Babylon 5 vs Farscape

[psikeyhackr]

I didnt like Farscape at all, much too silly and didn't like the actors.

1. best characters-B5
2. best storyline/plot-B5
3. best setting-B5
4. best themes-B5
5. best acting-B5
6. best music-B5
7. best special effects-Farscape
8. best ending/finale-B5
9. best overall (see poll)-B5

That pretty much covers it.

Babylon 5 is better than Star Trek and Deep Space 9 is the best Trek.

Trek is better than Farscape.

B5 was really low budget but it was amazingly good for that. I think it is THE BEST sci-fi show to date. Farscape is almost down to the pseudo-sci-fi level of Star Wars.

psik

 

[IcecreamLtDan]

I guess this certainly shows that different folks have different tastes. While I enjoyed Babylon 5, no show drove me to more emotional highs and lows than Farscape did. Even now, after I've watched the episodes more than I can easily count, it still gives me chills. My wife and I can watch a few episodes and spend hours afterward talking about them. I still catch myself spouting out Farscape curse words on odd occasions. Dangit, now I gotta go watch it again!

 

[IcecreamLtDan]

I guess this certainly shows that different folks have different tastes. While I enjoyed Babylon 5, no show drove me to more emotional highs and lows than Farscape did. Even now, after I've watched the episodes more than I can easily count, it still gives me chills. My wife and I can watch a few episodes and spend hours afterward talking about them. I still catch myself spouting out Farscape curse words on odd occasions. Dangit, now I gotta go watch it again!

 

[Greg Cox]

Okay, I'm blatantly biased since I worked on the FS books and magazine, but I've got to go for FARSCAPE. I respect B5, and it hit some amazing heights during the middle of its run, but I'm not sure I've even seen most of the first and fifth seasons, whereas I would've been hooked on FS even if it wasn't my job. It was wild and crazy and intense and visceral, with great characters and probably the best love story in sf tv history.

Love the id/superego analogy, btw. Which probably explains my preference as well.

The id is always a lot more exciting . . . .

 

[Reverend]

^Damn, where's Peter David when you need him?

I'm actually pleasantly surprised at how the poll is turning out to be such a close run thing. I wouldn't even say it comes down to taste because I love both shows and all of their aspects from helium farting Hynerian to spoo ranchers. For me I suppose it just comes down to having a slightly more personal attachment to B5 than Farscape.

Oh and Greg, if you have the opportunity, I'd highly recommend watching B5 from start to finish. There are several threads knocking around the board where posters have chronicled their first watch through and to date it's always been a positive experience. Even if you've seen most of seasons 2-4 there's plenty in 1 & 5 to enjoy plus I can attest that when I went back and saw the show for a second time I was genuinely startled at how much of the myth-arc gets laid down in the first season (and even the first few episodes.) There's a surprising amount hidden in plain sight which, just from a writing stand point, I can't help but admire.

As for Farscape, oddly enough and in total contradiction of my previous statements I loved that there was no real plan beyond a vague direction here and there. The show was able to improvise, invent on the fly and retain an adventurous sense of spontaneity that's much more difficult in big "arc" shows.