Discussion on:

Which is your favorite Science Fiction/Fantasy franchise?

Come on, Jay, you know that Star Trek is the granddaddy of all of those (except Frodo's hole in the hill), so Star Trek will probably win out.

Since I'm a Trekkie, I'm gunning for that outcome.

Paramount killed Star Trek for the sake of quick money.

Because of this I've been watching SG-1 whose end is coming and reading Disc World.

SG-1 has started the downhill slide, but Disc World is still going strong. Thank you, Terry!

Impressive, especially considering that that The Color of Magic was published in 1983.

cancelled.

this is it's last season.

There is a major fan effort to see it renewed, and MGM is backing it. I hope it succeeds, but when the so-called SciFi Channel starts broadcasting wrestling, you have to question their commitment. Almost no reason to watch the SciFi Channel any longer.

Last I heard is that the Sci-Fi Channel/NBC is preventing MGM from finding another market. So, the plan is to have two direct to DVD movies. The first will wrap-up the Ori Story line and the second will involve time-travel.

The interesting thing is that the parent company of Sci-Fi is NBC, the same folks that cancelled Star Trek. Anyone for contacting NBC's advertisers that we'll boycott their products?

is that the original Production team [ Anderson / Greenberg ] sold it off, they didn't want it.

and yes, the Anderson is Richard Dean Anderson.
He lost interest in it and got out of the McNeil role, it was only a matter of time before the production company got out of it.

Another one they missed was Stargate SG-1, which has a breadth of unique storylines that are well-grounded in reality/history. They do their homework on their physics as well, which is more than I can say for Star Trek, where they create new plot-saving particles out of thin-air.

I still like Star Trek, but the rehashed plots get old.

And SG1 killed Star Gate. There was real promise in that film... until SG1 came along, that is.

The producers of the original film have approached MGM to finish the original story line, a trilogy. According to rumor MGM believes that the Stargate universe can handle two concurrent versions.

Mainly because of Deep Space 9. Everything after that was way downhill.

Star Trek is the "granddaddy of them all"?? Hey, Google "Doctor Who" & check out the results. Doctor Who started on the BBC in 1963. ST started on NBC in 1966.

That being said, I agree with your sentiments that Star Trek popularized sci-fi for the masses.

I still miss Tom Baker as the Doctor, though...

For me Star Gate just barely edged out Star Trek...it was like trying to choose between the doublemint twins. Probably like the fact SG-1 is set in present time (heck, I was in the Air Force as an avionics tech so it's not so much a stretch...)

SG-1 wins for me. Being ex-military, it just seemed more realistic no matter how far out the science was. And I will take O'Neil over that scenery chewing Kirk anytime.

SG-1 always seemed realistic. it didnt seem like it was too much science fiction, or too much drama.

you didnt have to watch every single epesode in order, and that was always convienent.

Earth Final Conflict, probably because 1) their technology was the 'iMac' of weird futuristic tech, being organic looking, colorful and curvy; also because Liam does the right thing generally, such as releasing the parasitic worm that created their arm mounted weapons into the jungle.

Andromeda is close behind because the starship is so cool, and they work with 8 people crew plus robots for this giant starship, and the aliens are cool also.

Of course Star Trek Voyager is probably the best Star Trek series because they are alone far away and don't have Star Fleet or Klingons to save them, and they get out of very desparate straits in clever ways; plus the climax episode where Janeway tricks the Borg into finding her cloaked ship, infecting them with a virus and getting the crew home via the borgs transwarp conduits is incredibly clever.

...that Janeway was the best of the Star Trek captains. And God knows she had a lot on her plate. One smart, tough, lady.

How can you contend that "Janeway was the best of the Star Trek captains"? I don't want her as my Captain. After all she consistently betrayed her crew in the interest of contact with aliens.

A good example is the episode "Phage" wherein , you may recall, a race of aliens called the Vidiians steal Neelix's lung. Janeway chases after them, captures them and then the "smart, tough" Janeway allows the Vidiians to keep Neelix's lungs (WHICH THEY STOLE!!!). Then Janeway decides to transplant one of Kes's lungs into Neelix so that both of them must live the rest of their lives partially disabled. Brilliant! *NOT*

I don't know about you, but if some aliens stole my lungs, I'd want them back and I'd want my Captain to get them back for me. What's "smart" and "tough" about letting aliens steal the lungs of a member of her crew and then, when you have the aliens in your grasp, letting them keep them?

Also, many of the problems the Voyager faced were the result of foolish decisions by Janeway. IMHO she was a really, really bad leader. But then, the whole series was really, really bad. While I enjoyed some of the characters and a few of the stories, in general it was stinko.

Anyway that's my opinion as an avid Star Trek franchise fan. Of course, YMMV.

Live long and prosper!

Voyager was the series that had phenomenal sets, music, makeup, cast and storyline. What about Dark Frontier, where 7 of 9 sacrifices herself to the Borg queen so Voyager doesn't get assimilated? Janeway goes back and gets 7, no holds barred. She was tough, smart, and compassionate. The crew fit. I still watch it! IMO of course
"Jane" not Janeway, btw

This show help put the future into reach.

Yearly, complete fantasy episodes that always end tragically.

When talking franchise, you have to include everything that came out of the Dungeons and Dragons camp. All the books, I still love the Dragonlance series, video games, dice games, bad movies, cultural references.

As to the earlier topic of gateway science fiction, I don't know if there is better gateway fantasy than the Dragonlance books.

If I had to pick I would go with Star Trek. I like all of the SciFi selections. All though the Lord of the Rings movies were great, in general I'm not as into Fantasy as SciFi (I never got into D&D).

One of the major reasons I liked Star Trek was the short skirts.

Yes, I liked it. But, I am just a bigger Dr. Who fan. I just got my hands on some of the Audio books of that series also. Just need to find the time.

dan

Nobody voted none? Does that mean that *all* geeks like Sci-Fi?

-grimo1re (who voted for Battlestar Galactica)

It was a tough call. If Firefly had more episodes (or more books), it might have won.

I never did understand what happened to that series. They didn't advertise it well. Just happened to catch it one day. Then a few weeks later, it's gone!

I voted for Firefly because it was hands down one that most matched my feelings about how things are going here and now. A desperate struggle of individuals to survive against the corporate, suppressive totalitarian conglomerates (government).

It had only a total of 15 episodes and I've acquired all of them and the movie Serenity.

Another very good series that did manage at least to last some time was Babylon 5 and then it's short 13 episode successor/intermission, Crusade.

It's just sad to see such creative talents not be recognized and promoted. But it's never anything based on merits. See how long the Star Trek/DS9/NG series ran after it's creative talent 'died.' I'm not saying it had no merit but it was getting pretty predictable.

For some reason I never got into Crusade.

I acquired the Firefly episodes too.

the second season.
there areactually 19 episodes according to comments made in interveiws by the actors from the series.

Serenity kind of picked up where the series was when dropped and finished the story off.
give the production company credit for getting the series cast for the characters in the movie, it gave closure to the series properly.

Because they arent smart enough to see the theme behind the action.
Killed Star Trek the first time, Killed Firefly, Killed lots of others in between.

Will keep killing the best shows because they'll never understand that you can't measure a shows vallue by the product it sells unless you make the commercials appeal to the same demographic. And NO commercial has ever been more than mildly humerous to geeks. Most of them make us wander away looking for a snack immediately.
It's the reason we all use TIVO, or the local cable equivalent and NEVER watch live anymore. Kill the Commercials and we might come back to TV.

then again... Maybe not...

Ramjet

I caught one episode and when I looked again it was gone. It's on my list of box sets to collect and watch.

I think only 1 or 2 (or a few more) episodes were ever shown on "TV". But the DVD series is awesome!
Great stories and great characters -- that's what I'm talkin' about.

I know what I'm getting myself for Xmas

"Firefly: The Complete Series" is currently "on sale" at amazon for $25.97 and will be on sale at Target next week (starting Sunday, December 10th) for $18.98. It's the best "blind buy" I ever made...

For those of us old enough to remember, there was the Outer Limits and the Twilight Zone in black and white.

While they weren't as technically accurate as some of the more recent franchises like Star Trek, they were quite imaginative.

I was a fan of Dr. Who when it first came out when I was 3 years old. When we moved to the States Star Trek was a natural. I have continued to enjoy both the Star Trek stories and Dr. Who's Stuff. But the other Fun series by Gary Anderson was UFO and then his Space 1999. UFO was more realistic, while Space 1999 became bizarre. UFO theme song has stuck in my head for years, but the best part were the uniforms the women wore (One of my first crushes was the girl who commanded the moon base with purple hair.

Red Dwarf, great satire on all the other Sci-Fi. Their best episode was the Earth Like Planet where time went backwards. The Crew went to visit NodnoL (That's London spelt backwards) and had to un-eat a pie, un-drink a beer. (Guess what happens when you use the restroom[The Cat answered that question]).

Best two Alien villians, Alien & Preditor.
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All of this inspired me to create my own Sci-Fi World. I am published some of it in the past, but now I am in the process of re-writing ALL of it. For those of you who like Star Trek, Dr. Who, and the rest, I hope that when I finish re-compiling my stuff you will enjoy the worlds in my head as well.

I've seen most of the episodes from this whole list (except Buffy) and enjoyed almost all of it, including the old Twilight Zone and Outer Limits. Farscape is also entertaining. As a fan of escapist material my favorite is always the one I haven't seen yet. I'm hoping Eragon is well done (3 times).
PS. I voted for Star Wars - Nothing has blown me away like episode IV in 1977 when I was 14!

Blake's Seven would be my pick.
American ones would be a pick between Farscape and Space Above and beyond for TV.
Movie wise Alien without a doubt.

Blasts from the past, would be The Tommorow People, and Invaders.

I find both Star Trek and Dr Who extremely juvenile. B% was alright in places, but not even I can suspend my disbelief long enough to accept time travel. (To the past)

I've heard of Blake's Seven, but unfortunate reside on the wrong side of the Atlantic. The Invaders, what a blast from the past! There was a lame attempt to bring back the Invaders about a decade ago as a made for TV movie.

How about season 1 of Dark Angel?

As for villians either Alien of the Borg. Although I think that the Borg could be defeated by 20 kilos of marbles on the deck of the Enterprise. There are some real disadvantages to being stiff.

the bad girl out of Blake's Seven. Definitely with an imagine or two for those with slightly non main stream tastes.

Never watched Dark Angel, may be I'll pick it up. The impact of that sort of science does interest me.

The most enduring bad guy of all, has to be the Master. Roger Delgado, quality.

even if the writing wasn't great for Dark Angel, a series with Jessica Alba running around in skin tight clothing is worth watching

Do you not think that having the hots for the Supreme Commander of the Terran Federation was probably not healthy for a lad of the age you must have been?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Servalan.jpg

"An enemy does not cease to be an enemy simply because he has surrendered."

As are most things we enjoy

Some more of the lovely Jacqueline,
http://www.hermit.org/Blakes7/whoswho/ManyPhotos/Servalans.html

Top sci-fi show.