Yeah that was an obvious archetype

Look or the episode of warhammer monthly where its the usual editorial between the space marine and the chaos warrior lost in the warp.

It would be around march 2000 probably.

I think it goes something like

What that in your hand Baneblade? Playing with yourself again.

This, this chaos scum is the emperors piece, the largest and finest.

and so on.

Because in the bloodquest story he's playing 'strategium' i got away with it.

In the same season we had a demonifuge storyline where an undercover inquisitor 'grimm' was masquerading as a pilgrim on a voyage and had to annouce his real identitiy to ephrael stern, a sister of battle, in the demonifuge strip.

I had laid out the back cover to say 'coming next month... inquisitor grimm exposes himself to ephreal stern'

But that got spotted and pulled by my boss

I'll have to go back and reread warhammer monthly...

Then laugh at all the Praetorian guard fighting at "Rorks Drift" against hordes of orks.

I swear they never fought anything else.

I had the squiggoth and fighter bomber from the 'orks drift' battle of big tooth river' games day display in my collection for years... they broke up the display and were going to bin loads of the models of it so i took them home rather than see them go in a skip. Sold them on ebay years ago for silly money.

I don't... actually i like BSG better "The new one" also like Startrek slightly better as at-least they tried to explain the science behind the show... Starwars was cool until they started kidifing it. aka Jar Jar Ewoks, love scenes (reminded me of the lion king) etc... granted the First movies (First as in actually showing on screen) had no blood and gore etc.. but it wasn't a comedy ether. Do think most of the ships look cool. and really like the game. First movies were better....

Star Wars for me. A good bit of it is that I grew up with it. I saw ANH when I was 6 and LOVED the movie, so most of my childhood I played the video games, bought the toys etc. When I was a teen the Special Editions came out and when the opening crawl came up I actually teared up because I thought I had missed my chance to see the OT in a theater and yet here I was.

I think the other thing is what people touched on. Its believable, gritty, and a good deal of fantasy sprinkled into what you would otherwise call Science Fiction. Han Solo is a real person who makes good/bad choices. Darth Vader, even though they paint him as being all bad initially, is a guy who took a wrong/evil turn and realizes it and redeems himself. Luke Skywalker is a spoiled kid who has to deal with some traumatizing events to become a man/the hero. You can relate to these characters, even the Emperor to some degree.

The other universes sometimes do a good job of one aspect or another, but they tend to fall short in my opinion. The old Star Trek show/movies are very intellectual, but also very boring/slow. It doesn't grab most people's interests the way Darth Vader walking into a room and choking someone does. I actually liked many of the Trek movies, but there are a few that are as bad/worse than the Prequel trilogy. The whale one is just terrible. The Search for Spock is pretty bad. Wrath of Khan is okay, but honestly I went back and re-watched it and wasn't really in love with it. There are a LOT of plot holes people tend to overlook.

That being said, I loved the new Trek movies. They made Star Trek cool in my opinion. Sure, they are more action/less plot than the previous incarnations, but that makes them much more enjoyable/easy to watch. Yes, I even liked Into Darkness. Sure, its not an award winner and there are some issues with the plot line, but as a movie I could go in, enjoy it start to finish and felt like I had gotten enough Star Trek to walk out happy.

I really like the WH40k setting and honestly find it very believable (aside from the 40k yrs thing). But I think it can be hit or miss. It gets a little annoying in that setting that whenever Space Marines show up they tend to ROFL Stomp everything 99% of the time unless their commanders do something totally illogical.

What I hate about the new ST movies is that they aren't ST anymore. They are more like a generic sci-fi series that got rights to use all the names etc. Star Trek is more about philosophy, exploration, morals, ethics etc., and the new movies leave all that behind to make an action series. Oh and the lensflares make me cringe....

You see i found the old ones a bit boring.

The new ones actually got me liking ST again... plus its got simon pegg in it... that sold it for me straight away.

Whats the name of the first one with the bald girl... that was a totally tedious film.

Whats the name of the first one with the bald girl...

Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

Which really makes any of the sub tiles for Star Wars movies look so much better.

For me Star Wars OT does it for me because they are great considering when they were done. I - III just isn't the same.

But my first love when it comes to space sci-fi will always be Babylon 5. The attempt to make human tech realistic, and not explain alien tech is great, and it is so much more about characters and story arc than say StarTrek is.

After B5, comes Firefly. Again I like the characters. Shame it got cancelled.

I also collected Farscape and Stargate, but they are on par with SW.

Star Wars (OT) scratches all the right itches.

Great ship based battles. Great land battles. Drama. It gets just dark enough to be interesting, but not so dark as to be depressing. It touches on the realities of politics and bureaucracy without itself feeling like a trip to the DMV

BSG is great, but gets too dark at points. It also basically a strict space based show. It also got a little too deep into the politics.

Stargate was fun. The movie was the worst part of the entire IP honestly. SG1 was a fun romp through space that really had it all. The problem is that it didn't have the HUGE following that SW did, so you don't get tons of other related content to enjoy. Not as deep as SW, but much more fun.

Startrek is good. But there isn't enough darkness to the series. Everyone is happy, everyone is friendly, everything is clean, neat and orderly. Bleh. They can also tend to dig a little too deep into the political aspects.

Dr Who is great for a fun romp through crazy sci-fi, but it lacks any continuity. Probably one of the most creative long term sci-fi shows, but sometimes it gets a little too crazy.

OT SW hits all the right marks to the just the right depth. It also has the IP penetration power to make it into all other forms of entertainment. Cartoon shows, board games, RPGs, Minis, video games etc. The EU kept the IP alive after the OT and kept the universe growing with more and more content.

Is it hands down the best? No, but it's been the most consistent for overall dependable content.

Firefly is the greatest example of cinematic injustice ever.

Josh Wheldon writes endless seasons of utter toss like Buffy and Angel and people lap it up*, he does one amazing series of possibly the best sci fi show for a long time and because it didnt appeal to the lowest common denominator it got canned and then we unfortunately had the epic plot of the next couple of seasons condensed into one brilliant but rushed feeling film.

*my wife watches buffy and angel with her mates, i go upstairs and paint or prat about on the internet... occasionally i come down to fix a drink or a sandwich, i catch glimpses of Buffy and it *always* seems like the same episode.

Firefly is the greatest example of cinematic injustice ever.

Someone asked Nathan Fillion what he most wished he could of done on Firefly. His answer was "Season 7."

Yeah, Firefly is mourned.

I'm also a big fan of B5, though the modern eye has to look past the CGI.

I was also a young fan of ST, and I do like the JJ Abrams movies, though they clearly are different.

I haven't really had/made the opportunity to watch nBSG.

They're all really different, but it's perfectly fine to compare and contrast and to like different elements of each.

On the SW front -

I'm not a big fan of the prequels (because JarJar and Anakin), but let me stick up for the change in grime aspect. For starters, the OT was not all set in a grimy galaxy. Look at **** 'n Span Cloud City for example. Also, in the prequels you also have slave-trading on dirty Tatooine. Besides, the story arc is about a galaxy moving from a republic to a totalitarian dictatorship. I think that the classical imagery of Naboo kind of captures that ancient-civilization look, whereas Coruscant has the New-York Rapsody-in-Blue vibe, but also corrupt capital city notion, which I think is rather neat.

Why do I like SW personally? Of course it was a big thing for me growing up, just as most of us here. While I'm not an EU afficionado, I do respect how the world has been developed, even if some of the stories are ... erm... gawdoffal. There is also so much awesome aesthetic to it all.

And, yes: Lightsabers.

And Darth Vader.

Gotta agree with the comments about Firefly. That was amazing.

So many shows take a season or two before the characters start clicking, the writers start doing something interesting, and the show really comes together. This is especially so for sci-fi stuff.

Firefly is one of those rare shows that does it perfect right from the first episode.

It was a great show.

Firefly had the potential to grow into a massive franchise. Just look at it now. 10 years after it's off the air it's still a money making IP. MMORPG, multiple board/card games, collectibles, etc.

All for a show that couldn't make it more than 1 season a decade ago.

Star wars is without a doubt my favourite sci fi universe with the 40k mythos being a close second.

What makes it for me is the fact that lucas's 'used future' look makes the world(s) seem believable, little things like having to bang the falcons panels to make it work (percussive maintainance), carbon scoring, dirt and grease everywhere... rebel flight suits with oil patches on the knees... the fact Lukes speeder is worth less when he tries to sell it because a newer model has come out.

I can live with the plot inconsistancies and i'd even take the prequels over other movie franchises because of this beleivable universe.

As a kid i liked Buck Rogers and Battlstar galactica but the originals dont really hold up so well know. the remake of BSG started off quite well but then just became a lame soap opera punctuated by cool space fights (except 'razor' that was an epic episode)

I dont hate star trek but its always been too peaceful , too clean, too many non violent and unrealistic solutions.

Star gate i coudl never get into past the movie, dont know why...

Other sci fi i love is the Aliens franchise and Firefly... i guess i just love the dirt

So what makes you go for your 'brand' of sci fi?

(oh and l like blakes 7 and Dr who from the 70s and 80s which were actually quite clean but hilariously low budget.. i think i like them for nostalgia reasons and the fact that most the scripts are really really good and original at the time)

I hate scifi esp Star Wars. My fav thing ever is the golden pond.

Firefly is one of those rare shows that does it perfect right from the first episode.

It does, but that's the problem, Firefly was deployed incorrectly. I love sci-fi, but at first pass I thought Firefly was terrible. I watched the first few episodes on Fox, and felt the show was disjointed, with no character backstory, and you were just dropped into the middle of the series.

It wasn't until one of my friends was shocked that to learn that I didn't care for the series informed me that my thoughts were because Fox played the season out of order due to the World Series and based on the episodes they thought would be popular. I watched the first season in order... what a difference. I lay Firefly's problems at the feet of the network broadcasters at Fox. /shakes fist

On topic, I love Star Wars because of the grit, the scale, and because 30+ years and hundreds of viewings later, I still get chills when Han Solo whoops and knocks those Tie Fighters off Luke, and tells him he's all clear, now let's blow this thing and go home. It's an emotional connection I've never had with any other sci fi material.

I don't necessarily prefer one science fiction over another. However I will admit that Star Wars does seem to be the most popular franchise.

But my favorite sci-fi franchise (in no particular order)

• Halo
• Star Wars (duh)
• Star Trek
• Warhammer 40,000
• Cowboy Bebop

There are others that I like but with those I have show-able merchandise for proof.

Whats the name of the first one with the bald girl... that was a totally tedious film.

Funny story, the reason it was awful is because it was originally a 40 minute tv show script for a new series, and at the last second they decided to axe the series and make a movie instead. So they make it movie length by throwing in and hour of enterprise shots . The story itself is decent.

The only thing that may make me favor Star Wars over other "Sci-fi" franchises is simply the timing. Star Wars came out when I was starting school so that is what I've grown up with and what other things get compared to. When it comes to "Science" I think StarWars is actually pretty poor but lightsabers certainly have a cool factor going for them.

When it comes to stories I think I like B5 the most although I only had the opportunity to watch four seasons of it.

I actually prefer a good deal of Sci-Fi over Star Wars. Star Trek tops the list (especially TNG and DS9), Firefly is really up there as well, as is Battle Tech. There is also the Japanese side were I have Macross, Gundam, and Battleship Yamato, all of which I like more than Star Wars.

I do still love Star Wars though, its just not at the top of my list.

I love Star Wars. But, I'm not entirely sure it is my favorite. The issue is, that Star Wars is so pervasive, and merchandise is so easily obtained, it may seem like that. Would it be as big a part of my life if Dune had the kind of presence Star Wars has...

Thou shalt have no sci-fi franchises before Star Wars, lest you be purged.

I loved the crap out of Firefly. And until a few weeks ago I was still mourning it's cancelation. Until the TV/Movie expert friend I have told me about the cast and writer meeting about what would be in season two. The one in which Whedon described a episode plot where reavers capture the companion Anarra and the crew rescues her. The catch being...well put it this way it stunned the cast to silence and when it finally broke Wash's actor just yells good gawd with all the disgust he could muster. Joss really wanted to take that show to waaaaaayyyydarker places it turns out. I got to go find that video now.

There are a number of anime series that are right up there, Aliens is also brilliant, and if you didn't like Firefly I seriouslyhave to ask if you are actually a Sci-fi fan...

What Star Wars does better than all the rest is A) follow all the archetypes and plot hooks of the Heroe's Journey and B) still leaves room for everyone and everything else.

Star Wars "scratches all the right itches" because it is a tale imbedded in our collective social conscience as humans. No matter where you live or how old you are, you almost instinctively "get" Star Wars (if you can look past it's few flaws and refocus on it's timelyness).

Star Wars also leaves room for "all the rest" too. ST oten feels like after the crew is done in a place they don't really exist anymore (barring a few well used and loved societies). BSG often hits the opposite end: there is nothing else. Most anime doesn't go deep enough.

Star Wars exists even when you're not thinking about it, it's living. Some of that is $$$ and popularity driven but most of it is setting and creation.

Star Wars is great, but it isn't science fiction except in the broadest sense. It's hackneyed, cliched fantasy with a "space-ish" setting. It's fun to watch and pushes the important visceral reward buttons, but in terms of Science Fiction quality it is near the bottom of a very long list. Blade Runner would be near the top, for me (but I prefer my futurism dystopian rather than utopian, so Star Trek loses out).