| Introduction |
Science fiction appeared on television almost from the very beginning, fueled by interest in space exploration and in superheroes.
Some television science fiction has been a serious exploration of the issues raised by the literature of the genre. Some has been played for laughs.
As fantasy has become more popular with the general populace we see more fantasy on television.
As special effects have become more sophisticated and as interest in science fiction and fantasy has risen with the popularity of science fiction and fantasy films, we have seen a resurgence of science fiction and fantasy. Some series have even broken out of cult status to become mainstream hits. |
|
| Early Television |
The first science
fiction on television is Captain Video,
which aired from 1949 through 1953 and again in 1955-56. Tom
Corbett, Space Cadet, appeared in 1950.
Space
Patrol (1950-55) was the Star
Trek of its day. The series dealt with the spaceship Terra
on a mission to protect the Federated Planets.
Tales
of Terror (1951-56) was the first science fiction anthology
series. Science Fiction Theater,
another anthology, aired from 1955-57.
But by far the most popular science fiction of the decade was Superman,
starring George Reeves; it aired from 1953-57. |
|
| 1960s |
The most well-known and influential anthology series is The
Twilight Zone. Rod Serling produced 151 episodes between
1959 and 1964. Many are considered classics of both televison and science fiction. Many prominent actors appeared on the series and manyscripts were based on short stories by well-regarded science fiction writers. The series was brought back several times with a variety of hosts but it never attained the quality and popularity of the original series.
Outer
Limits,
an hour long science fiction anthology, aired from 1963-65. It, too, has been resurrected a couple of times.
Dr.
Who,
a British series about a Time Lord, began a 30 year run in 1963; new episodes are currently airing in both England and the United States. |
Comic science fiction of the 1960s includes:
- The dog Mr. Peabody
and his boy Sherman and their wayback machine, featured on episodes
of Rocky and Bullwinkle from
1961 through 1964.
- My
Favorite Martian (1963-66) starring Ray Walston and Bill
Bixby.
- My
Living Doll (1964-65) featuring Julie Newmar as a female robot.
Producer Irwin Allen presented a number of science fiction and fantasy series in the 1960s:
- Voyage
to the Bottom of the Sea (1964-68)
- The
Time Tunnel (1966-67)
- Land of the Giants (
1968-70)
Allen's most successful venture was Lost
in Space (1965-68), about the marooned
Robinson family, their robot (played by Forbidden
Planet's Robby the Robot), and the evil Dr. Zachary Smith. Bill Mumy, who played
young Will Robinson, later was featured as the Minbari Lanier on Babylon
5.
The
Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964-68) was more James Bond spoof than science fiction or science fantasy. |
| Star
Trek (1966-69),
described by creator Gene Roddenberry as a Wagon
Train of the stars, lasted just 79 episodes, its five-year
mission cut to three by low ratings. However, the series found a fanatic audience in syndication and eventually spawned five spinoff television series and ten feature films as well as numerous novels, conventions, and museum exhibits, and is firmly embedded in popular culture. |
|
| 1970s |
After the cancellation of Star Trek in 1969 very little science fiction and fantasy television made much of an impact on the viewing audience.
The two biggest hits were:
- The
Six Million Dollar Man (1973-78), based on the novel Cyborg by Martin Caiden. A spinoff, The Bionic Woman, and several made-for-television movies followed.
- Mork
and Mindy (1978-82), actually a spinoff from Happy Days,
featured Robin Williams as the alien Mork from the planet Ork.
Short-lived series of the decade include:
- Planet
of the Apes (1974)
- Space:
1999 (1976-7)
- Quark (1977)
- Battlestar
Galactica (1978); however, a remake beginning in 2004 has garnered critical acclaim
|
|
| 1980s |
Two major mini-series
aired during the 1980s:
- The
Martian Chronicles (1980), based on the Ray Bradbury novel
- V (1983), about alien invaders and the human resistance, which was spun off into
a short lived series.
Red
Dwarf,
another British series, aired in 1988.
Beauty
and the Beast (1987-90)
a cult romantic science fantasy, was developed by George R.R. Martin. |
|
| 1990s |
Quantum
Leap (1989-94)
though not very scientific, enjoyed a popular run. Its star Scott Bakula
became Captain Archer on the Enterprise series.
Mystery
Science Theater (1988-99)started airing very bad B horror and science fiction films accompanied
by hilarious commentary.
The SciFi Channel made its debut on cable. Though reruns and B movies still populate most
of their schedule they have begun to produce some original movies and
series fare, most notably Farscape (1999-2003) Stargate SG-1 (which was acquired from Showtime), a spin-off, Stargate Atlantis, and the remake of Battlestar Galactica.
Other successful series include Eureka and The Dresden Files. |
Four notable series
aired in the last decade of the 20th century:
The
X-Files (1993-2002), features the adventures of FBI agents Mulder (David Duchovny)
and Scully (Gillian Anderson) as they investigate UFOs and paranormal
phenomena and attempt to untangle a vast government conspiracy and cover-up
much too complicated for anybody to understand. |
| Lois
and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993-97) is a witty, hip, and updated look at the Man of Steel and his
relationships. |
| Babylon
5 (1994-99)
is a well-conceived syndicated series about an intergalactic space station.
Its creator J. Michael Straczynski developed an elaborate backstory. Harlan
Ellison served as a creative consultant. |
| Third
Rock from the Sun (1996) is a comedy about aliens attempting to adapt to human society. |
Though not science
fiction, Buffy, the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003) is a sophisticated drama which uses vampire legends to explore
the world of young adults.
Buffy generated the
spinoff Angel. |
|
| The 21st Century |
| Dark
Angel (2000), developed by James Cameron, concerns a genetically-engineered woman
in a post-apocalyptic Earth of the near future. |
| Smallville (2002--) follows Clark Kent/Superman through his teen years. |
| Firefly,
from the creators of Buffy, the Vampire Slayer,
lasted half a season on the Fox Network. John
Doe, about a man who knows everything but his name, lasted
only one season. |
| The SciFi Channel and Other Cable Outlets |
In the mid 1990s, the SciFi Channel made its debut on cable. Though reruns and B movies still populate most
of the schedule the channel has begun to produce some original movies and
series fare, most notably Farscape (1999-2003) Stargate SG-1 (which was acquired from Showtime), a spin-off, Stargate Atlantis, and the remake of Battlestar Galactica.
Other successful series include Eureka and The Dresden Files.
The SciFi Channel
has aired several significant mini-series:
- Dune
- Children
of Dune (2003) based on Dune Messiah and Children of Dune
- Riverworld (2003), based on the novels by Philip José Farmer
Steven Spielberg executive-produced Taken (2002), a lengthy and
award-winning mini-series about alien abduction. |
The USA Channel has been airing the original series The 4400 about a group of humans who were abducted by aliens, given special powers, and returned to Earth |
|
| Recent Developments |
Currently several science fiction and fantasy series are airing on the major television networks. They include:
- Lost about a group of plane crash survivors on a very strange island
- Heroes, about a group of superheroes discovering their powers and banding together to save the world
- Jericho, about a small town after a nuclear holocaust has devastated the United States
|
