Early steampunk technothriller set in 19th-century America's Wild West. Good guy spies battle a gallery of surreal villains, including height-disadvantaged superscientist Dr Miguelito, played by Michael Dunn. A surprise hit for the American CBS network, re-runs remain extremely popular with fans of genre-hopping speculative fiction.
Edwardian adventurer is frozen by his arch-enemy and shows up 64 years later in the Swinging Sixties. He hooks up with a really groovy chick and an eccentric butler - whereupon he continues his roguishly adventurous lifestyle. The series premise underwent a revival of sorts with the hugely successful Austin Powers films.
Highlander 119 episodes (1992-98) 60m
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Based on the popular feature film of the same name, Scottish highlander Duncan MacLeod is an Immortal who has been alive for four centuries. The hero regularly confronts other Immortals who are trying to kill him, because in the end only one can be left standing. Each new season introduced a new twist to the plot.
Adventures of Brisco County Jr 27 episodes (1993-94) 60m
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Steampunk western in The Wild Wild West tradition. Legal-eagle bounty hunter out to avenge murder of his father has encounters with strange 'Orbs', which he must keep from falling into the wrong hands. Terrific show that despite its brevity developed a strong cult following that wishes it had all gone on for longer.
The Adventures of Sinbad 44 episodes (1996-98) 60m
The famous sailor from The Arabian Nights sets out from Baghdad and encounters various sorcerers, monsters and other bad guys on his journey. Solid if unspectacular fantasy series spawned in the wake of the Hercules/Xena fad. Plenty of swordfights and scantily clad maidens kept things moving along at a nice pace though.
New Adventures of Robin Hood 52 episodes (1997-99) 60m
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It might be drawing a long bow, but these new adventures trace the roots of the famous medieval outlaw back to an Arthurian prophesy made by Merlin. The familiar characters are all on hand, including a somewhat robust Maid Marion, as Robin and crew set about robbing from the rich to give to the poor with lots of magic involved.
The Lost World 66 episodes + premiere (1999-2002) 60m
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Although Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's name is added to the title, this show has little in common with the original novel and is really more about Jennifer O'Dell's outstanding body parts than anything else. For the record, a group of 1930s adventurers get stuck in a lost world full of dinosaurs somewhere in Mongolia. Terrific eye-candy.
Dinotopia 9 episodes (2002) 60/120m
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Six-hour miniseries that spawned a brief six episode series. When a wealthy businessman crashes his plane in the Caribbean his two teenage sons find themselves stuck in Dinotopia. Talking dinosaurs share the world with humans in a social arrangement that has its fair share of cultural tensions. Spectacular special effects.
