Best Sci-Fi

[Johnmw]

I have to go with Warhammer 40,000 Not from jut the games but the sheer enormity of the histories and stories for each race and world and character. I thouroughly recomend reading through the Warhammer 40,000 fluff bible ( found http://files.meetup.com/984055/Warhammer%2040K%20Fluff%20Bible.pdf PDF or for a more complete version http://www.scribd.com/doc/7027523/Warhammer-40K-Fluff-Bible ). It is a universe of epic preportions with a story and mythology that can only come with something that has been around for as long as warhammer 40,000.
On the total other end of the spectrum i do have argree with Vrex360 and Daveman in that the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy is fantastic. Douglas Adams was possibly the funniest author in the English language. We shall not see his like again.
" Humans had always felt superior to dolphins as they had achieved so much; New York, the Wheel, Wars etc. Whereas, all dolphins did was splash around having a good time. Dolphins had always known they were more intelligent than humans for exactly the same reason." - Douglas Adams

 

[Gravenous]

I have to go with Warhammer 40,000 Not from jut the games but the sheer enormity of the histories and stories for each race and world and character. I thouroughly recomend reading through the Warhammer 40,000 fluff bible ( found http://files.meetup.com/984055/Warhammer%2040K%20Fluff%20Bible.pdf PDF or for a more complete version http://www.scribd.com/doc/7027523/Warhammer-40K-Fluff-Bible ). It is a universe of epic preportions with a story and mythology that can only come with something that has been around for as long as warhammer 40,000.
On the total other end of the spectrum i do have argree with Vrex360 and Daveman in that the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy is fantastic. Douglas Adams was possibly the funniest author in the English language. We shall not see his like again.
" Humans had always felt superior to dolphins as they had achieved so much; New York, the Wheel, Wars etc. Whereas, all dolphins did was splash around having a good time. Dolphins had always known they were more intelligent than humans for exactly the same reason." - Douglas Adams

I really like how you summed up my entire opinion on the matter, and now all I have to do is quote

 

[hippo24]

Stargate
Star Wars
Warhammer 40k

 

[hippo24]

Spoiler: snip

I have to go with Warhammer 40,000 Not from jut the games but the sheer enormity of the histories and stories for each race and world and character. I thouroughly recomend reading through the Warhammer 40,000 fluff bible ( found http://files.meetup.com/984055/Warhammer%2040K%20Fluff%20Bible.pdf PDF or for a more complete version http://www.scribd.com/doc/7027523/Warhammer-40K-Fluff-Bible ). It is a universe of epic preportions with a story and mythology that can only come with something that has been around for as long as warhammer 40,000.
On the total other end of the spectrum i do have argree with Vrex360 and Daveman in that the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy is fantastic. Douglas Adams was possibly the funniest author in the English language. We shall not see his like again.
" Humans had always felt superior to dolphins as they had achieved so much; New York, the Wheel, Wars etc. Whereas, all dolphins did was splash around having a good time. Dolphins had always known they were more intelligent than humans for exactly the same reason." - Douglas Adams

Thanks for that link...Ill be reading it shortly.

 

[petrolmonkey]

Agree with Warhammer 40K. The games are a rip off but such a wealth or talent, both artistically and written it is amazing.

 

[Goblorke1]

I find it amazing that not a single person has mentioned Babylon 5.

I'll admit that it isn't really the best, it's been quite outdated now in effects, writing, and acting. That may be why it hasn't been mentioned in this thread - nobody who's watched it would quite go so far as to say that it is the best.

But I always thought that it was fairly solid all round. It had some moving story arcs, some rather humourous exchanges and camaraderie, some stirring moments... I would've thought it was at least worth a mention.

Or, for the more depressing possibility, nobody has seen it. I would find this surprising as I had been under the impression that it was better known than Firefly (which I have unfortunately never seen - Serenity was brilliant though).

Anyway, apart from that rant, best Sci-Fi... that's a hard one. Aliens is probably one of the best movies ever made, and the effects still age well today. Stargate & Stargate Atlantis are both solid entertainment.

Doctor Who... seems a bit... dumb (well, the new series. The old series suffered from a terrible budget, acting, etc. but it generally told the stories better, and personally I felt that it didn't treat the viewer as quite as much of an idiot).

There are many more things I could go on about, but only the most persistent readers would have made it this far through my rant so...

 

[Rii Mitsukai]

i cant really say what the best sci fi thing is for me cause i pretty much love most sci fi but recently i watched mutant chronicles which i think is 1 excellent sci fi movie.

 

[olicon]

By far, my favorite is Serenity/Fireflies. I can't even find a particular reason to it. I guess it's just not so pristine like Star Trek, and not so "out there" as Star Wars. SC and Warhammer ranks up there, but I just can't find any real enjoyment in space marines. Gundam series tend to quickly devolve into crazy arms race and emo fest. I can't believe that even my beloved Gundam00 got screwed toward the end. Why can't they just keep real robot series from turning into super robot series?
My favorite would've easily been Full Metal Panic, but it lost a lot of points from not really ending yet. (As in the 2nd raid clearly is not the ending of the series, and I can't get my hands on the manga.) Xeno franchise ranks pretty high up there too, but since you excluded videogames, that doesn't really work.

 

[capnjack]

I find it amazing that not a single person has mentioned Babylon 5.

I'll admit that it isn't really the best, it's been quite outdated now in effects, writing, and acting. That may be why it hasn't been mentioned in this thread - nobody who's watched it would quite go so far as to say that it is the best.

I definitely know people who think Babylon 5 is the best sci-fi series ever created. Straczynski meticulously crafted five seasons worth of story, but the show was going to be cancelled in the fourth season so he fit the last two seasons in there, and that season became so popular, it was renewed for one more season. Of course, that season ended up just filler.

So far, I've only watched the first episode, or movie, or whatever, and I hated it. Cheesy dialogue, cheesy aliens, incredibly bad acting (that asian girl... I want her to die). However, for a story as respected as this one, I'm definitely going to watch at least four seasons of it before I pass any real judgements.

Or, for the more depressing possibility, nobody has seen it. I would find this surprising as I had been under the impression that it was better known than Firefly (which I have unfortunately never seen - Serenity was brilliant though).

Firefly has a very solid fanbase, which is the only reason Serenity was ever created. I think quite a few people have seen Firefly, because it's one of those shows a lot more... appealling to the mainstream. That is to say, there aren't any aliens and it isn't cheesy.

You should really consider watching Firefly. Serenity is great on its own... But far better if you've seen all the episodes first. Of course, you can't unwatch Serenity, but you'll be more fond of the series if you watch it all, I think.

Doctor Who... seems a bit... dumb (well, the new series. The old series suffered from a terrible budget, acting, etc. but it generally told the stories better, and personally I felt that it didn't treat the viewer as quite as much of an idiot).

Doctor Who can be dumb... But it's charming. And it has some brilliant episodes. Blink is a great example. Besides Russel T. Davies extragavant finales and every single episode by Steven Moffat, the show does have a lot of bad moments. Yet, it's quirky enough that I let it slide. There's a certain level of quirkiness that lets you get away with almost anything. I think shows like Farscape and Doctor Who have it (maybe it's just anything British ), but Babylon 5 or BSG would not be able to get away with the same stupidity and still be enjoyable.

 

[Xpwn3ntial]

Twilight Zone, Warhammer 40K, and Tron.

 

[high_castle]

Aside from Dick, I think the best recent SF I've come across has been the Warchild series by Karin Lowachee. Unfortunately, I seem to be the only one who's read them.

Okay, you got me. You lead with all that stuff about the awesomeness of Philip K. Dick and then segue into describing an author I've never heard of, talking about how she writes books that sound very close to the stuff that really moves me (and then your compare her favorable to Dostoevsky to boot). So, on the strength of your recommendation, I just ordered up a copy of Warchild. Thanks.

-- Alex

I love inspiring new reads. Now the pressure's on to see if you like it though. Honestly, next to Dick and a few classics, the books are my favorites. They're definitely the best to have come out in the past 10 years. You know, in my opinion and all.

 

[George Palmer]

Oh man... so many to choose from. I'll have to go with these as my ultimate picks.

2001: A Space Odyssey - Kubric's masterpiece. Almost everything tries to be this. "I am putting myself to the fullest possible use, which is all I think that any conscious entity can ever hope to do." -HAL9000

Blade Runner - Gloomy, Dark, Gritty. Influenced generations of films. "I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the darkness at Tan Hauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time like tears in rain. Time to die". -Roy Batty. AMAZING!

Babylon 5 - 5 year story arc done properly instead of stand alone episodes that don't matter. "I was toasting Emperor Cartagia. And since he was not here, I drank for him. And then I couldn't be rude, so I had to drink with him. And so, first it was me drinking for him. And then him drinking for me. And then I kind of got into this kind of cycle." -Vir Cotto.

Battlestar Galactica (new series) - Science fiction, religion, drama, dark reality combined. "Starbuck's notes on the Cylon Raider are a mess! She said the engine power-up sequence began...?By squeezing something that looks like a red ligament with blue veins on the right side... coming out of a sack of gooey fluid... shaped like a dog". -Crewman Specialist Cally

Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy (books, audio, tv show, bits of the film) - Science fiction meets Monty Python silliness. Brilliant and hilarious. "Ford! There's an infinite number of monkeys outside who want to talk to us about this script for Hamlet they've worked out." -Arthur Dent

 

[Alex_P]

My tastes tend to change over time, so I have a hard time describing "best" rather than "best I've read recently" -- or maybe I'm getting lucky and perpetually finding better and better stuff.

I'm currently reading James Tiptree Jr. (Alice Sheldon) and totally hooked. Her style flows interestingly -- not exactly dream-like like Philip K. Dick but somewhat similar; the way she frames stuff and shifts focus makes her writing very expressive and kinda... moody. One reason I like her work is that I see her major themes as a repudiation of the daring-scientist-explorer trope of classical science fiction -- Tiptree shows us reason subsumed by biological imperative and xenophilia turning into cultural destruction. She's pretty big on death, and she makes death something rich and complicated and personal. (Her work reminds me of a story -- about death, yes -- I like for no reason I can consciously discern: Jack Cady's The Night We Buried Road Dog.)

I like John Scalzi a lot, too. He writes in a pretty straightforward "American" style, generally placing emphasis on describing the characters simply and letting their own thoughts and actions speak for themselves. Old Man's War goes over well as adventure fiction, but it's also sweet and thoughtful. I love military s.f. that's actually, like, human.

Speaking of stuff that's actually human: I like "Christian science fiction" that isn't filled with fundamentalist, dispensationalist, dominionist ideology (and the horrifically bad writing that naturally accompanies petty hypocrisy). I just read Jim Munroe and Salgood Sam's wonderful graphic novel Therefore Repent! and I'm very impressed with the art and storytelling(*). And, yeah, Therefore Repent! is indisputably a big "fuck you!" to adherents of Rapture theology(**), but I still think it treats them with more compassion and respect than any of the Rapture-happy books so crassly marketed to that demographic. Ted Chiang's Hell is the Absence of God is another good example of works in that niche.

-- Alex
_________
* - I think my favorite graphic novel is still We3, though. Yup, not Watchmen or Sandman but We3. Therefore Repent! gets to be a close second.
** - And a very small "fuck you!" to Christians in general.

 

[Laughing Man]

Speaking of great acting, I forgot to mention Firefly, that was a great series too. You have to respect any sci-fi show which keeps true to the of no sound in a vacuum principal. I just wish it had had a longer run (as does anyone who's watched it). Perhaps I subconsciously hold it in contempt for being so short. Damn you Fox/Whedon.

Me and you are on the same wavelength here bud. I loved Stargate as well for more or less the same reasons you did and unlike Star Trek the early season of Stargate actually required the character to work on clever or idiotically risky moves to over come an enemy who was essentially a hell of a lot more powerful than they were. None of this divert more power to the dialythium matrix to beat the bad guy, the way Jack O'neil takes out the shields on the first Gouald ship in the episode Within The Serpent's Grasp sums it up beautifully. Mind you it did get a little 'more power to the Tachyon emitters' towards the end though.

I only just finished watching Firefly and I am blown away at why it wasn't around for longer than 14 episodes. I enjoyed it and wish their were more but hey nowt I can do about it now.

 

[Lebeau's Bounty]

Battlestar all the way.

Because it had great characters up against terrible odds. They always had to make difficult decisions, with incredible consequences. And we got an end that was well deserved and honored everything they had worked for.

 

[mercswithmouths]

From Merc 1: TV - Red Dwarf - Typical british sitcom set in outer space with humorus actors

Film - Star Wars (origianal trilogy) - Coz it absolutly fab
- Blade Runner - Nice idea of techology getting it's own back

Book - Star Wars X-Wings - Wonderful continuation of a life within the famous
Rogue Squadron on wards

Anime - Saiyuki - Sci-fi meets fudal asia
- Gundam (Any series) - Indeepth characters and story lines as well as
wonderful giant mechs.


From Merc 2: TV - Torchwood - Jack and Ianto, nuff said
- Dr. Who (new series) - Great story lines and wonderful new assistance
- Red Dwarf - See above

Film - Star Wars (original trilogy) - See above
- Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children - A great look at what happened after
the game and wonderful CGI
- Transfomers - CGI's great and a wonderful look at how the war on earth
possibly began

Book - Han Solo Trilogy - A wonderful look at a young Han Solo before and after
meeting Chewbacca abd Lando Clarissian

Anime - Transformers G1 - For 1984 it was a fun way of looking at what the 21st
century might have been like and not forgetting the
worlds best scout, Bumblebee
- Final Fantasy VII: Last Order - Crisis Core before it became the PSP
game.

 

[The Wooster]

This may earn me some ire, particularly from ye olde Rak, but I think Battlestar Galactica is one of the best sci fi outings I've seen in a while, certainly one of the best on TV.

Edit: EXCEPT RED DWARF

As for other mediums my favourite SF novel is HGTTG for the softer side of things and Adam Robert's 'Stone' when it comes to High concept. I tend to stay away from the hard science novels, (essentially making me an anti-Rak), early Asimov was so much better than later Asimov.

Oh and anyone who hasn't mentioned Snow Crash or Neuromancer deserves to burn.

Movie wise it's a toss up between Space Truckers (YEAH!) or 2001 (the shortened cut was so much better). Blade Runner is a favourite too but I never cared for the original novel.