TV Science-Fiction Notes, by Doug Mann

 

Genres of Science Fiction

Type A: Space Exploration and Warfare (e.g. Star Trek, Babylon 5, Battlestar Galactica, Firefly, Stargate SG1, Dr. Who)
Type B: Alien Invasion (e.g. The Invaders, UFO, V, The X-Files, First Wave)

Type C: Alternate Realities & Weird Science (e.g. The Prisoner, Logan’s Run, The Bionic Woman, Dark Angel)

Type D: Strange Voyages (time & dimensional travel, lost worlds) (e.g. The Time Tunnel, Quantum Leap, Seaquest DSV, Sliders)

Type E: Superheroes (e.g. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Incredible Hulk, Smallville, Mutant X)

Type F: The Paranormal and Supernatural (e.g. Dark Shadows, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, The X-Files, Lost)

Type G: Hybrid Anthologies (e.g. The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits – old and new)

First four types are “hard” science-fiction (for the most part). E and F have scifi elements, but are marginal to the genre. Type G shows are mixtures of types A-D and F, with stories about space exploration, aliens, time travel, alternate realities, and the paranormal (or even just mysterious events) mixed together.

 

Important TV Science-Fiction Series by Year, Type, Country and Network

Year

Aired

Key Series

Key Series

British/Canadian Series

Other Series

Other Series

Other Series

Fringe Series

Year

Aired

The Iron Age: The Beginnings of SFTV – Video Rangers and Space Cadets

1949

Captain Video and His Video Rangers

(A, US-Dumont)

 

 

 

 

 

 

1949

1950

 

 

Buck Rogers (A)

Tom Corbett, Space Cadet

(A, US-4 networks)

Space Patrol

(A, US-Local, ABC)

 

1950

1951

 

 

Tales of Tomorrow

(G, US-ABC)

Out There

(G, US-CBS)

1951

1952

 

 

1952

1953

The Adventures of Superman

(E, US-ABC)

 

 

 

1953

1954

 

Flash Gordon (A)

Rocky Jones, Space Ranger

Captain Midnight

(C, US-CBS)

1954

1955

 

Science Fiction Theatre

(G, US-Syndicated)

1955

1956

 

 

 

 

1956

1957

 

 

 

 

1957

1958

 

 

 

 

 

 

1958

The Silver Age: The Invention of a Genre – Philosophical and Political Issues Explored

1959

The Twilight Zone

(G, US-CBS)

 

 

 

 

 

 

1959

1960

 

 

 

 

 

 

1960

1961

 

 

 

 

 

 

1961

1962

 

 

 

 

 

 

1962

1963

The Outer Limits

(G, US-ABC)

Dr. Who

(A/D, UK-BBC)

Off and on to 1989

Returns in 2005

 

 

 

 

1963

1964

 

 

 

Voyage to

the Bottom

of the Sea

(D, US-ABC, Allen)

1964

1965

 

Thunderbirds

(D, UK-ITV)

Lost in Space

(A, US-CBS, Allen)

 

1965

1966

Star Trek

(A, US-NBC)

 

Dark Shadows

(F, US-ABC)

The Time Tunnel

(D, US-ABC, Allen)

1966

1967

The Prisoner

(C, UK-ITV)

The Invaders

(B, US-ABC, QM)

1967

1968

 

 

1968

1969

 

 

 

Land of the Giants

 

1969

The Bronze Age: Simplistic Plots, Cheesy Characters, Low-Budget Superheroes (with some British exceptions)

1970

Night Gallery

(G, US-NBC)

 

UFO

(B, UK-ITV)

 

 

(D, US-ABC, Allen)

 

1970

1971

 

 

 

 

1971

1972

The Sixth Sense (F)

Dr. Who

(A/D, UK-BBC)

[all of the 70s & 80s]

 

 

 

 

1972

1973

 

 

 

 

 

1973

1974

 

 

 

The Six Million Dollar Man

(C, US-ABC)

Kolchak: TNS

(F, US-ABC)

Shazam!

(E, US-CBS)

1974

1975

 

The Invisible Man (C)

Space: 1999

(A, UK-ITV)

Wonder Woman

(E, US-ABC/CBS)

1975

1976

 

Gemini Man (C)

The Bionic Woman

(C, US-ABC/NBC)

1976

1977

 

The Incredible Hulk

(E, US-CBS)

Logan’s Run

(C, US-CBS)

1977

1978

Battlestar Galactica

(A, US-ABC)

 

Blake’s 7

(A, UK-BBC)

 

1978

1979

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century

(A, US-NBC)

 

 

1979

1980

Galactica 1980

 

 

 

1980

1981

The Greatest American Hero

(E, US-ABC)

 

 

Hitchhiker’s Guide

1981

1982

Dr. Who

(D, UK-BBC)

[all of the 70s & 80s]

 

Voyagers!

(D, US-NBC)

 

Knight Rider

(D, US-NBC)

1982

1983

Manimal (C, US-NBC)

 

Tales from the Darkside

(G, US-Syndicated)

1983

1984

V (B, US-NBC)

 

 

 

1984

1985

The Twilight Zone (New)

(G, UK/Can/US -

CBS/Syndicated)

 

 

1985

1986

 

Late Bronze Age: Syndication and Next Generation

1986

1987

Star Trek: The Next Generation

(A, US-Syndicated)

Friday the 13th

(F, Can-Syndicated)

 

Beauty and

the Beast

(F, US-CBS)

Max Headroom

(C, US-ABC)

1987

1988

War of the Worlds

(B, US-Syndicated)

1988

1989

 

Quantum Leap

(D, US-NBC)

[to 1993]

 

1989

1990

Twin Peaks

(F, US-ABC)

The Flash

(E, US-CBS)

1990

1991

 

 

 

1991

1992

 

 

 

 

 

1992

 

The Golden Age: Cable & Network Explosion, Canadian Co-Productions, Computer Graphics

1993

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

(A, US-Syndicated,

rerun on UPN)

The X-Files

(B/F, US/Can-Fox)

(Canadian locations seasons 1-5, some actors and crew)

Babylon 5

(A, US-Syndicated)

The Adventures

Of Brisco Country Jr.

(C, US-Fox)

 

SeaQuest DSV

(D, US-NBC)

 

Time Trax

(D, US-Syndicated)

1993

1994

1994

1995

Star Trek: Voyager

(A, US-Syndicated, rerun on UPN)

 

Space: A&B

(A/B, US-Fox)

Sliders

(D, US/Can-Fox/Scifi)

(to 2000)

 

The Outer Limits (New) (G, Can/US - Showtime/Scifi)

(to 2002)

1995

1996

Dark Skies

(B, US-NBC)

1996

1997

Earth: Final Conflict

(B, Can/US-Syn)

[to 2002]

 

Lexx

(A, Can-CITY/Syn)

[to 2002]

 

Stargate SG1

(A, US/Can-Syn/ShowScifi)

(Canadian locations, some actors)

1997

1998

First Wave

(B, Can-Syn, to 2001)

1998

1999

Harsh Realm

Farscape

(A, Aus/US-Scifi, Syndicated)

[1999-2003]

1999

2000

Harsh Realm

Dark Angel

(C, US-Fox)

2000

2001

Star Trek: Enterprise

(A,US-UPN)

2001

2002

Firefly (A, US-Fox)

2002

2003

Battlestar Galatica (New) (A, US/Can- Scifi/Space/Sky)

Carnivale (to 2005)

 

Birds of Prey

(E, US-WB)

2003

2004

Stargate: Atlantis

(A, Can/US-Syn/Scifi)

Lost

(F, US-ABC)

Jake 2.0 (C, UPN)

2004

2005

Dr. Who (New)

(A, UK-BBC)

Invasion

(B, US-ABC)

2005

2006

 

2006

 

This chart covers most SF shows in the Iron and Silver Ages, over half of those shown in the Bronze Age, and selections of the most popular and/or best critically received of those from the Golden Age. In the late 1990s there were over 30 SF shows broadcast each year – I excluded a number of key fantasy and paranormal shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer to fit as many “hard” SF series on the chart. I list a show as a Canadian co-production if it was filmed in Canada and had regular Canadian cast members and crew. The shows we’re focusing on appear in green. The chart is typeset in Zurich Condensed, and looks best if you have this font loaded.