The science fiction blog Io9 has a chart up at their site that tracks the themes that have been used on sci-fi TV shows since 1970. How many shows have been about time travel, robots, aliens, space travel, and/or mutants? Is there a trend to the themes of sci-fi shows over the years? (Here's the complete list of shows they looked at to create the chart.)There's probably a little controversy about shows like Get Smart and Bewitched being lumped into a "science fiction" category (and hey, if Bewitched is there why not I Dream of Jeannie? I think that was still around in 1970), but I'm impressed with some of the shows they remembered to include, such as The 100 Lives of Blackjack Savage (even if they do leave out the word "jack" in the title), Ark II, M.A.N.T.I.S., and Jennifer Slept Here. The chart attempts to explain which themes used to be popular and now are in decline and which ones continue to be going strong.
And now will come the inevitable comment, "but they missed _______!" Let us know who they missed in the comments below.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-02-2009 @ 8:10PM
Matt Parker said...
they missed Terminator:TSCC
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9-03-2009 @ 12:58AM
Man said...
The Greatest American Hero
My Secret Identity
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9-03-2009 @ 8:23AM
BeeKee said...
Fringe
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9-03-2009 @ 11:25PM
RobynM said...
It'd have to be a much larger list to be completely exhaustive, but some of these really shouldn't have been missed.
Jason of Star Command
Metal Mickey (UK)
Tomorrow People (either US or UK, they only listed one)
Red Dwarf (!)
Droids (they listed Ewoks)
She-Wolf of London/Love and Curses
The Odyssey (Can)
Little Shop (of Horrors) (animated)
Beetlejuice (animated)
The Ghost Busters (Sat AM Live Action)
Sanctuary
The Secret World of Alex Mack
100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd
Space Cases
Misfits of Science
The Journey of Allen Strange
Torchwood (!)
Hexx
Clone Wars (both versions)
The Tribe (Aus)
Wild Palms
Dungeons and Dragons
Kidd Video
Homeboys From Outer Space
Maniac Mansion
Tucker's Witch
The Sarah Jane Adventures
Being Human
Early Edition
More anime than I have room to list here (Sailor Moon, Star Blazers, Voltron, etc.)
I'm sure I'm forgetting about a bazillion more titles myself, but I've gotta stop somewhere. (Yeah, I'm a huge SF/Fantasy/Animation nerd.)
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