Sometimes, all you need to do to make a great escape is put on one of the best sci-fi movies of all time for a glimpse at a whole different kind of world. But, if you are wishing for an extended stay in these far off galaxies, futuristic societies of a utopian or dystopian nature, or even ordinary, modern places encountering extraordinary phenomena, we recommend some of the small screen’s most beloved contributions to the genre. Allow us to point you in the direction of where the most die-hard sci-fi fans have gone before with our following guide to the best sci-fi TV shows now streaming.
Doctor Who (1963-Present)
The last member of an immortal, human-looking alien species with regenerative abilities travels to different times, dimensions, and planets, often with a companion at their side.
Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: One of the small screen’s longest-running, most influential franchises of all time is Doctor Who, which stars a frequently changing rotation of actors – from Tom Baker to David Tenant to Jodie Whitaker and more – as the titular Time Lord.
Stream Doctor Who on Max.
Stream Doctor Who on Tubi.
Severance (2022-Present)
A group of office workers (played by Adam Scott, Britt Lower, Christopher Walken and more) start to develop suspicions about the true nature of their company, which keeps its employees' personal and professional memories separate.
Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: From creator Dan Erickson and executive producer Ben Stiller, Severance is one of the most inventively bizarre, absorbing, and simply best TV shows on Apple TV+, let alone in recent memory, and has a highly anticipated second season in the works.
Stream Severance on Apple TV+.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008-2020)
The chronicles of the vicious war between the Republic (as aided by the Jedi) and the oppressive Separatist army in a galaxy far, far away.
Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: Taking place between the events of Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith on the Star Wars timeline, Star Wars: The Clone Wars is one of the most widely beloved installments of the franchise as a whole.
Stream Star Wars: The Clone Wars on Disney+.
Cowboy Bebop (1998-1999)
The adventures of a crew of bounty hunters in space in the distant future.
Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: As far as Japanese anime TV shows go, Cowboy Bebop – which was later adapted for live-action by Netflix – is an essential for its dazzling blend of cosmic action with noir-inspired tonal elements.
Stream Cowboy Bebop on Hulu.
Stream Cowboy Bebop on Crunchyroll.
Quantum Leap (1989-1993)
A freak accident sends a brilliant scientist (Scott Bakula) on a journey inhabiting the bodies of strangers from different time periods to right wrongs of the past.
Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: Later rebooted for modern audiences with Raymond Lee in the lead, Quantum Leap is one of the most unique stories about time travel ever conceived, and only made greater by the wonderful chemistry between Bakula and the late Dean Stockwell as his holographic guide, Al.
Stream Quantum Leap on Peacock.
Stream Quantum Leap on The Roku Channel.
Silo (2023-Present)
A woman (Rebecca Ferguson) from a community of people driven to live underground questions what she has been told about the uninhabitable environment above.
Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: Showrunner Graham Yost’s adaptation of Hugh Howey’s bestselling book series is a wonderfully suspenseful dystopian treat, especially with killer performances by the Silo cast, which also includes Common, Tim Robbins, Rashida Jones, and more.
Andor (2022-Present)
A man (Diego Luna) becomes part of a secret movement to overthrow the oppressive imperial authority over his and other planets.
Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: One of the most beloved Star Wars spin-off TV shows, Andor – which has a second season in the works – serves as a prequel to one of the franchise’s most acclaimed prequels, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
Black Mirror (2011-Present)
The best Black Mirror episodes so far include futuristic cautionary tales, morality dramas, and even bizarre supernatural fantasies.
Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: This list is meant to highlight science-fiction shows, but most stories featured in Charlie Brooker’s Netflix exclusive, technophobic horror anthology series, Black Mirror, feel almost too frighteningly plausible to be considered “fiction.”
Stream Black Mirror on Netflix.
Firefly (2002-2003)
Centuries after mankind left Earth to colonize the rest of the galaxy, a ragtag crew of smugglers and fugitives led by a rebellious ship’s captain (Nathan Fillion) offer their services to those in need while on the run from the government.
Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: Oddly enough, most sci-fi series with the most devoted fan bases are the kind of shows that were cancelled too soon, like Firefly – a groundbreaking of space operas with the Western, which later spawned a feature-length follow-up called Serenity.
Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988-Present)
The sole human aboard an interstellar satellite is forced by his captors to watch cinema’s worst with his sarcastic robot companions.
Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: No series pokes fun at low-tier B-movies better than Mystery Science Theater 3000, which has gone through various hosts and distributors and even spawned a theatrical movie in 1996.
Stream Mystery Science Theater 3000 on Peacock.
Stream Mystery Science Theater 3000 on Pluto TV.
Stream Mystery Science Theater 3000 on Netflix.
Rick And Morty (2013-Present)
A dysfunctional grandfather-grandson duo embark on increasingly dangerous and potentially cataclysmic adventures – including planet-hopping, reality-swapping, and even just trying to impress a classroom crush.
Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: Despite being a crude, blatant send-up of Back to the Future at its surface, co-creators Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland (who formerly voiced to title characters) made Adult Swim’s Ricky and Morty into something special that many consider to be one of the best animated TV shows of all time.
Stream Rick and Morty on Max.
Stream Rick and Morty on Hulu.
Stranger Things (2016-Present)
Ordinary children and adults take on extraordinary matters (such as telepathic beings and interdimensional beasts) happening in their small Midwestern town in the 1980s.
Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: Heavily inspired by classic ‘80s movies like E.T. or The Goonies, the magnificent Stranger Things cast and creators Matt and Ross Duffer have pushed this blockbuster-level Netflix hit beyond just another fun piece of nostalgia
Stream Stranger Things on Netflix.
The Mandalorian (2019-Present)
An interstellar bounty hunter (Pedro Pascal) becomes a fugitive after he takes it upon himself to be the protector of his own bounty: an innocent child of extraordinary ability.
Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: From creator Jon Favreau, the Emmy-winning Disney+ exclusive series, The Mandalorian, is unique to previous stories to come from a galaxy far, far away for its western-style tone, moving, character-driven plot, and, above all, the cutest alien baby you have ever seen.
Stream The Mandalorian on Disney+.
The X-Files (1993-2018)
Two FBI agents (David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson) investigate cases a little stranger than your typical homicide – such as alien abductions, interspecies mutation, or extra sensory perception, among other things.
Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: Originally lasting nine seasons before its two-season revival in 2016, creator Chris Carter’s Emmy-winning hit The X-Files has the tone of a crime procedural and pulse of an eerie midnight movie, resulting in one of the genre’s most exquisitely constructed and phenomenally original creations.
Stream The X-Files on Hulu.
Stream The X-Files on Freevee through Amazon.
Twin Peaks (1990-2017)
A special agent of the FBI (Kyle McLachlan) is sent to investigate the death of a young woman in a small Washington town, which proves to be the site of an even stranger variety of mysteries.
Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: Winner of the Golden Globe for Best Drama Series in 1991, creators David Lynch and Mark Frost’s Twin Peaks became a touchstone of addictive episodic television in only two seasons before its short 2017 revival on Showtime for its unprecedented idiosyncrasies and delicious surrealism.
Stream Twin Peaks on Paramount+.
Stream Twin Peaks: The Return on Showtime through Paramount+.
Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994)
The crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise-D continues Starfleet’s exploration of uncharted areas of space.
Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: Widely considered to be a spin-off as good as the original – or even the strongest iteration of Gene Roddenberry’s iconic franchise overall – is the multi-Emmy-winning Star Trek: The Next Generation, especially with Sir Patrick Stewart as Enterprise captain Jean-Luc Picard.
Stream Star Trek: The Next Generation on Paramount+.
Stream Star Trek: The Next Generation on Pluto TV.
The Expanse (2015-2022)
In an entirely colonized and seemingly peaceful solar system, a space freighter crew makes a dark discovery that gives them a reason to rebel and become heroes.
Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: Based on James S.A. Corey’s celebrated novels, The Expanse is lauded by critics and audiences alike as one of the best sci-fi TV shows on Amazon Prime and one of the genre’s smartest shows of its time in general.
Stream The Expanse on Amazon Prime.
The Twilight Zone (1959-1964)
A collection of fantastic, mind-bending character studies that are often reflective of the pressing matters from the era.
Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: While it would later inspire multiple reboots, most would agree that nothing beats Rod Serling’s original classic anthology series, The Twilight Zone, in terms of its outstanding depth and imagination.
Stream The Twilight Zone on Paramount+.
Stream The Twilight Zone on Freevee through Amazon.
Stream The Twilight Zone on Pluto TV.
The Jetsons (1962-1987)
An average family gets themselves into bizarre situations in a futuristic utopia.
Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: After receiving (probably inaccurate) lessons about the Stone Age from Hanna-Barbera, children could also indulge in the animation studio’s vision of the future with The Jetsons – one of the most beloved marriages with the traditional sitcom structure with the sci-fi genre.
Stream The Jetsons on Max.
Stream The Jetsons on Tubi.
What do you think? Are these the best sci-fi TV shows of all time (that are available for streaming) or do you find our lack of your favorite series disturbing?
