The Invisible Man
46 episodes (2000-02) 60m

One of the best sci-fi shows to air in recent times. Conman and thief Darien Fawkes avoids jail with a glandular implant that can render him invisible. The catch is that he'll go nuts if he doesn't get regular doses of a counteragent controlled by the "Agency" - so he turns to public service taking on all manner of spies and criminals.

Andromeda
110 episodes (2000-05) 60m

A topnotch Gene Roddenberry brainchild - 'High Guard' ship and captain get caught in time dilation. Three centuries later a salvage-freighter finds both, but the gloriously idealistic Commonwealth has decayed and 'Slipstream' inter-planetary travel is almost forgotten. Freighter crew joins captain to establish a New Commonwealth.

Dark Angel
43 episodes (2000-02) 60m

Genetically-enhanced humans in post-apocalyptic America escape from their military minders and head off in different directions. A corruption-busting journalist helps one of them to evade her captors and find the others of her type. Appeared set to be renewed for a third season, but unexpectedly got the axe at the last minute.

Dune (& Children of Dune)
6 episodes (2000 & 2003) 120m

Popular miniseries based on the famous Frank Herbert novel. Writer and director John Harrison does a great job depicting all the soap-operatic tension and nasty politics of the House of Atreides on the sandworld Arrakis. William Hurt plays the Duke and Alec Newman the young Paul Atreides destined for messiah status. Children of Dune followed in 2003.

Smallville
In production (2001-present) 60m

A soapy version of the premise used in the original Superboy comics. Young Clark Kent shows up in the town of Smallville and is adopted by conscientious parent-types. Our hero faces some serious teenage angst while dealing with the fact he's not like the other kids. Pre-villainous Lex Luthor provides much of the magic. Proving remarkably durable.

Alias
105 episodes (2001-06) 60m

Ultra-sexy Jennifer Garner stars as Sydney Bristow, an undercover agent recruited out of college to work for the shadowy SD-6 organisation. She faces a sort of spy identity crisis as the CIA and a couple of evil organisations enter the scene, all of which is linked to artefacts built by a 15th century scientist and prophet.

The Lone Gunmen
13 episodes (2001) 60m

Live fast, die young series that deserved better. A trio of nerdy conspiracy theorists prove they may not be nuts after all by using high-tech hacking and other investigative novelties. Of course, the tabloid they publish is generally looked upon as lacking true credibility, despite all the evidence. Loads of fun, but the episode that seemed to predict 9/11 was close to the bone.

Firefly
15 episodes (2002) 60m

Sci-fi western that never really took off, despite a pretty healthy budget and the input of Buffy creator Joss Whedon. Four centuries from now a violent civil war results in the formation of the Union of Planets. Our heroes don't care for the new deal and zoom around in the Firefly-class ship Serenity expressing their displeasure.