Why Some Classic Sci-Fi Shows Wouldn't Survive Today

Sci-fi TV shows have changed a lot over the years. Many popular series from the past wouldn't make it today. Why? Because making TV shows is different now. Networks and streaming services are picky about what they spend money on. Take "The Expanse, " for example. It was a big hit and had a huge budget. Each episode cost between $5 and $10 million to make. That's a lot of money, even for streaming services like Netflix. They often cancel sci-fi shows after just one or two seasons. "The Expanse" had six seasons, but it's unlikely that would happen today. "Fringe" is another show that wouldn't make it today. It cost a lot to produce, and it aired on network TV. Networks don't spend much on sci-fi shows anymore, especially if they're not super popular. "Fringe" had 20 episodes in its first four seasons. That's a lot for a network show today. "Westworld" is another expensive show. The first season alone cost around $100 million. That's a huge amount of money, even for HBO. With big budgets like that, it's hard for sci-fi shows to get made today. Networks and streaming services want to make sure they'll get a lot of viewers before they spend that much money. "Lost" was a huge hit in the 2000s. It had six seasons and 121 episodes. But it's unlikely a show like that would make it today. Networks don't spend as much on TV shows anymore, and they're not as willing to take risks. "The X-Files" is another show that wouldn't make it today. It had nine seasons and was a huge hit. But networks don't renew shows like that anymore, especially if they're expensive and complex. Fox even canceled "9-1-1: Lone Star" partly because of its high budget. "Sense8" is a good example of a show that didn't make it because of its budget. Each episode cost around $4. 5 million in the first season and $9 million in the second. Netflix canceled it after two seasons because it didn't have enough viewers to justify the cost. "Mork & Mindy" was a unique show. It was both a sitcom and a sci-fi series. That combination is unlikely to happen today. Sitcoms are hit or miss, and sci-fi shows on network TV are rare. Combining the two genres would be too risky for networks today. "Heroes" is another show that wouldn't make it today. Almost all superhero shows that get made today are under the Marvel or DC umbrella. A show like "Heroes" wouldn't stand a chance.