Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Television for Summer and Fall of 2005

Most of the US cable networks start their seasons in the summer, and although there don't seem to be any new shows on the slate, there are plenty of returning favorites.

USA:

The 4400:

Originally a miniseries, the 4400 was so successful for the USA network, they expanded it into a series. Of course, if you watched the mini, you could tell they were hoping for that all along. The series follows members of "The 4400", individuals who went missing over the past several decades and all returned in one place at one time, as though no time had passed for any of them. Most of them are endowed with mysterious powers, and agents of the Department of Homeland Security must keep tabs on them and try to discover the ultimate purpose of their return.
(Sundays, 9pm, starting June 5th)

The Dead Zone:

Johnny Smith, who awoke from a coma with psychic abilities, continues to be a remarkably good show. Last year ended with a cliffhanger where Johnny got another glimpse of the post-apocalyptic future, and a tragic choice he could make that might just avert it and save billions at the cost of someone he cares about. Anthony Michael Hall does a great job as Johnny, and I've been waiting for new episodes of this for some time.
(Sundays, 10pm, starting June 12th)

Sci-Fi:

Stargate SG-1:

Now going into the 9th year, this one sees some of the biggest changes yet. While Christopher Judge (Teal'c) and Michael Shanks (Daniel Jackson) are returning for the whole year, Amanda Tapping (Samantha Carter) will be sitting out the first few episodes altogether due to her pregnancy, and Richard Dean Anderson (Jack O'Neill) will no longer be a regular cast member. That last one might sound awful, but there is a special treat that may, at least partially, make up for it. Ben Browder of Farscape will be joining the regular cast, and he will be joined, for the first few episodes, by Claudia Black, who played Aeryn Sun on Farscape, as she reprises her guest role from an 8th season episode while Amanda Tapping is unavailable. Beau Bridges and Andromeda's Lexa Doig are also set to play regular and recurring roles, respectively. Last year I was surprised at how much I continue to enjoy the show, and can only hope they keep it up for another year.
(Fridays, 8pm, starting July 15th)

Stargate Atlantis:

The Stargate spinoff goes into a second year as the team tries to fend off a Wraith attack while waiting for backup from Earth. Cast changes are also in store here, as Rainbow Sun Francks will only be returning in a recurring capacity, to be replaced by Jason Mamoa. Paul McGillion who played nervous Scottish doctor Carson Beckett will also be bumped up to a regular cast member, and, for X-Files fans, Mitch Pileggi (Assistant Director Walter Skinner) will be playing a recurring role. While I'm still more a fan of the original Stargate series, it should be interesting to see where they go with this.
(Fridays, 9pm, starting July 15th)

Battlestar Galactica:

One of the most successful remakes in recent memory, Battlestar Galactica also returns Fridays this summer at the beginning of the second season. All of the cast of the first season is expected to return, and Richard Hatch is expected to play in at least 6 episodes.
(Fridays, 10pm, starting July 15th)

Most of the major US networks have released their Fall TV Schedules, and despite the deaths of shows like Enterprise, there's still a fair bit of Speculative Fiction related shows due for the coming year, in part inspired by the success of shows like Lost. I've filtered out all the reality shows, Law and Orders, the CSIs, and all the other new shows to provide this list of all those shows, both new and returning, that push the boundaries a bit.

FOX:

Reunion:

It may not exactly be SF, but it's about the closest thing I could find on FOX's schedule. This show is a mystery dealing with the intertwined lives of a group of 6 friends who went to school together. The SFish aspect? It's almost the anti-24. Each episode takes place one year further in the future from the last one, starting from 1986 and ending in 2005 as they creep ever closer to the 20th reunion, where there has been a death of one of the group, being investigated by the police. Okay, that's pretty weak, but so is FOX's schedule.
(Thursdays, 9pm EST)

ABC:

Inspired by the success of Lost, ABC's gone the heaviest into the SF drama niche. They've got four shows - two returning, and two new.

Lost:

What's beyond the Hatch? What is the monster? Is Locke on the side of light or darkness? What was Kate's original crime? What is the secret of Hurley's numbers? What do the Others want with Walt? Will they ever get off The Island? Hopefully some of these questions will be answered when the second season of the hit show LOST begins in September. The show is moving from 8pm to 9pm, but it's staying on Wednesdays.
(Wednesdays, 9pm EST)

Invasion:

Immediately following Lost is a new show. A small Flordia town is caught in a hurricane. During the storm, strange lights are seen in the skies, and a park ranger's missing ex-wife is found naked on a highway with no memory. Weird events start to continue as the park ranger is caught in a fight for the survival of the human race.
(Wednesdays, 10pm EST)

Alias:

Alias returns for its fifth season after an abrupt and shocking cliffhanger, but now it's moving to Thursdays at 8pm. Jennifer Garner's reported pregnancy may complicate matters, though. Still, whatever happens, it's sure this show will contain a good mix of spy action, weird super-science, and surprise twists. I haven't heard yet if Lena Olin will be returning as Irina Derevko, but we can certainly hope.
(Thursdays, 8pm EST)

The Night Stalker:

A remake of the old show Kolchak, the Night Stalker. A crime reporter, Carl Kolchack (Stuart Townsend) starts to investigate murders that seem to have a supernatural component, with his sidekick Perry Reed.
(Thursdays, 9pm EST)

CBS:

Ghost Whisperer:

With the lamest title of the year and a concept sounding like a ripoff of NBC's Medium, how could this show fail? In this show, Jennifer Love Hewitt plays a newlywed who has the ability to talk to ghosts, and who uses that ability to help dead people solve their unresolved issues. One of the selling points is that stories are allegedly based on the experiences of famed psychic James Van Praagh.
(Fridays, 8pm EST)

Threshold:

An alien craft is located in the ocean, which brings into action a think-tank who have been held in waiting for just this sort of event - first contact. They must scramble to discover the purpose and origin of the alien craft, and try to figure out if humanity's about to face an invasion. One of the more interesting looking outings of the year, this show stars Carla Gugino, Charles Dutton, Brent Spiner (from Star Trek: The Next Generation), Robert Patrick Benedict, Brian Van Holt, and Peter Dinklage. The big warning sign? Trek scribe Brannon Braga's one of the executive producers. On the other hand, so is Blade and Batman Begins writer David Goyer.
(Fridays, 9pm EST, expected to premiere September 2nd)

NBC

Surface (originally titled Fathom):

A new show, about a new form of life appearing in the oceans. The strange creatures are pretty and kids love them, but there may be some dark secrets behind their appearance. Lake Bell stars in this sci-fi drama. (The original name, Fathom, is unrelated to the comic of the same name)
(Mondays, 8pm EST)

Medium:

This show about a psychic housewife and mother who gets visions, speaks to spirits and helps solves crimes for the district attorney's office ended last year on a cliffhanger, with a cop about to kill himself so he can come back as a ghost and give Allison (Patricia Arquette) the information she needs to stop a serial killer. Well, the show's due to come back, same psychic-time, same psychic-channel.
(Mondays, 10pm EST)

WB

Charmed:

You know, somehow, I've never seen an episode of this. But nonetheless, Charmed is going into another year on the WB. The show is about three witches, Paige, Piper, and Phoebe who fight the forces of darkness.
(Sundays, 8pm EST)

Smallville:

Now going into its fifth season, this season continues the ongoing story of young Clark Kent (Tom Welling), now a college freshman. Although Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) and Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk) are likely sure to be in the cast, it's still up in the air how Chloe will be back, since she should have moved on to college in Metropolis. The show will also be moving to Thursdays. (Thursdays, 8pm EST)

Supernatural:

Jensen Ackles from Smallville and Jared Padalecki from Gilmore Girls join forces in this supernatural road trip. They play two brothers who are continuing their father's mission to fight the supernatural forces responsible for the murder of their mother, decades ago.
(Tuesdays, 9pm EST)