Is a reboot of cult sci-fi series Space: Above And Beyond likely? Creative team Glen Morgan and James Wong first rose to prominence working on some of the best episodes of The X-Files, including "Squeeze," "Ice" and the infamous season 4 outing "Home." After a stint on X-Files creator Chris Carter's other horror series Millennium, the duo scored a major movie hit with Final Destination, which Morgan co-wrote and Wong directed. They later collaborated on the Jet Li sci-fi action film The One and Final Destination 3.
Amid that run came Space: Above And Beyond, a Starship Troopers-esque sci-fi series that arrived on Fox in 1995. Set in 2063, it details humanity's first efforts to colonize other planets, which leads them into conflict with an alien race dubbed the Chigs. In contrast to the more colorful sci-fi shows of the era, Space: Above And Beyond took a serious, downbeat view of war, which was reflected in its dour color palette and the trauma experienced by its characters. Despite a mostly warm critical reception and hopes it would kick off a new franchise, Fox didn't really know how to promote a serious-minded sci-fi drama at the time, and it was canceled after one season.,
Fans have of the cult show have been clamoring for a Space: Above And Beyond reboot, but is it likely to happen?
Space: Above And Beyond Was Supposed To Run For Five Seasons
Space: Above And Beyond featured an incredibly fleshed out sci-fi world, and the showrunners hoped it would last for at least five seasons. Various concepts and plot twists were floated for season 2 would have seen Colonel McQueen (James Morrison, 24) crippled and spending time on Earth, seeing the war from a civilian perspective, while struggling to come to terms with an artificial limb.
A more thorough examination of the Chigs culture was also on the cards for season 2. The planned ending for Space: Above And Beyond would have seen the surviving characters from the 58th Squadron toasting their deceased friends, following a peace treaty being struck between Earth and the Chigs.
There Has Been No Talk Of A Space: Above And Beyond Reboot
Space: Above And Beyond is considered way ahead of its time, and later SYFY shows like Dark Matter or The Expanse proved there is an audience for thoughtful sci-fi on television. Sadly, it appears there have been no concrete discussions of either a revival picking up from where season 1 left off or a reboot.
Space: Above And Beyond is a show that could really benefit from a modern reboot, with many of its themes being timelier than ever. For now, though, it seems destined to remain a cult favorite.