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Looking for some quality sci-fi viewing
exis
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So I have the local equivalent of a Netflix subscription now, and am just finishing up watching Battlestar Galactica. I was gobsmacked by it. I don't expect to see any television that good any time soon, but it made me want to explore some other sci-fi.
So I'm looking for movies and TV episodes. I have Babylon 5 on the way. I enjoyed the occasional Star Trek episode as a kid but when I tried some Deep Space Nine I was pretty disappointed. Similar story with Stargate. I found Dr. Who okay, but I'm not really interested in watching more.
Stuff I have seen in the past and enjoyed:
Red Dwarf
Firefly/Serenity
Lexx
2001
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Star Wars
... and I've gone completely blank.
Anyway, I would love to hear any and all suggestions for decent sci-fi, especially space-based stuff. And especially awesome stuff. Awesome like BSG :^:
edit: adding stuff I've seen and liked as I remember it
So I'm looking for movies and TV episodes. I have Babylon 5 on the way. I enjoyed the occasional Star Trek episode as a kid but when I tried some Deep Space Nine I was pretty disappointed. Similar story with Stargate. I found Dr. Who okay, but I'm not really interested in watching more.
Stuff I have seen in the past and enjoyed:
Red Dwarf
Firefly/Serenity
Lexx
2001
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Star Wars
... and I've gone completely blank.
Anyway, I would love to hear any and all suggestions for decent sci-fi, especially space-based stuff. And especially awesome stuff. Awesome like BSG :^:
edit: adding stuff I've seen and liked as I remember it
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Otherwise, I'd recommend some Farscape. It's occasionally a bit iffy (and possibly not for everyone), but I always enjoyed it, especially since my local library apparently acquired every Farscape DVD available.
Farscape is now on the list
As an aside, just thinking about this, I've realised how much sci-fi I need to watch one day (or year). What I need to do is sit down in a comfy armchair with an auto-loading DVD player, a huge screen and an entire DVD library so I can watch all the sci-fi I've been consistently missing the past few years.
See how many books I've read so far in 2010
Also, I just noticed that you've got the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy on your list. A lot of fans were disappointed with the TV series (Douglas Adams himself was a little iffy about it later on) and/or the film. I'd recommend listening to the five radio series before the books, then the rest of the various versions.
Yes it's anime, and some people dislike that, but it's one of the best sci-fi series ever made. A crew of bounty hunters tooling around space and trying not to starve to death in-between jobs.
It's all about the style and the music, and there's never been a show quite like it since. It's also got an over-arching main plot to give the show more depth. Easily one of my all time favourites.
Also I remember a series about the relations between human beings and a extra terrestrial race. It was sort of a sci-fi drama series with themes such as racism. It partly revolved around couples with mixed species. Can't remember what it was called though, anyone?
If you're just catching random episodes, that may be one reason you're not really getting into it....I dunno when you started watching SG-1, but at the very least, watch the last 2 episodes of Season 7 ("Lost City") and possibly the first of Season 8, and then start from the 1st season of Atlantis, that might help a bit.
It was awesome on the first viewing in a real theater, but after having watched 200+ episodes of SG-1, it seems rather dull. As far as the current SG-1 movies go...Ark of Truth was pretty good when taken as a final episode for the Ori arc, although it certainly could have been better. I haven't watched Continuum yet, but most of the opinions i've seen have been fairly decent.
Yes. Very yes.
Alien Nation?
Buffy The Vampire Slayer is technically sci-fi I suppose and it's written by the same guy who wrote Firefly (I'm saying this like it's a big secret and no one has ever heard of Jos Wheadon) which is to say, Buffy is very well written TV.
if you want something as good as Battlestar though, you're going to have to look outside of Sci-fi I think. Band of Brothers, The Sopranos or maybe Rome are probably roughly comparable in terms of quality.
I've added to the queue now (or already had) Babylon 5, Dune + Children of Dune, Cowboy Bebop and Alien Nation. Total Recall 2070 and Space: Above and Beyond are sadly not available on this particular service. I'm still iffy about Stargate. I might try the first part of each series and see if I can get into it.
The new one. My ex had what I think was last season, which I watched pretty much entirely. I found it 'okay' but wasn't really compelled to watch any more.
I should have mentioned, I've been watching the new series. Unless you mean this seasons BSG, in which case I'm on it.
Also, I should probably mention, I've never really been appreciative of old television. Maybe I've been spoiled, but I find crappy effects and fake-looking stage sets distracting. I realise a lot of people love old stuff like, say, original Star Trek. But when I see shorts of it I'm completely turned off. So I'm not really inclined to check out old BSG etc, unless I'm really pushed in to it.
Thanks for all the replies so far. This should keep me busy for awhile. But by all means, keep the suggestions coming
That's it! Big thanks! Now, was it any good or is my memory playing tricks?
I watched the show ages ago. For the time, it was probably good, it was all linked to the whole "civil rights movement" thing, with the obvious parallels with racism and stuff.
If I watched it now I'm not sure I wouldn't find it a little tacky. Some of the plots and themes were quite good as I remembered, basically centring around alienation (*groan*) between different cultures that have suddenly been mixed together, superiority and inferiority complexes amongst the two societies, and stuff like that.
Cheesy special effects?
If I'm honest, I think the special effects in movies like Aliens are still awesome today. None of that stuff was done with CG so there's a really tangible weight and feel to things like the power-loaders. If you did the power-loaders today, they'd be CG and honestly, I just don't think they'd look as cool.
And I second Farscape. The first half of the first season has some weak episodes, but then it really picks up. Also, one of my favorite villains ever. :^:
Personally I liked the effects as well, just from watching the films with my now ex-girlfriend I got alot of "That doesn't look real at all" and "Why didn't they just use computers it would have looked better" to which I pointed out it was early 1970s
The Fifth Element
Blade Runner
Children of Men
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension!
Men in Black
Sleeper
Solaris (the Tarkovsky one)
12 Monkeys
Brazil
A Clockwork Orange
If you've never seen it rent the John Carpenter version of The Thing.
The effects are a little exposed on HDTV so turn that sucker down and enjoy it grainy.
I host a podcast about movies.
Farscape is still my favoritest show ever. It does pick up after Chiana and Scorpius get involved though (the best villain of course though being Harvey).
See how many books I've read so far in 2010
I actually worked at work on Saturday. Also I went out on a date with a real life girl.
Can you like, permanently break the forums?
For that matter, did anyone suggest The Matrix?
Well, that would be because it's based off a William Gibson short story, without whom we probably wouldn't have had The Matrix at all.
Still a terrible movie. I'd love to see a good Neuromancer movie though.
I think it's one of those things that's so obvious that everyone forgets about it.
AKA Elephant in the Room.
In case you haven't seen it yet, do so, and then feel free to ignore the tacked on sequels.
This is not science fiction, but speculative, certainly--if you liked Firefly check out Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. They're very nearly as good, maybe even better for a few bright moments.
I do think you should give Deep Space Nine more of a chance if you've only caught a few episodes. Some of the plot arcs are fantastic.
Also on the subject of Star Trek, I believe everyone should see Wrath of Kahn and First Contact because they're great movies regardless of whether you're a fan of Trek or not.
What else... Lost is pretty sf and is a good show, at least the first few seasons. Smallville seasons 1-3 are also worth your time.
Gattaca is a great SF movie, possibly my favorite science fiction film this side of Serenity. Different people have different opinions about The Fountain, but if you ignore the story and just enjoy it on the same level you would a poem, painting, or symphony, it's an awesome experience. Equilibrium is a good SF dystopia/action movie that I've heard mixed opinions on, but personally loved.
Hope this helps a bit.
Harvey is great. Personally, I'd say that if you just want a taste of some of the better Farscape episodes, go for one of the ones with Harvey in it. I think they're in seasons 3 and 4.
Hell, just go for seasons 3 and 4.
Minor
My personal favorite episode is still "Crackers Don't Matter" from season 2. Pizza... and margarita shooters
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOq0T980x8E
I'm going to tell you two things about it.
1) Patrick Stewart Plays a Man with Alzhimers who used to be in the millitary.
2) He fucks with his family A LOT.
It's kind of cheesey, but it's really good at well.
But, if you want to get it, TRUST ME. Do NOT READ ANYTHING else about the movie, and you will be greatly impressed.
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Plus cartoon Harvey. You can't go past cartoon Harvey.
You've got to check this out. Don't be deterred by the fact that it's old, or the first 15 minutes or so is not in full color. It's low-key sci-fi; you won't notice any cheesy old effects. It's an amazing sci-fi film especially because there are no attempts to impress the audience with FX wizardry - it's all 'meat' (character and setting).
Alien Nation
Alien 1-3
Solaris (edit: blargh, apparently I can get the new one but not the original)
Wrath of Khan
I've seen Matrix, and Gattaca (a few times, really really liked it).
As far as Star Trek goes, is any particular series considered better than the others? I know I enjoyed the occasional episode years ago (Voyager mostly, I think), so I may take your advice OremLK and try some again.
Thanks for all the suggestions everyone
I was just about to suggest this. Also, it was mentioned earlier but if you cant find it, the Tarkovsky version of Solaris is spelled Solyaris. It's the original so Im not sure why I said version, but you get my point. Also The man from earth is pretty good I think.