Best Sci-Fi Show

[KiwiScot 1,450]

Figured I can't think of any new sci-fi tv shows and thought I'd ask in relation to types of shows like Star Trek not so much ones like an alien living in small town America wrestling with their conscious. Full on other world stuff basiclly. But gets me thinking what do people think is the best sci-fi show. I would not consider Walking dead one for example, but suppose it is. The latest star trek stuff I can't get into, but anyway for me the best Sci-Fi show is...

Stargate SG-1 - Serious, action, funny(just a bit), good characters, original inventive premise/universe which expands well. Even if less so in it's spin offs.

Edited March 3 by KiwiScot

[Naturalcynic 631]

Best show (i.e. series) was, in my opinion, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.  So humorously surreal and very well acted, despite some slightly dodgy sets.

As for films, 2001 A Space Odyssey.  So many themes explored here - the evolution of mankind, the possibility of that evolution being influenced by higher beings, the enormous distances and time involved in space travel, the risks to us all of out of control AI, the profound emotions of birth and death, and all directed, produced and filmed so effectively in an era when CGI didn’t exist.  Just wonderful.

Edited March 3 by Naturalcynic

[Wings of a Sparrow 1,418]

The Orville on Disney (I think) was rather good. Very good special effects, characters you can buy into decent storylines and a good dash of humour.

[littleyellowbirdie 2,551]

59 minutes ago, Wings of a Sparrow said:

The Orville on Disney (I think) was rather good. Very good special effects, characters you can buy into decent storylines and a good dash of humour.

Although it was kind of a Star Trek spoof, I thought some of the storylines outdid Star Trek on occasion.

[littleyellowbirdie 2,551]

2 hours ago, KiwiScot said:

Figured I can't think of any new sci-fi tv shows and thought I'd ask in relation to types of shows like Star Trek not so much ones like an alien living in small town America wrestling with their conscious. Full on other world stuff basiclly. But gets me thinking what do people think is the best sci-fi show. I would not consider Walking dead one for example, but suppose it is. The latest star trek stuff I can't get into, but anyway for me the best Sci-Fi show is...

Stargate SG-1 - Serious, action, funny(just a bit), good characters, original inventive premise/universe which expands well. Even if less so in it's spin offs.

I remember first seeing Stargate SG-1 and being very scepical; the original film was so superb that I felt it would struggle to stand up to it. Nevertheless, the show was excellent.

If you haven't seen the Expanse then I'd highly recommend it.

The Peripheral is probably my absolute favourite sci-fi in a long time. Only one series, sadly, and after they'd announced a second season, I was devastated to discover that Amazon had changed its mind and decided not to continue. Still, the ideas in the first series were so novel I still think it's worth it, even if they'll never see it through.

The other one worthy of mention is Person of Interest, which revolved around an AI built by the NSA which could predict events in the near future.

Edited March 3 by littleyellowbirdie

[FenwayFrank 2,459]

Original series of Star trek

3 hours ago, littleyellowbirdie said:

 

The Peripheral is probably my absolute favourite sci-fi in a long time.

I enjoyed it too

The first two series of Westworld were excellent but it lost its way a bit after that

[PurpleCanary 5,562]

Having read the book decades ago I actually signed onto Amazon Prime to see the TV adaptation of The Main in the High Castle. Vastly expanded from the book, but generally excellent.

[KiwiScot 1,450]

1 hour ago, FenwayFrank said:

The first two series of Westworld were excellent but it lost its way a bit after that

Yes agree and while the 3rd and 4th at tried to be doing something it still suffered from having to keep the same characters around with large narrative jumps and over the top story arcs. The 4th especially. Shame it got cancelled before what would have been the 5th and last season.

[Wings of a Sparrow 1,418]

29 minutes ago, PurpleCanary said:

Having read the book decades ago I actually signed onto Amazon Prime to see the TV adaptation of The Main in the High Castle. Vastly expanded from the book, but generally excellent.

I got quite a long way through watching that, then gave up, even though I enjoyed it.

I realised I do this a lot with things, like the second series of Tehran (Apple TV) which was generally excellent, but I haven't attempted series 2 yet.

[littleyellowbirdie 2,551]

11 hours ago, Naturalcynic said:

Best show (i.e. series) was, in my opinion, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.  So humorously surreal and very well acted, despite some slightly dodgy sets.

 

All BBC science fiction in the early 80s and really stood out for the dire special effects, HHGTTG really stood out for the really awful efforts, which kind of added to the charm I think.

Now that's something I'm surprised hasn't had a remake, given the way special effects have moved on. Eddie Izzard would make a great Zaphod Beeblebrox. Benedict Cumberbatch or Idris Elba as Ford Prefect, Christina Hendricks as Trillian, Tom Hiddleston as Arthur Dent.

Edit: Sir Ian MacKellan as the voice of Marvin.

Edited March 3 by littleyellowbirdie

[KiwiScot 1,450]

1 hour ago, littleyellowbirdie said:

All BBC science fiction in the early 80s and really stood out for the dire special effects, HHGTTG really stood out for the really awful efforts, which kind of added to the charm I think.

Now that's something I'm surprised hasn't had a remake, given the way special effects have moved on. Eddie Izzard would make a great Zaphod Beeblebrox. Benedict Cumberbatch or Idris Elba as Ford Prefect, Christina Hendricks as Trillian, Tom Hiddleston as Arthur Dent.

Edit: Sir Ian MacKellan as the voice of Marvin.

I love the tv adaption and it's great dry humour. Read the books hated the movie. So many quotable bits

Always know where your towel is

[How I Wrote Elastic Man 1,189]

Can I just ask one question?

 

 

 

 

Would anyone like any toast?

😃

[KiwiScot 1,450]

2 hours ago, How I Wrote Elastic Man said:

Can I just ask one question?

 

 

 

 

Would anyone like any toast?

😃

So you're a waffle man.

[Mr Angry 1,563]

On 04/03/2024 at 19:32, How I Wrote Elastic Man said:

Can I just ask one question?

 

 

 

 

Would anyone like any toast?

😃

I like reading Science Fiction but not watching it so much and I was desperately thinking of a show I like so I could contribute-thanks for reminding me of Red Dwarf which I absolutely loved-well, the first 6 seasons anyway.

[Nuff Said 5,145]

Does Dr Who count? Even if you’re not a fan, you have to admire its amazing longevity and the ability to reinvent itself.
 

For film: Dune. And the book - I read it a couple of times in my teens and loved it. We rewatched the first film (not the David Lynch one) recently to get ready for the new one and now I’m reading the book again frantically before we watch number two. It’s a superbly constructed other-world with really plausible alien cultures.

And of course the other film has to be Blade Runner. I prefer the original version with the Philip Marlow-style narrator although I get it’s not what many people would choose. The director’s cut was a bit self-indulgent IMHO. But again, the future world was so believable, especially for its time. And a great soundtrack.

[Mason 47 1,383]

Perhaps a little off-the-wall suggestion- Final Space on Netflix, which is a cartoon. Wouldn't say its near the best around, but once you get past the erratic modern humour it hits some quite thoughtful dramatic places. Loses its way the further on you get as plotlines/ concepts trip over themselves though. 

[Mr Angry 1,563]

29 minutes ago, Nuff Said said:

Does Dr Who count? Even if you’re not a fan, you have to admire its amazing longevity and the ability to reinvent itself.
 

For film: Dune. And the book - I read it a couple of times in my teens and loved it. We rewatched the first film (not the David Lynch one) recently to get ready for the new one and now I’m reading the book again frantically before we watch number two. It’s a superbly constructed other-world with really plausible alien cultures.

And of course the other film has to be Blade Runner. I prefer the original version with the Philip Marlow-style narrator although I get it’s not what many people would choose. The director’s cut was a bit self-indulgent IMHO. But again, the future world was so believable, especially for its time. And a great soundtrack.

I stopped watching Doctor Who when Sylvester McCoy played the Doctor and the ridiculous monster the Kandy Man which was a robot Licorice Allsort-rather pathetic. I've never watched it since. 

[Nuff Said 5,145]

49 minutes ago, Mr Angry said:

I stopped watching Doctor Who when Sylvester McCoy played the Doctor and the ridiculous monster the Kandy Man which was a robot Licorice Allsort-rather pathetic. I've never watched it since. 

Absolutely. A guy called John Nathan-Turner took over as producer of the series and cast Peter Davison and Colin Baker before Sylvester McCoy - who were all sh1t. The common theme being the producer. After Sylvester McCoy, the series was “rested” it had got so bad.  In the light of this, the revival with Christopher Ecclestone was quite an achievement.

(My brother used to belong to DWAS, the Doctor Who Appreciation Society, and some has clearly rubbed off on me!)

[Foxy2600 301]

Land of the Giants - loved those old 50’s Ford pickup trucks

And the cotton reel and needle rappelling tool.

And filling Spendthrift with Wasp Sting 

Spin drift - spell checker 

Edited March 7 by Foxy2600
S P I N D R I F T

[Scrivvy 17]

Battlestar Galactica (the remake) was quite good, even if the ending was a bit weird (IMO)

[Mr Angry 1,563]

13 hours ago, Nuff Said said:

Absolutely. A guy called John Nathan-Turner took over as producer of the series and cast Peter Davison and Colin Baker before Sylvester McCoy - who were all sh1t. The common theme being the producer. After Sylvester McCoy, the series was “rested” it had got so bad.  In the light of this, the revival with Christopher Ecclestone was quite an achievement.

(My brother used to belong to DWAS, the Doctor Who Appreciation Society, and some has clearly rubbed off on me!)

We were on a cricket tour in Wiltshire in 1996. Our captain was mad on Doctor Who and we were playing a match on the day that Paul McGann’s TV movie was first broadcast. After the match we had to skip the usual post-match drinks with the opposition so the captain could get back to our hotel to watch the movie. Needless to say, the non-Doctor Who aficionados in the team were not pleased!

[dylanisabaddog 4,931]

17 hours ago, Nuff Said said:

Does Dr Who count? Even if you’re not a fan, you have to admire its amazing longevity and the ability to reinvent itself.
 

 

Dr Who has at times been extraordinary. Around 2006/08 the storylines were excellent and sometimes terrifying for young children. My 10 year old was damaged forever by an episode called Blink which starred a young and brilliant Carey Mulligan. It was also worth watching at that time for the Jesus references which drove the C of E to distraction. 

Fast forward to 2023/24 and the episode at Xmas was so bad it was embarrassing. 

[KiwiScot 1,450]

Special mention to Babylon 5. Acting and overall characters not the greatest, but the overall showrunning, mystery and premise pulled it through.

[KiwiScot 1,450]

On 07/03/2024 at 18:48, Nuff Said said:

Does Dr Who count? Even if you’re not a fan, you have to admire its amazing longevity and the ability to reinvent itself.
 

For film: Dune. And the book - I read it a couple of times in my teens and loved it. We rewatched the first film (not the David Lynch one) recently to get ready for the new one and now I’m reading the book again frantically before we watch number two. It’s a superbly constructed other-world with really plausible alien cultures.

And of course the other film has to be Blade Runner. I prefer the original version with the Philip Marlow-style narrator although I get it’s not what many people would choose. The director’s cut was a bit self-indulgent IMHO. But again, the future world was so believable, especially for its time. And a great soundtrack.

Did you read the other books? Bladerunner 2 ?

[Nuff Said 5,145]

11 minutes ago, KiwiScot said:

Did you read the other books? Bladerunner 2 ?

The other Dune books? I think I got as far as the third, it was a long time ago now but I think they were less impressive. Coincidentally I read this yesterday which talks about how far the director of the Dune films is likely to go through the series and quite how weird they get (slight spoiler alert) https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/mar/07/dune-movie-part-two-book-messiah?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other.

Bladerunner 2? It was ok, but it didn’t engage me in the same way, though possibly because I am a tired cynical bloke in his 50s now, and well-portrayed future worlds are less of a novelty.

[KiwiScot 1,450]

2 hours ago, Nuff Said said:

The other Dune books? I think I got as far as the third, it was a long time ago now but I think they were less impressive. Coincidentally I read this yesterday which talks about how far the director of the Dune films is likely to go through the series and quite how weird they get (slight spoiler alert) https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/mar/07/dune-movie-part-two-book-messiah?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other.

Bladerunner 2? It was ok, but it didn’t engage me in the same way, though possibly because I am a tired cynical bloke in his 50s now, and well-portrayed future worlds are less of a novelty.

Six books the author got out I think. But every Dune production basically tells the same story which is the first and maybe 2nd book. I think one average miniseries went further, but like I say it wasn't the greatest production. Not a fan of the new Dune film, but I'd love to see someone take on the rest of the material, but fully open to it being tweaked. The books get weird, highly confusing and you miss the earlier characters.

[Nuff Said 5,145]

1 hour ago, KiwiScot said:

Six books the author got out I think. But every Dune production basically tells the same story which is the first and maybe 2nd book. I think one average miniseries went further, but like I say it wasn't the greatest production. Not a fan of the new Dune film, but I'd love to see someone take on the rest of the material, but fully open to it being tweaked. The books get weird, highly confusing and you miss the earlier characters.

I’ve never seen the David Lynch version of Dune, it’s supposed to be “interesting” but not a classic. I’m going to try and do so once I’ve see the new second part of the current film.

Edited March 9 by Nuff Said

[GodlyOtsemobor 2,327]

Red dwarf 

 

[Nuff Said 5,145]

1 hour ago, GodlyOtsemobor said:

Red dwarf 

 

I’d just come here to post that. Smeg!

[PurpleCanary 5,562]

On 03/03/2024 at 17:40, PurpleCanary said:

Having read the book decades ago I actually signed onto Amazon Prime to see the TV adaptation of The Main in the High Castle. Vastly expanded from the book, but generally excellent.

I have just finished a German mini-series on Netflix called The Signal, which is as much a land-based conspiracy thriller as sci-fi. Three excellent episodes and then it pretty much fell apart in the fourth and final episode, although redeeming itself at the end.