The 40 most popular 1960s sci-fi & fantasy TV shows, ranked. Click any show for ratings, reviews, trailers, and where to watch.


Dark Shadows
1966
country: United States
Dark Shadows is an American gothic soap opera that originally aired weekdays on the ABC television network, from June 27, 1966, to April 2, 1971. The show was created by Dan Curtis. The story bible, which was written by Art Wallace, does not mention any supernatural elements. It was unprecedented in daytime television when ghosts were introduced about six months after it began. The series became hugely popular when vampire Barnabas Collins appeared a year into its run. Dark Shadows also featured werewolves, zombies, man-made monsters, witches, warlocks, time travel, and a parallel universe. A small company of actors each played many roles; indeed, as actors came and went, some characters were played by more than one actor. Major writers besides Art Wallace included Malcolm Marmorstein, Sam Hall, Gordon Russell, and Violet Welles.


Doctor Who
1963
country: United Kingdom
The adventures of The Doctor, a time-traveling humanoid alien known as a Time Lord. He explores the universe in his TARDIS, a sentient time-traveling spaceship. Its exterior appears as a blue British police box, which was a common sight in Britain in 1963 when the series first aired. Along with a succession of companions, The Doctor faces a variety of foes while working to save civilizations, help ordinary people, and right many wrongs.


Star Trek
1966
country: United States
Space. The Final Frontier. The U.S.S. Enterprise embarks on a five year mission to explore the galaxy. The Enterprise is under the command of Captain James T. Kirk with First Officer Mr. Spock, from the planet Vulcan. With a determined crew, the Enterprise encounters Klingons, Romulans, time paradoxes, tribbles and genetic supermen led by Khan Noonian Singh. Their mission is to explore strange new worlds, to seek new life and new civilizations, and to boldly go where no man has gone before.


I Dream of Jeannie
1965
country: United States
While on a mission, American astronaut Captain Tony Nelson is forced to make an emergency landing that will forever change his life. On a deserted South Pacific island, Captain Nelson happens upon a bottle containing a beautiful two-thousand-year-old female genie named Jeannie. Rescuing her from the bottle nets Tony the requisite three wishes, and then some, when Jeannie pledges total devotion to her new "master".


Get Smart
1965
country: United States
Maxwell Smart, a hilariously inept and maladroit secret agent for CONTROL, battles the nefarious—though equally incompetent—KAOS.


Bewitched
1964
country: United States
Samantha Stephens is a seemingly normal suburban housewife who also happens to be a genuine witch, with all the requisite magical powers. Her husband Darrin insists that Samantha keep her witchcraft under wraps, but situations invariably require her to indulge her powers while keeping her bothersome mother Endora at bay.


The Name of the Game
1968
country: United States
The Name of the Game is an American television series starring Tony Franciosa, Gene Barry, and Robert Stack that ran from 1968 to 1971 on NBC, totaling 76 episodes of 90 minutes. It was a pioneering wheel series, setting the stage for The Bold Ones and the NBC Mystery Movie in the 1970s. The show had an extremely large budget for a television series.


The Avengers
1961
country: United Kingdom
A quirky spy show of the adventures of eccentrically suave British Agent John Steed and his predominantly female partners. Jonathan Steed - an urbane, proper gentleman spy - teams with various assistants throughout the series' run, including Dr. David Keel, Cathy Gale, Emma Peel and Tara King, to repeatedly save the world from diabolical schemes plotted by equally diabolical evil-doers (among them robots and man-eating monsters).


Batman
1966
country: United States
Wealthy entrepreneur Bruce Wayne and his ward Dick Grayson lead a double life: they are actually crime fighting duo Batman and Robin. A secret Batpole in the Wayne mansion leads to the Batcave, where Police Commissioner Gordon often calls with the latest emergency threatening Gotham City. Racing to the scene of the crime in the Batmobile, Batman and Robin must (with the help of their trusty Bat-utility-belt) thwart the efforts of a variety of master criminals, including The Riddler, The Joker, Catwoman, and The Penguin.


The Wild Wild West
1965
country: United States
During the administration of President Ulysses Grant, Secret Service agents James West and Artemus Gordon solve crimes, protect the President, and foil the plans of megalomaniacal villains to take over all or part of the United States.


Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
1964
country: United States
Join the crew of the Seaview aboard their super high-tech submarine, where no mission is too dangerous and no threat is too deadly, be it enemy agents, mad scientists, deadly sea creatures, or impending nuclear disaster.


The Invaders
1967
country: United States
The Invaders, alien beings from a dying planet. Their destination: the Earth. Their purpose: to make it their world. David Vincent has seen them, for him it began one lost night on a lonely country road, looking for a shortcut that he never found. It began with a closed deserted diner, and a man too long without sleep to continue his journey. It began with the landing of a craft from another galaxy. Now, David Vincent knows that the Invaders are here, that they have taken human form. Somehow he must convince a disbelieving world that the nightmare has already begun.


The Outer Limits
1963
country: United States
The Outer Limits is an anthology tv series of self-contained sci-fi-horror stories, sometimes with a plot twist at the end.


Astro Boy
1963
country: Japan
In the year 2000, Dr. Boyton creates a super-robot in his deceased son's image. He calls the robot Astro Boy. Astro Boy can swim oceans, leap over mountains, even fly into space on his own power. However, Astro Boy can't replace his son. Dr. Boyton becomes dissatisfied with the boy robot and disowns him. Astro Boy is befriended by Dr. Packadermus J. Elefun of the Institute of Science, who guides him through his adventures. Endowed with super strength, rocket-powered flight, a selfless heart and a kind demeanor, Astro Boy fights a never-ending crusade against the forces of evil!


Lost in Space
1965
country: United States
The space family Robinson is sent on a five-year mission to find a new planet to colonise. The voyage is sabotaged time and again by an inept stowaway, Dr. Zachary Smith. The family's spaceship, Jupiter II, also carries a friendly robot who endures an endless stream of abuse from Dr. Smith, but is a trusted companion of young Will Robinson


Land of the Giants
1968
country: United States
Set fifteen years in the then-future year 1983, the series tells the tale of the crew and passengers of a sub-orbital transport ship named Spindrift. In the pilot episode, the Spindrift is en route from Los Angeles to London, on an ultra-fast sub-orbital flight. Just beyond Earth's boundary with space, the Spindrift encounters a magnetic space storm, and is dragged through a space warp to a mysterious planet where everything is twelve times larger than on Earth, whose inhabitants the Earthlings nickname "the Giants". The Spindrift crash-lands, and the damage renders it inoperable.


The Marvel Super Heroes
1966
country: United States
This cartoon series, characterized by extremely limited animation, features five of the most popular super-powered heroes from Marvel Comics: the Incredible Hulk, the Mighty Thor, Captain America, Iron Man, and the Sub-Mariner.


The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
1964
country: United States
Agents Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin work for a secret intelligence service working under the auspices of the U.N. Their immediate superior is Mr. Waverly. Together they operate out of a secret base beneath the streets of New York City, and accesses through several cover business such as Del Floria's Tailor Shop and the Masque Club. This secret intelligence service is called U.N.C.L.E. United Network Command for Law and Enforcement.


The Flying Nun
1967
country: United States
Young Sister Bertrille uses her ability to become airborne to help others, whether they want it or not. Although her aims are always benevolent, her means are often bemoaned by Mother Superior. The other Sisters must cope with their beloved Sister's aerodynamics and antics as she flies in and out of trouble.


The Munsters
1964
country: United States
A family of friendly monsters that have misadventures all while never quite understanding why people react to them so strangely.


Ultraman
1966
country: Japan
Hayata is a member of the Science Patrol, an organization tasked with investigating bizarre anomalies. He is mortally wounded when accidently encountering an alien being from Land of Light, who grants Hayata new life as the two are merged into one. Now, whenever a threat arises that is too great for the Science Patrol to handle, Hayata activates the beta capsule and becomes the hero known as Ultraman.


The Champions
1968
country: United Kingdom
After a plane carrying three Agents crashes in the Himalayas, they are rescued by an advanced civilisation secretly living in Tibet who grant them enhanced versions of the ordinary five senses, and intellectual and physical abilities.


Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!
1969
country: United States
Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, and the talking dog, Scooby-Doo, travel on the Mystery Machine van, in search of weird mysteries to solve.


The Time Tunnel
1966
country: United States
The Time Tunnel is a 1966–1967 U.S. color science fiction TV series, written around a theme of time travel adventure. The show was creator-producer Irwin Allen's third science fiction television series, released by 20th Century Fox and broadcast on ABC. The show ran for one season of 30 episodes. Reruns are viewable on cable and by internet streaming. A pilot for a new series was produced in 2002, although it was not picked up.


My Favorite Martian
1963
country: United States
Newspaper reporter Tim O'Hara finds a crashed alien spaceship that contains one live alien. Not wanting to be discovered by the authorities, the Martian assumes the identity of Tim's Uncle Martin and begins to repair his spaceship so that he can return to Mars.


Out of the Unknown
1965
country: United Kingdom
Out of the Unknown is a British television science fiction anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and broadcast on BBC2 in four series between 1965 and 1971. Each episode was a dramatisation of a science fiction short story; some were created for the series, but most were adaptations of already published stories. The first three years were exclusively science fiction, but that genre was abandoned in the final year in favour of horror and fantasy. A number of episodes were wiped during the early 1970s, as was standard procedure at the time.


Strange Paradise
1969
country: Canada
Strange Paradise is a Canadian occult / supernatural soap opera of 195 episodes, initially launched in syndication in the United States on September 8, 1969, and later broadcast on CBC Television from October 20, 1969 to July 22, 1970. The production was the brainchild of producer Steve Krantz, in an attempt to capitalize on the phenomenal success of ABC's daytime serial Dark Shadows. To develop this series, Krantz hired actor-writer Ian Martin and veteran TV and radio producer Jerry Layton, both of who would be given screen credit for the creation of Strange Paradise. With the CBC and American broadcasters Metromedia and Kaiser Broadcasting handling distribution and co-production, the series was produced in Ottawa at CTV affiliate CJOH-TV and aired for 39 weeks, presenting three separate 13-week story arcs.


Ultraseven
1967
country: Japan
In the not-too-distant future, the Earth finds itself constantly under attack from extraterrestrial threats. The Terrestrial Defense Force establishes the Ultra Garrison, a team of six elite members who utilize high-tech vehicles and weaponry. Joining their fight is the mysterious Dan Moroboshi, secretly an alien from the Land of Light in Nebula M-78, who transforms into his true form in times of crisis, Ultraseven.


The Prisoner
1967
country: United Kingdom
After resigning, a secret agent is abducted and taken to what looks like an idyllic village, but is really a bizarre Kafkaesque prison. His warders demand information. He gives them nothing, but only tries to escape.


Space Ghost and Dino Boy
1966
country: United States
Intergalactic policeman Space Ghost navigates the cosmos in his tricked-out spaceship, The Phantom Cruiser, battling villains like Brak and Zorak in his legendary suit and powerful wristbands. Dino Boy teams with caveman Ugh and dinosaur Bronty to go primeval on the ancient menaces of their primitive home.


Cackling Kitarou
1968
country: Japan
Kitarou, a ghost, spends his afterlife helping humans in need of his skills. He thwarts the plans of evil spirits who live to torment humanity.


The Green Hornet
1966
country: United States
The Green Hornet is a television series on the ABC US television network that aired for the 1966–1967 TV season starring Van Williams as the Green Hornet/Britt Reid and Bruce Lee as Kato.


Aquaman
1967
country: United States
Aquaman is a Filmation animated series that premiered on CBS on September 9, 1967, and ended June 1970. It is a 30-minute version of The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure, repackaged without the Superman and Superboy segments. The show is composed of previously-aired adventures featuring the DC Comics superheroes Aquaman and his sidekick Aqualad, the Atom, the Flash and Kid Flash, the Green Lantern and Hawkman. The Justice League of America and Teen Titans are also featured in team adventures.


Thunderbirds
1965
country: United Kingdom
Thunderbirds is a 1960s British science-fiction television series which was produced using a mixed method of marionette puppetry and scale-model special effects termed "Supermarionation". The series is set in the 21st century and follows the exploits of International Rescue, a secret organization formed to save people in mortal danger with the help of technologically advanced land, sea, air and space vehicles and equipment, launched from a hidden base on Tracy Island in the South Pacific Ocean.


Department S
1969
country: United Kingdom
Department S is a United Kingdom spy-fi adventure series produced by ITC Entertainment. The series consists of 28 episodes which originally aired in 1969–1970. It starred Peter Wyngarde as author Jason King, Joel Fabiani as Stewart Sullivan, and Rosemary Nicols as computer expert Annabelle Hurst. The trio were agents for a fictional special department of Interpol. The head of Department S was Sir Curtis Seretse.


Moby Dick and Mighty Mightor
1967
country: United States
Moby Dick and Mighty Mightor is a science fiction animated series created by Alex Toth for Hanna-Barbera Productions, which ran on CBS from 1967 to 1969. Despite Moby's name coming first, he had only one short per half-hour episode, sandwiched between two with Mightor; the same structure was used the previous season for H-B's Frankenstein, Jr. and The Impossibles.


Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
1967
country: United Kingdom
Captain Scarlet heads up an international intelligence agency as they battle against the Mysterons, an alien species from Mars that vows vengeance after a misunderstanding with humans.


The Odyssey
1968
country: Italy
Odysseus' journey, told in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. After fighting in the Trojan War, Odysseus spends years trying to return home to Itaka.


My Mother the Car
1965
country: United States
The story of the relationship between a man and his mother, the latter having been reincarnated as a 1928 Porter automobile.


The Ghost & Mrs. Muir
1968
country: United States
Derived from the 1947 movie with the same name, a house is haunted by a deceased sea captain who wreaks havoc with the new tenants who were not advised of his existence.
1960s television was the medium's first confident decade, when the Western and the variety show gave way to a broader range of genre programming in colour.
Science fiction and fantasy on television get to build worlds across dozens of hours, which is why the genre's most detailed universes are TV universes. Effects costs long constrained it; streaming budgets no longer do.