I think I’ve always enjoyed Sci-Fi TV shows. It’s probably my favorite genre to watch and I’ve enjoyed it since I was a kid.
I decided to put down five shows which I think are the best of the best. I could probably come up with more, but I think five is a decent number to start with.
1. Firefly
Yes, I’m aware it’s so “basic” to enjoy Firefly and there’s no character development and there’s too many jokes or something. I don’t care; I like it. It’s fun to watch, and honestly, it’s a much more realistic vision of the future than Star Trek ever was. I love the way the characters interact with each other. The show just has this sincerity and genuineness about it. I love the fusion of classic Western tropes with a Sci-Fi setting. I love the fact that Malcolm Reynolds is just a guy who’s trying to do right by his crew and lives by his own set of rules.
2. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Why not the Original Series? Why not The Next Generation? Well, I personally think Deep Space Nine had a genuineness and sincerity that the Original and TNG lacked. There was also this constant character development. The character dynamics in Deep Space Nine were always very interesting to me, and I learned to love the characters almost like friends. We also got to see galactic politics play out in a way that we had never seen before. We got to see the situation on Bajor change and evolve over time; we never got that with the other series, because the Enterprise was always moving on to the next planet. It’s just such a charming show.
3. Battlestar Galactica
I’ve ruffled a lot of feathers on Twitter by saying that Battlestar Galactica is better than Star Trek. I unironically believe this. The acting is awesome! I like nearly all the characters. I love the storyline. The special effects in particular amazed me. The models and sets were made with such meticulous attention to detail that they look like they would actually work. Plus the show had a different ideology than Star Trek; in my opinion, Trek had a tendency towards liberal utopianism, whereas I think Battlestar saw the universe more as it really is.
4. Warehouse 13
Warehouse 13 is one of those series that straddles the line between Sci-fi and fantasy. Warehouse 13 is the story of an intrepid group of agents sent to all corners of the globe to track down and contain potentially dangerous artifacts. These are objects that were once owned by famous (or infamous) people throughout history and contain certain energy which gives them unusual properties.
This is a fun series, with interesting plotlines, a great cast and enjoyable character dynamics. I fell in love with it almost immediately.
5. Stargate SG1
This is possibly the most American sci-fi show I’ve ever seen. Underneath Cheyenne Mountain is a secret military base where there is housed an ancient artifact known as a Stargate. Through the stargate, a traveler can be transported to distant planets in the blink of an eye. When Earth is threatened by malevolent alien species, the US military calls on a crack team of scientists, soldiers and explorers to travel throughout the galaxy to find allies and technology to help them neutralize the threat to Earth.
While the first season was kinda campy, this show was a blast to watch. It had an outstanding cast and great writers. I think the ten year long run and two spinoffs speak for themselves.
So what are your favorite sci-fi series? Were any of them in this list? Comment below. Can’t comment? Buy a subscription for only $5/month and comment to your heart’s content! Just hit that button below to subscribe now!