Favorite sci-fi clip episode

[Crom]

I was watching Chuck's review of Shades of Gray and it got me thinking: What's your favorite sci-fi clip episode? The clip episode seems like the bane of television shows, but some of them had to be pretty decent. My current personal favorite is "The Unconquerable Man" from season 3 of Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda. I thought it was very a very clever clip episode, allowing the use of clips of previous episodes but in a new context as Rhade, not Dylan, goes through the very same scenarios.

[Ahriman238]

I doubt there's so much a great clip-show as one that barely sucks at all. I've generally liked the Sg-1 episodes "Politics" "Disclosure" and "Inaguration." All three are about the events of the show being explained to people who weren't there at the time, and I find their incredulity particularly realistic.

[Tanasinn]

Clip shows are vapid trash. The best one is one that doesn't happen at all, as far as I'm concerned. Revisiting old issues from different perspectives is one thing - just showing old shit we've already seen is lazy.

[NecronLord]

Clip shows are vapid trash. The best one is one that doesn't happen at all, as far as I'm concerned. Revisiting old issues from different perspectives is one thing - just showing old shit we've already seen is lazy.

I'm sure many producers would be happy for you to fork over the millions of dollars they save to allow for better finales etc, so they don't have to use them.

[Eternal_Freedom]

I rather liked "Disclosure" simply fr Thor's amusing appearance and put-down of Kinsey.

"The Unconquerable Man" was also excellent, one of the better episodes of later Andromeda. whilst it was a clip show it showed everything totally differently and was therefore interesting. It also explained Rhade's character somewhat, which I like because I thought Rhade was better than Dylan. Just sayin'

[Thanas]

This is a very hard question to answer, seeing how it highly depends on the show.

I have to say "Angel Dark, Demon Bright", from Andromeda. It is very hard to showcase a scenario where the good guys are forced to choose from several bad options and there is no easy way out. Similarly, All too human from Season 2 is also excellent.

"33" from Galactica is probably the best paced episode that I have seen, if the three-parter of season 2 (Pegasus + Resurrection ship) does not count.

More when I have better net access so I can google episode titles for other shows.

[Eternal_Freedom]

Ummm, Thanas, the question was your favourite sci-fi clip episodes, not favourite episodes

Although you did pick good ones

[Thanas]

Oh. Clip episodes. Hmmm....The unconquerable man is a good one, but I prefer "The Things We Cannot Change". That episode, while a clip show, is a great character study of Dylan, building all a very convincing fantasy until the one thing is claimed by the agent of the Abyss which Dylan cannot accept, which he knew he would remember if it had happened.

[JME2]

I rather liked "Disclosure" simply fr Thor's amusing appearance and put-down of Kinsey.'

Kinsey: "I'm sure it was Commander --"

Thor: "--Supreme Commander."

The little finger wag always cracks me up.

[Crom]

I rather liked "Disclosure" simply fr Thor's amusing appearance and put-down of Kinsey.

"The Unconquerable Man" was also excellent, one of the better episodes of later Andromeda. whilst it was a clip show it showed everything totally differently and was therefore interesting. It also explained Rhade's character somewhat, which I like because I thought Rhade was better than Dylan. Just sayin'

I liked Rhade quite a bit, but I think it speaks well of early Andromeda that Dylan was very likeable too. He was kind of smug, but not nearly as blindly idealistic as he sometimes appeared.

[Crom]

Oh. Clip episodes. Hmmm....The unconquerable man is a good one, but I prefer "The Things We Cannot Change". That episode, while a clip show, is a great character study of Dylan, building all a very convincing fantasy until the one thing is claimed by the agent of the Abyss which Dylan cannot accept, which he knew he would remember if it had happened.

That's the one where Dylan is adrift in space and dying, right? That was a good one.

[Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba]

Clip shows are vapid trash. The best one is one that doesn't happen at all, as far as I'm concerned. Revisiting old issues from different perspectives is one thing - just showing old shit we've already seen is lazy.

I'm sure many producers would be happy for you to fork over the millions of dollars they save to allow for better finales etc, so they don't have to use them.

Then save more money by cutting down on the number of episodes per season. Or, hell, even better, have a bottle episode. Or three. I've never seen a clipshow episode that wasn't basically artistically bankrupt, when most sci fi shows are chock-full of filler episodes already.

[Darth Fanboy]

fewer episodes = less opportunity to sell ad space = show not as profitable for network

[Thanas]

Oh. Clip episodes. Hmmm....The unconquerable man is a good one, but I prefer "The Things We Cannot Change". That episode, while a clip show, is a great character study of Dylan, building all a very convincing fantasy until the one thing is claimed by the agent of the Abyss which Dylan cannot accept, which he knew he would remember if it had happened.

That's the one where Dylan is adrift in space and dying, right?

Yes, it is.

That was a good one.

It is telling that a clip show from Season 2 easily beats 95% of the episodes which came after Season 2.

[The Yosemite Bear]

I would like to see one where there is a summary of how we got here told Rashoman style, with clips highlighting each conflicting character's viewpoint.

[Vendetta]

One of the best I've seen is the second clip episode in the original Macross. Inserted to fill space after the series was extended mid-run, the clips are all out of order and out of context as Hikaru is in a coma after a friendly fire incident, making for a decent delirium/fever dream episode.