Can someone help me explain the difference between...

[JrMissToughChick]

Farscape, Star Trek, and B5? in english non geekspeak so I can explain it to my brother... He Keeps asking what the difference is and all I can do is basicly resite the opening credits

well farscape is about John Crichton he got sucked into a wormhole he is on a living ship full of ex-prisoners... Get it? (he then looks at me like whatever)

[scaperbuddy]

Well on B5 They are many aliens races including humans trying to get along with each other on this space station but they are constantly fighting with each other. They even have war with each other and this space station is supposed to be a diplomatic meeting place for the races but it usually isn't. There are five seasons of B5 and it is like Farscape in that there is a building plot throughtout the five seasons. You need to watch to know what is happenening. The races on this B5 station unite throughout the seasons to fight a common enemy. Good show.

If you are talking about the original Star Trek which is what started it all then first of all most of the episodes stand alone. What I mean is there is no building plot. The characters visit different planets and meet different aliens. Sometimes you might
see the alien again. In the episode Space Seed this is where we got Khan for the movie, The Wrath of Khan. The original series set us up for all of the spin off series such as Enterpise etc.

In the original show this where you got the characters such as the Vulcans, Klingons etc. They also had neat weapons for the time remember this is the 1960's such as phasers, photon toropedoes etc. This was cool then. I was a kid then.

Farscape is bigtime different than these other two shows. The special effects are much better and the plot is much better in a more complex and tantalizing and cool way in that it keeps you on the edge of your seat waiting for the next episode. I like B5 and Star Trek. But I LOVE Farscape. Hope this helps. If you have any more questions. Just ask. I watch all of these shows.
Long live Farscape! :aok:

[ScorpSik]

B5 is 'serious' drama...melodrama almost. 5 races, with past conflicts, predjudices etc, on a station. The ambassadors of their race dealing with the wider issues/repercussions of the government intrigue.
B5 has a definate arc (faaaaaaaaaaaaaar more so than FS), hints made through S1 do not make sense til S3/4

FS is fun. It's naughty, crude, sexy + vibrant.

ST is pants:ewink:

[stellar]

Startrek is about venturing out to explore space and discover aliens.

B5 is about having aliens come to you and then you fight some of them.

Farscape is having adventures with aliens.

[Selena]

Wow, that's a tough question to express simply because each show has complexities that are difficult to explain without the jargon... however, I will try.

Farscape is set in the present time and is the story about Astronaut John Crichton who goes to work on a rather ordinary day and has the ultimate bad day at work. His ship, which is supposed to take him smoothly through a propulsion test, gets sucked into a wormhole and he ends up on the other side to the universe. John meets a band of escaping prisoners who are making a jail break and he ends up on their ship trying to get back to Earth. John’s voyage deals with his struggles to understand how to exist in a very alien universe where he is the only human. His story is also one of loyalty, love, friendships, hardships and the idealism that John clings to which could be his undoing.

Babylon 5 is set 200+ years in the future and is the 5-year arc story of a space station that was built after Earth went through a terrible war with an alien species called the Minbari, over a misunderstanding. The station is built in an effort to create a neutral place where species of all kinds can meet and conduct commerce and interact without creating another interstellar war. The 5 main governments represented on B5 are Humans, Minbari, Narn, Centari and Vorlons. There are also a group of other species referred to as the non-aligned worlds.
Unfortunately, unbeknown to the Humans, there is another sinister species in the galaxy called only The Shadows. The Shadows have an agenda that involves allowing conflict between races to be the main force that shapes the galaxy. Their sole purpose is to get the races to fight each other and the strongest race will rule the galaxy. The Shadows created a big war with the Minbari 1000 years in the past almost wiping them out but thanks to the appearance of a mysterious space station from a time rift the Minbari are able to regroup and with the help of the Vorlons defeat the Shadows who go into hiding.
Over the 5 year story arc Babylon 5 becomes not just the neutral station where aliens meet but the central element in a new Shadow war.

Star Trek is set in the future and tells the story of Earth venturing into space and space exploration in general ... to go boldly where no man has gone before and to seek out new life forms. The original series followed the adventures of the USS Enterprise which was the flag ship for the United Federation of Planets (UFP). The Federation included races such as the Vulcans, Andorians, Tellerites, Rigellians, Denobians, etc.

The Next Generation carried on the story of exploration with a new crew 80 years after the first series forging new alliances and bringing many new worlds and species into the Federation.

DS-9 occurs around the time of TNG and was set on a space station located strategically near a stable wormhole and the planet of Bajor which had undergone years of oppression and war with a race called the Cardassians. DS-9's mission was to be there as a peacekeeping force on the edge of Federation Space.
Over the 7 years that the story follows, the station becomes a strategic platform for a war with aliens (the Dominion) from the other side of the stable wormhole who manipulate the Cardassians into joining them to overrun the Federation.

Voyager follows on the heels of DS-9 when a group of renegades (Starfleet officers from UFP) join forces as the Maquis to fight Cardassian oppression and protect Bajor who is once again caught up in a war with the Dominion and Cardassians and the UFP. Voyager, under the command of Katherine Janeway, go on a seek and apprehend mission to capture a rogue UFP officer Chakotay and his band of Maquis and bring them back for trial. In the process of trying to apprehend the outlaws in an area of space known as 'the badlands' Janeway's ship Voyager, and the Maquis ship are both pulled out of the Alpha quadrant by a powerful entity known as The Caretaker who is dying and seeking a match for his species. Voyager and the Maquis crew are hurled into a distant part of the Delta quadrant more than 7000 light years from Federation space. Janeway loses many of her crew as they are killed during the transposition and she ends up forming an alliance with the renegade Maquis whose ship is also destroyed. Janeway then sets out on an impossible 70 year mission, a journey back to Federation space with a combined crew that she eventually merges into a cohesive group. Along the way they encounter many alien species including the Borg and pick up hitchhikers and castaways who become part of the motley crew. It is a story of courage, fortitude and creative endeavor.

Enterprise was supposed to be the precursor to the original Star Trek series. Unfortunately it has distorted the Trek universe by introducing events that could only have happened in another time line.


In other words … Farscape is a show set in current time about a human amongst many aliens trying to get back home through a wormhole.

Babylon-5 is a show sent 200+ years in the future where Humans and aliens try to live together without killing each other on a space station built in neutral space.

Star Trek is set 200+ years in the future and is about Humans exploring space in ships (predominantly) named Enterprise and making alliances with hosts of aliens.

[Quitch]

I'd say in very simple terms:

Farscape is an adventure/drama.

Babylon 5 is true Space Opera.

Star Trek (TNG) is very traditional sci-fi, a new adventure each week, everything in place once again next week.

In terms of viewing, I'd say Farscape is the most interesting, while STTNG is more consistent thant Babylon 5, but Babylon 5 is more satisfying if you stick with it, and can sit through a few stinkers.

[Nicola]

Star Trek and B5 are structured around a military heirarchy. Star Trek is a exploration vessel with a distinct mission and B5 is a diplomatic station.

Farscape is about a miscellaneous bunch of escaped prisoners (and one human) adrift in a universe (the UT's) that they do not know and are trying desperately to get lost in.

Very different premise. Makes for interesting conflict and character relationships.

[JrMissToughChick]

I doubt he understand the difference still he doesn't get the consept of 'love intrest' he wouldn't know the differences in witch you speak... meaning he doesn't watch scifi or much tv at all it will be harder you see he just sees scifi as scifi

[darius]

Has he seen it? If not, choose a couple of good eps and that will explain the difference.

I explaining it I usually use the Star Wars/Star Trek approach. It doesn't work all that great on actual Star Trek but I usually just compare shows like B5 with Star Trek and shows like Farscape with Star Wars. Star Trek shows being more technical and Star Wars being more action/adventure.

[JrMissToughChick]

Yeah but he has senn all and says that scifi is scifi???

action/adventure... that's a recuring theam here... he might know what that means

[Ouroboros]

Putting is as simply as possible.

B5 is like a (sometimes overly dramatic) novel.

Farscape is like a really good series of comic books.

Star Trek is like one of those "friends come in all shapes and sizes" videos they used to make you watch in grade school.

[fermicat]

Hmm. I thought Star Trek was all about Kirk bagging a different gorgeous alien babe every week.... :D

[scrape_medic]

Star Trek solves problem by altering some sub-system on the ship and setting up the deflector array to emite a tachyon pulse discharge. They occasionally have some relationship stories to tell but fail to exploit this for talking about phase inverters and the like.


B5 solves problems by making/breaking allegiences and going to battle with someone, but they do also have some good relationship tales to tell on the way, and make time to do so.

Farscape solves problems, by creating a whole heap of new ones, that if ya lucky may get resolved within three episodes. They don't have much in the way of technology to help them, and half the time they don't seem to understand how to use it. Their best plans involve "Kicking some serious eema" and they have the best relationship stories to tell on the way.

[Paul Cousins]

Originally posted by JrMissToughChick
Farscape, Star Trek, and B5? in english non geekspeak so I can explain it to my brother... He Keeps asking what the difference is and all I can do is basicly resite the opening credits

well farscape is about John Crichton he got sucked into a wormhole he is on a living ship full of ex-prisoners... Get it? (he then looks at me like whatever)

The difference that sets the main character of Farscape from any other Sci-fi series is that John Crichton is not Captain Kirk or Buck Rogers, he the guy who watched these shows as a kid and adult.

John Crichton, as a geek, from third person standpoint, can actually appreciate the situation he is now in.

And his geek-side has probably come in handy for him and his friends more times than I care to count.

Plus there are all the entertainment and cultural references he makes throughout the show. You cannot help but dig that. :smokin:

And we know for a FACT from a third season Farspace episode that John has LOONY TUNES ON THE BRAIN!! :aok:

Now if he would just make some anime/manga refenences he would be close to perfect. :D

By the way, Star Trek and B5 are military.

While Farscape is anarchy on acid. :aok:

[JrMissToughChick]

By the way, Star Trek and B5 are military.

While Farscape is anarchy on acid :aok: That is perfect and to the point :aok:

[Kaelin]

The difference between Farscape, Star Trek and B5....



Farscape was well written!

No offense to those other shows. But they were difinately written with the lowest common denominator in mind.

[JrMissToughChick]

Okay granted Farscape has the best writing but B5 was also well writen... I have got to give him that.

[Quitch]

Both Star Trek and Farscape suffer from that old syndrome of "One man can take over the ship".

Ever notice in Farscape how sometimes the DRDs were really effective, then next week got beaten to death by midgets?

[Bargaintuan]

Originally posted by Quitch
Both Star Trek and Farscape suffer from that old syndrome of "One man can take over the ship".

Ever notice in Farscape how sometimes the DRDs were really effective, then next week got beaten to death by midgets?

Star Trek usually has a few hundred people manning the ship, though. Farscape, in contrast, has less than ten.

And the DRDs are largely controlled by Pilot and Moya. Often they cannot react to threats fast enough. Notice that whenever they are used effectively as a defense, it's in groups, and that they don't congregate often under normal operating conditions.

[BJD]

Originally posted by JrMissToughChick
Farscape, Star Trek, and B5? in english non geekspeak so I can explain it to my brother... He Keeps asking what the difference is and all I can do is basicly resite the opening credits

well farscape is about John Crichton he got sucked into a wormhole he is on a living ship full of ex-prisoners... Get it? (he then looks at me like whatever)

Erm... I'm not sure that you can sum them up that easily but -
Star Trek the original series is the granddaddy of them all, a groundbreaking show that pioneered the concept of a "ship" show that had a core group of characters that face a different threat each week that combined an awesome imaginative quality and a showing the nobility of the human spirit and remains the all-time sci-fi classic. The follow up shows - TNG started out as a clone of TOS but after a season or two struck out in its own direction and remains a high point of science fiction on TV. 3 more shows subsequently appeared each showing a declining quality. DS9 became a B5 clone that never quite matched the heights of it's predecessors. Voyager was an attempt to capture the pioneering spirit of the original show but was let down by dull lacklustre scripts, tired acting and hackneyed cliches such as: have a problem? Don't know how to get out of it? Why find a "solution" by inventing reams of mindless technobabble and hope the audience doesn't notice! Just when you think it couldn't get any worse they release Enterprise, of which the less said about it the better. It could be the 1st Trek show since the original to face cancellation, and not before time.

Babylon 5 followed the ship show convention but made it feel like it had a much wider perspective by alluding to events off station. Unlike Trek at the end of each episode everything has changed. It introduced for the first time a story arc, where each ep is part of a greater whole. The first 2 seasons are kind of setting things up, but from season 3 it really took off. Capable of some awesome feats of imagination and definately the best science fiction tv since original Trek. It also awesome SFX for it's time and even a story arc involving a romance between the hero and another major character. Sound familiar? Farscape owes a huge debt to B5, as well as to Trek.

Farscape is different in that in contrast to the other shows which are essentially about people striving to be good, or better, or even change the universe, but with strict rules. Farscape is different in that the only rule is that there are no rules. Complete anarchy is the name of the game, that and a desire to completely surprise the audience with it's unpredictability. It has no desire to better the universe, only for it's characters to survive to the next episode. Its also different in that in the other shows the main characters are in control of their destiny, in farscape our heroes are usually the victims of it. Its also completely amoral and doesn't seek to teach a moral lesson. Also, instead of the "crew" working together as a professional team, Farscape, at least in the beginning, had the characters at each others throats with a desire to be anywhere other than be in each others company. Storywise, its a mixture of the Trek convention where every week they meet a different foe and have to overcome, and Bab 5 where there is, or was, a story arc to be followed for each season. And overall. With farscape they tried, really hard, to break the mould and succeeded for the most part.

[BillFrugge]

B5 was summed up in the opening statements: The dawn of the third age of man. Throughout the 5 years, that concept was advanced.

Star Trek? The original series was about exploration. I suppose the following shows were the same concept, but with different crews.

Farscape is difficult to pin down to any simple description. It is not a simple program. You could describe it as an 'Alice in Wonderland' story, but I don't think it does it justice. As the show progressed, the characters changed, and so did their motivations. Season 1 was about a fish out of water. As the show progressed, John went from wanting to return home, to wanting to burn the bridge down to protect Earth from himself, and the threat of the consequences of the knowledge that he holds. Farscape just defies description, and, to me, that is why I like it. (Naughty? In what way? I don't really see that.)