General Discussion

Currently looking to add to my long list of TV shows, movies, books, and other worldbuilding I'd like to get into in my spare time while I wait on others (whether it's family that "wants to watch it as a family" an author who's schedule is already packed, or me not wanting to bonge something outright. Please
let me know what your favorite space operas are
Here's what I currently have on a to-do list:

• Babylon 5
• LDR
• The Expanse
• Lost in Space
• Pern
• Titan AE
• Stranger in a Strange Land
• Moonfall
• Armageddon
• Kenobi
• Battlestar Galactica (2004) (suggsted by @BladeDancer)
• Deep Space Nine (Suggested by @Xionhari)
• Andromeda (suggested by @DragonOfMordor)
• Farscape (Suggested by @DragonOfMordor)

Would appreciate any reccomendations,whether they're books, movies, games, anything similar

Star Trek: Deep Space 9. Even if you aren't into trek as a whole, this might be worth a try. This is quite unlike the other Trek series of its time. While it starts out more episodic, it gradually leans more into an overarching story.
Since it's set on a space station, they cannot just get away and reset to status quo at the end of each episode. What happens in an episode frequently has consequences later down the line.
Now, the first season or so is a bit rough around the edges, since it was still trying to find its footing, but I promise it's worth sticking with it.

@BladeDancer @Xionahri Will try and take a look at them.

Seconding Star Trek: DS9! I'd also suggest Stargate and the tv show that follows it, Stargate SG-1.

And, if you're into anime and don't mind older animation (70s-80s at the earliest), then I'd suggest anything by Leiji Matsumoto. He's created several space operas, with his most popular being Captain Harlock, Space Battleship Yamato, and Galaxy Express 999 (and 999's counterpart, Galaxy Railways). Yamato is also currently being remade with modern animation, with Yamato 2199 being released back in 2012 if you want to avoid old 70s animation haha.

(just don't watch the 2013 Harlock movie, it's...very not Harlock-like at all, much like how the ATLA movie is way off-base from the tv show. it'd give you a very different impression of Harlock as a character and the worldbuilding/storytelling that Matsumoto usually does)

1. Babylon 5. So amazing.
2. Doctor Who. Okay, a stretch, but sometimes it is a space opera.
3. Star Trek: DS9 and then the other shows too
4. Kenobi
5. Stargate: SG1
6. the animated Star Wars shows (Clone Wars and Rebels)
7. Battlestar Galactica (the reboot)
8. Mandalorian
9. Farscape
10. The first two seasons of Andromeda are fairly enjoyable

Ive seen most of those, but what are Andromeda and Farscape? @DragonofMordor
Sorry i dont know.

@sabotagetheace

Okay. So. Farscape is weird but fun. Most of the aliens are Jim Henson puppets. The main character, a human man, falls through a wormhole and ends up on the other side of the universe. There are a couple aliens that look human, but the rest are puppets. And it is a weird show in all the best ways.

Andromeda was based on an idea by Gene Roddenberry, the guy who made Star Trek. It had a really interesting concept. The beginning starts in the future in an idealistic human empire. But the main character ends up much further in the future in a time when the empire has fallen and things are generally bad. He tries to bring peace to the galaxy with his crew of former smuggler type characters.

The big issue with Andromeda in the later seasons is that the original showrunner was let go and Kevin Sorbo, who played the main character, was given a lot more control. And he let it go to his head. The later seasons are much less interesting and make the main character far too perfect and destined to save the universe and it just isn't as fun as the early seasons.

Space Sweepers is a fantastic film. It's Korean, live action, and on Netflix.

Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga.

It's space opera until Komarr and then goes heavily into "my children must breed" territory but it also gets funnier so you can stop at whatever point it stops being what you want.