The Real History of Science Fiction

Miniseries

TV-PG

A definitive exploration of science fiction's enduring themes - time travel, space exploration, robots/AI, and aliens - through cinema, TV, and literature, with insights from the genre's visionary creators.

Where to Watch Miniseries

4 Episodes

Robots
E1
RobotsWhat if our creations turn against us? The idea of creating life has fascinated society since the earliest days of science fiction. From HAL in 2001: A Space Odyssey to the Cylons of the reimagined Battlestar Galactica and the world of The Matrix, this is a journey that asks - what does it mean to be human?
Space
E2
SpaceWhat if we could explore the vastness of Space? Science fiction has always fed upon our need to wonder what is out there. From the horrifying scenes of Alien, to the epic spectacle of Star Wars, this is a journey to the stars and the alien encounters that await us there.
Invasion
E3
InvasionWhat if aliens landed on Earth? No? Well, there is more than one kind of invasion.
Time
E4
TimeThis Time Travel Special journeys from H. G. Wells The Time Machine through ideas like The Grandfather Paradox and The Butterfly Effect, to the professional time traveler that is the ever popular Doctor Who. Steven Moffat, David Tennant, Karen Gillan, and Neil Gaiman offer a unique perspective on the Doctor. Furthermore, Edward James Olmos reveals the hidden meaning of the language he created for the vision of the future that is Blade Runner, while Bob Gale and Christopher Lloyd take us behind the scenes of Back to the Future.