Somesci-fishows have left such a big mark on pop culture that everyone should watch them at least once. The best science-fiction explores society and humanity through the lens of the distant future or an alien planet, offering insight and social commentary without feeling overly preachy.
Whetheryou’re already a fan of sci-fior not, you’ll appreciate some television shows that transcend their genre. These deliver compelling drama that should appeal to anyone who loves a good story.Many of these shows influenced the stories that followed them, firmly cementing themselves as some of thebest sci-fi television seriesof all time.
Severancemay be a new to the sci-fi television scene, butit will likely go down as one of the most socially relevant shows of its time.The show followsMark S. (Adam Scott)and other employees at Lumon Industries, all of whom have undergone a severing process to separate their work selves and home selves into two separate people.
Severancehas already been nominated for multiple Emmy Awards and currently has a 96% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Severancemoves slowly through its sometimes disorienting world, unveiling its mysteries one piece at a time, capturing audiences' attention in a way few shows have sinceLost.With brilliant performances from its cast members,Severanceremains a must-watch for anyone living and working in 2025.
Doctor Whohas been airing on and off since 1963 and is widely regarded as a science-fiction staple for a reason. Following a mysterious traveler known only as the Doctor,Doctor Whodelivers fun sci-fi adventuresthat incorporate everything from romance to horror.
With its lengthy history,Doctor Whocan be intimidating for new viewers, butthe series has several jumping-in points.Fans looking to dive into the show for the first time might want to consider starting with the 2005 revival starringChristopher Eccleston as the Doctor.
Created by writer and director Joss Whedon,Fireflyis a sci-fi Western that follows the crew of the Serenityas they explore a star system known as The Verse.Captain Mal Reynolds (Nathan Fillion)and his renegade crew all make for interesting characters, as they eke out a living on the fringes of their solar system.
Despite being canceled after only one season,Fireflydeveloped a cult following, leading to a feature film continuation in 2005’sSerenity.
Despite being canceled after only one season,Fireflydeveloped a cult following, leading to a feature film continuation in 2005’sSerenity. With clever dialogue, captivating characters, and an interesting setting,Fireflywas ahead of its time in many ways— and its short length makes itperfect for binge-watching over a long weekend.
Co-produced by The Jim Henson Company,Farscapeoffers a delightfully weird sci-fi storycentered on astronaut John Crichton (Ben Browder) and his journey to return to Earth. Along the way, he encounters numerous friends and enemies, including his eventual love interest, a Peacekeeper named Aeryn Sun (Claudia Black).
Although originally planned for five seasons,Farscapewas abruptly canceled after season 4. Thankfully, the story was later wrapped up in a three-hour miniseries calledFarscape: The Peacekeeper Wars.
With a fascinating cast of alien characters (some of which are Jim Henson puppets) and a living ship called Moya,Farscapeis a unique sci-fi showthat develops a complex mythology. While it may be harder to get into than some of the entries on this list,Farscaperemains a cult classicthat’s well worth watching.
TheStargatefranchise never achieved quite the same level of fame asStar WarsandStar Trek, but it nevertheless delivered some great sci-fi television. The first television entry in the franchise,Stargate SG-1,follows a military team led by Colonel Jack O’Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) asthey travel to various alien worlds through a wormhole known as a Stargate.
Stargate SG-1combines fascinating sci-fi concepts with various ancient Earth mythologiesto create a show that feels cozy but still tackles tough topics. With an incrediblycompelling cast of characters,SG-1has something for everyone. So does its equally great spinoff series,Stargate Atlantis.
Set on a space station called Babylon 5,this far-future series depicts the complicated relationships between the Earth Alliance and various other alien species,including the Centauri, the Narn, and the Vorlons. Unlike many television shows of its time,Babylon 5tells a heavily serialized story.
Not only didBabylon 5receive numerous awards while it was airing, but it also served as amajor influence for science fiction televisionmoving forward. With its complex political storylines and apt social commentary,Babylon 5was truly ahead of its time,as it tackled everything from war to religion to addiction.
Developed by Ronald D. Moore as a re-imagining of the 1978television series, 2004’sBattlestar Galacticatells the story of the remnants of humanityas they search for a new home. After an advanced alien race known as the Cylons wiped out most of humanity, the survivors flee in a fleet of ships led by the Battlestar Galactica.
The 50,000 survivors encounter numerous hardships along their journey, as their leaders, Commander Adama (Edward James Olmos) and President Roslin (Mary McDonnell), face impossible moral decisions. WithBattlestar Galactica’sdevastating twists and turns,the showis not for the faint of heart,but it’s widely regarded as one of the best television shows of all time.
Based onthe bestselling book series by James S.A. Corey(writer duo Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck),The Expansetakes place in a far future in which humanity has colonized the solar system. The show begins as a sci-fi noir murder mystery, butit soon becomes a sprawling space operawith numerous factions vying for control of the system.
AsJames Holden (Steven Strait) and his crewaboard the Rocinante get pulled into intergalactic politics,The Expansedelivers some of the best political sci-fi and space battles on television.With stunning visuals and captivating characters,The Expanseshould have been far more popular than it was.
Created and hosted by Rod Serling,The Twilight Zoneachieved the perfect blend of horror, fantasy, and sci-fi, and it remains one of the most influential shows of all time.Each standalone, thirty-minute episode packs a punch,delivering often frightening stories with a moral message.
A few episodes we recommend: “Will The Real Martian Please Stand Up?,” “It’s a Good Life,” “Eye of the Beholder,” “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street,” and “To Serve Man.”
Many episodes ofThe Twilight Zoneleft their mark on popular culture, but if you’ve managed to avoid spoilers regarding theshocking twist endings ofThe Twilight Zone’smost iconic stories, you’re truly in for a treat. With its nature as an anthology series,new viewers can pick and choose whichTwilight Zoneepisodes to watch,making it easy to dive into.
LikeDoctor Who,Star Trekhas a long historythat began in 1966 with the premiere ofStar Trek: The Original Series. While that show is absolutely worth a watch for sci-fi fans,Star Trek: The Next Generationis, in many ways, a better representation of the franchiseas a whole.
Following the adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and his USS Enterprise-D,TNGdelivers classic sci-fi stories with wide appeal and a cast of incredibly likable characters.TNGmay have gotten off to a rough start, but from its second season on, the show delivered some of the bestsci-fitelevision of all time.
