Chuck, Bionic Woman, Reaper, Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles, Moonlight, New Amsterdam - this just a partial list of the newest sci-fi shows to premiere this season. Now, seemingly more than ever, networks are looking to be your pusher by getting you addicted to their high concept, yet hopefully high on content, programming.

The jury is still out on the majority of these freshmen so let's take a look at some of the graduates of the school of Engrossing Television.

To the gallery!

Agree or disagee? What is your favorite engrossing show? What did we leave off the list? Which new show has the most potential of making the list in the future?

Comments

It seems you have a broad definition of sci-fi, but that is perhaps the main reqason I fit in it. I could talk about Angel and Buffy all day, but the series that has me wrapped around its little finger is Firefly. I can watch my DVD's again and again, and Serenity makes my top 5 movies list. Thanks for including them. Oh how I miss them!

SilveradoChelle | Feb 3, 2008 5:25:48 AM | #

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Where's the love for LIFE ON MARS or FARSCAPE??

JERRY | Feb 3, 2008 5:56:25 AM | #

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Can't argue with too many of the chocies, although I consider Firefly criminally overrated; I'd rather have seen The Prisoner or the only successful SF sitcom, Red Dwarf listed instead. Right now the show that beats all competition is Doctor Who as far as I'm concerned. The only show that comes close to it is, funnily enough, its spinoff, Torchwood.

Alex | Feb 3, 2008 8:16:12 AM | #

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Funny how everyone's opinions differ - I think Firefly is criminally UNDERRATED by many and is one of my favorite television shows EVER, but find Doctor Who AWFUL and simply unwatchable.

I know the original Star Trek was listed, but for me personally, I would have also included Star Trek: The Next Generation. Maybe it was my age at the time, but I really enjoyed that incarnation even though I've heard it highly criticized. I think if we're going with the broad definition, I'd also add Quantam Leap, or at least acknowledge it as a really good show.

Andrea | Feb 4, 2008 7:15:03 AM | #

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I thought Buffy & Angel were Fantasy shows! Doesn't Sci-Fi usually mean some sort of space travel? Don't get me wrong BTVS is my favorite show of all time but I don't consider it Sci-Fi! I think it's a sad shame that FARSCAPE isn't on this list. That my friend IS the BEST Science Fiction show EVER!

buffybot | Feb 4, 2008 12:58:27 PM | #

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I think we're using a all-encompassing and very broad definition of Sci-Fi here, which I really like. In that case I would think Fantasy and Supernatural would be subgenres of Sci-Fi (or is that vice versa?). But anyway, if we went on strict definitions, I wouldn't call Buffy and Angel Fantasy either - I would call it Supernatural or Alternate Reality. I always considered Fantasy set in other places than Earth (think Lord of the Rings). But even if we do strict definitions, I wouldn't limit Sci-Fi to space travel, I would consider it technology-oriented (where Fantasy and Supernatural would usually have a more primal, ancient, and/or magical focus. But those are just the way I categorize them for myself. I've noticed that many bookstores often put Sci-Fi and fantasy together or next to each other probably b/c so many people don't really use the same classification system.

| Feb 4, 2008 1:39:50 PM | #

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No, sci-fi doesn't mean space travel but the best sci-fi show of all time isn't on your list: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. I'll echo the incredulity that the wild and creative Farscape was left off - and hey, how about Futurama? The short-lived Invasion deserves a mention, as does the revived Jericho (which has improved a lot from a bad start). Pushing Daisies otoh has been amazing from the first. Reaper and Chuck aren't quite in that league, but they have their charms.

Temis | Feb 4, 2008 3:24:26 PM | #

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No, sci-fi doesn't mean space travel but the best sci-fi show of all time isn't on your list: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. I'll echo the incredulity that the wild and creative Farscape was left off - and hey, how about Futurama? The short-lived Invasion deserves a mention, as does the revived Jericho (which has improved a lot from a bad start). Pushing Daisies otoh has been amazing from the first. Reaper and Chuck aren't quite in that league, but they have their charms.

Temis | Feb 4, 2008 3:25:12 PM | #

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I can't argue that most of the shows listed aren't engrossing, but the Twilight Zone, the Prisoner, the Night Stalker, and Dark Shadows should have gottent Hall of Fame mentions for inspiring more than half the list.

There are a few other sci-fi/fantasy shows that caught and held my attention, although I don’t know that I’d call them better than the ones previously mentioned. I loved Space: Above and Beyond, another product/victim of the Fox Network from the mid-90s. The list credits Firefly for BSG's realistic aesthetic but S:AAB’s marines lived in a similarly dark and gritty space almost ten years earlier. Also on the Fox roster, I admired Dark Angel’s fearlessness when it came to plotting. The creators of that show could have milked several of their plot lines along for the length of the series (I’m looking at you, Smallville) but they made several game-changing turns over the course of a short two-season run. (Then again, that might be why they only got two seasons.) I considered Earth 2 to be something of a noble failure. The creature effects were almost funny bad but at least it tried to tell a complex story with some themes other than “let’s kill/not kill/sleep with the green skinned alien who is _really just like us_!” Likewise, I know the Highlander TV series is open to criticism on a lot of fronts but it should get some credit for committing to its premise and internal logic to a much greater degree than any of the Highland films. While I also loved Red Dwarf, I think we’d have to count My Favorite Martian, Mork & Mindy, Third Rock from the Sun, and Futurama successful sci-fi sitcoms.

Dadlaw | Feb 4, 2008 5:04:10 PM | #

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I agree with a previous poster - Deep Space Nine was the best of the Star Trek Next Gen series. It rose to the challenge of having a stationary setting and had terrific characters. Remember Quark, Gul Dukat and Garak? Absolutely classic.

Trish | Feb 5, 2008 9:26:21 AM | #

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I say "The 4400" is one of the best and should be near the top the list.

Denise | Feb 5, 2008 11:30:06 AM | #

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Eureka is a great example of Sci-Fi-Lite. Fun show. Engaging characters and a bit of humor thrown it.

Had it lasted beyond 1 season, I would have included the Dresden Files as well, but sadly, it did not. Boo hoo.

I agree that 4400 should be on the list. Also that Life on Mars, Torchwood, Dr. Who (the current, not all versions) and the rest of the BBC Sci-Fi just doesn't quite cut it. Flash Gordon(not BBC) beat all of those and that one is just marginally watchable.

Brett | Feb 6, 2008 8:08:52 AM | #

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farscape
torchwood
dr. who
battlestar galactica (old and new)
Buffy
angel
firefly
the early mythology episodes of xfiles

jen | Feb 6, 2008 2:58:00 PM | #

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Buffy is my all-time fave.
and I watch X-Files several times a week. I too love Firefly and wish FOX would have given it more time. Babylon 5 raised my awareness as no other series has. Heroes,Lost,Alias,Battlestar Galactica? I can't tolerate any of them What about The Dresden Files? such a loss for us fans.

brookgarden | Feb 12, 2008 8:14:34 PM | #

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Oh Guys Come on No one even metioned the greatest Sci-fi series of all time Stargate SG1. Ten years and in my opinion not a bad episode and the problme is that it was getting better well except Sam. Ofcourse Angel had few good years left, I just don't get Firefly, or Serinty just hated them. And I just can't belive they canceled the Dresden Files, which was the best show on tv since Angel.

Ash | Feb 14, 2008 7:48:03 AM | #

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My whole family loves 'Chuck' and 'Heroes' most of all. 'Lost' is one of our favorites, too. You might want to add 'Journeyman' to your schedule... a unique time travel series.

We haven't been able to watch SCi-fi since Comcast totally redid the channel scheduling for our area in Jan.'08. We get to watch TVOne instead... yuk! They say they know and they're working on it... going on 3 months now... working on it??? They've really screwed things up and made lots of people really angry. My family also loves the Haunted House series and are really upset that they aren't able to watch the new shows.

Linda | Mar 8, 2008 3:56:51 PM | #

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I enjoyed Dead Like Me, and Battlestar G is pretty good.
Think about it...Smallville comes up with some interesting scripts. I do adore Eureka.
I miss Capt. Janeway. Recently I found Dark Angel now it is off the air... Farscape got some of my attention. Yes I agree that DARK SHADOWS gets the award for people being gholish in mid-day. Great job.

Suji | Mar 11, 2008 10:01:00 PM | #

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Gotta be...
Babylon 5
Space: Above and Beyond
Farscape
BSG (new)
Doctor Who
Star Trek TNG
Star Trek DS9
The Prisoner

Jeff | Mar 15, 2008 8:23:24 PM | #

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hey folk,
sci-fi has to have something to do with(as the fam 80's song) and as the old man in the vidio---"science"!!(i would add science fact)not unproven theorys of sci ether (evolution)

brad j | Mar 20, 2008 8:17:32 AM | #

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Journeyman - I made sure to watch every episode since the story grew and changed. I figured if I enjoyed it so much it wouldn't last long. You needed to know the progression to really get the nuances.

Bobbie | Mar 21, 2008 8:09:36 PM | #

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In recent years, Sci/Fi has embraced Fantasy and vice versa. It is rare to find one discissed without crossing over into the other.

I agree with Bobby regarding Journeyman. I miss it greatly but had not taken into consideration what "lack of progression knowledge" would do for the casual viewer.

Many good points made by all...
Farscape tops my favorite, on the "missing from" list. Babylon 5 is another.

Being old enough to have seen the original Star Trek series make their first appearance, I feel all of the Star Treks had their strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, they all should have made the list.

In closing, let us not forget The Pretender.

Rhode Turtle | Jun 1, 2008 9:45:58 AM | #

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I love all Sci-Fi shows EXCEPT for the ones that push the homosexual agenda. I really wanted to like Torchwood but when it had men passionately kissing men, that was too much.

I know I'll be ridiculed for my views but that is okay.

Nathan | Jun 30, 2008 9:37:28 AM | #

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The reason the Dresden Files was canceled was because it was very poorly written and and equally poorly acted. The same goes for Flash Gordon. The best Sci Fi show of all time was Babylon 5- it had a real plan in storytelling (ie: did not go on forever like ST:TNG), was brillliantly written, and, despite the bizarre makeup half the actors had to wear, was still amazingly well-acted.

Ann Hood | Aug 17, 2008 8:26:59 AM | #

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