What's a good sci fi show to watch NOW?

[ReadyAndWilling]

hey guys, i'm a huge fan of Voyager and DS9, but what are the sci-fi shows to watch now? i was a huge fan of SG1 and SGA, but again, both of these shows are over and done with.

what's a good show i could go and watch now? i know of SG-U and i saw the pilot, but just didn't like it all.

thanks

 

[Whofan]

There's Doctor Who, the long-running BBC series about an alien time-traveller. It doesn't take itself too seriously like Trek tends to do at times, and doesn't have a huge FX budget, but it's a fun series. The current incarnation of the show is currently filming it's sixth season, starring Matt Smith. Repeats (Although mainly that of the prior two doctors) are shown practically daily on BBC America. Despite it's long history, it's a fairly easy franchise to get into.

 

[Shurik]

Try Fringe.

 

[Mistral]

Yes, Fringe. Alt history, bizarre dark conspiracies, weird people with amazing abilities and telepaths, shape-shifters, and a mad scientist-what's not to love?

 

[LitmusDragon]

Another vote for Fringe. I gave up on it initially after the sixth episode or so but went back and finished season one afterwards and it does get much better towards the middle of the season.

I still haven't seen season 2, DVDs are on the way.

 

[Starbreaker]

Fringe
Chuck

 

[Hyperspace05]

SGU and Fringe. That is all.

You really should give SGU another shot.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

The resurrected Futurama is as great as ever but the season is over for now.

Clone Wars is on Cartoon Network - I've been catching up with previous seasons on DVD - it's too simplistic and pitched towards the kiddies (although still tolerable for adults) but people say it gets better in S2 (S3 just started airing) and it does seem to be the do-over of Anakin's horribly botched story that I've been hoping for. Considering how cool that story could be if done well, I'll ignore the stuff I dislike (corny villains; interchangeable, dull clones; the fact that the whole war really has no dramatic point since we already know it's all a fraud).

Caprica is starting on Skiffy in about a week or two. It's been a bit rocky finding its footing and latching onto exactly what the story is about, but if and when they get their butts in gear, it could be a great show - a sci fi show that is actually about sci fi for a change, rather than just using sci fi elements as window dressing for some other genre (action/adventure, war, cop show, etc).

I loyally slogged through SG-1 and SG:A almost all the way, but couldn't hack SG:U. However, now that Robert Knepper is joining the cast for a few episodes, I'll jump back in. I doubt I'll stick with it. The Stargate writers are trying to ape the style and tone of BSG but obviously don't have the first idea how to do it. They should have stuck with Stargate's traditional fluffy style, since that's within their range of competence.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

Agreed about SGU (edit: Agreeing with Hyperspace). It's nothing like the other Stargate shows (which I liked as well), but I don't see that as a bad thing. It's charting its own course and I've enjoyed it a great deal so far. You should give it another try.

Also agreed with Fringe and Chuck, though Chuck is only scifi in the James Bond-sense with extraordinary gadgets and implausible medical procedures and computers. The stories themselves aren't particularly scifi in nature for the most part.

If you liked X-Files, you'll like Fringe. It replaces aliens with an alternate universe mythology arc, and mixes that with a lot of standalone freak of the week episodes.

Clone Wars is arguably better than the Star Wars prequels in many respects.

Caprica pales in comparison to Battlestar Galactica and can be boring at times, but it occasionally has flashes of brilliance that I hope will be developed further this upcoming season. You have time to catch up on the first season before this new one starts.

[edited to add] Forgot to include Eureka and Warehouse 13. They're similar in that they tend to focus on comedic happenings surrounding the gadget of the week, but Eureka is more science gadget oriented while Warehouse 13 is more mystical/historical/literary gadget oriented.

 

[OmahaStar]

They should have stuck with Stargate's traditional fluffy style, since that's within their range of competence.

I think you're being far too kind to the writers. Their talent well has been sucked dry. Time for new blood.

 

[Pingfah]

I'd say a huge fan of SG1 and SGA might like Eureka. It's silly but entertaining fluff, just like the aforementioned.

And I agree with whoever said Doctor Who, that's also very silly, but by far the best show out of the ones I have just mentioned.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

They should have stuck with Stargate's traditional fluffy style, since that's within their range of competence.

I think you're being far too kind to the writers. Their talent well has been sucked dry. Time for new blood.

Coming from me, fluffy is not a compliment, in case that wasn't clear. I despise shows that are so lacking in imagination and simple self-confidence that they have to fall back on silliness and camp. Writers who are any damn good should be able to come up with serious writing and not hide behind the lame excuse that "it's okay if it sucks because we aren't serious anyway."

 

[Greg Cox]

Gotta disagree there. Not sure where people got the idea that science fiction, fantasy, and comic books have to be deadly serious or they're no good.

Whimsy, humor, and, yes, silliness are virtues in their own right.

And being "fluffy" doesn't mean you don't have to worry about quality. It just means that sometimes you're trying to make people laugh, not cry.

"Tragedy is easy. Comedy is hard."

 

[DigificWriter]

Caprica.

 

[Jack Bauer]

Fringe for sure.

 

[RJDiogenes]

If you're into Space Opera, you're quite out of luck since Stargate has been downgraded to nunuBSG status. Defining "Sci Fi" in the broad sense, I recommend Warehouse 13, Eureka and Sanctuary. All are solid concepts with solid storytelling and are well cast with distinctive characters (in all cases, the relationships and conflicts arise naturally, without any of the forced antagonism of the nu generation shows). Both Warehouse 13 and Sanctuary employ elements of Steampunk, if you're partial to that.

Going farther afield, Supernatural is a fantastic show that is just starting its 6th Season. And Bones uses borderline SF elements in its forensic investigations and is, overall, a show that I think would appeal to fans of real SF.

 

[Tyson]

Caprica is the only thing trying anything interesting and it'll probably be done after this year. Everything else currently airing is crap, especially SGU.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Going by the shows you listed I'd say give Doctor Who a chance but you will probably find the tone a bit jarring at first. If you stick with it you might like it.

Also, I don't know for sure (obviously not having seen it yet) but I think SG-U Season 2 might work as well. They've at least opened a door that it might be taking a bit more of a mainstream direction (maybe).

 

[Greg Cox]

Speaking of British shows, I really enjoyed the first two seasons of PRIMEVAL. Haven't got up with the third season yet.

 

[Mr Light]

Sadly, Doctor Who is the only really great SF show on the moment. I miss the glory days of the late 90s when all those SF shows were on. Fringe? Meh. SGU and Caprica I couldn't get past the pilot. Eureka? Meh. Warehouse 13? Meh.

If you wanna count half hour animated shows Futurama and Clone Wars are good though.