Farscape or SG-1 by JenDandy

OTHER SCIENCE FICTION SERIES

Farscape or SG-1

POSTED BY: JENDANDY
UPDATED: Thursday, November 4, 2004 19:21
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VIEWED: 15026
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Wednesday, October 13, 2004 4:36 AM

I'm going to weigh in here with a recommendation for Farscape.

I like SG-1. I love Firefly. I love Buffy. I LOVE Farscape.

Although they have no storylines or situations in common, Farscape, Firefly, and Buffy all have wit, intelligence, humor, emotion, great characterizations and character interaction in common. (SG-1 has this, too, just in a different way.)

The difference for me that makes me like SG-1 and love the other 3 is that SG-1 is, imho, plot-driven while the others are character-driven. I've seen plenty of eps in SG-1 where one of them acts out of character to move the plot along, but I can't recall a single ep of the other shows where this has happened. It's kind of a knock-you-out-of-the-story thing when it happens.

If you want DVDs of any of these shows at a pretty good price and free shipping, though, hit www.deepdiscountdvd.com. At least with Farscape, you can get the box sets for nearly half off the regular (exhorbitant) price.

Nebari mental cleansing doesn't get the tough stains out.

In the immortal words of Socrates, "I drank what?"

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Wednesday, October 13, 2004 5:21 PM

JENDANDY

Quote:
Originally posted by SabaceanBabe:

Although they have no storylines or situations in common, Farscape, Firefly, and Buffy all have wit, intelligence, humor, emotion, great characterizations and character interaction in common. (SG-1 has this, too, just in a different way.)

The difference for me that makes me like SG-1 and love the other 3 is that SG-1 is, imho, plot-driven while the others are character-driven.

Ahh, there's the clincher for me. I definitely prefer great characters above all else. I can think of quite a few Buffy episodes that had some really sorry plots but the character interaction was so great you could look past that. Farscape would probably be right up my alley.

Sig Rebel

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Friday, October 15, 2004 12:29 PM

BANDANAGIRL

Hello I'm really new to this board and I'm just figuring out how everything is working. Right now I can't figure out who started this thread but thank you for broadening your horizons. I've met sooooooooo many fans of just Buffy and Angel and refuse to try anything new new. It's like they're afrad of catching germs or something. Usually I'm pretty afraid of Joss Whedon fans since they only seem to feel Angel and Buffy are the only scifi out there.

First off I've never seen a whole ep SG1. I choose not to. For me I'm not a fan of the American military going off doing science fictiony things. That's just me. When Buffy first started I mercelessly made fun of my younger sis for watching it. Then I became addicted during the season 5 cliffhanger and watched a lot of the earlier eps. I think that's what someone mentioned about resonance. Although I rarely watched Buffy (at that point), When I saw Buffy jump off the precipice to save the sister she only had for a year. My Jaw hit the floor and I actually got out of my chair in shock!!!!!! I don't feel I could ever get that from Stargate.

Farscape gives that that same kind of resonance, that that moment on Buffy gave me. Angel did it for me too. Buffy, Farscape and Angel (and other shows to that I won't memtion right now)All have that weight. There was a reason that the season 3 opener os Farscape was the highest rating SciFi channel ever got at that time. The season 2 cliffhanger was horrendous. People were crying. I deemed it cruel and unusual punishiment, to leave people that emotionally distressed for more then a day.

When farscape got cancelled I even crashed my bycycle into a telephone pole since I was so shocked and distracted. I even got a sprained wrist. I don't think that would happen to me with Stargate.

Also I noticed that someone mentioned how SG is the here and now. Well with Farscape, The main character is from the here and now and he makes a lot of references, to current pop culture (and he's a Buffy fan) Also, I don't want to spoil but in season 4 they deal with a HUGE contemporary issue and it dosen't ring hollow like how it felt when Voyager or enterprise did (for me).

To apply an ice cream analogy, to me Stargate is like Vanalla while Farscape is like Mint chocolate chip, rocky road and butterscotch ripple all rolled into one.
If you want I can give a home decor analogy too.
Anyway I'm done.

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Saturday, October 16, 2004 9:32 PM

EMPRESSPIRK

Just to let you guys know I’m watching Farscape now and it’s all your fault

. Meaning all the posts and comments about the greatness of Farscape I’ve encountered while wandering on these Firefly/sci-fi message boards finally drove me to take a second look. And it’s been a wonderful ride so far (I’m about to finish the 2nd season). Really, there’s gonna be crying?. Nice. I mean, I’m even more excited now

.

EDIT: I've watched the 2nd season now and I DIDN'T cry. I just...you know...had something in my eye. Damn, this is great series and there's still so much left.

I also have about 5 season’s worth of experience of Stargåte and I second what Bikisdad said:

Quote:

Stargate is a great show that you could really like a lot.

Farscape is a great show that you could really LOVE.

The "emotional resonance" thing, I second that too.

Both series are enjoyable but the whole Crichton/Aeryn relationship...maybe it’s just a girlie thing.

Anyway, if I should turn into a Scaper in the near future I blame you folks, all the Scaper/Browncoat hybrids out there. Hope you’re happy. Cause, you know, I am.

I’m not taking off my Browncoat. Ever.

Enjoy the Peacekeeper Wars tonight (already Sunday here), I'll catch up with you later.

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Tuesday, October 19, 2004 2:42 PM

LUNCHSTEALER

Quote:
Originally posted by Bandanagirl:
Joss Whedon fans ... seem to feel Angel and Buffy are the only scifi out there.

Can't speak for everybody, but I think Browncoats are gonna be a broader-minded bunch.

Quote:
Originally posted by Bandanagirl:
When I saw Buffy jump off the precipice to save the sister she only had for a year. My Jaw hit the floor and I actually got out of my chair in shock!!!!!! I don't feel I could ever get that from Stargate.

I'm a biiiigg Stargate fan. Almost as big a fan of SG1 as of Buffy. But I never (or haven't yet) bought the SG1 DVDs for the reason you point out. They did once manage to get something approaching the resonance of The Gift or Grave, but they had to destroy an entire populated planet to do it.

I guess the appeal of SG1 for me is two-fold. One, its nearly as funny as Buffy, and funnier than Angel (except maybe Season 5 - cause Spike & Harm are hilarious). Second, its got the science-geek optimism of ST:TOS or B5. Its a certain idealistic naivete that I respond to. Interestingly, the new show SG:Atlantis, might be more up your alley. More international, less military, and possibly even funnier. I've got a friend who never watched SG-1 that's totally into it. Go figure.

I'd say that SG-1 is more along the Cookies-and-Cream lines. Still mostly vanilla, but with more texture than you give it credit for. Buffy, OTOH, is a Cappuchino Cookies-n-Cream, cause that's about the only thing I've found thats better than C-n-C.

Can't speak to Farscape though. Return of the Jedi was about my limit for muppet-based Sci-Fi, so I never watched it. Maybe it just seems too fancy - like Mint chocolate chip, rocky road and butterscotch ripple all rolled into one. An awful lot of people liked it, though, so It'd probably be a better combo with SG1 than Andromeda (never watched Andromeda, either, though so it might also be an undiscovered gem)

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Wednesday, October 20, 2004 6:57 PM

DINGOACTION

Yeah, I'm officially joining the ranks of those who got converted to Farscape via Joss people (I specifically blame heroinechic.net, actually, but you lot didn't help

). I'm crazy in love with this show, and I'm only half way through season 3. Oh, the glorious tears I shed...seriously, I've never cried over a tv show like that. (eta: ok, maybe The Body...and the Gift. But it doesn't happen often.)

uh, topic. Big fan of SG-1, too. But honestly, comparing the two's not fair. Stargate's the kind of thing you can have on in the background while you type a paper; that never works with Farscape--I last about a minute and a half before I completly leave my desk.

---
There'll be my side and your side! My side your side!

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Thursday, October 21, 2004 4:34 AM

UNCHARTEDOUTLAW

Far. Scape. It is better written, better acted (nothing against MacGyver, tho), better filmed, and overall smarter than SG-1. The SciFi Channel simply confirmed my suspicions that it is run by a bunch of inbred, buck-toothed, gorram, idjits (nothing against people living in backwater areas who fit the description above) by dropping its best show ever and not only continuing, but expanding, Stargate. Stargate was a neat movie, but it's a lame series!

Can you tell I'm biased? And apparently have some venting to do?

-Taylor

Uncharted Outlaw!

Haulin' goods from one end of creation to th' other. Keepin' my nose clean 'round the Alliance. See my Firefly Store: http://www.cafepress.com/NorCalRiviera

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Friday, October 22, 2004 10:38 AM

SPACEFILLE

There are already 56 replies but I figured I'd throw in my own two cents... I'm a huge fan of SG-1. Been for 7 years. I find that the characters are addicting and you end up watching it for them. Stargate SG-1, for me, ended up replacing Star Trek (as I was kinda raised on Star Trek). It's well done and enjoyable, though probably a bit hard to get into. (It took me two or three episodes to "get addicted").

As for Farscape, I've watched about a half a season of various episodes and I just can't get into it at all. I do agree that it is very innovative, which is nice to see, but a huuuuge drawback is the fact that I can't stand approximately half of the main characters on there. Also, I don't know if this is a factor, but I don't find Crichton hot, unlike most of my female friends. And admittedly, if one isn't drooling over Crichton, there isn't much else on that show for the women to look at if you know what I mean. Lots of beautiful women for the men, however. ;)

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Friday, October 22, 2004 12:42 PM

TMURRIE

I didn't really ever see Farscape in order, I saw one from this season, this other one from this season. I never really got it until it moved from YTV(a kids channel, I live in Canada you see) to the space channel. But even so, I haven't seen a whole bunch of it.

As for stargate, I love it. People say it can be dull and dry but I just really like it. But where the heck can I catch the spinoff show? They made a spinoff show? where was I for this? oh right...canada.. Anyways whats this new show like? Stargate:Atlantis, right?

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Friday, October 22, 2004 2:51 PM

LINDEN

Quote:
Originally posted by JenDandy:
Soooo...in the interest of trying something new, I've heard great things about Stargate: SG-1 and Farscape. What are your opinions of them? Which is the better show?

Which is the better show, you ask? Well...

Stargate SG1: I like Stargate SG1 a lot, I like the characters and I enjoy the stories a great deal and there is a lot of great humour and chemistry between the actors. But I don't love it. Here's why: I don't feel enough of an emotional connection to it. I don't feel like they take enough risks with the material. They don't go all the way. They could do so much more. But I still watch because it still entertains me, just not on a deeper level.

Farscape: It took me a while to get into Farscape and a lot of that had to with the weirdness of that entire universe. These are not your everyday huggable, loveable characters. They fight with each other, they argue, they make many mistakes along the way and the puppets annoyed me at first. BUT! the emotional aspects are very much there. I connect with the stories. I connect with the hardship that especially Crichton and Aeryn have to go through. There are tears and then there are more tears on top of that. Damn it, they're good!

So basically: Farscape is the better show, IMO, but there's still a lot of fun to be had with Stargate.

Quote:
Originally posted by Bikisdad:
Stargate is a great show that you could really like a lot.

Farscape is a great show that you could really LOVE.

Sums it up.

Quote:
Originally posted by Bikisdad:
I see why we're disagreeing here - it's not about SG-1 at all. The problem is that your entire opinion of Farscape appears to be based on one or two episodes out of the 88 that exist. I could pick out one or two episodes of Buffy or Angel to show people where they would say "Dude, that show sucks". However, that obviously wouldn't be a valid opinion because they would not have seen all the great B/A epiodes that would cause them to say "What an incredible show!" The same is true of Farscape. There is an episode once in a while where I go "Ugh! Glad that's over". However, that doesn't really detract from the ones where I just sit in stunned silence afterward at the incredibleness of it.

I'm just saying, if you're going to put Farscape down in favor of SG-1, you should really get to know the real Farscape in its entirety and not base your opinion on a very small sampling of episodes.

And I agree with this too. It's not fair to judge a show based on only a handful of episodes here and there, IMO. The relationship between Aeryn and Crichton is at the very core of Farscape in much the same way that Buffy and Angel was at the core of Buffy for its first three seasons.
Die Me, Dichotomy and Infinite Possibilities... Lordie, lordie, I thought I was gonna pass out from crying too much.

Quote:
Originally posted by wren:
My incredible level of insight is that Farscape is worth watching because Ben Browder looks very fine leather.

And of course, there's that.

I'd give Stargate Atlantis a try as well. It's new, it's fresh and I actually like it more than SG1.

Oh, and Babylon 5 rocks!

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Friday, October 22, 2004 3:06 PM

MELISSAKSC

Quote:
Originally posted by Spacefille:
As for Farscape, I've watched about a half a season of various episodes and I just can't get into it at all. I do agree that it is very innovative, which is nice to see, but a huuuuge drawback is the fact that I can't stand approximately half of the main characters on there. Also, I don't know if this is a factor, but I don't find Crichton hot, unlike most of my female friends. And admittedly, if one isn't drooling over Crichton, there isn't much else on that show for the women to look at if you know what I mean. Lots of beautiful women for the men, however. ;)

You gave me quite the image - put Captain Tightpants on my left and Crichton on my right. It would be a tennis match of drooling!

Not to continue the tennis analogy, but Love/Love - I've come to the conclusion that I love Firefly and Farscape for similar reasons. They both have amazing universes populated with wonderfully written and performed characters. Also both of the shows can plunge you emotionally to the depths of despair with the characters and then dust you off and set you to rights again with the most wonderful sense of humor.

I hope to work my way through any and all science fiction shows out there. I haven't seen SG1 or Andromeda yet.

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Friday, October 22, 2004 6:41 PM

LTNOWIS

Quote:
Also I noticed that someone mentioned how SG is the here and now. Well with Farscape, The main character is from the here and now and he makes a lot of references, to current pop culture (and he's a Buffy fan)

Yeah, I kinda thought someone would correct me about this or something. Not that this makes what I said any less true. With Stargate, the fate of the Earth is at stake. Setting-wise, at least, it does feel very real.

Of course, people have said that it's plot driven, has shallow characters, etc. I think I actually value exciting plots and complex, intricate universes over deep, continually developing characters. It’s like I said to my dad, about Lost: In real life, not everyone is an interesting person, and not everyone has a back-story. Likewise, people will do things that are out of character in real life. For me, Stargate just appeals to me. Every episode leaves me reflecting on. Whenever I’m depressed I can just think “Damn, I really love Stargate,” and marvel at the Stargate universe. Or Star Wars, or D &D. Firefly, despite its transcendently spectacular stories, does not have a rich, well developed universe. Part of this is due to its tragically early cancellation, but without aliens, I don't know if it ever would've been that achieved that level.

Quote:
First off I've never seen a whole ep SG1. I choose not to. For me I'm not a fan of the American military going off doing science fictiony things. That's just me.

I respect that. I frankly can’t understand that point of view, but whatever. It’s not like I’m super-rational either. However, I think that you’re not really qualified to judge SG1, if you haven’t seen all of an episode.

Like I said, I’ll check out Farscape eventually. As soon as I’ve watched every Stargate episode.

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Sunday, October 24, 2004 1:21 PM

Quote:
It’s like I said to my dad, about Lost: In real life, not everyone is an interesting person, and not everyone has a back-story. Likewise, people will do things that are out of character in real life.

I strongly disagree with your first comment. Everyone has a backstory--you may not think so, but everyone has a story to tell somewhere in their life. We are all made of moments, and yeah maybe they aren't all that big, but they're real and they are what makes us who we are.

As for the thing about people doing things out of character. Well, yeah, of course that's true. We aren't robots, but if it's really a show with the in-depth developing characters like you're talking about then there will be moments when the characters don't do what you would think. Rygel is a great example of this on Farscape, but it's true of all of them at one moment or another. That unpredictablity is one of the things I really love about the show.

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Monday, October 25, 2004 2:58 AM

IDEFIX

and here I am again.
now I've watched the first season of Stargate and then some EPs and I'm not gonna stop watching anytime soon as long as it's not getting worse. but it is in no way comparable to Farscape. it's not necessarily worse but it's so entirely different.

I love this thread becaue it's going on forever and everyone says what they think and feel and it's not degenerated into a shouting match about peoples intelligence yet, so I'd say we browncoats rock.

about the shows again: I think it's plot-driven vs. character-driven but even more so it seems to be mind vs. heart. SG1 is a lot like Star Trek Next Generation I think. it's a bunch of people exploring space and trying to do good for the people they meet and for themselves. it's plot driven and it's about getting you to think about the 'problem of the week'. Farscape on the other hand is about a bunch of fugitives running for their lives and trying to be happy whenever they can. both crews save the world or the universe on occasion but it's not the focus, that would be more B5 I think. Farscape tries to make you feel for the characters, not think about the moral ambiguities of their decisions or discuss it with your friends. it just makes you cry and then it makes you laugh and then it makes you insanely happy for just a second and you're speechless because of it all.

the "like SG1" but "love Farscape" analogy hits home for me too. and it's not about one being better than the other but more about one being emotional and one being rational.

and thanks to all of you for making me watch SG1, I really enjoy it so far.

Idefix

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Wednesday, October 27, 2004 5:21 PM

LTNOWIS

Quote:
I strongly disagree with your first comment. Everyone has a backstory--you may not think so, but everyone has a story to tell somewhere in their life. We are all made of moments, and yeah maybe they aren't all that big, but they're real and they are what makes us who we are.

But does it qualify as a "backstory" if it's not that compelling or dramatic? I agree that everyone has a story, but it might not be a big dramatic thing like "Lost" has been having. Not that everyone needs a big, complex origin. Wash didn't really, and he's a great character. I guess I kinda misspoke earlier.

I agree with Idefix's statement that SG1 vs. Farscape is like Mind vs. heart. I, on the other hand, often prefer the mind element of sci-fi to the character elements, especially in low-characterization stories like Heinlein. I think that it's sometimes more work to watch a story like Firefly, where there are convoluted, deep character issues underneath the more immediate plot issues. Each SG1 episode is fairly simple and bounded; that's both a good and bad thing.

Anyway, I do seriously intend to give Farscape a chance, based on this thread.

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Wednesday, October 27, 2004 8:31 PM

Quote:
But does it qualify as a "backstory" if it's not that compelling or dramatic? I agree that everyone has a story, but it might not be a big dramatic thing like "Lost" has been having. Not that everyone needs a big, complex origin. Wash didn't really, and he's a great character. I guess I kinda misspoke earlier.

Well, I think it does count as backstory--actually I think I'd agree with you that it shouldn't be big and complex. It's subtle details that I enjoy(Wash is a great example). I haven't seen Lost yet, so I was mostly just refering to other things I've seen. It may very well be that you're right, and Lost does go overboard.

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Thursday, November 4, 2004 7:21 PM

BANDANAGIRL

Hello I've come back. You know one day I'll try Stargate. I will, when I can find it. Just to say I sat through a whole ep. I must say before Farscape I was a HUGE Star Trek fan, it just started to die out for me when Voyager started. I would like to say that over time there is a huge plot thing going on with Farscape which starts about halfway through season one up to and including the mini series. Thaere are also many other real life moral issues things that Farscape deals with which can cause a whole ton of discussion. the main one is

Select to view spoiler:

Weapons of Mass Destruction. Imagine if only one guy figured out Nukes and everyone was on the brink of war looking for an advantage. That's where John is. Considering the current political situation I think this is a really current issue. Also there's morals in the middle of Season three, things start to get really murky. Are John and crew the good guys? Is scorpy the bad guy? Whose really doing the right thing? It's not black and white. I love the shades of grey

THere are some big ethical issues with Farscape and there are always consequences for your actions. Anyway, I'm glad this thread is still going. Also if there are any Candians who get the SPACE we'd love to have more browncoats hanging out on the space board forum

http://community.spacecast.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum&f=1&su
bmit=Go

I also think after the Serenity movie comes out Browncoats will have some stuff in common with how scapers are feeling with the mini right now.

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