Sci Fi TV

[Ideologue]

Deep Space Nine comes in second.  Lots of fluff in the series (it took nine seasons to tell about half the story B5 told in five seasons), but it still told a story and had enough serious and moving episodes that the fact that it also had the monumentally suckass character "Q" appear a few times didn't much taint it.

It had seven seasons not nine.
Q only appeared in one episode.

Yeah, but wasn't his daughter with him, that counts as Q X2.

Always preferred STNG to DS9 myself.

I think what you and grumbles are probably thinking of are those filthy Voyager episodes with Q.  I like the one where there's a civil war in the Q Continuum and the Voyager crew goes in and everyone's dressed in ACW uniforms and OH GOD it was like Lettow and Tim jointly won a "be an executive producer for a day" contest.

Anyway, DS9, I suppose; despite its many, many weaknesses, it's the only serialized space opera that I can say is actually good.

BSG had a lot going for it, and would have been better, if not for the ending and--like g said--its own self-indulgence.

B5 I just can't take completely seriously because of the hilariously undermotivated antagonists (Vorlons and Shadows, respectively) and "Z'ha'dum"--that one where Sheridan jumps off a balcony for freedom--has dumbest Goddamned things I think I've ever seen happen all one after the other.  1. Alien race that is supposedly more advanced and intelligent permits enemy to retain access to orbiting weapons system while trying to pressure him? Check.  2. Alien race that explicitly built cities underground to resist orbital bombardment has 100 square kilometer window installed over city?  Check.  3. Guy survives calling a kinetic bombardment down upon his own head?  By jumping off a balcony?  Check.

After that, I was like, these Shadow clowns aren't really a threat, are they?  And they aren't.  They aren't beaten; they give up.

That said, it had its good turns, Londo being particularly great, and the Shadow ship design is one of my all-time faves.  But if I ever have to hear the word "walkabout" again I'm gonna set myself on fire.  Also, I hope JMS gets cancer for never finishing Squadron Supreme and also for driving the Superman franchise so far into the ground it had to be rebooted.

P.S. oh and Firefly was pretty good, if that counts as serialized space opera.  Don't know if it should, since it sure wasn't serialized much.  *Rimshot.*

[Ed Anger]

I hate Bill Mumy.

[Ideologue]

Careful.  Think good thoughts.

[Duque de Bragança]

No BSG "Neil" option ?   

[Ideologue]

Que?

[sbr]

The only ones on the list I ever watched regularly were the original BSG and Buck Rogers from the 70's.  Athena and Cassiopeia were hotter than Wilma and Twiki so I have to go with the original BSG.

[Syt]

Athena and Cassiopeia were hotter than Wilma

Err, what?

[Josquius]

Firefly was the best thing ever.

Babylon 5  was barely tolerable poo

[Eddie Teach]

barely tolerable poo

Does not compute.

[dps]

Athena and Cassiopeia were hotter than Wilma

Err, what?

You kinda gotta add the "and Twiki" part in there.

[Neil]

Athena and Cassiopeia were hotter than Wilma

Err, what?

Athena was smoking hot.

[grumbler]

barely tolerable poo

Does not compute.

Probably because you, like me, don't eat poo.  His comment probably makes sense to fellow poo-eaters.

[BuddhaRhubarb]

Voted TNG... but I'd say I'm more of an "any Trek" watcher. I'm that guy who enjoyed Enterprise.

[grumbler]

Athena and Cassiopeia were hotter than Wilma

Err, what?

You kinda gotta add the "and Twiki" part in there.

Yeah, that's the only way the sentence makes sense.  Erin Gray was much hotter than Maren Jensen or Laurette Spang, but when you throw Twiki in there, the hottness average gets halved, and the BSG girls get in by the skin of their teeth.

[Neil]

I preferred Maren Jensen.