Decades of Destiny: First Round of Voting Begins Now

Round One is Complete! Check the bracket post for the results!

The nominations are in, the seeds are set, and the hyperdrive is engaged. Welcome to the first official round of the Decades of Destiny March Madness bracket!

We aren’t just looking at movies; we are diving deep into the glowing cathode-ray tubes and LED screens that brought the future into our living rooms. We’ve carved out four distinct “divisions,” each representing a transformative era of television history. Only one show from each era can advance to the Final Four. There are some epic match-ups ahead. Star Trek vs Babylon 5. Voyager vs. Firefly. X-Files vs. Doctor Who. Who knows what will happen?

Cast your votes below and let the nostalgia wars begin!

Here are the links to vote in this round before we break it down

• 1970s https://forms.gle/YmbqeUHwDEJqoiri8
• 1980s https://forms.gle/VM47aWviuTbGCYhr5
• 1990s https://forms.gle/y2nRL4LwsV5qRskq8
• 2000s https://forms.gle/qPNSxBjzUngc1S3r9

Division 1: The Golden Age of Practical Effects (The 1970s)

The 70s were defined by bell-bottoms, high-concept “bionic” heroes, and the ambition of space operas trying to match the scale of the big screen.

• The Heavyweights: The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman dominated the playground, while Tom Baker’s Doctor Who took the TARDIS to new heights of popularity.
• The Cult Classics: From the campy fun of Buck Rogers to the gritty rebellion of Blake’s 7 and the isolation of Space: 1999.
• The Wildcards: Does the heart-wrenching journey of The Incredible Hulk or the prehistoric mystery of Land of the Lost take the top spot?

Here’s the total list for the 1970s

Full List: 1970s

1. The Six Million Dollar Man (Power Level 73): Bionic strength and speed; peak human.
2. Battlestar Galactica (Power Level 92): Massive warships, lasers, and FTL travel.
3. Mork & Mindy (Power Level 40): Alien powers, but mostly used for comedy.
4. Space: 1999 (Power Level 85): Moon-sized base, nuclear tech, Eagles.
5. The Bionic Woman (Power Level 62): Similar to Steve Austin; high-tier agent.
6. The Incredible Hulk (Power Level 70): Unstoppable raw power, but low tech/tactics.
7. Land of the Lost (Power Level 30): Primitive survival; limited tech.
8. Doctor Who (Tom Baker) (Power Level 98): TARDIS, Sonic Screwdriver, Time Lord IQ.
9. Logan’s Run (Power Level 55): High-tech city, but limited to Earth.
10. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (Power Level 88): 25th-century space fighters and robots.
11. Blake’s 7 (Power Level 15): Alien super-ship Liberator, teleportation, and Orac’s super-computer.
12. Planet of the Apes (Power Level 35): Post-apocalyptic, mostly primitive.
13. The Tomorrow People (Power Level 60): Teleportation and telepathy; high potential.
14. The Man from Atlantis (Power Level 45): Amphibious powers; limited to water.
15. Project U.F.O. (Power Level 20): Government agents; 70s-era tech only.
16. Quark (Power Level 50): Space-capable, but incompetent.

Division 2: The Neon & Synth Wave (The 1980s)

In the 80s, sci-fi got sleek, fast, and occasionally feathered. It was a decade of high-tech cars and “fish-out-of-water” aliens.

• The Heavyweights: Star Trek: The Next Generation changed the face of syndication forever, while Knight Rider and Quantum Leap became household staples.
• The Invasion: V: The Series and Alien Nation brought the visitors to our doorstep, while ALF just wanted to eat the cat.
• The Hidden Gems: Will the cyberpunk flair of Max Headroom or the British wit of Red Dwarf pull off an upset?

Full List: 1980s

1. 1. Star Trek: The Next Generation (Power Level 95): Phaser banks, photon torpedoes, shields.
   2. Knight Rider (Power Level 55): K.I.T.T. is elite, but limited to the road.
   3. V: The Series (Power Level 85): Lizard alien fleet; energy weapons.
   4. Quantum Leap (Power Level 40): Time travel is random; Sam is vulnerable.
   5. ALF (Power Level 25): Space alien, but no weapons; loves cats.
   6. The Twilight Zone (1985) (Power Level 75): High-concept reality-warping powers.
   7. Max Headroom (Power Level 60): Digital ghost; can take over any screen.
   8. Alien Nation (Power Level 52): Advanced alien strength, but grounded.
   9. Beauty and the Beast (Power Level 30): Street-level strength and urban stealth.
   10. The Greatest American Hero (Power Level 68): Supersuit powers (when he can fly straight).
   11. War of the Worlds (Power Level 82): A direct sequel to the 1953 film. High power level due to Martian tech, but a cult-tier legacy.
   12. Automan (Power Level 72): Holographic solid matter; can create anything.
   13. Red Dwarf (Power Level 78): Massive ship, though crewed by idiots.
   14. Starman (Power Level 64): Telekinesis and alien wisdom.
   15. The Powers of Matthew Star (Power Level 58): Prince with telekinetic and pyrotechnic gifts.
   16. Galactica 1980 (Power Level 85): Battlestar fleet, time-travel Vipers, and flying motorcycles.

Division 3: The Peak Serialized Era (The 1990s)

The 90s moved away from “monster-of-the-week” and toward deep mythology and massive space stations.

• The Heavyweights: It’s a battle of the titans between The X-Files, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Babylon 5.
• The Gatekeepers: Stargate SG-1 launched a decade-long legacy, while Star Trek: Voyager kept the Federation alive in the Delta Quadrant.
• The Imaginative: From the dimension-hopping Sliders to the muppet-filled masterpiece Farscape, the 90s were weird and wonderful.

Full List:1990s

1. The X-Files (Power Level 30): Federal agents; limited by 90s tech.
2. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Power Level 96): Defiant-class ships and the station’s guns.
3. Stargate SG-1 (Power Level 93): Alien tech, Zat guns, and P90s.
4. Babylon 5 (Power Level 94): Massive space station; Starfuries.
5. Star Trek: Voyager (Power Level 95): High-end tech, plus Borg-enhanced gear.
6. 3rd Rock from the Sun (Power Level 40): Advanced aliens, but disguised as idiots.
7. Farscape (Power Level 90): Sentient ships and wild alien weaponry.
8. Sliders (Power Level 45): Inter-dimensional travel; zero combat tech.
9. The Outer Limits (1995) (Power Level 80): Often features world-ending tech/aliens.
10. Earth: Final Conflict (Power Level 74): Advanced alien race with bio-organic technology
11. SeaQuest DSV (Power Level 82): Most advanced sub in existence; talking dolphin.
12. Space: Above and Beyond (Power Level 89): Hard sci-fi space combat; railguns.
13. Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (Power Level 97): Superman. Enough said.
14. Lexx (Power Level 94): Lexx itself is a moon-sized “Key” capable of blowing up entire planets.
15. Earth 2 (Power Level 50): Frontier survivalists; basic blasters.
16. Seven Days (Power Level 55): Can redo any week; powerful tactical edge.
17. M.A.N.T.I.S. (Power Level 68): A cool concept that struggled to find its footing; now a deep-cut cult memory.

Division 4: The Modern Mythos (The 2000s)

The turn of the millennium brought prestige “dark and gritty” reboots and the rise of “Must-See” mystery boxes.

• The Heavyweights: The reimagined Battlestar Galactica went toe-to-toe with the island mysteries of Lost and the global phenomenon of David Tennant’s Doctor Who.
• The Fan Favorites: Firefly may have been short-lived, but its legacy is massive. Meanwhile, Fringe and Heroes proved that sci-fi could still dominate network TV.
• The Legends: Stargate Atlantis and Smallville built massive fanbases that lasted nearly a decade.

2000s

1. Lost (Power Level 45): The Island has power, but characters are human.
2. Battlestar Galactica 2004 (Power Level 91): Gritty nukes, Vipers, and Cylon tech.
3. Firefly (Power Level 75): Outdated ship, but great crew/guns.
4. Doctor Who (David Tennant) (Power Level 99): Peak Time Lord power (The Time War).
5. Fringe (Power Level 70): High-end science, parallel worlds.
6. Heroes (Power Level 88): Time stop, flight, and regeneration.
7. Stargate Atlantis (Power Level 94): Ancient technology; city-ship shields.
8. Star Trek: Enterprise (Power Level 87): Early Federation; phase cannons.
9. Smallville (Power Level 98): Superman in training; massive raw power.
10. The 4400 (Power Level 72): Diverse range of superpowers.
11. Torchwood (Power Level 80): Stolen alien tech and Jack’s immortality.
12. Eureka (Power Level 65): Genius-level gadgetry and prototypes.
13. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (Power Level 78): Terminators are nearly unstoppable but limited to hand-to-hand combat.
14. Dollhouse (Power Level 55): Brain-washing and personality imprinting.
15. Andromeda (Power Level 93): Sentient warship with 40 self-destructs.
16. Jericho (Power Level 22): Survivalists in a post-nuclear town.
17. Flash Gordon 2007 (Power Level 60): Often cited as a “missed opportunity” compared to the 1980 film or the comics.

How Are Winners Determined?

This isn’t just a popularity contest; it’s a strategic battle. Each show is seeded by its legacy ( IMDb rating) to determine its initial “Seed”. Then a formula determines its “Power Level” (click the link to see the sheet if you’re interested). From there, the outcome is in your hands. A surge of fan support can push a trailing show to victory. Vote today and recruit your community to ensure your favorite moves on!

How to Vote

• Review the full bracket [Download the PDF of the Official 2026 Bracket Here]
• Pick your favorite from each division list.
• Go to the voting form for each decade of the March Madness bracket and make your picks!
  • 1970s https://forms.gle/YmbqeUHwDEJqoiri8
  • 1980s https://forms.gle/VM47aWviuTbGCYhr5
  • 1990s https://forms.gle/y2nRL4LwsV5qRskq8
  • 2000s https://forms.gle/qPNSxBjzUngc1S3r9

Comment below with which era you think was the “True” Golden Age of Sci-Fi.

Check back Friday to see which shows survived the first culling and made it to the Elite Eight!

Note: We know, we know—Firefly was too short, and TNG is a giant. But in the bracket of destiny, no one is safe! Head over and vote now!