At least 17 episodes of this series can be safely classified as sci-fi, with several others containing science fictional elements. The show hit a creative peak from 1965-67 when Diana Rigg (playing Emma Peel) took over as secret agent John Steed's sidekick. Most of the SF episodes were penned by Philip Levene. A "complete Emma Peel mega-set" is available on DVD.
Only the British could get away with making a TV series this surreal. Star Patrick McGoohan (Number 6), who also wrote the series, confronts a succession of Number 2s in trying to escape from 'the village' - with large guardian-balls thwarting every attempt. Lost? Number 6 could never get a straight answer to a question either.
When their plane crashes, three agents from an organisation working for all the world's governments are endowed with super human physical and mental powers courtesy of some mysterious Tibetans. Law, order and justice inevitably prevail as they go about averting international crises. Topnotch in its day and still rattles the cages.
UFO 26 episodes (1970-71) 60m
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Gerry Anderson abandons puppets for live actors in this superior pre-cursor to Space 1999. Near-future Earth is invaded by flying saucers full of nasty aliens. Only SHADO (Supreme Headquarters Alien Defence Organisation) resistance is offered, and then only for one 26-episode season. Critical flop, but still has a strong following.
Space 1999 48 episodes (1975-77) 60m
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Low-budget SFX led British audiences to dub this Star Trek imitator 'Space Nineteen and Ninepence', but Trek-starved US viewers managed to keep it alive for two years. The moon is blasted out of orbit, taking its colonists on an intergalactic excursion where they meet lots of nasty aliens. Good actors without the opportunity to fully utilise their talents.
Survivors 38 episodes (1975-77) 60m
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Post-apocalyptic survival story about groups of middle-class Brits trying to preserve the last remnants of civilisation. Creator Terry Nation depicts a sombre atmosphere that looks like it came straight out of the pages of a John Wyndham novel. Significant cast changes between seasons caused some serious continuity problems.
Blake's 7 52 episodes (1978-81) 60m
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Trek meets Robin Hood in this at times darkly pessimistic show. Despite this and the cheap sets, the series became a British cult classic. With the aid of an alien spaceship and an ill-tempered computer, Blake (who leaves the show after the second season) leads his crew of rejects in the struggle against galactic totalitarianism.
The Day of the Triffids 6 episodes (1981) 30m
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A superb BBC adaptation of the classic John Wyndham 'cosy catastrophe'. When a meteorite shower causes mass blindness carnivorous plants go on the rampage against their human masters. As typical for BBC productions, the SFX are pretty basic and the dialogue can be a bit plodding at times. Had enough going for it, however, to put a 2009 remake on the drawing board.
