OP
OP
I'd know Roger R. Cross's face anywhere
Loved this show, such a good cast! I was so sad when they cancelled it.
Zoie Palmer is by far one of the best parts of the show and one of my favorites.
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Little-Known Sci-Fi Shows You Loved
- Thread starter Ashodin
- Start date
Always overshadowed by Stargate SG-1 (and cancelled because of it) but far superior in about everything.
Farscape is absolutely amazing. If you haven't seen it, check it out you wont regret it.
I got an unexpected reaction to reading that spoiler. Random shivers.
Show was amazing but is also hard as fuck to recommend to people. Like if you try to explain the series they basically do every single bad scifi trope out there and it doesn't help that the second episode is straight up terrible/worst episode in the series but damned if it didn't go places and make good on it's story.
Surprisingly many Babylon 5 mentions, I was hoping it was still well-known enough to not appear here. It's my favourite fiction TV show of all time and I just finished watching it once more. First season is rough especially if you are watching it for the first time but you should start to see the potential towards the end of the season. I hope it finds new audience with HBO Max although JMS probably won't get a penny from that - TV deals were rough in the 90s even for show creators.
On that note, another JMS show Jeremiah was mentioned once so far and that's another favourite for me. It had tremendous potential but didn't quite get there. It had a five season arc planned but Showtime pulled the plug before second season begun so they at least had some episodes time to adjust, it doesn't end on a cliffhanger.
Dark Angel has not been mentioned yet. Yet another show with tremendous potential. It too was cancelled, but they got the chance to create proper ending with James Cameron directed final (extended) episode. It was quite unlike anything I had seen before when it started airing, completely hooked me and I still love it to this day.
On that note, another JMS show Jeremiah was mentioned once so far and that's another favourite for me. It had tremendous potential but didn't quite get there. It had a five season arc planned but Showtime pulled the plug before second season begun so they at least had some episodes time to adjust, it doesn't end on a cliffhanger.
Dark Angel has not been mentioned yet. Yet another show with tremendous potential. It too was cancelled, but they got the chance to create proper ending with James Cameron directed final (extended) episode. It was quite unlike anything I had seen before when it started airing, completely hooked me and I still love it to this day.
I want to say Farscape. It can't say Farscape because it's too well known, but I also don't think enough people have seen it. One of the most satisfying shows created that gets better every watch. Despite not having everything down from the beginning, they take ideas from previous episodes and imagine how the story would shift if that had been planned from the start. What you get is something cohesive with retroactive foreshadowing that not just works, it elevates it.
There are two shows I always think about, and it will be very confusing for most people, but they are Faracape and Pretty Little Liars. Both start off as shows steeped in their respective genre despite hints of something else, before blasting off mid season 2 with a few missteps here and there. Pretty Little Liars does not have that same cohesion and ultimately includes some truly terrible choices, but I'd argue it's no less ambitious. Both are incredibly fascinating from a production and creativity standpoint, with one of the leads of both attempting to add their influence from the other side of the camera: one writing, one directing.
There are two shows I always think about, and it will be very confusing for most people, but they are Faracape and Pretty Little Liars. Both start off as shows steeped in their respective genre despite hints of something else, before blasting off mid season 2 with a few missteps here and there. Pretty Little Liars does not have that same cohesion and ultimately includes some truly terrible choices, but I'd argue it's no less ambitious. Both are incredibly fascinating from a production and creativity standpoint, with one of the leads of both attempting to add their influence from the other side of the camera: one writing, one directing.
You can even say it's got elements of sci-fi considering there's an episode where they introduce a hologram and everyone just accepts this as normal despite the 2010ish time period. This is the only picture I could find of it, but the text is appropriate.
Alien Nation. New crop of Fox execs killed it even though it was popular at the time. Lots of people were mad. Good show.
Nearly forgot, there was also Continuum. Another amazing Canadian sci-fi show.
I actually really like how they followed through with the story entirely and even threw in quite a number of curve balls.
A lot of our 90s kid shows are pretty good.
Sliders
Seven Days
Sliders was good, but pretty well known.
Seven Days and Journeyman definitely fall into the "good but relatively unknown" category.
Other shows that I would include on the list:
The absolutely FANTASTIC TV adaptation of 12 Monkeys. It's a lot newer than these other shows, but it seems to have flown completely under the radar. Seriously, check this one out.
The BBC show Primeval was a lot of fun.
As was Terra Nova (sadly this one only lasted one season).
The Crow: Stairway to Heaven starring the Iron Chef - Marc Dacascos himself
Mortal Kombat Conquest
Mortal Kombat Conquest
Nearly forgot, there was also Continuum. Another amazing Canadian sci-fi show.
God that was such a good show. I should finish it
Always overshadowed by Stargate SG-1 (and cancelled because of it) but far superior in about everything.
no way this shit was little-known... right?
Counterpart was amazing. Cancelled after two seasons but still worth watching.
I still need to watch the 2nd season but I was so sad to see it get cancelled.
Lot of great stuff listed in the thread, some more known (The 4400, Continuum, Earth: Final Conflict) to the less known (Freakylinks, Odyssey 5). For one that hasn't been mentioned yet I'd say Threshold (2005). Starring Carla Gugino and also (among others) Brent Spiner and Peter Dinklage. To quote the wiki, "the series focuses on a secret government project investigating the first contact with an extraterrestrial species", with the title Threshold being the name of the first contact plan (then Foothold, then Stranglehold). I guess I don't know how well it holds up though, haven't seen it since it aired on tv.
Also forgot this one - The City the City based on the novel by China Mieville. About a murder in two cities occupying the same physical space on top of each other.
Nobody ever talks about The Tomorrow People (90s version), but I loved it.
Farscape is my jam, so I'm glad it's been mentioned already.
I used to really like Andromeda, although Kevin Sorbo being the lead has pretty much killed any desire for me to rewatch it recently
And of course Red Dwarf (although I don't know if it technically is "little known")
I used to really like Andromeda, although Kevin Sorbo being the lead has pretty much killed any desire for me to rewatch it recently
And of course Red Dwarf (although I don't know if it technically is "little known")
I mean I loved Cleopatra 2525 back in the day because I was a horny teenager, but the show itself wasn't that good. The main character was an exotic dancer frozen after a breast augmentation surgery who wakes up in the year 2525. Wackiness ensues.
This show taught me that "Nimrod" was the name of a god of the hunt, so calling someone "Nimrod" used to mean that they were a really good hunter. From which I proceeded to learn that it only became an insult because children didn't get the reference when Bugs Bunny used it sarcastically on Elmer Fudd. Not blaming children for not getting such an obscure reference, but the change in meaning can make some older works a bit odd.
I remember quite liking this show. Haven't seen it since it aired, though.
Loved this show, such a good cast! I was so sad when they cancelled it.
Zoie Palmer is by far one of the best parts of the show and one of my favorites.
I love Zoie Palmer too. She was great in Lost Girl too.
OP
OP
Nobody ever talks about Space Precinct, but I loved it.
Used to enjoy this when I was a kid, feel like it could have been a lot more successful.
The Lost Room is one of my favourite mini sci fi series of all time.
Wonderful concept and concise storytelling.
When I first saw it I was learning how to laser cut and made my own key fob from the show (iykyk)
So pleased to see The Lost Room mentioned. I remember being obsessed with this when I first saw it, and I wish it could've been made into a full show or had some bigger realization of the idea. There was a period of time where I was convinced I'd made the whole thing up, since no one seemed to have ever heard of it and I'd forgotten the name for a time. I couldn't tell you if it still holds up, but I really enjoyed it at the time.
The BBC show Primeval was a lot of fun.
As was Terra Nova (sadly this one only lasted one season).
Never saw it, but Primeval has funny artwork:
Oh man, Tek War. The power of Shatner.
Really liked Viper too.
You can watch this without watching the movie. It stands alone. Basically an adaptation of that story with changes, some of the characters gender bend in some cases, and expanded into the TV series. Watch the movie after the show if you like. But yeah, not necessary and maybe more enjoyable if you don't watch the movie before watching the show.
I loved that when it came out. But like you I highly suspect that watching it in 2021 would find lots of problematic elements.
I mean the show is it's own thing and isn't a continuation of the film.
OP, you nailed it out the gate. Lexx is one of my all time favorite sci-fi shows. Caught a random episode of it way back in the day when it was originally airing, and was hooked instantly. it's just so weird and unique, even for sci-fi there's very little like it. I think everyone who wants something unique should give it a try, though keep in mind the budget isn't the highest since it was a late 90's/early 2000's cable show.
My votes go to Space: Above and Beyond and 7 days. Fond memories of both.
mph, and space cases.
mph, and space cases.
Alright, I dont' think that I've seen this one posted yet, took me ages to remember what it was called, and still nobody believed me it was real.
I present the titular character of the generically named "Super Force."
An astronaut comes back to Earth after being in space, and everything ahs gone to ruin, so he kits out his space suit with super weapons and fights to take back the streets... or something. It was like 30 years ago, I don't remember. All I knew was it gave off a Robocop/ Metal Hero vibe and I was down with that.
The wikipedia entry reveals some serious head scratchers in casting for the time as well. Seems a lot of episodes are uploaded on Youtube should you wish to subject yourself to it. I doubt it's aged very well, or was very good to begin with- I just dug the armor!
I present the titular character of the generically named "Super Force."
An astronaut comes back to Earth after being in space, and everything ahs gone to ruin, so he kits out his space suit with super weapons and fights to take back the streets... or something. It was like 30 years ago, I don't remember. All I knew was it gave off a Robocop/ Metal Hero vibe and I was down with that.
The wikipedia entry reveals some serious head scratchers in casting for the time as well. Seems a lot of episodes are uploaded on Youtube should you wish to subject yourself to it. I doubt it's aged very well, or was very good to begin with- I just dug the armor!
I remember watching this at night when I was a kid (not sure if on the Sy-Fi channel or USA network).
I liked it a lot, but I thought it was just a three episode mini-series and I couldn't recall the name of the show until a few years ago.
Apparently it had more episodes, but it was eventually canceled.
I remember this! IIRC it was doen by the same company who did the cgi for babylon 5 and essentially kitbashed together cg models in order to create network tv quality cgi for a kids show.
It was directly designed by the creator to be a western equivalent to Gundam (only while gundam was focused more on the pacific theatre of war withwhcih the japanese would be more familiar, Exosquad was patterned directly after the western front.)
Glad those two got mentioned. That was my childhood. But y'all are forgetting one of the best space operas ever to grace the small screen:
War Planets.
Tell me that ain't the hypest shit you ever seen.
OP
OP
I'd call Lexx Dark Gothic Sci Fi
Like Warhammer 40K wouldn't be out of place in this universe
Space: Above and Beyond is definitely my pick. I don't remember any bad episodes and the good ones are really good from what I remember, including one where the main cast is marooned on an occupied planet and have to hold out until evac arrives in the morning. The final episode doesn't pull any punches, either.
I'm not exactly sure I'd call this a favourite, but I remember being really into Harsh Realm, the show Chris Carter worked on after Millennium. A soldier gets recruited to enter a virtual war game and take out the warlord that rules it, a fellow player and officer named Santiago. It only managed to air three episodes before it was cancelled, though nine were shot.
I'm not exactly sure I'd call this a favourite, but I remember being really into Harsh Realm, the show Chris Carter worked on after Millennium. A soldier gets recruited to enter a virtual war game and take out the warlord that rules it, a fellow player and officer named Santiago. It only managed to air three episodes before it was cancelled, though nine were shot.
Well, the only other person that know this show that i know outside of the internet is my brother who discovered it with me. None of the others have ever seen it. Even the big sci-fi nerds. So, yeah, i'd say it's not well known. At least in France, it's definitely not well known, while we where drowned by Stargate and constant rebroadcasts.
Imma bookmark this thread. Lots of good stuff from my childhood and a lot I have never seen before.
Keep em coming.
Keep em coming.
HUGE SECOND for Total recall 2070!
it does feel more like Blade runner, makes me wonder if there were plans to make a kinda PKD connected universe happen over time, but the show only got one season.
It was really just like a year or two to early, it literally premiered on Showtime 5 days before The Sopranos! The world (or at least the US) hadn't accepted prestige TV yet.
Seriously people if you are into harder sci-fi and specifically blade runner at least thematically it's at least worth watching as a truly little known/obscure bit of great sci-fi!
+1 for Total Recall 2070
1990
In a dystopian future, Britain is under the grip of the Home Office's Public Control Department (PCD), a tyrannically oppressive bureaucracy riding roughshod over the population's civil liberties.
en.wikipedia.org
The Last Train
A group of commuter train passagers are put in accidental suspended animation and emerge years later into a devastated world.
en.wikipedia.org
Invasion: Earth
In the lonely Scottish highlands, a small band of military personnel fight a desperate battle against a formidable alien intruder to prevent an invasion of the Earth.
en.wikipedia.org
1990
In a dystopian future, Britain is under the grip of the Home Office's Public Control Department (PCD), a tyrannically oppressive bureaucracy riding roughshod over the population's civil liberties.
1990 (TV series) - Wikipedia
The Last Train
A group of commuter train passagers are put in accidental suspended animation and emerge years later into a devastated world.
The Last Train (TV series) - Wikipedia
Invasion: Earth
In the lonely Scottish highlands, a small band of military personnel fight a desperate battle against a formidable alien intruder to prevent an invasion of the Earth.
Invasion: Earth (TV series) - Wikipedia
I want another season
As much as I enjoyed this show, I knew it wasn't making it past one season... but I still hoped it did.
The BBC show Primeval was a lot of fun.
I agree that Primeval was lots of fun, but a small correction. It was an ITV show, not BBC. It was commissioned to compete against Doctor Who after the BBC tapped into a thirst for a Saturday prime time family drama.
As for me, I'd say BBC Three's The Fades and In The Flesh were fantastic dramas that nobody watched. The Fades getting cancelled after just a season still makes me bitter.