10 Best SciFi TV Episodes Of All Time

I discovered Blastr this morning thanks to a link going around showing off an Empire Strikes Back chess set made of legos and have officially added the site to my ever growing google reader.

The first article I discovered was one naming the ten best Sci Fi Television Episodes of all time. And, I gotta say, it's a pretty damn good list. Open in up in a new window, read it, then come back here. Don't worry. I'll wait.

While I absolutely agree with their Buffy, Dr. Who, X-Files, Lost & Firefly episodes (and don't consider myself fluent enough in Outer Limits or Star Trek to have an opinion), I question their Battlestar choice. 33 is a great episode and as the first ep after the mini-series it DOES establish the tone of what's to come and all that, but I tend to lean more towards the season 2 or 3 finales...not that they were brilliant stand alone sci fi pieces, but they WERE breathtaking episodes of science fiction television. I won't be so silly as to suggest my own favorite BSG episode, Unfinished Business, as a candidate, considering there's practically no sci-fi in that episode whatsoever (but a whole of love and shipping!), but 33? I'm just not so sure.

Twilight Zone has so many classic episodes that Eye of the Beholder seems like a perfectly fine choice. It's classic, but disturbing & relevant classic, not almost-silly-at-this-point classic like let's say Nightmare at 2000 feet or overdone classic like To Serve Man. So while I suspect many will object to this selection, I'm actually fine with it.

If I had to add to this list...might I suggest a showing from Angel? If we are talking fantastic episodes that both played with & showed off the conventions of Science Fiction, it's hard to not look to season five's Smile Time. Watching that episode single handedly sold me on watching all of Angel's final season, and I sure am glad I made the effort - GREAT season, by far the best of the spin-off's five years.

So what would you add to this list? What would you take off? What would you tweak? Eager to hear your thoughts, especially from those of you who watch the Sci fi shows I haven't checked out yet i.e. Supernatural and....um...that might be it.

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Top Five TV Shows Of All Time

So my question of the day on Twitter yesterday was "What are your top 5 TV shows of all time?" and I got some very interesting answers. Since I'd like to post both the winners and all the shows that got just one vote, I'm deciding to write it up in a post.

First of all, the shout outs. These shows all only got one vote, but it was such a variety I had to post them all. And get this - no one said Friends. I wouldn't put Friends in my top 10, but it was still interesting to me that none of the people who responded hold Friends in any particular high regard. And only one MASH! And one Star Trek! Anyway, here we go,

Shout-Outs: I Love Lucy, Xena, Angel, Star Trek: TNG, Star Trek: TOS, Carnivale, Californication, Pushing Daisies, Justice League, Night Court, Attack of the Show, Monday Night Raw, MASH, Due South, BJ & the Bear, Misfits Of Science, SWAT, Lone Ranger, Buck Rogers, Twin Peaks, Texaco Star Theater, The Twilight Zone, Meet the Press, Sports Night, Big Bang Theory, My Secret Identity, M.A.N.T.I.S, Kamen Rider Time Trax, Extras, Dick Van Dyke, Veronica Mars, Mad Men, Million Dollar Man, Salvage One, Land of the Lost, Smallville, 24, Daria, Ugly Betty, MST3K, The Simpsons, Law and Order, The Prisoner, Rome, Ed, Cowboy Bebop, Mary Tyler Moore, South park, Chuck, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, Original Battlestar Galactica

Anything you're surprised to see on that list? Surprised that anyone said it at all or surprised that it only got one vote? If david had voted, I know Twilight Zone, Twin Peaks & Cowboy Bebop would have been bumped up one place higher. But moving on to the actual list,

Honorable Mentions: Homicide: Life on the Street, Deadwood, X:Men, the Animated Series, Batman: The Animated Series, The Office, Freaks & Geeks, The West Wing, Spaced

One person specified The Office UK, the others didn't pick one way or the other, so I'm just throwing it up there as one whole thing. Pretty eclectic group here, with TWO animated shows about superheroes. Shows that I adore and are happy to see getting some love :). Also one of my personal favorites makes the honorable mention list - Spaced, starring Simon Pegg & Nick Frost and directed by Edgar Wright, all of Shaun of the Dead/Hot Fuzz fame. The show is MADE for geeks. I've seen every episode three times. Once all the way through with the homage-o-meter on, which explains every single reference. It's badass.

5th Place: Quantum Leap/The Wire/Seinfeld/Dr. Who/Slings & Arrows/Price is Right

Probably the only time we'll see The Wire & The Price is Right on a list together. For that matter, I don't know when else we'd see Quantum Leap & Seinfeld on a list together or Dr. Who and the Canadian show about a Shakespearean theater troupe, Slings & Arrows. Odd. But awesome.

4th Place: Six Feet Under/Firefly

Lots of love for these two shows, much more than I was expecting! Six Feet Under I watched on and off throughout its run and I've seen every episode of Firefly... on DVD, I'm sad to say. Sorry, Joss. I'll never betray you again. Can anyone figure out where this list is going yet?

3rd Place: Arrested Development/Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Now THAT'S a twosome I can get behind. One of the funniest, most original comedies ever produced and the show that molded my fragile young middle to high school mind. Glad the Twitterverse agrees with me there.

2nd Place: Lost

A show that hasn't even been completed yet makes the 2nd place spot! I mean, it's definitely one of my all time favorite shows and I have faith that they will manage not to fuck it up in the season and a half we have left. I hope. Please. Please don't fuck it up.

Which leaves only first place, and I think the pick is fairly obvious considering the events of last week...

1st Place: Battlestar Galatica (2003)

Who knows if we will all still have this show on our list a year from now (I mean...I will...it's Battlestar...there's a Starbuck art print on my wall and mini mate Lee is sitting next to my computer...with my mini mate Six and my Starbuck dog tag...okay I may have a problem) but it racked up the most points, just barely edging out Lost for the win. In celebration of BSG's victory, I'm going to take a shower and go to work. Thanks for participating! See full post

Harvard Hearts Joss Whedon [Event]

Gonna be near Cambridge on April 10th? Don't miss out!

Tickets to see Joss Whedon receive the Lifetime Achievement Award in Cultural Humanism from Harvard University!

The only other recipients of this award so far are Salman Rushdie and evolutionary biologist, Greg Graffin. So, Joss is in good company.

Some more info on the event,

The ceremony will take place on Friday April 10 at 8pm, in The Memorial Church in Harvard Yard. Preceding the presentation of the award, Mr. Whedon will give a short speech about his life and work as a Humanist. The award ceremony will be followed by a Q&A session with Mr. Whedon, as well as a signing opportunity in the church.

Whedon has a devoted following of fans, including the online web community whedonesque.com. In addition to his art, he has also been active in promoting women's rights through his work with Equality Now, an organization that honored him in 2006.

His speech to that group shows his passionate commitment to the positive values of Humanism.

Click here for ten dollar tickets! See full post