People, I've tried. I've watched every possible mutation of Star Trek, and as many episodes of Battlestar Galactica -- every season -- as I possibly could. But either you love traditional outer-space sci-fi or you don't. I (sadly) really don't. I'm way too distracted either by the in-depth history lessons on the galaxies that have long battled our heroes, or by the bad guys whose foreheads look like asparagus stalks. I just cannot boldly go there.

But happily for TV watchers like me, there are newer types of science fiction that appeal to those of us who are slightly more, shall we say, grounded in our tastes. Time-travel, shape-shifting, unexplained natural and unnatural phenomenon, right here on Earth -- now you're talking.

So here's a list, in honor of the return to the airwaves of Lost, of the top sci-fi shows for non-science fiction fans. May they live long and prosper:

Lost, ABC. We can't keep up with all the crazy details like the uber-fans do (the numbers; Patsy Cline vs. Mama Cass; which character whose elbow poked into one frame in season two is reappearing, gasp, in season five), but it's plenty complicated and rewarding. And well-written. With the latest season, the escapees are trying to go back to the island; Desmond is having dreams that he insists are memories; and flashes of light send the island backward or forward in time. We're back on the edge of our seat.

Life on Mars, ABC. True, this American remake doesn't have all the grit of its British predecessor, but it's plenty gripping. The cast is stellar, with Jason O'Mara as the time-traveling detective thrown back into the 1970s decaying New York City, alongside fellow cops Harvey Keitel, Michael Imperioli and Gretchen Moll, in possibly her best role ever. As Sam (O'Mara) tries to solve crime in the '70s and get back to the 21st century, he picks up clues in real-time that may (or may not) affect his future (real) life.

Heroes, NBC. There's just enough great character study to keep this fanciful show grounded. Even if you can't completely follow how the plot unfolds, or if you lose track of who the good guys and bad guys are at any given moment, the intertwined fate of dozens of people in dozens of countries (and eras, apparently) keeps us rooting for the cheerleader.

Journeyman, NBC, and New Amsterdam, Fox. Both were killed prematurely, and both were rather preposterous, but they were utterly absorbing and watchable. In Journeyman, the hunky Kevin McKidd played a reporter in San Francisco who suddenly would travel back in time -- and because the network pulled the plug, we'll never know the full reason why. But McKidd's performance -- he was just as perplexed as the viewers as to why this was happening -- was top-notch. (Thankfully he's now joined the cast of Grey's Anatomy.) Same for Nicolaj Coster-Waldau in New Amsterdam, as a detective doomed to stay the same age since the 18th century because of an Indian curse. (Funny he decided to stay the whole time in Manhattan, though -- even in New York, you'd think someone might have finally caught on.) Both series are worth searching out on DVD or Hulu.

Threshold, CBS. Another show killed off before its time, and before viewers could learn its "secret." (Aliens? Or the U.S. government?) But the cast of the 2005 show -- Carla Gugino, Peter Dinklage, Charles S. Dutton, Brent Spiner -- and a truly terrifying couple of first episodes made this must-watch TV for its short lifetime.

Charmed, The WB. Yes, we're using the term "science fiction" loosely, but here we have special powers, time travel, evil warlords, whitelighters who must constantly consult with elders, and, last but not least, The Source of All Evil. Maybe not that scientific, but still fanciful, and the best guilty-pleasure show of its era. Just when those Halliwell sisters got into a spot they just couldn't get out of, one of them would suddenly remember a special power that would save the day. Plus they bickered like real sisters and had the cutest outfits for any working witches we've ever seen.

The Jetsons, ABC. If you're going to use space travel and the future as a setting for all kinds of out-there scenarios, go animated. The Hanna-Barbera early-'60s show may be campy but it's still as fun as ever. Plus, the nuclear family as embodied by the Jetsons was still comfy in its way, down to the family pooch, Astro, who needed his daily walk -- on the floating treadmill, of course. (Honorable mention: Futurama.)

Fringe, Fox. Think of a sci-fi show or film you've loved in the past, and you'll find it in an episode of Fringe. Aliens wrapped around a man's innards; a baby that ages eight decades in a few minutes; a passenger jet that lands, safely, with no one aboard: They're all here, and used as quick-flash devices to engage the core cast, who are planted solidly in the present (along with a nifty mad scientist), trying to solve real-life, real-time crimes. It takes solid acting and good writing to pull this off, and Fringe has both.

The Twilight Zone, CBS. Only the original '60s series will do, and that's because it was a critter of its time: the space race, the Cold War, the sudden possibility that there might well be life on Mars and beyond. Crisply written and directed, each 20-minute episode built tension surely and creepily -- and there wasn't always a happy ending. Bonus points for pop culture fans wanting to see young actors in some of their first roles -- e.g., William Shatner as the famous panicked man on the jet wing.

Smallville, The CW. Yes, there are other planets and intergalactic wars, etc., but in our opinion, these are the least interesting episodes. It's awesome to watch Clark Kent grow uneasily into his superpowers, while keeping this ultimate secret from most people around him. The best parts are the human relationships, including one of the small screen's best depictions of a male-female non-romantic friendship, the one between Chloe and Clark.

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