I have to be honest and say that British Sci Fi still has got a lot of catch up to the likes of Stargate, Star Trek series, Millenium, X-Files, Fire Fly, Lost and a few others.

I don't know how anyone can say Dr Who if they were honest and objective can actually say hand on heart that the acting, script writing, FX is better than any of the above shows.

Just because it is made in Britain doesn't mean we have to say it is the best Sci Fi show in the world. I do like Dr Who but I am being very honest and realistic at the same time it still has a lot to go. For a British Sci Fi show it is excellent, but put it on the world stage for all the countries to see would people in Japan, USA, Australia, Germany etc really choose Dr Who over Stargate, X-Files (when the main characters were in it) Next Generation, Fire Fly etc.

Which Doctor Who's butt in particular?

I would honestly say that the most recent Dr Who series has been up there with the top sci-fi series from the last few years in terms of acting, writing and effects.

I thought the new Dr Who was fantastic and was on a par with most of those shows. It was visually hit or miss but haven't shows like Star Trek always traditionally been hit and miss too with bumpy forehead aliens of the week and ropey cgi, especially when mixed with live actors ?

Besides, TNG and StarGate both had first seasons ropier than anything seen in the recent Dr Who reboot.

I would agree and I would also say that the writing of the original series was also on a par with many of the programmes mentioned.

A lot of the visuals of original Who don't stand up today but the actual stories themselves still do.

also consider , budgets while better in the new series will still no doubt be half that of the american ones.

have to say ive always found star trek very syrupy but the emotional level on dr who much more accessable.

and as already said most 1st series of the other shows were pretty poor compared to d/w. i surppose we all feel a little patriotism cos its english etc but i have watched it with people who scoff at programs like star trek etc and they loved it, good indication i think.

I think the people at BBC Wales might take issue with that point!

Also I'm Scottish... so can we please just call Doctor Who British please, then I can like it too

Doctor Who isn't Sci-Fi in that way and shouldn't try to be.

nah Doctor Who is Welsh sci-fi, since its made by BBC Wales its made in Wales and produced by a Welsh guy.

I can honestly say hand on heart that the acting and script writing were a damn sight better than any of that oh-so-predictable American stuff. As for FX - well, Doctor Who isn't that kind of spaceships-n-battles kind of series. It is thoughtful and intelligent... and the locations were a lot more imaginative than anything that Star Trek or Stargate has ever come up with. Has any other sci-fi series gripped the fans' imaginations and got people talking like Bad Wolf did?

The new Doctor Who is, quite simply, the best sci-fi series ever. And that is hand-on-heart.

Now, go back to Sky 1 where you belong.

And paid for by British Licence payers

and some of those are Welsh

<Anorak>

But he's not British... he's Galifrean!

</Anorak>




To be one of the greats, a SciFi series must, at some point in its history, have been cancelled... usually when it's just getting good.

Dr Who
Star Trek (including spin offs)
Firefly

The case for the Defence rests, M'Lord

I have to be honest and say that I find most of those series dull and uninspired. None of them match the innovation Doctor Who has shown over the years. Oh and Quatermass was much better as well.

<Anorak>

You mean Gallifreyan

</Anorak>

<Anorak>
hes part human part Gallifreyan
</Anorak>

I have never been a fan of sci-fi at all and cant even force myself to watch most of the programmes you mentioned above but I love the new Dr Who. Im not sure what does it for me but me and my children cant miss it.

<Anorak>
Only according to the film, and apparently it's Faction Paradoxes mucking about (see the novel: Unnatural History) that caused this
</Anorak>

For the benefit of those of us who haven't read it, care to explain?

I think that Dr Who:TNG (to use the Star Trek parlance) is extremely good with excellent writing. Some of the Classis Dr Who stories were pretty good but has the special effects of the 1970s and 80s.

I'd put it on a par with US sci-fi in terms of stories and sets now to be honest with you.

Have a nice day.

Explain Faction Paradox you don't know how much of a headache I got trying to analyse an EDA once before.

Anyway, with the help of my favourite reference guide (the I, Who series) here is an explination.

The unnaturalist (who has nothing to do with the faction, but is from another dimension and is fiddling with the Doctor's biodata which has become exposed due to the space tear caused by the events in the TV Movie) calculates that that 53% of the Doctor's biodata contains 17 conflicting timestreams, it is later suggested by Faction Paradox that the Doctor wasn't always half human suggesting that this was one of the conflicting timestreams, that has somehow become to real time stream and...

well you get the idea - Faction Paradox are called Faction Paradox for precisly that reason - They create paradoxes.

THOSE WORDS ARE BLAS-PHE-MY!
Emperor Dalek

I think you have all missed the point or perhaps I have not explained myself properly. I am not rubbishing Dr Who, I have never said it was a terrible series in fact I would say it is probably one of the best made programs the UK has made for a number of years. But in terms of world audiences, I am not just talking about the USA but the likes of Germany, Canada and other countries who get all types of Sci Fi programs it would not be the favourite Sci Fi. (it might be if there was Dr Who fans) We are only now after a lapse (could be wrong) of 20+yrs starting to make Sci Fi programs, but Sci Fi in the States and Canada (were Stargate is made) has moved on. We are still learning, there is no shame in saying that we have a lot of catch up. Not all Sci Fi on TV is based upon Space Battles, we will see that in Lost and what about The Deadzone although it is more supernatural.

In a few months or maybe next year George Lucas is going to be launching a Starwars series, there is going to be new 3 part mini series of V, Invasion, although I have not seen it is supposed to be very good and that will be shown very soon in the UK, I know it is fantasy but I believe Robert Jordons books is either being made in to a TV series or a movie serial.

Yes Dr Who is excellent for a British series but on the World Stage, it wouldn't rank as number 1 and that is a fact, look at the competition and some of these Sci Fi shows are very well made - if they weren't then they wouldn't have the audience not just in the States, but in France, Holland and elsewhere around the world. If Dr Who doesn't want to compete on the world market then fair enough, but if it does it has to get even better. For those of us whom have seen a variety of Sci Fi shows have to be honest and say Dr Who is not the best Sci Fi program at the moment, it still has to go along way before achieving that goal.

No, I don't think anyone has missed the point or that you have not explained yourself properly. It's just that lots of people disagree!

As a British programme (sorry but that one really irritates me! ) it's probably that it is going to be more popular in this country than elsewhere.

Whatever your thoughts about a "world stage", many people (myslef included) think that the writing, characterisation, acting and plots of the original series can still knock the spots of some of the glossier competition.