back to article May the excessive force be with you: Chap cuffed after Star Trek v Star Wars row turns bloody

A bloke was arrested after a shouting match with a pal over Star Wars versus Star Trek led to blood being spilled. Jerome Dewayne Whyte, 23, was collared by Oklahoma police at 6pm on July 1 after he and his roommate argued about the relative merits of the snooty space opera versus the sci-fi merchandizing vehicle turned …

  1. Snowy Silver badge
    Trollface

    In a fight over...

    Star Trek v Star Wars you post a picture of Babylon 5 (better than the other two?) but do have it as an option to question one. Are you trolling us?

    1. diodesign (Written by Reg staff) Silver badge

      Re: Snowy

      Actually, ITYM Deep Space 5.

      C.

      1. Boris the Cockroach Silver badge
        Flame

        Re: Snowy

        DS9 was a rip of B5 because JMS gave paramount the series outline when he was pitching it to the various studios....

        Anyway thats what Bester told me to write

        The corps is mother, the corps is father

        1. King Jack
          Holmes

          Re: Snowy

          Bester would not tell you anything. You would coincidently share a transport with him, then somehow feel strongly about DS9 being a rip off. You'd never be sure how the thought got in your head.

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Snowy

          If nothing else, Babylon 5 AND DS9 were both very very good (B5 wins IMHO).

          Just watching B5 again after the death of Jerry Doyle (Garibaldi).

          25 years on and its STILL damn good viewing.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Snowy

            Bah! Farscape beats both Babylon 5 & DS9.

            1. TRT Silver badge

              Re: Snowy

              Lexx.

              1. Sorry that handle is already taken. Silver badge

                Re: Snowy

                Lexx.

                No joke icon?

                1. TRT Silver badge

                  Re: Snowy

                  Absolutely not. It might not have been "serious" in terms of it having a high amusement content, but it was one of the best made SciFi series of all time, taking certain SciFi staples to their peak:

                  Bio-technology, Quasi-religious oppressive regimes, Sex-slavery, Parallel universes, Robotic/AI presence and use, Assassin class characters, Undead military personnel. I'm probably only scratching the surface of the tropes it carried.

                  Utterly absorbing and entertaining.

              2. Marshalltown

                Re: Snowy

                Firefly - for the movie, Serenity.

          2. Wilseus

            Re: Snowy

            "Just watching B5 again after the death of Jerry Doyle (Garibaldi)."

            I watched all of B5 for the first time a couple of years back when they repeated them all on one of those "Ten Quid TV" channels. Might have been Watch, I can't remember. The whole story arc over series 1-4 was awesome, much better in many respects than Star Trek.

            I never got into it at the time, I think because I was a student and didn't watch much TV.

            I really hope that someday, someone re-renders all the CGI in high def and releases them on Blu ray.

          3. MyffyW Silver badge

            Re: Snowy

            Babylon 5 gets my vote purely on the femme fatale talents of Lyta Alexander and Susan Ivanova

        3. CrazyOldCatMan Silver badge

          Re: Snowy

          The corps is mother, the corps is father

          "My mother was a test-tube, my father was a knife"

          Bonus points if you can remember (without using a search engine) which book/series that was from..

          1. Aladdin Sane

            Re: "My mother was a test-tube, my father was a knife"

            Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.

            1. Huw D

              Re: "My mother was a test-tube, my father was a knife"

              Mater tua criceta fuit, et pater tuo redoluit bacarum Sambucus

          2. macjules

            Re: Snowy

            Friday - that can only be Heinlein "The corps is mother, the corps is father" - not sure. Never read Starship Troopers so going to make a wild guess.

          3. TheOtherMe

            Re: Snowy

            The lovely Friday (aka Marjorie Baldwin) - said that in a rather enthralling book of the same name.

      2. Kevin McMurtrie Silver badge
        Heart

        Re: Snowy

        There needs to be a Holly icon for stating terribly obvious facts like this.

        Can these icon thingies be hacked?

        1. Sanctimonious Prick
          Big Brother

          Re: Snowy

          Kevin. I'm having heart palpitations. Yes, because of your icon, but more so your last comment. Hmm...

      3. Pascal Monett Silver badge
        Coat

        @diodesign

        No, he clearly meant Babylon 5.

        Check out the pics here if you have any more doubts.

    2. TheVogon

      Re: In a fight over...

      "What Star Trek fan carries a pocket knife?"

      An American that can't afford a gun?

      1. macjules

        Re: In a fight over...

        "What Star Trek fan carries a pocket knife?"

        One that can not do a Vulcan Nerve Pinch I should think.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Are you trolling us?

      Yes, obviously.

    4. illiad

      Re: In a fight over...

      https://youtu.be/auwSYKzQDdc

    5. SuccessCase

      Re: In a fight over...

      Who voted for Star Trek being better than Star Wars? Name a time and a place. I'll see you fuckers later.

      1. Aladdin Sane

        Re: Name a time and a place

        Time: A long time ago

        Place: In a galaxy far, far away

        1. Tom 38
          Coat

          Re: Name a time and a place

          What about Andromeda?!

          OK OK, I'm leaving...

    6. ciderbuddy

      Re: In a fight over...

      The Babylon 5 picture is the most blatant act of trolling there has ever been. So much hate for that show

      1. TRT Silver badge

        Re: In a fight over...

        Wasn't bab5 rendered on an an Amiga rendering farm, though? Using... what was it? Damn my memory... Maya?

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: In a fight over...

          'Wasn't bab5 rendered on an an Amiga rendering farm, though? Using... what was it? Damn my memory... Maya?'

          NewTek LightWave 3D.

        2. Drefsab_UK

          Re: In a fight over...

          For the pilot and seasons 1-3 all special effects were done by Foundation Imaging, The networked Amiga's were only used for the pilot, for the rest they used 12 Pentium PCs and 5 DEC Alpha workstations for 3D rendering and design, and 3 Macs for on-set computer displays

          From season four on-wards special effects were brought in-house to Netter Digital Imaging (a subsidiary of the B5's production company). I don't know what hardware they used but they did say like Foundation imaging they did use Lightwave 3D.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: In a fight over...

        @ciderbuddy; Get a grip, man. Yes, it was trolling- but so obviously so that it's clearly a good natured joke most of us are going to get, like this or this.

        No-one's actually insulting Babylon 5, which was a great show. I myself tuned in every week to watch Captain Rogers fight the Cylons. Happy memories...

    7. Richard 31

      Re: In a fight over...

      Anyway we all know George La Forge was the best Babylon 5 character, and in his wise words: "Use the Force Harry"

  2. David 132 Silver badge
    Pint

    Meh

    The Star Wars trilogy was OK, I guess (apart from the one with the wombles). Such a shame they didn't make any more after RoTJ.

    I will now simultaneously put my fingers in my ears and don my flameproof suit.

    Beer, because it's Friday afternoon and we shouldn't take life too seriously.

    1. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

      Re: Meh

      "RoTJ"

      Rise of the Joe-jobs?

      1. TRT Silver badge

        Re: Meh

        Rise of TJ Hooker.

        1. Danny 14

          Re: Meh

          The problem with star wars (now) is disney retcinning everything. Almost everything star wars has been destroyed by disney so star trek wins by default.

          In fact a star trek lover can win any argument now by claiming only canon arguments count.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Joke

    Read this in voice of yoda, you must!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      How wude!

      Mesa day startin pretty okee-day with a brisky morning munchy, then BOOM! Gettin very scared and grabbin that Jedi and POW! Mesa here! Mesa gettin' very very scared!

      1. Sandtitz Silver badge
        Happy

        Re: How wude!

        Of all the JarJar (de)motivational posters I'll never forget the one with "meesa a stupid geeza" caption.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Ewoks.f@$!$ Ewoks

    Who are you people voting for Return of the Jedi? The film in which sentient teddy bears win the day. I thought people here were mostly of unusual intelligence

    1. This post has been deleted by its author

    2. Martin Summers Silver badge

      Re: Ewoks.f@$!$ Ewoks

      Cos I'm a Star Trek fan and didn't know what to vote for out of the Star Wars choices. There should have been The Original Series as well as next generation in the last question of the poll too! :-)

      1. DavCrav

        Re: Ewoks.f@$!$ Ewoks

        "There should have been The Original Series as well as next generation in the last question of the poll too! :-)"

        I don't think including TOS as an option would have altered the results much.

      2. The First Dave

        Re: Ewoks.f@$!$ Ewoks

        DS9 deliberately left off?

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Ewoks.f@$!$ Ewoks

      As long as the Empire designs stupid dinosaur-like vehicles.... everybody knows little children like teddy bear and dinosaur toys...

    4. TheVogon

      Re: Ewoks.f@$!$ Ewoks

      "Who are you people voting for Return of the Jedi? The film in which sentient teddy bears win the day."

      Like the other episodes are any more credible?!

  5. Tromos

    No contest

    My vote for best goes to Bab5.

    1. Pompous Git Silver badge
      Angel

      Re: No contest

      "My vote for best goes to Bab5."
      And mine goes to Battlestar Galactica.

      1. Captain DaFt

        Re: No contest

        > "My vote for best goes to Bab5."

        > And mine goes to Battlestar Galactica.

        Pfft! Firefly was best.

        1. IT Hack

          Re: No contest

          > "My vote for best goes to Bab5."

          > And mine goes to Battlestar Galactica.

          >Pfft! Firefly was best

          That would be Blakes 7.

          mic drop

          1. LaeMing
            Boffin

            Re: No contest

            ORAC saying "I am closing down. I have much to do. You have wasted my processing on your petty affairs for far too long." is my work PC's shutdown sound.

            1. h4rm0ny

              Re: No contest

              That's funny. Avon saying: "Have you considered amputation?" has been my default reply to anyone complaining of a headache to me for years.

              Doesn't win me many friends, though. :(

              1. Mark York 3 Silver badge
                Pint

                Re: No contest

                My wife doesn't appreciate it either.

              2. anthonyhegedus Silver badge

                Re: No contest

                I tend to invoke the Tachyon Funnel

            2. anthonyhegedus Silver badge

              Re: No contest

              You have a computer with a shutdown sound? How quaint.

              1. CrazyOldCatMan Silver badge

                Re: No contest

                You have a computer with a shutdown sound? How quaint.

                With extra "rubber mallet to the head" points if it's a shared office..

              2. LaeMing
                Linux

                Re: No contest

                "You have a computer with a shutdown sound? How quaint."

                Not as quaint as the 10-15 minutes it takes to boot to a usable state in the morning (Commercial OS, of course: My home Linux box of older hardware boots up from cold - including > equivalent start-up software - in about 28 seconds).

                But work pays me to use the tools they provide.

          2. Paul 129
            Terminator

            Re: No contest

            >> "My vote for best goes to Bab5."

            >> And mine goes to Battlestar Galactica.

            >>Pfft! Firefly was best

            >That would be Blakes 7.

            >mic drop

            Sigh, I must be the only one who liked Caprica

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: No contest

              Space Above And Beyond.

              Never actually watched it but I wanted to throw something new into the mix.

              1. MJI Silver badge

                Re: No contest

                SAAB was actually pretty good, I just wanted series 2

              2. 0laf

                Re: No contest

                I rewatched it recently, some of it is very clunky but it was starting to show promise just as it was canned (like many things) and Kristen Cloke did terrible things to my teenage hormones.

            2. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: No contest

              > Sigh, I must be the only one who liked Caprica

              Did you forget to tick 'Post Anonymously'?

              1. Sir Runcible Spoon

                Re: No contest

                Any B7 fans out there need to watch the spoof: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWuTeR7xCU4

                Orac saying 'are we there yet' in a plaintive voice gets me every time :) Very much like the time he was interrupted and said 'but what about the game?' even though imminent danger was looming :)

                Some of the best (and possibly worst) lines ever written were in B7.

                1. h4rm0ny

                  Re: No contest

                  I reckon I can top that:

                  Star Wrek (Full Movie)

                  Captain Pirk meets Commander Sherrypie. Affectionately sends up both B5 and ST at the same time. Worth it for the AMI Bios boot screen gag alone.

              2. Paul 129
                Happy

                Re: No contest

                I have no shame ;-)

        2. I Like Heckling Silver badge

          Re: No contest

          You're all forgetting Farscape which was on par with most of the top rated suggestions... and if you mention muppets I'll frelling kick you in the mevonks. :P

          1. d3rrial

            Re: No contest

            You guys have clearly never watched Lexx which is superior to all other things you posted.

            1. h4rm0ny

              Re: No contest

              I discovered Lexx late at night on Channel 4 many, many years ago. It was the first episode and the moment a computer glitch switched the fates of a wanted terrorist with an assembly of school children who had arrived for an award ceremony, I knew I had to watch all of it. It's on Amazon Prime at the moment so I re-watched it the first couple of episodes. And guess what - the sight of a bunch of smug school children being sentenced to death by lizard still makes me laugh.

              Honestly, neither Star Wars (no science), nor Star Treck (awful science) come close to the holy trinity of space nonsense that are Babylon 5, Blake 7 and Lexx.

          2. Gurhurk

            Re: No contest

            My wife (not a nerd) called Farscape "Muppet in a bucket". My own view of it never recovered from hearing that

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: No contest

        Talk about pissing contests! BSG2 only made it on the air because they pitched it as "just as good" as B5 but with lots more sex sex sex. With sex added they got a decent budget, unlike B5 which limped along on back-of-sofa funds. Talk about oily robotic action series and vehicles for washed up actors! "Hey, let's get Xena! That'll help our ratings!"

        You get more with a kind word and a two-by-four and splashy SEX than with just a kind word and a plot.

        (Me, bitter? Naah. "So now I take great comfort in the general hostility and unfairness of the universe.")

        (Oh, god, I'm defending a ~20 year-old against a ~13 year-old TV series. Well, that's better than defending the first trilogy Gah!)

        1. Steve Taylor 3

          Re: No contest

          > Oh, god, I'm defending a ~20 year-old against a ~13 year-old TV series.

          Worse yet, you're knocking Xena. And this whole article's about fighting words in nerd land!

          1. james 68

            Re: No contest

            Nope.

            Red Dwarf for the win. Smeg all the others.

            1. David 132 Silver badge
              Happy

              Re: No contest

              Red Dwarf for the win. Smeg all the others.

              And its near-cousin, Hyperdrive.

              "You have done a bad thing. We are going to re-habilitate you.

              Watch the kitten. She does not question authority! Be like the happy kitten!

              And look! Another kitten, sitting in a hat! What a lovely world it is where kittens can sit in hats!"

              1. Jamie Jones Silver badge

                Re: No contest

                stargate sg-1 and atlantis

                1. Anonymous Coward
                  Anonymous Coward

                  Re: No contest

                  Stargate, brilliant.

                  Stargate atlantis, utter drivel.

                  1. imanidiot Silver badge

                    Re: No contest

                    I prefer Firefly as best Scifi series, which certainly got cancelled before it's time. Stargate SG-1 was good too, SG:Atlantis had its moments but sometimes felt a little too grandiose for it's own good. SG:U started off terrible but worked it's way up to being actually quite good by the time it got cancelled and IMHO should have been given atleast 1 more season.

                    Star Wars as a series of movies isn't all that terrible, but a little pompous at times and terrible at others. Star Trek introduced a lot of the now standard elements of Scifi but there are many, many terrible, horrible stories/episodes offset against the good ones and the acting is not always that great either imho. A bit like watching old Dr. Who at times. Wobbly sets and all.

                    Babylon5, DS9, etc I've never even seen, so can't comment.

            2. Franco

              Re: No contest

              Go to purple alert!

              Are you sure Sir? It does mean changing the lightbulb.

          2. CrazyOldCatMan Silver badge

            Re: No contest

            Worse yet, you're knocking Xena.

            Which (in my book) is a Good ThingTM

            Yes - Lucy Lawless is a good actor. Yes - some of the special effects were OK. But wholesale stealing and mushing together of various myths and histories?

            Nauseating.

      3. Phil O'Sophical Silver badge

        Re: No contest

        Battlestar Galactica.

        Or "Eastenders in Space" as it's otherwise known. More soap opera than space opera.

  6. tfewster

    Question 3

    x The one with 7 of 9 in it

    1. Chris G

      Re: Question 3

      My exact thought; Star wars; Princess Leia, Star Trek; 7 of 9!

      In addition Star Wars was a Hollywood epic from day 1, Trek was a low budget TV series that took its time to win the hearts and minds of its followers, it was cheesy but nevertheless raised issues, asked questions and was, for it's day very multicultural and quite egalitarian. It was closer to real sci-fi, in my opinion SW is more sci-fantasy with the force and hi-tech beings battling with swords, even if they are hi-tech swords.

      Oh, I don't much like fluffy cuddly warriors or (the real killer for SW) any franchise that could introduce a JarJarBinks.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Question 3

      "The one with 7 of 9 in it"

      That's Google surely.... .

      1. Aladdin Sane

        Re: Question 3

        It's all about H2G2.

        "I've got this terrible pain in all the diodes down my left hand side..."

  7. DarkLordofSurrey

    Was it a Darth Vader choke or a Vulcan neck pinch?

    And before he passed out did he say "You have been and always will be my friend..." or "You already have, Jerome. You were right. You were right about me... "

  8. iRadiate

    You're a trick.

    Is that really an insult?

    1. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

      That's what I came here to ask too. Someone calling me "a trick" is more likely to leave me standing their a bit non-plussed, not turn me into a psychotic homicidal maniac.

    2. Mark York 3 Silver badge

      Up a tree!

      You missed something.

  9. ChubbyBehemoth
    Mushroom

    Trick

    The Next Generation? WTF!!! That's not Star Trek!

    Oh,.. you can leave it blank...

  10. John Gamble

    Nice picture choice. The only thing that would make it better is if you Photoshopped the Stargate behind them.

    1. LaeMing
      Alien

      I think I would have to vote Stargate simply because they never took themselves so seriously (well, except Universe, and we all know how that turned out!).

    2. Haku
      1. Haku

        Re: Challenge accepted.

        Whilst I'm on the subject of TV show mashups, an old picture I made:

        haku.co.uk/b3ta/KnightTeamTrek.jpg

        "I aint getting in no transporter, fool!"

        1. allthecoolshortnamesweretaken

          Re: Challenge accepted.

          "I aint getting in no transporter, fool!"

          No, you really shouldn't!

          1. Haku

            Re: Challenge accepted.

            Hadn't seen that video before, I liked it.

            But the possible reality of an actual working transporter is far far scarier than accidentally merging two entities together.

            Sleep tight!

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Challenge accepted.

          haku.co.uk/b3ta/KnightTeamTrek.jpg

          I can't quite work out why that's as funny as it is.

  11. kain preacher

    motherfuckingbastards. Every one knows DS9 was the best sci fi show ever. Well after fire fly that is.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Mission

      DS9 - Its five year mission; to stay where it is and wait for people to visit.

      1. joeW

        Re: Mission

        "Sisko's on a mission

        To go no bloody place

        He loiters on a space station

        Above Bajoran space

        The wormhole's opened up and now

        They come from near and far

        We'll keep the booze but please send back

        The fucking Jem-hadar!"

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ieccm5PWA1I

    2. I Like Heckling Silver badge

      Whilst I actually agree that DS9 was (so far) the best of the Star Trek series... it's still way short of shows like Firefly, Farscape, Babylon 5 and so forth. It's on par with SG1, BSG...

      What I'm more interested in is what people think are the 'Worst' shows of the last 30yrs... that's sure to cause a few fisticuffs. :)

  12. Black Rat
    Joke

    This is for all time the Ultimate Showdown. (sing along if you've had enough beer lol)

    https://youtu.be/4WgT9gy4zQA

  13. Haku
    Coat

    "Get a life will you people, I mean, for crying out loud, it's it's just a TV show"

    haku.co.uk/kirk.wav

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Happy

      Re: "Get a life will you people, I mean, for crying out loud, it's it's just a TV show"

      Still one of my favorite Saturday Night Live skits. "Get a life!"

      http://www.criticalcommons.org/Members/howtowatchTV/clips/shatner-takes-on-star-trek-fans-on-snl/view

      1. Sandtitz Silver badge
        Happy

        Re: "Get a life will you people, I mean, for crying out loud, it's it's just a TV show"

        I'll raise you with roasting of SW nerds.

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    I'm going Luddite and voting for Game of Thrones!

    Sure, there is too much sexposition in season 1. And the Sand Snakes bite in a disappointment kind of way.

    However:

    No Jar-Jar, no Wesley, no stomach-curdling romance between Anakin and Padme, no overwrought Cold War-analogy episodes, no microbes that cause an infection of The Force, no Melvin Belli, no captain always EMPHASIZING the wrong WORDS in a sentence, no whiny Episode IV Luke, no horrifying future of inbred mutant humpback whales (They only brought TWO back to the 23rd century!) no elite galaxy-conquering stormtrooper army getting butt-kicked by the neolithic residents of Build-A-Bear's Moon of Misfit Toys, etc.

    If anyone has a problem with this, I am accepting trial-by-combat challengers. (I'll be wearing the snazzy red leather and light chain armor that Oberyn is no longer using!)

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I'm going Luddite and voting for Game of Thrones!

      Am I bad I actually like Wesley...

      ...'s stories ideas. Not the character, but the episodes often had some good ideas and sci-fi to them.

      1. HelpfulJohn

        Re: I'm going Luddite and voting for Game of Thrones!

        Wesley breaks the One Highest law on yet another alien world.

        Wesley is sentenced to death.

        Prime Directive compels Picard to accept The One Highest Law.

        "But he's my *SONNNNNN!!!!" and "THINK_OF_THE_CHILDREN_well, maybe just THE CHILD!!!", whines the Doc as she fluffs her giant hair while she thrusts forward her frontal airbags so aggressively suggestively that even a blind mole rat on a distant planet would know she was mammalian.

        Picard saves annoying, brainless, unthinking Problem yet again by sort of breaching P.D.

        Drinks at Captain's Place.

        Next week's titanic episode: Wesley gets into trouble ... bathos ensues.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I'm going Luddite and voting for Game of Thrones!

      > I'm going Luddite and voting for Game of Thrones!

      Not so much Luddite as Mr Irrelevant.

      GoT is not Star Wars or Star Trek, it's not even Sci-Fi.

    3. HelpfulJohn

      Re: I'm going Luddite and voting for Game of Thrones!

      " ... inbred mutant humpback whales (They only brought TWO back to the 23rd century!) "

      Yes, but no one ever said Gracie was pregnant by the other one, that introduces a little genetic diversity. Also, Kirk-time "science" has genetic manipulation and Transporters so Gracie could have a litter of giant, fluffy, winged kittens with thumbs should anyone be bothered to create such a thing.

      And, let us not forget, there are literally god-level beings wandering about the Strekian universe by the quadrillion any of whom could have been politely asked to fix the inbreeding issue in any of a thousand magical ways. Kirk made pals with a few, Picard annoyed a couple and even the duck-voiced Janeway got bothered by one. It's quite surprising that "Get-a-god-to-fix-it" wasn't the main trope used for the movies.

  15. TXITMAN

    Deep Snooze 9

    The photo is triggering all by itself.

  16. This post has been deleted by its author

  17. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Son of a hasmot

    It's all about Farscape.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Son of a hasmot

      Great start, then hit the "we are all going crazy" trope of sci-fi/space opera too much IMO.

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Whilst I enjoy most sci-fi my favourite was voyager because it had the dungeons and dragons (cartoon) we can get home but ethically we can't do it vibe in a lot of episodes.

    My favourite star trek film is also number 4 voyage home.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Show yourselves downvoters.

      I just expressed a personal opinion of what I like. I really don't give a flying fuck what you like but I'll defend your right to express it without criticism unless of course it's battlefield earth then I'll tell you to fuck right off back to the seventh church of the mother fuckwit Jehovah's.

      On a side note I can't watch ROTJ with the new ending, the ewoks were great and I'm sorry but GL should have left it alone. JJ Binks on the other hand was a twat and came across as a Jamaican frog with aids.

      Can you tell I'm a little pissed off?

      1. imanidiot Silver badge

        I prefer the JarJar Binks is secretly a sith lord theory. In which case he is still an annoying twat but some of the bullshit makes sense.

  19. DarkwavePunk
  20. Dave Ross

    pointless argument

    When we all know that Zardoz is teh greatest! :p

    1. Aladdin Sane

      Re: pointless argument

      Best thing about that is Starburns' tribute in Community.

    2. DropBear

      Re: pointless argument

      Oh come on... what's next, SeaQuest DSV...?

  21. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The Tomorrow People

    And not that stupid Yank remake that missed the point entirely, and tried to remake Buffy.

  22. Boris the Cockroach Silver badge
    Mushroom

    Now I've woken up

    and not in grumpy 1/2 asleep mode

    I think the greatest sci-fi thing has got to be

    Kerbal Space program..... for showing us mortals just how f***ing hard it is getting into space in the first place .....

    Explosion icon...linked with KSP forever

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Now I've woken up

      > I think the greatest sci-fi thing has got to be

      Second maybe, after Flash¹. Of course they play with advantage since Ornella Muti was in it.

      ¹ Ah-aaaash!

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Now I've woken up

        Blade Runner (the original, don't know if there were any sequels or remakes) wasn't bad either, even if it didn't involved people going into space (I think).

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Now I've woken up

          Blade runner now has a sequel and the some characters were ex astronauts/space workers. But it did the right thing, in that it never showed any of that bit. It was in the background, part of the culture and not part of the story.

  23. lee harvey osmond

    I'll take an Aught Three

    Try using the Jedi Mind Trick on Jayne Cobb. That's not going to go so well, he doesn't have much of a mind, tiny but very very hard and shiny.

    OK I shall fetch my brown coat.

  24. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    Best spacey-type series ever, no arguments!

    Fireball XL5.

    Mine's the brown one, as it happens..

    1. ecofeco Silver badge

      Re: Best spacey-type series ever, no arguments!

      I was just young enough to watch the first seasons.

      1. TRT Silver badge

        Re: Best spacey-type series ever, no arguments!

        UFO for me.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Best spacey-type series ever, no arguments!

          @TRT I cannot concentrate now! You made me recall Gabby Drake in UFO, far too distracting

  25. scrubber
    Coat

    "Whyte has since been charged with assault, possession of marijuana"

    The weeds of the many...

    1. ecofeco Silver badge

      Re: "Whyte has since been charged with assault, possession of marijuana"

      *groan* :)

      1. Fink-Nottle

        Re: "Whyte has since been charged with assault, possession of marijuana"

        the spice must flow ...

  26. Phil W

    The long night has come...

    Andromeda gets far too little credit in these threads. It had it's flaws but it was very watchable in a lot of ways.

    1. ecofeco Silver badge

      Re: The long night has come...

      It wasn't bad.

    2. Tom 38

      Re: The long night has come...

      Andromeda is truly the worst written show in history. Each season had a pivot that made no sense in continuity to the previous season, and by the 3rd season they just gave up with continuity all together.

      There were only two things that made it remotely watchable was Lexa Doig, and the comedy factor of the writing.

    3. Vic

      Re: The long night has come...

      Andromeda gets far too little credit in these threads. It had it's flaws but it was very watchable

      Not for me, it wasn't. Every time I put it on, my then-girlfriend would tell me at great length how much she didn't like it.

      It was years before I managed to get through an entire episode without having to rewind gert chunks of it...

      Vic.

  27. Androgynous Cow Herd

    You're all wrong

    Futurama.

  28. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Huh?

    So those are two different films then?

    Not that one cares one way or another, mind.

  29. Jason Bloomberg Silver badge
    Trollface

    Alien Nation

    Ok, you get the knife, I'll stab myself :)

  30. King Jack
    Thumb Up

    You are all wrong

    Outer Space Astronauts. The cream of sci-fi.

    1. John Brown (no body) Silver badge
      Windows

      Re: You are all wrong

      ITYM Morons From Outerspace, the pinnacle of British SciFi!

      1. King Jack
        FAIL

        Re: You are alll wrong

        No I don't. 'Outer Space Astronauts' ran for 5 episodes on the SyFy channel around 2011. It was cut-out animation with real peoples heads grafted on. Definitely a US production, missed by the masses but very funny.

  31. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Final Conflict?

    You would imagine two grown men could Leia aside their differences.

  32. twenex1978

    Fighting over this is stupid.

    Anyone who thinks Star Wars is better than Star Trek is not worth fighting. They're clearly an idiot.

  33. anthonyhegedus Silver badge

    I think you all meant "Blake's 7"

  34. davenewman

    Come on, the best SF on TV was and ever will be Doctor Who.

    No. 2 is The Sparticle Mystery

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      > Come on, the best SF on TV was and ever will be Doctor Who.

      You are wrong.

      1. Francis Boyle Silver badge

        You missed out the bit where Graham Chapman plays The Doctor so it's you who are wrong. (You can't tell me that's not Jo Grant on the stool.)

        1. Pompous Git Silver badge

          "You can't tell me that's not Jo Grant on the stool."
          Indeed. Not hard at all to imagine her standing for Parliament as a Green Party candidate...

  35. Anonymous South African Coward Bronze badge

    ST:TOS - The City on the Edge of Forever.

  36. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
    Mushroom

    What is this ballot?

    There isn't even "Alien" (aka "Space Truckers vs. Illegal Immigrants") on it. Space-Pirate based arms-bearing libertarianism is also forgotten. Why even vote? And one cannot even disfigure the ballot. Is this modern democracy!

    Completely gratuitous article on voter abstention by someone who actually likes Corbyn: Elections: Absenteeism, Boycotts and the Class Struggle.

  37. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    This is funny, I've just realised the purpose of the poll,

    "IT'S A TRAP"

  38. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Mr Flibble is very cross ..!

    1. Aladdin Sane

      I used to have an image of that as an error screen on a web app. I should not be allowed to do code unsupervised.

  39. applebyJedi

    This is the correct order

    Firefly

    Serenity

    Blakes 7

    Space 1999 (1st Series)

    Sapphire and Steel

    The Tomorrow People (70's version)

    UFO

    and only then can you start to decide where to put Star Wars and Star Trek

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: This is the correct order

      the love boat was the greatest sci-fi ever, Every week new aliens giving opinions and joining in the plots

    2. TRT Silver badge

      Re: This is the correct order

      Sorry. You had Firefly and Serenity in that list. Meh! No Lexx, I notice. But UFO and Space:1999 are excellent. Dr Who is missed out of course as it goes without saying.

    3. CentralCoasty
      Flame

      Re: This is the correct order

      I am sorry but you have missed the flaming obvious.

      WHERE IS "THE BOOK"? How can you have any list like this without it? We quote it, we emulate it, we breath it.... and its not even in your list!

      Although I will give you bonus points for Space 1999! I used to love that....

      ... but am sad that you missed out Joe 90.....

    4. CentralCoasty
      Facepalm

      Re: This is the correct order

      Unbelievable..... .I missed out the CLANGERS!

      1. TRT Silver badge

        Re: This is the correct order

        The Clangers vs Predator.

        1. Aladdin Sane

          Re: This is the correct order

          Like the Predator even stands a chance.

        2. Soruk
          Go

          Re: This is the correct order

          In "Clangers vs Predator", the Predator would HAVE to be voiced by a kazoo.

    5. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: This is the correct order

      Nice: it was getting a bit boring reading all those lists of the best sci fi, so you decided to list the worst.

      Good job.

  40. ecofeco Silver badge

    5th Element

    Seems to be the one I rewatch the most. I know, I didn't expect it either.

    1. Meph

      Re: 5th Element

      I'm not going to get into the "which one is best" pissing contest, for a huge number of reasons, but in terms of Sci-Fi that I've enjoyed, I'd add in two up and coming newbies:

      Killjoys (Canadian made series I believe) for snappy one liners and some interesting long term plot arcs

      and

      The Expanse. It started fairly badly, I'll grant you, but the plot started to develop nicely by the end of the first season. Hopefully season two will be out some time this century.......

      1. I Like Heckling Silver badge

        Re: 5th Element

        Good call on Killjoys and The Expanse (the book series is epic sci-fi and book 7 out this Xmas)... The Expanse is more Sci-Fi meets old timey Noir detective genre. If like me you'd read the first couple of books before the series came out, then you'll see how they streamlined the plot a little. but book one didn't end until midway through season 2 and we're only halfway through book 2 at the end of S2... So if you are waiting for season to start, you missed it by several months as it's been and gone and is available in various disreputable places.... don't forget that to err is human but to Arrrrrgggg is piracy. :P

        If it was a stasis leak... this is where Rimmer would pop out of the table mumbling about things getting all confusing.

        and I'd like to throw in Dark Matter currently it and Killjoys have each just started Season 3.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: 5th Element

          Dark Matter even has some Wesley Crusher to make it vaguely relevant to the argument.

  41. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    AH!! Sapphire and Steel!!

    The only show that made perfect sense - as long as you were stoned.

    Back to ST TNG, I always had big issues with the huge effing mistake in the opening Credits; they had the sunlight on the WRONG side Jupiter. Sun clearly on the left, right hand side of the Planet lit up.

    Although I suppose it could be worse.

    Anyone else notice that (According to Series one of "The 100"), "Gravity" is related to having any air; remove the air from the airlock and you float; pump the air back in, and you sink to the floor - in a rotating space station!!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: AH!! Sapphire and Steel!!

      > Back to ST TNG, I always had big issues with the huge effing mistake in the opening Credits; they had the sunlight on the WRONG side Jupiter. Sun clearly on the left, right hand side of the Planet lit up.

      Obviously the answer is time travel.

      Clearly the Xindi went back in time and gave the solar system two suns for the duration of the title and then Captain Archer went back and fixed it.

  42. Inspector71

    Club with only one member

    Space: Above and Beyond

    1. Inspector71

      Re: Club with only one member

      Well, thanks for the upvotes guys, I always thought I was the only one.

    2. Andrew Moore

      Re: Club with only one member

      Wildcards for the win!!!

      1. Aladdin Sane
        Mushroom

        Re: Club with only one member

        NUKE THE CHIGS!

        1. Inspector71
          Alien

          Re: Club with only one member

          I rewatched the whole series again recently and it holds up really well. OK the Saratoga looks a bit Minecraft but it still looks great. The thread throughout about fear of the other really chimes now with the in-vitros, the AI silicates and even the Chigs.

          Icon > Chiggy Von Richthofen

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Mushroom

      Re: Club with only one member

      Right, a remake of "Tour of Duty", mashed together with "Top Gun" and "Starship Troopers".

      Real logical, train a bunch of people to fly super sophisticated space fighters, then use them as infantry grunts for 90% of the time.

      FFS the opening credits contained clones of several ToD credit scenes!!

      1. Inspector71
        Angel

        Re: Club with only one member

        You forgot Platoon which was the "inspiration" for Tour of Duty or say Joe Haldeman's The Forever War or Aliens or.........

        All I said was I liked it. Didn't say it was original.

  43. fishman

    Enterprise

    I've been watching Enterprise lately. Like all Trek spinoffs it doesn't start getting decent until the 3rd season. I figure it tanked because of the Meh quality of the first two seasons, and Trek exhaustion from so many consecutive years of Trek on TV.

  44. I am the liquor

    A few more decent shows that got cancelled before their time, while Star Trek franchises tediously trudged on and on:

    Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles

    Dark Angel

    Defying Gravity

    Odyssey 5

  45. This is my handle

    Surprised by the enthusiasm of fellow Trekkers ...

    ... for what I always call Deep Sh*t Nine, .... they don't "Boldly go ... " anywhere. It kind of ruined it for me. Also, they have money. Both Kirk & Picard pontificate often about the nastiness of societies where money makes the world go 'round, even as Riker goes off to play poker and Paramount kept milking the cash cow that ST became. DS9 might have been a very nice series on it's own but it's a black sheep of the ST family, IMHO.

    1. salamamba too

      Re: Surprised by the enthusiasm of fellow Trekkers ...

      While B5 was always better, I quite liked DS9. Your comment about money would make sence if it had been a federation station, but really it was bajoran under a federation "protectorate" type agreement.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: they don't boldly go anywhere

      As a rule they didn't really boldly go anywhere in the other series either, given that they'd invariably start each episode in exactly the same place, plot-wise, as they started the previous one.

  46. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Just to throw this in the mix.

    Tripping the rift. Crude cartoon but sooo funny.

    Star Trek: The animated series.

    Martian Chronicles

    The Invaders

  47. Admiral Grace Hopper

    Space 1999

    I'm glad there's some love for Space 1999, but not as much as I'd hoped for. Kids these days ...

  48. Ramazan

    As a TV series, Babylon 5 beats all non-anime space operas hands down. Nothing is really close. If we add animated series to the question, Futurama may look better than B5 for some, and Knights of Sidonia is clearly the best space opera / sci-fi series of all times.

    1. Rattus Rattus

      @Ramazan

      Knights of Sidonia

      Uchuu Senkan Yamato 2199

      Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu

      Planetes

      Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory

      Martian Successor Nadesico

  49. matjaggard

    Anything with Star in the title is crap

    And yes, I include "Stars in their eyes"

    This is just proof of why people should stfu regarding Star rubbish.

  50. I sound like Peter Griffin!!

    jussayin...

    NONE of you would have a universe to rave about if Voltron didn't defend it...

    You're all welcome!

  51. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    why is it that I can not vote for Star Gate?

  52. Disk0
    Alien

    No love

    for Red Dwarf??

  53. RainForestGuppy

    You're all wrong!!

    There is only one true 'Space Opera'........

    Piiiigggs in Spaaaacccceeee

    1. Trollslayer

      Re: You're all wrong!!

      *bows*

  54. Kepple

    Many years ago, in the Virgin Games Centre on Oxford Street, I watched a pair of grown men almost come to blows in an argument over who would win in a battle between the USS Enterprise and an Imperial Star Destroyer.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Well since if I recall correctly, the Imperial Star Destroyers used 'turbo lasers', and the USS Enterprise shields were supposed to be impervious to lasers, and it has greater manoeuvrability, I would suspect Enterprise could win, but I am unaware of the other weapons the star destroyer has available.

      I would find it a fascinating discussion over a few cold ciders!

    2. MJI Silver badge

      Which Enterprise?

      _ and A would do it,

      D would walk it

      Defiant would absolutely destroy it.

    3. Soruk

      A better one would be the Death Star vs Borg Cube.

  55. Come to the Dark Side

    Froods

    Sitting with my towel, sipping a pangalacticgargleblaster and reading this with bemusement.

    1. Aladdin Sane

      Re: Froods

      I sass you.

  56. Andy The Hat Silver badge

    Easy ...

    Trumps agenda - plenty of alien bashing in that ...

  57. DasWezel
    Trollface

    Which is better?

    Surely they're all the same?

    (Braced and ready for the tirade of downvotes!)

  58. Trollslayer
    Flame

    At least we are safe

    From ElRegers growing up

  59. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    If we are going to go Animé

    Cowboy Bebop.

  60. Anonymous South African Coward Bronze badge

    Moonbase Alpha?

    Buck Rogers?

    Oh.

    What about Robotech? The one with the Miss Macross Contest? Minmei?

    Or Thunderbirds?

    Ah well.

    1. Pompous Git Silver badge

      Buck Rogers?

      How about Dan Dare?

    2. Vic

      Buck Rogers?

      Mmmm. Erin Gray...

      Vic.

  61. Anonymous South African Coward Bronze badge

    And the drokkin poll is rigged, what about the drokkin last question? Eh?

  62. Mystereed

    Can I just say...

    ...that we have been blessed with so much brilliant stuff to watch over the years?

    I haven't clicked on so many up-votes ever!

    Don't fight - love the things you love :-)

  63. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    Two more for the list ...

    Terrahawks and Space Precinct ... Gerry Anderson classics!

  64. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Star Trek or Star Wars?

    Ambassador Kosh says "Yes".

  65. Pompous Git Silver badge

    What I want to know is...

    Which is worse: The Green Slime, or Attack of the Killer Tomatoes?

  66. Tom Paine
    WTF?

    Blake's 7

    This wasn't my observation, and I'm badly mangling it thru age-related bitflips. But:

    Star Trek: Galaxy is ruled by the Federation, a benevolent, democratic association between many species, all living in more-or-less harmony

    Blake's 7: Galaxy si ruled by the Federation, a ruthlessly violent authoritarian dictatorship

    Star Trek: our heroes are the diverse crew of a spaceship doing a combination of humanitarian and military work. They work together selflessly as a mostly-harmonious team under a brilliant leader.

    Blake's 7: our heroes (?) are mostly escaped criminals, with a couple of idealistic freedom fighter types, supposedly to attack the Federation but with plenty of larcenous sidelines and personal agendas. Held together mostly by expediency, the group is shot through with envy, ambition, greed and distrust and suspicion ending in the gradual mental disintegration of a leading character who finally kills the leader in a fit of paranoia.

    They both have FTL travel, personal teleportation and rayguns, but the computers in Blake's 7 are way, WAYYYYY cooler than anything I'm aware of in ST.

    And at the end of the final scene of the final show of the final series they all die, executed in cold blood, one by one, in horrible slow-motion, leaving only the by now completely insane Avon surrounded by the space Gestapo, holding a sort of ray-gun assault rifle with a telescopic stock. He smiles the maddest smile, the most terrifying and heartstopping expression, slowly begins the raise the gun...

    Fade to black...

    Sound of blaster shots.

    Silence.

    Roll credits.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9feQ2sXhu0

    Absolutely the greatest ending of a TV series of all time. Has anyone else ever done this? Ever?

    Imagine if Star Trek ended with Spock shooting Kirk before the crew are gunned down by Klingons! Only the BBC could dare to do such a thing (and arguably only decades ago; lord knows how it would go down if suggested now.) The disbelief and shock was really pretty gobsmacking. (It was a broadcast at 8pm and had a big family audience!) The sets were wobbly, the spaceship floors were clearly chipboard, some of the acting left a little to be desired and there was *cough* a certain amount of potboiling writing, I concede, but for all that it was always a lot more true to real life and the human condition than Star Trek's airless, airbrushed set pieces and creative writing school committees of writers. Please don't take umbrage, ST fans - I'm not criticising you - it's not your *fault* you haven't seen enough B7 to realise the truth.... ;)

  67. kbutler.toledo

    soapy, soapy, soapy ...

    They were both detestable in melodrama and impractical in any application of the so-called sciences they tried to apply to their themes.

    Mankind goes forth for money, plain and simple. Ask the American Indians, the Aztecs, the peoples of the South Seas, the "Abo's" of Australia.

    Get the theme right and the sciences applied right and then ask me again which 'show' was better. I've watched many and most, Firefly comes closest to true theme based on true life, although the science was questionable. The movie Serenity, based on Firefly was bad science as well but closer than almost every other show on motive.

    Re-ask the question as: Which is closer to reality? Dystopia or Utopia ...

POST COMMENT House rules

Not a member of The Register? Create a new account here.

  • Enter your comment

  • Add an icon

Anonymous cowards cannot choose their icon