Science Fiction Shows From Star Trek to Doctor Who.
Since the original Star Trek hit the airwaves in 1967, science fiction shows have been captivating audiences all over the world. The appeal of shows like Star Trek and its spin-offs has allowed many creators to try their hand at this fascinating genre, and almost every year a new science fiction show makes it to the small screen.
While the original Star Trek’s influence is undeniable, many other shows have challenged it for the title of best science fiction show. The first was another Star Trek series.
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Spin-offs are always risky, but Star Trek: The Next Generation proved to be far more successful than its predecessor. After the usual shaky first season, the show began to gain traction, and as the scripts improved and the character development kicked in, the budget went up accordingly. Critically acclaimed as one of the best shows in the history of television, Star Trek: TNG is, for many, the show to beat.
DS9, Voyager and Enterprise
The success of Star Trek: The Next Generation allowed the show’s creators to keep the party going with three additional shows that, while they didn’t enjoy the longevity of TNG, were still popular among Star Trek and science fiction fans. Deep Space Nine, which was set on a space station and featured fan favorites like the Ferengi, Quark, was followed by Star Trek: Voyager and the popular 7 of 9. Star Trek: Enterprise was the last to leave the air in 2005.
Star Trek, as we all know, was cancelled after only two seasons, but that didn’t stop the show from spawning what has become a billion dollar science fiction industry. Shows like Doctor Who, V and Battlestar Galactica all owe their success to Star Trek and the rest of the Star Trek franchise.