My Favorite 110 TV Episodes: Star Trek: TNG Edition

The Best of Both Worlds (1990)
The Borg kidnap Picard and transform him into a weapon. Riker is forced to adapt to defeat his mentor.

The Drumhead (1991)
An admiral launches a McCarthy-style witch hunt takes place aboard the Enterprise.

Redemption (1991)
Worf restores his family honor during the Klingon Civil War.

Unification (1991)
Spock meets Data and Picard on Romulus. 'nuf said.

The Inner Light (1992)
Picard lives another man's life courtesy an alien probe.

Chain of Command (1992)
Picard is captured and tortured by the Cardassians.

Starship Mine (1993)
Picard goes Rambo.

My 110 Favorite TV Episodes: Star Trek: Enterprise edition

Regeneration (2003)
Borg surivors from the 24th century awaken in the 22nd. The frightening aspects of the Borg reemerge after they had been defanged.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0572230/

Borderland/Cold Station 12/The Augments (2004)

Genetically enhanced "augments" run amok and fill in some gaps left from the Original Series. The final episode of the three-parter serves as part of an origin story for Data. Brent Spiner (Data from TNG) guest stars/

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0572179/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0572193/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0572248/

Demons/Terra Prime (2005)

The Enterprise deals with a Xenophobic terrorist organization. Peter Weller is in top form as the villain.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0572200/
http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Terra_Prime_%28episode%29

My 110 Favorite TV Episodes: Star Trek Edition part 2

Voyager:
 
Future's End (1996)

A 29th Century starship crashes to Earth in the 1960s igniting the computer revolution. Voyager is tossed back to 1996.

Scorpion (1997)

Voyager encounters the Borg and a new species.

DS9

In the Pale Moonlight (1998)

Sisko conspires with Garak to bring the Romulans into the Dominion War.

My 110 Favorite TV Episodes: X-Files Edition

Beyond the Sea (1994)

Mulder and Scully reverse their roles as Scully seeks help from a pyschic on death row.

Darkness Falls (1994)

Mulder and Scully are attacked by ancient insects in an old growth forest.

The Erlenmeyer Flask (1994)

Scully finds an alien fetus and trades it for Mulder. Deep Throat is murdered.

Duane Barry/Ascension (1994)

Scully is abducted.

Die Hand Die Verletzt (1995)

Mulder and Scully meet Satan.

Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose (1995)

Peter Boyle guest stars as a man that can see how people die. He helps Mulder and Scully capture a serial killer and then commits suicide.

Anasazi/The Blessing Way/Paper Clip (1995)

Mulder travels to the Navajo Reservation, discovers alien bodies, and is almost killed. He recovers, but Scully's sister dies. Meanwhile, Mulder discovers his own sister's fate.

Jose Chung's From Outer Space (1996)

Author Jose Chung tries to get the truth after a UFO encounter and gets several different stories about the event.

Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man (1996)

The Smoking Man's past is revealed...or at least some of it.

Triangle (1998)

Mulder gets trapped in the Bermuda Triangle.

Two Fathers/One Son (1999)

The Syndicate is destroyed by alien rebels.

My 110 favorite TV episodes: Battlestar edition

Battlstar Galactica miniseries (2003)

A re-imaged remake of the original 1978 cheese series. The Cylons return after 40 years to launch a genocidal war. Only a handful of survivors remain...

Battlestar Galactica: 33 (2004)

The most intense episode in the history of television!

Battlestar Galactica: Blood on the Scales (2009)

A rebellion occurs on Galactica. In the end, the mutineers are executed. The executions demonstrated a clear shift in the characters. Humanity could ill afford to lose members at this point, but executions occurred nonetheless.

My Favorite 110 TV episodes of all time: Star Trek edition

Balance of Terror (1966)

The Romulans return for the first time in a century. Based on Run Silent, Run Deep, Gene Roddenberry takes submarine combat into space.

Space Seed (1967)

Khaaaan!

Erand of Mercy (1967)

Klingons invade a peaceful world. Kirk and Spock are stranded.

The City on the Edge of Forever (1967)

McCoy accidentally drugs himself, goes back in time, and allows the Nazis to take over the world. Kirk and Spock go back to repair the damage.

Amok Time (1967)

Spock must mate or die.

Journey to Babel (1967)

The Orions try to disrupt a peace conference, Sarek needs a transfusion, and Kirk survives an assassination attempt.

Friday's Child (1967)

The Klingons and Federation clash on a planet filled with dilithium.

The Trouble with Tribbles (1967)

Klingons poison grain to discredit the Federation, but they are caught in the act by Tribbles.

A Piece of the Action (1968)

Gangsters in space.

All Our Yesterdays (1969)

We learn how ancient Vulcans behaved...and Kirk ends up accused of witchcraft.

Greatest Sci Fi Movies: Honorable Mentions

Metropolis (1927)
E.T. (1982)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
The Terminator (1984)
Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)
The Road Warrior (1981)
Return of the Jedi (1983)
Aliens (1986)
Escape from New York (1981)
The Thing From Another Planet (1951)
12 Monkeys (1995)
First Contact (1996)
Omega Man (1971)
Dark City (1998)
The Matrix (1999)
Interstellar (2014)
Forbidden Planet (1956)
Predator (1987)
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Bride of Frankentein (1935)
Star Trek IV: Voyage Home (1986)
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
Signs (2002)
War of the Worlds (1953)

Top 10 Science Fiction films

1. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
2. The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
3. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
4. Star Wars (1977)
5. The Wrath of Khan (1982)
6. Planet of the Apes (1968)
7. The Thing (1982)
8. Blade Runner (1982)
9. Alien (1979)
10. Frankentstein (1931)

Sci-Fi History: Logan's Run (1976)

How does a society respond to resource depletion, overpopulation, and overcrowding? The 1967 novel Logan's Run envisions a future in which this problem is solved through murder. In the film adaptation, the state kills anyone at age 30. The society is perfect for anyone under 30.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSUAAKFLoL0


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WUUnc1M0TA

Sci Fi History: Planet of the Apes (1968)

Planet of the Apes might be the most disturbing post apocalyptic film ever. Humanity devolved to little more than cattle. Meanwhile, apes became the planet's dominant species. The apes hunt people for sport and enslave them. The dominant species developed speech and advanced intelligence. On top of this, the film's star, Charlton Heston, was an A-list actor and hero. Despite this, not even Heston could not overcome this threat to humanity, which is part of the film's appeal. Moses could not escape the Planet of the Apes, so who could? In addition to Heston's helplessness, the end was particularly disturbing when his character discovers he is on Earth after a long space voyage. Lastly, the film dealt with racial tensions by focusing on three types of apes. Gorillas were the enforcers, chimps the intellectuals, and orangatans ruled. Each type of ape held their own prejudices against the other reflecting modern America.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJT2vJMsYc4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb4eZ7Z5yk8

Sci-Fi History: Star Trek The Cage (1965)

Gene Roddenberry promised NBC a “Wagon Train to the stars” and delivered a pilot for Star Trek. The initial episode starred Jeffrey Hunter as Captain Christopher Pike. In the episode, Pike is captured by Talosians who have mastered the art of illusion. Their powers worked as a narcotic and the addicts lived vicariously through other species as their world died. The Talosians hoped to enslave Pike and another human to save their society and species. NBC brass thought the pilot too cerebral and ordered another pilot. Hunter would not return, so Roddenberry turned to William Shatner and Pike became James T. Kirk.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4crko7wIbpw

Sci Fi History: The multiverse is born: Flash discovers Earth 2 (1961)

A pair of physics students once approached Albert Einstein with their theory of a multiverse. Einstein blew them off. He thought the idea of alternate universes absurd. In the 21^st century, many respected scientists advocate the idea as plausible and even probable. In 1961, DC Comics used the idea to explain discrepancies in continuity. The Flash vibrated into an alternate universe. The Flash #123 explains the theory of the multiverse in some detail. A few years later, Star Trek covered the idea in “Mirror Mirror” and “The Tholian Web.” In 1995, the television series, Sliders, devoted itself to the topic. J.J. Abrams loves the idea and incorporated it into Fringe and the Star Trek reboot. The multiverse allows every conceivable possibility to occur. So, in one universe, Donald Trump is president. In another, he is a pauper. DC Comics has used the idea to reset its universe more than once. The Flash introduced the concept into popular culture over 50 years ago.

Sci Fi History: The Time Machine (1960)

H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine has been adapted into two full length films, at least two television series, and comic books. The book has influenced science fiction and science for over a century. In fact, the term time machine originated with Wells. The most famous adaptation came in 1960. The makers adapted the film to the Cold War and included a nuclear holocaust as well as the first two World Wars. The book sympathizes with the working classes in the form of the Morlocks, who live underground, operate machines, and cannibalize the Eloi. The Eloi represent the leisure classes who have developed into child-like sheep. The film ends with the traveler returning to Victorian Britain, grabbing some things, and setting off to the future to be with Weena, whom he saved from the Morlocks. Wells was not the first to ponder time travel, but he popularized it and time travel has been a key component of science fiction ever since.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKP-WkcDT5s

Sci-Fi History: Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959

Aliens try to stop mankind from building a doomsday weapon and initiate “Plan 9” to resurrect all of Earth’s dead thereby creating a zombie army. It is generally considered the Worst Movie ever made (Twilight might have a say in this). The film has since become a cult classic, inspired Tim Burton’s Ed Wood in 1994, and is remembered as the great Bela Lugosi’s last film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHRq80QNnJM

Sci-Fi History: The Twilight Zone (1959-64)

Rod Serling created the first great Sci-Fi television series in 1959. The anthology series ran for five seasons and depicted unusual, or strange events, that generally ended with some sort of morality tale. Serling wrote or co-wrote 60% of the shows 156 episodes. On top of this, the guest stars featured either establish Hollywood types such as Burgess Meredith or up and coming actors like William Shatner, Robert Redford, and Robert Duvall. Two episodes, “To Serve Man” and “It’s A Good Life” rated in the TV Guide’s Top 100 Episodes of All Time. Several other episodes could have made the list. The show also featured a creepy theme song which automatically alerted viewers they were leaving this dimension. There were attempts to revive the series in 1985 and 2002.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-b5aW08ivHU

Sci-Fi History: The Fly (1958)

A poor scientist accidentally mixes his molecules with a fly creating a monster. He asks his wife to find the original fly to reverse the mess before he becomes a fly. Unfortunately, he runs out of time and the fly-brid is killed by his wife. Meanwhile, a fly with the scientist’s head is being hunted by a spider. The film spawned two sequels and a 1986 remake, which also resulted in a sequel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hdv4QA-O1bg

Sci Fi History: The Blob (1958)

 

Steve McQueen, the embodiment of cool for a generation, made his film debut in The Blob. A meteorite strikes a hill unleashing an alien blob monster. The thing oozed into a small Pennsylvania town consuming all in its path. Eventually, the town uses fire extinguishers to freeze the monster. After, the Air Force transports it to the arctic. Some argue the blob represented communist encroachment. Although a number of period films tackle this subject, The Blob seems to be a simple sci-fi horror flick. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdUsyXQ8Wrs

Sci Fi History: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

Aliens attack a small town and replace people with duplicates devoid of emotion or individuality. A doctor discovers the plot and tries to stop the invaders. Critics have argued for years about the film’s theme. Some believe it was a commentary on conformity in Middle America. Others argue it is a warning about communism. One critic claims it is an examination of the reduction of personhood in the face of extreme leftist ideology. Still others point to Senator McCarthy as inspiration. It could also be the loss of one’s self in the modern world. One thing is for certain, Invasion of the Body Snatchers is about the loss of individuality.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFnSxeDfENk

Sci-Fi History: Godzilla (1954)

Godzilla was a Japanese reaction to nuclear power. In 1945, the U.S. dropped two atomic bombs on Japan ending World War II. Memories of the attacks led Japanese writers to develop Godzilla. The monster became a metaphor for nuclear weapons. In the beginning, he was a destructive monster. However, Godzilla's popularity forced a change. In later films, Godzilla played the hero and sometimes defended humanity.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKrj1ymJzmo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laJ7UCzCtV4

Sci Fi History: The Forbidden Planet (1956)

The Forbidden Planet combines Shakespeare with Freud serving as a precursor for future Sci-Fi endeavors. The movie stars Leslie Nielson and Anne Francis and introduces Robby the Robot. It borrows heavily from The Tempest and uses Freudian ideas on the subconscious. The film is a direct ancestor of Star Trek. Gene Roddenberry cited Forbidden Planet, with its United Planets, as an influence.  Today, the film is considered both a cult classic and a sci-fi classic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y4crGU7dkg