An introduction to popular sci-fi for beginners

A while back a friend of mine became engaged to an uber sci-fi geek. She was unfamiliar with most popular sci-fi and had asked what she could look at so she could be more versed when they watched nerdy things together. I came up with an idea that I hope will help out anyone who wants to meet their significant other at least partway if sci-fi isn't their cup of tea. And yes, this list is also appropriate for anyone else who is unfamiliar with science fiction and wants to know what it's all about.

So, here's just a basic introduction to popular sci-fi that you can watch. By watching the following, you will see just a preview of what popular sci-fi has to offer. From there, you can decide if you want to keep up with following whatever fandom you wish, or if you've seen enough to prove that you put forth an effort. And believe you me, just by putting forth the effort with geeks truly does mean a lot, even if you don't like it!

For the record: the TV episodes selected for the mentioned franchises will not necessarily be the best of the series, but ones that people who are not familiar with the series can easily watch without becoming too lost in major plots or character development.

Where to Start

The first thing you should find a copy of is Forbidden Planet. This film was the father of all modern sci-fi. Although it has cheesy and outdated affects, the basic story line puts Shakespeare's The Tempest in space. It also introduces the infamous "Robby the Robot" that, odds are, you have seen somewhere before.

What makes this piece of sci-fi so pivotal is that it was the first feature film to show humans leaving the earth to explore other worlds and encounter new alien species. Without Forbidden Planet, sci-fi would never have expanded the way it did, and we would be stuck with cheesy alien invader movies for several generations.

On that subject, the next film to headline modern sci-fi would be the original The Day the Earth Stood Still. Up until its release in 1951, all alien movies were about invasion and domination. This film featured Klaatu, an alien, landing on earth to warn the human race about warfare and to live in peace or the human race will destroy itself. This film is significant not only for its message, but also for giving aliens a chance to be the protagonists.

Next: Star Trek and Star Wars

Odds are good that you've at least of heard of both of these fandoms, and you've probably at least seen Star Wars or one of it's sequels or prequels at east once. In any case, both of these fandoms are the most popular in the modern sci-fi genre and you will need to be acquainted with both.

Before we continue: be advised that not all of these fans live harmoniously. Many fans draw the line at either liking one or the other and can be very defensive of which side they take. While many are good with both fandoms, preferring one over the other can put you in a compromising position. If the point of your reading this blog is to familiarize yourself with a significant other's fandom, you may want to find out if they are a "Trekker" or "Fanboy/girl." I don't want to cause any breakups!

We will begin with Star Trek, as it came out before Star Wars. Trek began in the 1960s and spawned canonical 10 films and 5 spin off TV series between 1969-2005: The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and the much debated-about Enterprise. The Trek portion will be a little long due to these six show summaries.

Star Trek and its Spin Offs

The original TV series, while classic, is a product of its time and has campy sets and affects (like Forbidden Planet), which also has episodes that are available with newly updated CGI affects. This series, created by Gene Roddenberry, is particularly noteworthy because it tackled many political issues, including race and warfare, in a way to teach its audience messages about them. The main premise of the show followed Captain James T. Kirk, Spock, and the crew of the USS Enterprise NCC-1701 as they travel the unexplored galaxy to seek out new life and go "where no man has gone before."

To introduce yourself to this series, the following episodes are the best to get started with:

Arena - the infamous "Gorn," as seen on Priceline commercials and the TV series The Big Bang Theory, appears in this episode. Kirk is pitted against the Gorn as celestial beings watch on, telling both that they have the means to destroy each other with the elements around them.

Space Seed - the episode that introduced one of the top 100 movie villains: Khan, a leader from 1996 of a strand of biologically enhanced humans who tried to take over the world and was cryogenically frozen; now thawed, he and he crew want to take over the universe. The film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan expands on his tale and his fate.

Let That Be Your Last Battlefield - one of the best episodes in which race and prejudice is tackled, in which 2 aliens, both black on one side and white on the other, antagonize each other in an unending battle that now involves the Enterprise crew.

While Star Trek has many great episodes, I feel that these three are particularly good for simply introducing new viewers to. In addition, if you would like the updated feel for the series in film, Wrath of Khan is the only film of the 6 that followed you would need to see.

The Animated Series picked up a few years after the original series ended, and lasted 2 seasons and featured all (except Walter Koenig) of the original cast members. While this show is fun, it was difficult to ascertain whether it was a show geared for kids or adults. Since it never made that distinction, most of the episodes are okay at best, although the redeeming quality is that the animation allowed the alien species to be more creative, such as having multiple limbs or appearing plant-like. Feel free to check out this show if you feel like it, but most Trekkers will forgive you if you decide to skip it.

The Next Generation came out 20 years after the first series and took place 100 years after Kirk. It had the similar premise of the original series, in which viewers got Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the USS Enterprise NCC-1701 D as they also went out to explore more of the galaxy, while having many experiences with the Klingons, Borg, and Q.

To introduce yourself to this series, the following episodes are the best to get started with:

Q Who? - the devious Q zaps the crew of the Enterprise across the galaxy to face off with the Borg for the first time.

The Measure of a Man - the android crew member, Data, is ordered to be disassembled for further study of his mechanics in hopes of creating more of him, and Picard sets out to prove he is a sentient being with individual rights.

Darmok - Picard is kidnapped on a planet with the captain of a species they have difficulty communicating with, and the two must find a way to defeat a beast that is hunting them. (Fun tidbit: features a cameo from a then-unknown Ashley Judd)

Four of the ten Trek films continued with this series, and the best film to focus on is First Contact, which is a continuation of one of the best cliffhangers in TV history: The Best of Both Worlds (which is also a good one to see).

Deep Space Nine premiered while Next Generation was wrapping up its run on TV, and picked up 2 of their recurring characters: Chief Miles O'Brien, who was involved in the entire run of this series, and Worf, became a regular in season 4. This spin off was more cerebral than the previous two, as most of the episodes took place on a space station with Captain Benjamin Sisko working as the "Emissary" for the Bajorans after they have been released from the oppression of the Cardassians. In the 6th season, the series became more of a serial as they engaged in a war with the Dominion. This series had darker themes than the other spin offs, but featured strong romantic story lines and occasional musical sequences.

To introduce yourself to this series, the following episodes are the best to get started with:

The Way of the Warrior - Worf is assigned to Deep Space Nine to help with Klingon negotiations when they bring forth an enormous armada to attack the Cardassians, who they believe are siding with the Dominion.

Little Green Men - while en route to Earth to drop off Nog for his Starfleet training, Quark's ship malfunctions and they all wake up having been transported back in time...to 1947 in a place called Roswell.

Far Beyond the Stars - Sisko envisions an ancestor in a dream who dealt with racism in the 1950s while trying to make a living as a sci-fi writer. A fun fact about this episode is that every regular who appeared in this episode is seen without alien makeup.

This series didn't have any films following up after the finale, although it was left open for continuation. Its story line of the Dominion War is considered as one of the best ongoing stories in sci-fi history.

Voyager also premiered when Deep Space Nine was airing and followed Captain Kathryn Janeway as she and a crew of Federation rebels, the Maquis, find themselves stranded 70,000 light years from Earth in the Delta Quadrant and have to combine forces and traverse unknown space to get home. While not considered the best of the Trek spin offs, and often used a recycled plot of escaping from something no one else had before, the strengths lay with the characters and their growth over the span of the series, also featuring strong female characters. It is also notable for the sexy Seven of Nine, who became a regular in season 4.

To introduce yourself to this series, the following episodes are the best to get started with:

Caretaker - the 2-hour premier introduces Janeway as she is tasked to find a missing Maquis ship, only to find themselves transported halfway across the universe and forced to make a tough decision about getting home.

Scorpion, parts 1 & 2 - one of Trek's finest episodes and cliffhangers follows the crew as they enter Borg space, only to discover they are engaged in a losing war against creatures called Species 8472, but after the Doctor finds a way to circumvent the aliens' biological technology, Janeway strikes up an alliance with the Borg to safely cross their space.

Message in a Bottle - Seven of Nine finds a way to send the Doctor through alien technology to a Federation starship in the Alpha Quadrant, but he arrives to find it taken over by Romulans, and only has the help of a hologram played by Andy Dick (the horror!).

This series also did not have any films to follow up after the finale, although (SPOILER ALERT!) the Trek film Nemesis did feature a newly promoted Admiral Janeway. Also, one of characters who shows up in the final season, Miral, became a pivotal character in the Star Trek Online MMORPG.

Enterprise began airing in the wake of Voyager's end with a strong premier, taking place 100 years before Kirk began his voyage. However, its quality quickly declined due to weak plot lines and character development (not to mention overuse of the decontamination chamber), making it appear more like a space soap opera. It was around the fourth season that the series changed to writers who were fans of the previous shows, but it was too late to save the show and it was cancelled after 98 episodes.

As mentioned with The Animated Series, feel free to skip Enterprise if it does not interest you. If you are interested in seeing what it was about, these episodes are worth watching:

Broken Bow - the premier episode where Captain Jonathan Archer assembles his crew to take the victim of a first-contact-gone-bad called a Klingon back to his home world, only to find that someone else is interested in taking him captive.

Twilight - Archer, a la Drew Barrymore in 50 First Dates, suffers a head injury and wakes up every morning not remembering anything after the initial accident. He learns Earth has been destroyed and only a handful of survivors remain.

E2 - the Enterprise enters a portion of space where they encounter a second Enterprise that is manned by their descendants.

Since watching all 6 series would take a lot of time, the best version to get started with would be the original series. The original series, following the influence of Forbidden Planet, pioneered boundaries in TV and film that stretched the imagination.

There is also the subject of J.J. Abrams' reboot of the series in the films Star Trek and Into Darkness. Both films are excellent and flawlessly cast, but many Trekkers do not completely approve of Abrams' reworking their beloved franchise. Tread carefully with this subject!

Finally, there is are two web series of note. The first is called Star Trek: The Continuing Mission that is fan made and continues where the original series left off. This series is well done, and features their new Scotty being played by James Doohan's (who played the character of Scotty) own son! The second is Star Trek: Renegades, which was created by Voyager's Tim Russ (Tuvok), who also directed the Shakespeare in Love-inspired Roddenberry on Patrol.

Star Wars

As said before, odds are anyone who isn't familiar with popular sci-fi has probably seen at least one of these films. At the time Star Wars hit the big screen, Trek had been off the air for almost 10 years and was filling a huge, geek-starved gap. Thanks to this series, a new precedent was set for not only sci-fi, but movie magic in general.

The Star Wars fandom is set in a complex universe that began with the original trilogy. Thanks to the intriguing stories, colorful characters, witty dialogue, and flawless casting, these films took the world by storm and the entertainment world was never the same again. The "holy trilogy" is below for those few out there who have never seen the films.

Star Wars, Episode 4: A New Hope - the groundbreaking first film in the trilogy establishes the Star Wars universe with the struggle between the empire, ruled by Darth Vader, and the rebels. Luke Skywalker takes the task of escorting 2 droids with the plans to the Empire's dreaded Death Star, provided by Princess Leia, to the rebel base with the help of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Han Solo.

Star Wars, Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back - the rebels, taking a huge defeat from the empire, regroup elsewhere to regain their forces. Luke meets Yoda and trains to be a Jedi like his father, while Han Solo and Princess Leia try to shake the Empire, only to become Darth Vader's prisoners. This particular film features one of, if not the, greatest plot twist in movie history.

Star Wars, Episode 6: Return of the Jedi - after freeing Han from the clutches of Jabba the Hutt, Luke and Leia headline the rebel mission to deliver the final blow to the empire, but Luke breaks off from the rebels to face Darth Vader alone. Though this film wraps up the series, it is the weakest of the three.

There was a 16-year gap between these first three films, and the series returned in 1999 to introduce the rise of Darth Vader. These films were highly anticipated, but the role of young Vader, whose name at the time was Anakin, was horribly miscast, and the dialogue was pretty terrible as well. Many Fanboys and Fangirls who are purists will sometimes refuse to acknowledge that these movies even happened. While the three I have already mentioned are definitely worth the watch, you can feel free to skip the prequels. Most, if not all, Fanboys and Fangirls won't hold it against you if you opt not to watch these films; although you will be able to hold intriguing conversations with them on why they're so flawed if you do decide to check them out.

Star Wars, Episode 1: The Phantom Menace - Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jin are tasked to escort Queen Amidala of Naboo to Courascant to arrange for defense of her planet. They meet Anakin in the process, and Qui-Gon senses that he may be the chosen one to bring balance to the Force. They also meet Jar-Jar Binks, who is a walking disaster in more ways than one.

Star Wars, Episode 2: Attack of the Clones - an assassination attempt is made on senator Amidala, prompting the protection of Anakin, who senses that the mother he left on Tattooine is in trouble. Meanwhile, Obi-Wan tracks the assassin's employer, Jango Fett, only to uncover a dead Jedi had ordered thousands of clones of Fett for troopers, as well as a plot by Count Dooku, who has turned to the Dark Side.

Star Wars, Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith - the strongest of the three prequels follows Anakin as he turns his back on the Jedi Order and becomes Darth Vader. Meanwhile, the Empire rises and sends out a general order to kill every Jedi.

After these films were released, a cartoon series of Clone Wars aired on Cartoon Network. These episodes followed Anakin and Obi-Wan's adventures in battling Dooku's forces between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, featuring recurring and introducing new characters from the prequels and expanding on their story lines. The first time the show aired from 2003-2005 was shot in traditional animation, but when it was rebooted as The Clone Wars in 2008, the animation switched to CGI.

The story itself expanded into a massive fanbase after the first film in the form of video games and canonized books. If you are interested into delving further into the Star Wars universe, the books and games are best recommended by the Star Wars forums, although the MMORPG of Star Wars: Old Republic is free to play. There is also the new Episode 7: The Force Rises scheduled to open this Christmas.

Finally, there is also another Shakespeare In Love-themed film called George Lucas in Love (filmed before the Trek version of Roddenberry on Patrol), which shows how George Lucas was inspired to write the Star Wars saga.

Next: Stargate SG-1

Unlike the previous two franchises, the Stargate franchise began as a campy movie starring Kurt Russell and James Spader. Despite the movie lacking in many areas, it had great potential and was given a second chance on TV in a series lead by MacGyver himself: Richard Dean Anderson. The series Stargate SG-1 spanned 10 seasons, three TV films: The Ark of Truth, Continuum, and Children of the Gods, and three spin offs: Atlantis, Infinity (animated series) and Universe.

The movie itself is worth a watch, but if you decide to skip it, the show will more than cover for it. The premise of the show followed the SG-1 team as they travel the universe via a Stargate, a portal that exists on select planets, and some in space (further expanded on in the spin off shows). The aliens and villains they encounter draw mostly from ancient Egyptian mythology, as many of the main villains are incarnations of their gods. This series also incorporated other forms of folklore and mythology, including the popular mythical character Merlin.

The show often featured serial episodes, some short and some spanning entire seasons, so finding episodes to stand on their own is a little tricky.

The Torment of Tantalus - A man involved in the original Stargate experiments who went missing is discovered 50 years later and may have information on the origins of the human race.

Window of Opportunity - in a plot that is used in almost every sci-fi series at least once, Jack and Teal'c experience a Groundhog Day-type scenario as they relive the same 10 hours over and over again.

Fallout - Quinn contacts the SG-1 team to help him and his assistant, Kianna, prevent a planet from being destroyed by earthquakes, only to learn that Kianna has a Goa'uld symbiont controlling her.

The first spin off, Atlantis, held its own for 5 seasons, but was unable to live up to the high standard that SG-1 set, despite admirable efforts. Infinity only lasted 1 season, and Universe had 2 seasons, but none of the spin offs were able to pick up the quality or fan base that the first created, despite having their own respective strengths. If SG-1 is a show you like, feel free to check out the episodes and/or spin offs where available.

Next: The Matrix

One of the most spoofed sci-fi films of the last 15 years, The Matrix is one you need to see due to the imaginative tactics the Wachowskis employed throughout their film. The story follows Thomas Anderson, aka Neo, who works an office job by day and as a computer hacker by night. He meets Morpheus, a noted "cyber-terrorist" who offers to show Neo the "Matrix," a world that exists outside the world they know. By accepting this, Neo learns that AI machines have enslaved the human race and create a simulated world that they can control and manipulate with their Agents, and that there is a prophesy that Neo is "The One" who will free humanity from its enslavement.

It sounds like a pretty basic plot line, but you may be aware of the visual effects that were so ahead of their time that almost every action film copied or parodied them for years. With high flying jumps, running on walls, super-quick reflexes, and bending far back to avoid bullets, gravity has almost no say in this film. It also involved some spiritual undertones that hinted at a deeper back story.

The success of The Matrix spawned two sequels: Reloaded and Revolutions, both of which featured disappointing stories despite cool fight scenes, and had a frustrating conclusion that, while left open for another story, made many fans angry. Another film went directly to DVD called The Animatrix, where 9 short anime-styled cartoons helped to fill in some areas in the film that didn't quite make sense. Several videos games, including a now abandoned MMORPG, were released with even more information on the cyberpunk world of The Matrix.

Though only the first film is worth watching, it still stands strong 15 years after its release, with even its CGI effects looking crisp. This movie is a must see for anyone who wants to see how sci-fi can make significant contributions to the rest of the film industry.

Next: Firefly

You can't stop the signal on this one. Firefly was a Joss Whedon (if you don't know who he is, he directed The Avengers and is currently working the TV followup of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) show that only lasted 14 episodes, but left an imprint on the sci-fi world that many geeks still haven't forgiven the FOX network for. This series was essentially a western set in space, where the universe, only populated by humans, is mostly under the control of the Alliance. The ship Serenity is a Firefly-class cargo ship under the command of Captain Malcolm Reynolds, who lost the rebellion against the Alliance and now makes a living with his ragtag crew as smugglers and mercenaries. Captain Mal's rebel forces wore long, brown coats to signify their side in the war, and they referred to as a "Browncoats," which is the term Firefly fans adopted for their fan base.

The main reason why Firefly was cancelled was in actuality the FOX network's fault. Instead of airing the first episode, titled Serenity, which did a flawless job of introducing the characters and the universe they lived in, the network execs showed the second episode, The Train Job. While this episode is also good, you don't get a feel for the characters like you're supposed to in Serenity. This lead to the show starting off on the wrong foot, causing it to not keep its viewers watching.

After its cancellation, Whedon released a film called Serenity that tied up loose ends, but also added a few more stories that could be continued. Several graphic novels were also released to add new stories, fill in plot holes that would have been continued in further episodes, and give more back story to certain characters. An MMORPG called Firefly Online was opened for play in 2013.

When you watch this show, make sure to start it from the beginning. It is possible to watch the entire series in one day (I've done it myself), which I would recommend doing if you have a sick day or vacation. If you can't make that kind of time, start with the episode Serenity and work your way through the entire series, and wrap it with the film, Serenity. Just don't mix the two up!

Next: Doctor Who

The longest running franchise on this list belongs to Doctor Who. Begun in 1963 on the BBC, it featured a 900 year-old alien called a Time Lord who travels about time and space in his vessel, the Tardis. Dr. Who will pick up new companions along the way and face deadly foes like Daleks and Cybermen, and regenerates into a completely new body and personality quirks if ever if he fatally wounded. Since 1963, he has been played officially by 13 different actors, and unofficially in two non-canon films starring Star Wars actor Peter Cushing.

The original show ran from 1963-1989 with the first 7 incarnations of the Doctor, followed by a film featuring an 8th Doctor in 1996 before resuming as a regular TV series on the BBC in 2007. Since then, it has spawned two spin offs: Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures. Many of the episodes from the first 7 Doctors are readily available online, but others, such as with the very first Doctor, William Hartnell, are a bit harder to find.

With a fanbase that goes so far back, it's difficult to nail down appropriate episodes to get started with. Since every "Whovian" will have different opinions who was the best Doctor, I will start from the most recent versions and provide an episode from each Doctor.

The Long Game - featuring the 9th Doctor, Christopher Eccleston, he and his companions visit a futuristic space station, only to discover that technology isn't progressing like it's supposed to and all humans blindly follow any information presented to them.

Blink - featuring the 10th Doctor, David Tennant, a British woman's best friend mysteriously disappears and learns through strange clues left by the Doctor that aliens called the "Weeping Angels" are responsible and she is the only one who can keep the Weeping Angels from taking control of the Tardis.

The Eleventh Hour - the first full episode featuring the 11th Doctor, Matt Smith, as he crash lands in a Scottish girl's backyard after she finishes a prayer for help with a mysterious crack in her wall. After inviting her to come with him, he disappears in the Tardis and comes back 12 years later instead of the promised "be right back."

Deep Breath - the first full episode featuring the 12th Doctor, Peter Capaldi, as the Tardis crashes in Victorian England where there is a T-Rex on the loose and people are killed by spontaneous combustion. His companion, Clara, struggles with his change while he has trouble adjusting to his new identity.

If you are able to find any of the older episodes featuring Doctors before Eccleston, I would highly suggest watching those first. In the meantime, there are Christmas specials that can be found online, radio programs, and plenty of books that continue the adventures of almost every incarnation of the Doctor out there.

Beginner Level: Completed!

Seems like a long list, huh? If you're a beginner, you don't have to try out all of these fandoms unless you absolutely want to. Though this list does seem long, it seriously is just a chip off the iceberg. Sci-fi has the ability to draw you into its various worlds, so be prepared in case any of these fandoms sweep you off your feet.

Now, if you find yourself unsatisfied with the fandoms I have listed and would like to sample more, feel free to select from the different levels listed below:

Intermediate Level Fandoms and Films

Quantum Leap - Dr. Sam Beckett leaps from body to body in different time periods to "put right what once went wrong," with only a hologram version of his pal Al that only he can see and hear.

Babylon 5 - life aboard this multi-species space station is anything but typical, and focuses on deeper issues including warfare, religion, and different types of addictions. This is the only sci-fi show that references a specific planet called "Disneyplanet."

V: The Miniseries and V: The Final Battle - aliens called "Visitors" arrive on Earth saying they come in peace and to help cure diseases, but a TV cameraman uncovers a plot for global domination. A TV series called V: The Series followed and lasted for 2 seasons, and was rebooted in 2008 for another 2 seasons. Avoid the reboot.

Battlestar Galactica - first aired in the 1970s, then rebooted in 2003 as a TV miniseries and eventual full TV series that lasted 4 seasons. Earth has been destroyed after cybernetic creatures called Cylons evolve into great intelligence and seek out to destroy the human race for enslaving them.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind - an early Steven Spielberg masterpiece where aliens are coming to the earth and abducting some humans while luring (or perhaps inviting?) others to the spot they have chosen to meet with the people of Earth.

The Twilight Zone - this show, originally from the 1950s, has been rebooted twice, and both reboots are okay but your life will still be complete if you miss them. Every episode was a different tale with a theme, whether about society, monsters, aliens, love, or other dimensions the human mind can conjure, that could easily take a horrifying, comedic, or tragic turn.

The Fifth Element - the 1998 cult classic features a future where darkness forms to destroy all life in the universe, and the responsibility to stop the evil falls to a priest and a cab driver when the girl who is the weapon against the darkness literally crashes into the cab driver.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel - these two shows were created by Joss Whedon and were based off his 1992 movie where a cheerleader learns she has supernatural abilities to slay vampires. Buffy is about her and her friends keeping evil creatures from taking over their town and destroying the world. Angel is a reformed vampire whose spin off has him holding back demonic forces in Los Angeles. Both these shows had comic books adapted to continue their stories after their respective shows ended.

The Terminator - this film franchise is more than just action and explosions; it is a sci-fi tale of a genocidal AI trying to destroy the leader of mankind after they fail to kill both him and his mother by the use of time travel. A short lived TV series, The Sarah Conner Chronicles, continued the story further, and the upcoming reboot film, Terminator: Genisys, will be released later this year.

Farscape - featuring muppet-styled aliens from the Jim Henson Company, a human astronaut accidentally stumbles upon a wormhole and is sent halfway across the galaxy where he falls in with a group of misfit aliens aboard a living ship and has to duck an evil overlord who wants to dissect his brain for the wormhole coordinates.

Blade Runner - featuring a plausible future, Ridley Scott's director's cut (see this version only, as it has all the plot holes filled) follows a "blade runner" named Rick Deckard who tracks down and kills renegade humanoid androids called "replicants." But is it possible that he is hunting his own kind?

Advanced Level Fandoms and Films

Sliders - a scientist creates a portal to travel to different universes and brings a few friends along with him. The downside about their adventures is that the portal only opens at specific times, and failure to "slide" when the portal appears means leaving them stranded for almost 30 years before the portal opens again.

Brazil - written by Monty Python member Terry Gilliam, this cult film take a spoof look at a dystopian future. It has a rare 98% rating from Rotten Tomatoes.

Red Dwarf - a BBC sci-fi comedy that follows the last human alive, Dave Lister, as he travels back to earth with a hologram version of his superior officer, Rimmer, a man evolved from a cat named Cat, and the always-eager-to-please android Kryten.

Logan's Run - in dystopian cities where people only live to the age of 30 before they are "rebirthed," Logan, who works as a sandman and prevents "runners" from leaving his city, becomes a runner himself after the main computer takes away the remaining four years of his life.

Children of Men - set in a future where the women of the world have been unable to get pregnant in 18 years, this film follows a man named Theo when he is summoned by his ex-wife to help him escort a pregnant girl to safety.

The Prisoner - the cult version from the 1960s with Patrick McGoohan takes place in an isolated dystopian village where people are merely referred to as numbers. It has to be seen to be understood, and after watching you can look up an episode of the cartoon Pinky and the Brain that spoofed this show. Don't watch the Jim Caveziel reboot.

THX 1138 - George Lucas's pre-Star Wars film about a man and a woman's illegal relationship in a dystopian future that pays homage to George Orwell's 1984, but with a Lucas styled-twist.

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century - the popular comic strip was released as a movie right after Star Wars, then aired as a TV series for 2 seasons. Space babes and disco abound in this galaxy!

Dune - David Lynch's adaptation of Frank Herbert's sci-fi classic is incredibly weird, and there's several different versions out there that are all worth watching as they fill in different plot holes. The movie was rebooted as a Sci-Fi channel miniseries in 2000 which was also well done and worth watching, and featured an excellent sequel of Children of Dune in 2003.

2001: A Space Odyssey - Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of Arthur C. Clarke's novel follows a space crew after a mysterious monolith is uncovered on the moon and traced back to Jupiter. This film also features one of the best movie villains of all time.

Dark City - this film was released around the same time as The Matrix and was completely overshadowed by its popularity, but still holds its own as a cult classic in which a man discovers that he and a handful of humans were abducted by aliens are are subject to their whims, but he has somehow inherited their powers in the process.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - the BBC miniseries from 1981 follows the first two books in Douglas Adams' quirky series about Arthur Dent, who is the last human male survivor after Earth is destroyed in order to make way for an interstellar highway. An updated film version came out in 2005 that was flawlessly cast, but deviated too far from the book to satisfy fans.

Spaced - Simon Pegg's 2 season TV series isn't quite sci-fi, but was devoted to geekiness and most of its episodes paid homage to different sci-fi franchises. Many of this show's jokes reappear in Pegg's movies, including, but not limited to, Shaun of the Dead.

The "Only go there if you want to reach the ultimate level"

The Star Wars Holiday Special - aired on TV after the success of the film, it was a horrendous 2-hour long TV special that is now only available online for short periods of time, or in bootlegged copies that you can find at sci-fi conventions or the black market. Only those who have reached the deepest recesses of geekdom have ventured here!

Well, what are you waiting for?

There are lots of other types of sci-fi out there that didn't make this list, but be forewarned that this particular genre and type of fandom is capable of sucking you into their imaginative worlds, deep characters, and intelligent storytelling. If you are ready to take your first step, then....

Make it so!