Baywatch Nights was sci-fi? Sure, I only watched it once (one time too many), but I don't remember that. Did something change after I quit?
worst sci-fi TV series of post 1964
- Thread starter jefferiestubes8
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Baywatch Nights was sci-fi? Sure, I only watched it once (one time too many), but I don't remember that. Did something change after I quit?
I actually liked that ep...I just recently watched it and thought it was pretty good.
Same here. Not one of my most favorites admittedly, but it was still pretty good.
I find it remarkable that no one has mentioned the dreadful 1977 series "The Fantastic Journey" with Jared Martin and Roddy McDowall.
The "Logan's Run" series was an even suckier version of the already sucky film version of "Logan's Run". The only saving grace of this series was the Harlan Ellison episode which was amazing, though totally wasted on this horrific series.
Has anyone mentioned Gerry Anderson's "Space Precinct" with Ted Shackleford? This series might actually have worked better in Supermarionation than it did as a live action series.
Also, just about every Irwin Allen series. Sure, there were occasional gems episode-wise of "Lost in Space", "Voyage of the Bottom of the Sea" and "Time Tunnel", but by and large, the overall of these series sucked pretty hard. And "Land of the Giants" consistently sucked, and was, to the best of my recollection, totally gem-less.
The "Logan's Run" series was an even suckier version of the already sucky film version of "Logan's Run". The only saving grace of this series was the Harlan Ellison episode which was amazing, though totally wasted on this horrific series.
Has anyone mentioned Gerry Anderson's "Space Precinct" with Ted Shackleford? This series might actually have worked better in Supermarionation than it did as a live action series.
Also, just about every Irwin Allen series. Sure, there were occasional gems episode-wise of "Lost in Space", "Voyage of the Bottom of the Sea" and "Time Tunnel", but by and large, the overall of these series sucked pretty hard. And "Land of the Giants" consistently sucked, and was, to the best of my recollection, totally gem-less.
My choices are:
The Starlost. Personally I enjoy the atmosphere, but this one had so many problems, I don't blame Harlan Ellison and Ben Bova for disowning it.
Galactica 1980. I have no problems with the original BSG; it was quite good. But the 10-episode "kid-friendly" chaser they made was unwatchable, except for the episode with Starbuck.
Space: 1999 Season 2. I have always had a crush on Catherine Schell's Maya. But that doesn't mask the fact the second season had a lot of problems. Season 1 on the other hand ranks among the best TV SF of the era.
Holmes & Yoyo. Anyone who thinks the robot cop idea of Mann & Machine - which I personally felt was a better series than people gave it credit for - or Robocop is new needs to check out this bit of weirdness from the mid-1970s. The only show of this genre that's even worse is:
Small Wonder. 'Nuff said.
I actually thought Space Precinct was quite good because they played it straight, and some of the episodes were surprisingly mature in nature. The problem was it ran into the same issue that UFO did. Programmers and viewers didn't know how to handle a show that on the surface looked like something that would be rated TV-7 but in fact pushed closer to TV-14. And anyway, Simone Bendix looked a lot better as a live action police babe than she would have as a marionette, but that's just me.
Alex
The Starlost. Personally I enjoy the atmosphere, but this one had so many problems, I don't blame Harlan Ellison and Ben Bova for disowning it.
Galactica 1980. I have no problems with the original BSG; it was quite good. But the 10-episode "kid-friendly" chaser they made was unwatchable, except for the episode with Starbuck.
Space: 1999 Season 2. I have always had a crush on Catherine Schell's Maya. But that doesn't mask the fact the second season had a lot of problems. Season 1 on the other hand ranks among the best TV SF of the era.
Holmes & Yoyo. Anyone who thinks the robot cop idea of Mann & Machine - which I personally felt was a better series than people gave it credit for - or Robocop is new needs to check out this bit of weirdness from the mid-1970s. The only show of this genre that's even worse is:
Small Wonder. 'Nuff said.
I actually thought Space Precinct was quite good because they played it straight, and some of the episodes were surprisingly mature in nature. The problem was it ran into the same issue that UFO did. Programmers and viewers didn't know how to handle a show that on the surface looked like something that would be rated TV-7 but in fact pushed closer to TV-14. And anyway, Simone Bendix looked a lot better as a live action police babe than she would have as a marionette, but that's just me.
Alex
I never saw Space Precinct and have always been curious about it.
There's some on youtube, I think you and I might actually be able to come to a consensus on the quality of that one.
Expo67
Captain
Thanks for the kind words about my work.
"First Contact" isn't a show that I can claim nearly as much credit (or blame) for as "Tin Man" - there were quite a few writers on FC, and I suspect the most influential on its final form was Michael Piller - but I'm certainly pleased to be associated with it.
Truly, the oldBSG of science fiction sitcoms (thin though that genre may be).
Equating the oldBSG with that godawful show is not only illogical...but ridiculous as hell.
Homeboys from Outer Space was educational though. I learned what a hoopty was because of that show.
Is that related to a Horta?
Expo67
Captain
While you are absolute correct about the Logan's Run series sucking big time, I'm afraid you are entirely incorrect about the 1976 film version of Logan's Run on the whole.
The 1976 MGM production not only had an excellent storyline, excellent casting, and a remarkable soundtrack by the late Jerry Goldsmith, it also won two Academy Awards for SFX(even though the dome city set was not up to the SFX standards that had been set forth by Doug Trumbull and company some eight years prior to this film's production)and set a pre-Star Wars box office record.
Bottom line is this. The movie version is definately superior to the piece of childish crap that the 1977 television series represented.
Something else that can be added to this list of worst Sci-Fi shows would be this:
The second and third seasons of SeaQuest DSV/2032.
If NBC Universal had just left the show alone and not tampered with its format(i.e. science fact/science fiction), it probably would have lasted longer.
I don't blame the late Roy Scheider for his negative criticisms after the changes were made. Let alone leaving the show during its third season. I commend him for taking such an action.
I never watched the Planet of the Apes TV series. If it was half as bad as the sequels, which I largely despise, it might be worth some consideration.
Irwin Allen can do no right, pretty much.
I'd agree with chardman, frankly. It's a pretty unwatchably bad film.
Ah, Trumbull. Now Silent Running is quite good in SFX and as a film, and even had its ship SFX work literally ripped off for oldBSG (stock footage of the Valley Forge appears as part of the fleet).
Irwin Allen can do no right, pretty much.
I'd agree with chardman, frankly. It's a pretty unwatchably bad film.
Ah, Trumbull. Now Silent Running is quite good in SFX and as a film, and even had its ship SFX work literally ripped off for oldBSG (stock footage of the Valley Forge appears as part of the fleet).
Actually it's the other way around
Silent Running came out in 1972, five years before BSG went into production so it's the later that used the stock footage.
Actually it's the other way around
Silent Running came out in 1972, five years before BSG went into production so it's the later that used the stock footage.
Correct, but that's more or less what Kegg said.
I like the original Galactica, warts and all, mostly because I was relatively young when it premiered. How much of an improvement it would have been I don't know, but the series might've been better had it been three or four TV movies a year as Larson originally envisioned as opposed to the weekly series. That left them doing reworkings of The Guns of Navarone, Patton, and Towering Inferno in space. Some of those had fun moments, but, viewed objectively, weren't terribly good.
I suspect it probably depends on what age you were first exposed to old BSG. I was already in college by the time it debuted, and was underwhelmed, but I can see where it could be a treasured part of younger people's childhood. The golden age of science fiction is twelve, like they say.
That's just the way it works sometimes. My girlfriend is baffled by my fondness for old Hammer horror films, which she finds unwatchable, but that's because she didn't grow up on them. To me, they're comfort food.
We all have our personal icons. I couldn't care less about old-school BSG, but have never been able to bring myself to watch the remake of The Wicker Man. And don't get me started on the Uma Thurman version of The Avengers.
Now that's a travesty . . . .
That's just the way it works sometimes. My girlfriend is baffled by my fondness for old Hammer horror films, which she finds unwatchable, but that's because she didn't grow up on them. To me, they're comfort food.
We all have our personal icons. I couldn't care less about old-school BSG, but have never been able to bring myself to watch the remake of The Wicker Man. And don't get me started on the Uma Thurman version of The Avengers.
Now that's a travesty . . . .
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The New BSG is not a god awful show. It's one of the most critically acclaimed shows of the last decade. It has excellent actors, writers and very high production values.That is a really good ep.
Thanks for the kind words about my work.
"First Contact" isn't a show that I can claim nearly as much credit (or blame) for as "Tin Man" - there were quite a few writers on FC, and I suspect the most influential on its final form was Michael Piller - but I'm certainly pleased to be associated with it.
Truly, the oldBSG of science fiction sitcoms (thin though that genre may be).
Equating the oldBSG with that godawful show is not only illogical...but ridiculous as hell.
You may not like it but any objective and honest critique of the show has to accept those facts.
I think I was about five or six when oldBSG came out. I remember thinking the Cylons with the little light moving back and forth instead of eyes were cool, and I pretty much just paid attention when they were on the screen. Sounds like I didn't miss too much.
After the first season bombed, the Hoff retooled the show to turn it into X-Files: Beach with sea monsters, vampires, aliens, ghosts, unfrozen Vikings, psychics, demon possession, mummies, werewolves, holodecks, alternate realities, and space bacteria.
http://www.tv.com/baywatch-nights/show/468/episode.html?season=2&tag=list_header;paginator;2
http://www.cracked.com/article/242_6-tv-shows-that-completely-lost-their-shit/
LOL, seriously? I watched an episode here and there of Baywatch original, and knew there was a Baywatch Nights, but, I had no idea
The beaches of Los Angeles are just one long white sandy Hellmouth.
Sadly, Mitch and the other lifeguards were the first fatalities when the aliens invaded Santa Monica in Battle: Los Angeles as payback for the Baywatch gang thwarting their earlier recon mission.
Sadly, Mitch and the other lifeguards were the first fatalities when the aliens invaded Santa Monica in Battle: Los Angeles as payback for the Baywatch gang thwarting their earlier recon mission.
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