Best Sci-Fi TV Series Ever

[KnoxHarrington]

I was just thinking about this (maybe I'm just bored), but what would you say the 5 best sci-fi TV series ever were?

Here's my list:

1. Star Trek: The Original Series
2. Babylon 5
3. Battlestar Galactica (reimagined 2000s series)
4. Star Trek: The Next Generation
5. The X-Files

What ya got?

[Hottub]

Star Trek (The real one)
Lost In Space
Land Of The Lost
Twilight Zone
Sigmond The Sea Monster

[disneyspy]

1. lost
2. farscape
3. x-files
4. firefly
5. battlestar gallatica (new)

[disneyspy]

Star Trek (The real one)
Lost In Space
Land Of The Lost
Twilight Zone
Sigmond The Sea Monster

thank you blowhard

[Don Stugots]

LOST
Star Trek (TNG)
Deep Space 9
Greatest American Hero
Sigmond The Sea Monster (good one TUB!)

6 would be LIFE ON MARS

[foodcourtdruide]

I like Lost very much, but putting it over Twilight Zone?

[Furtherman]

1. lost

3. x-files
4. firefly
5. battlestar gallatica (new)

This, but I haven't seen Farscape yet, so I'll substitute with Star Blazers.

Runner up: Stargate SG-1 & Atlantis.

[disneyspy]

I like Lost very much, but putting it over Twilight Zone?

LOST would make it as the #1 of best shows ever

and sigmund and the sea monsters was stupid

[Don Stugots]

LOST would make it as the #1 of best shows ever

and sigmund and the sea monsters was stupid

bullshit! sigmund the sea monsters was the best! the best!

[disneyspy]

bullshit! sigmund the sea monsters was the best! the best!

any "monster" made out of worn out laundry that you could knock out with a kick to the shins was totally stupid

[Hottub]

LOST would make it as the #1 of best shows ever

and sigmund and the sea monsters was stupid

Your face is stupid, you stupidhead.

[disneyspy]

This, but I haven't seen Farscape yet, so I'll substitute with Star Blazers.

Runner up: Stargate SG-1 & Atlantis.

if you liked the last two seasons of SG-1 you will like farscape

[disneyspy]

Your face is stupid, you stupidhead.

your thing of snookie makes me want to puke

[EliSnow]

if you liked the last two seasons of SG-1 you will like farscape

Farscape blows Stargate away.

http://www.ronfez.net/randomizer/random.php?uid=14

[Aggie]

This thread is like chum in geek infested waters.

[KnoxHarrington]

I think I'll expand my list to 10:

1. Star Trek: TOS
2. Babylon 5
3. Battlestar Galactica (2000s)
4. Star Trek: TNG
5. The X-Files
6. The Twilight Zone
7. Star Trek: DS9
8. Futurama
9. The Outer Limits
10. Firefly

[Freitag]

1) Galactica
2) TNG
3) DS9
4) TOS

then everything else.

[Hottub]

your thing of snookie makes me want to puke

Vaginas generally have that effect on you people.

[Don Stugots]

your thing of snookie makes me want to puke

Vaginas generally have that effect on you people.

i have to agree with Pops here, she is gross and an idiot.

[Hottub]

i have to agree with Pops here, she is gross and an idiot.

Vaginas generally have that effect on you people.

It applies here as well.

[Furtherman]

if you liked the last two seasons of SG-1 you will like farscape

Farscape blows Stargate away.

I have it Netflix'd and will soon be in the loop.

[EliSnow]

1. Battlestar Galactica (Ronald Moore version)
2. Star Trek TOS
3. Farscape
4. X-Files
5. Babylon 5

[EliSnow]

I have it Netflix'd and will soon be in the loop.

If you're not overly satisfied with the first 3 or so eps, stick with it. Those first few eps aren't as good as the later ones.

[furie]

Babylon 5

[Misteriosa]

im watching farscape on netflix now.

i vaguely remember this show. the blue lady jogged my memory. :o

[Jughead]

Geeks!!!:smile:

[hedges]

Does anyone remember this British sci-fi show called UFO from the seventies? I have vague memories of it, but I liked it.

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[KnoxHarrington]

We're only 2 episodes in, and there's plenty of time for the show to go straight into the shitter, but I gotta say that "Caprica" looks like a strong contender for this list so far.

[STC-Dub]

Star Trek -- original
Battlestar Galactica -- remake
Twilight Zone
Star Trek: The Next Generation

[IamFogHat]

Battlestar (the new one), lock it up.

[DarkHippie]

Next Generation
Buffy
Angel
Futurama
Lost

[furie]

can buffy & angel be classified as sci-fi?

[IamFogHat]

Oh, is Lost sci-fi? Then Lost.

[KnoxHarrington]

Oh, is Lost sci-fi? Then Lost.

Since a lot of it has to do with things like time travel and alternate realities, definitely.

I have yet to watch a single epsidoe of Lost. At this point, I think I'm just going to wait for it to end and start at the beginning with the DVD sets.

[Crash]

Doctor Who
UFO
Red Dwarf
Farscape
Blake's Seven

See what I did there?

[KnoxHarrington]

Side poll: you've gotta pick the captain of your huge-ass new starship. Who you taking?

Here's my list, in this order:

1. Capt. Jean-Luc Picard
2. Commander/Admiral Bill Adama
3. Capt. James T. Kirk
4. Captain John Sheridan
5. Capt. Turanga Leela

[Misteriosa]

Jean Luc Picard.

lock this shit up.

[KnoxHarrington]

can buffy & angel be classified as sci-fi?

I think of those shows as more fantasy, possibly horror, than sci-fi.

There really haven't been that many really great fantasy shows, when you think about it. "Carnivale", maybe. "John From Cincinnati" kind of struck me as having very strong fantasy elements (though I'm not quite sure what to make of it.) "Xena: Warrior Princess" wasn't bad.

Maybe the Song of Ice and Fire series will have a chance to be the first really truly great fantasy show.

[CruelCircus]

Any such list that doesn't include Farscape is frellin' worthless.

ST:TNG
X-Files
Lost
Farscape
Knight Rider (kidding!)
Sliders (probably shouldn't be this high, but no one else mentioned it so I wanted to show some love...)

[sailor]

Star Trek (The real one)
Lost In Space
Land Of The Lost
Twilight Zone
Sigmond The Sea Monster

i bet you do, grampa.

[EliSnow]

Doctor Who
UFO
Red Dwarf
Farscape
Blake's Seven

See what I did there?

I was thinking about throwing Doctor Who on my list. But it had so many crap years. The latest iteration though would be number 6 on my list.

And I do like it better than say B5 or ST:TOS.

Speaking of B5, has anyone gone back recently and re-watch that show? It's not as good upon a second or third viewing. It would have been much higher on my list, but I've re-watched and there's a bunch of bad stuff in there (like anything dealing with Linnear).

But it still belongs on the list because with it and X-Files (and then Buffy and Farscape), you saw genre shows starting to make the move from completely episodic to the larger story mythos seen in shows like BSG, 24, Alias and Lost.

[disneyspy]

Side poll: you've gotta pick the captain of your huge-ass new starship. Who you taking?

Here's my list, in this order:

1. Capt. Jean-Luc Picard
2. Commander/Admiral Bill Adama
3. Capt. James T. Kirk
4. Captain John Sheridan
5. Capt. Turanga Leela

oh c'mon,you're going to make this thread geeky with shit like that

[Charlie_Don't_Surf]

im watching farscape on netflix now.

i vaguely remember this show. the blue lady jogged my memory. :o

Yer welcomed. BTW she's Virginia Hey; Warrior woman from Mad Max 2.

1. Farscape
2. Firefly
3. Stargate SG1
4. SG: A
5. ?

[Charlie_Don't_Surf]

Any such list that doesn't include Farscape is frellin' worthless.

ST:TNG
X-Files
Lost
Farscape
Knight Rider (kidding!)
Sliders (probably shouldn't be this high, but no one else mentioned it so I wanted to show some love...)

Of course any such list would include Farscape. What are you, Fahrbot?

[lleeder]

Is Small Wonder Sci-Fi or Kiddie Porn?

[disneyspy]

Is Small Wonder Sci-Fi or Kiddie Porn?

do you jerk off to it?

[Contra]

In no particular order top 5

Babylon 5
Star trek TNG
Lost
X-files
BSG new one

[KnoxHarrington]

I was thinking about throwing Doctor Who on my list. But it had so many crap years. The latest iteration though would be number 6 on my list.

And I do like it better than say B5 or ST:TOS.

Speaking of B5, has anyone gone back recently and re-watch that show? It's not as good upon a second or third viewing. It would have been much higher on my list, but I've re-watched and there's a bunch of bad stuff in there (like anything dealing with Linnear).

But it still belongs on the list because with it and X-Files (and then Buffy and Farscape), you saw genre shows starting to make the move from completely episodic to the larger story mythos seen in shows like BSG, 24, Alias and Lost.

Babylon 5 sort of got screwed because it was always set up on a 5 season plan. However, the chances of it actually getting a 5th season seemed slim as they started the 4th, so they kind of wrapped a lot of plotlines (especially the Shadow War) up early, and thus the 5th season kind of drifts.

BSG did something interesting: if you watch the show, there's not one massive arc that goes from beginning to end, beyond the overall plot of the war with the Cylons and the search for Earth. Rather, it's a series of arcs, usually about 10 episodes or so long, that lead into the next one. I think that might be about the best way to handle this sort of show.

[Dude!]

Rather, it's a series of arcs, usually about 10 episodes or so long, that lead into the next one. I think that might be about the best way to handle this sort of show.

I'm hoping Jersey Shore
handles it this way

[EliSnow]

Babylon 5 sort of got screwed because it was always set up on a 5 season plan. However, the chances of it actually getting a 5th season seemed slim as they started the 4th, so they kind of wrapped a lot of plotlines (especially the Shadow War) up early, and thus the 5th season kind of drifts.

The problems I have with B5 have NOTHING to do with this problem. It would have gone exactly according to schedule and I would still think that a lot of it was hacky. Linnear was bad throughout the entire show (and I blame that on Billy Mummy). There were also some plotlines that were just awful. Some of it was in Season 5 but much of it was earlier too.

My favorite part of the show will always be the ever changing dynamic between Londo and G'Kar. Those two characters changed a lot during the series and the way they did and how they changed each other was great.

That's one thing the show had over ST:TOS or TNG. Neither show had any real character growth/change on the shows.

[sailor]

X-files. Thank god I don't have to count the movies.

[A.J.]

Sci-Fi shows suck.

[sailor]

Sci-Fi shows suck.

you must mean movies.

[Judge Smails]

No love for Far Out Space Nuts?

[Furtherman]

Side poll: you've gotta pick the captain of your huge-ass new starship. Who you taking?

Here's my list, in this order:

1. Capt. Jean-Luc Picard
2. Commander/Admiral Bill Adama
3. Capt. James T. Kirk
4. Captain John Sheridan
5. Capt. Turanga Leela

Captain Tightpants.

[Joe Pietaro]

Hands down, The Twilight Zone takes the top spot. That show still stands up and will always be followed by the rest:

2 - Star Trek TOS - campy classic, great topics for the time period

3 - The Outer Limits - how could you not like criminal alien ants?

4 - One Step Beyond - creepy shit, covered a wide variety of topics

5 - Science Fiction Theater - must be seen if you haven't already. Not a classic by any means, but pretty interesting to say the least.

Obviously I favorite that oldies in this category. I have been saying for years that ScyFy should have a sister station called Classic SyFy with all of these type off shows. the line-up could also include Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Land of the Giants, Boris Karloff's Thriller, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Tales of Tomorrow, etc.

[Misteriosa]

i think im up to Farscape: season 2, episode 5 or 6.

the series is growing on me. i guess its a good thing that i forget that Pilot and Rygel are puppets. that being said, i hate Rygel. also in this season, John seems as pissy as a teen. Also, it seems that even though Zhaan has re-entered the Seek, her visciousness is just below the surface.

well, i'll keep you informed on how im slogging thru this dren. :happy:

[Willmore]

1. Battlestar Galactica
2. Lost
3. Firefly
4. Stargate SG-1
5. Babylon 5
6. X-Files
7. 3rd Rock From the Sun
8. Dr. Who
9. Highlander
10. Stargate: Universe

Honorable mention: Star Trek (all of 'em, never watched it), Dollhouse, Stargate: Atlantis, Quantum Leap, Sliders.

[foodcourtdruide]

I don't understand how people don't put Twilight Zone in their lists. It's like making a list of best sitcoms and not including The Honeymooners. It's so icononic and had social relevance for SO long.

[hanso]

The FNC lineup.

[EliSnow]

I don't understand how people don't put Twilight Zone in their lists. It's like making a list of best sitcoms and not including The Honeymooners. It's so icononic and had social relevance for SO long.

Because it wasn't a sci-fi series. It was an anthology series that told a bunch of different types of stories, including horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and suspense stories. If you look at descriptions of the episodes in the first season, I'd say that about 1/3 or less were sci fi eps.

Meanwhile, I don't see how anyone can list Firefly as one of the top 5 sci fi series. I'm a huge fan of the show, but there were only 13 episodes of the show. And of those 13 eps, there were some definite clunkers amongst them. So really about 9-10 good-great eps makes it one of the top 5 sci-fi series of all time?

Almost every other series mentioned has that many good-great eps, and more.

It's sort of like putting someone who played one great season of major league baseball before getting hurt, into the Hall of Fame.

[disneyspy]

Maybe because people don't see it as a sci-fi series. While there were certainly installments of the series that could be considered sci-fi, a lot of them weren't. In fact, looking at descriptions of the episodes in the first season, I'd say that about 1/3 or less were sci fi eps. I see it as as an anthology series that told horror (mostly), suspense, and sci fi stories.

Meanwhile, I don't see how anyone can list Firefly as one of the top 5 sci fi series. I'm a huge fan of the show, but there were only 13 episodes of the show. And of those 13 eps, there were some definite clunkers amongst them. So really about 9-10 good-great eps makes it one of the top 5 sci-fi series of all time?

Almost every other series mentioned has that many good-great eps, and more.

It's sort of like putting someone who played one great season of major league baseball before getting hurt, into the Hall of Fame.


if you bought the box set(which i did),youre up to 17 episodes,add the popular movie SERENITY and you have more. just because a series wasnt well liked by the average american doesnt make it any less great in my opinion. i also liked ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT even tho it wasnt a "popular" show,dont tell me what i think is good and what isnt,its my opinion and you damn well better entitle me to it mr if it isnt universally liked by everyone guy

[EliSnow]

if you bought the box set(which i did),youre up to 17 episodes,add the popular movie SERENITY and you have more. just because a series wasnt well liked by the average american doesnt make it any less great in my opinion.

First, I did buy the box set. And there's not 17 eps. Looking at the eps now, I count 14, or 15 if you count both parts of "Serenity" as separate eps.

Second, you can't use Serenity to increase its level as a tv series.

As a Sci Fi "franchise" maybe.

Third, I'm not disputing it was a great show, but it didn't last long enough to be in the top five. And I stand by my Hall of Fame analogy.

[Judge Smails]

I would just like to mention Space: Above and Beyond. I loved that fucking show and while I wouldn't put it on any list because it was on for less than a season I really think it had great potential if more of you fucks had watched it or even heard of it.

[EliSnow]

Another clarification about Firefly. I'm not saying it shouldn't be listed because it didn't get great ratings or wasn't universally liked.

My point was simply about the short amount of time that it was on. If it had been universally liked and only lasted 14 eps (for whatever reason), I would still say that it can't be one of the best sci fi series ever.

[disneyspy]

i looked at the box set and read 14 episodes on the back and right above created by: JOSS WHEDON it says includes 3 never aired episodes and your HOF anecdote sucks

[EliSnow]

i looked at the box set and read 14 episodes on the back and right above created by: JOSS WHEDON it says includes 3 never aired episodes and your HOF anecdote sucks

That's because 3 of the 14 weren't aired: 3 unaired eps + 11 aired = 14 total.

[disneyspy]

bitch,i shouldve counted them. fuck you

[EliSnow]

bitch,i shouldve counted them. fuck you

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[Furtherman]

Firefly is the Doc Moonlight Graham of sci-fi. I agree with disneyspy, it can be on such lists, especially it created a unique universe in such a small amount of time.

[sailor]

It's not a sports HOF. TV follows different rules for such lists. If someone wanted to put the office or fawlty towers on their list of favorite comedy shows, their short runs shouldn't be held against them.

[EliSnow]

It's not a sports HOF. TV follows different rules for such lists. If someone wanted to put the office or fawlty towers on their list of favorite comedy shows, their short runs shouldn't be held against them.

I think there is a difference between favorite sci fi shows and best. Both are going to be subjective, but best requires a little more objectivity about the show. As a result, I think it is similar to a Hall of Fame type look. This thread was set up as the best sci fi shows ever.

If this was a favorite sci fi show list, I wouldn't have a problem with it.

[Contra]

1. Battlestar Galactica
2. Lost
3. Firefly
4. Stargate SG-1
5. Babylon 5
6. X-Files
7. 3rd Rock From the Sun
8. Dr. Who
9. Highlander
10. Stargate: Universe

Honorable mention: Star Trek (all of 'em, never watched it), Dollhouse, Stargate: Atlantis, Quantum Leap, Sliders.

I was going to include highlander but wasn't sure if that would be considered sci-fi

[EliSnow]

I was going to include highlander but wasn't sure if that would be considered sci-fi

I think it's fantasy. It's no more sci fi than Hercules, Xena or Buffy.

[disneyspy]

This thread was set up as the best sci fi shows ever.



excatly,it wasnt set up as longest running sci-fi shows,firefly still in my top 5

[hanso]

No love for Far Out Space Nuts?

These rings a bell

[hanso]

Hands down, The Twilight Zone takes the top spot. That show still stands up and will always be followed by the rest:

2 - Star Trek TOS - campy classic, great topics for the time period

3 - The Outer Limits - how could you not like criminal alien ants?

4 - One Step Beyond - creepy shit, covered a wide variety of topics


I would go along with this & the order as well.
And I'm looking up Science Fiction Theater that was # 5.

[Contra]

I think it's fantasy. It's no more sci fi than Hercules, Xena or Buffy.

Ok that's what I was thinking too

[KnoxHarrington]

OK, time for a litlte challenge: pick the best episode of the series you named as the best. Two-part episodes can be considered as one entry, as you'll see in my list.

Here's mine:

Star Trek: The Original Series: Balance of Terror (the first meeting with the Romulans)
Babylon Five: Babylon Squared (Babylon 4 reappears)
Battlestar Galactica: Scar (A Cylon raider is particularly skilled at evasion, leading Starbuck to believe it's the one she learned to fly earlier)
Star Trek: The Next Generation: The Best Of Both Worlds, Parts 1 and 2 (resistance is futile)
The X-Files: Home (quite possibly the creepiest thing I've ever watched, TV or movie)