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worst sci-fi TV series of post 1964

I have to go with that great Canadian import from the late 70s, in which Walter Koenig and Clare what's his name from 2001 a Space Odyssey appeared "The Starlost". The worst TV series of all time, not just worst science fiction series.
Umm. Clare? That's Keir. Keir Dullea. And while it was really bad at time (most of them) I'd hardly credit it as the worst sci-fi of all time, let alone the worst of all series. Starlost's awfulness pales to the horror of "My Mother the Car", "The Second Hundred Years" or "It's about Time". (All of which are genre related to some extent).
 
Yeah, but those three were intended to be funny and actually were, a little, occasionally. The Starlost was intended to be dramatic and actually was funny, a little, occasionally.

And I still know the lyrics to the My Mother The Car theme. Okay, and the lyrics to It's About Time (both versions). Gads, for a little touch of dementia!
 
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Unfortunately, The Starlost was plagued by artistic differences and other production problems. Issues that had led Ben Bova, Harlan Ellison, and Douglas Trumbull to abandon the Canadian Production altogether.

When I met Keir Dullea at a convention, I inquired about those issues. He confirmed what had been said about those difficulties behind-the-scenes. He even said that working on the 1971 series was unpleasant.

From what I have heard and read, I can't say that I blame him.
 
Nor can I. The series had major problems, and was, admittedly, a very bad series. A shame too, as there was a lot of potential to the premise.
 
Although this would not fit the bill as the worst sci-fi show, this would come awfully damned close, movie wise.

http://www.wired.com/underwire/2009/08/do-we-really-need-a-remake-of-outland-warner-bros-says-yes/

http://io9.com/5341113/outland-gets-a-remake--and-an-entirely-new-plot

Just how in the hell do you top a Sir Sean Connery film with a lame ass remake?

You just can't!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xyi8-YrRq2k&feature=related

Sir Sean Connery is the MAN!

Hollywood really needs to look to the future and quit delving into the past by remaking classics.
 
But, from what it says in the article you linked, this isn't a remake so much as it is a new film using the same name.
 
Even if they were making a straight remake of Outland, the "original" is already a bit of a remake of High Noon (though, not quite to the degree that it is usually accused of being).
 
Unfortunately, The Starlost was plagued by artistic differences and other production problems. Issues that had led Ben Bova, Harlan Ellison, and Douglas Trumbull to abandon the Canadian Production altogether.

I'd cited Starlost on my personal list earlier. The thing is, I like it as a series - the characters are interesting, they got some cool guest stars, and the ship's computer was doing the Holly routine years before Red Dwarf, and the atmosphere really creeped me out when I watched it as a 4 year old (yes I remember watching it with my dad). Why it made my list was because of the lost potential. If you watch the DVD featurettes, you find out they had planned to make this show as a state-of-the-art showcase for new SF technology (gee, when did we hear THAT recently, Mr. Lucas?) but IIRC one of the backers pulled out and the show ended up being made on a $1.98 budget in a TV studio. And by TV studio I don't mean some facility like where Doctor Who is made in Wales - I mean apparently they used the same studio that was also used for weather reports and nightly news!

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. :)

It's one that you need to watch a few episodes of to get the feel for its patterns. Taking one episode by itself out of context you'll likely have the same WTF? response as I did at first. The whole series is on DVD too, though it's the only Gerry Anderson series to date not to be issued by A&E Home Video in North America so it's hard to find. I had to special order it, though it's possible if you Netflix they have it.

I forgot one on my earlier list: Shazam.

Even allowing for it being a show made for and aimed at kids, and for the fact it was the mid-70s, I tried sitting through a couple of episodes and it was just plain bad. By comparison, its companion show, Isis, was much better. Not that it had much more going for it in terms of budget, etc., but they got a stronger lead (and, yeah, the mini-skirt didn't hurt), and the show had a touch of irony Shazam lacked. I watched the DVD of Isis I did a couple of spit-takes when I caught a few things - double-entendres, mainly - that either missed the censors' radar or flew under it, and they couldn't have been all accidental...

Alex
 
I'd like to nominate Galactica 1980 a show so bad it should be illegal to think about let alone release on dvd. Season 2 of Space 1999 for all of the idiotc changes made by Fred Freiberger (who also ruined season 3 of Star Trek TOS). The post Robert Hewitt Wolfe episodes of Andromeda and last but not least season 5 of Earth Final Conflict.
 
I'd like to nominate Galactica 1980 a show so bad it should be illegal to think about let alone release on dvd.

Sir, may I see your license and registration? Thank you. Sir, do you realize you were thinking about Galactica 1980?

I'm sorry, sir, that kind of language is not appropriate. I don't make the laws, I just enforce them. Sir, I'm going to have to issue you a citation.

If you would like to dispute this citation, you can take it to the county courthouse. Although, sir, I should warn you, the judge will not go easy on you if you make him think about Galactica 1980 as well.

Yes sir, you can certainly take that up with him when you get there. His name is Judge Expo67.
 
I still remember the episode of Galactical 1980 where they established that an ordinary microwave oven could short-circuit a Cylon.

Seriously? The entire Twelve Colonies could have been saved by some appliances from Sears?

Who knew?
 
People complaining that Hollywood should stop remaking movies is a time-worn concept and nothing new.


Heck, Miller's Crossing (1990) is effectively a reimagining of "The Glass Key" (1942).
 
I'd like to nominate Galactica 1980 a show so bad it should be illegal to think about let alone release on dvd.

Sir, may I see your license and registration? Thank you. Sir, do you realize you were thinking about Galactica 1980?

I'm sorry, sir, that kind of language is not appropriate. I don't make the laws, I just enforce them. Sir, I'm going to have to issue you a citation.

If you would like to dispute this citation, you can take it to the county courthouse. Although, sir, I should warn you, the judge will not go easy on you if you make him think about Galactica 1980 as well.

Yes sir, you can certainly take that up with him when you get there. His name is Judge Expo67.

Well, people always said I took after Judge Roy Bean.

Silvercrest, I am honored to be bequeathed with such a title. Thank you.
 
People complaining that Hollywood should stop remaking movies is a time-worn concept and nothing new.

Heck, Miller's Crossing (1990) is effectively a reimagining of "The Glass Key" (1942).
Wow, Showboat had a 1929 version also? Never knew about that, only knew about the 1936 and 1951 versions
 
Two other shows that should be added to that list are the following:

The second season of SeaQuest DSV/2032

The third season of SeaQuest DSV/2032
 
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