The 1970s presented a bit of a lull when it comes to the science fiction genre as some of the greatest sci-fi works became truly influential in the 1960s (Doctor Who,Star Trek) or the 1980s (Star Wars,Terminator). It would be a mistake to think that the 1970s were entirely void of good science fiction stories, both on the big screen and on TV, though.
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A lot of the shows from the time gained the love of the audiences but even though they stood the test of time and work to this day, they’re no longer as known as they once were. Luckily, it’s possible to return to them and enjoy how the 1970s TV shows perceived the future and the science fiction genre in general.
5The Six Million Dollar Man
These days, it’s usual to see heroes in sci-fi shows and movies whose bodies have been artificially advanced. But in the 1970s, this theme still wasn’t as common, and not so many stories built their plot around it.The Six Million Dollar Manthat ran for five seasons in total is the exception to this rule. Its main hero is the astronaut and pilot Steve Austin (Lee Majors) who gets injured during a plane crash. The government decides to save him by submitting Steve to a one-of-a-kind surgery that costs six million dollars, hence the show’s name.
After the surgery, Steve has special powers and starts fighting various enemies, including aliens.The Six Million Dollar Manwas originally supposed to be a movie but became a TV show thanks to the positive reaction it got from people. If the audience likes people with special powers but isn’t into superhero shows,The Six Million Dollar Manis a good alternative since Steve is a sympathetic hero and the show is full of adventure and action scenes. A fun fact is that a superhero movie later referenced it - inX-Men: Apocalypse(2016),Quicksilver wears a T-shirt with a logo from the show.
4Space 1999
These days, everybody knows that there were no major space flights or colonization in 1999. But back in the 1970s, a part of the shows' charm was to imaginehow the world could look in the future. In this case, the vision wasn’t entirely positive. In the show, there was too much nuclear waste on Earth in 1999, so people started storing it on the Moon. Unfortunately, an accident happened, and an explosion sent the Moon, as well as the crew working on it, traveling through space.
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The show has everything people could ask for from a 1970s science fiction series - such as aggressive aliens, an atmosphere of terror and fear, and sympathetic heroes who do their best to survive despite the circumstances. The show was once a huge hit, but it’s mostly forgotten nowadays, having been replaced by dozens of others. But those who want to give it a chance have a lot to look forward to in the show’s two seasons, with 48 episodes in total.
3Star Trek: The Animated Series
Of all theStar Trekshows,Star Trek: TAS, as it’s also known, is the least recognized one. The main reason is that it’s animated and only ran for 22 episodes in total. The good news for all fans ofStar Trekwho haven’t seen the show yet is that it’s easy to binge-watch in a short time.
It’s a unique opportunity to reunite withthe heroes fromStar Trek: The Original Seriesas the actors from TOS also voiced their roles in this show, including William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, and others. Each episode took three months to make and to this day, the animated show has the power to attract the audience since it contains the same sense of wonder of discovering space and meeting aliens as otherStar Trekseries.
2UFO
Science fiction shows were most prominent in the USA in the 70s, butUFOproves that the UK was also able to make a high-quality sci-fi show. The downside is that the series only lasted for 26 episodes, soit’s possible to watch it in just under a day. That doesn’t make it any less interesting for all viewers who love stories about aliens. In this case, a group of brave people is defending the Earth against alien threats.
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It’s a recipe that has been done multiple times, and it still works as well as it did in the 1970s. The heroes in this show are sympathetic, and it’s easy to cheer them on and wish them success in their uneasy job. With only slightly over 3,000 ratings on IMDb,UFOis one of the hidden science fiction jewels that deserve a larger audience.
1Wonder Woman
Even though the originalWonder Womanseries is better known than some other science fiction shows from the 70s, it still didn’t get as much love from the modern audience as it deserves. Possibly because it’s been overshadowed by the DCEU and Gal Gadot’s version of Wonder Woman. However, the show works even today and while the special effects are no longer anything special,Wonder Womancomes across as a feel-good story that will make the audience smile on more than one occasion.
It ran for three seasons and saw Diana leave Themyscira alongside Steve Trevor to fight Nazis - a very similar story to that ofWonder Woman(2017), except for the fact that the movie took place during World War One, not World War Two.Lynda Carter remains the favorite Wonder Womanfor many fans to this day, and the DCEU filmmakers paid her homage by casting her as the Amazon Asteria inWonder Woman 1984(2020). Some people still believe Carter should reprise her role, but before that happens, the best option is to return to this show and enjoy Diana’s adventures in the land of men.
