Masters of Science Fiction

What It's About:

Masters of Science Fiction is an anthology series consisting of six separate stories, of which four are being shown on Saturdays during the month of August, 2007. The first episode, "A Clean Escape," debuts August 4 and stars Sam Waterston and Judy Davis. Following episodes will be: "The Awakening," staring Terry O'Quinn; "Jerry Was a Man," based on a short story by Robert A. Heinlein and starring Malcolm McDowell and Anne Heche; and "The Discarded," staring Brian Dennehy and Willian Hurt.

Origins:

The producers of Masters of Horror, which has been shown for two seasons on Showtime and is set to enter a third, wanted to apply the same idea -- an anthology format showcasing top acting talent in high-quality stories from well-known writers and directors -- to science fiction.

Popular Characters:

Malcolm McDowell, as a custom geneticist, and Anne Heche as an extremely rich woman who whimsically decides to save an android set for destruction, stand out as memorably comic characters in "Jerry Was a Man." More starkly dramatic are the powerful duo of Sam Waterston, as an executive who can't remember the last 25 years, and Judy Davis as his conflicted psychiatrist in "A Clean Escape." Also of note: William B. Davis's increasingly desperate president in "The Awakening."

Flavor:

As an anthology show, Masters naturally varies considerably from episode to episode; some are powerful, some are clever, some are playful, some succumb to preachiness. But the level of quality in terms of writing, acting, and directing is consistently high, and many of the performances are riveting.

Network:

Masters is on ABC. The first episode airs Saturday, Aug. 4, 2007.