Syfy channel has been bringing back the space related science fiction with shows like Dark Matter and Killjoys (which premieres tomorrow night!), so in the spirit of things, we’re taking a look at where we’ve been with the genre in the past.
Whether an adventure into worlds unknown (hello Star Trek!), a space western, a space opera (there are many) or even an intelligent look at the genre that brings it right to the adults, we’re betting you watched at least one.
Firefly
“Take my love, take my land/Take me where I cannot stand/I don’t care, I’m still free/ You can’t take the sky from me…” This gone-too-soon Joss Whedon favorite redefined the concept of a cult TV classic. Set aboard the spaceship Serenity, this sci-fi space western starring Nathan Fillion as Captain Malcolm Reynolds only lasted for fourteen episodes, but that was enough to get us hooked and leave us clamoring for more of Mal & his crew after the show was unceremoniously cancelled. Lucky for us, the show-runners gifted the Browncoats with a follow up spin-off movie “Serenity” to close up as many loose ends as they could–and devastate us all in the process (Whedon-style).
Babylon 5
This award-winning drama was considered one of the most complex programs on television at the time. It featured stories that drew upon prophesies, religious zealotry, racial tensions, social pressures and political rivalries that existed within the cultures of the Earth Alliance in the years 2257-2262. This character driven show hoped to do for sci-fi what Hill Street Blues did for cop shows, which was bring the genre into the world of adults. It succeeded.
Star Trek
The original series tells the tale of the crew aboard the Starship Enterprise on their five year mission to boldly go where no many has gone before. The series debuted in 1966 and first aired on NBC. With all of the sequels, the movies and how amazingly engrained in our culture Star Trek has become, it’s hard to believe Captain James T. Kirk and Spock only ran on air for three years, isn’t it?
Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica was the epitome of a soap opera in space; daddy issues, romance, mystery (who ARE the Final Five?), lies, handsome men (Apollo, Helo…swoon), beautiful women who kick serious butt (no one messes with Starbuck), and all of the drama unfolds aboard the Galactica, while trying to find planet Earth amidst a robot war, and trying to rebuild human civilization. Oh, and let’s not forget Cylons. So. Many. Cylons.
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek encompasses a huge franchise and has an equally huge fanbase—“TNG” is arguably one of the more popular incarnations of the starship Enterprise and its crew, spanning seven seasons and four films. Plus this iteration of the Star Trek formula featured some of the most memorable and enduring characters from the Star Trek universe—we’re obviously talking about Data, the android, the swoon-worthy Riker (particularly in bearded form), and the somehow bald Captain Picard (seriously, how had they not cured baldness by the year 2364?) Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on where your head’s at) this series hasn’t followed in the original series’ footsteps and been rebooted into a brand spankin’ new film franchise… yet.
Buck Rogers
The series starred Gil Gerard as Buck Rogers, a US Air Force pilot who commands Ranger 3, a spaceship resembling the space shuttle. Because of a freak combination of gases, he’s frozen in space for 504 years and is revived in the 25th century. There, he learns that the Earth was united following a devastating nuclear war in 1988, and is now under the protection of the Earth Defense Forces, headquartered in New Chicago.
Andromeda
Andromeda came from Gene Roddenberry, the same mind who brought us Star Trek. After a war of the universes, a wrecking crew salvaged the Andromeda, which was frozen in space (Kevin Sorbo’s Captin Hunt included). When Hunt came to, he asked the salvage crew to work with him on the Andromeda to try to reunite the Systems Commonwealth, his former government, to get everything back on track. Sounds like a big job, right?
Stargate Universe
This was something completely different for a Stargate series, as it featured an entire group of relatively normal people (rather than Stargate specialists) stuck on an Ancients ship called Destiny. All of those on the ship came together in an attempt to keep the ship running and to keep the large number of people on board given their very limited supplies.
Lost in Space
In 1965, the Robinson family was chosen to commandeer the spaceship Jupiter 2 and go on a 5 year journey to the future…1997. Their mission: find a habitable planet for mankind to live on. Danger Will Robinson! Unfortunately for the family, a stowaway, Dr. Smith, sabotaged the mission when he snuck aboard, and threw their journey completely off course! Thanks to Dr. Smith, the Robinsons had wacky adventures in space each week. The show was a bit silly, but a fun glimpse into the future, 1960s style.
Lexx
The Lex was a huge insectoid spaceship that could destroy planets at will. And people lived on it. It was designed as the ultimate weapon, but fell into other hands during a botched prison escape attempt. An extraordinarily strange group of people come together and ride around on The Lexx, discovering strange new worlds and blowing them up.
Farscape
This is another take on the living ship. She’s named Moya. John Crichton is an astronaut stranded on board trying to get home with a bunch of strange and madcap fellows. The show was conceived to be a subservsive take on the sci-fi genre and was considered to be the anti-Star Trek. Being a little different, actions had consequences, there were some seriously bad judgement calls and plans went horribly awry. In other words, refreshing.
