DS9 is way more watchable than TNG.
When it comes to space stations, B5 is where I would rather be.
Yes, Babylon 5 is the crown jewel of television sci-fi. Back when TNG was coddling hostile aliens and exploring feelings, I was enjoying great characters, plot lines which spanned millennia, and leaders who destroyed their enemies and stood up for what is right. SO many great moments in that series...
Can’t resist posting one of them:
“Who am I? I am Susan Ivanova. Commander. Daughter of Andrei and Sophie Ivanov. I am the right hand of vengeance, and the boot that is going to kick your sorry ass all the way back to Earth, sweetheart! I am Death Incarnate, and the last living thing that you are ever going to see.
God sent me.”
(Opens fire, unleashing hell upon her enemy.)
For decades, my top tier of TV science fiction had only 2 members: B5 and the equally amazing Firefly. To my great surprise, and after reading EVERY novel, novella, and short story, and watching every minute, I recently elevated The Expanse into that select group. The TV series is faithful to the books thus far. Like B5, it must be watched completely and patiently, as far-reaching events and multifaceted characters develop and eventually come together. It is deep and complex, but not for complexity’s sake. It’s just that big of a story, as was B5.
And I’ll say this: Even after reading everything except the finale novel (which isn’t finished yet) I am STILL unsure how it will end. There is SO much to the universe of The Expanse, and exploring it is one helluva ride.
If you haven’t seen it, start watching it. Season 5 drops on December 16th. If you have watched it, but haven’t read the books, HANG ON! Believe it or not, you ain’t seen nothing yet...