series).
   
8. Tom Baker era Doctor Who (my favourite Doctor as a kid).
   
9. New Battlestar Galactica.
   
10. Star Trek - Next Generation.
    
11. Star Trek - Deep Space Nine.
    

Honorable mentions go to:

• Black & white Larry Buster Crabbe era Flash Gordon (used to love watching the reruns as a small kid).
  
• Gil Gerard era Buck Rogers.
  
• Original Battlestar Galactica.
  
• Terminator Salvation (showed promise).
  
• Doll House (should promise).
  

Graham

Remind me, was Tom Baker the curly-haired Doctor with the Scarf? I remember watching his stuff when Nickelodeon paired that show up with the original The Tomorrow People. I was also surprised that the actor who played Falcon on "Wargames" was an earlier Doctor (I can't remember which Doctor, though).

[Agent ONE]

Clone Wars.

Other than that, scifi shows are episodic and lack direction. I have really never been excited about any. I watched star trek as a kid, but only because I was bored.

[taksraven]

Remind me, was Tom Baker the curly-haired Doctor with the Scarf?

I dunno, there is this little thing called the Internet that should help you with that one.

I was also surprised that the actor who played Falcon on "Wargames" was an earlier Doctor (I can't remember which Doctor, though).

I was surprised too, especially as that is *not* the case.

Stop trolling. :P

[Wanzerfan]

Okay, so I confused the guy who played Falcon with Patrick Throughton . I just looked on Wikipedia.

Alright, Tom Baker is the Doctor that I remember as the eccentric with the scarf, otherwise known as the Fourth Doctor.