Need Recommendations: Science Fiction TV Series · 7:42am Oct 19th, 2015
Fellow nerds!
With the holiday season coming up, I'm starting to work on gifts. A couple people on my list are fans of Star Trek and I was thinking of getting them similar science fiction series... but I don't watch much TV and don't know much of what's out there. I know that there exist shows with titles such as Babylon 5, BSG, Farscape, Stargate, Blake's 7, Red Dwarf, and so on, but I know little about them.
So, can anyone give me some recommendations? I'm looking for:
1. Science fiction/adventure TV series set on a spaceship or space station (a la Star Trek). Not necessarily limited to the ones I mentioned above; those are just the ones I'd heard of before.
2. Available on DVD, iTunes, or some other convenient format that is not 'bootlegged episodes on YouTube'. :-)
3. Just a few seasons long. I want it to be something where it's reasonable for the recipient to watch the whole series over a month or two.
Thanks in advance. And hey, if anyone needs recommendation on fantasy or YA novels, I can totally shoot some your way. :-)
cowboy bebop on gogoanime.com its a anime, but it fills all the requirements
Babylon 5 will always receive a recommendation for me, and out of the series you've listed its among the shorter ones (five season as opposed to eight or nine). Its set on a space station, much like DS9, but with a might tighter and focused storyline compared to any of the Star Trek series. It is a bit... dated in terms of its effects, but if you're friend doesn't mind real early CG then there's few sci-fi shows that stuck with me as strong as Babylon 5.
A good runner up is Stargate SG-1, though its a much longer series.
Out of the ones above I'd follow Vex's review of Babylon 5, a intricate overarcing plot that generally keeps going despite a few bumps, well characterised characters. The first half to two thirds of the fifth season goes off the rails a bit but the final ending is still strong. As said above the FX are a bit dated (but then I'm a fan of classic Dr Who so their fine by me) but still serviceable. To me some of the first season is a bit of a drag but sets up background needed for the rest of the story.
Farscape is another great series with the strengths of in no way taking itself seriously and being willing to try almost everything. Its at times one of the most hilarious shows I've ever seen and at others very touching. The general plot is a human astronaut, from sort of modern day, tests out a new type of drive system and ends up at the other side of the universe right in the middle of a jail break / hijacking, he's captured by a bunch of criminals. He's forced to join them and go on the run from the local law enforcement and he plot moves on from then. It takes about half the first season to find it's feet and stop trying to be a star trek clone but once Scorpeus turns up and is one of the best villains ever and they learn of Ben Browders amazing skill at acting completely insane things just fly by. Effects are somewhat dated but I really like the number of puppets and animatronics they use rather than CGI.
Blake's 7 actually shares quite a bit with Farscape in that the crew of the spaceship is not a trained bunch but rather a number of criminals thrown together by fate and needing to rely on each other to survive. The titular Blake is a failed rebel leader against the totalitarian Federation and the rest of the crew are a range of random criminals none of whom have any love for the government but many of whom don't really feel the need to risk their lives to do much about it. Blake 7, particularly the last two series is quite darke, it has a real anyone can die feel to it, and they do, each season results in the death of at least a few of the cast with even the titular Blake in only about for half the series. The characters are varied and interesting, however, it was made by the BBC in the late 70s and as such is very dated now a days (And to be honest was on a shoe string budget at the time.).
As I've told you before I'm a big fan of Dr Who although that doesn't really fit your requirements, unless you want to count the TARDIS as a ship most of the story is set on.
Babylon 5 is a must see for everyone, really, but as a British person I'm going to recommend Red Dwarf, which is very definitely not like the others. It is foremost a sitcom, but it has a long, weird production history and some of the strangest sci fi concepts I've ever seen. In terms of length, it's pretty short too: the first six seasons are 6 episodes each, and after that the scheduling goes haywire and it's anyone's guess. :)
Rick and Morty.
Fulfills all the criteria, but it's a MA rated show. It's hilarious, but DEFINITELY not for kids. Or the easily offended. Think South Park vulgar levels.
You really can't go wrong with Firefly. http://www.amazon.com/Firefly-Complete-Blu-ray-Nathan-Fillion/dp/B001EN71CW/ref=tmm_blu_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= It's seriously one of the best. I mean, it's not Babylon 5, nothing is, but it's a staple in any sci-fi lovers collection.
And if by chance, by some MIRACLE, you CAN get the full series??? ESPECIALLY since they LOVE Star Trek so much? You simply *MUST* get Andromeda! No ifs ands or buts about it! NO SCI-FI LOVER MUST GO WITHOUT ANDROMEDA!
Like, holy cow. The characters? Sheesh! So much to love about them! EACH character really has this whole individual story going on. It develops SO smoothly. They really grow and interact as one would trying to get along with a group of people you may not have started off on the best of terms with who now have to follow you, for the time being, and just sort of find their place and what they wanna do. It's the Friendship is Magic of Sci-Fi but with awesome space battles and action that only ramps up the further you go into the season and reach the finale of the first that ties so well into the start of the next season which is a TOTAL TRIP.
So much happens in Andromeda. Lots of things get revealed in bits and pieces here and there and eventually you're on some bigger than life quest to go do things I can't even hint at because spoilers are that great. xD
Sadly you really gotta be careful. It's not an easy series to find anymore and the Australian Region 4 discs are just poorly converted PALs to NTSC format that you end up with interlacing issues and skips.
If you can find the original American versions than you're golden. If you can afford 1k you can get the VERY LIMITED EDITION COMPLETE SET. lol
You can always buy the good copies one at a time though. 22-28 a piece. 5 seasons. Not too bad given I've used to spend a minimum of 250 on my closest friends simply because I could at the time. They certainly deserved it.
Worst case scenario, as much as you don't want to, tack on a full 1080p h.264 copy of the series onto whatever actual non-bootleg gift you give them. It's not really shameful when you consider its been out of print for well over a decade.
EDIT: Scratch that, I believe you lived in the UK right? Well, if so then you're in luck! http://www.ebay.com/itm/ANDROMEDA-COMPLETE-COLLECTION-SEASONS-1-2-3-4-5-BRAND-NEW-DVD-BOXSET-/151829556542?hash=item2359bf2d3e:g:eXgAAOSwe-FU4-Wc Ebay has couple left. Not sure if they ever released all five Blurays, only ever seen up to season 2. The DVDs are amazing quality anyways so I doubt it'd be too much of an issue. Still sounds amazing with surround sound.
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I would like to second Babylon 5. It is, without a doubt, my favorite sci-fi TV series of all time.
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Babylon 5 is the bomb, can confirm.
I'd also throw in a vote for Farscape, which I found very entertaining.
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I wasn't to keen on the later episodes of Andromeda, certainly the first two or so seasons had potential, and interesting setting and some likable characters but it eventually evolved into to much of the Dylan Hunt show for my tastes.
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Now that's how to endorse a show. ^^
As others have said: Babylon Five, Andromeda, and Farscape have all been mentioned, and they are all on my 'must watch' list for Sci0Fi.
Stargate Universe was shaping up to be a great series, but it got cancelled at the end of season 2, same with Firefly. One of the best series' around, but the writers got told it was getting cancelled halfway through S1.
Lexx is one I'm always hesitant to recommend, as it was a strange comedic series that started off really good, but slowly sunk into the absurd and farcical in later seasons...the 3rd season just went sorta...downhill. I wish I could tell you just skip to the 4th season ignoring S3, but there are plot tie ins, so it sucks people have to acknowledge S3 happened. But I digress...
In a nutshell, Lexx is the American Red Dwarf. The RD creators once tried to sell the show to a US network, but failed. The network wanted the writers to 'Americanize' Red Dwarf by adding more sex and "adventure" to the show while keeping the jokes and action squeaky clean. It didn't work. Lex works where Red Dwarf failed by being designed to be more like that vision than Red Dwarf.
Take note though: If you watch Lexx expecting to see Babylon 5, you'll be bitterly disappointed. It's ridiculous, campy entertainment at its best. Treat it as such and you'll find it growing on you rapidly.
Now this next suggestion will get me flak for sure. As much as it is scorned and scoffed upon by the diehard Trekkie crowd, I actually enjoyed Enterprise. It's got a great cast, and while each episode tries to have 'monster/issue of the week' style situations like the original series, it still manages to keep an overarching plot going.
Finally, Space: Above and Beyond. It only ran for 1 season, because Fox is an asshole network. The best thing to give you is the TVTropes page, where the first 2 paragraphs do a far better job of doing it justice than I would be able to.
3481622 I put an endorsement for Rick and Morty up there too