Other sci-fi series as good as Firefly
POSTED BY: KillerK
UPDATED: Sunday, October 3, 2004 18:40
VIEWED: 23669
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I am currently suffering from a medical condition known as PFB (Post-Firefly Blues), which has been bought on by the simple fact that when I first saw Firefly, it was so fantastic that all the previous sci-fi shows I used to like now pale in comparison.
In order to combat this condition, I need some suggestions on Sci-Fi series (either airing now or avaliable on DVD) which are as good as Firefly (a difficult task, I know). Can anyone help me??!
Life is but a dream...
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Minear has said that his favourite scifi show was Friends 
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I like "Atlantis" and "Stargate" but FireFly kills them all 
Oh, let's see, we killed Simon and River, stole a bunch of med'cin, and now the Captain and Zoe are off springing the others got snatched by the Feds. Oh, here they are now!
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I have to agree. I used to enjoy the various Trek incarnations but they just look pale in comparison. I think Firefly managed to combine the best elements of a great number of influences. It brought a character driven drama with a post civil war/pioneering sensibility onto a space ship. It has elements of Trek in it's ability to serve a large cast of characters who rely on each other constantly. The writing was always fantastic and the setting allows for the kind of adventure stories that are not found on TV very often. Did anyone here watch James Garners "Maverick" series? It had much of the same kind of charm if I remember correctly. I was pretty young when they were on in rerun. Not sci-fi I know but I just remembered it.
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I hear you on thinking, that, previously to watching Firefly, I thought Trek was King.
I now rate Sci-fi as:
1. Firefly (by miles)
2. Babylon 5 (esp s3 & s4)
3. Blakes 7 (Uk show)
4. Trek; DS9, TOS, TNG, VOY
5. The Prisoner (UK show)
6. Battlestar Galactica (the remake, Ron D Moore)
7. Lone Gunmen (DAMN YOU FOX!!!!!!)
8. Earth:Above & Beyond (AGAIN, CANCELLED BY FOX)
OK shoes, that I'll watch should nothing else better be on and that i cannot be arsed to change channel
1. X-Files (early seasons)
2. Crusade
3. Sliders
4. Quantum Leap.
I also love Supergirl, but that's a movie, but I thought it worth mentining as she's hot!
"Damn you Fox for cancelling my favourite show!"
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For me, Firefly is streets ahead of the competition, but a few of my other personal favs include:
Babylon 5 - arguably the best continuing story arc of any series ever. Firefly might have surpassed it, but we'll never know now, will we?
Farscape - a bit of an acquired taste, but well worth suffering through the mediocre first season for the GENIUS second and third seasons.
Red Dwarf - there's another thread around here at the moment discussing this British SF/comedy. But it, too, is well worth getting into. When the Dwarf is funny, it's DAMN funny. Some pretty good SF concepts on occasion, too...
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - the best of all the Treks, simply because it's the least Trek-like. 'Nuff said.
Other than that, I don't think you can go wrong with The X-Files (especially the first four seasons), Buffy and/or Angel (more Whedon genius), or Alias. Those last three are not strictly sci-fi, I know, but they're part of the wider "SF/Fantasy" genre, and that's good enough for me.
Hope that helps. If you're new to any of those shows and decide to check them out, I hope you have as much fun with them as I did! 
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"Today we were kidnapped by hill folk, never to be seen again. It was the best day ever."
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I agree, though there are other sci fi shows i watch, i have found NONE which even come close to firefly.. it simply is the best there's ever been.
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Well, for obvious reasons, the best way to combat post-Firefly blues is to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer (and Angel, when that comes into play).
Also, there was another short-lived Fox show which enjoyed some of the same characteristics as Firefly; namely, that you *knew* you'd love every episode. That was Wonderfalls (Exec Producer Tim Minear). 13 eps produced, only 4 ever aired. Heck of a lot funnier than most so-called "comedies".
And, if you like Wonderfalls, then Dead Like Me is also worth checking out, because both were envisioned by the same guy (Brian Fuller).
Some other SF which is worth watching (though not as good) includes:
-Stargate SG-1 (Almost always entertaining, but rarely pushes the envelope)
-Stargate Atlantis (Ditto, 4 eps in)
-Babylon 5 (Epic in the story sense, but a bit weak on character)
I've also heard that Farscape is great, but it hasn't yet managed to hook me.
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I would put the first two seasons of Sliders in the Firefly category. Sliders was another show that suffered from the death touch of Fox. We had scenes cut, episodes scrambled and strange scheduling; but the magic still shone through in the first two seasons.
Sliders season one and two just hit DVD this past week; and it's worth the time and money if you love smart science fiction like Firefly.
Tf
temporalflux@hotmail.com
http://www.dimensionofcontinuity.com
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Thanks to everyone for your replies so far.
Outsider - I certainly agree with you on Babylon 5 (which used to be my fav series), Red Dwarf (although that's more of a sitcom than pure science fiction) and DS9 (best of all the Treks..as it actually had an ongoing storyling).
I will admit that I never really got into Farscape...but I've only seen the first couple of episodes and I'm willing to give it another go.
What about Andromeda? That any good?
Life is but a dream...
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