{Space: Above and Beyond
  {When Space: Above and Beyond™ (SaAB) premiered way back in 1995 on FOX, I was working at KMart stocking shoes. Unfortunately for me, I missed the series premiere and had to watch it the next day on tape (thanks goes to Jay for taping it for me). When I sat down and watched the series, I was blown away at how good it actually was.
{SaAB Lands on Mars

The show(s) were well written and interesting. I found myself being drawn into the plots and characters week after week. Would Coop' remain loyal to the 58th or get everyone killed? Would the Chigs invade Earth? The only way to find out for sure was to tune in weekly for the next episode.

My favorite episodes of the series would have to include "THE DARK SIDE OF THE SUN", "MUTINY", "WHO MONITORS THE BIRDS?", "TOY SOLDIERS", and "SUGAR DIRT". What other shows, other than perhaps the X-Files™ or ER™, were as well written or apt do delve into such controversial areas. A climate of hate exists in the 2060's against a new class of people, the "Invitros", much like existed in the 1950's against African Americans.

 

{SaAB SilicateAnother reason that this show was "ahead of it's time" is that major characters could die in the series! There was no way to tell if your favorite character in the show would make it back from a dangerous mission or to quote DampHouse, "...wind up as little gold stars on our mothers windows".

Mankind, in the 21st century is also battling one of it's creations, the Silicates. Originally built as a sort of slave–race to serve man, the Silicates turned "evil" after a virus infected their systems telling them to "take a chance". Ever since, the Silicates have waged a terrorist-like war against their creators.

 

{SaAB Blood AllyUnfortunately, for everyone, the show was canceled before the start of the second season. Gone were the exciting/ interesting/ well-written/ character-driven stories. Who knows why this show was only given one season to prove itself while others, like the now dismal Millennium or the uninteresting JAG is given season after season to drudge along.

I sometimes try to imagine what the new seasons would have been like. Would there be a movie in the works, now that the show would be entering it's fifth season in 1999? Who knows. One thing is certain, though, FOX killed SaAB to make room for horrible shows, like ALLY McBEAL and MELROSE PLACE, that earn the ratings.
2-15-1999

  See even more information about Space: Above and beyond, when you visit The Sci Fi Channel the current home for SaAB.  

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