Despite plots and stories that are frequently futuristic in nature, science fiction is something of a timeless genre. Every decade seems to have their own wealth of movies and television that take audiences on adventures of technology, exploration, and fantastical worlds. But while people think about the 1980s and beyond as being great years for sci-fi television, the truth is the 1970s had some great series as well. While the technology of the time didn’t exactly allow for some of the dazzling special effects audiences are accustomed to today, what the decade lacked in glitz it more than made up for in good stories, interesting characters, and enduring adventures.
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There were a lot of science fiction series for fans of the genre to choose from in the 1970s but as is the nature of time, we’ve forgotten about how great some of them were. Here are seven great sci-fi television series from the 1970s you probably forgot were awesome. Some of them were the spark for successful reboots much later on while others still stand out as the beginning of great careers for their stars.
7) The Tomorrow People
No, we’re not talking about the 2013 series on The CW. We’re talking about the original The Tomorrow People. Running for eight seasons between April 1973 and February 1979, the original series was a British children’s science fiction series that followed evolved humans — aka The Tomorrow People — who have developed various psychic superpowers but remain hidden because of concerned about how regular human beings will react. The advanced teens operated out of a secret base called The Lab, where they watched out for new Tomorrow People to help them deal with the changes to their minds. There’s also a connection to something called the Galactic Federation, making the series feel a bit like a cross between the X-Men and Doctor Who.
It’s a cool show that has, in the decades since, seen a few revivals. In the 1990s, after success with airing episodes of the original series, there was a short-lived, three season series that followed much the same general premise. That was followed by an audio revival in the 2000s and then, the 2013 series on The CW, which was cancelled after just one season. What makes The Tomorrow People so interesting — specifically the original series — is that it blended some of the genuine concerns about human evolution with fun storylines. It’s a show that not enough people know about but remains influential enough that it continues to get revisited, including in a series of books that are still being published.
6) Space: 1999
Often compared to Star Trek, Space: 1999 aired for two seasons between 1975 and 1977. The series followed the inhabitants of Moonbase Alpha who find themselves drifting into deep space following a nuclear waste explosion causes the moon to change orbit. Audiences watch the crew as they deal with the challenges of their situation as well as the various new experiences they encounter, including alien civilizations and strange phenomena humanity had otherwise never experienced. It’s a serious but fascinating series, though season two shifts more into action-based stories.
It’s also worth noting that while Space: 1999 was well received and is a classic in its own right, it is also one of those sci-fi series that doesn’t entirely hold up with the passage of time. The series is set in 1999 — specifically, the explosion that sets events into motion takes place on September 13, 1999, in the series — and let’s just say their imagined 1999 is nothing like the real year. There have been revival attempts, but so far, none have come to fruition.
5) Land of the Lost
Airing on NBC on Saturday mornings for three seasons between 1974 and 1976, the original Land of the Lost is a cult classic. The series, geared largely to children, followed the Marshall family who end up trapped in an alternative dimension world populated by dinosaurs, humanoid lizard creatures called Sleestak, and a primate-like people called Pakuni. The series follows their efforts to survive and also find a way home to their own reality all while they explore the world they’ve found themselves in the process.
Despite being geared towards younger audiences, Land of the Lost actually has a wide appeal, with well-written stories that are complex and interesting. The series also does a fantastic job with worldbuilding making it more than just Saturday morning entertainment. The series saw a remake in 1991 that ran for two seasons as well as a 2009 feature film starring Will Ferrell, though the film was more of a parody of the original series. Another reboot is potentially on the way, with development of one announced by Netflix this summer.
4) Battlestar Galactica
Another series where the reboot might be more well-known than the original (and for somewhat good reason as the reboot lasted longer than the original series), the original Battlestar Galactica is one of the best sci-fi shows of the 1970s despite having a short run. Originally running for just one season on ABC from 1978 to 1979, Battlestar Galactica followed a group of humans fleeing the destruction of their home worlds. As they search for a new home, they and their ship — the Battlestar Galactica — are pursued by the Cylons, a robot society with the goal of exterminating all humans.
The special effects used for Battlestar Galactica are a little dated now, but even looking beyond that, the series was very well-written and great characters that audiences really took to. Even at the time, Battlestar Galactica had a very devoted fanbase and while that didn’t help the series stay alive, it remains a classic — both for its original series and the reboot.
3) The Six Million Dollar Man
Some of the best sci-fi stories involve cyborgs and some of the best sci-fi series of the 1970s do, too. That includes The Six Million Dollar Man. Starring Lee Majors, the series followed former astronaut Steve Austin who is seriously injured in a test flight crash and is rebuilt by the government using bionic implants that give him superpowers, such as superhuman strength, speed, and vision. Armed with his very expensive enhancements, Austin finds himself working as a secret agent for the government. The series ran for five seasons between 1973 and 1978 and even got its own spinoff, The Bionic Woman.
The show is just a great adventure, but it also incorporates bionic technology (always cool) and despite the wild sounding premise, is remarkably based in real science. Things do get a little bit wacky at times, as Steve even takes on Bigfoot at some point in the series, but this one is a classic.
2) The Bionic Woman
You can’t have a list with The Six Million Dollar Man and not include The Bionic Woman. A spinoff of The Six Million Dollar Man, the series has a similar premise. Professional tennis player Jaime Sommers (played by Lindsay Wagnar) nearly dies in a skydiving accident but is saved thanks to the use of bionic implants. Those implants give Jamie superpowers, including amplified hearing, super strength, super speed, and the ability to jump great distances. She maintains a regular life as a teacher while also carrying out missions for the government.
The series is great on its own and was quite popular, airing for three seasons between 1976 and 1978, but it also works really well in conjunction with The Six Million Dollar Man. The two series had numerous crossovers and, in addition to the Jamie character being so popular in her own right, the love story the series developed between The Six Million Dollar Man’s Steve and Jamie proved to be a fan favorite as well. There was a reboot attempt in 2007, but it was cancelled after just one season.
1) Mork & Mindy
This is a series that you probably forgot was a sci-fi series. A spinoff of Happy Days, of all things, Mork & Mindy was an American sitcom that aired for four seasons between 1978 and 1982. The series followed Mork, an alien from the planet Ork who comes to Earth where he befriends Mindy McConnell, becoming her roommate and later love interest. Mork & Mindy is often easily overlooked as a sci-fi series because it’s silly. The series starred Robin Williams as Mork and was very much a showcase for his comedy and improv skills in his first major acting role.
The series was wildly popular in its first season, but changes to the series in season two in an attempt to pull in a younger audience didn’t go over as well. Ratings never fully recovered, though it did get four full seasons — including the final season in which Mork laid an egg, giving “birth” to his and Mindy’s child. The show may be best remembered for launching Williams’ career, but it’s a gem of both sitcom and sci-fi history.
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