While it may feel like we’re living in a golden age of sci-fi television, the truth is that plenty of classics from bygone eras are just as good as today’s greats. Although countless viewers have been catching up on clever shows like Severance or eagerly awaiting the new Stranger Things, those with a love for sci-fi should take the time to revisit the classics of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. I know that the special effects may feel dated, but trust me, there’s a vast world of programming to discover for those willing to plunge into the past.

Many of the the biggest franchises of all time, there’s so much rich history to discover by going back and checking out classic sci-fi series. While there has been plenty of fantastic TV in recent years, these shows laid the foundations for the greatest sci-fi series of modern times.

10 Space Patrol (1950-1955)

5 seasons

While it’s not fair to compare sci-fi TV series of the 1950s to modern special effects of today, it’s important to give shows like Space Patrol their due for showcasing the potential of this genre on the small screen. As a pioneering series aimed primarily at young children, the juvenile appeal of the 30th-century adventures of United Planets Space Patrol Commander-in-Chief Buzz Corry was popular across TV, radio, and comic books. Along with the help of his young sidekick Cadet Happy, Corry faced interplanetary villains with diabolical schemes in 210 30-minute episodes and an astounding 900 shorter 15-minute adventures.

Not to be confused with the British 1960s sci-fi series of the same name, Space Patrol was among the most popular kids’ Saturday morning shows of the 1950s. Ed Kemmer, who played Buzz Corry, is also recognizable for his appearance alongside future sci-fi legend William Shatner in The Twilight Zone classic episode "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet.” Space Patrol may feel dated to new viewers today, but for those who grew up on the series, it was just as compelling, exciting, and awe-inspiring as today’s best sci-fi shows.

9 The Invaders (1967-1968)

2 seasons

The Invaders built on classic sci-fi themes of fear and paranoia, similar to Invasion of the Body Snatchers, to reflect Cold War anxieties on television. With Roy Thinnes starring as David Vincent, The Invaders told the story of a man discovering an in-progress invasion of aliens from outer space where the otherworldly entities have disguised themselves as humans and infiltrated our institutions. While Vincent does everything in his power to stop their invasion, he constantly finds himself at odds with officials who refuse to believe the truth.

Produced by the prime-time icon Quinn Martin, The Invaders shared several similarities with Martin's previous series, The Fugitive, as both shows depicted a man in jeopardy trying to convince the world of a hidden conspiracy. While the 1960s were a trailblazing time for civil rights and social movements, it was also an era rife with paranoia, as seen through the underlying themes of The Invaders. As a clever sci-fi that tapped into the time out of which it was produced, The Invaders was a true classic of the 1960s.

8 Space: 1999 (1975 - 1977)

2 Seasons

With a £6.8 million budget, Space: 1999 was the most expensive series ever produced for British television at the time of its release (via The Guardian.) This ambitious sci-fi series depicted the 311 inhabitants of Moonbase Alpha hurtling uncontrollably into space after being knocked out of orbit following the explosion of nuclear waste stored on the far side of the Moon. Featuring the wandering Moon ing through a black hole and going through space warps, Space: 1999 saw the crew catapulted outside the realms of the known universe.

With a fascinating premise, Space: 1999 depicted the Moonbase Alpha inhabitants coming into with alien civilizations, dystopian societies, and awe-inspiring phenomena previously unseen by humanity. With a mysterious, unknown force underpinning these adventures, Space: 1999 was an intriguing series that pushed sci-fi TV of the 1970s to its absolute limits.

7 The Six Million Dollar Man (1973-1978)

5 seasons

The Six Million Dollar Man was one of the most popular series of the 1970s and turned its star, Lee Majors, into a true TV icon. As USAF Colonel Steve Austin, this former astronaut underwent a serious transformation after a NASA test flight accident and was rebuilt at considerable expense with bionic implants that give him superhuman strength, speed, and vision. The Six Million Dollar Man followed Austin’s role as a secret agent with the U.S. government office, the OSI, gathering intelligence and fighting against evil.

As one of the first mainstream sci-fi TV series to feature cyborgs, The Six Million Dollar Man was a hit with viewers and even led to the female-led spin-off series The Bionic Woman. The show's famous lines, “We can rebuild him; we have the technology,” and “better, stronger, faster,” became pop culture staples. The popularity of Steve Austin and his female counterpart, Jaime Sommers, went beyond the 1970s as the pair appeared in three made-for-TV movies in the 1980s and 1990s.

6 Lost In Space (1965-1968)

3 seasons

Lost in Space explored the eternal sci-fi theme of being marooned in the depths of the solar system and struggling to survive against the unknowable challenges of life in space. Following the adventures of the Robinson family, Lost in Space began with the family leaving an overpopulated Earth on a journey to be the first humans to colonize Alpha Centauri. However, a meteor storm caused their ship to fall off course, and the family must deal with the consequences of being hopelessly lost in the infinite depths of outer space.

With a mix of drama and comedy, Lost in Space had an intriguing premise and, although it began as a family adventure series, later shifted its focus toward The Robot, a superpower machine armed with futuristic weaponry. While Lost in Space was not able to live up to its rival series, Star Trek, in of popularity at the time, looking back, it was a great example of how ambitious sci-fi TV was back in the 1960s.

5 Battlestar Galactica (1978-1979)

1 season

While most viewers will probably be more familiar with the reimagined version of this show from the 2000s, the Battlestar Galactica franchise would not exist if not for the original 1970s television series. As a cult TV show following a group of humans fleeing the destruction of their homeworlds, the crew of the Battlestar Galactica spaceship must search for a new home while being pursued by the Cylons. This fearful robotic society is bent on exterminating all humans, which gave the series a dark, genocidal subtext.

Battlestar Galactica was an ambitious and thought-provoking series that suffered from budgetary constraints, yet the ideas of the original show were so compelling that it remains a popular franchise to this day. Created by Glen A. Larson, this prolific producer was also responsible for many other classic series, such as Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Magnum, P.I., and Knight Rider. While the original Battlestar Galactica may not be as visually impressive as its later revived version, the ideas it posed and the world it built were just as compelling as today’s best shows.

4 The Outer Limits (1963-1965)

2 seasons

The Outer Limits was an anthology show with a greater emphasis on science fiction stories than its main competitor, The Twilight Zone, which often blended in aspects of the supernatural or fantasy. The Outer Limits played with television conventions, immersing viewers with its eerie, Orwellian introduction that implied it was taking over the television screen. Episodes often included plot twists in their self-contained episodes. The series was revived in the 1990s, and there are rumors of a return in the future (via Variety), showcasing that interest in The Outer Limits has not waned in the 60-plus years since it premiered.

While The Outer Limits was consistently compared to The Twilight Zone, it also had several connections to Star Trek, as some monsters from the show actually reappeared in episodes of the Gene Roddenberry series. As a classic series that sadly only aired for two seasons in its original run, The Outer Limits was a groundbreaking sci-fi series and among the best shows of the 1960s.

3 Doctor Who (1963 - 1989)

26 seasons

It’s easy to compare Doctor Who to today’s great sci-fi shows because they are one and the same. While Doctor Who was the definitive British sci-fi series of the 1960s, it’s a testament to its widespread legacy that the show has continued to this day after it was revived in 2005. Although production budgets have gone up, it’s essential to give credit to the show’s original run for introducing all the elements that have made it such a persistent success, including the concept of Time Lords regenerating, villains like the Daleks, and the rich lore behind the planet of Gallifrey.

From William Hartnell’s turn as the First Doctor through to iconic performances such as Tom Baker’s Fourth Doctor, Doctor Who was a mainstay of British television across the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Through the regeneration of its main character, Doctor Who was able to remain eternally relevant and reinvent itself for each subsequent generation. For this reason, the original run of Doctor Who was just as good as today’s greats and has managed to grow and develop throughout the ages.

2 Star Trek: The Original Series (1966-1969)

3 seasons

As one of the best-known sci-fi franchises of all time, it’s clear that the popularity of Star Trek has only grown since the 1960s. While later shows like The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine have achieved their own devoted followings, the truth is that characters like Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock have remained the most recognizable aspects of this long-running franchise. Created by Gene Roddenberry, Star Trek was a groundbreaking series for its progressive depiction of social and political issues, as its space setting allowed the show to thoughtfully address topics that could have been controversial in any other genre.

Star Trek ran for just three seasons, yet its popularity flourished through syndication as its thematic depth, imaginative worldbuilding, and widespread cultural influence made it a true classic of the 1960s. With a shared universe that has grown increasingly complex and vast over the decades, Star Trek: The Original Series laid the groundwork for a fictional world that countless people hold near and dear to their hearts. While its campy nature and special effects may look dated today, viewers will continue to watch and enjoy Star Trek even 100 years from now.

1 The Twilight Zone (1959-1964)

5 seasons

When it comes to sci-fi series of times gone by, one series stands head and shoulders above the rest: The Twilight Zone. Not only did series creator Rod Serling carve out his own distinctive style of storytelling with this acclaimed anthology series, but countless episodes have become an intrinsic part of mainstream popular culture and have been endlessly parodied in subsequent media. From Serling’s classic voiceover introductions to the thrilling plot twists and thoughtful messages within its episodes, The Twilight Zone laid the foundations for everything from Black Mirror to The X-Files.

While it’s true that The Twilight Zone did not have the benefit of modern special effects, the show made up for this with unmatched writing and psychologically rich narratives that did not require massive budgets. The best episodes of The Twilight Zone still hold up incredibly well today, and countless modern sci-fi shows have tried to emulate its unnerving appeal and intelligent moral messaging. If any viewers feel reluctant to go back and watch older shows, The Twilight Zone was a prime example of how the classics really can live up to modern expectations.

Sources: The Guardian, Variety