Top 110010 Sci-Fi Characters

[Sideswipe]

I think John Barrowman said Cap'n Jack would screw just about any sexy humanoind, so it's possible he could get married.

[anais.jude]

#20 – Arnold Rimmer

(60 Points) 4 of 19 Lists – Highest Vote: Number 5 (Dr. Who?)
Voted by: Doctor Who?, TripeHoundRedux, GofyBlind, Imrahil
 
 

Full Name: Arnold Judas Rimmer
From: Red Dwarf
Planet of Origin: Lo
Position: Lowly (way looooooooooooooooooooooooooooowly) ship's engineer, hologram

Known For: Being darn tall, wearing a scarlett “A” on his….wait, wait, wearing an “H” (color unknown) on his forehead (H = Hologram), is a fish (according to his extensive Autobiography put together based on term papers).

Sci Fi Themes: Nature vs Nurture, Holograms are people too, Dying in radiation leaks sucks ass

Dossier: Arnold was basically forced into joining Space Corps because of his dad. Not that his father’s overbearing personality helped Arnold actually achieve anything in space corps. After several years, Rimmer outranks exactly one person on Red Dwarf, and is treated even worse after dying and coming back a Hologram. In his hologram life, the only person Rimmer really interacts with is that same individual he outranks. I wonder who that person could be…..

[anais.jude]

#19 – Dave Lister

(69 Points) 3 of 18 Lists – Highest Vote: Number 2 (Gofyblind) Voted by: Gofyblind, Imrahil, and Johnny Unusual

Full Name: David "Dave" Lister
From: Red Dwarf
Planet of Origin: Earth
 Position: Very low ranking office, victim of fortune, original doer of past nastification (as far as Wikipedia tells me)

Known For: Being Lazy, Enjoying the aroma of curry stains on ones shirt, and, of course, being an ouroboros, meaning that he represents an ever continuing cycle. He’s the never-ending story

Sci Fi Themes: Ourobros, or the idea of constant recreation and re-birth, in this case through past nastification. The idea that even the most insignificant orphan as a fate and reason for living.

Dossier: Born an orphan (or so he thinks), abanonded by his parents (or so he thinks), complete loser with nothing to offer the world (or so he thinks), Lister has had a comical and sad fate. Drinking, Sex, and philosophical conversations about the Flinstones with his cat notwithstanding, Lister is represented as an insignificant and lazy member of society; however, even his little life has meaning in the grand scheme of things. He’s like a 40 year old virgin.

[Tripe]

Io

[anais.jude]

If you are just going to nitpick tripe then....I'll just get all huffy at you 

[Tripe]

I said nothing about what's below the home planet, well moon....

 

[anais.jude]

I told you not to do that.

The web page you did direct me to helped in no way

[Tripe]

Depends on what you were going for, the themes it would have.

[Doctor Who?]

#20 – Arnold Rimmer

(60 Points) 4 of 19 Lists – Highest Vote: Number 5 (Dr. Who?)
Voted by: Doctor Who?, TripeHoundRedux, GofyBlind, Imrahil
 
 

Full Name: Arnold Judas Rimmer
From: Red Dwarf
Planet of Origin: Lo
Position: Head of Torchwood, a British organization that stops the supernatural

Known For: Being darn tall, wearing a scarlett “A” on his….wait, wait, wearing an “H” (color unknown) on his forehead (H = Hologram), is a fish (according to his extensive Autobiography put together based on term papers).

Sci Fi Themes: Nature vs Nurture, Holograms are people too, Dying in radiation leaks sucks ass

Dossier: Arnold was basically forced into joining Space Corps because of his dad. Not that his father’s overbearing personality helped Arnold actually achieve anything in space corps. After several years, Rimmer outranks exactly one person on Red Dwarf, and is treated even worse after dying and coming back a Hologram. In his hologram life, the only person Rimmer really interacts with is that same individual he outranks. I wonder who that person could be…..

I did not know Rimmer was the head of Torchwood,now I may have to start watching that show.

[Doctor Who?]

To tell the truth I used to be a huge DS9 fan(I taped it every week when it first aired)but since I found B5 on DvD I have real trouble watching it.  DS9 is just so ripped off of B5 and it had twice the budget to worked with and more episodes but some how the scale feel a lot smaller and the pacing is nowhere near as good as B5.  B5 would often pack in as much plot in one episode as DS9 would in 5.  The character were much better written in B5 too.  Also I don't care that the CGi has dated,the fact is it was pretty good when the show first aired and the production team used it to give the show a scale that to be frank most modern Sci-Fi shows struggle to match.  Oh and I will second liking all the characters in B5,they were just so much better then any that have been in Star Trek.  I mean one week I hated Londo and wanted him dead the next i would be cheering for him and it felt natural,not forced.

Oh and the scores on B5 are so much better then anything that was ever done on Star Trek.

[Johnny Unusual]

I've been rewatching B5 and I dunno if it's just that I'm older or more cynical, or what, but the bad CGI, bad acting (mostly from guest stars and walk-on roles, but still) and generally melodramatic tone seem really rampant this time around.  I think that's why I didn't prioiritize any B5 characters.
[/quote

]Thats why I generally reffer to it as the poor mans Deep Space Nine

Thing is, the actual writing is generally a lot better. The dialogue is crisper, the plotting is tighter, and I like all the characters.  It also shows a more realistic use of the station and you really get a sense of the scale of the place--unlike DS9, which looks like 3 rooms around a small, crappy shopping mall.  And anyway, DS9 clearly ripped off lots of elements from it.

What's crazy is show creator Michael J Straczynski wrote the Lion's share of episodes, which is pretty impressive considering that most shows with 22 seasons wouldn't do that (though I'm sure some people here can think of counter-examples like the Twilight Zone).

It's weird, I just think B5 is just OK to me, but I think it has some amazing writing and when it is on it's game it's way on.  Of course, I never finished the series (watched the first three seasons and a few random season four eps) but while it has great writing, something about it just never stuck with me.  Still, it does have some really impressive moments (one of my favs being an episode named after a gospel song, which is also the soundtrack to a political assassination is amazing.  I also love the Sheridan gets interrogated episode.

Lister was on my list, but Rimmer is a great choice too.  I guess I prefer Lister for similar reasons as Arthur Dent, except while Lister isn't too quick and has nasty habits, I like the fact that he also has some strong values and that he teaches Kryten to be a jerk (which is a lot more positive than it sounds).  I also like the relationship between Rimmer and Lister and the fact that they can't stand each other is simultaneously driving each other mad, yet the conflict gives them something to focus on during their endless journey.  I also recommend the books based on the show, which play with some interesting ideas.

Never saw Back to Earth, but considering the negative reviews it got, I'm afraid to.

[Doctor Who?]

I've been rewatching B5 and I dunno if it's just that I'm older or more cynical, or what, but the bad CGI, bad acting (mostly from guest stars and walk-on roles, but still) and generally melodramatic tone seem really rampant this time around.  I think that's why I didn't prioiritize any B5 characters.
[/quote

]Thats why I generally reffer to it as the poor mans Deep Space Nine

Thing is, the actual writing is generally a lot better. The dialogue is crisper, the plotting is tighter, and I like all the characters.  It also shows a more realistic use of the station and you really get a sense of the scale of the place--unlike DS9, which looks like 3 rooms around a small, crappy shopping mall.  And anyway, DS9 clearly ripped off lots of elements from it.

What's crazy is show creator Michael J Straczynski wrote the Lion's share of episodes, which is pretty impressive considering that most shows with 22 seasons wouldn't do that (though I'm sure some people here can think of counter-examples like the Twilight Zone).

It's weird, I just think B5 is just OK to me, but I think it has some amazing writing and when it is on it's game it's way on.  Of course, I never finished the series (watched the first three seasons and a few random season four eps) but while it has great writing, something about it just never stuck with me.  Still, it does have some really impressive moments (one of my favs being an episode named after a gospel song, which is also the soundtrack to a political assassination is amazing.  I also love the Sheridan gets interrogated episode.

Lister was on my list, but Rimmer is a great choice too.  I guess I prefer Lister for similar reasons as Arthur Dent, except while Lister isn't too quick and has nasty habits, I like the fact that he also has some strong values and that he teaches Kryten to be a jerk (which is a lot more positive than it sounds).  I also like the relationship between Rimmer and Lister and the fact that they can't stand each other is simultaneously driving each other mad, yet the conflict gives them something to focus on during their endless journey.  I also recommend the books based on the show, which play with some interesting ideas.

Never saw Back to Earth, but considering the negative reviews it got, I'm afraid to.

Don't.  The last episode where they do a spoof of Blade Runner is okay but the rest of it is pretty much the cast wondering around the modern world,making cheap jokes,and looking too old for the roles they are playing.  It's pretty sad.

[Watchman]

#27 – Mike Nelson

Over on the Cinematic Titanic forum, they're doing this exact same poll, except Joel got #27 instead of Mike. 

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I can't believe how few movie entries there have been so far (my only contributions so far being the eponymous characters of Terminator & Robocop). The majority have been from TV shows, it seems, with some sprinklings of pop literature. I'm just not a TV person (outside of MST3K, The Daily Show, South Park, and the occasional episode of Twilight Zone/Outer Limits/Thriller). How many other movie people are there here; that is to say, those who enjoy films unriffed? (I know Darth Geek's a movie buff, but I haven't really discussed film with the rest)

I'm not complaining. Just... TV's alien to me.

To end on a positive note, I did feel some kinship when I saw that those who chose the Terminator chose the original Terminator, as opposed to Liquid Metal Terminator or Bloodrayne Terminator.

[BBQ Platypus]

Also, being the first character on Dr Who that can’t get married in most states

*cough*Adric*cough*

Also Captain Yates, depending on who you ask.

[Pak-Man]

I had a pretty even spread of Movie/TV characters, with 8 Movie characters, 11 TV characters and 6 video game characters (None of which, I'm starting to think, will make this list).

I think TV characters have the advantage because you have a longer time to get to know them. If a character doesn't grab you this week, they get to try again next week.

I've had literal DAYS to get to know the crew of the Planet Express on Futurama, for instance, but only 2 hours to spend with Rick Deckard from Blade Runner (Just as a for-instance). Therefore, there was a lot more time for the characters to endear themselves to me.