Why's the best sci-fi tv series from 20+ years ago?

[Montrovant]

Deep Space Nine was the best...a linear story and better characters....but let' not forget SG-1 -- Still my favorite

I tried the first episode of DS9 but didn't continue. The fact that they weren't mobile was a huge turn off. It's Star Trek.....to search out new life and new civilizations, not to hang around in one spot.

I also didn't like the shapeshifter turning himself into a cloth sack, I think it was. That kind of mass displacement always annoys me for some reason.

 

[Montrovant]

The latest version of Battlestar Galactica and Firefly both excellent

Firefly is probably the best sci-fi series ever. The only reason it is a question in my mind is that it only had the one season.

Farscape was also excellent.

Neither fits the 20+ years ago of the OP, of course.

 

[Nutz]

Deep Space Nine was the best...a linear story and better characters....but let' not forget SG-1 -- Still my favorite

I tried the first episode of DS9 but didn't continue. The fact that they weren't mobile was a huge turn off. It's Star Trek.....to search out new life and new civilizations, not to hang around in one spot.

I also didn't like the shapeshifter turning himself into a cloth sack, I think it was. That kind of mass displacement always annoys me for some reason.

I wasn't much of a fan of the shapeshifters either. But what I liked about DS9 was that there was a beginning and an end smartly put together throughout the series.

 

[FA_Q2]

I've never understood the hype for the Battlestar Galactica remake. It wasn't a terrible show, but it wasn't great, either. I mean, they had Starbuck fix a hole in a ship with a flight suit and some 'space tape'!

Seriously?

You jab an unrealistic action in the show and then mention Farscape as a good show! That is hilarious. Don't get me wrong, Farscape was an amazing show mostly because they had absolutely no boundaries - they would try anything. But space tape and a shirt is more believable than everyone turning into a cartoon

BSG was wonderful because the characters were very well developed, had intricate and strong backgrounds, the story was well written and very coherent and the world was well constructed. Rarely does a show break from the 30 minute shallow story and actually engage the audience. Farscape had something similar though much lighter hearted and fun. I liked the characters.

 

[Montrovant]

I've never understood the hype for the Battlestar Galactica remake. It wasn't a terrible show, but it wasn't great, either. I mean, they had Starbuck fix a hole in a ship with a flight suit and some 'space tape'!

Seriously?

You jab an unrealistic action in the show and then mention Farscape as a good show! That is hilarious. Don't get me wrong, Farscape was an amazing show mostly because they had absolutely no boundaries - they would try anything. But space tape and a shirt is more believable than everyone turning into a cartoon

BSG was wonderful because the characters were very well developed, had intricate and strong backgrounds, the story was well written and very coherent and the world was well constructed. Rarely does a show break from the 30 minute shallow story and actually engage the audience. Farscape had something similar though much lighter hearted and fun. I liked the characters.

You said it : Farscape was often much more light hearted. BG took itself way too seriously. I don't mind a show being serious, but it was too disjointed and, as I remember it, had too many plot holes. That's a lot easier to get away with when a show incorporates some silliness.

BG had good production and acting, but the writing just didn't impress me. Again, not terrible, just over-hyped. Farscape had its share of issues, but they weren't as damaging as those of BG and I felt the cast of Farscape had much better chemistry and were much more sympathetic and easier to care about.

The space tape is just the thing I remember most about BG. I think what bothered me most was the almost nonsensical mysticism behind the Cylons. It's been quite a while and I don't remember the show that well, but weren't the Cylons, in the end, on some sort of spiritual or religious quest? Looking back I feel like the plot got progressively more disconnected and difficult to swallow as the show went on.

 

[FA_Q2]

I've never understood the hype for the Battlestar Galactica remake. It wasn't a terrible show, but it wasn't great, either. I mean, they had Starbuck fix a hole in a ship with a flight suit and some 'space tape'!

Seriously?

You jab an unrealistic action in the show and then mention Farscape as a good show! That is hilarious. Don't get me wrong, Farscape was an amazing show mostly because they had absolutely no boundaries - they would try anything. But space tape and a shirt is more believable than everyone turning into a cartoon

BSG was wonderful because the characters were very well developed, had intricate and strong backgrounds, the story was well written and very coherent and the world was well constructed. Rarely does a show break from the 30 minute shallow story and actually engage the audience. Farscape had something similar though much lighter hearted and fun. I liked the characters.

You said it : Farscape was often much more light hearted. BG took itself way too seriously. I don't mind a show being serious, but it was too disjointed and, as I remember it, had too many plot holes. That's a lot easier to get away with when a show incorporates some silliness.

BG had good production and acting, but the writing just didn't impress me. Again, not terrible, just over-hyped. Farscape had its share of issues, but they weren't as damaging as those of BG and I felt the cast of Farscape had much better chemistry and were much more sympathetic and easier to care about.

The space tape is just the thing I remember most about BG. I think what bothered me most was the almost nonsensical mysticism behind the Cylons. It's been quite a while and I don't remember the show that well, but weren't the Cylons, in the end, on some sort of spiritual or religious quest? Looking back I feel like the plot got progressively more disconnected and difficult to swallow as the show went on.

I am not a big fan of the spirituality aspect of the show either TBH but I am the opposite of you I think - I prefer my shows to take themselves more seriously though I can handle the more light hearted ones if they are written well.

I would not call it a spiritual quest more than a cycle. The Cylons were simply an inevitability and eventually man would restart.

 

[longknife]

Deep Space Nine was the best...a linear story and better characters....but let' not forget SG-1 -- Still my favorite

SG1 was VERY good all the way up until the end where thy made one of the worse last episodes in TV history. I used to like DS9 but then re-watched it recently - it was horrible. I am not even sure why I thought it was good.

I got to watch SG-1 every Sunday night - 2 in a row. Looks like it's been replaced with Simon & Simon

 

[Montrovant]

I've never understood the hype for the Battlestar Galactica remake. It wasn't a terrible show, but it wasn't great, either. I mean, they had Starbuck fix a hole in a ship with a flight suit and some 'space tape'!

Seriously?

You jab an unrealistic action in the show and then mention Farscape as a good show! That is hilarious. Don't get me wrong, Farscape was an amazing show mostly because they had absolutely no boundaries - they would try anything. But space tape and a shirt is more believable than everyone turning into a cartoon

BSG was wonderful because the characters were very well developed, had intricate and strong backgrounds, the story was well written and very coherent and the world was well constructed. Rarely does a show break from the 30 minute shallow story and actually engage the audience. Farscape had something similar though much lighter hearted and fun. I liked the characters.

You said it : Farscape was often much more light hearted. BG took itself way too seriously. I don't mind a show being serious, but it was too disjointed and, as I remember it, had too many plot holes. That's a lot easier to get away with when a show incorporates some silliness.

BG had good production and acting, but the writing just didn't impress me. Again, not terrible, just over-hyped. Farscape had its share of issues, but they weren't as damaging as those of BG and I felt the cast of Farscape had much better chemistry and were much more sympathetic and easier to care about.

The space tape is just the thing I remember most about BG. I think what bothered me most was the almost nonsensical mysticism behind the Cylons. It's been quite a while and I don't remember the show that well, but weren't the Cylons, in the end, on some sort of spiritual or religious quest? Looking back I feel like the plot got progressively more disconnected and difficult to swallow as the show went on.

I am not a big fan of the spirituality aspect of the show either TBH but I am the opposite of you I think - I prefer my shows to take themselves more seriously though I can handle the more light hearted ones if they are written well.

I would not call it a spiritual quest more than a cycle. The Cylons were simply an inevitability and eventually man would restart.

Don't get me wrong, it is the drama that draws me to most shows. I just find that if there is no lighter component the show has less leeway. As an example, look at Firefly. The best parts of the show are the serious, dramatic elements. However, the snarky humor is an important element and plays well off of the more serious aspects.

In a show that took itself a bit less seriously I might more easily have forgiven the space taped hole in the Cylon ship.

 

[waltky]

S'posed to be a new Star Trek TV series spring of 2016.

 

[shadow355]

"Earth 2"
"Space: Above and Beyond"
"Seaquest DSV"

Sci-fi sucks now.

Battlestar Galactica - 1978

Shadow 355

 

[longknife]

"Earth 2"
"Space: Above and Beyond"
"Seaquest DSV"

Sci-fi sucks now.

Battlestar Galactica - 1978

Shadow 355

I always wondered at the Mormon story line. Where did it come from?

 

[bodecea]

"Earth 2"
"Space: Above and Beyond"
"Seaquest DSV"

Sci-fi sucks now.

Star Trek

 

[FA_Q2]

"Earth 2"
"Space: Above and Beyond"
"Seaquest DSV"

Sci-fi sucks now.

Battlestar Galactica - 1978

Shadow 355

I always wondered at the Mormon story line. Where did it come from?

Mormon story line?

 

[longknife]

"Earth 2"
"Space: Above and Beyond"
"Seaquest DSV"

Sci-fi sucks now.

Battlestar Galactica - 1978

Shadow 355

I always wondered at the Mormon story line. Where did it come from?

Mormon story line?

Very much so. The planets were named after figures in Mormon literature and there was a great deal of their belief included - such as the deal about The Lost Tribes and someday returning home to fabled Earth.

 

[FA_Q2]

"Earth 2"
"Space: Above and Beyond"
"Seaquest DSV"

Sci-fi sucks now.

Battlestar Galactica - 1978

Shadow 355

I always wondered at the Mormon story line. Where did it come from?

Mormon story line?

Very much so. The planets were named after figures in Mormon literature and there was a great deal of their belief included - such as the deal about The Lost Tribes and someday returning home to fabled Earth.

I don't remember much in the way of Mormon references. I do remember a lot of Greek ones though.

Interesting.

 

[longknife]

"Earth 2"
"Space: Above and Beyond"
"Seaquest DSV"

Sci-fi sucks now.

Battlestar Galactica - 1978

Shadow 355

I always wondered at the Mormon story line. Where did it come from?

Mormon story line?

Very much so. The planets were named after figures in Mormon literature and there was a great deal of their belief included - such as the deal about The Lost Tribes and someday returning home to fabled Earth.

I don't remember much in the way of Mormon references. I do remember a lot of Greek ones though.

Interesting.

Here's a plot summary:

In a distant star system, the Twelve Colonies Of Mankind were reaching the end of a thousand-year war with the Cylons, warrior robots created by a reptilian race which expired long ago, presumably destroyed by their own creations. Humanity was ultimately defeated in a sneak attack on their homeworlds by the Cylons, carried out with the help of a human traitor, Count Baltar (John Colicos). Protected by the last surviving capital warship, a "battlestar" (from "battle starship"), named Galactica, the survivors fled in any available ships. The Commander of the Galactica, Adama (Lorne Greene), led this "rag-tag fugitive fleet" of 220 ships in search of a new home. They began a quest to find the long-lost thirteenth tribe of humanity that had settled on a legendary planet called Earth. However, the Cylons continued to pursue them relentlessly across the galaxy.

 

[RWS]

Sorry I didn't read through all 4 pages, but if we're talking TV sci-fi series in the last 20 years, it's Battlestar Galactica (the remake). Great show!

Battlestar Galactica (TV Series 2004–2009) - IMDb

But for one season alone, and the subsequent movie....

Firefly rocks!!!

Firefly (TV Series 2002–2003) - IMDb

 

[RWS]

I don't know if you can fit the X-Files in there, based on 20 years, but that would actually be #1 if it fits (started 1993).

Firefly #2

BG #3

 

[RWS]

So that brings up a great debate!

Who would win in a fistfight!

Capt Kirk or Mal Reynolds (or Han Solo)?

Han Solo or Indiana Jones?

Mr Spock or Chewbacca?

Superman or Darth Vader? (consider the force)

Luke Skywalker (no force) or Starbuck?

Capt Picard or R2D2?

McCoy or Jar-Jar?

Neo or River?

Mulder or Scully?

 

[Borillar]

I really enjoyed the Babylon 5 series. Think that was 20 years ago, give or take. I never really got into the Star Trek Voyager or DS9 shows though.