Who can believe that it’s been 20 years since the Syfy channel officially launched? To commemorate this milestone, Syfy will air the ‘Syfy 20th Anniversary Special’ next week. The two hour telecast will not only be a retrospective of the past two decades, but will also celebrate their present shows and stars as well as take a look at what’s in store ahead for the channel!
Back in September 1992, when it was called the Sci-Fi Channel, the network began an original concept of programming and imaginative entertainment bringing shows and movies specifically for fans of the genre. The channel began mainly with the airing of iconic sci-fi series such as classic ‘Doctor Who,’ original ‘Star Trek,’ ‘The Powers of Matthew Star,’ the original ‘Dark Shadows’ and the animated series ‘Transfomers’ and ‘Defenders of the Earth.’ They also had original shows “back in the day” such as ‘Inside Space’ and ‘Sci-fi Buzz,’ the latter being a sci-fi ‘Entertainment Weekly’ type show which featured commentaries by Harlan Ellison at the end of each episode.
The channel has now evolved to bringing breakthrough dramas such as the reboot of ‘Battlestar Galactica,’ ‘Being Human,’ ‘Haven,’ and ‘Warehouse 13’ along with their original movies and miniseries such as ‘Alice,’ ‘Neverland’ and ‘Taken.’ Syfy has even stepped it up with the series ‘Defiance’ which will do what no other television series has done: bring together two media platforms which will interact with the audience and each other.
The special will be narrated by Dean Cain (‘Lois and Clark’) and will include a treasure trove of memorable clips a well as interviews with the actors, directors and producers of their popular shows. We had the opportunity to see the special before it airs and it is well worth the watch! To get a glimpse of what to expect, ET Online shared this exclusive video of Jamie Bamber, Katee Sackhoff and Jane Espenson discussing the use of the word “Frak:”
In a statement announcing Syfy’s achievement, Dave Howe, President, Syfy & Chiller has said, “For 20 years, Syfy has been the leader in visionary and provocative entertainment programming. In this celebratory special, the extraordinary talent at the heart of the powerful Syfy brand will talk exclusively about the lasting impact Syfy has had on the media landscape for the last two decades.”
Relive the birth of SyFy with the video below showcasing the first 7 minutes (the beginning 3:45 minutes are filler) of their premiere which includes a screen plate dedicating the channel to the memory of Isaac Asimov and Gene Roddenberry.
The ‘Syfy 20th Anniversary Special’ will premiere on Monday, December 10 at 9PM (ET/PT).
