Sci-fiTV shows are often packed with memorable characters, but some stand out far more than others. There is almost a century’s worth of programming within the genre, with tropes so varied in their prominence and interpretation thatno two sci-fi shows are exactly alike. Some efforts are fused with secondary genres, such as comedy, whereas others are more pure examples of what sci-fi is largely known to be, and this influences the kind of characters involved in the story.
There aresci-fi TV shows that changed the genre forever, and others that thrive largely on the work put in by their predecessors. For example, Seth MacFarlane’sThe Orvilleborrows pretty much everything fromStar Trek, and while it’s a great show, the characters don’t feel quite as original or as engaging. Inversely, there are often fantastic characters to be found incanceled sci-fi TV shows, which makes the lack of closure to their story all the more difficult to take.
20Detective Josephus Miller
From: The Expanse
The Expanseis a fairly grounded space opera, with only select sci-fi tropes making the cut. It embraces space travel and aliens, the latter only to a degree, but the show otherwise feels as though its primary genre tag is little more than a vehicle for the story being told. Thomas Jane’sJosephus Miller is a perfect encapsulation ofThe Expanse’s balanced approach to storytelling, as he initially plays a fairly regular detective whose biggest case ultimately involves unveiling the game-changing protomolecule. Plus, his presence adds a much-needed spin to the show’s neo-noir edge.
19Harry Vanderspeigle
From: Resident Alien
Resident Alienblends comedy and drama unlike any other sci-fi show I’ve ever seen, andAlan Tudyk’s Harry Vanderspeigleis the lightning rod for it all. Although more typically associated with hilarious moments that highlight Harry’s struggles when adapting to life on Earth,Tudyk’s character is also known to drop incredibly poignant sentimentsvia his narration duties. In short, Harry Vanderspeigle will often make you laugh now, only to make you cry later - and you’ll thank him for it.
18Olivia Dunham
From: Fringe
Anna Torv’s Olivia Dunham was the face ofFringefor all five seasons of the show.Fringeis very much one of the projects I mentioned earlier, in that it quite obviously draws quite a lot of inspiration from previous shows likeThe X-Files, but also manages to put its own stamp on the story. Olivia is just one of many compelling characters inFringe, but the fact that she essentially fronted the show made her arc easier to acknowledge with all of its brilliant nuances.
17Takeshi Kovacs
From: Altered Carbon
The main character of this two-season Netflix cyberpunk show isn’t a role that’s played by just one actor. Instead, it’s shared between Joel Kinnaman, Anthony Mackie, and Will Yun Lee. Kovacs is the audience’s eyes into the fascinating world ofAltered Carbon, where people’s consciousnesses are constantly backed up, making it possible to insert them into new bodies.Every version of Takeshi Kovacs is capable of brutal acts of violence, but Kinnaman and Mackie’s iterations are far more open to growth.
16Malcolm Reynolds
From: Firefly
Fireflywas canceled after just one season, although2005’sSerenitymovie allowed for a more satisfying endingfor the show’s main characters, with Nathan Fillion’s Captain Malcom “Mal” Reynolds easily topping that list. The enduring popularity of Fillion’sFireflycharacter is a testament to just how well written Mal Reynolds was. He has served as the blueprint for many of his successors in the sci-fi shows that followed, and it remains a huge shame we didn’t get to see more of him.
15Professor Farnsworth
From: Futurama
Futuramaisn’t short of wacky characters who stick out for a variety of reasons, and although Philip J. Fry (Billy West) is arguably the show’s main protagonist, Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth (also Billy West) is a much better cross-section of what makes the show tick.Farnsworth is very often the mind behind the Planet Express Crew’s more high-concept adventures, and it always seems like he’s there to offer some humorously misguided wisdom along the way.
14Dana Scully
From: The X-Files
While almost inseparable from David Duchovny’s Fox Mulder,Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) probably just about deserves a place on this list more than her partner. In a way, Mulder gets a spot by association because it was their brilliant dynamic that allowed them both to shine so brightly. However, Scully’s grounded and often-doubtful approach to her job was a great way for audiences to engage with the show’s high-concept and sometimes terrifying storylines.
13Q
From: Star Trek (The Next Generation, Primarily)
John de Lancie has become a sci-fi icon for playing his most famous character just a handful of times. Most known for playing Q amongStar Trek: The Next Generation’s cast, de Lancie managed to make an impact so big in just eight episodes that he secured himself borderline emeritus status within the franchise. He reprised the role inStar Trek: Deep Space Nine,Star Trek: Voyager,Star Trek: Picard, andStar Trek: Lower Decks.
While other members of the Q continuum have appeared inStar Trek, none have managed to dethrone de Lancie’s character as the most memorable and charismatic member of his omnipotent race.
Q’s godlike abilities are perfectly at odds with his jokester personality, often resulting in some pretty dark turns for whoever runs into him. While other members of the Q continuum have appeared inStar Trek, none have managed to dethrone de Lancie’s character as the most memorable and charismatic member of his omnipotent race. It’s also tricky to tell on quite a few occasions whether he should be considered a friend, foe, or something in between.
12Captain Kara “Starbuck” Thrace
From: Battlestar Galactica
Perhaps best known to modern sci-fi audiences asThe Mandalorian’s Bo Katan,Katee Sackhoff’s most prominent role within the genre remains Captain Kara “Starbuck” ThracefromBattlestar Galactica. Kara’s rebellious attitude had been known to serve the Colonial Fleet well, despite her allies' frustrations when it came to this particular character trait. She fell somewhere adjacent toBattlestar’s version of Han Solo, although she exists in a universe that is perhaps more hard sci-fi thanStar Wars. Either way, she has been a difficult character to supplant among the most legendary in the genre.
11Din Djarin
From: The Mandalorian
Even though Pedro Pascal’s role inThe Mandalorian’s is known to be the title character, he has been known to simply be the voice behind Din Djarin, with body doubles often subbing in to physically portray the masked character. Regardless, this doesn’t change the fact that the character made immediate waves whenThe Mandaloriandebuted in 2019. For a figure whose face is so rarely seen,Din Djarin is shockingly easy to root for, and watching his transition from cold bounty hunter to Grogu’s loving father figure is one of the best arcs in sci-fi TV history.
