Old Babylon 5 fan needs recommendations

[8bitDredd]

Hello,

Old Babylon 5 fan needs recommendations for watching a new Sci-Fi TV series.

Is The Expanse any good?

[Jim_Campbell]

Is The Expanse any good?

It's excellent, and it gets better as it goes on.

[Trooper McFad]

I concur

[8bitDredd]

Is The Expanse any good?

It's excellent, and it gets better as it goes on.

Are there different alien factions too in the series?

[Funt Solo]

Is The Expanse any good?

It's excellent, and it gets better as it goes on.

Are there different alien factions too in the series?

You have three factions of human: Earthers, Martians and Belters (people who live and work in the far flung reaches of the solar system, and so have developed different physiology).

There are no aliens. Except [GENTLE SPOILERS AHEAD] ...






... that an alien virus is discovered that starts to mutate and evolve, eventually creating some large-scale, physics-defying artefacts that have a significant impact on the political landscape of the solar system. There's a sense of elder races of aliens, and also some dimensional rift business. But it's not like Star Trek, where you stick some pointy ears on a human and call them an alien.

[Jim_Campbell]

Are there different alien factions too in the series?

No... the scope of the series expands as the seasons progress, in way that I won't spoil for you, but the series is set in our fully-colonised solar system — the factions human and their allegiances are planetary (plus the Belters) but the manoeuvring, intrigue, tension and occasional bit of back-stabbing certainly did remind me of the politics in B5.

[M.I.K.]

...and Belters (people who live and work in the far flung reaches of the solar system, and so have developed different physiology).

I can confirm that this is the case, having actually gone to school in Tranent*.


*(this particular reference only amusing to people local to East Lothian)

[Trooper McFad]

...and Belters (people who live and work in the far flung reaches of the solar system, and so have developed different physiology).

I can confirm that this is the case, having actually gone to school in Tranent*.


*(this particular reference only amusing to people local to East Lothian)

I should take offence as I too went to school and still live in Tranent but there's definitely a few true "Belters" still kicking about- a lot of incomers are increasing the gene pool 😂😂😂😂

[M.I.K.]

Well... Good to know my uncanny ability to potentially put my foot right in it in an extremely implausible manner remains undiminished.

I think the forum's gene pool could do with a bit o' expanding as well, based on that.

[RookieNerd]

Hello,

Old Babylon 5 fan needs recommendations for watching a new Sci-Fi TV series.

Is The Expanse any good?

New is releative a lot of old is new to me. Massive B5 fan for sure. I became a massive fan of the BSG reboot.

It had a lot of polical intrigue about reforming a civil government. While dealing with the tense relationship of military who was trying to protect the human race from extinction.

It covered a lot other ground the nature of existance, what it is to be human and religious themes. Issues of classism between people who came from other planets. Speciesism between the humans and cylons.

[The Legendary Shark]

Foundation is worth your time, deffo.

[Tjm86]

I'd have to agree with the recommendation for Foundation as well.  I'd also add "For All Mankind" to that list.  An interesting alternative history in which the Americans lost the race to the moon.

Presumably you've tried the B5 offshoot "Crusade." (assuming you made it through S5 ... After that, if you've tried the recommendations here such as the BSG reboot it is a bit difficult to know what to recommend.

Most SF series tend to suffer from age, particularly the stuff from the 70's and 80's.  Even the handful of series that got made in the 90's can sometimes be a bit of a labour of love.

The original BSG had some good episodes but also some pretty naff ones.  Buck Rogers tends to struggle once you get past the pilot movie and the least said about season 2 the better.  Blakes 7 starts off strong, struggles in places in season 2 before going off the rails in season's 3 and 4 until the final episode.  Doctor Who and Star Trek have their moments but the latter can be quite preachy at times.

Quite a few folks in these parts will speak with affection of the utterly bonkers Farscape.  Personally I'd put myself in that camp. Like B5 and BSG it lacks the puritanical streak of DW and ST. 

Anderson's output can be quite variable.  Arguably it also depends on your sensibilities.  I love UFO and Space: 1999 for the detailed model work that builds on some of the stuff from Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet.  The episodic nature of these does mean some of the episodes are incredibly variable.  It is amazing, to my mind, how season two of S:1999 can actually suffer from improved production quality.  It might look and sound better but the stronger episodes (if you can call them that) are in the first season.

Space: Above and Beyond is not hideous - US Marines in Space, sort of a poor man's Starship Troopers from the X-Files production team.  If you're a Roddy McDowell fan (and after Planet of the Apes, who isn't?) then the Planet of the Apes series might be worth a try or if you want to try obscure 1970's TV series then the short-lived Fantastic Journey might be an option.Then again, they are more earthbound options so maybe not, if it is 'hard-space-bound-SF' you're after.

[Funt Solo]

Firefly is good - although I think the straight-talking captain's insistence on crushing on a high-class prostitute by continually calling her a whore in front of the rest of the crew might struggle to get scripted in the modern era.

I was totally in love with Farscape's brand of space-bananas on its original release. Watching it more recently it was like the entire cast were mainlining PCP. So, y'know - that could be difficult to put up with, depending on your frame of mind.

[RookieNerd]

Firefly is good - although I think the straight-talking captain's insistence on crushing on a high-class prostitute by continually calling her a whore in front of the rest of the crew might struggle to get scripted in the modern era.

I was totally in love with Farscape's brand of space-bananas on its original release. Watching it more recently it was like the entire cast were mainlining PCP. So, y'know - that could be difficult to put up with, depending on your frame of mind.

FireFly short and bitter sweet. At least they wrapped it up in Serenity. He was being a D to her, because he was into her and that was his way of keeping his distance. That is how I saw it, because he came back for her when he knew it was a total suicidal trap.

Watched Farscape awhile back and forgot about it, but I picked up SO1. Early days yet to see if it clicks.