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1
Lost

ABC (ended 2010)

After Oceanic Air Flight 815 tears apart in mid-air and crashes on a Pacific island on September 22nd 2004, its survivors are forced to find inner strength they never knew they had in order to survive. But they discover that the island holds many secrets, including a mysterious smoke monster, polar bears, housing with electricity and hot & cold running water, a group of island residents known as "The Others," and a mysterious man named Jacob. The survivors also find signs of those who came to the island before them, including a 19th century sailing ship called The Black Rock and the ruins of an ancient statue, as well as bunkers belonging to the DHARMA Initiative -- a group of scientific researchers who inhabited the island in the recent past. Lost has won a Golden Globe, 10 Saturn Awards and 9 Emmy awards.moreless
2
FlashForward

ABC (ended 2010)

Dubbed ABC's companion series to Lost, FlashForward is loosely based on the underlying themes of Robert J. Sawyer's sci-fi novel of the same name. The plot centers around an eerie, chaotic vision of the future after a mysterious event makes everyone on Earth lose consciousness. Later, as people start waking up, the world starts changing because people know their future. Starring Joseph Fiennes and John Cho as Mark Benford and Demetri Noh, two FBI agents assigned to investigating the unknown cause of the two minute blackout.moreless
3
No Ordinary Family

ABC (ended 2011)

ABC Studios brings to life the story of the Powells. They're an every day, typical American family who undergo a remarkable transformation after the charter plane they hired crashes in the Amazon River. They receive superpowers but attempt to live ordinary lives. However, they soon discover that there is a conspiracy at work, and that they're not the only ones with special abilities.moreless
4
Life On Mars

ABC (ended 2009)

ABC Studios, 20th Century Fox Television, and Kudos Film and Television co-produced the remake of BBC drama Life on Mars. Executive producers are Jane Featherstone, Steven Garrett, Josh Appelbaum, André Nemec, and Scott Rosenberg. After being hit by a car while apprehending a murder suspect in 2008, Det. Sam Tyler (Jason O'Mara) regains consciousness to find himself working as a detective in the 1970s. ABC aired the first seven episodes of Life on Mars on Thursday night in 2008, then moved the series to Wednesday night in January 2009, airing the final ten episodes. The show finished its run on April 1, 2009. ABC decided not to continue the show and allow the producers to give it a proper ending.moreless
5
V

ABC (ended 2011)

When UFOs place themselves over major cities around the world the alien Visitors, led by charismatic Anna (Morena Baccarin) claim to come in peace, providing humanity with medical miracles and technological breakthroughs. Different characters (Joel Gretsch from The 4400, Elizabeth Mitchell from Lost) become suspicious of the 'V's (visitors) real intentions and try to investigate what is really going on before it is too late so they can claim Victory (V)! Based on the original 1980s miniseries about alien lizards visiting Earth, this ABC sci-fi project is the brainchild of The 4400 co-creator/exec producer Scott Peters.moreless
6
Battlestar Galactica

ABC (ended 1979)

Opening Narration: (Used on the video version of "Saga of a Star World") "There are those who believe... that life here... began out there. Far across the universe. With tribes of humans... who may have been the forefathers of the Egyptians... or the Toltecs... or the Mayans... that they may have been the architects of the Great Pyramids... or the lost civilizations of Lemuria... or Atlantis... Some believe that there may yet be brothers of man... who even now fight to survive... far, far away amongst the stars..." -- read by Patrick Macnee. Alternate Narration: (TV Version of "Saga of a Star World")
"There are those who believe... that life here... began out there. Far across the universe. With tribes of humans... who may have been the forefathers of the Egyptians... or the Toltecs... or the Mayans... that they may have been the architects of the Great Pyramids... or the lost civilizations of Lemuria... or Atlantis... Some believe that there may yet be brothers of man... who even now fight to survive... somewhere beyond the heavens" -- read by Patrick Macnee. Short Narration: (Episodes 4-11, 19, 23-24)
"There are those who believe... that life here... began out there. Far across the universe. With tribes of humans... who may have been the forefathers of the Egyptians... or the Toltecs... or the Mayans... Some believe that there may yet be brothers of man... who even now fight to survive... somewhere beyond the heavens" -- read by Patrick Macnee. Closing Narration: (Episodes 3-24)
"Fleeing from the Cylon Tyranny, the last Battlestar, Galactica, leads a rag-tag fugitive fleet on a lonely quest. A shining planet, known as Earth" -- read by Lorne Greene.moreless
7
The Jetsons

ABC (ended 1987)

With the success of The Flintstones, the modern Stone Age family, Hanna-Barbera decided to make a similar family cartoon, but set in their vision of the Space Age in the 21st century. This new series that debuted September 23, 1962 became The Jetsons. Set mainly in sky-high Orbit City, the show featured the family of George Jetson, Jane, his wife, their daughter Judy, and son Elroy living the average life in the future with flying space cars, instant transport tubes, and various robots and gadgets than can get their work done for them in a matter of seconds.

George brought in the family income by working at Spacely Space Sprockets, run by his stocky, ill-tempered boss Cosmo S. Spacely, who's usually quick to fire George for any reason he could find. But somehow, he always managed to get his job back and continue supporting his family. He works as an indexer and is teamed with his helpful computer R.U.D.I. Other than the threats of firing by Spacely, George would also have to worry about any schemes carried out by Mr. Spacely's top business rival W.C. Cogswell, owner and president of Cogswell Cogs. If there's a dispute between the two businessmen, it's almost certain George would wind up in the middle of it. Most times, though, things always worked out in the end.

Jane is the housewife who tends to the home, but loves to shop for the latest fashions and various items that can be a help to the family, like new gadgets that can help them in new ways. She's assisted by the family's robot maid Rosey (which can also be spelled Rosie). She's one of the older-fashioned models compared to most of the advanced robot maids of the future, but the Jetsons love her and regard her as a member of the family.

Judy is the Jetsons' teenage daughter who attends Orbit High School and goes for the latest teen fashions, trends, and music, and seems to have a different boyfriend in most episodes. If she's lucky, she can even wind up dating a celebrity, like her favorite rock star Jet Screamer, much to her father's chagrin.

Elroy is the Jetsons' genius son who attends Little Dipper Elementary School and is a straight-A student. He's a part-time inventor and can make new creations in hope to make a better future, and if fortunate, a little money on the side. But most times, he likes to be an average boy by playing various sports, and with his faithful companion, the family's dog Astro, who at times is overly affectionate, and can annoy George at times. But like Rosey, he's regarded as a member of the family.
The Jetsons reside at the Skypad Apartments, which are properly cared for by superintendant Henry Orbit, who like Elroy is a mechanical genius. At times, he can invent gadgets that can help him with his maintenance work. His greatest accomplishment is his robot assistant Mac, who can get his work at the Skypad Apartments done in half the time. But he does have feelings for Rosey as the two are occasionally seen as a couple, but are mainly friends.

Other recurring characters in this series include Mr. Spacely's family, including his wife Stella (sometimes called Petunia, likely her nickname), one of few people who can actually put a scare in him if he rubs her the wrong way. They have a young son close to Elroy's age named Arthur. And he has a faithful dog named Zero, a bulldog. Common characters at Spacely Sprockets are Uniblab, an underling robot who at times is a stool pigeon for Mr. Spacely to George's dismay, as well as Spacely's secretary Miss Galaxy. Cogswell also had a few subordinates of his own. Among them were his assistant Harlan and his scientist Moonstone.

The Jetsons ran for only one season on ABC, but the series was more successful in syndication. This led to a revival in 1985 with new episodes with more advanced animation that was richer in color and made the series even more futuristic than the 1960's version of the 21st century. New characters were introduced as well, including a new alien gremlin pet for the Jetsons, named Orbitty, who has springlike legs and suction cup feet, enabling him to hang upside down. He could also tinker with machines and change color in accordance to emotion. Another new animal for the revival was a robot dog for Cogwell named Sentro, who served as a guard dog and a spy often used against Mr. Spacely in efforts to beat him to the punch on his latest projects.

These episodes aired in syndication, which generated the same level of success as the originals when they went in that direction. This led to 10 more episodes to finalize the series in 1987, as well as two TV movies, the music-themed Rockin' with Judy Jetson, which was preceded by the epic crossover The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones, which brought the Space Age and the Stone Age together as Hanna-Barbera's most famous families had a grand adventure spanning two eras. The Jetsons had its true finale when Jetsons: The Movie hit theaters in 1990, as this would be among the last voice work for actors George O'Hanlon (George Jetson) and Mel Blanc (Mr. Spacely) for they both had died around the movie's release.

Overall, The Jetsons may not have had the supreme popularity of The Flintstones, but it did have a wide appeal for families of any generation and certainly had a place in the heart for those who would turn on and watch the series.

The Jetsons, like many Hanna-Barbera series, can be seen on Boomerang from Cartoon Network. Check your local listings.moreless
8
Day Break

ABC (ended 2006)

Detective Brett Hopper is having a really bad day. He has been framed for murdering ADA Alberto Garza. He has an alibi, but no one will believe him. He wakes up one morning to realize he is reliving the same day over and over again. To stop this cycle and return to a normal life, he must find out who has framed him.moreless
9
Invasion

ABC (ended 2006)

Man has searched the skies for centuries and has never come up with conclusive evidence to prove the existence of other forms of intelligent life. What if we have been looking in the wrong place? What if there were other forms of intelligent life already living among us? What if perceived natural disasters were really diversions created to conceal clandestine alien activities? What if is no longer an if. When a small town at the edge of the Florida Everglades is threatened by a raging hurricane, U.S. Park Ranger Russell Varon must go to great lengths to protect the small community and his family safe. During the storm his young daughter claims to have seen mysterious lights, seemingly unaffected by the gale-force winds, floating near the water. Varon dismisses the sighting, but begins to wonder if there really was some truth to the story after his missing ex-wife turns up naked and her memory of the storm is completely gone. While the community begins to clean up after the storm and piece their lives back together, Varon begins to investigate the strange happenings as he tries to make sense of what is happening. Something is happening something that will change the fate everyone.moreless
10
The Outer Limits - Original

ABC (ended 1965)

"There is nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are controlling transmission. If we wish to make it louder, we will bring up the volume. If we wish to make it softer, we will tune it to a whisper. We will control the horizontal. We will control the vertical. We can roll the image, make it flutter. We can change the focus to a soft blur or sharpen it to crystal clarity. For the next hour sit quietly and we will control all that you see and hear. We repeat: there is nothing wrong with your television set. You are about to participate in a great adventure. You are about to experience the awe and mystery which reaches from the inner mind to... The Outer Limits."moreless
11
The Bionic Woman Classic

ABC (ended 1978)

In 1975 Lindsay Wagner made a guest appearance on The Six Million Dollar Man as a perfect female companion for Steve Austin - Jaime Sommers. After a tragic skydiving accident, Jaime also received bionic replacements. She and Steve planned to be married, but it came to pass that Jaime's body rejected her new limbs and she died.

ABC realized how phenomenally successful Lindsay Wagner's portrayal of Jaime Sommers had become. So, they brought her back to life and spun her off into her own series. It debuted in January 1976 and was an immediate hit. The series ran on ABC for two seasons and was picked up by NBC for its final season. In Spanish the title is known La mujer biónica, though in in regions speaking the Catalan dialect, it is called La dona bionica. In Italy it is called La donna bionica. In Portuguese it is called A Mulher Biônica. In French it is called Super Jaimie. In Germany it is called Die Sieben Millionen Dollar Frau ("The Seven Million Dollar Woman"). In Japan it is called Baionikku Jiemi ("Bionic Jaime").moreless
12
Defying Gravity

ABC (ended 2009)

This show takes place in the near future and focuses on the lives of eight astronauts from five different countries on a six-year mission through the solar system. The team is on a mysterious mission that is closely being followed by ground personnel. Each episode is divided between the present mission and flashbacks that show the selection process each astronaut went through to become part of the project.moreless
13
The Time Tunnel

ABC (ended 1967)

"Two American scientists are lost in the swirling maze of past and future ages, during the first experiments on America's greatest and most secret project, the Time Tunnel. Tony Newman and Doug Phillips now tumble helplessly toward a new fantastic adventure, somewhere along the infinite corridors of time. This one-season show, produced by Irwin Allen, chronicled the adventures of two scientists, Dr. Tony Newman and Dr. Douglas Phillips. Both are working on Project TicToc, a government operation to perfect time travel. In the first episode, the impetuous Tony jumps through the untested portal and finds himself on the Titanic. Doug goes after him, and although they manage to escape before the ship goes down, the folks back home are never quite able to retrieve them. So in each week's episode the two travellers are whisked from one setting to another (sometimes several times in the same episode) and have to survive pirates, Roman soldiers, battlefields, and the occasional invading silver-skinned alien, all while hoping the folks back at the Project find a way to get them back for good.moreless
14
The Greatest American Hero

ABC (ended 1983)

This show was first aired in 1981, and was both a comedy and a drama. A special "power suit" that only works on him is given to the teacher by the aliens, and he is paired up with the gumshoe FBI agent who keeps them both busy with his scenarios. The suit of "unearthly powers" gives the power of strength, flight, invisibilty, flames, telekenesis, vision of events without being there, protection from bullets and firemoreless
15
Land of the Giants

ABC (ended 1970)

This two-season series details the adventures of the three crew and four passengers of the sub-orbital spacecraft Spindrift. They are drawn through a space warp that crashes them onto a planet where everything is 12 times normal size. The castaways struggle to repair their damaged craft and somehow get back to Earth while being hunted by the totalitarian government that rule the planet. Despite the inherent scientific impossibilities (something 12 times as large would weigh 144 times as much, making it impossible for the "giants" to move), Land of the Giants, the last of Irwin Allen's four 60's s.f. programs, was highly-budgeted (about $250,000 an episode: a record for the time), features some decent characterization, and is another of the 60's shows to feature a competent African-American in a leading role.moreless
16
Night Stalker

ABC (ended 2005)

Crime reporter Carl Kolchak is partnered with Perri Reed at The Beacon, a Los Angeles newspaper. Together they investigate a string of strange murders...all of which may be related to the death of Kolchak's wife 18 months earlier in a similarly bizarre manner. A murder that the FBI consider Kolchak the primary suspect. As of 5/17/05, ABC has announced that the remake of the 1970s cult series Kolchak: The Night Stalker which starred Darren McGavin, is part of their fall schedule. The project, which is set up at Touchstone Television, is the result of Spotnitz's overall deal at the studio. "Stalker" revolves around a hardboiled journalist, Carl Kolchak, and his investigations into freakish occurrences.
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17
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea

ABC (ended 1968)

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea was the brainchild of Writer/Producer/Director Irwin Allen... the "Master of Disaster." It ran on ABC from September 14, 1964 to September 15, 1968 for 110 episodes (32 in black and white [1964-65] and 78 in color [1965-68]), and was for its four years of some of the best and most exciting science fiction on TV at the time. While the series became rather fanciful as it wore on, it remained an entertaining, action-filled adventure. Based on the 1961 20th Century-Fox movie of the same name, co-written, produced and directed by Allen and starring Walter Pidgeon and Joan Fontaine.Broadcast History (Eastern):September 1964-September 1965, ABC Monday 7:30-8:30 September 1965-September 1968, ABC Sunday 7:30-8:30moreless
18
Galactica 1980

ABC (ended 1980)

Only the first three episodes of the series, comprising the pilot movie, feature a title sequence beginning with "Galactica 1980." The remaining episodes begin by calling the show "Battlestar Galactica," as if this were the second season of the original show. All the roles were written for the original cast, as if this were the second season. When most proved unavailable, the parts were rewritten and a largely new cast was hired. Set 30 years after the first season, the Galactica, guided by the mysterious teenage genius prodigy Dr. Zee. Adama, sporting a hideously fake beard, remains in command of the fleet, with Col. Boomer his second in command. Upon realizing Earth of 1980 cannot face the Cylons, and hearing Zee's warning that the Cylons followed them, Adama turns the fleet away, sending his grandson Troy (the grown up Boxey) and his wingman Dillon to explore Earth and aid in speeding up its technological development. They are helped by a reporter named Jamie Hamilton, and new technology such as personal cloaking shields and flying motorcycles. The original premise set up in the pilot features a traitor named Xavier stealing a ship and traveling into the past in an effort to speed up Earth's development by introducing technology into the past. His first target is to help the Nazi rocket program, but he is stopped by Troy, Dillon and Jamie. He escapes their custody and heads to pre-Revolutionary America, and the pilot ends with Jamie vowing to join Troy and Dillon in the chase for Xavier through time — the implication being each episode would feature Xavier in a different era, with our trio of heroes trying to stop him from changing history. However, when the series was picked up, this premise was abandoned, and a plot thread featuring Troy and Dillon protecting a group of Galactican children on Earth was woven through many of the episodes, with Xavier abandoning his time travel efforts. The story of the children was an element no doubt introduced to appease broadcast standards requiring shows airing at 7 p.m. to appeal to younger audiences. While the show was considered a critical flop, it did feature a number of recurring storylines. Among them, in addition to the children, was the military's attempt to track down any evidence of the Galactica, and Jamie's boss looking to cover the story. Recurring themes included Troy and Dillon in fish-out-of-water scenarios as they attempted to adapt to Earth, which added a level of silliness, and the idea that Galactica was the guardian of the last human stronghold in the face of the Cylon threat, which added a layer of seriousness. Several episodes featured the following text at the end of the program: "The United States Air Force stopped investigating UFOs in 1969. After 22 years, they found no evidence of extra-terrestrial visits and no threat to national security." This may have been in response not only to the Air Force story arc, but also to the stringent educational standards of a 7 p.m. time slot. These standards may have at first given series creator Glen Larson the idea to feature history-themed episodes as a way to provide some educational context. Instead, ABC interference probably led to the prominence of the use of the children, and several episodes were little more than trite morality plays about such things as pollution and racism. As a result, the finished product ended up being insulting to most audience members' intelligence, while alienating core fans of the series who found the new premise absurd. The poor quality of early episodes and declining ratings were probably the impetus for Larson to reintroduce the Cylon menace so soon. The ninth episode, "Space Croppers," features a Cylon attack that hearkens back to fond memories of the first season before denigrating into the usual Earthbound dreck this season was known for. Larson has subsequently stated his regret for this second season, and other than the finale "The Return of Starbuck," considered the episodes a waste of time. Given another chance at continuing the storyline, he said he would chalk up "1980" to a bad dream or a computer simulation, then continue the first season as if "1980" had never happened. The existence of "1980" was cited as one reason Ronald Moore chose a new version of BSG rather than a continuation. Even so, "1980" beat him to the punch with humanoid Cylons, featured in the two-parter "The Night the Cylons Landed." Like the new BSG, "1980" dealt with the evolution of the Cylon race.moreless
19
Masters of Science Fiction

ABC (ended 2007)

An anthology series, Masters of Science Fiction features works from some of the brightest authors of science fiction.

Masters of Science Fiction was produced by Starz Media in association with Industry Entertainment.moreless
20
The Neighbors

ABC

ABC's The Neighbors follows the story of Debbie (Jami Gertz) and Marty Weaver (Lenny Venito) who have recently moved with their three kids to Hidden Hills, a gated community with its own golf course. It's an exclusive New Jersey community that hasn't had a house come on the market in 10 years. They soon discover that the neighbors are ... a little odd. Larry Bird (Simon Templeman) introduces himself as "leader" of this little community with wife, Jackie Joyner-Kersee (Toks Olagundoye), and their two sons, Dick Butkus and Reggie Jackson. It seems everyone in the neighborhood is named after famous athletes. Pretty soon, though, the secret's out, and the Weavers learn that the whole community is made up of aliens from the planet Zabvron. The Zabvronians have been waiting for instructions from back home for the past 10 years and this is their first encounter having humans live amongst them. Although hesitant at first, the Weavers decide the house is a dream come true so they'll stay and help the aliens adapt to life on earth. The Weavers and the aliens soon discover that the struggles of everyday life are intergalactic and they're more alike than different.moreless
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