Science Fiction on Television

Science Fiction on Television

The 1950s	The 1960s
The Star Trek Phenomenon	The 1970s
The 1980s	The 1990s
The 21st Century

1950s	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. Superman, starring George Reeves, aired from 1953-57.
	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 the most well-known and influential anthology series is The Twilight Zone. Rod Serling produced 151 episodes between 1959 and 1964.
1960s	The dog Mr. Peabody and his boy Sherman and their wayback machine were featured on episodes of Rocky and Bullwinkle from 1961 through 1964. My Favorite Martian (1963-66) starred Ray Walston and Bill Bixby. *Dr. Who*, a British series about a Time Lord, began its 30 year run in 1963.
	*Outer Limits, an hour long science fiction anthology, aired from 1963-65. Irwin Allen's Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea* aired from 1964-68. *My Living Doll* (1964-65) featured Julie Newmar as a female robot. *The Man from U.N.C.L.E.* (1964-68) was more James Bond spoof than science fiction.
	*Lost in Space* (1965-68), an Irwin Allen production set in 1997, was 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 Time Tunnel* (1966-67) and Land of the Giants ( 1968-70) were two more Irwin Allen offerings.
The Star Trek Phenomenon
	*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. Then came syndication, and a growing fan base so strong that they persuaded President Gerald Ford to have the prototype space shuttle (now on display at Dulles International Airport) named Enterprise after the spaceship in the series. Now referred to as Classic Trek or TOS (The Original Series), Star Trek eventually spawned six feature films, plus a seventh that brought together some of the original cast with the cast of the television spin-off Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-94). NextGen, which takes place some 80 years after Classic Trek, itself spawned two additional series set in the same time period: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-2000) and Star Trek: Voyager (1995-2001). *Voyager* was replaced by Enterprise (2001--), a prequel which takes place about 200 years before Classic Trek. The Las Vegas Hilton features a museum with props from the series, a timeline of events, and a simulation ride as well as a restaurant modeled after Quark's Bar from Deep Space Nine and the inevitable gift shop.

1970s	*The Six Million Dollar Man* (1973-78) was based on the novel Cyborg by Martin Caiden. The Bionic Woman and several made-for-television movies followed.
	Planet of the Apes (1974) lasted only one season; Space: 1999 (1976-7) lasted two. *Mork and Mindy* (1978-82), actually a spinoff from Happy Days, featured Robin Williams as the alien Mork from the planet Ork. *Battlestar Galactica* (1978) attempted to cash in on the phenomenal success of Star Wars. At the end of the decade came Quark, a short-lived comedy starring Richard Benjamin as the captain of a space-going garbage scow.
1980s	Two major mini-series aired during the 1980s. *The Martian Chronicles* (1980) is based on the Ray Bradbury novel. V (1983), about alien invaders and the human resistance, was spun off into a short lived series.
	*Red Dwarf, another British series, aired in 1988. Quantum Leap* (1989-94) though not very scientific, enjoyed a popular run. Its star Scott Bakula became Captain Archer on the Enterprise series. Beginning in 1989 Alien Nation returned in several made-for-television movies. *Beauty and the Beast*, a cult romantic science fantasy, was developed by George R.R. Martin.
1990s	*The Flash, based on the comic book character, lasted only a few episodes in 1990. Mystery Science Theater* 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) and Stargate SG-1 which was acquired from Showtime.
	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 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 SciFi Channel has also picked up the original series Stargate SG-1 from Showtime and has continued to produce new episodes. Stargate SG-1 will conclude its run in 2004. However, a spin-off series, Stargate Atlantis, will debut in July 2004. A Battlestar Galactica miniseries appeared in December 2003. A series is planned for 2004.

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