5 Forgotten ’70s Sci-Fi TV Shows That Still Hold Up Today – SlashFilm

The Seventies was a fantastic decade for science fiction, with loads of sci-fi motion pictures that also maintain up in the present day. This distinction unfold to tv, with the last decade seeing the whole lot from “Star Trek: The Animated Sequence” to the creation of “Battlestar Galactica.” Extra grounded, however no much less iconic, sci-fi tv reveals through the ’70s included “The Six Million Greenback Man” and “The Unimaginable Hulk.” Nevertheless, not each sci-fi present from the last decade is as fondly remembered in the present day — in the event that they’re remembered by the broader public in any respect.

For each TV sequence, no matter style, that lives on in our collective reminiscence many years later, there are a lot of extra reveals which have fallen into obscurity. That is actually true of science fiction, with the whole lot from quirky premises to tv diversifications of standard sci-fi motion pictures rising forgotten over time. We’re highlighting the very best reveals from the last decade that hardly get talked about anymore, giving them the reappraisal that they every deserve. With that in thoughts, these are 5 forgotten ’70s sci-fi TV reveals that also maintain up in the present day.

After the “Planet of the Apes” film sequence ended its unique run with 1973’s “Battle for the Planet of the Apes,” it obtained a tv spin-off the next 12 months. Merely titled “Planet of the Apes,” the present holds a novel place within the franchise’s timeline. Moderately than being a continuation of the basic movies, it is a free retelling of the unique film, with time-displaced twentieth century astronauts Alan Virdon (Ron Harper) and Peter Burke (James Naughton) crashing on a thirty first century Earth. Discovering that tremendous-clever apes have subjugated humanity, Virdon and Burke crew up with Galen (Roddy McDowall), a younger chimpanzee, whereas being hunted by ape society.

Whereas “Planet of the Apes” is likely one of the longest-working sci-fi franchises round, most individuals in the present day do not know that it obtained its personal reside-motion tv sequence. Solely working for a single season in 1974, the present supplied its personal tackle the mythos whereas sustaining its core premise. Years later, a number of episodes have been edited collectively to type 5 tv motion pictures, together with newly filmed wraparound scenes. An fascinating try at persevering with the franchise via a mushy reboot for tv, “Planet of the Apes” is finest loved by followers of the films.

Earlier than “Star Wars” and the resurgence of “Star Trek” on the large display screen, there was the British tv sequence “House: 1999.” Set within the then-close to-way forward for 1999, the present has the Moon utilized by humanity for dumping its nuclear waste whereas a whole bunch reside in a big analysis station. When cosmic radiation by chance triggers the nuclear shops on the lunar floor, the Moon is propelled throughout the galaxy at large pace, separating the analysis station from Earth. Utilizing this planetoid as a de facto spaceship, the crew searches for a strategy to return to their dwelling photo voltaic system.

Working for 2 seasons, from 1975 to 1977, “House: 1999” presents its personal method to the kind of spacefaring sci-fi that “Star Trek” epitomized. The present options all of the distinct and unusual alien civilizations that include the premise, anchored by veteran American actors Martin Landau and Barbara Bain. Curiously, “House: 1999” brought on “Star Wars” to revamp the Millennium Falcon due to its seen similarities to the sequence’ smaller spaceship, the Eagle Transporter. Filling the void left behind by “Star Trek” for a lot of the ’70s, “House: 1999” is cozy, spacefaring sci-fi.

Beloved character actor Ernest Borgnine pivoted to a sci-fi police procedural with 1977’s “Future Cop.” Beginning out with a tv film of the identical title in 1976, the following sequence had Borgnine enjoying veteran Los Angeles police officer Joe Cleaver. Becoming a member of Cleaver and fellow beat cop Invoice Bundy (John Amos) on patrol, is their new android associate John Haven (Michael J. Shannon). As the 2 longtime cops get used to their new associate and his particular skills, they tackle nefarious criminals across the Metropolis of Angels.

The spotlight of “Future Cop” is not a lot its titular android however the character actors round him. Borgnine and Amos are each in reliably wonderful type, with Amos recent off his starring stint on the pivotal ’70s sitcom “Good Instances.” Their reactions to their new robotic buddy present the present with its attraction, distinguishing it from the plethora of cop reveals all through the last decade. Extra recognized for being the topic of a lawsuit involving Harlan Ellison and Isaac Asimov, “Future Cop” is a unusual, offbeat police procedural.

As reside-motion superhero reveals noticed a resurgence within the ’70s with “Surprise Lady” and “Shazam!,” the last decade additionally featured a forgotten superhero present with Aquaman vibes. Working for a scant 13 episodes, “Man from Atlantis” premiered in 1977 with its personal unique undersea hero in Mark Harris. Performed by Patrick Duffy, Harris possesses the skills to breathe underwater, swim at quick speeds whereas enduring intense deep-sea pressures, and talk with sure sea life. Working with an oceanic analysis crew from their experimental submarine, Harris explores the mysteries of the seas, together with unusual portals resulting in totally different time durations.

“Man from Atlantis” is a completely wild present, with Harris doing the whole lot from visiting the Wild West to confronting aliens. On the similar time, he faces a megalomaniacal villain making an attempt to overcome the ocean and devastate the floor world. The present makes much less and fewer sense the extra one thinks about it, however it’s a large supply of campy, aquatically-centred enjoyable. Patrick Duffy bounced again with the lengthy-working sequence “Dallas,” however “Man from Atlantis” is an fascinating blip earlier in his tv profession.

One other basic sci-fi film to obtain its personal tv adaptation in ’70s is “Logan’s Run,” debuting in 1977, the 12 months after the movie. Just like the film, the present takes place in a distant put up-apocalyptic future the place humanity shelters in tightly managed communities whereas executing those that attain the age of 30. Due to this deadly age restrict, Logan 5 (Gregory Harrison) and Jessica 6 (Heather Menzies) flee their dwelling moderately than threat execution. Working between futuristic cities, Logan and Jessica are pursued by armed enforcers whereas being aided by their android companion Rem (Donald Moffat).

The “Logan’s Run” present begins recreating the broad strokes of the film earlier than increasing its major characters’ flight right into a full-on cross-nation saga. This included unique tales that includes a number of distinct far-future communities, together with one consisting solely of robots like Rem. Behind-the-scenes, the present had some severe artistic pedigree, together with “Star Trek” veteran D.C. Fontana as considered one of its writers and story editors. Regardless of this, “Logan’s Run” solely ran for a single season, unable to achieve the sci-fi bar set by “Star Wars” launched earlier within the 12 months.