Star Wars OR Star Trek?

Why not both at once?
Or you might prefer the reboots?

Earlier today I saw the first preview for the next Star Trek movie. I don't know, it has the feel of an old Chinese Gung-fu movie. Some are already claiming it will end the franchise once and for all.

Guess we shall see.

Babylon 5.



And I like Star Trek and Star Wars about the same.


eudaimonia,

Mark

Star Wars. [/thread]

Star Wars ftw! Big Darth Vader and Kylo Ren fan.

I grew up with both, and even enjoyed the Star Wars prequels (granted, with a lot of wincing...mostly over the romantic dialog in AotC). Star Wars is good, fun action. Star Trek provides a lot of food for thought. I see them as apples and oranges.

I still haven't seen the latest Star Wars film. Just haven't been interested. :\

Really I'm for both. I certainly lean heavily towards Star Wars and never miss a movie but I've seen every episode of Star Trek TOS and most of TNG and love their more realistic take on the future. Technically Star Wars isn't even sci-fi, it's space opera but that's nitpicking and in the end it's all a joy to watch.

I like Star Trek better than Star Wars but I think Babylon 5 was better than either of them.

Trek by far!

When I was a kid nothing was better than Star Wars, but as I've grown up I see the many, many faults in the films. Return of the Jedi is really awful, especially having the fearsome stormtroopers getting murdered by teddy bears.

When I was a teen I enjoyed Star Trek TNG and since I've grown to love the full Star Trek canon. I find Trek superior because it provides a compelling vision of the future. We can never live in the universe of Star Wars, they is no force, it can and will never exist. But the ideas and ideals or Star Trek are things we can learn from. Granted, I doubt there are vulcans or klingons warping around the galaxy but there are new worlds and potentially other civilizations to make contact with.

Now, I will say some of Gene Roddenberry's ideas were pie in the sky. While I think something like a United Federation of Planets makes sense I think the idea of global and inter-planetary governments is a stretch. The economics of the 23rd through 24th century is a contentious issue. Early on there were reference to buying and selling, credits and economic activity. But Roddenberry thought capitalism was icky and so Deep Space Nine it was more spelled out; apparently humanity (i.e. the Federation) had given up on money and economic gain for a philosophy of self improvement and work for the greater good. But they do discuss the idea that all these high ideals are just a byproduct of the creature comforts and technology and that if you took away the replicators and sonic showers humans would go right on back to their uncivilized ways.

Star Trek has also been hugely influential on technology while Star Wars has had zero impact. Trek predicted so many creations; tablets, cell phones, wearable technology, talking computers. We are on the brink of advancements in things like transporters, replicators, tricorders and someday warp drive.

In Trek we see people solve problems using their knowledge and teamwork. Trek has also proven to be an extremely flexible format. We've had multiple series with different crews and ships. In a series we have episodes exploring deep issues of morality, we also have crime dramas, time travel, action, adventure and romance. Trek delves into the question of what it means to be human, that's what makes it so compelling.

They all get my money.

Has anyone mentioned Battlestar Galactica yet? I slogged through the cheese of the original series, then Caprica, the BG movie, and then the BG reboot. As the final episode came to a close, I was stunned and overwhelmed. Try that, Trek or Star Wars.

For me:

Firefly > Babylon 5 > Battlestar Galactica > Star Trek > Star Gate > Star Wars > Lost in Space

Lazarus Short said:

Has anyone mentioned Battlestar Galactica yet? I slogged through the cheese of the original series, then Caprica, the BG movie, and then the BG reboot. As the final episode came to a close, I was stunned and overwhelmed. Try that, Trek or Star Wars.

For me:

Firefly > Babylon 5 > Battlestar Galactica > Star Trek > Star Gate > Star Wars > Lost in Space

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Lost in Space would not be on my list. The others are fine in my book. I was extremely surprised that they made something not only watcheable but actually good out of Battlestar Galactica. I watched it first-run and thought it extremely lousy even back in the 70s. I can't think offhand of another example of a remake that works so well.

I didn't catch Firefly while it was originally running, but when I did...gosh, it was good.

I also didn't catch Star Gate for the first couple of seasons...it's one of the scarce examples of a television series from a movie that is far better than the movie.

Babylon 5 was underrated. When it was originally airing, the producer/writer had an ongoing forum on the old GEnie network on which he talked to fans about the series. Some of my comments to him are still locatable on line through Google. His major innovation--was to have created a series as a full and complete storyline with developing characters and a genuine ending conceived from the start.

I've been slowly working my way through B5. It's getting better and better. I'm about halfway into S3.

Force Awakens has pushed me back into full Star Wars fanboi mode. It's just a massively enjoyable movie, flaws aside.

WalksWithChrist said:

I've been slowly working my way through B5. It's getting better and better. I'm about halfway into S3.

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B5 has a glitch in that it appeared toward the end of season 3 that J. Michael Straczynski wouldn't get the season 5 that his story required. So he did some revisions to end the story in season 4...then he did get his season 5 and did more revisions to put the story back on track.

One of the most innovative episodes from a directorial standpoint was a later episode in which the captain is taken prisoner and put under intense interrogation. That entire episode focused solely on the captain's interrogation. There were no "meanwhile, back at the ranch" cutaways to any other characters. When the captain passed out from interrogation, there was a commercial break. The program picked up after the commercial with the captain regaining consciousness for another round of interrogation.

I enjoy both, but I love Star Trek more. My favorite series of Star Trek is The Next Generation. I was a kid/teenager when it was on TV. The Star Trek Generations movie came out my Jr year of high school.

Anyway, I think the thing that makes me like Star Trek more is that it is neat, clean, logical, orderly. Even when things go wrong, they have a sense of order to return to. That gives me a sense of peace.

JAM2b said:

Anyway, I think the thing that makes me like Star Trek more is that it is neat, clean, logical, orderly. Even when things go wrong, they have a sense of order to return to. That gives me a sense of peace.

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Even when Q shows up?

Lazarus Short said:

Even when Q shows up?

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Yes. After the situation with him is resolved they are able to return to life as usual

RDKirk said:

B5 has a glitch in that it appeared toward the end of season 3 that J. Michael Straczynski wouldn't get the season 5 that his story required. So he did some revisions to end the story in season 4...then he did get his season 5 and did more revisions to put the story back on track.

One of the most innovative episodes from a directorial standpoint was a later episode in which the captain is taken prisoner and put under intense interrogation. That entire episode focused solely on the captain's interrogation. There were no "meanwhile, back at the ranch" cutaways to any other characters. When the captain passed out from interrogation, there was a commercial break. The program picked up after the commercial with the captain regaining consciousness for another round of interrogation.

Click to expand...

Wow. B5 keeps it real.

My wife and I finished up five seasons of Stargate Atlantis, and there was too much about fruit cups and salisbury steaks. Now we're on Stargate Universe, and it mercifully runs only two seasons.

I really like Star Trek more!