RADIO: The Boom of Science-Fiction TV

▪ 1997

      "Star Trek," the show whose mission was "to boldly go where no man has gone before," celebrated its 30th anniversary in 1996. First televised in 1966, the series ran for only three seasons before it was canceled, yet it generated an unprecedented cult following. Revived in syndication in the late 1970s, "Star Trek" saw its legacy continued in three spin-off shows ("Star Trek: The Next Generation," "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," and "Star Trek: Voyager") and eight movies. "Star Trek" began what became a minor television revolution—there were more than a dozen science-fiction series on network television during the 1996 season, as well as a Sci-Fi cable channel, which celebrated its fourth anniversary during the year.

      Part of the reason for the increased popularity of science fiction was the wide range of content of the programs. Audiences were reminded that science fiction is not limited to gadgetry and special effects; programs also explored the less-definable aspects of the genre, such as fantasy and the paranormal.

      Science fiction came to television during the late 1950s and early '60s with such shows as "Captain Video," "Flash Gordon," "The Twilight Zone," and "The Outer Limits." "Dr. Who" was first televised in Great Britain in 1963, and "Lost in Space" appeared in the U.S. two years later. Many of these early shows struggled in an industry that paid them scant attention, and the result was weak casts and wooden special effects. In addition, many shows lacked a strong conceptual base. "Star Trek" maintained a strong focus by using the consistent mission to explore new worlds as a way to examine the human condition.

      A large part of science fiction's appeal lies in its ability to convince the audience of the believability of the world it portrays. "Star Trek" was created with a certain philosophical concept in mind, and the writers developed a history for the universe they created. Individual episodes, while mostly self-contained, were supported by the overall concept of the series.

      Continuing the tradition begun by "Star Trek" was "Babylon 5," first televised in 1994. Based on a proposed five-year story line, the program played out an epic struggle between good and evil that involved humans and aliens. Like "Star Trek," individual episodes worked within a framework of an established focus and utilized various aspects of the science-fiction genre. While maintaining a strong plot, "Babylon 5" also concentrated on affordable special effects. Most of the show's action took place within an 8-km (5-mi)-long multilevel space station, and many of the most exciting scenes, such as the battle sequences, were created on Macintosh computers. Because computer-generated special effects were comparatively inexpensive to produce, networks began to embrace science fiction.

      In the hit series "The X-Files," which began its fourth season in 1996, the show's creators relied less on computer-generated graphics and focused more on the atmosphere created by the actors, sets, and plot. "The X-Files" was a dark, brooding show that spun a tale of government conspiracy, extraterrestrials, and paranormal activity. FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully filled the respective roles of believer and skeptic regarding the possible paranormal explanations for their cases. The eerie nature of the show was reminiscent of "The Twilight Zone" and played as large a role in its success as any other element. "The X-Files" inspired several other series, including "Dark Skies" and "Millennium," which both debuted in 1996.

      These and other shows like them helped to give science fiction a firm and permanent foothold in television—one that reflected the scientific possibilities of the rapidly advancing technological world. Science-fiction writer Ray Bradbury commented that we were now "a science fiction generation." Perhaps the explanation of its popularity lay in our ability to see ourselves in the various universes laid out before us, reminding us that our own world was as large as we cared to make it.

      (AMANDA E. FULLER)

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