The sci-fi genre has delivered many beloved shows over the years, and some retain a loyal following even decades after the end of their original run. Science fiction has proved to be one of the most consistently popular genres across multiple forms of media. Many of the best sci-fi TV shows secure impressive legacies of their own, either by enjoying a long tenure on our screens or by being particularly innovative and inspiring other sci-fi shows in the years that follow their release. The sci-fi genre has been through many great eras that have given us excellent TV releases, but few have had the lasting impact of the sci-fi of the 2000s.
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2003 in particular was a year that proved excellent for cult sci-fi TV shows. Several titles hit small screens around the world that remain beloved in the eyes of fans everywhere, securing a dedicated following along the way. These shows didn’t just secure impressive and loyal fan bases, but they actually helped shape the sci-fi genre’s future, too.
3) Star Wars: Clone Wars
While the Star Wars franchise is most commonly associated with its massively successful movies, there have also been a number of Star Wars TV shows over the years. Set between the events of Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Clone Wars gave fans their first true look at the eponymous conflict that had been teased way back in the franchise’s 1977 debut. Created, directed, and produced by legendary animator Genndy Tartakovsky, Clone Wars proved far more influential to both Star Wars and the wider sci-fi genre than many fans realize.
As well as bringing the Star Wars franchise to life in gorgeous animation for the first time, Clone Wars also established how well the prequel trilogy’s story could be fleshed out in a TV format. Animation helped its high-concept sci-fi work organically on the small screen at a relatively low cost, and the success of the show ultimately led to the long-running CGI spin-off, Star Wars: The Clone Wars. By bringing Star Wars onto the small screen for the first time, Clone Wars forever reshaped one of the most beloved sci-fi franchises ever created.
2) Battlestar Galactica (miniseries)
Also released in 2003 was the Battlestar Galacticaminiseries that revived the 1978 show of the same name. Where the original had enjoyed a limited cult following of its own, the 2003 miniseries, which itself served as a backdoor pilot to a rebooted TV show, was in a whole new class. It was an immediate success, proving one of Syfy’s most-watched shows of all time, and rekindling interest in the long-forgotten sci-fi franchise.
Battlestar Galacticais one of the shows that prove there’s no decade like the 2000s for sci-fi, and it all began with the 2003 miniseries. The show that followed it went on to inspire countless new sci-fi shows, movies, and tropes, and it is widely credited with being one of the most influential and important sci-fi releases of all time. By proving that sci-fi could also offer high-concept, thought-provoking stories, Battlestar Galactica both shaped science fiction’s future and earned itself a considerable cult following.
1) Firefly
Fireflyis widely remembered as one of the most unfairly cancelled sci-fi series of all time, because even after only a handful of episodes had aired, its potential was plain to see. Joss Whedon’s sci-fi Western had it all: swashbuckling action, a sci-fi mystery, and an incredibly charismatic cast. Sadly, the show’s run ended far too soon, as Fireflywas notoriously axed incredibly prematurely, with just 14 episodes having made it to air.
Not only was Fireflyahead of its time, but it immediately secured a fan base that remains dedicated even more than two decades after its cancellation. The show’s story was continued in other media, but the strength of the franchise after such a short run taught networks a valuable lesson about the staying power of good sci-fi. Considering the show’s consistent continued popularity and the way it is now hailed as one of the best sci-fi shows of all time, Firefly is by far the genre’s best offering from 2003.
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