Posted on 11/02/2009 3:09:41 PM PST by EveningStar
Here are my selections for the most pretentious science fiction - fantasy TV shows (RELAX - THE CYNICISM IS ALL IN FUN!):
5. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997 - 2003) - Pretty much a chick series.
4. V (original - including miniseries' - 1983 - 1985) - Nazi lizard people invade the earth.
3. Alien Nation (1989 - 1990) - A message series with one message - racism is evil. We get it. Next. (amazingly enough, this series spawned five made for TV movies, which were viewed by all 500 of its fans)
2. Beauty and the Beast (1987 - 1990) - Nauseatingly sappy
1. Babylon 5 (1993 - 1998) - Yeah, I know that "true science fiction fans" like this series because J. Michael Straczynski is a fan of literary SF - and named a Psi Cop "Alfred Bester." Big deal.
I never saw the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica, but from what I've read about it, it definitely would have made my list.
OK. Those are my picks. How about yours?
Wow. 36 posts before somebody who actually know the meaning of “pretentious” replied.
Thank you!
True. "The Empire Strikes Back" is a classic.
Also don’t forget about Andromeda.. Good concept but I have never seen the show fall so fast...
bttt. I haven’t seen the Firefly series. Is it out there to download or do i need the DVD?
It didn’t take much.. I like Enterprise better than TNG...
You can get the series dvds for 12.99 at bestbuy this month I believe. Well worth it.
Maybe two. Like I said, parts are funny, very funny. Others just miss completely. The T-Rex offended by Marshal’s “Walnut sized brain” comment tossing a three foot diameter walnut into the cave had me rolling. The poorly done sexual innuendos leave me cold.
Loved B5, myself. I wouldn’t put it on a pretentious list; it’s the most like good golden age literary SF without the ST universe pretensions, IMHO...And I grew up reading that stuff by the bucket. Might be a learned taste.
I was 10 when I read Ellison’s story “I Have no Mouth and I Must Scream.” Thinking about it (my ten year old’s reaction to the story) gives me the heebee-jeebees still today.
He has his moments, but I don’t disagree with your basic assessment.
Dark Angel
but Jessica Alba was hot
Coincidentally, I'm having dinner with him and a few other people tomorrow night.
I encountered that show years ago, just channel surfing ... hated it on sight, just too, too much. Overkill on the costuming, overkill on the sets, trying way too hard.
But, then, I really don't know why I actually sat through an entire episode, but I began to enjoy the characters. There were some very interesting storylines, veering into highly unusual territory for a television series.
I sort of miss it.
I think you forgot “short obnoxious” in there somewhere.

This chick and a chimpanzee? That's can't miss TV, right there!
She was the Grace Park of her day.
Ok, this one is going to age me.
Does anyone remember Blake’s 7? It always stuck with at the end of one episode the “you can have war between people, races, but when you have war between the sexes, you eventually run out of people”
They had several memorable episodes, the queen figure left in the asteroid, the moral delima of throwing a person off the ship to get the weight requirements. I loved that show. (sigh) LOL
Also B5... the warriors lament, somewhere in season 4 or 5, I just can’t remember it. Oh it sucks to get old!
I miss it, too!
I think that was the only reason why I watched that show...
That made it the perfect chick flick - a ‘man’ who shows up when you need him, doesn’t leave the toilet seat up, and goes back into the sewer on command.
Of course, no male could watch it without massive promises of sex afterward...and arguably, no male would watch it even then!
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