Axiom's Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy

By John J. Joex

Part 2 – Lost for Years, the Networks Find Sci Fi

The period from 1959 to 1970 I classify as the Golden Age of Science Fiction and Fantasy on television.  During these years, the genre matured as it moved from the kiddie-space operas that defined the 1950’s to shows that appealed to a more adult audience, though they still continued to draw the younger crowd as well.  Several of the defining entries for the genre aired during this period including The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, Star Trek, and The Prisoner (along with several of the infamously bad examples like Lost in Space and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea).  And many more entries with Science Fiction and Fantasy elements dotted the Prime Time landscape giving the genre significant exposure.  And what’s more, there were many successful shows in the genre during this period, i.e., they ran two seasons or more.  All of this would change after 1970, though, as the networks shifted their focus and began to embrace “fluff” television like The Love Boat, Charlie’s Angels, and Laverne and Shirley.

Science Fiction and Fantasy as a successful genre nearly disappeared from the broadcast networks after 1970.  Despite the fact that Star Trek had become a phenomenal success in syndication, the networks could not replicate its appeal in Prime Time, nor did they put much effort into trying.  Then, after several expensive flops that rode the wave of Star Wars-fever onto the small screen later in the 70’s, Battlestar Galactica and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, the networks all but abandoned the genre.  In fact, from the early 70’s to the early 90’s the only shows with Science Fiction and Fantasy elements that had any lasting success on Prime Time were those of the superhero / action-adventure / high-tech hardware variety like The Six Million Dollar Man, The Incredible Hulk, Knight Rider, and MacGyver.  And many of these just barely counted as genre shows.

In 1987, Star Trek: The Next Generation helped revitalize the genre which had nearly disappeared from the small screen, but it blazed its path in the syndication market.  More and more Science Fiction and Fantasy shows started to sprout up, but they did so on the same channels that carried STNG or on the cable networks.  In 1993, The X-Files would give Prime Time one of the first successful full-on Science Fiction shows in over two decades.  But then that show only survived because the nascent FOX network paid attention to its positive buzz among the critics and stuck with it despite poor ratings (if only they had done the same thing a decade later with Firefly).  By the second season, the show’s ratings improved and by the third FOX had a bonafide hit on their hands.

But still, FOX was on the outside looking in at the “Big Three” at that time and the other networks were not impressed enough to try and duplicate the success of the new kid on the block (later in the decade there would be a brief wave of X-Files clones that would quickly fade and included entries like Dark Skies, Strange World, and The Burning Zone).  Even FOX had trouble creating another franchise like The X-Files despite repeated attempts.  Chris Carter’s Millennium would come closest, though it never developed as large of a following and was cancelled after three seasons, failing to deliver a satisfying conclusion.  There were a few other shows that managed to stick around longer than a single season on the networks during the 90’s like Quantum Leap, seaQuest DSV, and Sliders, though they fell short of standing out as exemplary entries for the genre (I’m sure quite a few Leap and Sliders fans would argue that point with me, though).

This trend continued into the 00’s as the “Big Four” (FOX had since been invited to the party) continued to shun the genre and actually offered very little to choose from for fans during the first half of the decade.  And of those few that did make it to the Prime Time schedule, rarely did they survive past even a half of a season (with the two part time networks, UPN and WB, providing the only exceptions).  Science Fiction and Fantasy was thriving on cable, on the upstart networks, and in syndication with shows like Battlestar Galactica, Angel, and Andromeda, but the major broadcast networks had not yet jumped on the bandwagon.

Then, on September 22, 2004, everything changed.  An odd little show called Lost about survivors of a plane crash that found themselves on a mysterious island debuted on that evening and immediately grabbed the attention of the network audience.  The pilot drew over 18.5 million viewers, unheard of numbers for a Science Fiction and Fantasy show and the network bosses definitely paid attention.  Now to be fair, the show did skirt around the genre during its early episodes and played up more of the mystery elements than the sci fi elements.  In fact, the producers insisted at that point that a scientific explanation existed for everything we saw including the “monster” (looks like they may have to back away from that claim before everything is said and done, though).  But genre fans definitely flocked to the show along with a much wider audience.

The series succeeded by drawing upon many of the elements present in the better Science Fiction and Fantasy shows that had preceded it over the previous decade and a half.  It delivered sophisticated story-telling and drama, something we had seen in shows like Farscape, Carnivale, and Battlestar Galactica.  It also lured viewers in with the mystery of the ongoing story-arc similar to what shows like The X-Files and Firefly had done.  Lost also delivered an excellent cast and strong writing that mixed intricate storylines with engaging character studies.  One could argue that Lost had wider appeal because it eschewed stronger ties to the genre, but I say that it succeeded because it was a damn good show!

And finally, the networks realized Science Fiction and Fantasy could be successful on the Prime Time schedule.  And within a few years it had become a mainstay for the “Big Four” networks providing each of them with at least one successful entry.

Previous: Part 1 – A Change is Coming

Next: Part 3 – The Network Explosion