SciFi tends to be (what I consider to be) fucking bad.

[King of the Sandbox]

There was a movie where an expedition came to investigate a ship that had stopped contacting earth. At the end, it was all a giant orgy and everybody died except for one.
I forgot the name of the film, I think it was a '04 film.
Any help?

Prior to guessing, are you completely certain that it wasn't just sci-fi themed porn?

Definetly not porn. Had no money shots.

It could have been softcore. /shrugs

Was there penetration?

(^Best legitimate question I have ever asked here.)

 

[Jadak]

Definetly not porn. Had no money shots.

That only means it might have been softcore... (bah, ninja'd..)

 

[Thaluikhain]

I sympathise with the OP. However, I'd say that TV in general tends to be bad, although setting your story on a spaceship/whatever means you need a spaceship set to be built, which is one more thing to possibly get wrong.

I liked the old BBC approach to locations. Whereas Star Trek would make a cave or a refinery set, the BBC would film in a real cave or refinery, it makes it look much better.

I also remember an episode of Farscape where they filmed in Australian forests, only they'd painted all the ferns blue to look alien, which mostly worked.

 

[shadow_Fox81]

i realise this is probably mostly about Tv scifi so i'm shoced someone is surprised the qualities lacking but how about some more antiquated science fiction from the realm of literature.
the Time Machine, Frankenstien, 1984,Brave New world or twenty thousand leagues under the sea.
also the old film adaptations of all of most of these are excellent (i lovethe old time machine film)

 

[TakerFoxx]

Dollhouse. First five episodes were meh, but it got awesome after that.

 

[mighty_honour_korea]

The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.

 

[IndianaJonny]

Babylon 5. If you can cope with CG that hasn't aged well then you'll be fine - space-based but it's one of the best examples for what a science fiction narrative is capable of.

 

[Vie]

Wait, you don't like space? How is that even possible? Just to hate space? Never mind.

He's in touch with his natural side, and thus abhors a vacuum.

 

[StBishop]

Moon.
The Fifth Element.
Minority Report.

^Three movies.

I don't watch TV shows, but if anime counts I'll leave Ergo Proxy and Texhnolyze here.

All five of those are film masterpieces. Go have a look.

I didn't "get" 5th Element when I watched it, Miority Report was awesome.

I'll definately check out Moon and those Anime Films.

Anything put onto a DVD by SyFy. You don't know good cheesy sci-fi until you've seen Crocosharktipus Vs. The Arachnapiranhaconda.

I kid, I kid.

But yeah, Warehouse 12 is a good new one, Sliders eternally rules, and X-Files is always classic.

I'll give Warehouse 12 and Sliders a look.

I'll be getting ahold of X-Files, what is on SyFy, I don't have access to cable/paid telly, only free to air, Australian channels.

 

[Inkidu]

The Twilight Zone (60s) just don't watch the spacey ones.

 

[Doclector]

Wait, you don't like space? How is that even possible? Just to hate space? Never mind.

He's in touch with his natural side, and thus abhors a vacuum.

Obviously our natural instincts tell us to stick to places we can breathe but to hate the entirety of space to the point of not liking fiction about it sounds kinda odd.

 

[StBishop]

Wait, you don't like space? How is that even possible? Just to hate space? Never mind.

I'd say a town called eureka and heroes series 1.

Heroes was awesome. I actually liked Season 2 as well. I haven't seen the rest since then.

A Town Called Eureka, I'm pretty sure that I saw an episode of that late on GO! the other night.
If it's what I'm thinking of, that was awesome.

Wait, you don't like space? How is that even possible? Just to hate space? Never mind.

He's in touch with his natural side, and thus abhors a vacuum.

Obviously our natural instincts tell us to stick to places we can breathe but to hate the entirety of space to the point of not liking fiction about it sounds kinda odd.

Here's an explanation.

With space, it's boring. Space, in and of it's self, is more a vacuum or absence of "things". It's innately uninteresting. The interesting things associated with space are Alien life, Alien planets, space travel and space ships.

I don't like space ships they look boring/asymmetrical/grey and ugly/over designed. I'm not a fan of massive transports, I like smaller yachts, cars and bikes. I don't like massive ships, I think they suck I could never be in the Navy. It's a similar sort of thing with space travel, it's essentially a moving country/continent. It's not any more interesting to me than simply staying on earth.

Alien worlds are no more interesting to me than parallel universes, which don't require space. Alien worlds, them selves I like, but travelling to them, or the fact that they're an entire other planet doesn't add anything.

Alien life, it can be fine, I don't have anything against it, but it's less interesting to me than say, mutated humans/zombies etc. Slightly different humans are closer to home for me.
I also don't think aliens exist. I'm not naive enough to believe that we're the only life in the universe, or even the only intelligent life, but I don't really think there's much possibility of "aliens" as we assume they'll be.

Space travel, as I said, requires massive ships that generally tend to be boring monoliths.

So yeah, I don't like space.

 

[StBishop]

I'd say it's simply a matter of taste. Just because you can't get into most sci-fi (space-based or not) doesn't mean it's "fucking bad". Personally, I can't be arsed to get incensed at your wording, but other folks might take issue with it, just saying.

Anyway, 'good' sci-fi that's not space-based... hmmm... have you tried the movie Splice? Or perhaps Joss Whedon's TV show Dollhouse? The range is so broad; even that show Dark Angel (with Jessica Alba) is sci-fi and not bad (at least the first season).

I see what you mean, I should probably edit the title.

Splice was awesome. I'll look up Dollhouse and Dark Angel for sure.

I see what you're saying, but I do find that Sci Fi in general has an average quality that's lower than other genres.

 

[Mr.Numbers]

How has no one mentioned Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy yet?

THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!

 

[StBishop]

If you think Stargate is bad, there's nothing I can do to help you.

Stargate SG-1 is easily in my top 5 Sci-Fi shows and movies, up there with Firefly and The 5th Element.

Pretty much this. I think he needs to realize that he actually doesn't like sci-fi as a genre, he just happens to like a show or two that happen to be sci-fi.

Nah man, I like plenty of SciFi. If anything I think SG is the exception for me liking SciFi, but the standard for production quality.

It's got low production quality, really you have to acknowledge this.

I'm not saying it's impossible for you to disagree, I just don't think there's anyone who genuinely thinks it's polished. If you do then great, we disagree and I've learned something new.

I only got two word to say "Red Dwaft". Ok yes it set in outer space but it is much more than a comedy than SciFi so thay may help you get into watching it.

I've heard of it, but nothing about it. Any comedies that it's similar to which you could name?

 

[JohnDoey]

You not liking Science fiction doesn't make it bad just like a person not being able to enjoy a rom com don't make the genre shit.

 

[Doclector]

snip

eh, fair enough. There is one space series which might interest you, as it's main focus is on a small ship and it doesn't tend to make much of the "space" thing; firefly.

As for sci fi films, try district 9 (if you can ignore the largely immobile giant alien ship, which it is fairly easy to), daybreakers (vampires with a sci fi edge), and pitch black's giant ship crashes within the first part of the movie, all on foot from there.

 

[Cenequus]

There's deffinetly alot of bad sci-fi series and films but that counts in any genre. Thinking better probably sci-fi films have a higher percentage of good serials and films.

I'm a guy who grew with the late 80's-90s era but still got access to some earlier shows like Tales from the Crypt and Twilight Zone(loved them to death and those 2 got me both into horror and sci-fi). My next to be shows I loved early years we're Twin peaks,X-Files,and Stargate.To me those 3 series are pretty much the basis of your all around sci-fi genre. While today I agree there isn't many great shows(just to make one example...for me Battlestar Galactica is just a soap opera in space),there were still some great shows: easylly the new Doctor Who(but this goes beyond genres),Torchwood(even if it's a spin off and they usually suck balls this was actually pretty good especially Children of Earth).

 

[StBishop]

The few decent shows I can think of are either set in space or incredibly cheesy but funny.

Farscape.
Battlestar Gallactica.
Caprica.
Hercules the Legendary Journeys (oh come on, you've all watched and giggled at the cheese).
Zena (same reason as above).


Can't remember if Beastmaster was on sci-fi channel or not, think it was.

Angel.
Buffy.
Dark Angel.
Witchblade.
Sanctuary.

I might borrow my brother's Box set of Farscape.
I've been getting through Battlestar with my girlfriend. I have to get myself in the right mood (as I've said, not a fan of space) but it is good.
Caprica, I'll wait until I've watched Battlestar, I'm lead to believe that they're linked.
Hercules and Xena, They count as sci fi? News to me. But yeah, I love Hercules, it's on TV every day and I watch it with my girlfriend, I'm not so much a fan of Xena though.

Why would you watch sci-fi shows set in space if you, uh, don't like space?
Also is your problem solely on budget and effects? If so that's ridiculous.
Also also have you seen Battlestar? In my opinion the greatest and most well-thought out sci-fi show (set in space) ever made.

I'm sorta hoping for non-space based suggestions. Like X-files, which has been mentioned a couple of times.

Also, I've started trying to watch Battlestar, it's good. I'll be the first to admit that Budget and Effects are what I'm on about. But for me the acting seems very wooden in a lot of SciFi and the sets are terrible.

I sympathise with the OP. However, I'd say that TV in general tends to be bad, although setting your story on a spaceship/whatever means you need a spaceship set to be built, which is one more thing to possibly get wrong.

I liked the old BBC approach to locations. Whereas Star Trek would make a cave or a refinery set, the BBC would film in a real cave or refinery, it makes it look much better.

I also remember an episode of Farscape where they filmed in Australian forests, only they'd painted all the ferns blue to look alien, which mostly worked.

I'm glad I'm not alone.

That's pretty much my thinking too, why build a set when you can just go to a location?

It's probably my biggest gripe with SciFi series which aren't set on earth. I can't believe it, and I get the impression that the actors aren't taking it seriously too.