Axiom's Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy

By John J. Joex

Lost wrapped up its six year run this past season and did so on a high note. Though quite a number of people did not care for the series finale, I thought it delivered a satisfying resolution and a decent amount of closure (and you can read more of my thoughts about that at this link). But now that Lost will march off into television history (until ABC assaults us with the inevitable spin-off series or TV movie continuation) where does Science Fiction and Fantasy television go? What will be the next “big thing”? Lost has been the tentpole for the genre on television for more than half of the past decade and it actually made sci fi/fantasy shows a viable commodity on the broadcast networks. I have covered in a previous series of articles how the success of Lost led to all of the networks and cable channels scrambling to replicate that show’s success and has since given us a wide number of genre shows to choose from. But the actual product that followed brought us quite a number of mediocre entries and few candidates to carry the torch now that Lost is gone.

Take a look at this past season as an example. ABC touted FlashForward as the next Lost and had its V remake in the pipeline as well. But FlashForward failed to take advantage of the momentum of its strong debut and meandered throughout the first half of its season leading to a steep decline in its ratings. It got back on track during the second half of the season, but by then it was too late. V managed to survive the cut, but it saw a similar drop-off in its ratings, just not as steep, so it will not go into its sophomore season on solid footing. And the fact is that the show is just not very good. Heroes, once the heir apparent to Lost’s throne, finally got put out of its misery this season as it received the axe following three years of declining ratings and an inability to recapture the magic of its first season. Dollhouse showed a ton of promise on paper and had several stand-out episodes, but ultimately it fell short of expectations. Fringe survived for a third season and probably stands as the strongest genre entry on the broadcast networks heading into the 2010-11. But I would not put that show in the same class as Lost. Sure, when it soars it delivers a first rate Science Fiction show. But it has too many instances where it misses the mark and just looks like an X-Files retread. The cable networks have delivered some decent entries lately like Stargate: Universe, True Blood, and perhaps Caprica, but still none of these have managed to match the quality of Lost or even previous off-network standouts like Battlestar Galactica or Farscape.

So what is the next “big” series or trend for Science Fiction and Fantasy television? I’ve written before that I believe this past decade represented a Second Golden Age for the genre on television, but I would say that era has come to an end with the departure of Lost. And it’s hard to place a label on the era we are ceding into until it has really had its defining moment. So for now, I will just call it the “post-Lost” era and we can ponder what it will bring.

A few trends that I see could give us a hint as to what direction we are heading. First, the broadcast networks (with the exception of the CW) seem to be shying away from Science Fiction and Fantasy with fewer entries on their schedule for the upcoming season than we have seen over the past few years. And this seems to be leading to a greater off-network presence like we saw back in the 90’s with Syfy offering an expanded slate and the pay channels getting into the game with HBO’s True Blood and upcoming Game of Thrones along with Starz’s continuation of the BBC’s Torchwood. And speaking of Great Britain, could we have a sci fi British Invasion on our hands with BBC America offering a serious challenge to Syfy with its genre programming moves (including reruns of Star Trek: The Next Generation)? And then there’s the Dr. Horrible factor. That was a huge internet success last year, so could others try to replicate that formula and possibly instigate a move away from the television platform to web productions (and there are already quite a number of web-series out there)? Personally, I’d love to see a move in that direction because it allows for much greater creator control even if they do have to sacrifice some on the production values.

Any of these directions could suggest where Science Fiction and Fantasy television will go in the coming years or something completely different could determine the course for the genre. In any case, I believe that it will once again have less of a presence on the broadcast networks which does not trouble me at all. They’ve never fully understood the genre or known how to market it and have repeatedly enraged fans with their lack of patience and quick trigger finger when it comes to cancelling Science Fiction and Fantasy shows (Firefly, Jericho, Moonlight just to name a few). Lost helped define an era and change the face of network television, but that chapter is closing now with a new one in the process of opening. So stayed tuned to see what happens!

By John J. Joex

Okay, I have given it a few weeks since the finale aired to see how the ending sits with me and to peruse over the reaction across the Internet. I recall last year after the Battlestar Galactica finale I actually convinced myself that I liked the conclusion right after I watched it. I’ll just right that off as being in a state of shock and denial because of just how bad the BSG finale actually was, though. For Lost, I liked the conclusion when I first watched and my opinion has not changed in the two and a half weeks since.

I do admit that I was initially a bit confused while watching the last fifteen minutes of the finale. At first I thought they were suggesting as true the old theory that the survivors were in some sort of Purgatory. Then I went back and re-watched the final scenes and understood what they were getting at. The sideways universe was an alternate reality that they all created together where each would come to after they died so that they could go into the afterlife together. I’m sure many hated that ending, but I was okay with it. Sure, they didn’t wrap up all the loose ends, but then I never expected that they would. A good story does not have to answer every question, it has to raise questions and make you think, and Lost definitely did that through its six-year run. And while many looked at it as a mystery story that needed to be solved, it simply used that as a framing device to expand on its central them of science vs. faith.

Think back to The Prisoner for a similar sort of semi-resolution to a series (referring of course to the 60’s original, not the recent AMC snooze-fest). The Prisoner raised any of a number of questions about society, morality, our responsibilities, and more but never really provided many concrete answers. Then it delivered a completely surreal final episode that did more to enrage fans of the show than settle any debates (though I personally loved the ending). But ultimately The Prisoner infers that the answers lie within ourselves, not in any pat story endings delivered by a television show. The series raised some difficult questions then left it to the viewers to provide the answers on how to reconcile the moral quandaries raised. Lost did much the same thing even if it did not get quite as heady as The Prisoner.

Still, across six seasons Lost delivered an engaging drama populated by well-developed, believable characters dealing with the ghosts of their past along with the difficult decisions they faced trying to survive in a harsh situation. Sure, the series meandered some and felt padded at times, but what do you expect from series television? When Lost hit on all cylinders, it really soared like few other shows have ever done on television. And the fact is that it achieved these heights more often than not and went out as strong as it came in, still at the top of its game. It also managed to re-invent itself on a regular basis and to avoid recycling the same old formula each week. Sure, it just kept tweaking that formula, but it did it in such a way as to not feel like retreading old ground. It always seemed to move forward (though maybe not as quickly as some would have preferred) as it advanced the story to its final conclusion. And I also had the feeling that the creative team knew from the beginning where they were going (even if they had not fully fleshed out the resolution) unlike BSG where they were just stringing us along and making it up as they went along. And that ultimately led to a better sense of closure with the conclusion because most of the threads throughout the six years had some meaning and direction (even if they did not all receive a wrap-up). Most importantly, they did not throw any sort of half-assed, nonsensical “Starbuck is an angel” crap at us like BSG did.

And you also have to recognize the economics in how they resolved the series, even if you don’t like them. Lost is a product of network television, a corporate system that needs to make money to survive. And network execs are not only looking to turn a profit but also to milk a property for everything they can. So you can’t convince me that ABC did not prod the creative team toward leaving enough unresolved threads that could potentially carry on the story in another format. No, I’m not looking forward to any Lost spin-offs, but you know the network will keep that wild-card stashed away considering that the show still continued to pull decent ratings through its final season. Whether they try a sequel/spin-off series (Hurley’s Island maybe, or Sawyer and Miles On the Beat), one or more television movies, or even a big screen adaptation, I’d bet good money ABC will not let this series ride off into television history like it should. And any move in that direction would almost certainly degrade the quality of the show (though you know we will still tune in). But at least the series managed maneuver through this artistically vapid corporate system for the six seasons of its original run and maintain its quality, integrity, and sense of wonder.

Lost took us all by surprise back in 2004 when it first debuted, and it took us a on journey through a tropical Wonderland that impacted the medium of television and has become part of our modern culture. And it did so by delivering a superior viewing experience that will continue to resonate with viewers for years to come and will stand up to multiple viewings. I just want to say thank you to the cast and crew for inviting us along for the ride and for caring enough to deliver a high level of quality through six seasons and 121 episodes. We will miss you on the Prime Time schedule but will continue to relive the adventure in repeats and on DVD and continue to try and unlock all the intricacies and mysteries and ponder the questions and challenges you have raised.

Also see: With Lost Gone, What Will be the Next “Big Thing” for Science Fiction and Fantasy Television?

Buy Lost on DVD from Amazon.com:

By John J. Joex

There were twelve Science Fiction and Fantasy bubble shows this past season and of those seven were cancelled. I looked at the cancelled shows last week and now I will take moment to consider what kept the other five from a date with the network executioner.

ABC:

V – This show delivered a not very good revival of an 80’s series that was not all that great to begin with and it failed to ignite many sparks in the ratings. So why did it get an extended lease on life? Some will say that ABC didn’t want to admit failure on both of their heir apparents to the Lost throne (the other one, FlashForward, got the axe). But this is network television we are talking about and I have a hard time buying that. V did score some pretty decent numbers when it first bowed last Fall, though it saw a quick drop-off that accelerated following its extended hiatus. Perhaps they thought that those early numbers indicate that they have something here people want to watch that maybe just needs a few tweaks. Maybe one of the network execs just has a soft spot for the show. Otherwise, I just can’t offer much of a justification. By the time this one wrapped up its season, its numbers were well below the usual threshold for keeping a show like this going. And it really wasn’t very good and I did not see much in the way of fan support for the show. Personally, I would have much rather they kept FlashForward going, but its numbers were even worse. So instead we get assaulted with another season of this retread, though I can’t see it going much further than its thirteen episode order unless they completely retool it to bring it to at least a passable level of quality.

Chances of Surviving Next Season: Slim at best.

CBS:

Medium – So last year, CBS rescued this showed from cancelation when NBC decided to let it out to pasture, and this year it decides to keep Medium going in place of their similarly themed Ghost Whisperer. That surely has the ire of fans of the latter show, but it mostly comes down to a matter of economics. Both Medium and Ghost Whisperer performed reasonably well on the typically low viewership Friday night but the numbers had dropped considerably from the prior year. Still, both shows regularly won their timeslots, so they had that going for them. And Medium is produced in house, so it’s cheaper for CBS than Ghost Whisperer which CBS co-produces with ABC Studios. So they trimmed their losses by letting go of the more expensive of the two. Sorry, Ghost Whisperer fans, but it’s really as simple as that. But I wouldn’t be surprised to see Medium go as well next season if it continues with the ratings attrition it saw this season.

Chances of Surviving Next Season: It really needs to improve its numbers to continue much further.

FOX:

Fringe – Personally I never considered this one a bubble show. Yeah it struggled in the brutal Thursday 9 PM EST timeslot that FOX moved it to this season, but they apparently expected that and the show performed better in that hour than anything else FOX has put there for the last few years. Quite a number of sources around the internet considered the show in trouble throughout the season, but I figured J.J. Abrams’ name alone gave the sow enough clout to keep it going as long as it delivered at least respectable numbers. That said, if it does not at least hold onto its current numbers next season, then the Abrams card may not be enough to keep it afloat.

Chances of Surviving Next Season: Okay, if it keeps its numbers steady.

Human Target – This one I don’t get because it seems like this had all the elements for a hit show. Fast-paced, stand-alone stories, an exceptional cast with a charismatic central character, and great writing. But for some reason it never registered with viewers. Sure, the schedule juggling FOX did with it early on didn’t help, but it eventually settled down into a steady timeslot. Maybe it was just too over the top or too comic book-ish for Prime Time audiences, and maybe a post-American Idol slot could have helped bring it more attention. In any case, FOX apparently had some faith in the show and it did survive the cut. But it can’t like the fact that it gets cast onto Friday nights next season. Still, I’m happy to get at least another thirteen episodes of this one.

Chances of Surviving Next Season: I’d like to say good, but have to say it’s a longshot at this point.

NBC:

Chuck – What more can you say about NBC’s little series that could? This one has lived on the bubble since its first season and just seems to thrive there. It can’t hurt that the NBC execs seem to have a soft spot for the show and always have. And critics seem to love its light-hearted, good-natured stories and continue to spread good buzz about it. Then there is also that very vocal and active diehard fanbase which keep bringing attention to the show as well. Expect this one to always pull mediocre at best ratings, but also expect it to keep chugging along while NBC remains as the fourth place network.

Chances of Surviving Next Season: Never bet against Chuck.

By John J. Joex

Seven Science Fiction and Fantasy television shows got the axe this past season.  Yesterday I looked at the reasons why for FlashForward, Ghost Whisperer, and Eastwick.  Today, I will look at the remaining four shows by network:

FOX:

Dollhouse – Well, you have to give FOX credit for trying with this one as they gave it the miracle renewal of the ages after its first season. But when it returned for its second season, its numbers dropped even further and perhaps even the CW would have pulled the plug on it. It surely didn’t help that it aired on Fridays when almost no one is watching, but then this show was just not a good fit for the networks. It couldn’t go far enough with its adult themes on broadcast television which resulted in an uneven feel in the quality of the episodes especially throughout its second season. Even the guest appearances by Summer Glau did little to generate viewer interest (and in fact , her track record may suggest she is cursed so NBC’s The Cape needs to look out), and I didn’t even notice much of an effort by the fans to convince FOX to keep it going. Better luck next time, Joss.

Chances of Being Saved: This show has already been put in the attic.

Past Life – If you blinked, you missed this show. But you didn’t miss much. It’s rather muddled premise of investigators looking into crimes based on people’s past life experiences was an ill-advised twist on the procedural formula to begin with, and the creative team did little to inject any life into the show. It pretty much arrived DOA with FOX cutting back its episode order before it even aired and then placing it in the treacherous Thursday 9 PM EST timeslot that had been pummeling Fringe all season while that show went on hiatus in February. It only aired three of its seven episodes before getting yanked, though for those interested it is currently airing out the rest of its episodes on Friday nights at 8 PM EST.

Chances of Being Saved: About as believable as the show’s premise.

NBC:

Heroes – Fans had been clamoring for this one to get its due for at least a couple of years and NBC finally obliged them. Heroes just never managed to live up to the promise of its first season and spent three years ambling through at times uneven and at other times just plain ridiculous episodes. It scored well with the much coveted 18-34 demographic, though, and also performed very well overseas (according to Tim Kring having 45 million viewers) so NBC kept it chugging along. But by its fourth season, its numbers had dropped to intolerable levels and the network (still smarting from its Jay Leno debacle) decided to clean house and drop the dead weight. There is a rumor that a wrap up movie or two could follow and that seems like the best way to go with the franchise at this point.

Chances of Being Saved: Unlikely, I don’t hear too many people crying over its departure.

Syndication:

Legend of the Seeker – I’d say this show made a major misfire by wrapping up its main story arc after its first season and killing off the main antagonist Darken Rahl. Maybe they did that because they weren’t sure they would get a renewal for a second season (though its ratings in its first year were decent), but it really took the wind out of the show’s sails going into the current season. Then they contrived a way for Rahl to return and basically started retreading the ground they had already covered. In addition, the show crammed too much into each episode. It would look like they were introducing a major story arc, but then they would rush to an ending by episode’s end. I believe these factors caused many viewers to lose interest and the ratings suffered. A raucous fan campaign has been working hard to get the show picked up for a third season, but I haven’t heard of any network showing interest yet.

Chances of Being Saved: The best out of any of this season’s cancelled shows, but still slim.

Previous: Why Were Eastwick, FlashForward, and Ghost Whisperer Cancelled?

Next: Why Were V, Medium, Human Target, and Chuck Not Cancelled?

By John J. Joex

Seven shows got the axe this past season so I will take this opportunity to look at the reasons why for each of the unlucky ones by network.

ABC:

Eastwick – This show started off last fall somewhat uneven. It couldn’t quite figure out whether it wanted to be a comedy or a supernatural-tinged drama and its cast did not seem to gel at first. In addition, the central male lead (Paul Gross), who was supposed to portray this sinister, charismatic character integral to the show, just failed to register on screen. The show started to come together after a few episodes, but the damage was already done. ABC could have promoted it a little better, perhaps giving it a few special airings after Desperate Housewives whose audience this would have appealed to. But the network apparently lost faith in the show quickly. And it did have a decent lead-in from Cougar Town that it failed to take advantage of, so it can’t blame the timeslot for its demise. Ultimately, it got yanked with several episodes left unaired. A fan campaign tried to save the show, but never generated much attention so count this one as the future answer to the Trivial Pursuit question: “What was the title of the third failed attempt to create a television series based on The Witches of Eastwick?”

Chances of Being Saved: That boat already sailed.

FlashForward – You can’t blame the network for this one. You have to point the finger right at the show-runners. This show was anointed as the “next Lost” last Fall and received plenty of promotion from ABC. The creative team should have taken that and run with it, and early on it looked like that head a pretty promising story to work with. But then it meandered and at times got completely off course as it delivered mundane procedural plots along with downright boring soap opera diversions. The ratings, which started out strong, headed south quickly. Of course it did not help that ABC put the series on extended hiatus at mid-season, but they did heavily promote it upon its return and even rushed out a DVD set for part one of the show’s first season. But viewers had lost interest by that point even though the show had some behind the scenes shake-ups that actually helped get it back on course storywise. That wasn’t enough to bring the audience back, though, and ABC decided to cut their losses. And I haven’t heard much in the way of a fan campaign trying to save it so it’s unlikely we will ever find out what happened after the second blackout that occurred with the finale’s cliffhanger ending.

Chances of Being Saved: Slim to none.

CBS:

Ghost Whisperer – Yeah, CBS cancelled this one, but it had a pretty healthy run going five seasons and 107 episodes. Could it have continued longer? The diehard fans think so. But CBS, notorious for showing little tolerance for Science Fiction and Fantasy shows, grew impatient with GH’s declining ratings this season (despite the fact that it regularly won its Friday night timeslot) and decided to show it the door. ABC, whose production company co-produced this one, showed some interest in picking it up, but eventually decided to pass on it. I would say that Ghost Whisperer has a decent chance of returning from time to time with a few television movies because its premise easily lends itself to that format, so fans looking for some resolution can at least hope for that.

Chances of Being Saved: Slim to none.

Next: Dollhouse, Past Life, Heroes, and Legend of the Seeker

By John J. Joex

As I covered in last week’s Cancellation Watch column, there are currently seven Science Fiction and Fantasy shows on the broadcast networks on the bubble and I’d say with confidence that at least three of those will get the axe by season end if not six or even all seven. Along with the departure of Lost and a dearth of genre shows currently in the pipeline, this will leave us with a pretty bleak landscape in Prime Time next year.

As I have mentioned before, the surprise success of Lost back in 2004 changed the networks’ thinking about programming in the Science Fiction and Fantasy vein (for years prior to that they had eschewed shows in the genre). In the seasons that followed, the networks offered more and more scif fi / fantasy shows giving us a notable resurgence in the genre. However, not too many of these shows have enjoyed ratings success and none has equaled the popularity of Lost (though Heroes came close in its first season). Now with a string of fan favorite but short-lived shows (Jericho, Moonlight, Pushing Daisies) along with several high profile flubs (Bionic Woman, Knight Rider, and perhaps this season’s FlashForward and V), the networks seem to be re-thinking the viability of the genre in Prime Time. Sure, network short-sightedness and impatience helped speed along the demise of these shows. But the fact is that large audiences just do not typically flock to shows of this nature and they are often just not a good fit amongst standard Prime Time fare. I could go on for hours analyzing why, and perhaps I will later, but that’s not the focus of this article.

Looking ahead to next season’s schedule the question is what show or shows do Science Fiction and Fantasy fans have to rally around on the broadcast networks? For the past six seasons, Lost has been the pillar for the genre in Prime Time. With it bowing out, what takes its place? Fringe is probably the top candidate, but it has struggled in the ratings since FOX moved it to Thursdays and at this point it has no guarantee that it will even get a full third season. If NBC does bring back the ailing Heroes, I can’t see that show exciting too many fans. And Chuck has its fiercely loyal core fanbase but has never expanded much beyond that. CBS may decide to bring back the slumping Ghost Whiperer and/or Medium, but both of those shows appear to appeal to a different type audience than your typical Science Fiction and Fantasy shows. I can’t see ABC greenlighting FlashForward for a second season seeing as it currently lives in the ratings basement, and V is not far behind and has become such a mess that it needs to go. That leaves just the CW which is fast becoming the go-to network for genre shows, albeit skewed toward a younger audience. The network currently has three shows of interest to Science Fiction and Fantasy fans (Supernatural, Smallville, and Vampire Diaries) and has plans to add two or more next season (Nikita, Nomads, Betwixt).

Would it be a bad thing if the networks once again decided to avoid sci fi / fantasy shows like they did prior to Lost? I would say emphatically no. As I mentioned above, they just don’t have the patience needed to foster and develop programming in that genre. The cable networks are a better launching pad for these shows because they don’t expect to see high numbers overnight and will typically give them more time to grow and find an audience. And yes, we have all lambasted Syfy for its re-branding snub of sci fi fans and its embracing of non-genre and/or low-brow programming (wrestling, horrid schlock-movies, reality shows), but that network has also brought us more than its fair share of excellent Science Fiction and Fantasy series over the past decade (Farscape, Battlestar Galactica, Stargate: Atlantis, Eureka, and perhaps Stargate: Universe and Caprica just to name a few). And sure, it can act just like the broadcast networks at times when deciding the fates of shows, but still, Syfy seems more invested in its properties and a series has a better chance of success if it gets started there.

In any case, I expect to see fewer genre offerings from the Big 4 networks in the coming seasons. CBS currently has nothing of interest to sci fi / fantasy fans on their development slate and ABC, NBC, and FOX have fewer offerings for the pilot season than in previous years. The upfronts, where the networks present their 2010-11 schedule to sponsors and the press, kicks off on the week of May 17th, so we will see how the cards fall then. But I would say to expect quite a number of shows to get the axe along with sparse offerings from the broadcast networks for the upcoming season. There could be some announcements on cancellations and/or renewals as early as next week and stay tuned the following week as we will cover the upfronts closely and bring you any breaking news as soon as we receive it. In the meantime, enjoy the shows on the air now while you can, because your choices on the Prime Time schedule will be narrowing soon.

By John J. Joex

Part 3 – The Network Explosion

Lost was a phenomenal success for ABC in 2004 and it jump-started interest from the other broadcast networks in the Science Fiction and Fantasy genre. By the time the 2005 Fall season rolled around, three of the “Big Four” networks as well as one of the part time networks had their own shows looking to take advantage of the renewed interest in the genre. ABC added Invasion and Night Stalker to ride on the coat-tails of their home-grown success. CBS debuted Threshold and The Ghost Whisperer, NBC rolled out Medium and Surface, and the WB offered Supernatural. Only FOX and the struggling UPN bowed out of the first found of response to the success of Lost.

Less than half of these shows survived, though (which is still a decent success rate for the broadcast networks). Both of ABC’s attempts faded, which would start a trend with that network that continues today. Threshold on CBS and Surface on NBC also failed to draw large enough audiences to convince their networks to renew them. And actually the wave of enthusiasm for genre shows could have crested in that year and the decade could have progressed differently. Had Lost slipped into a sophomore slump (like Heroes did two years later), the networks might have renewed their apathy toward series of the Science Fiction and Fantasy variety. But that show continued to win in the ratings, matching the success it had from the prior year. And while none of the other networks had managed to equal that show’s accomplishments, the next year would help kick this trend into high gear.

On Monday, September 25, 2006, nearly two years to the day after the debut of Lost, a show called Heroes debuted on NBC. Just like ABC’s hit show, this one grabbed the attention of the Prime Time audiences and also became one of the top “water-cooler” shows of the year. It did not quite equal the ratings success of the first two seasons of Lost, but it did deliver a Top 20 show for its network and immediately generated some positive buzz across the Internet. Also, CBS took another stab at the genre with Jericho which never turned into a ratings blockbuster but definitely attracted a fanatic following. ABC gave another shot at replicating their own success with Day Break, though that one faded fast. That was all from the networks for the 2006-7 season (apart from NBC’s very short-lived Raines), but Heroes along with the continued strong performance of Lost, Supernatural, and The Ghost Whisperer succeeded in legitimizing the trend and assuring a lasting presence for the genre with the broadcast networks.

By the next year, Science Fiction and Fantasy shows exploded across the Prime Time schedule as no less than seven genre shows debuted in the Fall of 2007 along with six returning shows. On top of this, the cable networks also rode Lost’s the wave of success and added even more offerings of interest to genre fans. This pattern has continued each year and delivered at least one “successful” show (that is, it has lasted more than two seasons) to each of the “Big Four” as well as the CW (the network that emerged from the ashes of UPN and WB). ABC has Lost (though no others despite multiple attempts), NBC has Heroes, Medium, and Chuck, CBS has The Ghost Whisperer, FOX has Fringe (recently renewed for a third season), and the CW has Smallville and Supernatural (and Vampire Diaries will almost certainly stick around for at least two more seasons).

The success of Lost provided the defining moment for the era I refer to as the Second Golden Age of Science Fiction and Fantasy on television. Had that show of tanked, or never even made it on the air, the decade would have unfolded differently. Perhaps the success of off-network shows like Battlestar Galactica would have continued the trend that we saw from the previous decade. Or perhaps the genre would have gone into a slump. But instead, Lost proved that the genre could be viable on the broadcast networks and the successful shows that followed it like Heroes and Fringe proved that Lost was more than a fluke. Now, fans of the genre have a wide range of choices of quality shows to choose from on the broadcast networks and across the cable dial.

So what’s next? That’s hard to say and as the previous eras have tended to break at around the decade mark I would say that we stand on the brink of a new epoch. It’s next to impossible to define that, though, with forward-looking eyes. With Lost wrapping up, though, and with a fall-off of successful genre shows over the last couple of years, I’d say a change is definitely coming. And perhaps the Internet will play a part in that. Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along-Blog was a huge success for that medium and the Internet series Sanctuary successfully made the jump to television. Will we see more of that, or some new trend? That’s the exciting part about the future: it’s always changing and bringing us new things (unless, of course, Hiro goes and mucks it up again). We will know when we know, and hopefully we will enjoy the ride to gaining that knowledge.

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

And: Part 1 – A Change is Coming

Buy Lost Seasons 1 – 5 on DVD from Amazon.com:

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

By John J. Joex

Part 1 – A Change is Coming

Lost is truly a phenomenon for television and the Science Fiction and Fantasy genre.   It attracted a wide audience and devoted following that extended beyond just sci fi fans and it changed the attitude that the networks previously had toward scheduling shows from the genre.  It also helped define its era and set a new standard for quality in genre shows and on television in general.  But it did not do all of this by itself.  The groundwork was laid in the years that preceded its debut on ABC in 2004 by other shows that demonstrated a similar focus on quality and desire to expand their appeal beyond just sci fi fans.

The year 1999 kicked off an era that I refer to as “The Second Golden Age” of Science Fiction and Fantasy television with the debut of the much-loved Farscape on the Sci Fi Channel (these days known as Syfy).  This era would see the genre reach new heights and would deliver multiple examples of defining and/or game-c hanging shows and that had wide appeal.  However, the onset of this exciting new epoch was not as apparent during its first few years as it’s always hard to see the era before it has had its true defining moment.  Still, the stand-out shows that sprang up from 1999 to 2003 help set the stage for this period as they pushed the boundaries of the genre and helped it grow and reach new levels.

As I mentioned, Farscape helped usher in this era as it delivered a kick in the side to Science Fiction television and offered a previously unequaled visual experience.  This series came from Jim Henson productions and combined human actors with characters brought to life by a technically advanced version of Muppet-tronics.  As far as special effects, the series took that to the next level as well, delivering close to a cinematic experience.  But what really made Farscape special is that it succeeded in giving us a story to match its visuals and also delivered well-defined characters that emphasized the “human” (alien?  Sebacean?  You know what I mean) element to the series.  Farscape gave us a galaxy-spanning Science Fiction epic, though it also created its own, unique universe that set itself apart from similar series that preceded it in the 90’s like Babylon 5 and Star Trek.  The series could be erratic, though, and at times delivered nearly unwatchable episodes.  But when it soared, it stood out as an exemplary show for the genre.

And just a few years later, FOX decided they would take a stab at a Science Fiction epic of their own and lured over Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon to bring us Firefly.  Just like Farscape, this one managed to avoid the derivative and create a distinctive universe peopled with a human race that had spread its presence throughout the galaxy.  The series mixed Science Fiction elements with a frontier/western feel and also added a mysterious story arc that threaded through the episodes.  And once again like Farscape, this series soared because of its stellar cast which demonstrated that rare chemistry among actors which helped kick the show to the next level.  Unfortunately, FOX never got behind this unique western/sci fi and helped speed it to its demise by airing the episodes out of order and subjecting it to preemptions.  And when the ratings results did not meet their expectations, they quickly axed the show, truncating what most likely would have been the next major franchise for the genre.

But the decade was just starting off and another major event for Science Fiction and Fantasy television would occur in 2003 as the Sci Fi Channel would deliver another significant entry by taking a chance with a reboot and re-imagining of an iconic television series from the late 70’s.  Battlestar Galactica originally hit the small screen in 1978 riding on the wave of the Star Wars frenzy and delivered a family-friendly space epic complete with cute kids and cuddly robot dogs.  The 2003 remake did nothing of the sort, though.  This version kept the idea of the human race on the run from the robotic Cylons who wanted to destroy them, but it took a much darker turn as it focused on humanity’s fight for survival along with the morally questionable decisions that would follow from people in that circumstance.  It also delivered something else not common in Science Fiction television: drama.  Too often the genre veers toward the heady or the melodramatic, but with BSG we received hard-hitting, dramatic stories that bucked the trend and attracted attention from a wider spectrum than just sci fi fans (though it was still ignored by the Emmys in anything other than the technical categories).

Each of these shows helped recharge the genre and push the boundaries of the medium with their advancements in special effects and more sophisticated story-telling.  And, along with other stand-out entries from the first part of the decade like Carnivale on HBO and Jeremiah on Showtime, they would lead the charge for the next wave of Science Fiction and Fantasy shows that would come to dominate the television channels.  These shows would demonstrate higher levels of quality and greater attention to detail than what the genre had delivered over the previous few decades.  But the one thing that these shows failed to deliver was success on the more widely viewed broadcast networks.

While the number of Science Fiction and Fantasy series had boomed over the past decade and into the 21st century, few managed to survive on the broadcast networks.  Star Trek: The Next Generation had led the charge for a revival of the genre beginning in 1987, but that would occur mostly in syndication and on the cable networks as the output in the genre in the 90’s nearly doubled what we saw in the 80’s.  This trend continued at the turn of the millennium, accompanied by the noticeable boost in quality, but the broadcast networks still mostly shunned the shows with elements of Science Fiction and Fantasy. That would change, however, in the Fall of 2004.

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