What Have Been The Stellar Sci-Fi Shows? by JEWELSTAITEFAN

Quote:
Originally posted by second:
Quote:
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:

I think many of us can agree that Firefly was the preeminent Science Fiction show of it's time - it did in fact win the Emmy for Special Effects (Pilot Serenity), and many Sci-Fi works have copied extensively from it.

What about other times?
How about the preeminent show of ALL times and all genres? Priceonomics ranks Firefly as #1 most popular canceled cult TV show, published Sep 30, 2016.

Unlike most of these cult TV listings, this one has some stats behind it. Priceonomics looked at 500 TV shows canceled within 3 years of first airing and ranked them by the number of IMDB ratings the shows got - as they say, "a good but imperfect proxy for fan devotion and popularity".

Priceonomics also ran a separate list by rating, and again Firefly came out on top.
https://priceonomics.com/ranking-the-most-beloved-tv-shows-that-got/

Quote:

That is an excellent post.
Thank you!
For some reason, they list Firefly as lasting until 2003, but it only lasted until 20 Dec, 2002 - right? There were no reruns in spring of 2003, were there?

I also see that first chart also includes T:TSSC and Dollhouse. And the V from 2008 - that was with Morena, wasn't it?

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Tuesday, October 4, 2016 7:35 PM

After thinking about it overnight, I was thinking perhaps one gauge to measure by could be how many Movies - like Feature Films, in Cinema - have copied extensively, or at all, from a TV Show?

I recall that some Films have copied from Firefly, but at the moment I can only recall Star Trek (2009) from JJ Abrams.
Does anybody recall others which copied Firefly?
The visual effect that Loni created for Firefly of the vibrating picture frame - that was copied by many films quickly, but I don't recall which ones.

How about other TV Shows which were copied in later Films?
I don't think Star Wars copied from any other sci-fi show.

I conjure that The Final Countdown copied from Time Tunnel, but I don't recall how prevalent that concept was at the time, or was portrayed on TV.

I don't know if Terminator was derived from The Six Million Dollar Man (from the Martin Ciadin novel Cyborg), but I conjure it could be.

I have heard that some films were spawned from Twilight Zone and Outer limits, but I don't recall the details.

And also, was there really such a dearth of sci-fi in 80's television? Maybe that's why folk put up with ST:NG at the time - it may have been slim pickens then too.

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Thursday, October 6, 2016 7:29 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
From a recent discussion I had:
Plus:
Quote:
Originally posted by Wishimay:
Slim pickin's these days.

For some reason right now, I'm not recollecting much Sci-Fi from the 80's TV. I don't really consider Knight Rider to fit the genre. And I was disappointed in ST:NG

I took a further look, although I was fairly busy during the 80's.

Other than 60 Minutes (if you realize it was Fictional Science), Quantum Leap (1989) was the only highly rated sci-fi show (and the sci-fi part seemed like just a gimmick, to me) besides Star Trek.

Others:
V - 1984
Twilight Zone - 1985
Starman - 1986
Max Headroom
Once A Hero
Alien Nation - 1989

Slim Pickens indeed - no wonder I couldn't recall any.

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Thursday, October 6, 2016 8:51 PM

MOOSE

Quote:
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
For some reason, they list Firefly as lasting until 2003, but it only lasted until 20 Dec, 2002 - right? There were no reruns in spring of 2003, were there?

It might be that it was on "hiatus" until the official cancellation and subsequent set teardown in 2003. Or they simply made a mistake.

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Friday, October 7, 2016 9:33 AM

America loves a winner!

I don't understand the Terra Nova love on that list. That show was crap. I mean Babylon 5 crap. And when it comes to stuff Mesozoic, I'm usually all in. But not that.

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Sunday, October 9, 2016 10:14 AM

America loves a winner!

Dark Angel was awesome, season 1. They really went sideways with the Dr. Moreau type OTHERS... so unnecessary.

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Sunday, October 9, 2016 6:12 PM

America loves a winner!

Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:
I don't understand the Terra Nova love on that list. That show was crap. I mean Babylon 5 crap. And when it comes to stuff Mesozoic, I'm usually all in. But not that.

Babylon 5 was not crap AU.

And so it begins...

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Sunday, October 9, 2016 7:24 PM

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

I agree with Brenda. Babylon 5 was not perfect, but definitely not crap. If you have to use Sheldon Cooper (or Chuck Lorre) to back up your argument, you're standing on shaky ground.

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Sunday, October 9, 2016 9:52 PM

MUDD

Anyone watching Westworld?

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Sunday, October 9, 2016 11:42 PM

MOOSE

Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:
I don't understand the Terra Nova love on that list. That show was crap. I mean Babylon 5 crap. And when it comes to stuff Mesozoic, I'm usually all in. But not that.

Babylon 5 was not crap AU.

Meh. DS9 ripoff.

Overall I enjoyed Babylon 5.

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Monday, October 10, 2016 3:41 PM

America loves a winner!

Quote:
Originally posted by ecgordon:
I agree with Brenda. Babylon 5 was not perfect, but definitely not crap. If you have to use Sheldon Cooper (or Chuck Lorre) to back up your argument, you're standing on shaky ground.

I stand by my video post.

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Monday, October 10, 2016 3:43 PM

America loves a winner!

Quote:
Originally posted by Mudd:
Anyone watching Westworld?

I'm resisting the urge. Even though I'm hearing very good things about it, I can't help but think... not only has this been done, it's been done, redone and done again !

Battlestar Galactica, anyone ? And yes, I know the original WW came out well before, but the basic premise, machines which look human start to become self aware... yeah, it's been done.

Doesn't mean I won't watch though.

Dammit.

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Monday, October 10, 2016 7:01 PM

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

Quote:
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
From a recent discussion I had:
Plus:
Quote:
Originally posted by Wishimay:
Slim pickin's these days.

From this thread:
http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.aspx?bid=8&tid=60884

Opinions obviously vary, since I think we're in the midst of a very fertile period for SF shows. Now if you are a stickler and only mean space-based shows, then yes, there haven't been that many good ones. I've said this many times in the nearly 20 years I've been on the internet, the term sci-fi was created by Forrest Ackerman, and he intended it to be an inclusive term for all forms of fantastical entertainment. After all, his other claim to fame was as published of Famous Monsters of Filmland, focusing on horror. So, science fiction, fantasy, and at least supernatural horror should be considered under the banner of sci-fi, and science fiction itself can take many forms, and if you include super-hero shows (several of which have SF elements) the list grows.

Current shows that are among my favorites:
Mr. Robot (not really SF, but should appeal to genre fans)
Orphan Black
The Expanse
12 Monkeys
Humans
Black Mirror
Sense8
Marvel on Netflix: Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, + more to come

Recent shows that have ended:
Person of Interest
Continuum
Almost Human

From the 2000s:
Firefly (duh!)
Battlestar Galactica
Eureka
Farscape
Fringe
Lost
Doctor Who
Dark Angel (at least the first season)
Heroes (ONLY the first season)
Journeyman
Charlie Jade
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Roughnecks: The Starship Trooper Chronicles

From the '90s:
Buffy/Angel
Alien Nation
American Gothic
Babylon 5
Brimstone
Dark Skies
The Outer Limits
Quantum Leap
Sliders (first two seasons at least)
Space: Above & Beyond
Star Trek: Deep Space 9
VR.5
Welcome to Paradox (aka "Betaville")
The X-Files
The X-Men, original animated series

The 80s:
The Ray Bradbury Theater
Max Headroom
Star Trek: Next Generation (mainly seasons 3-7, which would actually put it into the 90s)
V (the two mini-series only)

The 70s:
?????????
Can't really think of anything I liked this decade other than Star Trek reruns. I didn't care for the original BSG, Space 1999, never saw UFO, and can't think of many others. The little I saw of Doctor Who on PBS did not impress me at all, didn't get into it until the revival.

The 60s:
Twilight Zone (started in '59)
The Outer Limits
Star Trek
The Prisoner

I know other people would add a lot to this list, and probably take quite a few off, but this is my list. If your favorite is not on it, either I didn't care much for it or never watched it. UK shows for instance: have never seen Blake's 7 or Red Dwarf.

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Monday, October 10, 2016 7:40 PM

ECG, Thanks for reminding me of Heroes, which I do own. Probably would have been much better without Writers strike.
Also, your Sliders mention helped me recall Nowhere Man.
I must stand by my point regarding X-Files, hard to believe you consider it Sci-Fi and actually tried to follow the story lines.

Never heard of Blakes 7, and also ran across Sapphire & Steel, which I've never heard of also.
I did forget about Logan's Run.

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Tuesday, October 11, 2016 10:18 AM

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

Quote:
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
I must stand by my point regarding X-Files, hard to believe you consider it Sci-Fi and actually tried to follow the story lines.

Your opinion of my opinion is of no value to me. If you bothered to read my assessment of the term sci-fi you'd know I consider it a fit. Funny you didn't criticize me for including Mr. Robot or American Gothic, or even Buffy & Angel. Just because you've got a bug up your ass about The X-Files doesn't mean I have to comply. It's much the same way as I feel about Auraptor's disdain for Babylon 5.

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Tuesday, October 11, 2016 1:46 PM

RIVERLOVE

Babylon 5 was a great show. Seasons 3 and 4 were some of the best science fiction ever.

The X Files was also a great show. Compared to the crap that passes for sci-fi in recent years it was epic.

The Starlost (1973), a Canadian-produced show starring Keir Dullea was very good, far surpassing any of those lame British shows mentioned.

And finally, the Star Trek Animated Series (1973) was outstanding. I loved it when I was 15, and 43 years later I love it even more.

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Tuesday, October 11, 2016 7:42 PM

America loves a winner!

Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:

AU, you wouldn't know good sci-fi if it came up and bit you on the azz. So

I know Firefly.

Game

Set

Match

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Wednesday, October 12, 2016 11:09 AM

America loves a winner!

* I * found my own way here BECAUSE of my taste in good sci-fi & great storytelling

Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen

I'm just a red pill guy in a room full of blue pill addicts.

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

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Wednesday, October 12, 2016 11:40 AM

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

Firefly was unique in attracting and appealing to a wide range of people, as any cursory glance into RWED will tell you. Just because we all love Firefly does not mean we will agree on other things.

wo men ren ran zai fei xing.

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Wednesday, October 12, 2016 6:20 PM

America loves a winner!

Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
Quote:
Originally posted by AURAPTOR:
* I * found my own way here BECAUSE of my taste in good sci-fi & great storytelling

Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen

I'm just a red pill guy in a room full of blue pill addicts.

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

Well, so did I. Along with being a member of the OFFICIAL BOARD.

Which makes me still smarter than you to be able to recognize the great characters and writing and acting of Babylon 5.

You are a sad little man sitting on a sad little hill.

Hold on... you're confusing finding FIREFLY, as it was aired on t.v. ( which is when I found it, and was a fan from the very beginning ) with finding this fan page / message board ?

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Thursday, October 13, 2016 9:14 AM

America loves a winner!

Why, because I proved your silliness to be just that ? Silly ?

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Thursday, October 13, 2016 8:50 PM

America loves a winner!

Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
AU,

Keep showin' me that thing, I might go all Trump on it.

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Thursday, October 13, 2016 9:26 PM

MOOSE

>Moose slowly backs out of the thread<

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Friday, October 14, 2016 4:44 PM

America loves a winner!

Now that's just low...

Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen

I'm just a red pill guy in a room full of blue pill addicts.

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

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Monday, October 17, 2016 8:05 PM

MUDD

Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:
Quote:
Originally posted by Mudd:
Anyone watching Westworld?

I'm resisting the urge. Even though I'm hearing very good things about it, I can't help but think... not only has this been done, it's been done, redone and done again !

Battlestar Galactica, anyone ? And yes, I know the original WW came out well before, but the basic premise, machines which look human start to become self aware... yeah, it's been done.

Doesn't mean I won't watch though.

Dammit.

Fair, but just so everyone knows: It mixes sci-fi and western, and Gina Torres was in the last episode.

Felicia Day tweeted this about it though: "Westworld and the way they deal with the women AI makes me really uncomfortable. Also that "theme park" needs more snack options. #dolewhip" I felt the same way.

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Monday, October 17, 2016 8:43 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Mudd:
Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:
Quote:
Originally posted by Mudd:
Anyone watching Westworld?

I'm resisting the urge. Even though I'm hearing very good things about it, I can't help but think... not only has this been done, it's been done, redone and done again !

Battlestar Galactica, anyone ? And yes, I know the original WW came out well before, but the basic premise, machines which look human start to become self aware... yeah, it's been done.

Doesn't mean I won't watch though.

Dammit.

Fair, but just so everyone knows: It mixes sci-fi and western, and Gina Torres was in the last episode.

Felicia Day tweeted this about it though: "Westworld and the way they deal with the women AI makes me really uncomfortable. Also that "theme park" needs more snack options. #dolewhip" I felt the same way.

What is she talking about regarding the women AI?

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Monday, October 17, 2016 9:14 PM

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

Quote:
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
What is she talking about regarding the women AI?

I've only seen the first episode, but I would expect she means how they are objectified, either as sex objects (Thandie Newton's saloon hall girl) or as the damsel in distress (Evan Rachel Wood).

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Tuesday, October 18, 2016 7:19 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by ecgordon:
Quote:
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
What is she talking about regarding the women AI?

I've only seen the first episode, but I would expect she means how they are objectified, either as sex objects (Thandie Newton's saloon hall girl) or as the damsel in distress (Evan Rachel Wood).

You mean they self-objectify themselves? Those are the only AI templates or formats for the women?

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Tuesday, October 18, 2016 10:02 PM

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

Not the only templates, but those are the main ones featured so far. They don't "self-objectify," they are programmed that way for different scenarios.

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Wednesday, October 19, 2016 6:40 PM

America loves a winner!

Quote:
Originally posted by ecgordon:
Quote:
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
What is she talking about regarding the women AI?

I've only seen the first episode, but I would expect she means how they are objectified, either as sex objects (Thandie Newton's saloon hall girl) or as the damsel in distress (Evan Rachel Wood).

What was the very first thing we saw from 6, in BSG ? Sex kitten. But also deadly as hell. I'll reserve full judgement on the show after I see it...

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Wednesday, October 19, 2016 6:41 PM

America loves a winner!

Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
No it's not AU. As it also expresses my feelings on Trump.

Not to side track , but deplorable Trump is still better than corrupt crooked Hillary.

Not by a lot, though.

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Wednesday, October 19, 2016 8:47 PM

RIVERLOVE

Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:
Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
No it's not AU. As it also expresses my feelings on Trump.

Not to side track , but deplorable Trump is still better than corrupt crooked Hillary.

Not by a lot, though.

Some choice! An asshole or a gangster. I'm only going to the polls to vote for medical marijuana in my state.

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Wednesday, October 19, 2016 10:02 PM

America loves a winner!

So anyways... I never ' got ' B-5. For those who did enjoy it, I have to ask...

Why ?

No, seriously. What did I miss that made it such a watchable show ? Stellar is a elite status,imo, and there are veeeery few shows that I'd put into that category.

Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen

I'm just a red pill guy in a room full of blue pill addicts.

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

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Wednesday, October 19, 2016 11:18 PM

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

I can only answer for myself. If a series is good enough for me to continue watching, even if it's not perfect, then I would consider it "stellar" even if others wouldn't. Sure, some of the acting in B5 was not stellar, but overall the show was. It's strengths were the world-building and consistent story lines, which were conceived from the very beginning. Most shows start with a basic premise and make up the ongoing story depending on a lot of different factors, such as which actors/characters seem to be the most popular, or whose vision in the writer's room is the most dominant.

This discussion should be for you to tell us what you would put on the list, not to tear down other people's choices. It doesn't hurt you one bit for someone to like something you don't.

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Thursday, October 20, 2016 7:45 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Riverlove:
Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:
Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
No it's not AU. As it also expresses my feelings on Trump.
Not to side track , but deplorable Trump is still better than corrupt crooked Hillary.

Not by a lot, though.
Some choice! An asshole or a gangster. I'm only going to the polls to vote for medical marijuana in my state.

Well then don't throw your vote away, and just vote for Gary Johnson at the same time!

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Wednesday, June 9, 2021 4:09 PM

Classic Outer Limits, Farscape, Charlie Jade, Twin Peaks maybe maybe more supernatural horror-ish than scifi, old Twilight Zone...some Trek and Stargate is enjoyable but I have not watched them all, some enjoy these superhero tv genres but they are not for everyone. I tried watching the modern superhero show Krypton but couldnt really get into it.

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Wednesday, June 9, 2021 4:57 PM

I don't know why the 70's list excluded The Six Million Dollar Man. That was Sci-Fi.

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Tuesday, August 31, 2021 7:52 PM

Sci Fi almost seems to have withered away on network broadcast.

But some have had mini-series, or limited episodes.
Manifest seemed to go off to fantasy land. But still some sci-fi in it.

That might be the best as of late.

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Tuesday, December 28, 2021 8:25 AM

You have the whole Game of Thrones, superhero Cape thing taking over tv, the scene has massively changed with Marvel and DC, Justice League toons Daredevil was good The 'Hawkeye' thing it is getting reports that it was fun and watchable but maybe not 'Stellar' I also hear its kinda stupid.

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Saturday, August 19, 2023 8:20 AM

There is an animation show 'Love, Death & Robots' not perfect but at times very good, Cyberpunk Edgerunners tried the animted toon thing but its missing something. The original Star Trek is probably up there among the great shows.

You neevr before seen a lot of Asian stuff dominated scifi but its happening now with people in the West watching Japanese cartoon anime or South Korea series like Sisyphus The Myth, Glitch, Dream Raider, Black Knight, Squid Games.

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Saturday, September 7, 2024 10:17 AM

Scifi is kind of dying in the West or Hollyweirdo culture at least and if we go overseas Some of the South Korean stuff has a change to be in the top 20 tehse days.

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Monday, September 16, 2024 5:28 AM

Warhammer 40K is stellar for its 'staying power' it stays alive and makes money without having been a successful show

the shows are dead now, maybe they will be forced to do scifi 'War Hammer' an evolution of a space board game told story of soldiers the cowboy and indian the British 'Dredd' sci-fi dystopia tone mixed with fantasy, a cowardly British soldier, thrown in some of the Starship Troopers from Robert A. Heinlein...add in Space Nuns who drop warmongering Churches Fortress Cathedrals into a planet, and infighting, political plots and goblins and space demons and Roman aesthetic and feudalism

With StarWars and StarTrek dead maybe they will do 40K

most acknowledge how silly the fictional fantasy universe is, Lord of the Rings and Space Monsters for Tolkien or Dungeons and Dragons and then all these weird Rome, Samurai, Fascist, Communist authority talk, all the cyber-catholic aesthetics, the forever war, tiny moments of comedy in a galaxy of misery and over the top 'grimdark'

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Saturday, September 28, 2024 4:42 AM