The best acted character in a sci-fi show.

[Klaus]

Been rewatching a few sf shows over the past few months. Often the acting is varied, sometimes it's downright awful, but sometimes the acting can be truly excellent.

So which of the following are the best? I've tried to include the truly stand out stuff (obviously IMO) from various shows, but some shows have more representation than others, and some don't appear at all (I can't honestly say any of the acting is stand out in Voyager or Enterprise, even if some of it is ok to goodish, and while there's no duffers in the stargate(s) casts, there's little opportunity to excel either). Also, I've included actors that may well be limited, but really excel in the role they have.

 

[Supplement Four]

Can't vote. You left out my choice...the chick who plays Starbuck in the New BSG.

 

[Ganidirsii O'Flynn]

Can't vote. You left out my choice...the chick who plays Starbuck in the New BSG.

That'd be Katee 'So Starbuck is a girl. Deal with it..' Sackhoff

 

[aramis]

For me, Andreas Katsulas ties with Lorne Green (Commander Adama, OBSG).

Olmos comes real close... as does Browder.

 

[Vile]

I have to say I's mighty surprized to see Jayne in there - him bein' my choice before even reading the list. Even more surprized seein' how he's getting a mess o' votes.

Shiney!

 

[veltyen]

I have to say I's mighty surprized to see Jayne in there - him bein' my choice before even reading the list. Even more surprized seein' how he's getting a mess o' votes.

Shiney!

I'm surprised Captain Hammer wasn't on the list.

Although I suppose western-in-space not completely equal to sci-fi.

Though if Spike Spiegel was on the list he would have gotten my vote. Though I suppose in all fairness that is another western-in-space....

 

[Border Reiver]

Paul Darrow, Avon in Blake's Seven.

 

[Vile]

Paul Darrow, Avon in Blake's Seven.

True, but no-one knows it. :nonono:

 

[veltyen]

True, but no-one knows it. :nonono:

You'd be surprised.

So far I've forced my wife to watch up to episode 7 of season 3. Some time in the future I intend to watch the plotline synopsis version (only the Terry Nation episodes).

I am not especially fond of Paul Darrow's acting. Servalan(Jacquline Pierce) on the other hand......

 

[Border Reiver]

You'd be surprised.

So far I've forced my wife to watch up to episode 7 of season 3. Some time in the future I intend to watch the plotline synopsis version (only the Terry Nation episodes).

I am not especially fond of Paul Darrow's acting. Servalan(Jacquline Pierce) on the other hand......

Face to face Servalan and Avon produce some of the best moments of the series. Brimming with tension. Looking forward to the new series (I think).

 

[jfetters]

I had to give a shout-out to James Callis as Baltar, especially after the last season or so of episodes.

 

[Andrew Boulton]

I had to give a shout-out to James Callis as Baltar, especially after the last season or so of episodes.

I was at uni with him, y'know.

Well, our time overlapped, but I don't know if we actually met. Would've been cool if he'd been in my Traveller group...

 

[Antony]

I'd go for Walter Koenig as Bester in Babylon Five. Just the right dgree of creepiness and certainly a long way from Chekov in ST.

And since Jayne is on the list what about Summer Glau as River.

 

[Klaus]

I wanted to put up so many more, but I's limited to only 10 examples.

Have to confess I'd forgotten about Al Bester; it's a tough one but really Walter Koenig should just pip Mr Katsulas - every Bester scene was pure joy to watch, especially in a show with in general mediocre actors and often terrible dialogue.

Others that should get honourable mentions:

Ed Bishop/Cmdr Straker - brilliantly acerbic and twisted
Barry Morse/Victor Bergman - proto Patrick Stewart
Nick Tate/Alan Carter - or is this just uber fondness for his everyman character, a la Chief O'Brien
Paul Darrow/Kerr Avon - yes hammy, but that's premium bacon
[FONT=arial,helvetica]Jacquline Pierce/Servalan - much more effective than Princess Ardela, and with more clothes[/FONT]
Armin Shimmerman/Quark - see below
Max Grodénchik/Rom - all Ferengi were well acted
Walter Koenig/Al Bester - super creepy
Claudia Black/Aeryn Sun - just as good as BB, really
Wayne Pygram/Scorpius - the cuddliest dribbling freak in a gimp suit you could hope for
Nathan Fillion/Mal Reynolds - Shatner's charisma without the hystrionics
Michael Hogan/Saul Tigh - spent 2 seasons as Colonel Exposition yet manages to carve a place with his goggle-eyed misanthropy

Have got to say I reckon Colm Meaney pips even the stalwart Patrick Stewart as best Trek actor. In some TNG episodes he does more acting with the fingers of his left hand than the rest of the cast (save Pat) put together, and the Chief was the best realised character in DS9 by far, in a show with some very well realised characters.

I would mention The Shat but he's in a league all by himself...

I think a (dis)honourable mention should go to the worst sci-fi acting in history...

Gates McFadden/Beverley Crusher - dribbly meh
Dominic Keating/Malcolm Reed - the sorriest excuse for an Englishman in space
Michael Pare/Dante Montana - the dumbest, most endearingly wooden (star)bounty hunter in the solar system.

 

[Klaus]

Face to face Servalan and Avon produce some of the best moments of the series. Brimming with tension. Looking forward to the new series (I think).

Qualified interest, methinks. Will have to wait and see. If they could find a role for Ray Stevenson I would be drooling in anticipation, though.

 

[kafka47]

Why no Christopher Eccleston? From your list...it is too hard to choose. I would choose Adam Baldwin for Firefly eps 1-3 but then his character turned too comic for my liking.

Patrick Stewart similarly was good after he was Borgified...as it seemed the whole experience of being turned into a Borg actually gave Pickard a personality.

But, if I am to settle on one from your list...it has to James Olomos, he has been consistantly a strong dramatic actor who can convey much even when his face remains stone placid.

 

[Doyle Hunt]

I have to go with Edward James Olmos, not because he's the best actor, but because he's the only fictional starship captain who actually ACTS like a military officer. He's entirely believable in the role.

 

[Maladominus]

I vote: Tricia Helfer / Cylon Number Six



Oh wait. What was the question again?

 

[Valarian]

Well, I voted for [FONT=arial,helvetica]Andreas Katsulas, G'Kar, B5

But I think there was a lot missing ...

Babylon 5:
Andreas Katsulas was great a G'Kar, a proud warrior who loses his people to their old enemies and finds his soul. But there was also Peter Jurasik (Londo Mollari), Walter Koenig (Alfred Bester), Ed Wassar (Mr Morden), and John Vickery (Neroon), I've also got to mention Wayne Alexander (Sebastien / Drakh / Lorien) just because of his versatility in playing all of those parts in the same show and making them different. Then there was Claudia Christian (Susan Ivanova) who managed to always get really good lines in the script.

For Star Trek only Deep Space Nine ... Avery Brooks (Benjamin Sisko) & Armin Shimmerman (Quark)

For Firefly, I've gone for Nathan Fillion (Malcolm Reynolds) over Adam Baldwin. I also regret we never got to see more of Ron Glass' character (Shepherd Book).

Noone in BSG hasn't really stuck out for me. The general level of acting and characterisation is high though and I really enjoy the series. Possibly though it'd be Tricia Helfer (Number Six) as her Cylon parts have been the most varied. Each Number Six is slightly different, unlike the parts of Dean Stockwell (Number One), Lucy Lawless (Number Three), or even Grace Park's (Sharon "Boomer" Valerii / Sharon "Athena" Valerii).

[/FONT]

 

[Sifu Blackirish]

What?

No Tom Baker from the old Doctor Who?

He played the eccentric genius dilletante to perfection, and will always be who I think of when anyone mentions that series.

New episodes just don't seem to keep my attention.