Top 50 Sci-Fi shows of all time

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Very interesting... and Babylon 5 is called "one of the best sci-fi shows ever made" (like we needed them to tell us that). B5 comes in, appropriately, at number 5 on the list.

I would not have rated Voyager over Stargate Atlantis, nor would I have rated Sliders over either of those shows, but they did. Maybe because Voyager was on longer, or because it's a part of the Trek universe...

There's so much garbage on their list, it just shows how little really good scifi has ever been on TV. I am stunned that The Prisoner isn't on the list. In no order, I'll say that my top five picks would be B5, The Prisoner, the original Star Trek, Twilight Zone, and the original Outer Limits. The X Files would follow close behind. I am glad to see they gave a nod to Nowhere Man. It was quite good, and shouldn't have died a premature death. I wasn't a big fan of Kolchack, The Night Stalker, but it was way better than half the crap they listed. The Avengers should have been higher on the list.

Was Deep Space 9 not on that list, or did I just miss it?

Other then that, I agree with whats on the list, but not the order that they are in.

No, DS9 is not in the list.

Anyone noticed that the commander of Space 1999 is "Walter" Koenig? Should be John Koenig. LOL
http://www.boston.com/ae/tv/gallery/topscifishows?pg=14

Is the new BSG really that good that it has a #2 spot? Not a single episode has been broadcast in NL yet. When I heard it would be different then BSG-1 I've gone to great lengths not to open and BSG threads to prevent spoilers. Kind a surprised me to find BSG-2 this high.

No Space Above and Beyond either. I really liked that show.

The lack of Farscape, DS9 and The Prisoner is criminal, especially given some of the shows that made the list.

Is the new BSG really that good that it has a #2 spot? Not a single episode has been broadcast in NL yet. When I heard it would be different then BSG-1 I've gone to great lengths not to open and BSG threads to prevent spoilers. Kind a surprised me to find BSG-2 this high.

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#2 is questionable, but after seeing "Pegasus", I'd have to say the show has definitely earned a place in the top 10.

Yes, the new Battlestar Galactica is really that good. If I would compare it to Babylon 5, I would say that it is better, but since I shall leave B5 and BSG "all alone in the night" I will not compare them. Thus the two tv-shows can co-exist without harming each other.

And to answer your question about the BSG, yes it really is that good. And Pegasus was just frigging great.

Well, I'm pleased that Firefly made the list, and while I might bicker about only being #17, I'll cheerfully accept it considering the quality of the other shows higher on the list and Firefly's short run. My only objection would be that ST:Voyager was higher. Um, wasn't that the show that nearly ran the franchise into the ground?

And B5 deserves being in the top 5, no question. I didn't read the whole list, but I think the top 20 are pretty fair assessments.

The headers for the article are in B5 font too.

I'm skipping to the top 10, since I don't have all day to let pages load up on my slow modem.

That is a weird write up. "arguably the best Sci Fi show ever made." So we'll give it #5. "Comparable to DS9, but with a better plot and cast."
That's awesome.

I can't agree with the BSG rating. To me, it's still just okay. A dreary hybrid of old BSG (plot influences), Space Above and Beyond (the aforementioned dreariness), and B5 (Uniforms, FX, and arc concept). The same way they gave Star Trek the #1 spot for inspiring others that followed, I still have to give higher credit to B5 for being there first and, in my opinion, being more fun.

As for shows that personally affected me, I have to go with B5 as #1, Trek TOS #2 and Trek NG #3. I was a rabid fan of Space:1999 in 1975, but I'd probably laugh at it now.

I liked Nowhere Man too, although it became apparent pretty early that the writers didn't know where they were going with the story. I worry the same thing about LOST; that the writers will never be able to come up with a satisfying conclusion to all the crazy stuff they're throwing at us. Time will tell.

I dunno. Does MST3K really deserve to be on the Top 10?

Note on #8. Dorctor Who (2000s) has come back.

Much bigger budget this time.

Besides what's left off Firefly being listed above Buffy and Voyager being listed at all are the biggest credibility cripplers.

Some of the shows I hadn't heard or if I had I didn't consider them scifi .But really Battlestar Galactica at number 2 right behind the original ST . Poor Ds9 it did not even make the list.

As for shows that personally affected me, I have to go with B5 as #1, Trek TOS #2 and Trek NG #3. I was a rabid fan of Space:1999 in 1975, but I'd probably laugh at it now.

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Re: Space 1999 - laughing? Probably not so much laughing as scratching your head and wondering WTF was going on, and just what hallucinogenic substances the writers were on.

Glad to see Sliders at number 10, I always had a soft spot for that show. Amazed that DS9 isn't on that list, and yet Voyager is. And how does Logan's Run get to number 15?!

Battlestar Galactica (remake) is probably at number two because its flavour of the month right now. It is a good show though, but maybe not number 2 good. Only time will tell if we will remember it fondly. And I don't think that anyone can really argue with Star Trek at number one.

Lists like this are silly anyway, just a bit of fun. Everyone has their favourite shows, and there not always comparable. For example, its not really fair to compare Star Trek, done in the sixties, with the modern BSG.

Lists like this are silly anyway, just a bit of fun. Everyone has their favourite shows, and there not always comparable. For example, its not really fair to compare Star Trek, done in the sixties, with the modern BSG.

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"Yet another list" is what I thought when I saw this thread. But they can be interesting, this one just confuses me.

I didn't want to flip page by page so I am not sure, did Blake's 7 make it? I see Prisoner didn't but Voyager did.

That alone makes the entire list rather

And I saw another show or two near the 50-mark that made me think "who made up this list?"

Blake's 7 was not on the list, no .. one I was actually wondering about .. I didn't even notice the absence of Farscape

And Voyager is "one of the better Star Trek spinoffs" .. er .. huh? Just what Star Trek spinoffs were worse than Voyager?

The absence of Angel also kind of bugged me, if Buffy qualified (though much too low) .. oh well

And Voyager is "one of the better Star Trek spinoffs" .. er .. huh? Just what Star Trek spinoffs were worse than Voyager?

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Easy - Enterprise by a mile

From what I gathered, Enterprise at least had one good season.. I don't think Voyager did.

Though I don't really know. Voyager killed too much of my interest for me to pay attention to Enterprise for more than the (not horrid but mostly just boring IMHO) first season

Voyager never had one good season from start to finish, but it had more episodes, so maybe more total number of not-totally-horrific episodes?

Also, Enterprise didn't have a great last season. People had high hopes, and the episodes were an improvement. But the end sequence (was it 2 or 3 episodes?) really got a lot of bad reviews from fans.

I can't say: I was so sick of the entire series, I never saw how it ended. Some kind of huge disappontment, from what I vaguely remember people talking about.

Besides what's left off Firefly being listed above Buffy and Voyager being listed at all are the biggest credibility cripplers.

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I agree completely. Firefly (and I do really like this show) is ranked WAY too high for a show that only lasted 13 episodes. Yes, the fact it was cancelled by Fox doesn't mean it wasn't good, but IMO if a show doesnt make it through one season, no matter how good those episodes might have been, it shouldn't many ANY all-time list. And ranking it above 2 shows which were far more successful from the SAME creator? Not good.

There was another list like this that was linked on this site maybe a year or so ago. I'm too lazy to dig up the link to the forum thread, but I remember that list being far more accurate and I think more people here seemed to accept it as a pretty solid all-around list. Not like this one.

Side note: I also would rank the new BSG that high. I would list B5 as #1 (I'm partial yes, but I do believe it is that good). I seriously would put the new BSG as #2 after the season and a half of it that I have seen. So far its REALLY great stuff.

Yeah I kinda regret not watching it from the beginning. Season 1 in on my Netflix queue but disc 1 is listed as "very long wait," surprise surprise. Hopefully I can watch season 1 and sci-fi will re-broadcast season 2 before season 3 starts.