Several weeks into quarantining, people have lots of time on their hands and things are getting weird – which is the perfect time to re-watch some sci-fi shows. Science fiction comes in many guises, with optimistic futures and sleek ships to postapocalyptic landscapes, frightening curios on the fringe of society to exploration of interesting new places. Running the gamut of whimsical to thoughtful to strange to frightening, science fiction offers something for any viewer with imagination.

Lost in Space

When a trip to the moon and space exploration became a real possibility, the entertainment industry deeply mined the topic. Lost in Space capitalized on the concept, set in the framework of a family show. Inspired by The Swiss Family Robinson novel, Lost in Space followed a group of pioneering space colonists, consisting of the Robinson family and fellow explorers, as they try to survive in deep space.

The show begins when their ship is knocked off its course, sending them into unknown regions. As the series progresses, they traverse deep space, become stranded on a strange planet, and develop the ability to hop between worlds.

The family-friendly show ran for three seasons from 1965 to 1968. It has been updated as a rebooted show on Netflix with two seasons completed and a third planned for 2021.

Star Trek

In the early days of science fiction TV shows, Star Trek began what would become an immensely popular franchise and set the bar for future imitators. Set far into the future, Star Trek showed the crew of the starship Enterprise as they explore space for the United Federation of Planets. Not only would the series visit alien planets and races, it would touch on real issues like politics, racism, war, class separation, sexism, and human rights. The series ran for three seasons from 1966 to 1969.

Star Trek is the most fertile of science fiction series, with multiple entries over the last 50 years. Star Trek: The Animated Series aired in the early ’70s. The franchise returned to live-action TV in ’87 for the popular follow-up, Star Trek: The Next Generation, which aired seven seasons. The mid-’90s saw Deep Space Nine and Voyager, both of which ran for seven seasons. Enterprise, a prequel to the original series, ran for four seasons in the early 2000s. Discovery, another prequel, debuted in 2017 and is still airing. Picard, a TNG sequel with popular captain Jean-Luc Picard, began in 2020.

While the overall franchise retains the tone of the original series, each iteration has different types of stories and characters, conflict, and style. With hundreds of episodes in over two dozen seasons, Star Trek has enough material to entertain viewers for a very long time.

The X-Files

Some sci-fi programs take an optimistic look at the future and how we can utilize technology or space travel to improve our lives. The X-Files digs into the scarier side of science fiction, by looking into the frightening and unexplained.

The procedural style show followed FBI Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully as they investigate strange cases that are classified as X-Files. With Mulder willing to believe everything and Scully the consummate skeptic, the pair mirrored responses many people would have when faced with the unknown. What made the show even more interesting was how most episodes were written with a modicum of plausibility and studied through science rather than sensationalism.

The X-Files originally aired for nine seasons from ’93 to ’02, then returned for a six-episode event in ’16.

Doctor Who

Another science fiction series with an exceptional number of episodes is Doctor Who. Positivity and adventure meet suspense and imposing villains in a series that jumps not just through space, but time as well.

The titular doctor (Doctor Who?) is a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey who ventures through time and space with enthusiastic human companions. Their fun adventures are almost always interrupted by other alien species (or the Doctor’s nemesis, the Master) whom the Doctor defeats using intelligence and cunning.

The series premiered in 1963 and ran for 26 seasons until 1989. The genius of the show’s longevity is that the Doctor can regenerate into new forms, keeping things fresh and giving new actors a chance to make the role their own. Up to that point, seven actors had played the Doctor. In ’96 a TV movie briefly revived the character, then in 2005 the modern run of the series began and is still airing, now with the Thirteenth Doctor.

Firefly

Firefly brought the term space cowboy to life in 2002. A western with space travel, Firefly intersected dusty boots, shootouts, and horses with futuristic technology, planet-controlling conglomerates, and spaceships.

The crew of the ship Serenity tries to live off the radar of the Alliance, a unitary government that rules the galaxy. The crew take whatever jobs they can to stay alive, typically ferrying and/or stealing goods. But, the show often plays on the “thieves with hearts of gold” motif, by having the crew put themselves in harm’s way to help others. 

The combination of western and science fiction works well on Firefly by juxtaposing the haves with the have nots. The wealthy and powerful live clean, pampered lives, while Serenity’s crew and those they deal with are back to the basics.

Despite only airing 14 episodes and later a movie, the short-lived show gained a cult following that has kept it popular for nearly 20 years.

These are just a few suggestions to make staying at home a little easier. Check out previous entries on Scoop for suggestions on Five Young Adult Books, Five Tabletop Games, Five Animated Series, Five Funny Movies, and Five Video Games to help pass the time.