Space Western

Space Western is a subgenre of science fiction that uses the themes, tropes or archetypes of Westerns within science fiction stories set in an outer space setting. Subtle influences may include the exploration of new, lawless frontiers, while more overt influences may feature actual cowboys in outer space who use rayguns and ride robotic horses. Although initially popular, a backlash against perceived hack writing caused the genre to become a subtler influence until the 1980s, when it regained popularity, and a further critical reappraisal occurred during the 2000s due to acclaim for the television series Firefly.