The original post: /r/television by /u/Academic_House7739 on 2025-11-29 12:03:18+00:00.

Hi everyone, I am a sci-fi fan from Korea. English is not my first language, so I used translation software. I recently posted a theory about 1966 Sci-Fi history, and thanks to amazing feedback from other subs, I’ve expanded it into a full analysis.

1. The Spark: A Clue from Black Mirror 1966 was a singularity for science fiction. This thought came to me while watching the Black Mirror episode “USS Callister.” In the collection of the Star Trek-obsessed protagonist, Robert Daly, I spotted a figure of Zetton (a kaiju from Ultraman) sitting right next to his memorabilia. It felt intentional. Why place a Japanese monster next to a Federation starship? It hints at a deeper connection between these franchises—a connection rooted in the year 1966.

2. The Phenomenon: A Global Synchronization In the mid-60s, prototypes of modern sci-fi emerged simultaneously across the globe without direct mutual plagiarism.

  • USA (Sep 1966): Star Trek: TOS – The birth of the Space Opera fandom.
  • Japan (July 1966): Ultraman – The establishment of the Giant Hero vs. Kaiju format.
  • UK (Oct 1966): Doctor Who – The 2nd Doctor’s arrival marked the shift from history/education to “Base Under Siege” sci-fi thrillers.

3. The Precursors: Setting the Stage This didn’t happen overnight.

  • USA: Lost in Space (1965) proved there was a massive mainstream appetite for space travel, shifting the audience from “Cowboys” to "Spacemen."
  • Japan: Ultra Q (Jan 1966) served as the “black-and-white bridge,” laying the groundwork just 6 months before Ultraman exploded in full color.

4. The Engine: Color TV & The Space Race Broadcasters needed visually spectacular content to sell Color TV sets. Combined with the peak of the Space Race, humanity’s gaze was collectively fixed on the stars. This zeitgeist directly influenced the settings of these shows:

  • Thunderbirds: Operated from Thunderbird 5, a fully functional space station monitoring the Earth from orbit.
  • Ultraman: Dealt with the dark side of the Space Race in the famous “Jamila” episode, depicting the tragedy of an abandoned astronaut turned monster.
  • Star Trek: Established Starfleet, an organization dedicated not just to defense, but to deep space exploration.
  • Doctor Who: Although it remained in Black & White until 1970, the show evolved to compete in this new era. The 2nd Doctor shifted focus to space-centric stories, establishing the “Base Under Siege” format with episodes like The Moonbase (1967).

5. The Cold War: Fears and Solutions The 1960s were defined by Cold War anxiety. These shows materialized those fears into monsters and aliens:

  • Star Trek: Expressed geopolitical fears through the Klingons and Romulans (representing rival superpowers).
  • Ultraman: Materialized the fear of nuclear destruction and nature’s wrath through Kaiju.
  • Doctor Who: Personified totalitarian madness through Daleks and the fear of dehumanization through Cybermen.

However, they also proposed a solution: “Global Unity.” Instead of living in constant fear of war, they presented a vision where humanity unites.

  • Star Trek created the United Federation of Planets, transcending racial and national boundaries.
  • Ultraman introduced the Science Patrol (SSSP), an international organization protecting humanity.
  • Thunderbirds featured International Rescue, a borderless organization saving lives. This symbolizes the era’s technological optimism and humanitarianism—a desire to end the Cold War and cooperate as a species.

6. The “Missing Link”: Captain Ultra (1967) There is a Japanese tokusatsu drama that serves as definitive proof of this “Convergent Evolution”: Captain Ultra. Airing in 1967, this show looks strikingly similar to Star Trek. One might assume it copied Trek. However, Star Trek: TOS did not air in Japan until 1969. Knowing this timeline, it is physically impossible for Captain Ultra to have copied Star Trek’s broadcast. Instead, the origin of Captain Ultra can be traced to the 1956 film Forbidden Planet. Just as Star Trek drew heavily from Forbidden Planet, Captain Ultra evolved from the same cinematic DNA.

7. The Hidden Factor: “Energy Optimism” (Pre-Oil Shock) A crucial factor often overlooked is the economic atmosphere. 1966 was the peak of the Atomic Age, years before the 1973 Oil Shock. People genuinely believed in “Infinite Energy.” Star Trek’s antimatter reactors, Thunderbirds’ atomic engines, and Ultraman’s super-weapons all reflect this. This “Energy Optimism” is why 60s Sci-Fi is bright, clean, and hopeful. It contrasts sharply with the gritty, resource-scarce dystopian Sci-Fi of the late 70s and 80s (Mad Max, Alien) that emerged after the Oil Shock shattered that dream.

Conclusion 1966 was the year humanity’s “Cinematic Imagination” successfully migrated to the “Mass Medium” of TV, fueled by the limitless energy of the pre-oil shock economy. Whether we are Trekkies, Whovians, or Tokusatsu fans, we are all children of that singular moment when the world decided to dream in Technicolor.

TL;DR:

1966’s global sci-fi boom (Star Trek, Ultraman, Doctor Who) was convergent evolution driven by the Global Shift to Color TV + the Space Race.

These shows reflected Cold War fears but proposed Global Unity.

Powered by pre–Oil Shock energy optimism and 1950s cinematic DNA, 1966 became modern sci-fi’s true singularity.

[Edit] Thanks to the comments, I clarified that Doctor Who was still in Black & White in 1966 (switching to color in 1970), though it still followed the thematic shift of the Space Age.