From atomic-age fears spawning classic films like The Day The Earth Stood Still to modern technology creating worries reflected in Black Mirror, sci-fi has long been a staple of media on screens both large and small.
New sci-fi TV shows conceived in recent years have taken the world by storm, and there are some that fans of the genre may have missed due to the focus on the established heavyweights like Stranger Thingsor The Umbrella Academy. For anyone looking for a collection of TV shows with imaginative takes on the future, here are 10 that are sure to make genre fans dizzy while their brains work overtime.
Updated on January 17th, 2023 by Jordan Iacobucci: There has never been a better time to be a sci-fi fan, as both new and returning series promise to deliver the same cerebral and action-packed stories that have kept fans satiated for decades. With massive franchises like Star Wars pumping out hits on Disney+, including Andor and The Mandalorian, and countless other new stories taking center stage, there is no reason sci-fi fans would be lacking something of interest to watch.
See (2019-2022) - 63%
Stream On Apple TV+
See is one of the first Apple TV originals available for viewers to enjoy, depicting a post-apocalyptic world in which humanity has altogether lost its sense of sight and the havoc that ensues when a pair of twins are born with this lost sense. Starring Jason Momoa and Alfre Woodard, the series recently came to an end with its third season.
This dystopian drama may not be the most critically acclaimed science-fiction series in recent years, but it certainly wins points with many viewers for its engaging premise and compelling lead actors. With only 24 episodes to its entire run, See is also an easy binge-watch for viewers looking to get through a show quickly.
Halo (2022-Present) - 70%
Stream On Paramount+
Halo, one of the newest sci-fi offerings on Paramount+, is an epic space-faring story based on the video game franchise of the same name. The series immediately earned attention from audiences for its epic, action-heavy plot, which managed to expand on the video game's story in a meaningful way.
While many fans of the original games took issue with several canonical discrepancies in the first season of Halo, the series was popular enough among fans and critics to warrant a second season, indicating that this multimedia franchise is far from its final days.
The X-Files (1993-2018) - 74%
Stream On Hulu
An all-time classic, The X-Files follows a pair of FBI agents who specialize in investigating cases linked to supernatural events and paranormal activity. Iconic for its disconcerting theme music and creepy subject matter, the series is one of the longest-running science fiction dramas of all time, with eleven seasons and over two hundred episodes spanning the course of over two decades.
The X-Files follows in the footsteps of many famous police procedurals, albeit with a supernatural twist. With hundreds of stories full of gripping mystery and intrigue, there is something for everyone in this long-running classic series.
Snowpiercer (2020-Present) - 75%
Stream On TNT
Bong Joon-ho's Snowpiercer is often floated as one of the best post-apocalyptic movies ever made. Fans of the director will be pleased to know that there is also a TV series based on the movie and its graphic novel source material. Snowpiercer is a literal wild ride, taking place on a train that just keeps circling the world after it turned into a frozen wasteland.
It takes a different route to the movie, adopting a completely different story. However, class warfare still takes center stage, with the train being a metaphor for modern society. With Daveed Diggs and Jennifer Connelly in the lead roles, the series will air its fourth and final season in the near future.
Altered Carbon (2018-2020) - 75%
Stream On Netflix
Cyberpunk gets some–but not much–opportunity to shine in sci-fi movies, but even less so on television, which is why shows like Altered Carbon are rare and should be cherished. It might have had some clunky parts and odd exposition choices, but it makes good use of its cyberpunk setting.
The series takes place in a world where mortality doesn't mean much anymore since anyone's brain can easily be transferred to a new body. Of course, this means that it's usually the rich who tend to abuse this sort of power. In the middle of it all is Takeshi Kovacs, who keeps coming back from the dead to complete some mysterious unfinished business.
The Peripheral (2022-Present) - 77%
Stream On Prime Video
One of the newest science-fiction offerings in the ongoing streaming wars is Prime Video's The Peripheral, starring Chloe Grace Moretz. Based on William Gibson's 2014 book, the series bends the timeline, introducing a new take on the classic time travel trope.
With its first season having now fully aired, The Peripheral certainly appears to be promising a new take on the genre for longtime sci-fi fans. The series' mostly positive reviews and respectable viewing numbers seem to portend the coming of a second season in the near future, making this a series that viewers will want to start watching right away.
The Orville (2017-Present) - 77%
Stream On Hulu And Disney+
The comedy of Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane is often somewhat controversial, but critics seem to agree that The Orville is, if nothing else, wildly entertaining. The series may have gotten off to a mixed start, but has quickly garnered support over the course of its three seasons.
A live-action comedy series meant to parody Star Trek—among many other popular sci-fi properties—The Orville explores the many misadventures of the titular ship's crew in the distant future. Poking fun at many genre tropes while offering up some surprisingly gripping storylines, The Orville is something of a celebration of all things sci-fi, and its excellent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes proves that it's deserving of the hype.
Raised By Wolves (2020-2022) - 80%
Stream On HBO Max
With the first two episodes directed–and the whole show produced–by legendary science fiction creator Ridley Scott himself, sci-fi fans will know that Raised by Wolves' pedigree is absolutely top-notch. Unfortunately the series was canceled after only two seasons, though this does make for a fairly easy binge-watch for viewers.
This sci-fi drama series is a futuristic recreation of the mythical origins of Rome. It follows the exploits of two androids as they raise a human child on a planet that's being colonized. Sadly, the human colonies have already started setting their claws into the planet and injecting their own theological agendas and prejudices. This means that it's only a matter of time before they start killing each other, turning the planet into a very dangerous place in the process.
Westworld (2016-2022) - 80%
Stream On HBO Max
Westworld is one of the most well-regarded science fiction series available to watch right now, depicting an AI-generated world that resembles that of the Old West. The series takes a dystopian turn, however as all is not as it seems in this fictionalized setting.
Westworld had a celebrated run since 2016, generating a level of mystery and intrigue in each episode. The show was known for leaving fans with burning questions after each season finale, but HBO ultimately decided to not tie up the narrative with an expected fifth and final season.
Devs (2020-Present) - 82%
Stream On Hulu
For those who are fans of shows about conspiracies and technology, Devs can be a wonderful and confusing thrill ride as it features an Illuminati-like organization masquerading as a multinational tech company.
The audience experiences this strange story through the eyes of a young female computer engineer working for the company, Amaya, as she begins asking the company questions when her boyfriend suddenly disappears while also working for the same company. Devs is full of secrets and secret divisions that can only be unlocked through the prying minds of the show's paranoid computer geniuses.
Black Mirror (2011-Present) - 84%
Stream On Netflix
Black Mirror is a horror anthology series that explores themes that question the place of advanced technology in human civilization. Known for its star-studded rotating cast, the series has seen major actors and actresses join the series for one fright-fueled episode apiece.
The series consists of five seasons so far, as well as several special episodes in between that bridge the gap between each concurrent season. During its long run, the series has been praised for bringing up genuinely intriguing questions amidst its horrific premise, prompting viewers to think about the future of their own world and the technology therein.
Star Trek: Picard (2020-Present) - 85%
Stream On Paramount+
Set long after the events of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Picard sees Sir Patrick Stewart return to his iconic role of Captain Jean-Luc Picard for a three-season event that brings an end to the character's long-running story.
Though Picard has earned mixed reviews from fans, critics can't help but note the show's overall quality, earning it high marks on sites like Rotten Tomatoes. As the third and final season approaches its premiere date in February 2023, now is the perfect time for fans to catch up on anything they may have missed in the adventures of Captain Picard.
Love, Death + Robots (2019-Present) - 85%
Stream On Netflix
Love Death + Robots is an anthology series that includes several different short sci-fi stories, each with its own contained narrative, animation style, and world-building idea. The series is an animated Netflix original which proved to be a surprise hit upon its initial release.
All of the stories are great and contain a mix of humor, horror, action, and drama. Regardless of which one might become a fan's favorite, once they've watched them all, all are sure to spark a newfound sense of wonder and intrigue in the viewer for the world of science fiction. Each episode is raw, uncensored, and worthy of its own full-length production.
Sense8 (2015-2018) - 86%
Stream On Netflix
Sense8 is an original sci-fi series that ran for two seasons, followed by an epic feature-length finale. The series depicts an ensemble of characters who learn that they have been mysteriously linked via psychic means, leading them into a world of peril and intrigue.
This beloved sci-fi series was spawned by a collaboration between The Matrix's Wachowskis and all-time comic book legend J. Michael Straczynski, making it a must-watch for any fan of these creators' works, or merely a sci-fi fan looking for an original story in an era of sequels and remakes.
Doctor Who (2005-Present) - 90%
Stream On HBO Max
One of the most impactful sci-fi series of all time, the original Doctor Who program originally debuted all the way back in 1963. After receiving a reboot of sorts in 2005, the adventures continue on into the modern era, with the new incarnation approaching its fourteenth series.
Featuring the exploits of a being known as the Doctor, the show seemingly spans all of time and space with literal decades' worth of content to explore. Most sci-fi fans are at least casually familiar with the famous British series, but those who aren't will definitely want to check it out. Now marks an especially good time for fans to jump aboard the long-running series, which is set to enter a new era as former showrunner Russell T. Davies returns to the series ahead of its fourteenth season.
Loki (2021-Present) - 92%
Stream On Disney+
Loki is a series set within the Marvel Cinematic Universe that follows the exploits of the eponymous god of mischief as he is arrested by the mysterious Time Variance Authority and forced to clean up the timeline that he and his variants have destroyed. Starring Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, and Sophia di Martino, the series has become one of the highest-regarded projects in Phase 4 of the MCU.
Fans of Doctor Who will certainly enjoy Loki's time-travel antic as the first season builds up to the surprise reveal of the man behind the TVA, which will have rippling effects throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the second season of Loki, which will premiere on Disney+ sometime in early 2023.
Rick and Morty (2013-Present) - 92%
Stream On Hulu
Arguably the most notorious adult animated series to premiere in the past decade, Rick and Morty combines intelligent and complex plotlines with low-brow extremely crass humor to create something wholly unique. Showcasing the adventures of genius scientist Rick Sanchez and his grandson Morty Smith, Rick and Morty is a dimension-spanning romp that grows more chaotic with the release of each new season.
Though early episodes were more-or-less self-contained, later seasons introduced broader plot elements and fleshed out more characters, resulting in a sci-fi series that's now crossed the threshold of complete mayhem.
The Mandalorian (2019-Present) - 93%
Stream On Disney+
Currently one of the most popular offerings of the Star Wars mythos, The Mandalorian has seen much success as the first-ever live-action series of the franchise and has become one of Disney+'s most successful series.
The show is all about the hard life of an initially nameless and faceless bounty hunter nicknamed "Mando". Along the way, the seemingly callous mercenary finds something that will warm his heart and change his life forever, not to mention becoming one of the biggest meme icons of recent years. The series is set to return in February after an extended hiatus with its highly-anticipated third season
The 100 (2014-2020) - 93%
Stream On Netflix
Nearly 100 years after civilization is destroyed, a group of survivors from a space station known as The Arc return to the Earth to determine if it can be reinhabited. As it turns out, humanity was not completely destroyed, and the intrepid group from The Arc must now contend with warring factions in a brutal post-apocalypse.
Focusing mostly on its young adult cast, The 100 bears similarities to other popular teen dystopian properties like The Hunger Games and Divergent. The series was concluded in 2020, so fans looking for a complete story need to look no further.
Star Trek: Prodigy (2021-Present) - 94%
Stream On Paramount+
Star Trek: Prodigy is an animated series set within the popular Star Trek franchise, depicting a group of aliens who take control of a Starfleet ship after finding it abandoned. The series has aired one season so far, to great acclaim, and is currently producing a second season.
Prodigy is an excellent expansion of the Star Trek franchise, managing to aim its content at a younger audience without compromising the high-stakes nature of the genre. The series has been incredibly successful at garnering a new audience for itself, keeping Star Trek alive for the next generation.