SF or Fantasy TV series that had a nice long run- which are the best?
POSTED BY: chrisisall
UPDATED: Saturday, April 18, 2026 19:52
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Originally posted by chrisisall:Quote:I thought I was one of the few that felt this way...
Originally posted by lwaves:
Stargate: Atlantis - the funniest and best of the SG series.
The laughing Chrisisall
I think we are among the few, most seem to prefer SG1 (which was great) but to me the interactions between McKay and Beckett or McKay and Zalenka were so brilliant it stood out from the other series.
Do you know there is a plan for an SGA movie for 2011? It's called Stargate: Extinction and continues the story where the series stopped. Not much details yet and apparently the cast list on IMDB is just a fan submitted one but it's something to look forward to.
"The greatest invention ever is not the wheel. It's the second wheel." - Rich Hall
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I'd probably go with the apparent majority saying BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER.
My runner up would probably be STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE or BABYLON 5. Although neither was perfect, both were consistently solid.
ST: GENERATION might have had some great acting and a number of strong arcs, but until they found their stride (which took quite a while), a lot of their stories were derivative and muddled.
Similarly, ANGEL ended very strong, but has trouble establishing its identity well into it's second (if not third) season, so I have trouble giving high ratings to a series that was lousy for a third of its run.
LOST began strong and the finale did not disappoint, and I won't deny that for much of it's run it was one of the smartest shows on television... but when the competition is TWO AND A HALF MEN and CSI: YET ANOTHER CITY, that's not exactly strong praise. Muddled, incoherent, and often self-contradictory, I'd rate it below a number of shows discussed, despite many brilliant episodes and ideas.
STARGATE: SG-1 and X-FILES share my "They Just Didn't Know When to Quit" award. Both started with very strong runs, but were victims of their own success when they continued long beyond their clear ending points.
Many people will point to the loss of Mulder as the point where X-FILES overstayed its welcome, but I think it actually happened 3-4 years before that. The show should probably not have lasted past 3-4 seasons--at that point, it was so overwritten and overwrought that it lost much of its original charm.
I give STARGATE credit for trying to re-invent themselves, and of doing a decent job, but the Ori just never reached the quality level of earlier story arcs (despite some good writing and clever casting) and the last season was just excessive.
www.stillflying.net: "Here's how it might have been..."
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I spent 3 months last year watching all 214 episodes of SG-1 (including the follow-up movies), and I was thoroughly entertained all the way.
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Fair to say.
Although I don't personally agree (for the reasons already outlined), I think there is a strong argument to be made for SG-1 being the top of the heap. I believe it's the longest-running of the series that have been discussed and although there is some variation in quality, there are very few mis-steps in 200+ episodes.
It is rare for the quality of an episode to drop below "pretty good", and the majority are somewhere between good and excellent. For any series--especially a sci fi series--that's not nothin'.
Although I, too, was entertained throughout, I still stand by my belief that BtVS has a better overall average. Drop the last season, and that might change my opinion.
www.stillflying.net: "Here's how it might have been..."
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Quote:
Originally posted by lwaves:
Do you know there is a plan for an SGA movie for 2011? It's called Stargate: Extinction and continues the story where the series stopped. Not much details yet and apparently the cast list on IMDB is just a fan submitted one but it's something to look forward to.
Unless something has changed, that movie as well as the next SG1 movie are on hold because of money problems with the studio.
ETA: I did just read on Wikipedia that there are plans for a crossover with SG:Universe though.
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Quote:
Originally posted by Moose:Quote:
Originally posted by lwaves:
Do you know there is a plan for an SGA movie for 2011? It's called Stargate: Extinction and continues the story where the series stopped. Not much details yet and apparently the cast list on IMDB is just a fan submitted one but it's something to look forward to.
Unless something has changed, that movie as well as the next SG1 movie are on hold because of money problems with the studio.
ETA: I did just read on Wikipedia that there are plans for a crossover with SG:Universe though.
You know, I knew MGM was having trouble, because of delays to Bond and The Hobbit, and I knew they did the SG series but hadn't connected the dots. Ta for the reminder.
"The greatest invention ever is not the wheel. It's the second wheel." - Rich Hall
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Mandalorian is ok, I would not call it the best
Defiance and The Man in the High Castle can be an entertainment watch
the original Outer Limits or The Twilight Zone had a good run
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Originally posted by ecgordon:
Buffy has to be at the top of the list, and even though it only went five seasons I'd have to include Angel as well.
TNG was very good for about four and a half of its seven seasons, and I'd say the same for DS9, the only difference being TNG was better late in the game and DS9 was better at the beginning.
I know there will be many to revile me for saying this, but I am still a big fan of LOST. Not everything worked, but for the majority of its six seasons I was extremely entertained. The finale was weak only in so much as it didn't completely close off the story, but I do think it was a good end to the season itself.
T
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Doctor Who
B5
X-Files
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I give Babylon-5 credit for incredible writing by one guy, it probably opened the way for stuff like 'Firefly' taking on Star Wars and Star Trek brands at a time when they said nobody could do it.
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