5 Forgotten Sci-Fi TV Series That Deserve a Comeback
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- Опубліковано 11 кві 2024
- A nostalgic journey through five forgotten sci-fi TV series from the 60s and 70s that deserve a modern comeback.
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Did ROY THINNES Actually Believe THE INVADERS Were REAL? - • Did ROY THINNES Actual...
The Sci-Fi Show That Time Forgot | Science Fiction Theatre - • The Sci-Fi Show That T...
The Time Tunnel: Irwin Allen’s Fantastic One Season Wonder - • The Time Tunnel: Irwin...
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My name is Rich, and I'm dedicated to preserving and celebrating our cherished memories from the past. That includes classic TV shows, cartoons, movies, and pop culture. Although I specialize in content from the 1960s, I occasionally venture into other decades to explore timeless gems.
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*All of the information in this video is readily available to the public on the internet
#classictv #classiccartoons #cancelledtvshows - Розваги
I never missed an episode of Time Tunnel when I was a kid! The music still gives me goosebumps! Thank you for bringing back the memory, sir!
do you remember " the land of the lost". not really sf but interesting
@@scankhunt4206Any Gen X kid from the 70's will remember that show. Add that to the list of those I miss. I know there was a crappy reboot in the 90's, and the very stupid movie in the 00's. Thankfully, those didn't ruin it for the original.
Blake's Seven actually had a concluding episode unlike a lot of TV shows of the time. A very shocking one
We’ll sort of, you know there was a fade to black moment
@@yeahno.... And the production team did have ideas for a fifth series. They just never got the go ahead for it.
One that I prefer to ignore personally.
Blakesl 7 was awesome, apart from the ending, space 1999 season 1 was great shame season 2 wasn't, but love to see them both rebooted
No - No - no - No
it didn't
my 11 year old self blanked that out,
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea was my favorite show when I was a kid! It deserves an update.
With you there!
I agree love that show made join the U.S. Navy when I turned 18.
Good call, that would make a great reboot.
I'm 65 and remember most of those! You forgot Voyage to the bottom of the sea tho
Have you ever seen Seaquest with Roy Scheider... an interesting show...
@@superfit60 Have seen most/all of it. 2nd season too (I didn't like some of the new characters).
that was the one i was trying to remember lol
The Voyage to the bottom of the Sea opening theme music is the perfect ring tone.
@@superfit60 do you remember " stingray"? bit like thunderbirds. those were the programs that got me into model construction. after watching " space 1999" i made my own eagle out of bolser wood. looked awesome shame i havent got any pictures of it. i didnt have a camera. poor lol
Blakes 7 was a great series especially the first two seasons. I think the Liberator was the most aesthetically stunning ship of all time.
What they did to the Liberator was a tragic waste.
I think the Eagle from Space 1999 is more iconic. An unique, utilitarian design.
Confirmed.
And Avon was a great character.
I loved USO, the Invaders, Space 1999 and the Time Tunnel. The only problem with rebooting great TV shows is that today’s imagination lacks creativity.
The Starlost (1973), All That Glitters (1977), Quark (1977), The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1981), The Phoenix (1982), Alien Nation (1988), Red Dwarf (1988), Æon Flux (1991), Babylon 5 (1994). Here's some more sci-fi shows that need some love.
For Babylon 5, J Michael Straczynski, the creator of B5 is currently working on a reboot of the series. A pilot script has been written and is out doing the rounds waiting for a studio to pickup
Babylon-5 had a pretty substantial run in syndication then on TNT/TBS, and recently had a direct to video cgi movie. I'm not saying it shouldn't have more, but it's hardly a show that was cut short.
I still love The Starlost ! Haha
@@coops206 Yeah, Babylon 5 is far from dead. They came out with that animated movie The Road Home last year.
@@davidrussell6159 I love the show too just for the sheer bizarreness of it. Although it was a failed experiment that didn't live up to creator Harlan Ellison's vision, it's still an interesting show.
Space 1999: there is a whole underground Eagle Transporter fanbase...
Space 1999 was sort of a sequel to UFO, IDK if it was ever made canon but it was supposed to take place in the same universe, decades after the aliens stopped coming for no reason.
Space 1999......Huge fan back in the 70s.
@@SierraSierraFoxtrot Yes, UFO was supposed to shift location more to the Moon in a new series, but was cancelled, so they re-purposed the idea for Space:1999.
Space:1999 was ruined by the American Networks insisting on more fantasy shooty eps in space (series 2), for a younger audience (goodbye Barry Morse, hello Ms Schell). Series 1 one was way better IMHO.
Yep, I have been a member for over 10 years and have numerous Eagle models from 2 inches to 33 inches.
I loved UFO. It also had the greatest intro music ever!
Yes. The theme is definitely the best ever. I also like that the little green men were only green because of their space suits and breathing apparatus.
UFO was one of the best. Loved everything about it. I would definitely support a re-boot.😊
Its a great ringtone.
Not to mention the gorgeous Gabriella Drake!!!
@@chriscaprio6944 naw...Benedict Cumberbatch's mom...Wanda Ventrum that played Colonel Lake
I grew up being grateful for PBS showing us BBC programming that broaden my horizons long before internet
Me, too!
Blake's 7 and Dr.Who plus a Supernatural type Horror mystery show which I can't remember it's title but was really COOL!!!
Fond memories of classic who on pbs
I know right?
Doctor Who, late Sunday nights on Chicago's WTTW 11. Also Monty Python's Flying Circus 😂🤣
I definitely remember watching Space:1999 and UFO with my dad growing up, and had the Space:1999 Eagle toy spaceship, which was epic. I recently binged UFO and found it to be very good, the story is quite dark at times and the main characters suffer quite a bit trying to protect Earth's people from the extraterrestrial threat.
I had an Eagle Transporter too! With the drop down cargo pod.
The merchandising was great. I had two eagles and a UFO interceptor. They often fought against each other in my bedroom
@@DukeJon1969 Also, Star Wars and Space:1999 and GI Joe action figures were all the same size and fit into each other's vehicles, so you could have a dogfight between the GI Joe F-14 Tomcat, a TIE Fighter, and an Eagle Transporter.
1 season = 30 episodes. We need that concept to be brought back too.
Not going to happen. Budgets per episode are too high these days. On the other hand, we get more different series today, given how many networks there are. And we get near cinematic production quality. So there is upside to the current way of things.
Or maybe 22/23 episodes per season.
they were 30 minutes each packed into serials. Doctor Who was big in serials.
@@UnchainedAmerica Dr. Who was never mentioned in this video or by the OP of this thread. So, not sure why you are bringing it up. Sure, Dr. Who had more episodes per season back in the day like everything else did. And has fewer episodes per season today.
An American season was 22-26 episodes.
I'd like to think that a reboot of Time Tunnel might work but look at what happened to Timeless, a really terrific time-travel series from 2016-2018. It had an extremely loyal audience (me included) but, for some reason, NBC was bound and determined to kill the show. I think network execs still have trouble figuring out sci-fi shows.
NBC and FOX hate sci-fi.
NBC killed Star Trek. FOX killed The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., and later, Firefly.
There was an arttempt at a time tunnel reboot a few years ago but it never made it past the pilot . But Timeless was a sort of revamp that was reasonably successful.
Colonel Virginia Lake in UFO was played by Benedict Cumberbatch's mum Wanda Ventham and the alien female shown in the excerpt from Space 1999 was Kate Beckinsale's mum Judy Lowe.
Yes, Timeless was really good.
Quantum Leap...
Loved that show. And, what a horrible place to let the series end.
Point of interest Space 1999 was originally going to be Season 3 0f UFO but was changed at the last minute.
Nope season 2 of UFO. Sir Lew Grade did not want any action to be on Earth. With a lot of pre-production having been done. It was decided to blast the moon away from the Earth. UFO became Space:1999
Now I think about it, they should make X-Com adaptation.
Yes, I believe the US Network that part financed it didn't want any episodes totally set on Earth so Gerry revemped his ideas and got the moon away from Earth to prevent that.
@@brianfretwell3886 That was actually Sir Lew Grade of ITC. Pre-production was well underway for season 2 of UFO at this time. Gerry Anderson came up with the idea of the Moon being blasted out of Earth's orbit. And the rest is history
@@gbhxu Yes, that was they way he came up with making sure no episodes were taking place on Earth - to comply with what hte was asked for!!!
I have fond memories of watching The Invaders and The Time Tunnel. Would live to see Space Above and Beyond again.
I loved Blake's 7! Late night on pbs.... when it ended, I was stunned. I wanted more then and I still do! Bring back Blake's 7!!
Blake's 7 , at least, did actually come to an end in the final episode, unlike so many TV series in more recent decades.
@@Thurgosh_OG Yes and no. Avon was still standing and fade to black.
@@CaseAgainstFaith1 I've read some decent fanfic that followed up on Avon and (spoilers) other survivors afterwards.
I grew up in New Zealand so I saw the Brit shows from (usually) a year after they began in the UK. UFO was my fave but was just on in '70 & '71. If revived must keep silver miniskirts with purple wigs. The underwater guys wore most revealing string vests for some reason. It really was like a real life version of Thunderbirds.
Watched "The Time Tunnel" in 1966, when I was a kid. Grew up to be a history teacher.
I haven't thought about that show in so long. It was a Friday night favorite. Thanks for this video!
I watched it back then also. About 3 years ago I stumbled onto a premium condition box set of the entire series...and your right about learning history and being scared at the same time is the best.
I remember Blakes Seven. Used to watch it with my mum, we loved it.
One show i recall was Sapphire and Steel. Wish that would get a reboot.
Yes, Sapphire and Steel would make a great reboot!
Love it when you say a show lasted only one season while having 30 episodes. That's at least 3 seasons by today's standards, and with most episodes being utter filler garbage!
UFO was the BEST! Loved it.
I wanted one of those cars so bad.
I would add Logan's Run (1977 with Gregory Harrison and Heather Menzies)😊
Good one!
They did a logans run tv show and it wasn't very good. But it would be great to see it again only if it were high quality
@@fredgarv79 they did? You mean after the 1970s one?
That is a great show. Sad it didn't last longer because it would have been interesting to see how it would have developed if there were more seasons.
@@sureshmukhi2316 he thinks op was referring to the original movie, which came out in 1976.
This is almost like a dream! Each of these series were among my personal favorites growing up. This is great stuff! Much appreciated.
Space 1999 could become science fact if we build a moon base without blowing up the nuclear storage depot.
The Time Tunnel was loosely remade in the 90s with "Sliders", which is a show a lot of fans have been hoping to make a comeback, myself included. But, I too would love to see a modern reboot of Time Tunnel perhaps as a series on Netflix if not a feature film.
Sliders was about traveling between parallel Earths, not traveling through time. I don't think I would call that even a loose remake of the Time Tunnel.. But It was a cool show though.
Sliders didn't do time travel. It did alt-universes, so they aren't remotely the same. Sliders turned into crap after John Rhys-Davies left.
I'd love a reboot of Time Tunnel if James Darren could be part of the cast. He'd be the scientist in charge by this point.
it would be great if they could make TT as Doug and Tony actors are still with us.
Avon deserves immortality
Awesome character, intelligent ruthless
Always calcuating if he could go it alone and abandon the othr members of th group.
I LOVED "The Time Tunnel"!!! Never missed an episode. And look at how special effects quality has improved since then!
5 out of 5 buddy! As a kid I loved all these programs, but learned to appreciate them even more as an adult, especially "The Invaders" and "Blake's 7". Big thumbs up. Thx.
I'll always remember the first time I watched "The time tunnel" as a kid. I went to my dad during a commercial and asked him, "Dad, what's the Titanic?". He told me to look it up in the dictionary.
That pissed me off, commercials were only 2 minutes long.
I think I once timed a commercial break in a long movie on TV, sometime after 2000, can't remember when. I think one break was 6 minutes long! On Prime, the running time of TOS was 52-53 mins, TNG 47-48, VOY or ENT 44-45 mins. And some cable stations cut the EPs, I Hate that!
@@Total_Recall In the last couple of years, there have been about three or four occasions when I'd be watching a UA-cam video (say 10-20 minutes long) and it would be interrupted by an ad whose running time was *longer than the video.* In one memorable instance the ad was well over *ONE HOUR* in duration.
None of them need a comeback. I want something new. Written as well as all of those old shows were.
must disagree, of them all UFO could use a reboot
good luck with that,, written as well as all of the old shows. I thought Battlestar Galactica was a great "new show" and thought since it was so popular, a bunch of new shows would come along. NOT, it remains the last great sci fi show on tv.
@@fredgarv79 The year 2000 is my cut off point. There are a few things made after that that are worth watching. But the majority of it isn't worth the time of day.
It's called the West Wing. Seven seasons of utter brilliance. 😉
That's not going to happen. At least not from any the writers who are writing shows now.
Invaders is basically First Wave, only major difference. They played off Nostradamus predictions being true to the alien invasion, and Traci Lords showed up in the show later. I can remember that being something talked about, as it was sort of unheard of for a porn star to make it to regular TV or movies.
It definitely was unheard of. John Waters was always one to break with the norm.
Nobody seems to remember Ginger Lynn as a Regular on Super Force.
Was she like 8 years old?
I was trying to remember the name of that series. Thanks.
@numbersix8919 IIRC all but one of Traci Lords adult films had to be pulled from circulation because she was 16 and 17 when they were made with the one being made after her 18th birthday. Saw her first legitimate film appearance in the late 80s or early 90s remake of Not Of This Earth and the acting was horrible though apparently she invested some of her earnings from her more infamous film career in acting lessons because she did improve later.
"The Questor Tapes" the Roddenberry one-off about an alien-designed android could have been a cool series.
While "The Invaders" series was clearly an influence on a certain notable remake of "The Thing". '
Yes, I remember watching it on NBC 69-71? I believe that was the only broadcast of the movie by NBC in primetime.
I remember seeing the pilot for "The Questor Tapes".
I was surprised Blakes 7 was on the list and the Questor Tapes wasn't!
@@wilomicaThe Questor Tapes never made it beyond a single tv movie.
I was young when Questor was released, but saw it like 5 or 6 times in reruns, I tried to catch it whenever it was shown. Then I finally taped it off the air to keep w/ my first VCR (230 lines VHS SLP speed - we've come a long way since then). I didn't even know who Roddenberry was then since it was before TNG and I was not yet a trekkie (I remember trying to watch TOS but I never understood it, I was less then 10 y/o). To my surprise after a bunch of re-watches I recognized 2 familiar voices in Questor and it was Chekov and Majel in bit parts. I'd missed that all those watches. I think some of the TOS cast had parts in some of Gene's other pilots, I think he did some w/ John Saxon, of the organization 'Pax.' Can't remember all the titles but I think I've seen them all now. Might have been 'Planet Earth' and 'Genesis II'. One of them had this pain/pleasure stick/wand. Ouch. I believe they once had to set it to setting 8 of 10 to subdue the hero.
"Space: Above and Beyond" was my favorite. Essentially "Combat" in space, Earth was in a military combat scenario against an alien race.
Blake's 7 was a great show. I watched it on PBS, too.
Never saw it.
One of the PBS channels -channel 21 - in NYC, used to run many Brit series. "Blakes 7" was on their lineup for several years, and it was awesome.
What about Red Dwarf?
I'm Still laughing at some of the Gags on that Show today. 😄
@@collosusrex-2985Red Dwarf was 100% hilarious with fun young characters and totally 80's style. Rimmer's neurosis and the Cat's self-interest were reliable sources of laughs. Loved it so much.
My suggestion is Firefly. There was a huge amount of back story left on the table before it was cancelled.
They're still talking about it, but the cast will be 20+ years older, and some, such as Ron Glass, have passed away.
I think the movie, "Serenity" wrapped up the storyline.
Could be wrong, but...
The movie killing off 2 of the main charterers broke my heart.
@briansullivan5908 And that pretty much ended the "series"/storyline for me.
I think Josh Whedon just decided that if networks were gonna screw with his series and "kill" it, he may as well really kill it, thus nixing any talk of a remake, reboot, or re-anything of his creation.
Firefly was phenomenal. It was by far the best sci-fi TV show ever
Space1999 was also on my list. And I missed Buck Rogers.
You and me both!
Agreed. Erin Gray..... MMMMMMM
@@survivingbehindliberallinesBeedeebeedeebeep!
As a kid, I watched as many episodes as possible of the "Time Tunnel", the "Invaders", and "Space 1999". Also, I loved watching the more modern science fiction 1998, TV show "First Wave" because, it reminded me a lot of the 1960's "Invaders" (smile...smile).
There was an unsold pilot for a Time Tunnel reboot that was made maybe 20 years ago? I’m pretty sure it’s on UA-cam because that’s where I saw it. It was actually excellent. I wish that version had sold and gone to series.
Was that the one where the characters go back to the Chicago fire? (Again, gotta raid a movie for stock footage!) Instead of a massive underground complex, the "base" looked like someone's living room with the usual equipment consoles instead of furniture
@@joestrike8537 Actually no that was a 70's attempt by Irwin Allen himself to redo the concept. I think it was called Time Travelers (pretty generic, I know).
The reboot you are thinking about had to do with a medieval monk being thrown into a WWII battle and spreading plague. Pretty good, actually, except they made the head of the department somewhat of a jerk.
@@starquack Thanx for the clarification. (And here I am, thinking myself the expert on all things Allen)
@@joestrike8537 The one where they go back to the fire was a TV movie I had watched. 1 of the 2 men catches the disease, 'XB', and falls for a woman from the past. They had arrived later than planned w/ fewer days to try to find the cure (I believe they arrived on an outdoor stairway or something).
But, I got the Time Tunnel box set, and there were some extras, and I think that movie was one of them since I remember also watching it on a DVD that I'd bought. I don't have the DVD's anymore. What I can't remem was there was a 2nd movie, which seemed like a pilot, I'd never seen it and I think it was never shown on TV. I thought it also came w/ the TT set since I had it and hadn't bought any other sets w/ a similar time travel theme. I remember that time/history was changed but no one realized as everyone was changed along with it and took the everyday things going on as normal, tho they were different from our time. I remember the opening or an early scene had red lights meaning go AND green meaning stop. That's all I remember from this movie, I must have got distracted and switched it off or something, as I don't remem seeing the rest of it.
The Anderson's UFO and Space 1999 were both shows of their eras and both suffered from the influence of an outsider forcing the show to change. I fear any attempt to remake either would see them going the same way as every Sci-Fi show on Fox, scrambled airing of the series, random staff changes and scattered air times.
Terry Nation tried all the way until his death (as did Paul Darrow) to revive Blake's 7 to no avail. Again, it was a show of it's time destroyed by a third party (notice the utter lack of Nation's participation in series 4.)
Rather than remaking old shows, or basing them on comic books or whatever short-form media floating about, I'd rather see truly new creations.
My first SF unknown fandom at age 5 was Fireball XL5, followed by The Outer Limits anthology. Also loved a rare British series about a group of travelers whose plane crashed into Shangri La who were presumed dead. Their injuries were repaired, and they were given super human and psychic powers. They used their new gifts to solve crimes. Forgot the name of this British series, but one season they had of it was very good.
You're thinking of The Champions, which aired from 1967-68. Great series. I've seen three episodes on UA-cam. ☺️
@@paulforder591 Thanks! I couldn’t remember the name of the show. Loved it. Then more than half of them aired that magic summer got pre-emptied by painfully long golf matches. Are they available on video anywhere?
My pleasure, jgrafx...glad to be of help! Haven't checked yet, but The Champions might be available on DVD or Blu-ray. They don't make sci-fi like they used to. . .this is a classic TV series hands down! 😸
Champions had about a third of the material used as summer filler on NBC in 1968. ITC's hour shows did get syndication treatment in the USA and it's possible that Champions got some exposure in that.
@@paulforder591 Yes!! Recognized the plot right away. I had such a crush on Stuart Damon. (He was also the Prince in the Rogers & Hammerstein "Cinderella" for tv. Good voice.)
I used to watch these, except Time Tunnel which I never saw. I loved UFO as my dad would let me stay up late as my mum was at a class. It was our secret, and of course my mum never knew!! I'd also love to see Logan's Run come back, another of my favourite sci-fi series.
Logan s Run is fascinating. Hopefully a DVD issue can arrive if it hasn't already.
Time Tunnel may have samples on line. Some material on You Tube hopefully. The 30 episode Fox DVD release is nicely done. Plenty of "articles" on line too.
@@AdmiralNelson1000 Both Time Tunnel and The Invaders are being shown in reruns on MeTV, but you'll either have to stay up really late or set your DVR to record they're on Saturday nights/Sunday Mornings at 4:00AM &5:00AM Eastern, 3:00AM & 4:00AM Central respectively.
Quark about the space garbage scow. Only a few episodes aired but I loved the humor.
recently discovered Quark; I love it!😊
Exceptional spoof. Nothing like it since.
Richard Benjamin
Thanks for the memories, my older brother and I would fight over who was going to be David Vincent next week!🥺💯💫🤍👍!
The second season of Space:1999 was such a dramatic change in tone from the first I'm not surprised it was cancelled. I loved it as a child when it was shown originally but looking back at it now I'm sad it was forced to move away from the "what/who is guiding our journey" thread of the first season.
Sometimes when trying to appeal to a larger audience, you alienate your core audience.
I agree, the first season was good, while the second lost the important sense of wonder or even the ability to believe in what was shown.
The breaking moment for me was when they all of a sudden opened a window on the moon base - as such would have been built to be opened in the first place. LOL
I liked the Second Season because of Maya.
I thought both Seasons had their Good Points.
The reason season 2 failed was because of Fred Freiberger. Don't believe me? He was the person responsible for season 3 of the original Star Trek.
All to do with decision makers at ITC America forcing Fred Freiberger on to the production team
I had no idea Space: 1999 was a British production! I flew the Eagle on no telling how many missions in my mind when I was a boy.
It was a Gerry Anderson show. Of course it was British! 🤦
@@ChrisPage68 that's evident to me now, just wasn't when I was a little guy.
Each of your choices are fantastic selections. Your reviews are spot on, appreciate the channel!
There was a short lived outer space show that I think only lasted one season called, Space above and beyond. I think it came out in the 80's or 90's. It was about an alien invasion. It was an underrated show but well made. Now that I'd like to see as a comeback.
That was really great. I think the 'vibe' got reborn/borrowed in the Galactica reboot even though the storyline was different. Poor tanks and their neck navels, rogue AI (BG borrowing again?), jocko-homo pilots....
Loved Space Above and Beyond. Met the entire cast/crew at a film con once. They were all there and got a fully autographed cast photo. I also used to have a Battlestar Galactica website that did research (particularly on concept art) and interviews (with cast and crew) on both original 1978 and new 2003 series. In this capacity I accidentally stumbled upon one of the set builders of Space Above and Beyond. Talked to him for many hours on the phone and he sold me all his annotated scripts and his blue prints of the Space Above and Beyond sets and props. Treasure those still.
@@fakecrusader True. The new Battlestar Galactica series took storylines for the episode “Scar” (about an unbeatable Cylon fighter) directly from Space Above and Beyond. Also some ideas like the humanoid Cylons resembled the tanks in Space Above and Beyond
Fun fact: Space 1999 was actually a direct sequel to UFO.
As the first season of UFO had been based mostly on Earth, the second season was to be based mostly on the Moon.
Unable to secure backing for a second season of UFO, Gerry Anderson altered the screenplays and pitched “Space: 1999”. It was approved.
In order to get into the North American market, the second season of Space:1999 diverted from the first season and many characters were let go without explanation.
The first season of Space:1999 had more cerebral storylines but the American backers wanted more action, more explosions and more sexual chemistry for their target audience.
It’s interesting how the second season ratings dipped and it was cancelled.
“If it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it.”
I would say Blake's 7, UFO, The Invaders, Space 1999, and The Time Tunnel, are well remembered, not forgotten.
That's what I was thinking.
Since I'm from the 80s, mine are Land of the Lost, Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon, Battlestar Galactica, and Alien Nation. I feel that for Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon, there was a LOT more happening with the novels and comics (and by extension. the cartoons). I agree there should be a comeback but a modern take on it just wouldn't work. I remember how Jonny Quest once did that and it felt apart once it got to the Real Adventures of Jonny Quest. They need to stay imaginative and simply blow people's mind. All for the sole purpose of how we grew up with this and we loved them for all it was worth.
You know I loved Buck Roger’s and thought Twiki was so cute, now as an old lady I find him annoying. I wish I was young again.
bee dee bee dee bee dee bee dee bee dee bee dee-Right On, Buck !
Johnny Quest: Great for intercultural examination. Excellent choice!
That Flash Gordon cartoon was the best! The first season was brilliant but they severely dumbed down the second season by adding that annoying baby dragon character Gremlin and turned it into a kiddie show.
Interesting point.
Boy did you ever miss one: The Starlost
You have a world that, in the face of an extinction level event, arrives at and executes a plan to save as broad a representation of humanity as possible by building a massive starship that is comprised of many hundreds of modules that each contain members of all the myriad human cultures in an attempt to preserve every possible aspect of what we were as a species. Many years into the journey a mysterious accident occurs that not only kills the entire Command and Support crew of Earthship Ark, but also seals all the different "Domes" where the people from these different cultures are housed so they have no communication with one another.
In one of the Domes, Devin (who is a member of an agrarian culture modeled on the Amish) grows up generations after the "accident" to question the teaching of his culture and wonder what lies beyond. He discovers a way into the rest of the ship and, accompanied by Garth (his occasional nemesis) and Rachel (his lover) and guided by The Host (the Ark's AI computer) they discover the accident and the fate of the crew, the danger they are all in because the ship is on a collision course with a Star. The MacGuffin of the story is the search to find the backup control systems and whomever in the myriad of preserved human cultures is both willing and capable of assisting them in averting this impending destruction of the last vestiges of humanity.
Also, if you get a chance to read it, there is an essay by the Creator of this series (Harlan Ellison) that expounds on the details of the incredible ambition and the colossal failure of the single season of this show. The essay is titled "I don't think we're in Kansas, Toto" and appeared in Ellison's collection Stalking the Nightmare, and is also in The Essential Ellison. This show, by dint of poor production and execution ( to the point where Ellison removed his name from the show, but to preserve his financial interest remained credited as "Cordwainer Bird" in the credits ) failed utterly to garner an audience, but Ellison's original pilot script "Phoenix Without Ashes" won the WGA Best Script Award in Episodic Drama in 1974.
Starlost has a fan?
@@geraldmartin7703 absolutely. It was horrifyingly bad but it had so much potential.
Yep read the story you mentioned, very fascinating tale of Hollywood. I might have it somewhere in my 'library' , maybe I'll look for it. Only real problem I had with the basic concept was in each instance of the three leads stumbling upon another 'pod', they would help solve whatever problem, 'du jour' and then move on. Why did absolutely no one from each of the pods ever recognize the inherent danger the three did about a pilotless space ship and not want to help find a solution. Yeah, I know you can only have so many leads, but still in reality I'm sure some from each pod would want to see 'what's out there!' and actually maybe help....a little anyway.
@@michaellong5714 there is a reason the show ended up in the bin while Harlan Ellison won the WGA award for Best Original Screenplay. That reason was the Producers.
There's so many good scifi series, Firefly, Earth 2, Space Precinct, V, Logan's Run, Sapphire and Steel, Terra Nova, Total Recall, Almost Human....
Thanks for mentioning Earth2. That concept deserves another chance.
I was also thinking of Otherworld and good ol' Buck Rogers.
@timothystan2430 Otherworld? Ooh, I'll haveto look that up, thanks!
Almost Human was really fun, but it had Karl Urban, and he pretty much makes anything he's in great.
Almost Human was surprisingly good. It was such a disappointment when it failed.
@@reachandler3655 They're all on YT 😁😁
I think Land of giants should have a come back too!
I was hoping "Project U.F.O." would be here. Great show from the late 70s, a bit like the X Files.
PROJECT U.F.O. was a Jack Webb production that had the same heavy-handed dialogue and slow pacing of his DRAGNET series. I found the show pretty dated as it followed the official narrative of the totally deceptive Project Bluebook. PROJECT U.F.O. is available to watch here on UA-cam.
@@gregoryboyd7176 I actually liked that, it was on in the Uk at around 5:15 on a thursday I think, I remember watching it eating my dinner!
As a curio, Project UFO may have some value even for those less inclined to revisit it. It did offer some interesting model "spacecraft" worth seeing again.
Always loved Space:1999 and I still watch it today. Loved Season one. I would love to see a remake of this show!
Can you really do the show without Martin Landau? A third season more like the first season, would have been great....
@@superfit60 Yeah, not to mention Barry Morse as well. I say it's far too late to do anything now.
UFO was great. Fantastic model work from Gerry and Sylvia Anderson (Captain Scarlett) and live action made for a fantastic show.
I loved "The Time Tunnel" back then and watched it every week. As a ten-year-old it never occurred to me how comical and formulaic the control room scenes were. Something always went wrong, resulting in a series of small explosions and smoke from the tunnel and panicky looks from the technicians but were always solved with some frantic turning of knobs. I have the whole series on DVD.
Sponsors required an "excited audience," hence the fussin' and shoutin'.
Great suggestions. I added two of your choices to my “want list” of series to purchase on dvd.
I would like to see Earth 2 make a comeback. I remember watching it in 1994 and loving it. Great show, great actors, great storyline, but for some reason it only lasted 21 episodes.
I, also , liked Earth 2. The problem to me, IMHO, was that once they were stranded on Earth 2, it became a "Western Wagon Train" show complete with hostiles & outlaws, albeit with different characteristics. Above & Beyond was great.
@@pdworld3421 There are Space Above and Beyond EPs on here. I rewatched 'Mutiny', which is my favorite EP.
Add Land of the Giants, and Lost in Space, only the first and second seasons of LIS, before it had gotten silly.
See my comment above: *all* Irwin Allen series quickly went silly. (Although second season "Land of the Giants" had one of the most exciting, coolest-looking opening titles ever - with music by John Williams!)
LIS was remade.
@@anthonyjackson280 Unfortunately, this version is where you have to subscribe to watch.
@@anthonyjackson280 Yes, it was a Netflix series for a while - never caught it, I suspect it wasn't around for very long
"Silly" was based on network expectations regarding what the MASS Audience wanted, and how to please them. And about the money, which makes all the difference.
I, too, loved "Time Tunnel" as a kid. I also loved "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" but not sure it qualifies as sci-fi. Glad I found your channel!
2:04 - UFO was exactly one season - available in full on either Tubi or Roku Channel or Pluto TV
Time Tunnel & The Invader’s were really Great.🛸🚀. Never heard of the others.
I'd like to add The Starlost to the list. It was an interesting premise on the generation ship solution to preserving humanity.
Treat yourself to UFO and Space 1999. There should be postings on You Tube. Naysayers fuss over the second year of Space 1999 because market conditions-- which governed TV production, not SF types--- compelled a format change towards more dynamic pacing. Don't let that stop you. It's a wonderful show and nothing like it is available today. Extraordinary visual effects. Blake 's 7 was produced on a tiny BBC budget, makes up for it on solid stories. The "Liberator" spaceship is exceptional model work.
@@AdmiralNelson1000 Standard by five.
I loved time tunnel . And land of the giants . Bring them back
I'm not sure I'd want it remade but John Wyndham's "Chocky" and "Chocky's Children" were two sci-fi series from my childhood that stood out.
“Blake 7” YES!!!! I LOVED this show.
Love your list. Blake's 7 was my favorite, I don't think anyone else has ever ended a series in the same way, wow!
They did time tunnel, it was Quantum leap.
Quantum Leap was about going into alternate time-lines, not time travel, through a "Eistein-Rosencrantz vortex".
@@caronstout354 Oh please, like it was documentary 😆
I can't argue against any of these. I loved Blakes 7. Glad I came across this. Thank you.
The first time I saw color TV it was a display set in a department store and an episode of Time Tunnel was playing. I remember laughing out loud at the shoddy quality; the tie wearing hero was fighting someone and as his tie swung around, the out-of-synch red color followed after it.
There was a time when Hollywood's sci-fi movie heroes always went into space with two essential accessories: a necktie and a pistol.
*No mention of "Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea"?*
Added to my list.👍
JTK. Thanks for the Voyage mention. Likely it's not on this list because it had the good fortune to run somewhat longer , post more episodes, and occupy more 'space on the mind'... But yes, it would be welcome on every such list....
Seaquest DSV was a very similar show in the mid 90's but never took off. If there's no audience...
I don't think it would be very popular in Russia at this time.
Blake's 7 and Time Tunnel are being done on Big Finish Audio.
Space:1999 as well
I was absolutely dedicated to Blake's 7. UFO also was quite inclusive with its cast and had a nice interracial romance. I not only watched Space 1999, but read the 20 something novelizations. What a great list. Especially the Time Tunnel at the top.
Same B7 was my childhood obsession.
Loved Blakes Seven, and really loved UFO. Remember Invaders very well - the pinkie finger! Space 1999 was also really popular with me - and the Eagles remain iconic. Remember the Time Tunnel well that came on TV in Kenya - but hard pushed to remember much of it. UFO would probably at the top of my personal wish list.
Interestingly enough, a few years back, the Amazon-produced series, “The Man in the High Castle,” late in its run, featured a dimensional portal set which appeared all but identical to the classic “Time Tunnel” set. I doubt it was a coincidence.
Thank you --- sounds like it's worth checking into.
I can't see a remake of Blake's 7. The same story with different actors wouldn't work. I could imagine a different story with different characters, but set in the same universe -- that I could get into, if well done.
The problem with retelling the story is that you'd have to get actors to do impressions of the great characters such as Avon and Servalan. Is this what people will watch? Then you have the choose the members of the team and their demises. Whatever the execs choose will be wrong.
You could have something set in the same universe, say , where a new team, inspired by Blake's 7, rebel (this might lead to guest appearances by whatever cast members are still alive). However this may not appeal to nostalgic fans who will complain about it not having the Liberator or Blake in it. It could feel like a cash in.
So funny story I heard about trying to remake/reboot Blake's 7. Paul Darrow, the dude who played Kerr Avon had the rights for a time and was trying to do just that. During this period, Firefly had its debut. He considered it enough of a spiritual successor to abandon the project.
In hindsight, I'm wondering why historical figures never commented on the Time Traveler's clothes.
Much of the "time" they went to the local shops to try on a toga or some armor....?...
Personally, I'd say those shows were all good enough that they should be protected from modern remakes damaging their legacies. Look at how all the never-ending sci-fi franchises are basically dead now in terms of quality and creativity.
Gerry Anderson's puppets show more emotion than the actors on Space 1999.❤ Time Tunnel and The Invaders
Anderson used marionettes not puppets. There is a difference.
Space 1999 died through American network executives' interference.
The first season with Barry Morse was ok Season two is pretty bad.
@@ithinktherefore7101.you're right I stand by the rest of my comments
The Time Tunnel definitely needs to be brought back.
Currently, a similar atmosphere (to "The Time Tunnel") can be found in "Timeless" 2016-18
Agree with each and every one of your choices, even though I had completely forgotten about Blake's 7. I will never forget the sound that the alien spaceships made in UFO, which gave me the creeps back then. I remember when Barbara Bain and Martin Landau left Mission: Impossible to star in Space: 1999, and I was sad to see them depart one of my favorite television shows, but excited to see what they would do in their new series; nonetheless, even this dynamic duo could not keep the show on the air. The Invaders scared the living crap out of me, but I watched every second of the series. Nevertheless, I think we all had a special place in our hearts for The Time Tunnel, as it was more about hope than alien terror (not that there's anything wrong with alien terror). I would welcome a comeback for each and every one of your choices - I think most of us can agree that the remake of Battlestar Galactica was a great improvement and an excellent series in its own right. However, I shudder every time I think of the moments of my life I wasted watching the remake of Lost in Space. Thanks for the video and your top-five list - always enjoy food for thought.
Bain & Landau didn't leave Mission Impossible to film Space 1999, they ended MI in 1969 and Space 1999 didn't start filming until 1974.
Dude, you have to rewatch all of Blakes 7. I had bought the dvd's many times but only watched the first two seasons that actually had blake in them, but the last two seasons are very good anyway. Jenna is a dream and Servalan when I was young I was not so sure about her, she seemed kind of old 36! oh my god she's too old. Now I find her fantastic looking, a very sexy evil commander. I just bought a box set for like $45 with all seasons and episodes. I think it is even better than Dr Who in it's prime
shout studios is streaming both seasons of space 1999 right now on yt...enjoy
The Lost in Space remake wasn't that bad. The Robinsons are annoying but they are clever.
Battlestar Galactica remake is good, but I still prefer the original.
5 great calls, but I'd leave it a few years. This is a bad era for RebootQuels.
Agree...they will all be woke.
yeah, just about everything coming out of Hollyweird takes a good show or movie and turns it into complete kimchi.
First thing They would do is Gender Swap Commander Straker of SHADO.
I loved Blake 7 as a kid. I would love to see it remade with modern special effects. I loved the opening episodes, of how the crew started as activist convicts of the government, used as disposable labor to see why people were dying in an abandoned alien ship (The liberator). Only for them to figure it out, take the ship as their own, and use its advanced technology against the very totalitarian government that imprisoned them. Teleporters, wrist band tracking and communication devices, advanced weapons, the ships AI called ZEN, and the portable hacking AI box called Orac. It was all very cool.
As an 80s kid, I am not familiar with any of these shows. My favorite, however, was SeaQuest DSV. I loved that show! There were also several short series on Disney and Nickelodeon that I loved as a kid too. There was a show in the early 80s about a mermaid who was from a water planet who was hiding out on Earth. A show about a girl from the future who was training to be a healer who was accidentally sent back into the past. And a show starring a very young Ryan Reynolds about a fascist society of children.
I know none of these are animated and that’s probably not your thing on this channel, but I also loved a show called Spartikus and the Sun Beneath the Sea. The plot was kinda all over the place, but based heavily on some theoretical physics concepts. Ultimately there was a society inside Earth that had lost much of its knowledge of their past history. Their artificial sun was dying and they didn’t have access to the information needed to restore the technology. The children of the society broke into the forbidden library and figured out how to create an AI representative to send to the surface for help. The plot had a lot going on and needs a revamp, but there are a lot of parts to the story that were really neat and made you think.
The Mysterious Cities of Gold was another one that was really something special. It combined Mesoamerican culture during the time of Spanish conquest with the idea of ancient technology. At the end of every episode there was a short documentary on something in that episode like quipu, Incan knots used as a form of writing. Unfortunately several attempts have been made to revitalize the show only resulting in one additional season in the early 2000s.
The mermaid show was called Ocean Girl and was on The Disney Channel in the early to mid 90s.
Cities of Gold! Thank you for mentioning this. A little masterpiece that should be back with us again.
Spartakus and the Sun Beneath the Sea sounds a lot like the basic premise to The Machine Stops (though expanded and made for children). Sounds interesting, though.
@@smgdfcmfah It was. It was quite popular in France, so if you look up the episodes you might find them in French. The theme song was a really cool song in either English or French.
I found it really interesting that there were elements of Journey to the Center of the Earth, but there were multiple realms in there almost like pocket dimensions and each pocket was completely different with very little knowledge of the other pockets. Very strange and kinda all over the place, like the writer couldn’t decide on the plot or the rules for the reality within the series.
UFO was good show. It had some really good stories. The INVADERS was very under rated. I had a model of the spacecraft. Loved The Time Tunnel. That lead to my love for history.
Invaders had a sequel mini-series in the late 90s with Scott Bakula.
I saw that one. I think I was only 3 y/o when the orig aired.
Space: Above and Beyond. It was planned for 5 seasons and only ran 1. Really good show with a lot of great storylines. Also, The Tick (the original series) was hilarious.
I really loved all these shows but especially The Invaders and U.F.O.. I just adored Ed Straker and his organisation, the writing was excellent and special effects brilliant. The Invaders was also just wonderful to watch, and its premise just so watchable. As to The Time Tunnel, Irwin Allen's shows were all brilliant, may I point out that this show was rebooted and a pilot was made but that's as far as it went, just a pilot episode, but I have to say the story was so good, it's a real pity it was not taken up as a new series. The episode itself can be found on UA-cam. Thank you for reminding us of these wonderful shows, if not for Blake's Seven the name Jenna would not be so popular as it is today.
Odyssey 5 was cut short
All the others were very much favourites of mine.
Love Space Academy, I mean it is terrible camp, but I love it and would love to see it remade.
_Jason of Star Command_ as well? 🙂
I remember Johnathan Harris(Doctor Smith) was on Space Academy.
Nah, joyful camp. Thank you for mentioning it.
Watched UFO, and the Time Tunnel. Loved both of them. It would be nice to see them make a come back.
I liked all 5 shows you listed, but I would say my top 5 sci-fi shows would be 1) Babylon 5, 2) Stargate SG-1, 3) U.F.O. 4) Time Tunnel 5) Space 1999...Genesis 2 was a short show, and I think they made it into a feature film instead...there were some other good sci-f over the years Space Rangers was one I believe...thanks for the video
7:27 - James Darren ended up on Star Trek DS9...
Late night PBS? Thats why i never heard of it
The funny thing is if you were a kid in the 80's, you would get real adult content on PBS. They had violence, nudity, curse words etc nothing was edited out back then. I was so glad to see the mature British stuff not just the Scifi shows, American television was mostly vanilla back in the day.
you forgot Space Above and Beyond it only lasted one season but definatly deserves to return..
Time Tunnel and The Invaders were outstanding. Future Cop, Logan's Run(the series), and Voyargers are other great short-lived sci-fi shows. The actors in the series were perfect for the shows, reboots are never as good with different actors
how come everyone misses "Star Cops"
Because no one "misses" "Star Cops"? 😛
Will look for it thanks--!!!
Big Finish are doing audiobooks
Big Finish's Star Cops audios (full-cast with the original cast) are excellent! They're currently in their fourth series of full-cast episodes, and dang, I'm hooked.
Glad you showed Blake's Seven. I stumbled acrossed it late one noght years ago.
I love Blake's 7 and UFO. Amazing how UFO was 7 years prior to Blake, but the FX were so much better. I loved Space:1999 as a kid.
Was 12 years old and Watching THE INVADERS used to scare the crap out of me ........