Star Wars vs. Star Trek

[rdp78]

Which of these well-known sci-fi franchises do you think is the best and why? I mean one is takes place long ago in a glaxay far way and other one takes place in this glaxay starting a few hundred years in the future. They both have unique characters and aliens as well as spacecrafts and planets. I think they are both interesting but I haven't seen all the Star Trek movies however I have seen several episodes of almost all of the TV shows except the for the last two if I remember. Now I have seen all six Star Wars movies but you hasn't. I'm kind of nertual on both and they both are very much part of pop cultural. I mean even if you are not into sci-fi you still know something about each one. Not to mention each one is worth billions of dollars I mean George Lucas himself is a billionaire.

However I know some people prefer one over the other. So do you prefer one or the other? Or are you like me can't really decide? I mean Star Trek could prossibly be real one day (okay, maybe with different aliens) but Star Wars has this mystic about it.

[lordlundar]

Woah no, not this one. There has been no good outcome from this discussion in the past, so I am not even wading into it.

[AFPheonix]

I like both, although Star Wars has really gone downhill since the 80's. Damn you Luca$. The original movies are still good, although cheesy at points.
I took a Star Trek class for giggles in college. It was actually pretty interesting. There was really a lot of social commentary in the original version and TNG. I didn't really get into later ones, but they are a good vehicle for telling stories, and I can't wait for the new movie

[Boozy]

I don't particularly like the genre, so take this with a grain of salt:

I have watched the Star Wars movies (all 6) and spent the entire time cringing at the bad dialogue and terrrible acting throughout. If there is something else there to enjoy, I haven't been able to discover it, so hackneyed is the writing.

I have watched several episodes of Star Trek (The Next Generation) as well as two of the movies and found myself entertained and pleasantly surprised at some of the philosophical issues they tackled. It's never going to be my favourite franchise, but I can see the appeal.

The only sci-fi show I've ever gotten into is Battlestar Galactica. Tremendous writing and cast.

[Slytovhand]

I should go along with LordLundar on this... especially with 1 comment on here already

I'm more Star Wars... probably due to the 'mystic' element you mentioned. It fits in with my personal beliefs, so I see it as a 'possibility'.

Star Trek and BG (since it's been brought up) have 2 things that really shit me in a series... immortality and omniscience. How come, almost no matter what (other than contract changes with the actors), they come through everything??? The standard Trek joke is true..it's the guys in the red shirts that get killed - no-one else does! And, the other one.. every away mission has a head-honcho or 2... "Ooh - new alien race that is extremely violent and likely to kill a few team members - let the captain go down!" Rubbish! Same in BG (or was, for what I saw)... Starbuck is the only person out of the thousands who is capable of conducting an interview of a prisoner.. not anyone in security - oh no... got to be her!

You get my drift... there's an entire shipload of people, but only the top 3 or 4 are actually capable of doing anything useful! (which, I suppose is handy, given that they can't die or get too badly hurt....)

[Jaden]

Shouldn't this go in the religion section?

[Flyndaran]

Sci fi fantasy with magic vs. sci fi fantasy with magic, both with glaring unashamed plot holes the size of buicks treating human life with less care than that of ants.
The both irritate me with their preachy bad science.

[Bloodsoul]

I think I have to side with Star Wars 'cause I saw it first and actually have action figures for it (save for that one Bird of Prey modelkit I put together). I do love the original Star Trek and TNG, though; not a lot of experience with any of the others. Hell, my only reason to even watch Enterprise would've been for Scott Bakula (though I'm still wondering where Al is).

This thread is making me miss Babylon 5, though.

[Greenday]

I love Star Wars. I love the movies. I love the books. They are all really kickass.

Star Trek is just boring to me. I can't get into it at all.

So, how about Firefly?

[Sylvia727]

I was going to say that Star Wars wins (the original Star Wars. Yes, I'm a snob), since Star Wars tells a better story. Sure, it's over the top, but that's part of its charm. And the Force has fewer plot holes than tachyon particles. I grew up on the original Star Wars and the original Star Trek show. Kirk was a womanizing, ethnocentric, arrogant SOB. The whiny farmboy at least has some redeeming character traits. When I rewatched the original trilogy as an adult, I was apalled at how bad the acting is, and how corny the dialouge sounds, but to me it still tells a better story than Star Trek's preachy "Humanity is always right and will always triumph" blah.

However, Firefly beats both of them cold. Engaging story, realistic characters with flaws and strengths, natural dialouge, humor, fast plot, great mixing of thematic elements, a full spectrum of emotions, betrayal, redemption, and a dash of Waif Fu.

[Boozy]

I didn't particularly care for Firefly, even though I'm general a big Joss Whedon fan. I didn't not like it, but it never really grabbed me.

I agree that Star Wars is a good (if somewhat trite) story, but I maintain that the execution was appalling.

[Evandril]

Personally, I loved Firefly, for the reasons given and one more...they were *not* the biggest or baddest out there...and they knew that running was often a good idea on occasion.

[SimplyAnother]

Hi, it's me, poster on old threads!

Enterprise would've been for Scott Bakula (though I'm still wondering where Al is).

Back home, with Sams wife.

Or something.

Right now, I'm experiencing Star Wars through my kids eyes, which is like it's a whole new thing. He's really into the villains though, and I haven't got a freakin clue, because beyond the bit with Liam Neeson--I haven't watched any of the more recent films.

He does not think Star Trek is cool, and refused to watch TNG with me when I had it on the other day. He's a brat.

I try not to compare ST to SW. Both are appealing and crappy in their own little ways.

Based on my eight year old I'd have to pick Star Wars. Because we certainly don't have any Captian Picard action figures around the house, but the kid has about 12 different Anakin Skywalker action figures. (But we only have 4 light sabers. That's not a lot, right? Oh, that means my kids are spoiled, doesn't it?

But Star Trek totally explains why I like John de Lancie (I don't know).

Okay, I'll stop now.

[Flyndaran]

I didn't particularly care for Firefly, even though I'm general a big Joss Whedon fan. I didn't not like it, but it never really grabbed me.

I agree that Star Wars is a good (if somewhat trite) story, but I maintain that the execution was appalling.

I hated the wanton disregard for life the main "heroes" showed at every turn.
It's this attitude that made so many actually laugh at the fellowship of the ring heroes showing sorrow for their lost comrades and horror for armies of "monsters".
I wouldn't let impressionable children watch Star Wars, but I might let them watch the One Ring trilogy.

[depechemodefan]

Star Trek and BG (since it's been brought up) have 2 things that really shit me in a series... immortality and omniscience. How come, almost no matter what (other than contract changes with the actors), they come through everything??? The standard Trek joke is true..it's the guys in the red shirts that get killed - no-one else does! And, the other one.. every away mission has a head-honcho or 2... "Ooh - new alien race that is extremely violent and likely to kill a few team members - let the captain go down!" Rubbish! Same in BG (or was, for what I saw)... Starbuck is the only person out of the thousands who is capable of conducting an interview of a prisoner.. not anyone in security - oh no... got to be her!

You get my drift... there's an entire shipload of people, but only the top 3 or 4 are actually capable of doing anything useful! (which, I suppose is handy, given that they can't die or get too badly hurt....)

Yeah, that annoyed me. I get that the producers can't just kill main char. because either/or 1) fans get mad 2)have to hire new actors.
The only reason Tasha Yar died was because Denise wanted out. And she couldn't even been killed interrestingly. Granted, she died like a red (gold in this series) shirt. Though I think she was the only crew member where anyone tried to save her, instead of looking appallingly at then forget right away.

I like TNG. Great stories. PS was fun to watch, and I like Data.

I like the OS, like Voyager, but I couldn't get into DS-9 or Enterprise.

But I LOVE Star Wars. ANH came out when I was 5, but the first SW movie I saw of TESB, where the dialouge from Gone with the Wind was ripped off of. Anyway, I love all 6 movies. I even love the ewoks (granted, I was 11 when RotJ came out). Maybe it's the whole Jedi Knight thing-maybe AG was able to sell that in such a way it just opened up a new vista for people. The whole series looked real. Like GL (or maybe someone else, and GL stole the phrase) the Star Wars universe looks like a used universe. It looks like people live there, that it isn't a squicky-clean set. You can see yourself or other real people living there.

I like firefly. I havn't watched the BG.