I hear Babylon 5 and The Expanse is nice, but I hear so little about those two shows I don’t know what to expect of these stories.
live action as animated recommendation is allowed.
Babylon 5’s is great if you like serialization. The first season is very weak due to a major health crisis in the principal character that occurred between the shooting of the pilot and the launch of the series. The story was adjusted so that a new station head and actor could take on the lead.
Farscape is an absolute gem and a wild ride. It really picks up after the first 12 episodes. It’s so incredibly influential on so many science fiction shows in the streaming era that it’s worth watching just for that alone. Be aware that the show was canceled before it could wrap up its full arc. A limited series was made later to wrap up the storyline — make sure you’ll be able to be able to get it.
I’m a fan of many of the old 1960s and 1970s shows but watching them really depends on your tolerance for older production styles and scripting. Space 1999 is worth tracking down for sure.
In terms of more recent shows, three serialized shows that involved time travel that actually stuck the landing are Continuum, Travelers, and 12 Monkeys. All are very good, with strong ensembles, but reflect the darker sci-fi trend of the 2010s.
Farscape had absolutely no right to be that good on a $4.99 AUD budget
plus one to farscape. should have listed it in my mentions.
I highly suggest the skip/watch list for Farscape so people don’t waste time on the filler episodes and mandatory flashback episodes.
Definitely a YMMV situation.
Many episodes that may be described as ‘filler’ are ones that have side adventures or character development. Farscape isn’t rigidly serialized. Just because it’s not moving the main plot narrative doesn’t mean it’s filler.
The flashback episodes are a scourge of that time period.
Stargate had these dumb episodes every season where they found some reason like a court martial to show us flashbacks in case we forgot or missed an episode.
Battlestar Galactica (2004) is my all-timer. A lot of it feels incredibly salient today imo.
Yes, I’d say BSG is where they take the concept of a federated military in space but move from story of the week to an overarching plot.
Babylon 5 did it too, but not to the same extent. TV was moving from weekly broadcast to streaming and binging.
I think I’m due a rewatch!
bc i havent seen anyone else post it… Galaxy Quest!
Since that IS just Trek in disguise, everybody probably assumes OP has seen it.
fair, fair… i think i’ve even seen it on a couple of lists of the “best” star trek movies lol.
Babylon 5 is fantastic - I guess if I were to describe it briefly (and vaguely), it would be “interstellar political drama with mythological undertones.”
I’m here to recommend The Expanse. It’s more of a near-future dystopian scifi setting than Star Trek, with humanity petty much limited to our own solar system by technology. I read the books before the show became a thing, and I like them both.
I read the books before the show became a thing, and I like them both.
Because the books are great and the show is great I would actually suggest reading it all before watching the show.
Good call.
Any of the classics really are worth a watch.
The Expanse - more realistic sci-fi that actually accounts for thrust as gravity and slingshots around planets and such. Dystopian but not quite depressingly so. I’m on season 2. Much more serious. Still good. Read the books with a friend.
Babylon 5 - Deep space 9 basically. Complete with godlike alien beliefs and a Vulcan like character. Honestly holds up really well from what I recall though it’s been a while since I watched it.
Stargate - very fun. Campy. Not afraid to make fun of itself. Much more action and tropy but a very fun watch. Added bonus, between all three shows you’ve got like 18 seasons. Plenty to bite into. Honestly one of my favorite shows still.
Firefly - A Western, in space. Very good. Very fun. Love it.
Farscape - almost but not quite a sci-fi parody, but good. Guy gets lost in space, meets aliens, goes on adventure. Several of the actors also got roles in later seasons of Stargate.
The Expanse is nice, but the later seasons left me disappointed.
Andor is top of my list still for good story mixed with sci-fi.
Did you watch SeaQuest? Worth a look.
Well, I’d do a disservice to my hyperfixation if I didn’t at least bring up Doctor Who which does count as science fiction. If you’re looking for more in the vein of Star Trek, disregard and do go watch B5 and The Expanse.
Babylon 5
Stargate SG-1
Farscape
Start gate series is my second favorite to star trek, I heard Babylon 5 is good. Didn’t like the expanse felt to just more capitalist hellscape then scifi to me but I only watched the first episode but that’s just my opinion and observations.
Dr who is a good sci-fi show as well as a rarely talked about show sliders from the 1990s. (Besides the last season imo)
Your opinion on The Expanse is a valid and common one. It is a capitalist hellscape. But it’s been mentioned already, it’s a slow burn and by the second season you get why it took a while to get there. It’s an unfortunate cliche that is true a lot - sometimes, you have to get through the first parts, either because of the needed character/worldbuilding, or simply because the show hasn’t found its way yet. Don’t give up on it.
Somebody’s got to mention Red Dwarf. It’s kind of like if The Office (UK) and Farscape had a baby and raised it on an old Dr. Who set.
Lexx.
I hated it, but it’s something alright.
The Two are nice. Babylone 5 could seems dated today but there’s some really cool things in it
I’m on my first watch of Farscape, so far so good, great puppets
Firefly maybe ? But Adam Baldwin and Joss Whedon are two very big asshole
How dated is Babylone 5 compared with Deep Space Nine?
Hmmm. It depends
The production will feel dated, the set, the CGI but I think the theme are pretty modern
Not sure if you’re actually wanting animated or not, but Scavenger’s Reign is a good animated sci-fi miniseries of a spaceship crew stranded on a strange planet.
For live action check out the two Callister episodes of Black Mirror.
animated
I said I want animated series too since Avatar seems to be the only good western animation and it’s not even a sci-fi thing.
stargate certainly and battlestar galactica. if you can handle tos and the old batte star you may want to give buck rogers a try and space 1999.
