Fanlistings: TV A-M
Babylon 5
B5, a futuristic space station designed to be the hub of human-alien relations, is the setting for this fantastic series. Great story and character arcs, with recurring themes of choices and consequences.
Battlestar Galactica
Superb reinvention of the classic 70s series with a new take on the cylon / human conflict and a plot that keeps you guessing to the end.
Bleak House
This was a great BBC period drama, with an excellent cast, dramatic presentation and a very Dickensian feel.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Buffy Summers is the Slayer, chosen destroyer of evil. She's also a high-school student facing the challenges of growing up. Mixing fantasy adventure with strong character development, this brilliant series never takes itself too seriously but is capable of great emotional depth and insight.
Das Boot
This excellent German mini-series follows the experiences of a U-Boat crew in the second world war, and carries a strong anti-war message.
Doctor Who / Torchwood
The Doctor who travels in space and time returned to our screens in 2005 (which is when I really got hooked) with a reinvention of the classic series. The Torchwood spin-off sees the return of the dashing Captain Jack Harkness, in a darker series set on an earth which must deal with the legacy of the Doctor and other alien incursions.
Firefly
Following Buffy and Angel, another excellent series from Joss Whedon: a space-age western which takes up themes of heroism and ethics with characteristic humour and insightful characterisation.
Heroes
The characters of heroes are ordinary people with superpowers, trying to make sense of their abilities in the context of their day-to-day lives (and maybe save the world). The plot is increasingly complex, but maintains plenty of humour and an interesting range of characters with an international dimension.
Life on Mars
Police drama with a twist, and a journey back to the 70s - each episode an exciting story in itself, but also reaching further into the mystery surrounding the fate of the protagonist.
Merlin (miniseries)
Sam Neill gives an excellent portrayal of a Merlin torn between the old ways and the new in this retelling of Arthurian legends.
Middlemarch
This mini-series introduced me to George Eliot's novel. While it can't include the full complexity and depth of the original, it is an excellent adaption of the key events and relationships.
