# Great moments in Science Fiction Television.... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 28, 2006, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-science-fiction-television/374468 "2006-09-28T04:23:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-science-fiction-television/374468/1 "2006-09-28T04:23:43Z")
I’m watching the extended cut of the BSG episode “Pegasus”, every time i watch the Pegasus and Galactica just _opening up_ on the BaseStars it makes me smile, it’s just so nice to see the sheer amount of ordinance these capital ships can launch downrange, to watch the glitter of the flak suppression barrier at work, to see the BaseStars crack, shatter and go BOOM!!! for the longest time, the standard response to a BaseStar was to “RUN AWAY, RUN AWAY!!” (yes, it was because they’re protecting the Rag-Tag-Fleet), but to finally see a Battlestar go full on the offense was jaw-droppingly impressive actually, BSG has some great scenes of full three-axis spaceflight, period other highlights from different shows; the Borg Cube in “Best of Both Worlds” and in “First Contact” simply _powering_ through Starfleet ships like they were irrelavent or something the Alternate Enterprise-D in “All Good Things” attacking the Klingon warships from a _vertical_ attack posture and i know it’s not a TV show per se, but it’s seen more commonly on television now, the “Death Blossom” sequence from “The Last Starfighter” i never really got into Babylon 5, but from what i understand of the StarFury ships, i missed some _incredible_ 3-axis spaceflight… what great moments in Sci-Fi tv stand out in your mind, doesn’t neccecarily need to be space combat… ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-science-fiction-television/374468/2 "2006-09-28T04:39:56Z")
I’m with you on the future Enterprise-D from “All Good Things.” It was refreshing to see a ship attacking from something other than a vertical plane, although it was a bit too “fighter-y” for what is essentially a cap ship. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-science-fiction-television/374468/3 "2006-09-28T07:15:25Z")
[QUOTE=MacTech] what great moments in Sci-Fi tv stand out in your mind, doesn’t neccecarily need to be space combat… [/QUOTE] Watching the vipers take out the ressurection ship , that was sweet and poignant Declan ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-science-fiction-television/374468/4 "2006-09-28T09:31:37Z")
From Babylon 5 : “Gentlemen, this is your wake up call.” \< BOOM \> Mr Morden “What are you going to do, blow up the island ?” Londo : “Now that you mention it . . .” \< BOOM \> The scene shortly thereafter where Viir comes upon Mr Morden’s head on a pike; he flashes back to his little speech to Morden, and does that little finger-wave thing at the head, like he said he wanted to. From classic Star Trek, the scene where the Romulan Warbird decloaks and fires, the _Enterprise_ accelerates away, and the blast keeps getting closer and closer and closer; made a big impression on me as a kid. The scene in the 50’s _War of the Worlds_, where the machines rise up and start annihilating the human military. The scene in _Forbidden Planet_, where the Monster from the Id is pushing through the force field fence and taking multiple blaster fire, roaring all the while. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-science-fiction-television/374468/5 "2006-09-28T10:14:15Z")
The Kick. That is all. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-science-fiction-television/374468/6 "2006-09-28T12:38:15Z")
The opening credits sequence in the old Outer Limits TV show was the first really science fictional moment in television. ---
**Author:** ![brownie55](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f14d63/32.png) [@brownie55](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brownie55)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-science-fiction-television/374468/7 "2006-09-28T12:54:44Z")
To Serve Man is a cookbook! ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-science-fiction-television/374468/8 "2006-09-28T13:32:17Z")
When you got your first close-up look at one of the [Zanti Misfits!](http://movies.msn.com/movies/movie.aspx?m=122332) ---
**Author:** ![Tyrrell\_McAllister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tyrrell_mcallister/32/16772_2.png) [@Tyrrell\_McAllister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tyrrell_McAllister)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-science-fiction-television/374468/9 "2006-09-28T13:42:21Z")
[QUOTE=MrDibble] The Kick. That is all. [/QUOTE] Care to elaborate? ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-science-fiction-television/374468/10 "2006-09-28T13:54:33Z")
B5: “Z’ha’dum”, particularly the closing act. The Twilight Zone: “The Monsters on Maple Street” ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-science-fiction-television/374468/11 "2006-09-28T13:57:28Z")
Not “Great” in the technical sense, but Uhura and Kirk kissing in _Plato’s Stepchildren_ was a groundbreaking moment for television in general. ---
**Author:** ![Subway\_Prophet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@Subway\_Prophet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subway_Prophet)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-science-fiction-television/374468/12 "2006-09-28T13:59:58Z")
B5: G’Kar trudging into the coucil chambers to announce that the Narn were at war with the Centauri. Chills me to this day. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-science-fiction-television/374468/13 "2006-09-28T14:16:05Z")
**Ivanova:** “Who am I? I’m Susan Ivanova, Commander, daughter of Andrei and Sofie Ivanov. I am the right hand of vengeance, and the boot that is gonna kick your sorry ass all the way back to Earth, sweetheart. I’m Death incarnate and the last living thing that you’re ever going to see. God sent me.” **Kirk:** “Let’s get the hell out of here.” But yeah, watching the Battlestars get some was very…satisfying. ---
**Author:** ![Firebringer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f04885/32.png) [@Firebringer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Firebringer)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-science-fiction-television/374468/14 "2006-09-28T14:57:16Z")
President’s ‘Hold the Line’ speach to the Pilots in Babylon 5 ‘In the Begining’. She urges the pilots to sacrifice themselffs to off the Mimbari warships for long enough to let more transports escape from earth. Brings a tear to my eye. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-science-fiction-television/374468/15 "2006-09-28T15:08:06Z")
I haven’t seen many moments in TV sf that I’d call “great”. There have been a few great shots, and some iconic moments, but the only one I’d call great was at the end of Harlan Ellison’s “Outer Limits” episode **Demon with a Glass Hand** , after Trent bends back the fingers on the computer-hand, as it instructs him. Explains it all, ties it together, and you understand (as Trent does) the depth and length of the loneliness he has in store. ---
**Author:** ![Khan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3ab097/32.png) [@Khan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khan)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-science-fiction-television/374468/16 "2006-09-28T15:15:24Z")
[QUOTE=Tyrrell McAllister] Care to elaborate? [/QUOTE] From _Firefly_: [spoiler]The captain (Malcolm Reynolds) decided to “undo” a job he did for a mob boss, but the guy’s thugs come after Serenity. They fight, Mal and the crew win, and he tries to explain that he can’t do the job but is giving him the money back. Lead thug: _spits_ “Keep the money. Use it to buy a funeral. It doesn’t matter where you go, how far you fly – I will hunt you down and the last thing you see will be my blade.” Mal: “Darn” _kicks thug in the chest, causing him to get sucked into the engine intake_ He tries to explain to the next guy, who agrees to take the money and go before he even finishes a sentence.[/spoiler] Awesome bit. But I never got into Babylon 5. I kinda wish I had now. How’d that speech go, **Firebringer?** In the meantime, I’ll throw in the first saucer separation in the pilot for Star Trek: TNG, and the entire epiosde “Measure of a Man.” ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-science-fiction-television/374468/17 "2006-09-28T15:39:48Z")
One word about the Battlestar Galactica miniseries: nukes! ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-science-fiction-television/374468/18 "2006-09-28T16:00:52Z")
[QUOTE=Khan] But I never got into Babylon 5. I kinda wish I had now. How’d that speech go, **Firebringer?** [/QUOTE] **Earth President:** \*This is … This is the president. I have just been informed that our midrange military bases at Beta Colony and Proxima 3 have fallen to the Minbari advance. We have lost contact with Io and must conclude that they too have fallen to an advanced force. Our military intelligence believes that Minbari intend to bypass Mars and hit Earth directly, and the attack may come at any time. We have continued to broadcast our surrender and a plea for mercy, and they have not responded. We therefore can only conclude that we stand at the twilight of the Human race. In order to buy more time for our evacuation transports to leave Earth, we ask for support of every ship capable of fighting, to take part in a defense of our homeworld. We will not lie to you. We do not believe survival is a possibility. We believe that anyone who joins this battle, will never come home again. But for every ten minutes we can delay the military advance, several hundred more civilians may have a chance to escape to neutral territory. Though Earth may fall, the Human race must have a chance to continue elsewhere. No greater sacrifice has ever been asked of a people, but I ask you now, to step forward one last time - one last battle to hold the line against the night! May God go with you all. \* ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-science-fiction-television/374468/19 "2006-09-28T16:10:14Z")
[QUOTE=Der Trihs] From Babylon 5 : The scene shortly thereafter where Viir comes upon Mr Morden’s head on a pike; he flashes back to his little speech to Morden, and does that little finger-wave thing at the head, like he said he wanted to. [/QUOTE] This is exactly the first thing I thought of when I opened this thread. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-science-fiction-television/374468/20 "2006-09-28T16:10:33Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] **Earth President:** \*This is … This is the president. I have just been informed that our midrange military bases at Beta Colony and Proxima 3 have fallen to the Minbari advance. We have lost contact with Io and must conclude that they too have fallen to an advanced force. Our military intelligence believes that Minbari intend to bypass Mars and hit Earth directly, and the attack may come at any time. We have continued to broadcast our surrender and a plea for mercy, and they have not responded. We therefore can only conclude that we stand at the twilight of the Human race. In order to buy more time for our evacuation transports to leave Earth, we ask for support of every ship capable of fighting, to take part in a defense of our homeworld. We will not lie to you. We do not believe survival is a possibility. We believe that anyone who joins this battle, will never come home again. But for every ten minutes we can delay the military advance, several hundred more civilians may have a chance to escape to neutral territory. Though Earth may fall, the Human race must have a chance to continue elsewhere. No greater sacrifice has ever been asked of a people, but I ask you now, to step forward one last time - one last battle to hold the line against the night! May God go with you all. \* [/QUOTE] This, coupled with the silent images of many starship pilots and crews donning their helmets and suiting up, etc, going out and _knowing_ they are going to die, is pretty damn moving And, [spoiler alert] even though Earth did _technically_ win the Battle of the Line, and the war, I think it was something like 1% of those who fought on the line came back. Another great **B5** speech is from Londo, from an earlier scene in the same movie. > [@](#): > > The humans, I think, knew they were doomed. But where another race would surrender to despair, the humans fought back with even greater strength. They made the Minbari fight for every inch of space. In my life, I have never seen anything like it. They would weep, They would pray, They would say goodbye to their loved ones, then throw themselves without fear or hesitation into the very face of death itself, never surrendering. No one who saw them fighting against the inevitable, could help but be moved to tears by their courage, their stubborn nobility. When they ran out of ships they used guns. When they ran out of guns they used knives and sticks, and bare hands. They were magnificent. I only hope that when it is my time, I may die with half as much dignity as I saw in their eyes in the end. They did this for two years. They never ran out of courage. But in the end, they ran out of time. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-science-fiction-television/374468.md?page=2)