We take a trek through space and time to find the best sci-fi ever

IT is being pitched as the Game Of Thrones gap-filler, replacing dragons with robots, and witchcraft with artificial intelligence. Westworld, the TV series, is set in a wild west theme park where guests can live out their wildest fantasies but where robot gunslingers malfunction and start murdering tourists.

The new series is based on the 1970s film of the same name which was written and directed by Michael Crichton, best known for writing Jurassic Park, with Yul Brynner starring as a robot gunfighter. The HBO update launches here on Sky Atlantic on Tuesday, October 4, with executive producers including JJ Abrams of Star Wars fame. When artificial intelligence goes awry – so the trailer tells us – it does so with lashings of sex, violence and Hollywood stars.

Anthony Hopkins stars as the robot creator alongside Evan Rachel Wood from the TV series True Blood, and the robot gunslinger is Ed Harris, playing the Yul Brynner part. Westworld is hotly tipped to be the latest must-watch sci-fi TV serial. In anticipation, we look back at the 20 greatest sciencefiction shows of all time. Buck Rogers In The 25th Century (1932-1947)

Rockets, ray guns and a radio drama series. Buck Rogers In The 25th Century AD was the first sci-fi radio series to broadcast, starting in 1932 with a 15-minute show. The adventures of the space swashbuckler were later turned into a TV show that ran between 1979 and 1981. The Mercury Theatre On The Air (1938)

Created by 23-year-old enfant terrible Orson Welles, The Mercury Theatre On The Air brought hour-long adaptations of classic works of literature. But it was the 1938 Halloween episode, The War Of The Worlds, broadcast on October 30 that year, which became one of the most infamous radio programmes in history due to the hysteria it created. It opened with a mock news broadcast claiming aliens were invading earth – and America went into panic. Dimension X, an NBC production, dramatised the work of respected sciencefiction authors such as Isaac Asimov and Ray Bradbury. Every episode it opened with the famous intro line: “Adventures in time and space ... told in future tense.” Think an early Twilight Zone ...

The Twilight Zone (1959-1964)

The best intro music ever, and the best voiceover too. “You’re traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. That’s the signpost up ahead – your next stop, the Twilight Zone!” The most famous episode, Nightmare At 20,000 Feet, saw William Shatner (before he was Captain Kirk) battling gremlins intent on downing a plane with the immortal line: “There’s something on the wing!”. The show saw two revivals, the most recent one ending in 2003.

Doctor Who (1963-1989, 2005-present)

The ultimate nerdgasm. Generations have grown up cowering behind the couch at the sight of Daleks and Cybermen during The Doctor’s adventures in time and space. It’s got the Tardis, sonic screwdrivers, a robot dog (who didn’t love K-9?) and a host of cool sidekicks for the eponymous doctor – so no wonder it’s a national treasure. It also has a spinoff series, Torchwood.

Star Trek: The Original Series (1966-1969)

Why do sci-fi shows have such great voiceovers? We bet you can still quote it: “Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilisations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.” Queue fantastic tune. Created by Gene Roddenberry for TV, Star Trek saw Kirk, Bones, Scotty and Uhuru as a UN in space battling Klingons and

Romulans. After its cancellation in 1969, it returned with a vengeance and the franchise is now considered to be one of the most significant of all time. The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy (1978) Revered as a master class in sci-fi and comedy, The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy, written by Douglas Adams, began life as a radio series and received almost immediate adulation. The adventures of Arthur Dent and his alien pal Ford Prefect were also translated into novel, TV and film format. Shoogly sets and dodgy scripts, ahoy! But with roughly 10 million viewers, Blake’s 7 was an immensely popular show from the outset. It was famous for its moral ambiguity: goodies could be baddies too. The first of four Star Trek spin-offs, receiving numerous accolades including 19 Emmy Awards. A total of 27 million viewers tuned in for the premiere. The series also brought fame to Patrick Stewart, as Captain Jean-Luc Picard.

Quantum Leap (1989-1993)

A brilliant slice of late 1980s weirdness that would never be made today – more’s the pity. Quantum Leap was an American television show that followed time-jumping Dr Sam Beckett in his efforts to get back to the late 20th century.

The X-Files (1993-2002, 2016-present)

Another sci-fi show with great title music. Created for Fox network, The X-Files was an overnight success – despite the overarching storyline being simply too weird to comprehend. It made superstars out of Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny who played FBI Special Agents Scully and Mulder. Was the truth out there? We’ve no idea. Created by J Michael Straczynski, who wrote over 90 of the 110 TV episodes – a staggering feat in comparison to most TV screenwriters – while working as one of the executive producers. The year is 2258. The name of the place is Babylon 5. Sliders (1995-2000) A team of people slips through a wormhole to travel between multiple parallel universes, with all the charm of dated special effects. The series lasted for three seasons on Fox before being cancelled, then moved to the Sci-Fi Channel for its last two seasons.

Stargate SG-1 (1997-2007)

A giant portal, controlled by the military, which allows humans to whizz about through space – and obviously have terrifying adventures. What’s not to like? The series soon eclipsed its movie source material. Futurama (1999-2013) While working on The Simpsons, Matt Groening was inspired to make Futurama, a series following Fry, a pizzadelivery boy who is cryogenically frozen in 1999 and defrosted on New Year’s Eve in 2999. It created a host of beloved characters including the sex-crazed, drunken, sociopathic robot Bender, one-eyed love interest Leela, and a lobster alien, Dr Zoidberg.

Firefly (2002-2003)

This space Western series was cancelled after only 14 episodes. Luckily for its devastated fans, the DVD superstar was revived in the 2005 movie Serenity, which tied up loose ends. Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009)

An allegory – so some say – on the War on Terror and the Iraq war, this remake of the fairly limp one-season 1970s series became a phenomenon. Set in a far-away star system, the crew of the Galactica shield the last of humanity.

Under the Dome (2013-2015)

This bonkers series based on a Stephen King story saw a giant alien dome descend on a small US town, trapping the inhabitants inside, while the world watched on. It became increasingly mad but did feature Hank from Breaking Bad as an evil mayor.

Orphan Black (2013-present)

Playing on our fears of human cloning, the series starring Tatiana Maslany begins as she witnesses the suicide of a girl who looks identical to her. With clones ranging from murderous assassins to uptight mums of two, it’s your next box-set.

The Man In The High Castle (2015-present)

Adapted from Philip K Dick’s 1963 novel, the series is based on the idea that the allies, in an alternate history, lost World War Two and America is now divided between the Nazis and Japanese. The pitch-black, mind-bending series received rave reviews. Once again, it shows sci-fi shows have the best titles: Edelweiss played over scenes of German paratroopers descending on Mount Rushmore anyone?