Star Trek might be the grandfather of science fiction television, but in the year 2000 a series came along that impressed some fans so much that they deemed it to be better than the 1960s classic. Whether they’re right is a matter of opinion, but there’s no denying that it shared similar qualities to Star Trek, which is no coincidence when you consider it was also credited as being created by Gene Roddenberry. Now, 20 years after the final episode aired in 2005, the divisive sci-fi series called Andromeda is back on streaming to spark conversation.
Hitting the airwaves on October 2, 2000, Andromeda’s creation came about thanks to former Star Trek writer, Robert Hewitt Wolfe. Working from Roddenberry’s notes, he helped bring the sci-fi series to life, creating a rich world with fascinating characters that felt lived in from the very start. The amount of detail that went into Andromeda’s worldbuilding was second to none, which is partly the reason fans got so excited about the series when it debuted.
Starring the likes of Kevin Sorbo, Lisa Ryder, Keith Hamilton Cobb, and Laura Bertram, there was a lot going on in Andromeda that made it stand out from other shows at the time. Not only was it ambitious in scope, but it also dealt with rich, philosophical themes like free will, spirituality and moral ambiguity. From the very first episode, it was evident that the series aimed to carry on Roddenberry’s vision of hope that humankind might be able to thrive in deep space despite our differences. The official synopsis reads:
“Captain Dylan Hunt (Sorbo) and his starship, the Andromeda Ascendant, awaken from a 300-year stasis only to find the vast Systems Commonwealth they once served has collapsed. Tasked with restoring peace in a chaotic galaxy, Hunt assembles a motley crew of ranks and species, setting the scene for a series that mixes idealism with pulp.”
‘Andromeda’ Is Not Without Its Flaws
All that being said, Andromeda isn’t perfect by any means. While the first two seasons stand head and shoulders above the rest, that’s mainly thanks to Wolfe’s creativity. He was the backbone of the series, but unfortunately exited the production during Season 2 following differences with producers. He was all about worldbuilding and long-term story arcs, while they wanted to shift the focus more to Sorbo’s character of Dylan Hunt.
Once Wolfe was out, Andromeda took a noticeable dip in quality that was hard to ignore. It went from being a series with purpose to one that felt uneven at times. Like it couldn’t figure out what it wanted to be. It featured more self-contained episodes than serialized storytelling, which turned more than a few fans off. Still, even with those changes, Andromeda managed to hold on for three more seasons, which is longer than anyone thought it would last.
If you’re in the mood to binge on some old-fashioned pulp sci-fi mixed with complex characters and bold ideas, all five seasons of Andromeda are streaming now on Peacock, or for free on Tubi.
- Release Date
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2000 – 2005
- Network
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Syndication, SyFy, Global TV
- Directors
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Jorge Montesi, Richard Flower, David Winning, Peter DeLuise, Brad Turner, Allan Harmon, David Warry-Smith, Martin Wood, Mike Rohl, Michael Robison, Allan Kroeker, T.J. Scott, J. Miles Dale, Brenton Spencer, George Mendeluk, Michael Robinson
- Writers
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Ashley Miller, Zack Stentz, Larry Barber, Paul Barber, Robert Engels, Ethlie Ann Vare, Naomi Janzen, Emily Skopov, Gordon Michael Woolvett, John Whelpley, Gillian Horvath, Scott Frost, Alfredo Septién, Lawrence Meyers, Steven Barnes, Turi Meyer
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Lisa Ryder
Beka Valentine
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Laura Bertram
Trance Gemini
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Gordon Michael Woolvett
Seamus Harper
