TV Science-Fiction Notes

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							Out There (G, US-CBS)	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)	Rocky Jones, Space Ranger			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)		Thunderbirds (D, UK-ITV)		The Time Tunnel (D, US-ABC, Allen)		1966
1967			The Prisoner (C, UK-ITV)	The Invaders (B, US-ABC, QM)		The Time Tunnel (D, US-ABC, Allen)		1967
1968			The Prisoner (C, UK-ITV)	The Invaders (B, US-ABC, QM)				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			UFO (B, UK-ITV)					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)		Kolchak: TNS (F, US-ABC)		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)				Logan’s Run (C, US-CBS)	1978
1979	Battlestar Galactica (A, US-ABC)				Buck Rogers in the 25^th 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)			Voyagers! (D, US-NBC)	Tales from the Darkside (G, US-Syndicated)		1983
1984	V (B, US-NBC)							1984
1985	V (B, US-NBC)	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 13^th (F, Can-Syndicated)		Beauty and the Beast (F, US-CBS)		Max Headroom (C, US-ABC)	1987
1988				War of the Worlds (B, US-Syndicated)			Max Headroom (C, US-ABC)	1988
1989						Quantum Leap (D, US-NBC) [to 1993]		1989
1990		Twin Peaks (F, US-ABC)					The Flash (E, US-CBS)	1990
1991		Twin Peaks (F, US-ABC)					The Flash (E, US-CBS)	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					The Adventures Of Brisco Country Jr. (C, US-Fox)		Time Trax (D, US-Syndicated)	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					Space: A&B (A/B, US-Fox)	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)	Dark Skies (B, US-NBC)		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)	Birds of Prey (E, US-WB)	2004
2005						Dr. Who (New) (A, UK-BBC)	Invasion (B, US-ABC)	2005
2006						Dr. Who (New) (A, UK-BBC)	Invasion (B, US-ABC)	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.