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I'm hooked on Sci-fi... any recommendations?

AMERICAN OTAKUAMERICAN OTAKU Registered User regular
edited January 2009 in Help / Advice Forum
I'm hooked on sci-fi... I started watching Battlestar Galatica and Firefly, and I'm soooo addicted to them (to the point it's affecting my professional life! )

Anyways, are there any sci-fi movies/shows you recommend me watching?

thanx! any reply is appreciated!

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Posts

  • PeregrineFalconPeregrineFalcon Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    ... The Star Wars Trilogy? :P

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  • SniperGuySniperGuy SniperGuyGaming Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    The New Dr. Who is outstanding.

    SniperGuy on
  • HonkHonk Honk is this poster. Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    edited January 2009
    Any Stargate series.

    Honk on
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  • EchoEcho ski-bap ba-dapModerator, Administrator admin
    edited January 2009
    Farscape goddamnit!

    Echo on
  • John MatrixJohn Matrix Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Can't go far wrong with Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine. For some cult sci-fi comedy, check out Red Dwarf.

    John Matrix on
  • HonkHonk Honk is this poster. Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    edited January 2009
    Star Trek: Voyager is also all kinds of awesome, it's what got my noob ass into sci-fi on tv.

    Honk on
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  • RuckusRuckus Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    2nd'd for both Stargate and Star Trek: DS9.

    In my opinion the Star Trek Pecking Order of Greatness goes DS9, TNG, Enterprise, Original, and finally Voyager on the bottom.

    I'd recommend Stargate SG1 before SG: Atlantis simply due to the plot/backstory of SG1 being useful for getting in to Atlantis. Also Richard Dean Anderson or Ben Browder could beat the crap out of Joe Flanigan any day.

    [edit] Though I guess it should be noted that Atlantis ended up with Jewel Staite as of the end of Season 3.

    Ruckus on
  • DixonDixon Screwed...possibly doomed CanadaRegistered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Oh for some reason I did not enjoy DS9 at all...
    TNG>Voyager>Enterprise>Original and then DS9

    SG1 was pretty awesome I didn't enjoy atlantis as much.

    Fringe is kinda sci-fi and I enjoy that

    Dixon on
  • FantasmaFantasma Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    1) Starship troopers

    2) Dune

    3) Life Force

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifeforce_(film)

    Fantasma on
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  • OremLKOremLK Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Echo wrote: »
    Farscape goddamnit!

    This. Always this.

    And DS9 is essential if you liked BSG (same showrunner).

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  • TomantaTomanta Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    I can't believe that no one has mentioned Babylon 5 yet. Season 1 can be hit or miss but starting with Season 2 it is all kinds of awesome.

    ... I want to watch Farscape again.

    Tomanta on
  • CyvrosCyvros Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Farscape, Stargate (more SG-1 than Atlantis, but both are good) and Doctor Who. Red Dwarf, too, if you like to laugh your way through your sci-fi.

    Cyvros on
  • HonkHonk Honk is this poster. Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    edited January 2009
    SG1 > SG:A

    even though

    Jewel Staite > Cute.

    And this summer (I believe) the new Stargate: Universe will premiere. The fact that it's Stargate + Robert Carlyle guarantees that this will be awesome!

    Also Firefly and Battlestar Galactica.

    Honk on
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  • PeenPeen Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    DS9 is the best Star Trek.

    Babylon 5 is the best science fiction tv series ever. True story.

    Peen on
  • FandyienFandyien But Otto, what about us? Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    You should totally watch some Babylon 5.

    Fandyien on
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  • DjeetDjeet Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Eureka is good sci-fi, more X-files-ish than the immersive sci-fi of the space-based shows.

    I'm hoping it's just on mid-season break or something and not cancelled, they don't replay it enough.

    Djeet on
  • meekermeeker Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    My TIVO just got Netflix Streaming.

    I have been watching Jeremiah non stop ever since.

    meeker on
  • TomantaTomanta Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Speaking of Jeremiah (which I also recommend)...

    Jericho is pretty good.

    Tomanta on
  • mugginnsmugginns Jawsome Fresh CoastRegistered User regular
    edited January 2009
    X-files through season 6.

    Sliders.

    mugginns on
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  • VThornheartVThornheart Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    I hate to be controversial, but to me the order goes:

    TNG > DS9 > Original > Enterprise > The Cartoon Series > Star Trek Fan Fiction > Star Trek Erotic Furry Fan Fiction > Star Trek Erotic Furry Fan Fiction with you as the main character > Voyager.

    Just my opinion. =)
    Hopefully the reference is well remembered =)

    VThornheart on
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  • HonkHonk Honk is this poster. Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    edited January 2009
    What the hell is the problem with Voyager, people?! :P

    Honk on
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  • proXimityproXimity Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Thirding the Doctor Who love
    Fantasma wrote: »
    1) Starship troopers

    2) Dune

    3) Life Force

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifeforce_(film)


    ohhhh... Are we recommending BAD movies?

    proXimity on
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  • VThornheartVThornheart Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Honk wrote: »
    What the hell is the problem with Voyager, people?! :P

    For me, it's mainly Warp 10, and the fact that they reached it (even though it's not even a speed due to the fact that you would have to physically occupy all points in space at the same time... it doesn't just imply infinite velocity, it implies a non-necessity to even have velocity) almost nonchalantly (via an "aha!" moment within the pre-theme song intro "teaser" portion of the episode) and then turned into lizards (which was absurd beyond all concept of reasoning)

    I couldn't watch the show after that. There's violating the rules of a fictional universe you create (which is sometimes acceptable for storytelling purposes, as long as it's not overdone), and then there's pulling down your pants and crapping all over them (which the writers, directors, and producers should know to never do). It's okay to make a world of fiction as long as it has rules that make sense in its own context. And it's even okay to bend them on occasion. But when you completely break them without precedent and as an afterthought, and don't even really think through the consequences of breaking them... well, that means there aren't really rules anymore.

    I stopped watching after that because I didn't want to see what they would do to follow up on that. Would Janeway kill Q with a bolt of lightning from her fingertips? Would Chakotay tear a hole in the ship with his bare hands? Would Tom Paris become pregnant after they discover that low-energy phaser blasts can cause men to spontaneously grow female reproductive organs?

    Basically, it was no holds barred at that point. Good fiction (Science Fiction or otherwise) has to go no further than bending its own rules. It must not break them.

    ... and no, I'm not embarrassed that I went into such a detailed response. =);)

    EDIT: Don't get me wrong though Honk, I'm glad you liked it, and I imagine there's redeeming properties in the show (or even entertaining episodes)... I just couldn't do it after that.

    VThornheart on
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  • Hahnsoo1Hahnsoo1 Make Ready. We Hunt.Registered User, Moderator, Administrator admin
    edited January 2009
    I've always liked DS9 better than the rest of them. The Federation is always shown as the white and shining tower of Morality and Hope, but in DS9, out in the Frontier, the ends justify the means. The generally "good" people on the station make choices that are "right" but not necessarily "good", sometimes with serious consequences down the line (unlike in the other shows). It's a darker corner of the Star Trek universe. That, and Garak seems to always have the best zingers.

    Hahnsoo1 on
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  • VThornheartVThornheart Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    That is true that DS9 is darker, and I can see the appeal of that... I guess it depends on what you're going to star trek for.

    People like me watch Star Trek and enjoy it because it paints a beautiful picture of what humanity could be: something that we hope humanity will represent one day. It may not be realistic, but it's something that we strive and hope for.

    But if you watch Star Trek (or Sci-Fi in general) more for drama and realism in the context of a nonrealistic setting, DS9 would definitely be your best bet for that.

    VThornheart on
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  • EriosErios Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    culdrasbit*h wrote: »
    DS9 is the best Star Trek.

    Babylon 5 is the best science fiction tv series ever. True story.

    This, all of this.

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  • FantasmaFantasma Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    proXimity wrote: »
    Thirding the Doctor Who love
    Fantasma wrote: »
    1) Starship troopers

    2) Dune

    3) Life Force

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifeforce_(film)


    ohhhh... Are we recommending BAD movies?

    What do you mean WE?, I am the one recommending those movies, the OP said "Science Fiction", and all three are Science Fiction.

    If you consider Dune a bad movie, I don't know what to think.

    Fantasma on
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  • OremLKOremLK Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    A great many people consider Dune a bad movie. Hate to break it to you.

    OremLK on
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  • VThornheartVThornheart Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    I don't think anyone can really be gung-ho in support of Starship Troopers, I've never heard of Lifeforce so I can't say for sure on that... but I think Dune's a love it or hate it. Personally, I fell asleep watching it, and haven't had the desire to try again since that incident. =)

    VThornheart on
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  • HonkHonk Honk is this poster. Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    edited January 2009
    VThornheart wrote: »
    Honk wrote: »
    What the hell is the problem with Voyager, people?! :P

    For me, it's mainly Warp 10, and the fact that they reached it (even though it's not even a speed due to the fact that you would have to physically occupy all points in space at the same time... it doesn't just imply infinite velocity, it implies a non-necessity to even have velocity) almost nonchalantly (via an "aha!" moment within the pre-theme song intro "teaser" portion of the episode) and then turned into lizards (which was absurd beyond all concept of reasoning)

    I couldn't watch the show after that. There's violating the rules of a fictional universe you create (which is sometimes acceptable for storytelling purposes, as long as it's not overdone), and then there's pulling down your pants and crapping all over them (which the writers, directors, and producers should know to never do). It's okay to make a world of fiction as long as it has rules that make sense in its own context. And it's even okay to bend them on occasion. But when you completely break them without precedent and as an afterthought, and don't even really think through the consequences of breaking them... well, that means there aren't really rules anymore.

    I stopped watching after that because I didn't want to see what they would do to follow up on that. Would Janeway kill Q with a bolt of lightning from her fingertips? Would Chakotay tear a hole in the ship with his bare hands? Would Tom Paris become pregnant after they discover that low-energy phaser blasts can cause men to spontaneously grow female reproductive organs?

    Basically, it was no holds barred at that point. Good fiction (Science Fiction or otherwise) has to go no further than bending its own rules. It must not break them.

    ... and no, I'm not embarrassed that I went into such a detailed response. =);)

    EDIT: Don't get me wrong though Honk, I'm glad you liked it, and I imagine there's redeeming properties in the show (or even entertaining episodes)... I just couldn't do it after that.

    EDIT: I READ BAD!!!

    That episode was indeed so strange I suspect use of drugs, I didn't watch for a while but continued some episodes after. :P

    Honk on
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  • VThornheartVThornheart Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Did it improve after that?

    I didn't want to watch after that purely because I was afraid of what else they might do. I meant it when I said I was afraid that they'd have the kind of episodes I mentioned above. =)

    VThornheart on
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  • HonkHonk Honk is this poster. Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    edited January 2009
    Well it came back to normal quality mode anyway :P, but the episodes I like best were before that lizard-warp-10 one.

    Honk on
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  • PeenPeen Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    The reasons Voyager was the inferior Star Trek to me were twofold: one, every alien they met tried to kill them. I mean after a while it wasn't even a question, it was just "Hey, an alien, fuck, they're trying to kill us, yay, we got away." It was just kind of lazy; they didn't really explore the politics of the Delta Quadrant at all, they just kept running the same kinds of plots out there.

    Two, they made the Borg into pussies. That'd been going on for a while, starting with First Contact (and I love First Contact, but Picard's "I know the two spots where to shoot their invincible ship" was horse crap), but Voyager made it way worse. The Borg as they were originally conceptualized were awesome and then the writers completely lost their way and they sucked (writers and Borg both).

    I can't believe this show still makes me this ranty.

    Peen on
  • VThornheartVThornheart Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Heh, I feel you culdra. =)

    VThornheart on
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  • mere_immortalmere_immortal So tasty!Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Dark City.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_City_(1998_film)

    Brilliant Sci-Fi with a hint of noir.

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  • areaarea Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    OremLK wrote: »
    Echo wrote: »
    Farscape goddamnit!

    This. Always this.

    And DS9 is essential if you liked BSG (same showrunner).

    Just in case the thirding or fourthing of these shows already in this topic wasn't enough, DS9 and especially Farscape are definitely worth your time.

    area on
  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu PIGEON Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    The Fifth Element.

    TychoCelchuuu on
  • PeenPeen Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Oh and a movie recommendation: Sunshine. Definitely the best new sci-fi movie that I've seen in a long time, directed by ever popular Danny Boyle.

    Peen on
  • VThornheartVThornheart Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    TychoCelchuuu wrote: »
    The Fifth Element.

    Crap, I was so busy complaining about Voyager that I forgot to mention this one. Definitely this.

    This before Star Trek even.

    VThornheart on
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  • MagicPrimeMagicPrime FiresideWizard Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    proXimity wrote: »
    Thirding the Doctor Who love
    Fantasma wrote: »
    1) Starship troopers

    2) Dune

    3) Life Force

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifeforce_(film)


    ohhhh... Are we recommending BAD movies?


    The first Starship Troopers is great.

    also:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V17duGlHEYY

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