The Spring Sci-Fi Preview! (2011)
From Game of Thrones to True Blood, we take a look at the genre shows airing (and premiering!) this spring.
Spring has sprung, and that means new and returning science fiction television! Here is our handy guide for what to watch in the world of sci-fi and fantasy this spring.
APRIL
Doctor Who (Saturdays, BBC America) – SEASON PREMIERE APRIL 23! The sixth season of the modern-day revival of this cult classic stars Matt Smith in his second go as the 900+ year-old Time Lord. The season premiere’s story will bring the Doctor, Amy, and Rory to the American southwest in the 1960s — the first time Doctor Who has been filmed in the United States. The show also has a near-simultaneous worldwide premiere, airing on BBC1 (U.K.), BBC America (U.S.), and SPACE (Canada) on Saturday nights.
The Event (Mondays, NBC) – More secrets are sure (hopefully?) to be revealed as the ensemble drama about humanoid aliens — some of whom are trying to go home, and some of whom want to stay and integrate into our society — winds down. NBC is not expected to give it a second season.
Game of Thrones (Sundays, HBO) – SERIES PREMIERE APRIL 17! HBO dives into the world of pure fantasy with this highly anticipated adaptation of the novels by George R.R. Martin, which just premiered last night. The series follows the dynastic struggles of noble families vying for control of the Iron Throne of the kingdom of Westeros. It stars some great faces from sci-fi and fantasy’s past, including Sean Bean (Lord of the Rings), Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (New Amsterdam), Peter Dinklage (Threshold), and Lena Headey (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles). Watch it.
Game premieres tonight (April 18) on Sky Atlantic in the U.K.
Sanctuary (Fridays, Syfy) – MID-SEASON PREMIERE APRIL 15! While Syfy’s Monday night shows are winding down, Sanctuary is just gearing up again with the back half of its third season (Friday nights at 10/9c). Amanda Tapping leads her team on more dangerous missions to keep the world safe from things that go bump in the night … and to keep the monsters safe from the world, too. Sanctuary has been renewed for a fourth season.
Smallville (Fridays, The CW) – The final episodes of the series continue this month as Clark inches closer to his ultimate destiny.
Stargate Universe (Mondays, Syfy) – SGU continues airing its final episodes all month long, including what look like some truly epic stories (the two-parter “Common Ground” and “Epilogue,” starting tonight). Unfortunately the show will end on a bittersweet cliffhanger, with executive producer Brad Wright confirming yesterday that there will be no movies.
Supernatural (Fridays, The CW) – The sixth season continues with new episodes for the Winchester boys, leading up to May’s two-hour season finale. Things look good for a seventh year.
MAY
May brings the series finales for Stargate Universe (May 9), Smallville (May 13, two hours), and The Event (May 23).
The Vampire Diaries (May 12) and Supernatural (May 20) also wrap their current seasons, but will likely be back in the fall.
Doctor Who continues Saturday nights on BBC, BBC America, and SPACE.
Game of Thrones continues Sunday nights on HBO.
JUNE
Doctor Who concludes the first half of Series Six with its first mid-season cliffhanger. After a summer hiatus, the show will return with the second half of its 13-episode season.
Falling Skies (Sundays, TNT) – SERIES PREMIERE JUNE 19! The other spring premiere is TNT’s big re-entry into the genre, an alien invasion and resistance movement story from Dreamworks television. It stars Noah Wyle (ER) and Moon Bloodgood (Terminator: Salvation, Journeyman). While the trailers do evoke an occasional eyeroll (especially the little kids describing the invasion), the show looks promising and has what look to be some outstanding visual effects and combat sequences. As tough as science fiction has it on television these days, we’re thrilled to see another cable network come to the party.
Teen Wolf (Sundays, MTV) – SERIES PREMIERE JUNE 5! MTV is jumping into the lucrative world of horrific creatures and teen angst with a grittier take on the Michael J. Fox movie from the 1980s. Don’t expect any rocking out on top of a moving van (or anywhere else, for that matter). It premieres June 5 at 11/10c (after the MTV Movie Awards).
True Blood (Sundays, HBO) – SEASON PREMIERE JUNE 12! Season Four of the vampire drama begins on June 12, with another 12 episodes.
Stay tuned to SciFi Stream for our Summer Preview, including four shows on Syfy Channel and the premiere of Alphas!
