10 Sci-Fi TV Shows That Deserve A Reboot

9. Space: 1999

Remember Space: 1999? Often derided as a “poor man’s Star Trek,” this show has never gotten the respect it deserves. Originally airing between 1975 and 1977 (a total of 48 episodes), Space: 1999 was about the crew of Moonbase Alpha, who must struggle to survive after a massive explosion sends the Moon out of its orbit and hurtling into deep space. Starring a never-better Martin Landau in the lead role as Commander John Koenig, Space: 1999 had decent special effects for the day, and some great scripts. Many of the episodes were overt morality plays as they dealt with the difficult decisions encountered by Martin Landau’s character, who was forced to constantly put the safety of Moonbase Alpha first. There have been fan webisodes of the show produced over the years, and in 2012, plans were announced for ITV Studios America to produce a re-imagined TV series called Space: 2099. Sadly, nothing has come of those reported plans as of yet.

http://cfillion.tk/space-1999/ Source: cfillion.tk

8. Quantum Leap

Quantum Leap was a hit when it aired on CBS from 1989 to 1993. It starred actor Scott Bakula as Dr. Sam Beckett, a man who finds himself trapped in time and leaping into the body of a new person in a different time period each week, righting wrongs and altering circumstances along the way. During his journey through time, Dr. Beckett’s only connection home is through a hologram called “Al”. In a fairly depressing ending, the show concluded with a narrator saying that Sam Beckett never did make it home and remained trapped in time forever. That’s as loose an ending as you’re going to get in television, and it leaves the door wide open for a reboot of this classic series, which would be even more awesome today given the advances in special effects. With a new cast and superior special effects, Quantum Leap could jump forward into the future and bring a whole new audience with it.

http://www.syfy.co.uk/shows/quantum-leap Source: SyFy.co.uk

7. Lost In Space

It looks horribly dated now, but Lost In Space was a great show when it aired from 1965 to 1968 (84 episodes in all). And yes, we know there was a movie version of the show back in 1998 starring William Hurt and Gary Oldman, but that movie is largely forgotten (and wasn’t very good). Besides, the story of Lost in Space, about a family who must survive when their spaceship is thrown off course, would work better on episodic television rather than in a two hour movie format. All you’d need to do is update the special effects and outfits, write some contemporary scripts, throw in some kick-ass special effects and this reboot could be a winner. Of course, the episodes would have to be darker and less psychedelic than the original 1960s series, but it could still work. Fun fact: Memorabilia from the original Lost In Space series sells for tons of money, which shows that nostalgia for this series is still running high.

http://parade.com/423479/npond/quiz-space-smarts-test-your-lost-in-space-i-q/ Source: Parade.com

6. Misfits of Science

When the short-lived TV series Misfits of Science aired in 1985, television programs about teenagers with superpowers were pretty much non-existent. The concept of the show, about the madcap adventures of a group of young people who have superhuman powers, was a tough sell. In addition, the fact that Misfits of Science aired opposite TV juggernaut Dallas on Friday nights essentially doomed its chances of finding an audience. Sadly, the show was cancelled after only 16 episodes, and today it is best remembered as one of actress Courtney Cox’s first TV gigs. Fast forward to today, however, and TV shows about teens with powers are all the rage. From Charmed and Smallville to The Flash and Supergirl, instances of young people grappling with their superpowers and the responsibilities that come with them are everywhere. Surely a refreshed and updated Misfits of Science could find an audience now, right?

http://yetanothertvreviewpodcast.blogspot.ca/2009/07/yatvrps04e40.html Source: yetanothertvreviewpodcast.blogspot.ca

5. The Twilight Zone

Sure it’s been resurrected twice before, and was the subject of a 1983 movie, but The Twilight Zone and its format of telling different, original and bizarre stories each week is fantastic and ripe for revival yet again (in fact, the most recent plan apparently involves some sort of TV/video game interactive hybrid series, reportedly in development). The key is to get good writers involved and to come up with stories that are truly original and haven’t been told before (well, that and a reliable network that will promote the show and support it properly). Past attempts at reviving The Twilight Zone didn’t work largely because the show was syndicated and didn’t have a stable home on a major TV network. If one of the big networks were to relaunch this series, it would be sure to attract top level actors and directors, and could be truly great again. With today’s special effects, The Twilight Zone could be over-the-top good. But the key of a great reboot of The Twilight Zone is the writing. The original series, which ran from 1959 to 1964, was created by Rod Serling, one of the best sci-fi writers of all time. In fact, after the show was canceled, Serling went on to write the original Planet of the Apes movie in 1968. That’s a tough act to follow.

https://blurppy.com/2014/08/12/exclusive-dark-hall-mansion-announces-a-tantalizing-10-print-the-twilight-zone-series-featuring-the-work-of-tom-whalen-surprise-guest-artists-and-more/ Source: blurppy.com

4. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century

People of a certain age who might be reading this probably have a lot of affection for the classic 1970s Buck Rogers< TV show. Starring a super-cool Gil Gerard and a wickedly sexy Erin Gray, Buck Rogers In The 25th Century was created to capitalize on the Star Wars craze of the time. The show was great when it originally aired and it updated the Buck Rogers storyline (the character actually debuted in the 1920s) for a then-contemporary audience. So, why not do it again? Good writing and some modern special effects could take Buck Rogers a quantum leap forward. And sure, there was disco dancing in the 1970s show and many of the female aliens wore too much eye shadow, but it was definitely a product of the time. Besides, there were many great episodes of Buck Rogers, such as the vampire episode, which scared kids all over the U.S. and Canada. Also, any reboot would have to include the character Hawk from the second season of the original show, when the plot shifted to place Buck, Wilma and the loveable robot Twiki on the spaceship “The Searcher.” Interestingly, comic book writer extraordinaire Frank Miller was slated to write and direct a new Buck Rogers motion picture a few years back but the funding fell through.

https://thiswastv.com/2013/02/21/roundtable-review-buck-rogers-in-the-25th-century-space-vampire/ Source: ThisWasTV.com

3. Firefly

The thing with the TV show Firefly is that fans have never gotten over the fact that the program didn’t get a proper ending or send-off (or more episodes). As a result, people have been calling for the cult sci-fi show to be revived since the day it was canceled in 2003 after just one season. The Joss Whedon-created show has only grown in popularity and esteem since its untimely demise. And while we got the 2005 compendium feature film Serenity that tied into the show, fans have always felt, rightly, that this is a TV series that never got its due on the small screen. The concept would still work, the cast are still young enough to reprise their roles, and creator Joss Whedon is still a creative force in Hollywood. So why not launch a new series and catch up with the crew of the Firefly-class spaceship? Plus, with the advances in CGI and other special effects, a revitalized Firefly series could, potentially, work better than the original. Besides, this is one show on this list that comes with a built-in audience of loyal fans.

http://www.blastr.com/2013-7-18/fireflys-coming-back-life-and-time-you-can-live-it Source: Blastr.com

2. The Omega Factor

Another one for fans of cult hits, The Omega Factor was a British TV show produced by the BBC that ran for only 10 episodes in 1979. Canceled because of its scary material and graphic violence, The Omega Factor was a television show ahead of its time. It tells the story of a man investigating paranormal phenomena for the mysterious agency known as “Department 7″, who discovers that he himself has psychic powers. Moody, atmospheric and creepy, this show caused a lot of controversy when it first aired. However, we feel that time has now likely caught up with The Omega Factor and it would be well served by a reboot. The premise and tone of the show have been mined in other programs that followed, including The X-Files and Millennium (both produced by Chris Carter), but a proper reboot is warranted to give this edgy, dark show its due.

http://louisejameson.com/shop/the-omega-factor-series-one/ Source: louisejameson.cm

1. The Greatest American Hero

Can anyone think of the TV show The Greatest American Hero and not smile? The show, about a mild mannered teacher named Ralph Hinkley who becomes a superhero after discovering a special alien suit that gives him powers he can barely understand or control, holds a special place in many people’s hearts. The theme song “Believe It Or Not” can be recited by most people – even those who were never fans of the original program. The show, which aired 44 episodes between 1981 and 1983, is good, clean family fun, and the combination of action and comedy delighted kids. Actor William Katt was super likable as main character Ralph Hinkley, and Robert Culp was never better as the crusty cop, Bill Maxwell, who helps Ralph perform good deeds in the alien suit. This show is so fondly remembered that a reboot would almost certainly be popular right out of the gate. There were rumors at one point that the Fox Network had ordered a pilot for a new version of the show, but nothing has surfaced yet. Here’s hoping that the new pilot (reportedly in development under the watchful eyes of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, creators of The Lego Movie) gets completed and takes off.

http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/greatest-american-hero-tv-remakes-remington-steele-twilight-zone-1201294479/ Source: Variety.com