Ah, the Eighties! A harrowing decade of rockin’ hair steel bands, Reaganomics, aerobicizing, Walkmans, Cabbage Patch Children, and video arcades. It was additionally an period when science fiction on tv was nonetheless looking for a strong footing.
Unsure occasions breed unpredictable outcomes, and so it’s with Hollywood and its uneasy relationship with the style. Particular results have been progressing with various outcomes, however clever storytelling was main the cost as viewers turned extra discriminating.
Following our tough-to-beat lists of the very best sci-fi TV reveals of the Nineteen Fifties, the Nineteen Sixties, and the Nineteen Seventies, let’s delve into the subsequent ten-year section of provocative speculative fiction fare to see what attractive sequence sparkled!
10. Alien Nation
Buddy-cop films within the ’80s have been a bona fide Hollywood staple with releases like “48 Hours,” “Beverly Hills Cop,” and “Deadly Weapon,” so taking the sub-genre into sci-fi territory with the large display’s “Alien Nation” in 1988 was a no brainer.
It starred James Caan as a human detective and Mandy Patinkin taking part in a humanoid alien cop in a near-future Los Angeles the place the 2 species co-exist. The pair type an uneasy and typically humorous alliance whereas uncovering a drug ring revolving round a harmful alien narcotic.
This 1989 TV present, primarily based on the movie, continues the police drama surrounding the unique LAPD characters of Matthew Nikes (Gary Graham) and alien “Newcomer” Sam Francisco (Eric Pierpoint). Far more of the alien tradition was explored right here within the solo season aired on FOX through the community’s infancy, together with male being pregnant, however prices sadly brought about its untimely cancellation earlier than it actually had an opportunity to shine.
9. The Powers of Matthew Star
- Unique air date: 1982-1983
It solely lasted a single season on NBC in 1982, however “The Powers of Matthew Star” is remembered fondly by a sure era of children.
Quadris is a planet 12 light-years away from Earth that has been attacked and brought over by an alien armada, inflicting the topped Prince (Peter Barton) to flee to Earth along with his loyal royal guardian (Lou Gossett Jr.). There, he lives a secret life as a traditional teenager, but one beneath fixed hazard of being found by his extraterrestrial enemies and the worry of his uncanny talents being uncovered.
Episodes revolved round impromptu demonstrations of his telekinetic and telepathic abilities, coping with day by day highschool points, and embarking on authorities missions. It had an easygoing, tacky high quality that followers loved, and don’t neglect his candy glam rock spandex jumpsuit! A basic ’80s paranormal program from an harmless period when adults and children really gathered across the tv set for a shared bonding expertise.
8. Quantum Leap
- Unique air date: 1989-1993
Time touring was by no means extra enjoyable within the late ’80s than this modern sequence starring Scott Bakula as Sam Beckett and Dean Stockwell as his hologram information, Al Calavicci.
This pair of daring temporal adventurers makes hops, skips, and jumps alongside the time stream with Sam popping up randomly into completely different our bodies all through historical past. NBC, house to lots of the sci-fi sequence on this record, was the published host to this award-winning present that premiered within the spring of 1989 and ran for 5 seasons.
The fixed change of settings and tones was refreshing, and the intrepid scientist would seem as every little thing from a check pilot, a younger Stephen King, and Marilyn Monroe’s bodyguard to younger Buddy Holly, Lee Harvey Oswald, and even famed intercourse therapist Dr. Ruth!. An NBC sequel reboot lasted two seasons from 2022-2024, but it surely by no means captured the enchantment of the unique.
7. Wonderful Tales
- Unique air date: 1985-1987
Steve Spielberg ventured into live-action TV with this charming, imaginative weekly sequence that tapped into the identical kinds of unusual tales and implausible tales seen in anthology reveals like “The Twilight Zone” and “The Outer Limits”, however with a lighter contact.
It launched within the fall of 1985 and ran for 2 seasons, encompassing a complete of 45 episodes full of that acquainted sense of Spielbergian weirdness and marvel. “Wonderful Tales” was an alluring temptation for TV-goers as Spielberg had simply come off govt producing “Gremlins” and directing “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” in 1984, and NBC welcomed him with open arms, hoping to money in on his fame.
The famous person creator introduced a wealth of Hollywood expertise to this challenge, together with Kevin Costner, Mark Hamill, and Harvey Keitel, in addition to administrators Irvin Kershner, Clint Eastwood, Joe Dante, and Robert Zemeckis. A brief-lived Apple TV+ revival occurred in 2020 with simply 5 episodes produced earlier than the plug was pulled.
6. Pink Dwarf
- Unique air date: 1988-1999
This wacky British sci-fi sitcom concoction, created by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, has developed a severe cult following within the final couple of many years since its inception on BBC 2 in 1988 and lasting 12 seasons and a feature-length particular.
Its witty writing and quirky characters have aged effectively, telling the story of Dave Lister (Craig Charles), a lazy, curry-loving technician and the final human being alive. He emerges out of cryosleep aboard his deep-space mining ship, the Pink Dwarf, three million years into the long run.
The rooster soup machine repairman’s assortment of cosmic companions features a pompous hologram crewmate named Rimmer (Chris Barrie), an “clever” humanoid-feline hybrid, imaginatively known as Cat (Danny John-Jules), the ship’s probably senile laptop, Holly (Norman Lovett & Hattie Hayridge), and a goofy butler-like mechanoid, named Kryten (Robert Llewellyn).
In 2024, it was rumored that “Pink Dwarf” and its authentic forged would return for a 3-part particular in 2025, however its future stays unsure at this level as a result of massive manufacturing bills required as of late.
5. ALF
- Unique air date: 1986-1990
Science fiction embraced its sillier facet with “ALF” (Alien Life Type), which landed on NBC starting in 1986 and ran for 4 seasons.
This fuzzy, snout-nosed, good aleck extraterrestrial whose identify was Gordon Shumway crashed within the suburban storage of the Tanner household in California after escaping from the doomed planet of Melmac, which was destroyed by nuclear conflict.
Created by author Tom Patchett and puppeteer Paul Fusco, “ALF” was a preferred TV diversion whose sarcastic star realized about Earth’s customs and peculiarities whereas always attempting to eat the household’s cat.
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s 2-foot-9 famous person Michu performed ALF within the scenes requiring some type of ambulation for full-body scenes. A high-water mark for family-friendly corny jokes and merchandising that included buying and selling playing cards, dolls, and even an ALF journal!
4. The Martian Chronicles
Ray Bradbury’s sci-fi masterwork was delivered to life starring Rock Hudson on this absorbing 1980 miniseries that was broadcast on NBC in three components.
The unique assortment of brief tales was printed in 1950 and centered on Earth colonizing the Pink Planet in a sequence of devastating expeditions, and its interactions with the world’s psychic native inhabitants.
Half cautionary story and half historic travelogue, “The Martian Chronicles” miniseries was tailored by acclaimed sci-fi author Richard Matheson (“The Twilight Zone,” “I’m Legend”) and directed by Michael Anderson (“Logan’s Run”). It’s an immersive account of how Earth’s tradition clashes with telepathic, golden-eyed Martians upon first contact and brings a wise, single-narrative cohesion to Bradbury’s timeless materials.
Certain, the manufacturing is low funds and the visible results appear dated, however its message stays clear. A curious 45-year-old relic that is particularly well timed with SpaceX‘s plans to land on Mars.
3. V
- Unique air date: 1984-1985
Overlook the uninteresting 2009 remake; this 1984 doozy was one of many first main alien invasion occasion miniseries on tv, and contemplating the expertise obtainable on the time, it was a proficiently entertaining political sci-fi thriller with an enormous ensemble forged.
Written and directed by Kenneth Johnson, “V” stood for the Guests, which have been authoritarian extraterrestrials clad in signature pink jumpsuits, darkish sun shades, and baseball caps that arrived on Earth in 50 motherships masquerading as benevolent beings. In fact, they have been a hostile green-skinned reptilian race that wasn’t actually concerned about friendship.
As an alternative, the aliens have been after water and human meat as a meals supply, as is finally found by a gaggle of resistance fighters and journalists. It was must-see TV within the early ‘80s and even spawned a second mini-series titled “V: The Ultimate Battle,” and an ongoing 1984-1985 weekly sequence that lasted for 19 episodes.
2. Star Trek: The Subsequent Technology
- Unique air date: 1987-1994
Interact! This was the primary new live-action “Star Trek” in 18 years after “The Unique Collection” three-season run resulted in 1969, and followers embraced creator Gene Roddenberry’s newest character-driven sci-fi fantasy with relish.
With a time soar into the twenty third century, virtually a century after Kirk and Spock roamed the galaxy, it was fronted by the charismatic Patrick Stewart because the urbane starship captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise-D. He and his distinctive forged included crew members performed by Jonathan Frakes, Marina Sirtis, Michael Dorn, Denise Crosby, LeVar Burton, Gates McFadden, and Brent Spiner because the fascinating android Information.
“The Subsequent Technology’s” interstellar exploits syndicated throughout the nation beginning in 1987 ignited a “Star Trek” revival that ran seven seasons and led to a sequence of TNG options and TV spinoffs like “Star Trek: Deep House 9,” “Star Trek: Voyager,” and finally the newer “Star Trek: Picard.” Its legacy stays intact after almost 40 years and continues to be beloved by “Star Trek” devoted.
1. Knight Rider
- Unique air date: 1982-1986
It is all about that kickass black Firebird Trans-Am! Good-looking David Hasselhoff starred as resurrected police officer Michael Knight on this immensely fashionable sequence that first premiered within the fall of 1982 and lasted for 4 seasons.
“The Hoff” may need been the human spotlight right here, however the true draw was the speaking supercar named Okay.I.T.T. (voiced by actor William Daniels), which was an acronym for Knight Industries 2000. In true vigilante origin story trend, billionaire Wilton Knight offers this fallen cop a brand new identify, look, and identification to be the vanguard for his public justice group, known as the Basis for Regulation and Authorities (FLAG).
Michael Knight and his clever auto have been armed with a grappling hook, lasers, rear-mounted enhance rockets, a flamethrower, a bomb sniffer, ejection seats, a medical scanner, and rather more. Michael and Okay.I.T.T. work collectively to take down tough criminals who function above the regulation. Sadly, we nonetheless haven’t got speaking vehicles fairly as cool as Okay.I.T.T., however SIRI and Alexa must do.
