Can anyone recommend me a series?

[Snowdog]

I've just finished Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles which, despite some dodgy episodes in season 2, was getting quite interesting before they killed it off. A lot of my favourite shows die after 2 seasons - if they make it that far. So I'm looking for something new, with a good story arc, character development, no puppets! Also, no soap opera disguised as SF. Any ideas?

Shows I've watched already and enjoyed:

Angel, Buffy, Firefly, Dollhouse, X-Files, B5, Lexx, Twin Peaks

Shows I've tried, but didn't like much:

Fringe: Poor man's X-Files
Warehouse 13: Hobo's X-Files meets poor man's Indiana Jones
The Cape: None of these insipid superhero things work, do they? Remember The Flash? Not even Summer Glau could make this watchable.
True Blood: Steamy soap opera disguised as SF
Smallville: Less steamy soap opera disguised as SF
Lost: So was I, after the first season. And bored. Must be the most padded show ever made.
Heroes: How they managed to ruin such a great concept I'll never know.

The only thing I've found that I'm inclined to try is the new Battlestar Galactica, even though I hated the original, but there must be others.

 

[Quokka]

Considering the amount of science fiction series around at the moment I'm struggling to really get into any of them. The V remake was watchable as was the UK series Survivors though both have been cancelled.

An older series I've been watching is the 90s version of The Outer Limits. I never watched it when it first came out but I like the anthology style. It's up and down quality wise but there are some really great episodes.

 

[Alexa]

Did you see *Game of Thrones* ? If you are a fan of George R.R. Martin, I'm sure you will like it.

There is another one: alphas, but it didn't impress me too much.

You didn't mention *Merlin*. Not interested or not a fan ?

You could try also: *Being Human* or *The legend of the Seeker* or maybe an old one*Dark Angel*

 

[Bugg]

Supernatural, maybe? I know it's not SF, and the first season varies in quality, but it really picks up and subsequent seasons have been good stuff.

I really enjoyed Stargate Atlantis - much preferred it to SG1 and SGU.

I know what you mean about Fringe, but I do think it has got away from the X-Files rip-off label in the second and third seasons and found its own identity.

The 4400? The Walking Dead?

 

[Glen]

Fantastic Journey!

Fantastic Journey! No, hold on, I probably didn't think that one through.

 

[iansales]

Farscape, Dr Who, Blake's 7, the various Trek incarnations, Battlestar Galactica and Caprica, Andromeda, Firefly, Flash Gordon, Millennium...

 

[Bugg]

Yeah, I would've recommended Farscape, too - it's my favourite - but there was a 'no puppets' stipulation

 

[Vargev]

I would add to that space: above and beyond - A bit dark but a pretty good series I found, kind of an alternative battlestar galactica.

The thing about the new Battlestar galactica remake is that I hated the new starbuck. The way she slept with married people behind their backs, was a boozed up mouthy little.......well I digress, suffice to say it made me want to throttle her.
And Baltar, who was this guy? I prefer my badguys mean, nasty and powerful. Not some whingeing pom like he was.

 

[Rodders]

I still haven't seen S:AAB but i very much want too. It's hard tracking it down on DVD though.

I'll also add my vote for Farscape, Battlestar Galactica and Firefly but would also like to throw Babylon 5 in there. Sure, it's not as polished as Star Trek: DS9, but once you get into it, it is a superior SF series and paved the way for TV as we know it.

 

[Snowdog]

Thanks for the recommendations. I have seen some of them, the old Dr Whos and Blake's 7, Space Above and Beyond (also how can you miss Star Trek ) but you can't list them all...

Farscape: I've tried and tried. I know it gets better but I struggle to get through the first season. I want to like it though because it's different. I may still risk the box set.

Dr Who: Big fan of the old doctors, but just couldn't get into the new incarnations.

Stargate SG1: Liked the film but the series got repetitive very quickly. If the spin-offs are better I might give them a whirl. I tend to buy box-sets well after the event (hardly ever watch TV) so mistakes can be costly, as well as space-consuming.

Merlin: I did watch most of it, quite fun but a little too light for my taste. I prefer darker stuff. First impression of Andromeda (only saw 2 episodes) was that it was a little too much a case of fighting to re-establish the brotherhood of man, i.e. good old Western values, and then we'd all be happy again. Boring and predictable, though I liked some of the crew. Again, too light.

I actually liked The Fantastic Journey, but I was younger then

Millenium and Supernatural are possibilities. I know nothing of 4400 or Walking Dead. I'll definitely look into them. Caprica is a spin-off of BG, so if I like that I'll look at Caprica as well.

Being Human: not seen this, but got the impression it was soap-opera-ish. I'll check it out more thoroughly.

The Legend of the Seeker: I caught an episode of this. Admittedly I came in in the middle and have no clue which episode or which season it was. But at the end I still had no idea who the Seeker was or what was being sought.

Dark Angel: Saw a few episodes. Not sure how you become bored with Jessica Alba, but I did. I think these shows need a strong ensemble cast and this focussed too much on Alba all the time.

Has anyone watched Sanctuary?

 

[Bugg]

Has anyone watched Sanctuary?

Yeah - I gave up after two seasons. I thought it lurched from half-decent to total cringeworthiness from week to week. In the end the cringeworthiness was enough to put me off.

 

[Mouse]

I second Being Human. But the original British version, not the crappy US one. It's hilarious and really dark in places, especially the last two series which have aired.

Farscape I love but I'm not a sci-fi person so maybe that's why sci-fi people tend to say it's worse than what I think it is.

I'll suggest Alphas. Pretty new, six or seven episodes so far I think? But it's putting me in mind of Dollhouse. (In fact, I think Summer Glau is in an episode coming up.)

 

[Bugg]

I think, if you can't get through the first season of Farscape, it might be an idea to jump straight to episode 1x15 (A Human Reaction) cos, for me, that was when the main story arc started to take off, and then it's only two or three episodes until Nerve/The Hidden Memory, which really started to show where the series was going.

And seriously, you have to get to the end of season 2 - the last four episodes are among the best sf that's been on tv, imo

 

[Snowdog]

Well I've splashed out on the X-Files box set, which isn't exactly new

I'm also tempted by Amazon's Farscape box-set, which seems good value. If I have the DVDs I'm more likely to stick it out through the ropey start.

And if I can get it second-hand on eBay (not available on Amazon and a bit pricey new on eBay), I'm going to have a look at Supernatural, which seems to get universally good reviews.

So does The Walking Dead, but I'll wait for a bit on that one. Thanks for all the replies, looking forward to a few months decent viewing

 

[Bugg]

I've only just seen that Farscape and Stargate Atlantis are coming out on blu-ray. Damn. It's going to be an expensive autumn

 

[alchemist]

I heartily agree on The Walking Dead. It's a cut above most TV SFF. And if anyone suggests The Event, treat them with the disdain they deserve.

 

[Glaysher]

I heartily agree on The Walking Dead. It's a cut above most TV SFF.

The question is will it still be in season 2 after all the problems

 

[wormil]

Recently watched Earth 2 and it was much better than I expected. It was cancelled prematurely so don't expect closure.

Farscape really does get better after season 1. I struggled and almost quit watching but am glad I stuck with it.

SG Atlantis is the weakest of the series and has many of the same problems as Enterprise. SGU is much better but was unfortunately cancelled.

If you didn't like the first season of Lost then you would probably hate the rest.

Alphas is X-Men Lite and if you can get past that, you might like it. I really thought I'd hate it but surprisingly didn't. It gets better toward the end of the season.

The new BSG had some of the most amazing television episodes I've ever watched, at times I was literally sitting on the edge of my seat. The last season is the weakest but don't let that deter you. It is a completely different animal than the original series.

There is also the new British show Outcasts. I've only watched one episode but it seemed promising.

And an old favorite: Kolchak: The Night Stalker.

 

[Bugg]

SG Atlantis is the weakest of the series and has many of the same problems as Enterprise. SGU is much better but was unfortunately cancelled.

We'll have to agree to disagree on that. I thought Atlantis was great fun, and was sad it was brought to a rather premature end. I never really loved or hated SG1, but much preferred the characters and setting in Atlantis. I couldn't find any saving graces in SGU - I found it dreadfully dull and chucked it in after the first season.

 

[Snowdog]

I've started watching Battlestar Galactica and I have to agree with Vargev about Starbuck, I don't like her much. The episodes have been quite good up to now except for 5 which I thought was pretty awful (the search for Starbuck). After making the decision to let 85 technicians die so as not to risk the ship in episode 1, it beggars belief that Adama would risk the whole fleet for one pilot, whatever he felt about her. Out of character, and poor writing/plotting all round. Baltar is easily the most interesting character so far.

I bought the box set and the booklet has major spoilers and each episode also has a montage at the beginning of action that occurs during the episode. This is a really dreadful idea. Luckily with a DVD you can fast-forward through it.

I'm also really enjoying the X-Files again. I've seen them all before though a long time ago, but the quality of the writing and acting shines through right from the beginning.