The Best Television Shows Featuring Aliens

Of all of the great television science fiction series, three stand out as having developed and featured the best aliens. They are:

Babylon 5

Babylon 5 - a show about the ambassadors of five races (including humans) attempting to build a lasting peace among their races aboard a space station was epic in depth and scope. The races, some extremely different than humans, all exhibited various degrees of treachery, love and sexual desire, religious fervor, and hope, making them understandable, even compelling, even if ultimately foreign. Though the show's main characters were human, the show is notable in that it delved into the political psyche of various races to such an extent that the show often did not seem human-centric.

Buy Babylon 5 - The Complete Series on DVD at Amazon.com.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

The best series of the Star Trek franchise also introduced some of the most compelling alien races in science fiction history, whether the meddling Q, the avaricious Ferengi, or the nefarious Borg. In fact, given the relative paucity of new races introduced and the sheer derivativeness of those introduced on either Star Trek: Enterprise or Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: TNG introduced the most unique and compelling of the entire franchise, with only Star Trek: Deep Space Nine giving it any real competition. Cardassians and Bajorans were first introduced on Star Trek: TNG leaving the shows only notable aliens the Changelings, the Pah Wraiths, the Breen (first mentioned on Star Trek: TNG), and the Jem'Hadar. But Star Trek: TNG races were distinctive and intriguing and said the stage both for further alien developments within the franchise and doubtlessly has inspired several outside of the franchise.

Buy Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Complete Series on DVD at Amazon.com.

Stargate SG-1

While not one of the top ten science fiction shows of all time, despite partially spawning a massive franchise, Stargate SG-1 is notable for its intriguing premise, that the creatures of Earth myth are in fact aliens, and that mythological artifacts such as the Holy Grail are weapons in vast interstellar conflicts. Deftly weaving multiple mythologies into a standard science fiction slash action hour is what makes Stargate SG-1 stand out.

Buy Stargate SG1 - The Complete Series on DVD at Amazon.com.