Tell me what to watch on television.

[gement]

I have Netflix Streaming. I have all day. I have watched very few sci-fi serials since 1997. Whedon and Whoniverse franchises are nearly the only exceptions. Until 1997, I watched all the schlock SF I could get my mitts on, including Forever Knight and Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, and a few others that were so terrible they only got three episodes.

Tell me what cultural touchstones you think I should geek out on with you, and I'll give it a shot. I'm loopy enough to mimic the receptive state of wide eyed wonder usually only conferred upon drunks and impressionable teenagers up past midnight.

Bonus if you suggest some specific touchstones that are either good summary introductions or fantastic single eps, something to narrow down from "all 20 seasons of...". For example, I'd recommend that someone in my position watch Sherlock, which has only 3 episodes available on Netflix, or Heroes, but only season 1. (That is where I stopped, and I hear I made the right call.)

Also if you know of any speculative fiction on Netflix streaming with non-crap representation of marginalized identities, I'm likely to watch that preferentially, even if it's not the format I suggested above.

Comments

[moominmuppet.livejournal.com]

I've been fond of both Hyperspace and Spaced, although each has its flaws. They've both got Nick Frost, and Spaced also has Simon Pegg (although Spaced isn't SFF, just funny as hell). If you're into the two of them, you'll probably enjoy these, if they're not your taste, skip right past.

I'm not sure if Farscape is on streaming at the moment or not, but if it is and you haven't seen it, that's one of the best out there, absolutely.

[gement.livejournal.com]

Noted! I was hanging out in Internet fandom but not actually consuming any television when Farscape and Lexx were on, so they're high on my list. Do you have any episode recommendations shorter than "dig in"?

I've seen a bit of Spaced. I came to it via Black Books, oddly enough.

[moominmuppet.livejournal.com]

I find there's enough character development, and enough change to the dynamics over time, that it's a bit hard to pick up in the middle with Farscape. I do find the premiere episode necessary but slow and boring, and it takes a while to start to resemble the actual tone of the rest of the show. After that the first season has a lot of good stuff in it.

[dianthus.livejournal.com]

Farscape was the very first thing I thought of. Lexx...can be seen as pretty offensive, although I loved it. Lexx is on Hulu Plus (or maybe just plain Hulu? It requires an account because of adult content.)

[gement.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'll look.

[tereshkova2001.livejournal.com]

Babylon 5 started airing in 1994, so you may have seen it, but I recommend it in case you haven't. I'm particularly fond of their casting adorable Ensign Chekhov as the (unsettling and unpleasant) psi cop Bester.

[caladri.livejournal.com]

I think everybody should watch Intelligence, which is exquisite, but not at all what you're looking for. But I'm looking at my top-rated stuff on Netflix and that's the first recent thing I really feel like is awesome. It's about drug runners and intelligence workers in Vancouver, and some episodes even manage to pass the Bechdel Test. It has really, really good characterization and a sense of place in a way that few things do.

Persons Unknown is really fun if you can keep from comparing it to Lost. Not everyone manages this leap.

The Dresden Files is fun, but fully half of the episodes suck.

Have you seen Futurama? You should? I think?

[mimerki.livejournal.com]

And if you are a fan of JMS, you might check out Jeremiah. I've only watched the first season and I don't know if it's streaming on Netflix, but it had some fun bits.

[annissamazing]

I've been watching BBC's "Being Human" (not to be confused with the SyFy "original series" "Being Human," which is the American remake that I've never seen). LOVE it! Though, honestly, it took several episodes for me to get into it.

I'd recommend "Community," but it isn't on Netflix streaming, so see if you know anyone who has it on DVD.

As caladri suggested, "Futurama!" It is sooo good! It's got a fun mix of high-brow, geek, and ribald humor. It also has a series-long plot arc that is a lot of fun to go back and rewatch and find all the hints. It also has some of the most touching, heartbreaking moments in all of TV history (no joke, have tissues at-hand). While it's fantastic from Episode 1 (Space Pilot 3000), you can go straight to Godfellas. Or, better yet, watch "Roswell that Ends Well," then "Godfellas," and you've got two of the best episodes in order!

"30 Rock" is fun.

"Downton Abbey" is a must-see, though it isn't Scifi.

"Mad Men" is fantastic, and may even fit your "non-crap representation of marginalized identities" though maybe not in the way you intended.

Have you seen any of Stephen Chow's movies? "Kung Fu Hustle" is my favorite and I just rewatched "Shaolin Soccer" last night. They're hilarious! Also, sometimes he takes off his shirt. Yowza.

[gement.livejournal.com]

Oh, Bester, you're so terrifyingly amoral. I still own a B5 t-shirt!

[gement.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[brewsternorth.livejournal.com]

Have you watched The Prisoner? Seriously weird stuff, only 13 eps ever made. I think it's seminal enough that Netflix probably has it?

Or the Steed-and-Peel Avengers.

[annissamazing]

Oooooh! The Prisoner! Totally seconded! Unfortunately, it's not on Netflix.

I've never seen the Avengers, but now I want to.

Re: Avengers, The Prisoner, etc.

[gement.livejournal.com]

I didn't actually see any of The Prisoner until I dated J. *poke* I still haven't seen the finale, but it's at least on my priority list. Steed & Peel, on the other hand, are lifelong heroes.

[gement.livejournal.com]

Avengers is a great deal of fun. Silly silly theme villains, high style Mod culture, and they manage to work in at least one blatant fetish situation for Mrs. Peel every single episode.

[tcepsa.livejournal.com]

I'll second Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle. Some of the CG effects were badly enough done to make me wince, but after I got my brain to file them as schlock instead of slop I enjoyed the actual movies immensely ^_^

[tcepsa.livejournal.com]

I'll tentatively recommend FLCL. I ended up liking it, but I'm tempted to plaster it with half a dozen disclaimers. It's only six episodes, so just start at the beginning and see whether you want to keep going. (Let me know if you're curious about the disclaimers ^_^;)

I'll also recommend Trigun more wholeheartedly. Start with the first episode or two, then maybe jump to B.D.N. and And Between The Wasteland And Sky; I seem to recall liking that arc.

Stargate SG-1. Epic and excellent. Unfortunately I can't think of any good ones to point you at specifically; like Farscape it takes it a bit to figure out its identity, and there's some weirdness as a result, but at the same time there's also character development and backstory that make the subsequent seasons make more sense. Start at the beginning or just dive in and pick one at random. Yes, you risk spoilers and not knowing what's going on (and if those are a big deal for you then don't do what I just said) but the series is big enough and has enough standalone episodes that as long as you take something in the first four seasons or so, there's still plenty of new stuff for you to discover later on if you decide to stick with it. (You can safely skip the original Stargate movie, IMHO. Or you could watch just it. However, I would strongly encourage you not to judge one by the other; IIRC they aren't entirely consistent with each other)

Was going to suggest Red Dwarf but it's not available via streaming.

Maybe X-Files? Haven't seen a lot of that and I'm not sure that I count it as sci-fi (but I don't know what other bucket to put it in...) but I hear it was all right ;)

And if you want a break from TV, check out the online graphic novel (differentiated from a webcomic because it actually has a conclusion ^_^) A Miracle of Science.