Someone at MSN TV has produced a "highly subjective look back at the soaring successes and abortive flights of small-screen sci-fi".

THE BEST
TALES OF TOMORROW
OUTER LIMITS
STAR TREK (TOS)
UFO
BABYLON 5
FARSCAPE

THE WORST
LOST IN SPACE
SPACE: 1999
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (1978-79)
BUCK ROGERS IN THE 25TH CENTURY

To enjoy his brief commentary see the website.

Don't think I've heard of Tales of Tomorrow. I wouldn't necessarily say that UFO is one of the best either, but TOS, B5 and Farscape are safe bets. I've always preferred The Outer Limits to The Twilight Zone as well so that's a good call.

As for the worst, where's War of the Worlds ?? That was ten times worse than anything else on that list !!

I hadn't heard of TALES OF TOMORROW until reading the article. I hear they dramatized real scifi writers, such a Sturgeon and Clarke. Now I'm intrigued. Next weekend, I'll see if I can find some of the videotapes to rent.

I recall seeing UFO many years ago and being fascinated. And baffled. Too bad it was Earthbound. Back then, I wanted to see outer space. Consequently, UFO never did manage to grip me so I never became a regular viewer. And I never did adopt the British way of saying "UFO" (as sensible as it might be).

I don't know about WOTW but I liked BUCK ROGERS, silly as it was. Perhaps, Erin Gray in her form-fitting suit had something to do with that (tho, Gil Gerard had a pleasing light touch in the role).

TALES OF TOMORROW is available on tape and DVD. I rented a DVD with selected episodes from the first season (1951-1952). IMO, it is not one of the greatest shows I ever saw, but at the time, it must have seemed pretty exotic.

The shows fell into two categories: the world-is-doomed melodrama and Twilight-Zone-like psychological drama. This latter comparison seems particularly apt since both TALES and TWILGHT have an episode based on the same story (remember the nasty guy who gets a pair of new, leather-soled shoes and is killed while standing in the middle of a wet road). IMO, the TALES one is much better than the TWILIGHT one. Better writing, better direction, better acting. And while the elderly man in the TALES--the memorable Edgar Stehli with the large, soulful eyes and expressive high-pitched voice--did not appear in the corresponding TWILIGHT ZONE one, he did appear in different episodes of TWILIGHT.

Not surprisingly, many young up-and-coming actors appeared in supporting roles. Paul Newman, younger than you can ever imagine him, appeared in one of the episodes I saw. Joanne Woodward and James Dean appeared in other episodes I haven't seen. Not many of you might know Lola Albright, but she was a very pretty but minor star back then. She made an appearance where she stunned me by being even lovelier than ever.

The show is perhaps more entertaining for unintentional elements. Fifty years ago, prices were much different. In one episode, a man struggled to support himself, his mother and maintain his business of $3,600 a year--a little more than 1/10th my modest salary. The show's sponsor, a watch company I've never heard of, sold watches for $10 (today, a more sophisticated but practical-looking one goes for about $30). But, most fun of all is the fact that it is a "live" broadcast. All the mistakes are captured forever. Ever see the great Lee J Cobb go up? Or the camera's shadow on the face of tha actor as it moved in for a closeup? Or unintentional crashing sounds in the background? Or a segue from an intensely dramatic moment to a cheerful watch commercial with a live announcer? It's a glimpse into bygone era, and almost worth the price of a DVD.