SCIFI's best run

[RobertScorpio]

And I don't mean SCIFI channel, I mean science-fiction. When did television SCIFI have its best run?

When ST-TNG, ST-DS9, BAB-5, Seaquest were all on at the same time???

Was it more current with nuBSG, Stargate(s), Heroes, Lost?

Get my meaning? When, if ever, did you watch the most tv-scifi shows, first run TV shows?

Me? I don't watch Stargates but I do watch nuBSG (barely) and Heros and Lost. But I also watched TNG, DS9, BAB-5 and Seaquest when they were all on around the same time. I even think TEKWAR may have coexisted with that time as well...So I would say the early 1990s.

Rob
Scorpio

 

[Temis the Vorta]

I'd say it was a couple years ago - first season of Heroes; Lost & BSG also chugging along well. Or maybe last year, when Heroes wasn't quite so good but we added Pushing Daisies, Reaper and Chuck to the mix. Plus there's always the Stargates for what it's worth.

When, if ever, did you watch the most tv-scifi shows, first run TV shows?

Definitely now. I missed most of DS9's first run, all of B5 (caught up on DVD) and most of X-Files (bailed early, went back to the DVDs recently).

 

[Norrin Radd]

My experience is that for all the times there's been great scifi on TV, there's also been bad scifi to counter balance it.

 

[Mistral]

I think the mid-90s. Space: Above and Beyond, DS-9, Voyager and B5. However, assuming they all fit-right now, (or in Jan) Lost, BSG, Eureka, Stargate Atlantis, Fringe, Life On Mars, Sanctuary, HEROES, Primeval, Torchwood, Eli Stone, Sarah Connor-God, its good to be alive!(and the owner of a DVR!)

 

[RobertScorpio]

I think the mid-90s. Space: Above and Beyond, DS-9, Voyager and B5. However, assuming they all fit-right now, (or in Jan) Lost, BSG, Eureka, Stargate Atlantis, Fringe, Life On Mars, Sanctuary, Primeval, Torchwood, Eli Stone, Sarah Connor-God, its good to be alive!(and the owner of a DVR!)

I had to get two DVRs...some nights, like monday, there are shows on all over the place for me and my wife...Chuck, The Big Bang Theory, Heroes, Dancing with The stars, Boston Legal..and sometimes three of them are on at the same time...yikes...

Rob
scorpio

 

[Hermiod]

And I don't mean SCIFI channel, I mean science-fiction. When did television SCIFI have its best run?

When ST-TNG, ST-DS9, BAB-5, Seaquest were all on at the same time???

Was it more current with nuBSG, Stargate(s), Heroes, Lost?

Exactly then. The X-Files was on then as well.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

My experience is that for all the times there's been great scifi on TV, there's also been bad scifi to counter balance it.

I ignore the bad stuff so I never factor it in. Right now, there's a ton of sci-fi on TV, but it's mostly cop shows with some amount of sf/f window dressing. It hasn't grabbed me, so I don't count it.

 

[the_wildcard]

Hmmm this is a tough one. We haven't had a good run of sci-fi on TV in a long time.

In the end, I gotta say it was when SG1, SGA and nuBSG were all on the same Friday night on Sci-fi. I'd say it was the best because it was all on one channel, one night.

All of the other shows were great, but they were staggered over several channels and nights with different seasons, etc, etc. I felt the SCI-FI Friday night was just one crazy concentration of good television.

 

[Mr Light]

Definitely the late 90s. DS9 and B5 and Farscape and X-Files and SG1 all aired around the same time. Those are 5 of my all time favorite shows (the others being Lost, Angel, Buffy). And then you had lots of fantasy and B List choices like EFC, Herc, Xena, Buffy, Voyager, etc.

Babylon 5 '94 to '98
Farscape '99 to '03
DS9 '93 to '99
X-Files '93 to '02
Stargate '97 to '07
Buffy '97 to '03
Angel '99 to '04

 

[backstept]

Hmmm this is a tough one. We haven't had a good run of sci-fi on TV in a long time.

In the end, I gotta say it was when SG1, SGA and nuBSG were all on the same Friday night on Sci-fi. I'd say it was the best because it was all on one channel, one night.

All of the other shows were great, but they were staggered over several channels and nights with different seasons, etc, etc. I felt the SCI-FI Friday night was just one crazy concentration of good television.

I sure loved me some sci-fi friday

 

[IcecreamLtDan]

I was a big fan of sci-fi Fridays myself. I think my favorite lineup was Farscape - Lexx. The Invisible Man actually turned into a decent show too but got cancelled.

 

[FordSVT]

I'd say that any point in the past ten years or so, or maybe even back to the mid 90s around the end of TNG, contained approximately the same number of sci-fi/fantasy shows I enjoy. The last decade or so has also seen a lot of sci-fi short run/mini-series that I've enjoyed.

It all overlaps and spreads out over the years, it's hard to pick a year or even a couple of years when I watched more sci-fi. There are always just 3-4 shows I try to keep up with. Right now it's BSG, Atlantis, Eureka and Heroes. Doctor Who when it's running. Gave up on Lost, might give the last season another try on DVD.

 

[Peacemaker]

I was a big fan of sci-fi Fridays myself. I think my favorite lineup was Farscape - Lexx. The Invisible Man actually turned into a decent show too but got cancelled.

Agreed. I'd also have to say that earlier this year when SJA then Who and SGA/BSG was one of the best Skiffy Friday lineups.

 

[Lowdarzz]

1987 - 2005 was my era of scifi and television watching in general. I barely catch up with Stargate: Atlantis now.

ST:TNG: 1987-1994
Alien Nation: 1989-1990 + all five tv movies
Babylon 5: 1993-1998
ST:dS9: 1993-1999
The X-Files: 1993-2002
Earth 2: 1994-1995
The Outer Limits: 1995-2001
ST:Voyager: 1995-2001
Stargate SG-1: 1997-2007
Farscape: 1999-2003 + Peacekeeper Wars
ST: Enterprise: 2001-2005

 

[ialfan]

I would have to say the late 90s were the peak. That said 2003-2005 would be a personal peak with 2 of my 3 favorite shows being on at that time (Angel, Star Trek: Enterprise, and Battlestar Galactica).

 

[Mr Light]

It's funny, back in the late 90s, when I was in high school and later college, I remember having some TV show to tape every single night. Now, it's just a completely different landscape. The actual space-y SF shows are gone except for BSG (which is never on) and Atlantis which I only watch the "good" episodes of. I don't even bother taping shows anymore, but there's so few A level shows now. Lost. Heroes. 24 if its actually on. Doctor Who if its on.

Meanwhile I'm appreciating sitcoms more than ever, there's a million great ones on now. Perhaps this shall be remembered as the age of the comedy, replacing the age of sci-fi. What shall come next?

 

[Ben Sisko3]

I'd be so bold as to say 1987 through, potentially, 2010. And no, I can't see into the future, that last date is a hope.

1987-1994 - Star Trek: The Next Generation
1988-1999 - Mystery Science Theater 3000
1989-1993 - Quantum Leap
1992-1995, 1997-1999 - Batman: The Animated Series
1992-1997 - X-Men
1993-1999 - Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
1993-2002 - The X-Files
1994-1996 - Gargoyles
1996-1999 - MillenniuM
1996-2000 - Superman
1997-2003 - Buffy the Vampire Slayer
1997-2007 - Stargate SG-1
1999-2004 - Angel
1999-2001 - Batman Beyond
1999-2003, 2005 - Farscape
1999-2003 - Futurama
2001-2005 - Justice League/JLU
2002 - Firefly
2003-2005 - Carnivale
2003, 2004-2009 - Battlestar Galactica
2004-2007 - The 4400
2004-2010 (if all goes according to plan) - Lost
2005-2009 - Stargate Atlantis
2005-2010 (if all goes according to plan) - Supernatural
2006-??? - Eureka
2006-2008 - Jericho
2007 - Journeyman
2008-??? - Fringe
2008-??? - The Spectacular Spider-Man
2008-??? - Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
2008-??? - True Blood
2008-??? - Wolverine and the X-Men

 

[RobertScorpio]

It's funny, back in the late 90s, when I was in high school and later college, I remember having some TV show to tape every single night. Now, it's just a completely different landscape. The actual space-y SF shows are gone except for BSG (which is never on) and Atlantis which I only watch the "good" episodes of. I don't even bother taping shows anymore, but there's so few A level shows now. Lost. Heroes. 24 if its actually on. Doctor Who if its on.

Meanwhile I'm appreciating sitcoms more than ever, there's a million great ones on now. Perhaps this shall be remembered as the age of the comedy, replacing the age of sci-fi. What shall come next?

Yep...and I hope 24-Lost are good this year because we need some good shows to watch...

Rob

 

[Mr Light]

Once LOST is gone, so shall go the only remaining show I'm truly obsessed with. I've yet to see any replacements on the horizon. Back in high school I ran a website that analyzed every single minuitae of the X-Files conspiracy episodes. This was before DVD too, I remember having to pause and still frame my VCR a thousand times. Ah, memories!

 

[Peacemaker]

I feel the same way about BSG. I'll prolly watch Lost though, because let's face it, making the island relocate by turning a giant frozen gear has GOT to be one of the all time OTT cliffhangers in SciFi history. After that, though, I may tune into Caprica to give it a chance and Heroes (which I only watch occasionally now anyway). Otherwise, until new eps of Who start in the US, TV will be pretty much dead to me.