Samuel’s posterous

This chart, designed by Stephanie Fox at io9.com and used with permission (read the supporting document here at http://io9.com/5347631/at-last-a-graph-that-explains-scifi-tv-after-star-trek) gives a very engaging and thought-provoking look at the trends in science fiction and fantasy television after Star Trek.

To use it, just read across. For example, in 1972, we find that just one show that qualifies as F&SF television show aired: Doomwatch, and the popular hot theme for the hear was Magic and Robots (which appeared on the most shows).

As the SF&F television popularity peaked throughout the end of the 90s, the most popular theme became Aliens & Mutants with Magic taking up a close second position. I don't know about anybody else observing this, but to me it's interesting that Space Travel, far and away the most popular defining characteristic of SF, doesn't often make it as the hot trend.

To really pack a punch an idea would be to add to this a timeline that shows significant historical events during those times, but in any event, the trends of what's popular and what's hot does tend to be interesting in and of itself.

And the design itself is simply engaging.

Enjoy.