The Culture series by Iain M Banks is fantastic
this post was submitted on 07 Mar 2025
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You might like For All Mankind
- The Foundation
- Silo
- Severance
Season 1 of altered carbon and only season 1.
When I watched season 2 I was like "Oh OK, so we're doing a completely different show now, got it"
I really like the idea of changing actors, it obviously fits right in with the main plot od the universe, but it felt too much like they changed the character. Joel Kinnaman really cemented what the character should be to me and I guess any other actor is going to play it slightly different.
Yeah, I actually liked the concept of changing actors for in-universe reasons. And I also prefer stories that evolve over time rather than just rehashing the same plots, characters, and settings. But evolve is the key word. Here, they changed everything at once (including the setting and supporting cast) and it just didn't click for me. And most other people, apparently.
That was what confirmed my suspicion that i don't really like Anthony Mackie
Battlestar Galactica, the reboot not the original!
Or just watch The Expanse again. It's spoilt me for space scifi. Have watched (also bought bluray) it getting on for a dozen times now.
Currently trying Halo.
Fringe
In no particular order
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Battlestar Galactica
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Farscape
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MST3K
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Travellers
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Most Star Trek and Stargate
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Dr Who
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Electric Sheep
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Twin Peaks
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X-Files
I'll probably add to this as they occur to me
Agree. Also
- Firefly — if you somehow haven't seen it yet
- Babylon 5 — if you can stick with it past a very rough season 1, seasons 2-4 are very good
- Stargate SG-1, and to a much lesser extent Atlantis
Ooh yeah all solid. Firefly obviously, Babylon 5 was a lot more enjoyable than I expected. And I did mention Stargate, but I'm only now kinda watching SG-1.
Farscape has been in my peripheral vision forever, does it hold up?
Farscape is excellent, but it's very trippy and the heavy use of Muppets may be offputting to some. And it's far from harder scifi like the Expanse.
Just watch it. It's great
I second Battlestar Galactica. I keep meaning to rewatch it. All of this has happened before, all of this will happen again.
Stargate SG1 + Atlantis + Universe
Firefly
The books (or audiobooks) of The Expanse continue the series. Highly recommended.
This might be obvious, but don't think you can watch series and continue with books.
You could catch up, but the characters, while same, can be different. And the early books are worth it even when tou watched the show already.
Oh, yes, I meant to start again from the beginning with the books.
Silo. Andor.
Yes to these also. Don't sleep on Andor just because it's Star Wars
I'm ignoring Andor because it's Disney. Star Wars died in 2012.
Your call, and it's a perfectly valid one. But I thought I'd expand a bit on why I recommend it.
Andor feels true to the original trilogy to me, to the point where it feels like someone got away with something they weren't supposed to do. It's pretty much the only TV series or movie outside of that trilogy that feels like it fits. It's a well-written heist drama set shortly before the original trilogy, and it uses the setting to good effect without relying on it.
I used to be an enormous Star Wars fan (movies, books, games) before the special editions and particularly the prequels killed it for me. I've continued to watch most everything, but after the prequels (which I thought were bad, but at least clearly came from passion and had a basic story plan and some really interesting ship and costume designs), it all feels disposable to me, just like Marvel movies.
Andor is the only piece of Star Wars media since before 1997 that has actually gotten me invested in the Star Wars universe again, however briefly (for one season).
I buy physical media, and when the original, unaltered trilogy was released as extras that were just slapdash non-anamorphic LaserDisc rips included with one set of official SE releases, I bought them for the first and only time since VHS. I later bought the prequels only because (in pre-Disney years) an ex of mine had never seen any Star Wars movies and wanted to see the full series.
And I bought Andor once it came out on 4K. That's it.
Anyway, like I said, I support your decision. Just wanted to share that.
Perfectly valid, and I'm not trying to denigrate anyone that enjoys it. Just my $.02.
J. Michael Straczynski's Babylon 5. Like most series it starts slow and awkward, but when it starts moving...also Crusade, a lesser known spinoff in the Babylon 5 universe that got pulled by the same creator because of network stupidity.
Later show G'Kar and Molari are worth it alone. The great story and actors is all just a lovely extra.
Crusade still lives on in my heart because of those crazy technomancer guys and their weird ships.
I have the DVD box set. Wish I could get my wife to watch it with me. She likes BSG but I feel like she’d just make fun of the graphics now. Also it might be too slow paced for her.
I was recently surprised by The Orville. A surprising project to come from Seth McFarlane, but an absolutely well-made homage to Star Trek.
DS9 has been my go-to lately, a classic now
I just watched through Continuum. It's pretty solid.
If Continuum's not your thing and you'd prefer keeping with something space-y, but still want to stick with the "Canadian Sci-Fi Starring Roger Cross" genre, there's the original Dark Matter.
I fucking hate how it has essentially turned into the next Idiocracy.
People are born with a life debt because corporation run everything. WTF. It’s not that bad yet but I see too many similarities happening.
....yeah. This was the second time I've watched the series, and it seemed way more relevant this time around than the last.
Love Continuum. Laughed at the "Canadian Sci-Fi starring Roger Cross" comment. Made me think 'Show where Richard Harmon plays a jerk whose kinda right (See also 'The 100'). Or 'Any Sci-Fi with Lexa Doig'- Continuum, Andromeda, a bit of SG-1. And Dark Matter was good, should have gotten more seasons.
I can't look right now, but wasn't there a comic that wrapped up after the cliffhanger when Dark Matter ended? Obv if there is, I haven't seen it yet. Maybe I'm thinking of something else though.
i second Dark Matter (2015)
People mention the old (ish) dark matter but I also quite enjoyed the new Dark Matter on apple TV.
If you have that then severance and silo are also on there. Apple is doing a great job with well written sci-fi.
Foundation is okay
I agree with this sentiment, some episodes are good but a lot are just... Ok
I especially like the genetic dynasty aspects of the series. The books weren't my thing so that was a pleasant surprise!
And some are ooooo..kay.
Some classics and mostly UK ones (none, bar Red Dwarf, are set in space). Westworld, Fringe, Black Mirror, Red Dwarf, Bugs, The Lazarus Project, Life on Mars, Misfits, The Leftovers, Quantum Leap, Utopia, Severance.
Ashes to Ashes is the conclusion of Life on Mars.
Utopia is such an underrated show, it’s unlike anything else I’ve seen. The cinematography is first class
Dark, Killjoys, and Sanctuary (the one starring Amanda Tapping)
Foundation