When X-Files writers Glen Morgan and James Wong created a science fiction show in the middle of the 1990s, the expectations for said show were, at least among sci-fi fans, very, very high. In the summer of 1995, leading up to its debut, ads for Space: Above and Beyond were everywhere, from TV Guide to the inside and backs of DC Comics. Launched the same year as Star Trek: Voyager, well into the run of Babylon 5, and in the midst of a seaQuest rebrand, Space: Above and Beyond launched during what was, in retrospect, a golden age of big, epic sci-fi shows with close-knit ensembles and narratives that posed big questions. Blending the sensibilities of the novel version of Robert Heinlein’s Starship Troopers (the movie wasn’t out until 1997) as well as Joe Haldeman’s iconic military sci-fi novel from 1974, Morgan and Wong gave the world an unironic military sci-fi epic with a conscience.
But by 1996, the ambitious first season of the show would end up being its last. And in its Season 1 finale — which became the series finale — Space: Above and Beyond dropped an excellent twist which proved that this underrated show was playing a very long game. Today, the finale is highly watchable, along with some prescient themes. Here’s why it's worth tracking down on DVD or digging out your old VHS tapes from the ‘90s.
