Prophets of Science Fiction is an American documentary television series produced and hosted by Ridley Scott for the Science Channel. The program premiered on November 9, 2011.
The series covers the life and work of leading science fiction authors of the last couple of centuries. It depicts how they predicted and, accordingly, influenced the development of scientific advancements by inspiring many readers to assist in transforming those futuristic visions into everyday reality. The stories are told through film clips, reenactments, illustrations and interviews.
The first episode received mixed reviews. Commentators appreciated the approach of combining coverage of contemporary scientific research and biographical exposition, but criticized the series as "light on the substance and heavy on the exaggeration". The series' attempts to link Mary Shelley's Frankenstein to developments such as organ transplants, supercomputers and DNA research were described by one critic as far-fetched but by another as successful.
The series' first season consists of 8 one-hour episodes which aired on the Science Channel in November 2011 and February 2012.
1 Mary Shelley 9 November 2011
2 Philip K. Dick 16 November 2011
3 H. G. Wells 23 November 2011
4 Arthur C. Clarke 30 November 2011
5 Isaac Asimov 15 February 2012
6 Jules Verne 22 February 2012
7 Robert Heinlein 29 February 2012
8 George Lucas 7 March 2012
