Top 50 science fiction television shows

From animated children’s shows like “The Jetsons’’ to classics like the original “Star Trek’’ series (pictured), there have been plenty of mind bending science fiction shows that have graced television sets over the years. The sci fi genre just never seems to get old.

Based on years of sci fi viewing experience and a variety of online sources. we’ve come up with our picks for the Top 50 science fiction shows of all time.

50. ‘Earth – Final Conflict’

Starting the list at Number 50: “Earth – Final Conflict,’’ which aired from 1997 to 2002. It followed a basic, but popular, storyline about aliens who come to Earth and solve the planet’s problems. But is there more? Are there any other intentions? Of course. The story focuses on a double agent, William Boone (played by Kevin Kilner), who is in search of the truth.

49. ‘The Wild Wild West’

Two Secret Service agents – James West (Robert Conrad) and Artemus Gordon (Ross Martin) – fight the forces of evil in the Wild West (thus the title). However, these two good guys’ gadgets rival those of James Bond. A great show for its time.

48. ‘3rd Rock From The Sun’

A group of aliens move to Earth to study humans while at the same time taking on human form so they can blend in. But with human characteristics also come human frailties – complete with emotional issues and basic physical needs. John Lithgow leads the “family’’ in this entertaining sci-fi comedy. The series ran from 1996 to 2001.

47. ‘Buck Rogers in the 25th Century’

A 20th century astronaut, Buck Rogers (played by Gil Gerard), is on a space mission when his shuttle runs into a cosmic anomaly. Buck’s frozen in suspended animation until he’s revived 500 years later. From 1979 to 1981, we watched as Buck helped solve future Earth’s dilemmas. And, of couse, we couldn’t leave out the lovely Erin Gray as Colonel Wilma Deering. The show also taught us that spandex is in ample supply in the 25th century.

46. ‘That Was Then’

If you blinked, you may have missed this short-lived gem of a sci-fi show on ABC. As Travis Glass (played by James Bulliard) turned 30 years old, he realized his life since high school was pretty much wasted. He envies his jerk brother Gregg (played by Brad Raider) who married Travis’ dream girl, Claudia (played by Kiele Sanchez). Thanks to a wish, an electrical problem and an old Kink’s song, Travis returns to 1988 to change the past. But everytime he hears the Kink’s song again, he’s catapulted back to the future to see how his changes affected the outcome of his life at 30. The show was canceled long before it had a chance to reach its prime. It ran in the fall of 2002.

45. ‘The Greatest American Hero’

An average school teacher, Ralph Hinkley (played by William Katt), and an aging FBI agent, William “Bill’’ Maxwell (Robert Culp), are approached by aliens who give Hinkley a super suit. When worn, the suit will allow Hinkley to have super human powers and help mankind. The one problem, Hinkley loses the directions. This classic ran from 1981 to 1983 and also featured a young and lovely Connie Selleca, who played Hinkley’s girlfriend then wife, Pam Davidson Hinkley.

44. ‘Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman’

We’ve seen Superman played by many actors but “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman’’ was a new spin on one of the world’s best superheroes. In this version, Superman, aka Clark Kent (played by Dean Cain), is in his early 20s working at the Daily Planet with love interest Lois Lane (played by Teri Hatcher). A refreshing interpretation of the man of steel.

43. ‘Nowhere Man’

“Nowhere Man’’ was yet another show ahead of its time – and canceled way too early. Thomas Veil, played by Bruce Greenwood, is a documentary photographer who’s identity and memory are altered. His wife and friends no longer know him (or at least act like they don’t) and he finds his existence has been erased. He embarks on a search for the truth. Toward the final episodes of this brilliant series were hints that the whole thing could be tied into a government conspiracy. But, alas, the show was canceled before we could find out the truth. The series ran all too briefly in 1995.

42. ‘Science Fiction Theatre’

Older sci-fi buffs may fondly remember “Science Fiction Theatre,’’ which aired from 1955-57. Host Truman Bradley introduced stories based on circa 1950s scientific data ranging from life in outer space to telepathy.

41. ‘Futurama’

The cartoon “Futurama’’ marks our number 41 spot. The hilarious cartoon features Phillip Fry, a pizza delivery guy who gets frozen in 1999 and wakes up 1,000 years later to start his life anew.

40. ‘The Thunderbirds’

Perhaps the best puppet sci-fi show of all time. Led by ex-astronaut hero Jeff Tracy, the Tracy family – all marionette puppets – answer the calls for help with their unique rescue vehicles. They call themselves “International Rescue’’ and from 1965-1966 helped make the world a safer place for marionettes everywhere.

39. (The New) ‘V’

ABC’s new remake of the Visitors – or “V’’ – showed lots of promise. While the show has had many twists and turns, the pace of the story progression has been somewhat slow compared to its 1980s predecessor. Many wonder whether the show will return after its recent season finale. Still, despite its short comings, it moves up on the list to No. 39.

38. ‘Batman’

Before Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, and Christian Bale, there was Adam West playing Batman on TV. This was West at his best playing a somewhat hip, yet straightlaced, hero with sidekick Robin (played by Burt Ward). Who could ever forget the time Batman avoided being frozen to death in a giant ice cream cone thanks to his “bat-thermal underwear?’’ Yet another genre classic. It ran from 1966 to 1968.

37. ‘Space 1999’

When the moon gets pulled out of orbit in 1999, astronauts on Moon Base Alpha are pulled into space with it. Led by the valiant Commander John Koenig (played by Martin Landau) and assisted by Dr. Helena Russell (Barbara Bain), the crew explore and battle their way across the universe. “Space 1999’’ lasted only two years, from 1975-1977.

36. ‘The Bionic Woman’

“The Bionic Woman’’ was like “Charlie’s Angel’s’’ with three women combined into one. When Jamie Sommers (played by Lindsay Wagner) has a horrific parachuting accident, the government rebuilds her using the latest technology. This “Six Million Dollar Man’’ spinoff survived from 1976-1978.

35. ‘Battlestar Galactica’ (Original)

The 1978 series ‘’’Battlestar Galactica’’ is a fantastic story of 12 colonies destroyed by a race of mechanized beings called Cylons, who are bent on destroying mankind. Commander Adama, played by the late Lorne Green, leads a rag-tag fugitive fleet across the galaxy in search of the lost 13th tribe, who settled on a planet called Earth. The great cast included Dirk Benedict as Starbuck and Richard Hatch as Apollo.

34. ‘The Avengers’

From 1961 to 1969, British Intelligence agent John Steed (Patrick Macnee) and his lovely female partner, Mrs. Peel battled evil. The show maintained a strong sci-fi edge with plots that included cyborgs, futuristic cities, and the like.

33. ‘Lost In Space’

“Danger Will Robinson, danger!’’ For three years and countless reruns after, we watched the Robinson family survive against scary and hilarious beings that threatened their existence. The family, as the title implies, was hopelessly lost in space because of a sabotage effort gone awry thanks to Dr. Zachary Smith. The program aired from 1965 to 1968.

32. ‘My Favorite Martian’

A Martian named Exodus comes to Earth to live with Timothy O’Hara. Exodus, a wisecracking alien, moves in with O’Hara under the guise of being his uncle Martin O’Hara. “My Favorite Martian’’ lasted from 1963-1966.

31. ‘Alien Nation’

Alien slaves, bred to be super intelligent and strong, crash on Earth. These “Newcomers’’ are assimilated into society. The show focused on one of them, George Francisco, who becomes a police detective partnered with a human cop, Matthew Sikes. They fight crime, learn to respect each other’s cultures, and fight the new bigotry between humans and aliens.

30. ‘Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea’

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea’’ was like “Star Trek’’ with fish. The crew of the Seaview is commissioned to explore the mysteries beneath the deep. This high-tech submarine, commanded by Admiral Harriman Nelson (Richard Basehart) and Captain Lee Crane (David Hedison), confronts everything from mechanized robots to aliens bent on world domination. The show ran from 1964 to 1968.

29. ‘The Six Million Dollar Man’

Those famous words, “We can rebuild him, we have the technology,’’ explain how astronaut Steve Austin (Lee Majors) becomes the “The Six Million Dollar Man.’’ Austin is mutilated after a crash and a secret government agency replaces his now departed parts with super powerful mechanical limbs. Austin uses his new superhuman like powers to solve crimes and catch bad guys. Look for the classic episode when he battled Sasquatch, or Big Foot. The series began in 1973 and resulted in a spinoff series called the “Bionic Woman.’’

28. Adventures of Superman’

This is the original Superman, at least the television version. George Reeves starred in the 1952-1957 version of the man of steel. Not only did he battle bank robbers and other evil-doers, but he also fought against evil aliens and malevolent robots.

27. ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’

A fantastic show about a high school student with a bad reputation who has a destiny to kill vampires meandering about her town of Sunnydale. Buffy Summers is played by Sarah Michelle Gellar (front) in a kick-butt role as the tough, but attractive, vampire slayer. She battled vampires from 1997-2003.

26. ‘Stargate Atlantis’

“Stargate Atlantis’’ is a spinoff of Sci-Fi Channel’s original “Stargate SG-1’’ series. When a Stargate portal is found in the ancients’ city of Atlantis (beneath Antarctica) a team is formed to explore it. As they use the Stargate to travel to the Pegasus Galaxy, they encounter an evil enemy called The Wraith, who threatens human existence.

25. ‘The Jetsons’

“The Jetsons’’ is a classic sci-fi show, complete with space cars and a robotic maid. The show lasted from 1962-1988.

24. ‘Wonder Woman’

“Wonder Woman’’ captures the number 24 spot on our list. Wonder Woman, played by the lovely Lynda Carter, is a believable super heroine who fought the evil Nazis during World War II. After the war, she returned to her island of women. However, during the last season, she re-emerges 30 years later when Major Steve Trevor’s son, Steve Trevor Jr., enlists her to battle evil once again. OK, the writers did a poor job in trying to transport her into the modern day, but the show was good enough to cut them some slack.

23. ‘Tales from the Crypt’

This great HBO show lasted from 1989 to 1996 and featured scary stories, mostly based on comics from the 1950s. The show was hosted by the gruesome, and funny, Crypt Keeper (pictured here).

22. ‘Andromeda’

“Andromeda’’ was the brainchild of “Star Trek’’ creator Gene Roddenberry. It’s the story of Captain Dylan Hunt (played by Kevin Sorbo) who is on a mission to rebuild the All-Systems Commonwealth 300 years after it fell apart. It’s not the best of Roddenberry, but it’s pretty good.

21. ‘Quantum Leap’

Marking the Number 21 spot is “Quantum Leap’’ starring Scott Bakula as Dr. Sam Beckett. Dr. Beckett leaps through time to inhabit the body and mind of people who have been ruined due to bad choices or dumb luck. With the help of Al Calavicci (Dean Stockwell) and his computer, Ziggy, he’s able to right the things that went wrong.

20. ‘The Hitchhiker’

This HBO classic featured Page Fletcher as “The Hitchhiker,’’ who brought a new mystery thriller each week from 1983-1991. It was a lot like a modern-day “Twilight Zone’’ but was a little more racy thanks to being on cable.

19. ‘Dark Angel’

“Dark Angel’’ takes the number 19 spot on the chart. The show takes place in a post-apocalyptic future when a genetically enhanced prototype named Max (Jessica Alba) escapes from military confines and moves to the decadent underground street life of future Seattle. While trying to evade government agents, she searches for other genetically-enhanced humans like her. This is a great sci-fi thriller.

18. (The original) ‘V’

This miniseries was nearly 20 years ahead of “Independence Day.’’ In 1983, sci-fi loving Americans were glued to their sets to watch the Visitors in the miniseries “V.’’ It followed the classic aliens plot — aliens come to Earth to help mankind, but actually want to steal the planet’s natural resources. A regular show followed this miniseries, but never quite lived up to the original .

17. ‘Firefly’

“Firefly’’ was an intriguing show about a crew trying to survive in a small spaceship 500 years in the future. Alas, the show ended after its first season though it showed great promise.

16. ‘Flash Gordon’

One critic of the 1950s “Flash Gordon’’ television series described the show as “so bad it’s good.’’ This classic brought Flash, Dale Arden, Dr. Hans Zarkov, and other characters into the homes of countless Americans.

15. ‘Logan’s Run’

“Logan’s Run’’ only ran a season or two but makes our list nonetheless. The show featured a futuristic civilization that, at first glance, looks pretty nice. Until you realize that they’re going to waste you once you reach your 30th birthday. That’s one way to solve the a Social Security crisis (though we hope not). The show followed Logan (Gregory Harrison, right) and his companions as they search for a mythical placed called The Sanctuary, which holds the promise of freedom.

14. ‘Star Trek Voyager’

“Star Trek Voyager’’ started off slow but ended as one of the better “Star Trek’’ spinoffs. In 1995, we watched as the crew of the star ship Voyager was catapulted across the galaxy. The story revolved around their trip back to Earth, which at full speed would have taken 75 years to complete. Led by Captain Catherine Janeway (played by Kate Mulgrew), the ship and its crew finally did make it home – but not before several great run-ins with Borg and other creatures.

13. ‘The Outer Limits’

“There is nothing wrong with your television. Do not attempt to adjust the picture’’ is the famous line that marked the start of each episode. This science fiction show featured a different cast each week that focused on space travel, time travel, and more.

12. ‘Xena: Warrior Princess’

Lucy Lawless (left) starred as Xena in this top-notch show about a warrior princess who once ravaged ancient Greece and its people. After realizing her mistakes, she vows to use her warrior and healing abilities to help others. Together, she and her companion, Gabrielle (played by Renee O’Connor, right) travel the ancient world looking for adventure. Another series that ended too soon.

11. ‘Lost’

“Lost’’ promises another exciting season full of mystery and suspense. Just in case you’ve been living in a hole, here’s the plot: Dozens of people survive a plane crash and land on a mysterious island, which is full of secrets and supernatural things, including a huge creature who meanders in the woods. The future ranking of this hit ABC show on our list depends on whether the network is able to keep the mystery tasty enough for its viewers.

10. ‘Sliders’

Sliders’’ should have been a widespread hit, but it was ahead of its time. The show was about a whiz-kid genius Quinn Mallory, played by Jerry O’Connell (left), and his band of three companions who slide among Earth’s alternate realities. Toward the end of the series, the show quickly slid in quality as three of its stars – O’Connell, Sabrina Lloyd and John Rhys-Davies (right) – departed and were replaced by others. A tragic demise to a fine show.

9. ‘Mystery Science Theater 3000’

A man finds himself trapped on an orbiting space station with wacky robots and a sadistic woman, who forces him to watch the worst B horror flicks ever made. The show revolves around the man and his robots watching the movie, at the same time offering hilarious commentary. The show had a couple of different hosts (including Michael J. Nelson, center) during its run from 1988 through 1999.

8. ‘Dr. Who’

No sci-fi show list is complete without “Dr. Who.’’ The series started in 1963 and featured several men as the doctor – a time traveling, eccentric alien – and his comrades. Sure, many of the monsters were terribly cheesy, but it is a classic nonetheless. The show was canceled in 1989, made a brief return in a TV movie in 1996 and then was fully resurrected and came back into production in 2003. It continues today.

7. ‘The Twilight Zone’

Not only is “The Twilight Zone’’ one of the greatest sci-fi shows ever, it’s one of the best shows of all time. Rod Serling hosted the show from 1959 to 1964. Each week, he featured a usually creepy, sometime witty, show that ranged from alien invaders to time travel.

Pictured: James Daly as Gart Williams from the “The Twilight Zone’’ episode “This is Willoughby.’’

6. ‘Stargate SG-1’

“Stargate SG-1’’ follows a secret military unit that travels across the universe via a stargate, a device created by ancients. A great show with a solid cast.

Pictured from left: Beau Bridges as General Hank Landry and Ben Browder as Lieutenant Colonel Cameron Mitchell.

5. ‘Babylon 5’

“Babylon 5’’ is arguably one of the best sci-fi shows ever made. Some may compare it to “Star Trek DS-9’’ but with a better plot and cast – you be the judge. In the meantime, we’ll give “Babylon 5’’ a thumbs up showing in the No. 5 spot.

4. ‘The X-Files’

“The X-Files’’ helped inspire a new generation of Americans to fall in love with conspiracy theories. David Duchovny (left) played FBI agent Fox Mulder who, along with his partner, Dana Scully (played by Gillian Anderson), uncovered extraterrestrial mysteries and tried to use science to explain the unexplainable. The show survived from 1993 to 2002 but quickly faltered when Duchovny went on to pursue a movie career.

3. ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’

“Star Trek: The Next Generation’’ is on many people’s list as the best sci-fi show of all time. It nearly made our number one spot, too. The show featured a great cast that evolved throughout its seven seasons, from 1987 through 1994.

Pictured: Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard.

2. ‘Star Trek’ (Original)

Recently, the original “Star Trek,’’ which aired just three seasons from 1966-69, fell from the number 1 spot on the list to number 2. Yes, perhaps it didn’t feature the best acting, or most compelling story plots, but it was a show that set the standard for future space epics since. The show is also more popular today than it was when it first ran. The show went on to inspire several movies, several spinoffs, and hordes of fans.

1. ‘Battlestar Galactica’ (New)

The new “Battlestar Galactica’’ now tops the list after a recent revamp. BG had a cutting edge style with plenty o’ bad-ass characters that easily allow it to surpass even the classic “Star Trek.’’ The show was a modern-day remake of its 1970s predecessor, but it featured more compelling story plots, a darker tone, and surprising twists and turns in almost every episode.