What's your favorite science fiction show?

[TheVampwizimp_v1legacy]

Growing up as I did on Star Trek: The Next Generation, and subsequently DS9 and Voyager, I have been an avid and committed science fiction fan all my life. If a TV show or movie has a sci fi premise, I am automatically attracted. And thanks to Netflix, I have been able to acquaint myself with yet more shows I missed, such as Farscape, a show I should have watched when it was on.

Anyway; I will admit to perhaps being influenced by nostalgia, but Star Trek is still my favorite show(s). But there are many shows of the sci fi nature, so what's your favorite?

 

[tippy2k2]

I never watched Star Trek

I always thought I'd enjoy it and I do intend to...one day....(see also Babylon Five and Stargate)

Due to all the sci-fi I want to watch but haven't yet (I swear I will!), I will have to go with what will likely be the very popular pick Firefly. It's a shame that Fox worked so hard to bury it before it got the chance to get off the ground...

I don't know if my second one counts cause it's not really sci-fi but I do want a honorable mention for Jericho. Another show that was killed before it could get off the ground (though CBS this time...). It was brought back for a half season to wrap up some loose ends but like Firefly, a lot of it just gets dropped unfortunately for lack of time. Basically the entire world nukes the hell out of itself and very few places (like the small town Jericho) are left untouched. Still on Netflix if you're looking for an interesting show.

 

[Ranorak]

I'm all for the madman with a box, The oncoming storm, John Smith, Sweety.
Doctor Who.

 

[Tanis]

Doctor Who.

Crest/Banner of the Stars

Star Trek: DS9

etc

 

[natenate95]

Toss the anime hat in there

Steins;Gate.

Time Travel done correctly.

 

[symphonymarie]

Easily Black Mirror. I watched both seasons in two days. The reality is so plausible it's delightfully disconcerting.

 

[TakerFoxx]

Take my love, take my land...

 

[dragonet111]

For me it's Stargate SG1. I remember watching with my friends. so many good memories. The music, actors, design to this day still my favorite tv show.

 

[Zontar]

Another vote for Stargate SG1. It gets the military angle done right compared to most sci fi, and the level of self awareness and humor mixed into the serious story never gets old.

I'll also throw in Star Trek: DS9. That one showed us that you can not only make a good show out of space drama, but that you can make a better one then Gene's vision ever allowed for. The show felt more human then any of the others, and had a cast which had tertiary characters get more developments and characterization then some of the sister series primary ones (see: Voyager and Enterprise main cast, anyone in Next Gen not in the opening titles).

 

[renegade7]

Doctor Who, mostly because I like that it breaks up the monotony by not being so militaristic like a lot of other sci-fi where everyone is some kind of space marine. It's just more fun than a lot of other other science fiction, when I want serious I'll go read some of the Warhammer 40k novels where someone is shot, stabbed, eaten, blown up, chopped up, or graphically and excruciatingly mutated into a demon every other page or where the entire book in general is about someone's descent into madness or otherwise a 400 page litany of reasons life in the 41st millenium is just utterly miserable.

I also like that it's pro-intellectual, where the brilliant mad scientist is the hero rather than the villain.

 

[Dizchu]

Easily Black Mirror. I watched both seasons in two days. The reality is so plausible it's delightfully disconcerting.

I was just about to say! The second episodes of each season are extremely dark and paint a very grim satire of our own world. I won't spoil what they're about for anyone else but they disturbed me greatly.

Black Mirror has been consistently good so far and I recommend it to anyone.

Other series that I enjoyed that are more hit-or-miss have been Red Dwarf, Star Trek: The Next Generation and The Outer Limits. The 90s had some really good sci-fi.

 

[ForumSafari]

Farscape is my favourite. It has sharp dialogue, largely believable world building and limitations on the technology. There's a quote from the fourth episode that drove home why I love Farscape and why so much sci fi turns me off.

Pilot, get a tractor beam on that shuttle.
Tractor beam? What's that?
Graviton field, attracto ray, superglue. Whatever it is you yanked me aboard with.
You mean the docking web.
Yeah do that.
They're out of range.

I also love this for the same reason I love Futurama; they start off as coworkers, not friends.

Oh and great villain. The best villain I can think of off the top of my head.

 

[Hoplon]

Currently on TV it would have to be Person of Interest. it's Brilliant.

 

[Kyrian007]

There's a lot to that question. I'd say Star Trek, which I love. But one problem I have with it... the tech level kind of takes the "space" out of the equation. I prefer shows like Babylon 5 and Firefly where space travel is dangerous all on it's own and the ships are more "Nina and Pinta" and less "Carnival: Triumph."

But, Firefly was too short. If Fox had let it continue I have no doubt it would be my favorite. And Babylon 5... exact opposite. It went on a little too long where it could have really ended with a bang and left the audience wanting more.

Twilight Zone... not always sci-fi. Carnivale... not exactly sci-fi. BSG (either of them) good but not really my favorite.

Most consistantly satisfying... I'd have to go with Dr. Who. It suffers from the "Star Trek" problem of too high a technology level to make space exploration dangerous enough, but it does fix that by including time travel and making that properly dangerous.

But I'd say my favorite sci-fi... has yet to be made. Firefly may have been it, good characters, great dialouge, dirty tin cans of spaceships as opposed to sterile floating houses, and fantastic worldbuilding and storytelling. If only it had been allowed to FINISH that story. Because I need to know how a story ends before I can call it "my favorite" or "the best." The reason that doesn't hurt Dr. Who... many Doctor's stories HAVE ended. And ended those chapters very well. They FEEL like endings and give closure. The new Doctor always feels like a new beginning.

So, probably Dr. Who. Although I'm looking forward to finding the show that beats it. Some Anime is right up there though. Outlaw Star, Cowboy Bebop, most recently for me Psycho-Pass (sci-fi dystopia through technology as opposed to space.) Anime question though. I'd like to get a good sci-fi anime going now that I'm done with Psycho Pass and Knights of Sidonia is on my Netflix cue. But I don't hear any buzz about it, is it any good at all?

 

[Xerosch]

Hmm... seems as if my shows differ a bit.

Defiance
Yes, the effects aren't very good, but I like the characters and general mood. Season 2 improves a lot and goes into darker territory.

Babylon 5
More of a nostalgic thing. It was one of the first times I've seen a long series with a continued story (which is really great for 4 seasons).

Doctor Who
Nothing to add to the comments. It's just fun with some new Sci-Fi concepts.

Farscape
Without spoiling anything: It's much more than the often quotet 'Muppets in Space' and dares to show some really unique storylines. Granted, the results vary but I give extra points for trying.

 

[Hawki]

Favorite would be Farscape. Doctor Who is probably a close second, but I consider that more science fantasy rather than science fiction, and, well, not too fond of the Moffat era.

 

[sanquin]

I'm all for the madman with a box, The oncoming storm, John Smith, Sweety.
Doctor Who.

The Pandorica opens...spoilers!

 

[karkashan]

Probably either Stargate or Dr. Who. Barring 1 or two eps from each show, I could re-watch every episode 4 or 5 more times in the next couple years before burn-out.

praisegrima

 

[laggyteabag]

Im going to go with the obvious pick here and go with Firefly. I just like the characters, and the fact that it is a TV show means that special effects are generally poor, but they got around it by turning the show into what was essentially a space western, which was fun to watch. The film Serenity was sweet too.

I also was a big fan of Doctor Who, but only really the Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant runs. Matt Smith kinda burned me out because the episodes generally lost its charm and turned into more of a kids show, and whilst Capaldi is its return to form, unfortunately most of the episodes so far aren't really worth watching.

 

[fenrizz]

That would have to be either Firefly or Doctor Who, both of whom I love dearly.

I also have great love for Star Trek Next Generation.

Take my love, take my land...

*heavy breathing*