Alien or Terminator? Which is the better scifi action series?

Rotten Tomatoes Averages:

Average Score for Terminator = 64.2 %
T: 100%, T2: 93%, T3: 70%, T:Sal: 33%, T:G: 25%

Average Score for Alien = 73%
A: 97%, A2: 98%, A3: 46%, A:R: 54%, P: 72%, A:C: 71% = 73%

Average Score for Alien with AvP included = 58.75%
AVP2: 12%, AVP: 20%

It took less time for Alien to start receiving bad reviews, but it also has "recovered" and still remains relevant, critically speaking.

By the numbers, it seems as if Alien wins this round but by a negligible amount. Unless, of course, you include Aliens Versus Predator movies which brings them even closer, but makes Terminator the winner.

When it comes to money (according to box office mojo), Terminator series has made 1.8 billion dollars worldwide in the theaters. Whereas Alien (even including both AVP movies) has made 1.4 billion dollars worldwide. So by a large margin Terminator made more money, this is especially surprising since Terminator has released almost half as many movies as Alien.

Terminator 1 & 2 are sentimental to me for a number of reasons, and the Alien franchise has nothing to compare with that. However, while Terminator 3 wasn't too bad in my book, I checked out of the series afterwards.

Since Alien has so much more content (including video games) than Terminator, I find myself watching/playing more Alien stuff over the years. Additionally, I have friends that love the bad movies of Alien (including the AvP movies), and there continues to be the argument on if Alien 3 was actually a bad movie or not (God bless you Fincher fans). Additionally, I even liked Alien Resurrection, mainly because of Jean Pierre Jeunet's odd humor and the ever wonderful Ron Perlman.

It's worth noting that the last two Terminator movies were PG-13, whereas all the main Alien movies are R (AVP is the only PG-13 one). Such classifications do have an impact on how many audiences are able to see them during a theatrical run.

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I think Alien (1979) smokes anything else mentioned.

I liked The Terminator. It was dark and moody. I liked T2, as well..still dark and moody for the first act, then opened up into an R rated Disney flick with tons of great fx and action, which was killer.

Aliens was a solid action sci fi thriller, but not as good as the original. How could it be? That's like comparing James Cameron to Ridley Scott. Hey, wait a minute. Hey...Hey!

It's really tough. Prob;

T1
Aliens
T2
Alien

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That's interesting, G. Why Alien after aliens? Aliens made me scream which was cool, but I thought Alien was better, mostly because I didnt like the kid.

They are all great, its pure fractions/preference that separates them.

Shouldn't that be "mostly I didn't like the kid.... mostly"

SLAM DUNK! I like what you did there, Dooo.

U simply can t count the first film alien into this, its a scifi horror in and out it is not an action movie, but u can compare aliens and terminator yes, those are action movies, i d go aswell and compare aliens and terminator 2

I don't know if these two can be compared. Both series started in different places and went in different directions over time.

The only converging point between the two series is James Cameron directing Terminator 1, Terminator 2 and Aliens. Out of those three, I find Terminator 1 to be the best.

i have to say there is something i like a lot about the first terminator film, is the soundtrack and synth 80s style music such as this:
The terminator Main title, amazing from brad fiedel