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When you have a resume like Steven Spielberg’s, there’s a good chance that some of your creations accidentally slip through the cracks. From a sci-fi series starring Halle Berry that was forgotten until Netflix got ahold of it, to producing another series starring Noah Wyle (one that was completely underrated), it’s easy to forget the scope of the “Jaws” director’s work. However, the 2002 10-episode miniseries “Taken” is sure to thrill, and terrify, sci-fi fans.
Written and created by Leslie Bohem — who also helped write the aforementioned Halle Berry series — “Taken” is what happens when extraterrestrials impact a group of families for generations. In addition to Spielberg’s name appearing on this project, the show also features a young starlet that many are likely to recognize. For those looking for something along the lines of “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” you may want to keep looking, as “Taken” is darker than what you may expect.
Thematically gritty as the series may be, those who like a bit of history thrown in with their sci-fi may also find something to appreciate. While “Taken” was originally aired the SYFY network, it has yet to find a home on a streaming service at the time of this writing. Fortunately, we can still tell you where to find a physical copy — though we’d understand if you’re still catching up on the best sci-fi shows of 2025.
Spielberg’s Taken miniseries spans generations
Spanning four generations and covering a 50-year period, “Taken” follows the story of three different families — the Clarkes, the Crawfords, and the Keys — as their lives are drastically changed after becoming entangled with extraterrestrials. Narrated by a young Dakota Fanning, who also has a rather integral role alongside her sister, Elle, by the end of the series, “Taken” also stars Eric Close, Julie Benz, Michael Moriarty, and Joel Gretch.
Despite winning a 2003 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Miniseries, “Taken” has become relatively obscure over 20 years later. Unfortunately, the miniseries currently isn’t streaming anywhere, and even Rotten Tomatoes has no critic scores posted for the series. While even the Popcornmeter shows less than 50 user-submitted reviews, every episode holds above a 7.5-star rating on IMDB, with over 300 user reviews for each. The Taken DVD set is available on Amazon for $39.97 and holds a 4.6-star rating, for those truly curious.
