What for you, currently takes the cake as the best, or your personal favorite sci-fi TV series (not mini series) and please say why, or cite any eloquent comments/s made about it. It doesn't matter if the show isn't in production any more.
Posted by WizArtist (Member # 1095) on :
Sometimes the twain shall never meet...
The best for me is a tossup between TOS and Stargate. TOS because of what it was, when it was running and Stargate because O-Neall is such a great character.
My favorite was and always will be the Tom Baker years of Doctor Who. I loved the comedy of the character even in the most impossible of situations.
Posted by Malnurtured Snay (Member # 411) on :
I have always had a fondness for "Highlander". I enjoy the basic premise, men and women who have watched history unfold before their eyes, who must always hide their secret. I think the characters were well envisioned, and I think a majority of the episodes (ignoring most of the 1st and 6th seasons) were very well written.
Posted by Reverend (Member # 335) on :
I couldn't stand the Highlander series. I'm a big fan of the original movie and I've always felt that all the subsequent sequels, & spin-offs did the original movie a great disservice.
As for my favourite series, it has to be Babylon 5. Long and epic story arcs, actual character development (very rare in this medium), great special effects for the time and of course the great Londo & G'kar double act. However if we're talking about a series that's still running then I'd have to say it's Stargate-SG1, mainly because of O'Neall. I really can't think of any other current Sci-fi shows that are worth watching, not since Farscape got axed (temporarily?) anyway.
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
Didn't we do this last month?
Anyway... Stargate is probably my fav. series that's actually on the air right now even though I rarely get to see it. Good story, good writing, good development, and Hathor. Mmmmmm... Hathor.
Posted by Austin Powers (Member # 250) on :
My favorite series is a mix between TNG and DS9. I like the DS9 story arcs and gritty atmosphere and the TNG cast - as well as the fact that I grew up with TNG.
My runner-up has to be Red Dwarf. Ok, so it's a comedy, but I love it as much for its comedy as for its sci-fi aspects.
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
"Didn't we do this last month?"
No, but I AM having the weirdest sense of dejavu...
ARE YOU HARVESTING OUR OPINIONS, EH? EH?! DON'T WAIT FOR THE TRANSLATION, ANSWER ME NOW !! Posted by AVON (Member # 1186) on :
My all time favorites are jointly, "BLAKE'S SEVEN" and, "DOCTOR WHO"!!! (Both, of which are due to make planned returns in 2005).
"B7" was the first to mainly concentrate on the interaction between it's characters (especially "AVON" and "VILA") and, has beeen copied many times since, in shows like "BABYLON 5". (JMS was a fan and has said he based quite a lot of his sown on "B7"!!!) (Perhaps, that's why "G'KAR" and "LONDO" are, such a great double act with their love-hate relationship - probably, based on "AVON" and "VILA'S" equally turbulant relationship from "B7"!
Also, "FARSCAPE" and, "ANDROMEDA" have recognisable copied characters from the former "B7". (Both enjoyable shows too).
"DOCTOR WHO" was unique in its format for changing its main character (my favourites being "JON PERTWEE'S" and, "TOM BAKER'S" incarnations). It was the first and still longest running SF show despite lasting 26 year's - YET having just celebrated it's 40th Birthday!!!
Currently, not many worthwhile shows that I like watching but, if I had to choose I like what I've seen of "ENTERPRISE", so far. Easier to choose what I hate - "STARGATE SG1" (boring is putting it politely, despite the fact I like "RICHARD DEAN ANDERSON" quite a lot. His is the only decent character in the entire show. Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Using my m@d M0d sk!Llz, I am now declaring it law that RICHARD DEAN ANDERSON should be capitalised on EVERY occassion that IT is MENTIONED.
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
And, put in, "QUOTATION MARKS"!!!
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Yes, I missed that.
Using bold, however, is just overkill.
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
quote:Originally posted by CM: What for you, currently takes the cake as the best, or your personal favorite sci-fi TV series (not mini series) and please say why, or cite any eloquent comments/s made about it. It doesn't matter if the show isn't in production any more.
OK, I haven't read any responses - so I hope I'm not off the mark - you did say "currently" and not of all time - for that it would be a three-or-more way tie.
Hands down the BEST Sci-fi series at the moment and possibly all time for me is Stargate SG-1.
It is simply brilliant. There is a sense of adventure; there is the mythology aspect which gets you interested in things along those lines. There are FANTASTIC stories. It is reminiscent of TNG - and matching in quality to TNG (and even surpassing TNG) than any other show since TNG.
There is fantabulous continuity - that is the TNG style of continuity... a little comment here or there - not fully fledged arcs (which people think is what continuity is) or complete ignorance as to what has happened before. The story as a whole unfolds before your eyes. Infact in the last two months TV1 on Australian cable has been showing two episodes a night from midnight of season 2. They've gone through the series 3 times just in this timeslot - and I swear I've nearly watched every episode 3 times (even though I even have them on video - and can't wait for the boxed set to come out.)
The characters GROW - there is fantastic interaction between them and I think the fact that Stargate could ACTUALLY be happening now at the bottom of some mountain in America is fantastic.
Also I've met Teryl Rothery and Don S. Davis - they are the NICEST people!!
SG1 for a 9th season!!
Posted by Epoch (Member # 136) on :
Besides anything Trek, I'd have to say one of my favorite shows is FireFly even though it only lasted 14 episodes. IMO it had unique characters that could actually develop and interacted with each other in plausable ways. It also had this sense of style that I can't really put my finger on.
Posted by WizArtist (Member # 1095) on :
Best line from SG-1 to O'Neall (R.D. Anderson)
"What are you going to do? McGyver it?"
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
I remember that. Didn't they use that in the "PILOT EPISODE"?
Posted by Siegfried (Member # 29) on :
quote:Originally posted by PsyLiam: Using my m@d M0d sk!Llz, I am now declaring it law that RICHARD DEAN ANDERSON should be capitalised on EVERY occassion that IT is MENTIONED.
Your m@d M0d sk!Llz don't work in my forum, pal. Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
Didn't they use that in the "PILOT EPISODE"?
Yep, when, "SAMANTHA CARTER" discovers the, DHD on, "ABYDOS", she, SAYS and, I, "QUOTE":
quote:Amazing. This is what was missing from the dig at Giza. This is how they controlled it. It took us 15 years and 3 supercomputers to MacGyver a system for the gate on Earth. Look how small it is!
The "EXPRESSION", on "RICHARD DEAN ANDERSON"'s FACE at, the MacGyver, reference, is just, "PRICELESS"!!!
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
quote:Originally posted by Siegfried: Your m@d M0d sk!Llz don't work in my forum, pal.
No, but I outrank you on LENGTH of service and roguishness of HAIR.
Besides, everyone seems to be doing it.
And, er, to answer the question..."BUFFY the VAMPIRE SLAYER".
Although that is FUDGING the catagory slightly.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
It's "O'Neill", dammit.
Posted by Omega (Member # 91) on :
Yup. There's another Colonel named O'Neil, but he has no sense of humor at all. And was played by a completely different actor.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
I have to say Deep Space Nine is my all time favorite. The character interaction is superb, the premise is already established by the series that came before it so there's none of the required (and tiresome) explanations of why things like transporters work and the story can get really get moving. An ongoing story arc was something new to Trek and it worked very well. Mainly though, I loved that it gave all the actors a chance to add personality to their characters and the writers had a real respect for the history of the franchise.
Runner up is Farscape. It's fresh, full on non-humanoid aliens (a leap from what we'd seen prior) and the characters were as real and believable as any I'd seen. Plus, the show was hilarious at times when John used sci-fi refrences to explain a situation. I recall one episode where Aruen thought Yoda was a real wise man from earth....
Posted by WizArtist (Member # 1095) on :
Kurt Russle played a more macho version in the movie. I think the Anderson version is better.
Posted by Omega (Member # 91) on :
Plus, the show was hilarious at times when John used sci-fi refrences to explain a situation.
Best scene ever was him walking around on the Scarran negotiating table, explaining how for one day only there's a blue light special in aisle three! "My wormhole technology and a free set of steak-knives for all the tea in China, and anything else you can imagine to pay me. Welcome to my cold war. Now what am I bid for all the powers of the universe?"
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
"Can I get a HELL YEAH!?!" Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
What?
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
It's something John yells when he FINALLY realizes that since the "Scorpious clone" is in his head, he can kick his ass and shut him up anytime he wants to. I recall, he punched Scorpy about twenty feet up into the air and into an open dumpster before yelling it.
Awwww...heck: it's a Farscape thing. You should watch it if you havent.
Posted by Omega (Member # 91) on :
Naturally, an invisible audience responded "HELL YEAH!"
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Actually, it's a wrestling reference.
Or possibly a reference to other things. I imagine that phrase to be fairly commonplace. Still, wrestling would seem to be the obvious place.
Posted by AVON (Member # 1186) on :
Nice to SEE that folks on here have a SENSE of HUMOUR!!!
Quite like bits of "FARSCAPE"(probably due to it being an Aussie clone of "B7")!!! Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
It's a clone of B7 because they are prisoners that are fleeing an oppress...uh...they're all rebels trying to overthrow the galactic govern...no....um...
It's just easier to call you an idiot.
Unless that was an attempt at humor: then it was just a lame joke and youre off the hook...kinda.
Posted by AVON (Member # 1186) on :
Jason Abbadon
quote:Unless that was an attempt at humour: then it was just a lame joke and youre off the hook...kinda.
NO I'm DEADLY SERIOUS I'm afraid, regarding my comments about "FARSCAPE"!!!
"FARSCAPE" like, "ANDROMEDA" is a clone in parts of "BLAKE'S SEVEN" - (The former having a cloned-"SERVALAN" type character, for instance).
All, of "ANDROMEDA'S" characters can be easily recognised as, being copied from "BLAKE'S SEVEN" too ("AVON" = "TYR", "BLAKE" = "DYLAN", "JENNA" = BECCA", etc)!!! Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
"YOU" = "INSANE"
Posted by Omega (Member # 91) on :
Hey, that was my 5,000th post...
Posted by WizArtist (Member # 1095) on :
Wow, I only need about 60 more before I become "Active" Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Don't forget to buy protection.
Posted by WizArtist (Member # 1095) on :
I didn't know that Jason was for sale.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
...the fuck!?! Posted by WizArtist (Member # 1095) on :
Wow! I managed an expleteve and triple punctuation from Jason. With NO mispelled words to boot!
Posted by Balaam Xumucane (Member # 419) on :
WizArtist, the Timecube� has you...
Uh, so back to topic before we there's any more moronic newbie-abuse:
Star Trek: TOS is the winnar and gets teh powwarup. What was there before it? I don't know. There's likely a reason for that. The idea that anyone could realistically make this series is plainly insane, yet somehow got on the air and stayed there for three fertile seasons. Although it was campy and sometimes downright ridiculous, it pioneered episodic (hard) science-fiction television. By today's standard the production values look preposterous and the costumes silly, but so much of the writing was so good, and so provocative that it earns the top place in my ranking. I'm of the opinion that today's writers have at least as much to learn from TOS writers as the production and FX guys for TOS would have from the production and FX people from today.
Of late? Firefly is the show to beat these days. The more you watch, the more you appreciate just how good it really was. Unfortunately this also has the effect of making you realize just how bad many of its contemporaries are. Great characters, great dialogue, interesting and exciting stories with big and little arc development and, hey, gunplay! Too bad FOX has gotten so good at finding/developing new properties and then completely undercutting them and destroying them. Seriously, it could be, like, a part of their business plan.
Farscape was starting to be really good, and then started to be bad. Really bad. I almost wrote some spoilers, but suffice it to say, I feel like maybe people ought to watch the first two seasons.
I caught a couple of episodes of SG-1. It wasn't too bad really. Which isn't a compliment is it? Hrmm. Well, Enterprise is far worse. No, that's still not a compliment. Ummm. Nice production value. I'm sorry, it's just that as much as I like "RICHARD DEAN ANDERSON", he's playing the same character he played in McGyver only less resourceful, more violent and older. O'Neill is fun to watch for a while, but not the way Picard was fun to watch, and certainly not the way Kirk or Malcom Reynolds(FF) is fun to watch.
John Pertwee is my favorite Doctor Who.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
John Pertwee was okay....the first three Doctors were more like cranky old bastards than the later neurotic versions.... I still think that Peter Davison played the best Doctor (and was by far the best actor of the lot). And his companions didint always leave the show happily (or alive, for that matter!).
Over at SSM, we've been debating the gains to sci-fi made by Space: Above and Beyond. Sadly, Fox killed it by placing it during football's timeslot or shuffeling it with the Simpsons to fill gaps in their programng, then blamed the show for the fact that fans "couldnt follow the storyline". Kinda sounds like another recently killed Fox sci fi show..
SAAB was definitely worth watching and I think worthy of revisiting (with a larger budget).
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
John Pertwee was okay....the first three Doctors were more like cranky old bastards than the later neurotic versions.... I still think that Peter Davison played the best Doctor (and was by far the best actor of the lot). And his companions didint always leave the show happily (or alive, for that matter!).
Over at SSM, we've been debating the gains to sci-fi made by Space: Above and Beyond. Sadly, Fox killed it by placing it during football's timeslot or shuffeling it with the Simpsons to fill gaps in their programng, then blamed the show for the fact that fans "couldnt follow the storyline". Kinda sounds like another recently killed Fox sci fi show..
SAAB was definitely worth watching and I think worthy of revisiting (with a larger budget).
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
quote:Originally posted by Balaam Xumucane: I caught a couple of episodes of SG-1. It wasn't too bad really. Which isn't a compliment is it? Hrmm. Well, Enterprise is far worse. No, that's still not a compliment. Ummm. Nice production value. I'm sorry, it's just that as much as I like "RICHARD DEAN ANDERSON", he's playing the same character he played in McGyver only less resourceful, more violent and older. O'Neill is fun to watch for a while, but not the way Picard was fun to watch, and certainly not the way Kirk or Malcom Reynolds(FF) is fun to watch.
Which ones? I mean, if I'd catch a couple of first-season Babylon 5 or TNG or Farscape or even DS9 (or SG1, I'll admit) episodes today without having any knowledge of how those shows would grow and mature in their later seasons, or if I randomly grabbed Shades of Grey or Let He Who Is Without Sin without having watched The Best of Both Worlds or In The Pale Moonlight earlier on, I would probably turn away in disgust and never tune in again in my life, and then I'd be missing out on some of the best sci-fi ever aired. Which is only to say that I have learned (slowly) to at least sit through a full year of something before judging what I've seen too harshly.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
I like the job Andreson's doing on Stargate and i like his character a lot. As long as I dont try to think of him as Kurt Russell's character from the movie anyway...
Posted by WizArtist (Member # 1095) on :
Ditto.
Posted by Elizabeth Anne (Member # 1162) on :
I like Trek in all its forms, never got into Stargate, but did watch the last two seasons of B5. Good show. Saw the last season of Farscape, I wish that was still on.
And of course Firefly. Those b*$*rds. Hope the moron who gave the cancel order is run over by a bus. Several times. Then said bus runs over Avon. Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
LOL! You'll do fine here with that attitude!
Welcome to Flare.
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
*sigh*
Posted by Treknophyle (Member # 509) on :
I'd have to say a tie between TOS and SG1. In both cases the stories were fresh (for the era), the SFX state-of-the-art, and the acting (IMHO) great. Both show characters in which I can get involved - whom I cared about.
BTW, my fav O'Neill quote is: "O'Neill - two 'n's."
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
"l's". Two "l's".
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
"I still think that Peter Davison played the best Doctor (and was by far the best actor of the lot)."
Funny, I would have said he was the worst Doctor (which is not to say he was necessarily bad�just not as good as the others). I'll admit, I've only seen one or two of his stories, but he just didn't seem quirky enough.
Posted by Balaam Xumucane (Member # 419) on :
John Tesh, Timelord. Yes.
quote:Originally posted by Cartman: Which ones?
That's a good point. I do have the first 4 episodes on DVD, but then you can't really judge a show based on it's first four episodes...unless that show is Firefly. I've been reading up episode synopses to try to figure out which ones I saw and it looks like some cool stuff happened. Here's a brief and incomplete list:
The Light - Daniel is suicidal because he's addicted to and alien screen-saver. Double Jeopardy - erm, robot doubles? Cool! Exodus - Get the Tok'ra out of Dodge. Enemies - Intergalactic muss wif Apophis, (replicators!)
I also remember one where they are trying to huck a gate into a black hole or something. Maybe that's double jeopardy. Anyway I've probably seen a couple others. I just feel like I'm spoiling by reading the synopses. It's not a bad show, it's certainly better than a lot of others on right now that start with the letters "E-N-T". But even with the epic, sprawling stories, it hasn't captured me yet. Also I loathe scientifically explaining away gods an religions in general, but by having those gods be human hosts for little worms in their bellies is just silly.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
quote:Originally posted by TSN:
"I still think that Peter Davison played the best Doctor (and was by far the best actor of the lot)."
Funny, I would have said he was the worst Doctor (which is not to say he was necessarily bad�just not as good as the others). I'll admit, I've only seen one or two of his stories, but he just didn't seem quirky enough.
He almost died during the regeneration and once healed, was the only Doctor that had his shit together. There's some really great duels with the Master during Davison's run and his companions were all pretty cool characters by themselves (as opposed to the parade of hostages favored by the other Doctors). Davison's run had the only baddass Cybermen too.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
"...and his companions were all pretty cool characters by themselves..."
What, like Adric? Or Peri? Yuck.
Speaking of Peri, her accent was perhaps the worst thing I've ever heard. I'm sure it was British revenge for Dick van Dyke's Cockney accent...
In fairness, though, I haven't seen Davison battle the Master or the Cybermen (not counting "The Five Docotors", that is). So, I reserve final judgement for later.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Well, Adric is killed saving everyone from the Cybermen. That was at the begining of Davison's run and I think it set a sober tone for the next episode or two. Davison's stuff against the Master were really great though: the actor that played the Master for that run was more intresting as any on Dr. Who before: In his first appearance he sets up a whole artifical world just to kill the Doctor! That's a baddass.
When I spaek of "cool companions" I dont mean Peri: she was at the end of the run IIRC and was more of McCoy's companion. Teegan was cool...and very sexy to my 14 year old eye as I recall. Turlough was a bad guy that turned good and the 5th Doctor's comnpanions didint all like each other. And the 5th Doctor killed Davros...gotta love that.
Does anyone make Dr.Who seasons on DVD? I'd pick up some of those.
Posted by Balaam Xumucane (Member # 419) on :
quote:Originally posted by Treknophyle: BTW, my fav O'Neill quote is: "O'Neill - two 'l's."
Hey, they showed this episode tonight on Sci-Fi Channel. I watched it. Aaaaaaand again I didn't love it.
I do love that Teal'C (or whatever) constantly calls ensign twerpypants "Daniel Jackson". That's kind of funny. To me. "RICHARD DEAN ANDERSON"'s plausible denial was a high point, as was the "I just want to get one thing straight" line.
Posted by AVON (Member # 1186) on :
Elisabeth Anne
quote:And of course Firefly. Those b*S*rds. Hope the moron who gave the cancel order is run over by a bus several times. Then said bus runs over Avon
You don't have buses in cyberspace!!! ZEN lauch plasma bolts!!! FIRE!!!
Thanks "Jason" for the welcome, by the way!!!
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
quote:Originally posted by Balaam Xumucane:
quote:Originally posted by Treknophyle: BTW, my fav O'Neill quote is: "O'Neill - two 'l's."
Hey, they showed this episode tonight on Sci-Fi Channel. I watched it. Aaaaaaand again I didn't love it.
I saw it too and thought they were trying to install a drop of X-Files paranoia about the Government with that reporter's death. If you see my point, that is.
Posted by WizArtist (Member # 1095) on :
quote:Originally posted by TSN:
"I still think that Peter Davison played the best Doctor (and was by far the best actor of the lot)."
Funny, I would have said he was the worst Doctor (which is not to say he was necessarily bad�just not as good as the others). I'll admit, I've only seen one or two of his stories, but he just didn't seem quirky enough.
I started out with the Tom Baker version and saw the some of the first season of Davidson. I never thought Davidson had that same since of confidence that every other Doctor had. I still love the scene where Baker runs into the Tardis and slams the door on his scarf, then the Tardis begins to take off!
Posted by Balaam Xumucane (Member # 419) on :
quote:Originally posted by Jason Abbadon: I saw it too and thought they were trying to install a drop of X-Files paranoia about the Government with that reporter's death. If you see my point, that is.
If your point was that the actor playing the reporter acually had a featured part in the X-Files series, then it was not lost. If that wasn't your point then I may have just made it.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Yes, that was part of the point. THe obvious suspicion O'Neill felt at the all too convient way the reporter was killed was the other.
It still was'nt a very good episode though.
Sci Fi doesnt show the Starfgate stuff in any particular order, so I have to ask: Do they ever folow up on the reporter's death? The whole SG program seems incredibly chock full of idealistic, highly moral starfleet types as a rule. I've only seen he one guy lose it and go nuts. That's some incredible odds considering what the SG teams have to comprehend every week.
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
quote:The Light - Daniel is suicidal because he's addicted to and alien screen-saver. Double Jeopardy - erm, robot doubles? Cool! Exodus - Get the Tok'ra out of Dodge. Enemies - Intergalactic muss wif Apophis, (replicators!)
Hmm, well, The Light was indeed pretty dim (HAHAHAHA...), Double Jeopardy niftily tied up a loose end from season one, and Exodus and Enemies composed a decent chunk of SG-1's main storyline. You could have been dealt a worse hand there, all in all.
quote:I also remember one where they are trying to huck a gate into a black hole or something. Maybe that's double jeopardy. Anyway I've probably seen a couple others. I just feel like I'm spoiling by reading the synopses. It's not a bad show, it's certainly better than a lot of others on right now that start with the letters "E-N-T". But even with the epic, sprawling stories, it hasn't captured me yet. Also I loathe scientifically explaining away gods an religions in general, but by having those gods be human hosts for little worms in their bellies is just silly.
The black hole episode was A Matter of Time, which is, in essence, SG-1's Threshold without the reptilian drivel. At least the technobabble wasn't too pronounced, or something.
As for the religion thing, the idea is that the little worms (The dudes who haul them around in their bellies, the Jaffa, are their incubators BTW. The adult worms like to wrap themselves around a person's upper spinal cord which is how they actually possess the poor devil.) took us as hosts because their species was dying out and then posed as gods from our own mythology so science doesn't enter into it as such but you probably already know this anyway so I'll just say that you seem to have given SG-1 an honest if somewhat disjointed shot which is good and laudable and I guess that much of your enjoyment of it does hinge on wether you can suspend disbelief and accept eccentrically dressed humans with glowy eyes and computerized voices as credible villains which I readily concede can be a big stumbling block at first.
quote:Hey, they showed this episode tonight on Sci-Fi Channel. I watched it. Aaaaaaand again I didn't love it.
Secrets (that was the ep, right?) is part of a much larger arc that spans all the way to season 5 (and some of six, I think). As a stand-alone it's not too shattering, but then most of SG-1's plots are woven through multiple seasons so watching the show out of order is kind of a detriment to enjoying it fully.
quote:I do love that Teal'C (or whatever) constantly calls ensign twerpypants "Daniel Jackson". That's kind of funny. To me. "RICHARD DEAN ANDERSON"'s plausible denial was a high point, as was the "I just want to get one thing straight" line.
Well, humor is one of SG-1's many charms, as are the bountiful sci-fi and pop-culture references, so if you dig those sort of things, this is your show.
[ January 22, 2004, 05:21 PM: Message edited by: Cartman ]
Posted by Omega (Member # 91) on :
Hang on. No order to how Sci-Fi shows Stargate? Sure there's an order! There are three cycles going at any given time, but there's an order. Posted by WizArtist (Member # 1095) on :
quote:Originally posted by Jason Abbadon: I've only seen he one guy lose it and go nuts. That's some incredible odds considering what the SG teams have to comprehend every week.
Better odds than "Enterprise" being able to come up with a way to dovetail its Xindi storyline in with TOS?
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Mabye they started over or something. I was watching pretty regularly for a while (the 6PM timeslot)and then started working that shift so I missed a month or so and now they're definitely not as far along in the storline as before.
I really wish O'Neill would just ask Thor "What's the deal with the anal probes, man?".
Am I the only one that thinks the actor that plays T'Alc would make a good Vulcan security chief? He's got that eyebrow thing down. Posted by WizArtist (Member # 1095) on :
T'ealc and Tuvok walk into a bar...
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
What would happen if a Trill and a J'Faa mated? maggotts?
Posted by WizArtist (Member # 1095) on :
If bombarded with Gamma radiation...Dune worms!
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
He's got that eyebrow thing down.
Judge can do more with one eyebrow than some actors can with their head, voice, and body COMBINED, man. SG-1 is worth watching for his facials alone. B)
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
uh....please rephrase that last sentence.
Posted by Balaam Xumucane (Member # 419) on :
And such pretty eyes too!
Anyone else here heard of Vaginal Davis? Charming woman. Think Ronnie Lott in lipstick and heels.
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
quote:Originally posted by TSN:
"...and his companions were all pretty cool characters by themselves..."
What, like Adric? Or Peri? Yuck.
Speaking of Peri, her accent was perhaps the worst thing I've ever heard. I'm sure it was British revenge for Dick van Dyke's Cockney accent...
In fairness, though, I haven't seen Davison battle the Master or the Cybermen (not counting "The Five Docotors", that is). So, I reserve final judgement for later.
Adric was OK - and Peri... well Peri's most memorable assets were her... assets! (Of the boobage variety).
Tegan - I liked apart from her disparaging of Brisbane! Posted by Starship Salvage Ops (Member # 1212) on :
My favorite is Star Trek TOS. The interaction between the three lead characters is well written and can be very funny at times without being silly or stupid.
I think the stories focused more on substance and less techno-babble than it's decendents. Scotty could always get the ship up to stuff without a disertation on how he was going to do it.
Kirk was a lot more of an ass-kicker too than Picard would have ever been.
Yeah, OK I'm a Barbarian. What can I say.
Posted by Balaam Xumucane (Member # 419) on :
quote:Originally posted by Cartman: ...but you probably already know this anyway
Actually I didn't know that. It's been awhile since I saw the movie (which did prove something of a disappointment after showing such promise), but I always just assumed that our 'gods' were based on these Gou'ald (or whatever it is) over the centuries. Which could be more interesting or less interesting depending on how you played it.
quote:Originally posted by Cartman: so I'll just say that you seem to have given SG-1 an honest if somewhat disjointed shot which is good and laudable.
Well I haven't exactly given up on it or anything. I'm still curious. I think I'm missing something maybe. In addition to yourself, several people whose opinions I trust have repeatedly encouraged me to watch this series. There's so much, and I fear I've missed too much. Give me a list of 'must-see' eps and I'll endeavor to catch them. It's just at this point, the show hasn't hooked me.
quote:Originally posted by Cartman: Well, humor is one of SG-1's many charms, as are the bountiful sci-fi and pop-culture references, so if you dig those sort of things, this is your show.
There was some funny stuff with Jack and his double that made me feel like I must've missed the joke. I got the impression there's some history I'd be curious about seeing. Gimme a list, and I'll try to tape them off Sci-Fi CH or something.
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
A list, eh? Be warned that it could easily become longer than Simon's Sizer, so I'd stock up on tapes if I were you. B)
Anyway, I hear and obey:
Season 1 Children Of The Gods (obviously) The Enemy Within Cold Lazarus** The Nox Thor's Hammer The Torment Of Tantalus Bloodlines Hathor** Singularity** Cor-Ai** Enigma Solitudes Tin Man** There But For The Grace of God Politics (SG-1's first clip show, but second of a four-parter) Within The Serpent's Grasp
Season 2 The Serpent's Lair In The Line Of Duty Prisoners** Need** Thor's Chariot Family Secrets The Tok'ra I & II Touchstone The Fifth Race Holiday** Serpent's Song Show And Tell 1969 Out Of Mind
Season 3 Into The Fire Seth** Fair Game Legacy** Point Of View Forever In A Day Past And Present Jolinar's Memories The Devil You Know Foothold** Pretense Shades Of Grey (better than its TNG namesake, I swear) New Ground** Maternal Instinct Crystal Skull Nemesis
Season 4 Small Victories The Other Side** Crossroads Divide And Conquer Window Of Opportunity Watergate The First Ones (no, not the Vorlons) Beneath The Surface** Point Of No Return** Tangent The Curse The Serpent's Venom Chain Reaction 2010** Absolute Power Prodigy** Double Jeopardy Exodus
Season 5 Enemies Treshold (I know, broken record and all that, but: better than its VOY namesake, I swear) Ascension** Red Sky** Rite Of Passage** Beast Of Burden** The Tomb Between Two Fires 2001** Desperate Measures Wormhole X-Treme** Proving Ground** 48 Hours Summit Last Stand Fail Safe** The Warrior Menace The Sentinel** Meridian (OK, this is a cliche, but: better than its DS9 namesake, I swear) Revelations
Season 6 Redemption I & II Descent (I don't have to say it again, do I?) Frozen Nightwalkers** Abyss Shadow Play The Other Guys** Allegiance Cure Prometheus Unnatural Selection Smoke And Mirrors Paradise Lost Metamorphosis** Disclosure (clip show like Politics, but integral to SG-1's overall story) The Changeling Memento** Prophecy Full Circle
Season 7 Fallen Homecoming Fragile Balance** Orpheus Lifeboat Enemy Mine** Birthright Evolution I & II Grace
That should set you up the bomb el-neato.
**Even though they aren't must-sees, SG-1 does a hefty amount of name-dropping in its episodes, and although the episodes that build on them are moderately backward-compatible, it really helps if you catch these lesser gods (so to speak) too.
Posted by Balaam Xumucane (Member # 419) on :
Well as long as it's only a couple... I suppose it could have been worse. I could have asked you how to get to the videostore in Rome.
So, err, is there some more abbreviated 4-5 episode run that might convince me to explore the above list more thoroughly?
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Davison's doctor was the most...subtle of the lot. Especially compared to laster-era Baker, with his CRAZY EYES AND STUFF!
I think someone summed it up with the following: Baker's Doctor died saving the universe. Davison's died saving one person. And both stories were great (although Caves of Andorzani is probably the better of the two).
There were only two TV Master's, remember. One for all of Pertwee's run (Roger Delago), and one introduced for Tom Baker's final run, played by Anthony Ainley. The final two episodes of Baker's Doctor and the first of Davison's all interlink. And I can't remember what the first of the "trilogy" is called (it introduced Nyssa), but the final Baker one is "Logopolis", and the first Davison one is "Castrolova", so you might want to watch all three together.
And who said that the first three Doctor's were cranky? Okay, Hartnell and Pertwee were, but Troughton was Crazy Jumping Man!
Tim is right though...Adric was horrible. Truely horrible. Tegan, Turlough and Nyssa were all quite good though.
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
quote:Originally posted by Balaam Xumucane: Well as long as it's only a couple... I suppose it could have been worse. I could have asked you how to get to the videostore in Rome.
So, err, is there some more abbreviated 4-5 episode run that might convince me to explore the above list more thoroughly?
Yes, well, but... think of it as a general guideline. With that list in hand you can effortlessly transition from one season to the next, aaand theeen you can tick off the episodes as you go. Or not.
Anyway, if you MUST have a six-pack:
The Enemy Within OR The Nox OR Thor's Hammer The Torment Of Tantalus OR Bloodlines OR Enigma OR Solitudes There But For The Grace of God Politics Within The Serpent's Grasp The Serpent's Lair
(There's a bigass Blockbuster on Circonvallazione Trionfale BTW.)
Posted by Identity Crisis (Member # 67) on :
quote:Originally posted by PsyLiam: Davison's doctor was the most...subtle of the lot.
I like the distinction I read recently - the Davison doctor is the only one you'd feel safe having round your house for tea.
quote:There were only two TV Master's, remember. One for all of Pertwee's run (Roger Delago), and one introduced for Tom Baker's final run, played by Anthony Ainley.
Ahem, what about the "Bad-skin Master" played by Peter Pratt in The Deadly Assassin and Geoffrey Beevers in The Keeper of Traken?
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
THe "fried egg" Master doesnt count.
As far as a Stargate sixpack goes, "The Torment Of Tantalus" is a terrible episode! It's kind of required viewing to that season and learning about the Stargate but by itself, it's awful.
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
You are not furthering The Cause, Jason.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Yah, I know...but we want him to [i]like [i]Stargare, right?
I dont now any episode names, but the first one with Thor's race was good: the one where O'Neill encounters them and they wipe his memories.
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
The Fifth Race. But the thing is that you can't watch that one until you've seen Thor's Hammer and Thor's Chariot, and but so therefore...
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
But you could still do without that lousy "Torment" episode, right? Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
quote:Originally posted by Identity Crisis: I like the distinction I read recently - the Davison doctor is the only one you'd feel safe having round your house for tea.
I wouldn't mind having McCoy's Doctor. Although probably only when he was barmy, rather than when he was MYSTERIOUS and STRANGE.
quote:Ahem, what about the "Bad-skin Master" played by Peter Pratt in The Deadly Assassin and Geoffrey Beevers in The Keeper of Traken?
What Jason said. I didn't count them, because they weren't continuing masters, as it were. Plus I forgot.
I should have probably added the Crazy Camp Master from the TV movie though.
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
quote:Originally posted by Jason Abbadon: But you could still do without that lousy "Torment" episode, right?
You could not. For crying out loud, TToT is required viewing to all of SG-1! Jumping over it would be like sitting down to B5 and then forgoing War Without End, dammit.
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
quote:Originally posted by Balaam Xumucane:
quote:Originally posted by Cartman: ...but you probably already know this anyway
Actually I didn't know that. It's been awhile since I saw the movie (which did prove something of a disappointment after showing such promise), but I always just assumed that our 'gods' were based on these Gou'ald (or whatever it is) over the centuries.
The Goa'uld came to Earth and took over by pretending to be the existing gods.
Actually the movie is quite good after you watch a few season of SG1 and then watch it again... and you look at the movie as if what we know from the tv series actually fits and is a part of the movie universe etc.
I am also putting my support in for The Torment of Tantalus... it's a GOOD episode - and it is referenced throughout the series... especially in season 1 with reguards to Catherine.
Posted by WizArtist (Member # 1095) on :
I think the biggest problem the movie had was the preconception, that was fostered by the advertising, that Stargate was going to be more of an "Action / Sci-fi" movie. I remember being disappointed upon seeing it because virtually all of the action scenes were done in the ads and I expected more. Once I got that notion out of my rather vacuuous cranium, I really enjoyed it for what it is. I think that the TV shows have only gone further in reinforcing what was a good premise badly marketed.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
"Ahem, what about the 'Bad-skin Master' played by Peter Pratt in The Deadly Assassin and Geoffrey Beevers in The Keeper of Traken?"
I mentioned the Peter Pratt one in a post right after Liam's, which seems to have gone away now. I know I posted it, because I had to go look up the actor's name. Where's my post, dammit?
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Where's my chicken, G?!?
Sorry: Lawerence Fishburne moment there.
I want to se Stargate get really risky and have a war between Goa'uld Jesus and Goa'uld Mohammed. Boy, the letters would be flying then!
Posted by Malnurtured Snay (Member # 411) on :
I ate it.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Dont share wesley Snipe's fate....
(A bright shiney penny to whoever gets this)
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
Well, speaking of Goa'uld Jesus, they did have a Goa'uld Satan, which sort of implies the possibility of a Goa'uld Yahweh out there somewhere. After all, Egyptian mythology predates Jewish mythology, I'm pretty sure.
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
"I want to se Stargate get really risky and have a war between Goa'uld Jesus and Goa'uld Mohammed."
The Hierarchy would not approve.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
So they can only demean aincent, currently out of favor beliefs with alien symbiote nonsense? Whata jip!
Posted by WizArtist (Member # 1095) on :
What about a Go'auld Unitarian? or a Go-auld Atheist?
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
A Go-auld Jehova's Witness traveling from planet to planet...
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
quote:Originally posted by Jason Abbadon: A Go-auld Jehova's Witness traveling from planet to planet...
That's what the iris is for. Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
quote:Originally posted by TSN: Well, speaking of Goa'uld Jesus, they did have a Goa'uld Satan, which sort of implies the possibility of a Goa'uld Yahweh out there somewhere. After all, Egyptian mythology predates Jewish mythology, I'm pretty sure.
Excecpt Solkar was from Egyptian mythology... Daniel says "the original Satan if you will" or words to that effect.
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
You're not getting Tim's point. The concepts of Satan and Yahweh (the name of the Hebrew God, except they didn't write the vowels) existed in Egyptian mythology as Sokar (who was the god of, uh, Death and Decay�) and Amun (or Ra, I can never remember who created what) respectively long before they were "adopted" by the Semites, so, in the Stargate universe, there could be a Goa'uld wandering about who fathered a symbiote Yeshua.
Posted by Omega (Member # 91) on :
Well, the gods we deal with on Stargate are usually something like the gods whose personalities they assumed. For one to be like Yahweh, he'd have to have an intense love of mankind, and an intricate and detailed plan for their eventual salvation from their own mistakes that involved his son Yeshua dying for the good of humanity. Teal'c once pointed out that love and mercy are not general goa'ould traits. A goa'ould wouldn't've fed Israel in the desert for four decades, he would have led them out there and then abandoned them. So you could have a goa'ould that was like a Yahweh from a selective misreading of the Bible, but not one that was from a reading of the whole thing, which I'm sure is one reason why they never touched it.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
You really do ask for it sometimes, don't you?
Posted by Mucus (Member # 24) on :
Right.
A *TV show* didn't touch the topic because it could be unrealistic. A TV show with people flying through gates, crustaceans lying in people's guts, and five people saving the world day after day....didn't touch the subject because it could be potentially unrealistic.
Right.
They didn't touch it because their aren't people ready to start boycotts, write letters, or burn effigies, simply because someone touched their beliefs in a less than respectful way.
I mean really, imagine the American public shitstorm that would arise if Stargate SG1 said that a parasite inspired the myths around God. It would make Mel Gibson's movie look like an episode of Sabrina.
[And damn Liam for posting in between ]
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
This goes against my better judgment, but:
"So you could have a goa'ould that was like a Yahweh from a selective misreading of the Bible, but not one that was from a reading of the whole thing..."
Oh, I don't know, you wouldn't have to misread that much of it at all, just discard the New Testament. B)
[ January 31, 2004, 12:32 PM: Message edited by: Cartman ]
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
The New Testament was written by the Asgard aliens to counter the obviously self-serving Goa-uld Old Testament. Jesus was a sexless little Gray Alien. Judas was a Ja'faa.
Makes more sense that the actual bible, at least.
Posted by WizArtist (Member # 1095) on :
Hmm....man commenting on common sense.
I can hear heavenly laughter now.
Posted by Omega (Member # 91) on :
Oh, I don't know, you wouldn't have to misread that much of it at all, just discard the New Testament.
Well, and all those other times God showed people mercy in the Old Testament. But those are hardly worth mentioning.
And as for the potential for angering people, you'll kindly note that I never said that the differences of Yahweh from any goa'ould were the MAIN factor, just that they were part of it. So nyah. Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
quote:Originally posted by Cartman: You're not getting Tim's point. The concepts of Satan and Yahweh (the name of the Hebrew God, except they didn't write the vowels) existed in Egyptian mythology as Sokar (who was the god of, uh, Death and Decay�) and Amun (or Ra, I can never remember who created what) respectively long before they were "adopted" by the Semites, so, in the Stargate universe, there could be a Goa'uld wandering about who fathered a symbiote Yeshua.
I don't think that the Judeo-Christian-Muslim "God" is the same as the Egyptian Sun-God Ra. That would be like saying "God" is Zeus.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
"Ra" was just the first (documented, anyway) mono-theistic religion: no pantheon of gods for diffrent tasks-just the one multi-tasking diety to pray and sacrifice to.
Makes it easier for the masses to choose what to worship if there are no other choices, right?
Still, the "Ra" thing didint pan out for the Egyptians and after that pharoah's dynasty ended with him, the old gods were revered again.
There might be an episode or three in that idea (if you discount the fact that the worship of Ra came very late in thehistory of aincent Egypt and long after the pyrimids were built).
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
Are you sure you aren't thinking of Aten?
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Nope, although the name "Ra" get a little sketchy when used in conjunction with other aspects of the same idea like "Atten Ra". Beginning with the Middle Kingdom (2134-1668 BC), Ra worship acquired the status of a state religion, and the god was gradually fused with Amon during the Theban dynasties, becoming the supreme god Amon-Ra. During the 18th Dynasty the pharaoh Amenhotep III renamed the sun god Aton, an ancient term for the physical solar force. Amenhotep's son and successor, Amenhotep IV, instituted a revolution in Egyptian religion by proclaiming Aton the true and only god. He changed his own name to Akhenaton, meaning "Aton is satisfied." This first great monotheist was so iconoclastic that he had the plural word gods deleted from monuments, and he relentlessly persecuted the priests of Amon. Akhenaton's sun religion failed to survive, although it exerted a great influence on the art and thinking of his time, and Egypt returned to the ancient, labyrinthine religion of polytheism after Akhenaton's death.
When you live in the desert, I guess the sun rules all, huh?
Have we seen a Nut or Geb on Stargate yet? They're Ra's children in mythology after all... and I could almost hear O'Neill's jokes about Nut.
[ February 01, 2004, 04:18 AM: Message edited by: Jason Abbadon ]
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
quote:Originally posted by AndrewR: I don't think that the Judeo-Christian-Muslim "God" is the same as the Egyptian Sun-God Ra. That would be like saying "God" is Zeus.
Well, no, they're obviously not the same, but, as I said, a Goa'uld could have been on Earth long enough to impersonate both, or even set the Judeo-Christian religion in motion.
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
The only offspring of Ra we've seen is that of Ra and Hathor: Heru'ur.
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
quote:Originally posted by Cartman:
quote:Originally posted by AndrewR: I don't think that the Judeo-Christian-Muslim "God" is the same as the Egyptian Sun-God Ra. That would be like saying "God" is Zeus.
Well, no, they're obviously not the same, but, as I said, a Goa'uld could have been on Earth long enough to impersonate both, or even set the Judeo-Christian myths in motion.
We saw in the movie that the first Goa'uld to arrive was the one that took the Ra persona - or is that godona? Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
That still leaves Aten and Amun, though. And since the Jews picked up a lot of cultural tidbits from the Egyptians, they may also have copied the idea of monotheism during Amenhotep IV's reign. Heck, whenever 'Amen' crops up at the end of a Bible prayer, Amun's taking the credit, so you could freely insert a snakehead there. B)
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
"When you live in the desert, I guess the sun rules all, huh?"
Or when you live in a mountainous region, like the Incas did...
Posted by Omega (Member # 91) on :
Or if you don't live in a cave.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
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