Axiom’s Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy

By John J. Joex

Sure we all know about such Science Fiction television warhorses as Star Trek, The Twilight Zone, Battlestar  Galactica, Lost, and so on, and we see the DVDs for these shows everywhere.  But there are some other really good Science Fiction shows out there that have flown under the radar which also deserve your attention.  Here are five shows that you may or may not have heard about, but that you should check out.

The Omega Factor – This exceptional late 70’s British series foreshadows both The X-Files and Millenium. It is ripe with paranormal occurences and sinister conspiracies, but its driving force comes from its well-written, thought-provoking scripts and excellent performances (including Louise Jameson fresh off her stint as Leela on Doctor Who).  Definitely worth checking out if you are a fan of the Chris Carter shows above or if you just like good science fiction.  (Also see my entry on this in my Best of Science Fiction and Fantasy section.)

Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere – A man helps a derelict girl then suddenly finds himself drawn into a bizarre alternate reality that exists in the underworld of London.  This excellent British series, based on Neil Gaiman’s novel, has a hint of “been there, done that” and suffers a bit from the micro-budge typical of that country’s output, but it stands out because of its exceptional performances (most notably Paterson Joseph as the Marquis De Carabas and Hywel Bennett and Clive Russell as Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemaar).

Jeremiah – This series from Bablyon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski had a two season run on Showtime, but never really received the credit it deserved.  Based very loosely on the Belgian comic book of the same name, it tells the story of a devastated Earth after the “Big Death” has wiped out the entire adult population.  Now the children that witnessed this holocaust are coming of age and trying to rebuild society.  The series started out kind of slow, but quickly picked up steam and provided some engaging, though-provoking episodes in line with some of the best of B5.

Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers – This 80’s animated series failed to gain much popularity during its initial run, mostly because it never produced an accompanying line of toys.  It combined Science Fiction and Western elements and focused on a group of “Rangers” tasked with keeping peace in the galaxy.  Mostly comprised of stand-alone episodes, the series delivered excellent animation that compared favorably with the Japanese Anime output of the time.  Not be a ground-breaking series by any means, but still it was good fun.

Armored Trooper Votoms – This excellent Anime series presented a “hard science” look at a galaxy-wide war.  It focused on one man who discovers that he has been designed as a super-soldier and who tries to discover the truth about the project that created himself and others like him.  Its 52 episodes were intricately plotted and broken into four separate story arcs all leading to a final conclusion.  The series was dark and quite violent at times, but ultimately presented a rather strong anti-war message.

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