Great sci-fi television offers a glimpse into the future while also saying something about modern times. Some series were spot-on with their depictions of the near future, whether intentional or not. Revisiting these shows years later can be fascinating for genre fans, especially when what was once considered futuristic becomes part of everyday life.
Classic science fiction series are filled with such moments. Enough time has passed to allow certain aspects to come to fruition and be compared with the current world. The following series provided several intriguing examples of sci-fi TV looking ahead, highlighting concepts that feel much less like science fiction now.
The Outer Limits Anticipated Mass Surveillance and Long-Distance Communication
Premiering in September 1963, the first episode of The Outer Limits, "The Galaxy Being", follows Cliff Robertson's Alan Maxwell, a radio engineer who makes contact with an alien being from the Andromeda Galaxy. Maxwell and the alien communicate through a three-dimensional TV receiver. In retrospect, the interaction looks oddly like a Zoom or Skype call.
Several episodes later, Season 1, Episode 7, "O.B.I.T.," highlights a government device c...