Somescience fictiontelevision shows left a bigger mark on the television landscape than others. As a genre, sci-fi has a way of holding a mirror up to society and revealing something about humanity. By exploring worlds of the far future or traveling through time,well-written sci-fi showscan touch upon relevant topics in a way other genres can’t. Sci-fi has been around pretty much since the beginning of the moving image, with Georges Méliès' 1902 film,A Trip to the Moon,being the most well-known and earliest example.
The medium of television allowed for even more compelling science fiction stories, and continuously improving technology has made it possible to depict almost any idea, no matter how outlandish. Long before computer-generated imagery took over, creative thinkers were finding ways to tell compellingsci-fi stories in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s with limited budgets and big ideas. Sci-fi allows us to imagine things that might one day be possible, offering glimpses of the future to tell us something about the present.
Few television series have managed to capture the feeling of living and working in the 21st century quite like Apple TV+‘sSeverance. Created by Dan Erickson and produced by Ben Stiller,Severancefollows Mark (Adam Scott), a severed worker at Lumon Industriesin the Macrodata Refinement department. Mark and the other Lumon employees have undergone a procedure allowing them to sever their work selves from their home selves.
The highly controversial severance procedure creates two different versions of Mark and his fellow Lumon coworkers, soon leading to dangerous complications. With its dark humor, stunning visuals, and compelling performances,Severanceis a brilliant and thought-provoking thrill ride of a show.It remains to be seen how farSeverance’sinfluence will reach, but it has already begun to shape the sci-fi genre and the landscape of modern television.
Developed by Ronald D. Moore, the 2004 reimagining of the originalBattlestar Galacticaseries is consistently ranked as one of the best television series of all time. Hard sci-fi can be a difficult sell for some audiences, butBattlestar Galacticamanaged to capture viewers with its complex characters and tense political drama.The show follows the survivors of a devastating attack by the android Cylons that wipes out most of humanity.
Prior to developing hisBattlestar Galacticareboot, Ronald D. Moore had worked on multipleStar Trekseries. He currently serves as the executive producer for Apple TV+‘sFor All Mankind,and he has numerous projects on the horizon.
As the only significant military ship to survive the attack,the Battlestar Galactica becomes the leader of the small surviving fleet as they set out in search of Earth.Despite its dark and often depressing story,Battlestar Galactica’sshocking twists and turnsmade the show captivating from start to finish, as it explored everything from religion to the human condition. While the show transcended its sci-fi genre in many ways, it remains a major influence on modern science fiction.
Soon after its premiere in 2004,Lostbecame a phenomenonthat had viewers everywhere theorizing about what was really going on with the surviving passengers of Oceanic Airlines Flight 815. With its large ensemble cast of characters,Lostcenters on the survivors of a plane crash who find themselves on an islandfull of mysterious and dangerous supernatural secrets.
Lostwas created by Jeffrey Lieber, J.J. Abrams, and Damon Lindelof. Abrams and Lindelof, in particular, went on to be involved in some major sci-fi projects, fromStar TrekandStar WarstoThe Leftoversand HBO’sWatchmen.
With time travel, flashbacks, and flashforwards,Lostexplores the lives of its characters in a unique way, weaving a complex mythology that keeps viewers guessing until the very end. WhileLost’sseries finale may have been controversial, the show benefits from binge-watching and remains just as entertaining as ever.Lostaltered the television landscape,changing the way audiences interacted with their favorite shows and inspiring numerous other shows and films.
The X-Filescenters on FBI Special Agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) andDana Scully (Gillian Anderson)asthey investigate cases that span from the paranormal to just plain weirdand everything in between. With a complex mythology involving aliens and government conspiracies,The X-Filesexpertly combines procedural mystery-of-the-week episodes with season-long story arcs.
Mulder and Scully became one of television’s best will-they-won’t-they couples of all time, and their dynamic relationship forms the heart ofThe X-Files.Not only have there been multiple attempts atanX-Filesreboot(including one currently in the works from director Ryan Coogler), but the show had a massive influence on numerous other television shows, in ways both big and small.
Following the adventures of arogue Time Lord called the Doctor,Doctor Whois one of the longest-running science fiction shows of all time. Accompanied by various companions,the Doctor travels throughout time and space aboard a ship known as the TARDIS.Even in its earliest days, whenDoctor Whohad a small budget and relied on practical effects, the show captured the minds of British audiences.
Doctor Whohas become ingrained in British culture, but its 2005 revival made it incredibly popular in the United States as well. The Doctor’s ability to regenerate allows the show to cast different actors to play the role, and the premise leaves room for infinite storytelling possibilities.It would be next to impossible to list every movie and television show that has been influenced byDoctor Who,and the series still has a passionate fanbase today.
When it comes to sci-fi, fantasy, and horror television, few series could be considered as influential as Rod Serling’s originalThe Twilight Zone.An anthology series that delivered short horror stories that usually offer a moral lesson,The Twilight Zoneis widely regarded as one of the best television shows of all time, regardless of genre.Many episodes of the series explored what it means to be humanand often ended with a shocking twist.
The Twilight Zonedirectly inspired numerous revivalsin film and television, andBlack Mirrormay be its most obvious successor.ButThe Twilight Zone’simagery, storytelling techniques, twist endings, and biting social commentary have all served as inspiration for countless other films and television series over the years. Like many of the other entries on this list,The Twilight Zonenot only shaped the sci-fi genre but also changed the very nature of television.
Arguably the most influential sci-fi series of all time,Star Trek: The Original Seriesintroduced the world toCaptain James T. Kirk (William Shatner)and the USS Enterprise. Along with shows likeThe Twilight ZoneandDoctor Who,Star Trekproved that sci-fi could do well among general audiences,even with minimal budgets and effects. Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) became two of the most recognizable figures in pop culture, andStar Trekcontinues to inspire people even today.
Star Trek’s depiction of a utopian and peaceful future may be more necessary than ever.
With eleven television series and fourteen movies (and counting),Star Trekremains one of the most widely beloved and prolific sci-fi franchises of all time. Paramount+ continues to tell greatStar Trekstories with shows likeStar Trek: Strange New Worlds, and the show’s depiction of a utopian and peaceful future may be more necessary than ever. While a lot of science fiction explores the darker side of humanity,Star Trekoffered a more optimistic view of the future, shaping thesci-figenre and ultimately, popular culture as a whole.
