Some TV shows have such a significant impact on their genre and the larger world of television that they must be watched, and these ten sci-fi shows are ten that cannot be skipped. Science fiction was once niche, but it has since become a mainstream genre that’s respected and appreciated. Sci-fi movies are now frequented by folks of all different ages and backgrounds. Similarly, streaming has made both old and new shows more accessible than ever before. Luckily, there’s no shortage of fantastic science fiction.
Great sci-fi TV shows have unique elements that set them apart from the larger genre. The best of the best not only reshaped sci-fi storytelling but also had impacts on the larger television landscape. When a series has this much of an impact, it should be seen by everyone. These are ten essential sci-fi TV shows that every person should watch before they die.
10
The X-Files
The 90s and early 00s TV show The X-Files absolutely revolutionized the sci-fi and mystery genre, with lasting impacts to this day. The story follows FBI special agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, who investigate supernatural and extraterrestrial phenomena. Mulder is a criminal profiler and supernatural believer, while Scully is a medical professional and skeptic.
The X-Files was a sensation when it came out, and it popularized story elements. The show featured a “monster of the week” format with small serialized elements tying through. The mythos and mysteries constantly develop across the seasons, rather than being fixed. While The Sopranos is generally considered the first modern prestige TV show, The X-Files has some of the foundational elements of prestige TV from the start.
9
The Expanse
Based on the book series by James S.A. Corey, The Expanse is one of the best sci-fi shows of the 21st century so far. Set hundreds of years in the future, humans have colonized the solar system with conflicts between the United Nations of Earth and Luna, the Martian government, and the residents of the asteroid belt called Belters. The central characters are the ragtag crew of the Rocinante, who get caught in the political mess.
The Expanse is different from other sci-fi shows in that it features hard sci-fi elements without feeling bogged down. The story, which treats the audience as intelligent, has incredible worldbuilding without constant tension, on par with Game of Thrones. Additionally, it has a diverse, well-developed set of characters who are easy to invest in.
8
Doctor Who
One of the best British TV shows of all time is Doctor Who, a series that everyone can enjoy. The Doctor, a humanesque alien called a Time Lord, travels through time and space in the TARDIS, a blue police box that is bigger on the inside. They go on adventures and fight new and recurring villains with companions, who are usually humans.
Because Time Lords can regenerate with an entirely new body, Doctor Who doesn’t have the same constrictions as most TV shows. Many actors have taken on the lead role, and the show continues to reinvent itself over 60 years later. Rather than being strictly serialized or episodic, Doctor Who blends the two together, which keeps the story fresh. Rather than sticking strictly to sci-fi, the show blends that genre with fantasy, historical fiction, and even horror.
7
Stargate SG-1
Some sci-fi takes itself too seriously, and others lean too far into the cheesiness. Stargate SG-1 is a great balance of a high-concept science fiction story with comedy and camp. The show centers on SG-1, a secret U.S. Air Force team that travels through the titular portal to planets across the universe. They need to search for alien technology to protect Earth from alien threats.
This TV show is a great choice for folks who might not be into sci-fi because it ties Egyptian mythology, Greek mythology, Norse mythology, and Arthurian lore. Additionally, the ensemble has phenomenal chemistry, and their camaraderie is a good enough reason to watch the show, if for nothing else.
6
Black Orphan
Orphan Black might technically be a sci-fi, but it has just as much of a claim to the thriller label. The series centers on Sarah, a streetwise hustler, who witnesses the suicide of a woman who looks identical to her. She takes on the persona of the deceased woman, discovering a huge world of secrets and conspiracies. Actress Tatiana Maslany gives the performance of a lifetime, playing seventeen characters with different personalities and backgrounds. She successfully makes every character feel different.
The writing of Orphan Black is tight and smart. The conspiracy is fully fleshed out and feels shockingly realistic. Additionally, the TV show explores important social issues in a very natural way, rather than forcing them into the story. Best of all, the show is so addictive that it’s easy to binge-watch.
5
Pluribus
Apple TV+ is renowned for its sci-fi, and Pluribus is one of the most unique and refreshing shows. The story follows a cynical, unhappy writer named Carol who survives the apocalypse, during which her wife dies. Rather than a dystopian event, a peaceful, subservient hive mind takes over almost every human body on Earth. Carol must save the world from happiness if she wants to bring humanity back. It feels less like sci-fi and more like an exploration of what it means to be human.
Pluribus subverts expectations in so many brilliant ways. The post-apocalyptic world is a eutopia. The main character of the story is a lesbian, but her story doesn’t center around her queer identity, which is refreshing representation. On top of that, Pluribus is a must-watch because of Rhea Seehorn’s brilliant performance.
4
Battlestar Galactica
The 1978 TV show Battlestar Galactica was rebooted, and the newer series is now considered one of the best reboot TV shows of all time. After the Cylons, a group of androids appearing like humans, destroy the Twelve Colonies of Kobol in a nuclear attack, the surviving humans travel on a fleet of old ships, protected by the battlestar Galactica, to find the mythical 13th colony called Earth. At the same time, they’re trying to fight off the remaining enemies.
The Battlestar Galactica reboot redefined the sci-fi genre, leaning into gritty realism and making cutting commentary about the post-9/11 world. Everybody in the cast gives a top-tier performance. Unlike the original show, they fully fleshed out the villains, making them feel so three-dimensional that they could exist in real life.
3
Arcane
While adult animation has been around for quite some time, it was never taken fully seriously in the United States. Most shows in the genre leaned into crude humor and shock value. However, Arcane has completely changed perspectives, with mainstream audiences taking adult animation more seriously. The steampunk show centers on orphan sisters Vi and Jinx who find themselves fighting on opposite sides of a conflict brewing in the seedy underbelly of the idyllic city Piltover.
Arcane had an incredibly high budget, and it shows in the best way possible. The beautiful visuals blend together 2D and 3D animation, using a distinct color palette and design style. The script and voice acting sucks the audience into the foreign sci-fantasy world. Rather than prolonging the story to cash in on viewer loyalty, the show ended after just two seasons.
2
Star Trek: The Original Series
While modern sci-fi leans into cynicism and dystopia, the 1960s show Star Trek: The Original Series has a truly optimistic belief in humanity. The TV show promotes cooperation and unity as the way that societies will succeed. The story follows the crew members of the Star Trek Enterprise, whose central thesis is stated at the start of the episodes. William Shatner’s Captain Kirk narrates this:
“Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.”
Star Trek: The Original Series was unapologetically progressive, featuring Black crew member Nyota Uhura and Japanese character Hikaru Sulu at a time when severe racial tension divided the United States. Stories are allegories for social division, Cold War paranoia, and racism, never compromising on its core message. Spock and Captain Kirk’s relationship is the basis of many later logical-alien and emotional-human dynamics. Plus, many sci-fi phrases were popularized or coined by Star Trek: The Original Series.
1
The Twilight Zone
It’s not an exaggeration to say that The Twilight Zone changed sci-fi, fantasy, and horror forever. The TV show was created after TV tried to muzzle Rod Serling. The creator tried to write about the murder of Emmett Till, but networks censored him. Thus, he created The Twilight Zone, an episodic anthology TV show that made sharp social commentary through different forms of speculative fiction.
The TV show mastered the art of mind-boggling twist endings that feel both shocking and completely earned. It popularized the idea in sci-fi that human flaws would be the downfall rather than extraterrestrial threats. Rather than shifting the visual and narrative style each episode, The Twilight Zone also became a representation of Serling’s unique perspective as an auteur.
