Science fiction on television is endlessly inventive and consistently delivers. It appeals to a wide range of tastes, offering everything from political stories and exciting adventures to humor and thought-provoking ideas about the future. What’s great about sci-fi is its flexibility – you can create amazing stories with a huge budget and stunning special effects, or with very limited resources. Ultimately, it represents the very best of what human imagination can achieve.
Science fiction has become popular again recently, especially as being a “geek” is now more accepted and even fashionable. Syfy has created some excellent shows that you might have missed, and even popular shows like Orphan Black have a dedicated but relatively small following. There are many truly great sci-fi series that don’t get the attention they deserve, and often get better as they go on. Here are 10 of those shows.
’12 Monkeys’ – Syfy (2015-2018, 4 Seasons)
Syfy
It’s fun when a story gets retold! The Syfy series 12 Monkeys is a reimagining of the 1995 film with Bruce Willis, which itself was inspired by a 1962 short film called La Jetée. The story follows two people, James Cole and Dr. Cassie Railly, who team up to stop a secret group from causing disaster – and they do it using time travel. Set in the future (2043), they travel back to 2015 to prevent the release of a deadly virus by a group known as the “Army of the 12 Monkeys.” Considering what happened with COVID-19, the show feels surprisingly relevant. If they don’t succeed, the virus will mutate and wipe out humanity – no big deal, right?
The show 12 Monkeys is full of exciting twists and turns, and it successfully tells a complete story – something rare for modern TV series. While it shares a premise with the ’90s movie, the show is thoroughly enjoyable on its own and a great choice for anyone who loves time travel adventures.
‘Raised by Wolves’ – HBO Max (2020-2022, 2 Seasons)
HBO Max
Ridley Scott’s Raised by Wolves, despite being tragically cut short after just two seasons, is a truly underrated show. It follows two androids, Father and Mother, as they attempt to raise human children on a new planet after Earth is destroyed. The series explores the conflicts that arise from religious differences within the human colony, and delves into deeper questions about faith, persecution, and the potential dangers – and possibilities – of artificial intelligence. It makes you think about whether we should allow AI to develop without limits, and if robots could eventually surpass humanity.
Raised by Wolves is a truly bold and imaginative science fiction series. It’s not something you can casually watch while doing other things; it demands your full focus due to its intricate plots and thought-provoking ideas. With so little ambitious sci-fi on television these days, Raised by Wolves is definitely worth checking out.
‘Killjoys’ – Syfy (2015-2019, 5 Seasons)
Syfy
The Syfy channel really hit its stride in the mid-2010s (though Battlestar Galactica in the 2000s was also a standout). One show that perfectly captured that spirit was Killjoys, a fun, action-packed series about three bounty hunters. They work across the galaxy, trying to stay out of a brewing interplanetary conflict while collecting rewards. The show portrays them as carefree and adventurous, but their pasts eventually come back to haunt them. You might recognize one of the stars, Hannah John-Kamen, as Ghost from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Killjoys is simply a really fun show. It doesn’t try to be overly serious and has a great sense of humor with its quick, witty lines. It proves that sci-fi doesn’t have to be heavy and thought-provoking to be good! From start to finish, Killjoys is an entertaining escape, offering plenty of action and laughs.
‘Orphan Black’ – BBC America (2013-2017, 5 Seasons)
If I had to choose a favorite show, Orphan Black would definitely be near the top. This fantastic, but often overlooked, sci-fi series begins with Sarah Manning, a con artist, witnessing a woman who looks exactly like her commit suicide. It quickly becomes clear that both women are actually clones – and there are many more like them. What follows is a gripping, fast-paced thriller that makes you think about the ethics of human cloning. Tatiana Maslany gives an incredible performance, playing a total of 17 different clones over the show’s five seasons – and sometimes even clones pretending to be other clones! She deservedly won an Emmy for her amazing work.
While Tatiana Maslany’s incredible acting is a major draw for Orphan Black, the show is also a heartwarming story about the bonds of chosen family. It’s the relationships between the ‘sestras’ – the clone sisters – that really carry the series. If you loved Maslany’s performance in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and are looking for a captivating sci-fi show, I highly recommend checking this one out.
‘Humans’ – AMC (2015-2018, 3 Seasons)
AMC
Everyone enjoys a classic robot story, and AMC’s Humans delivers just that. Inspired by the Swedish series Real Humans, the show explores the increasingly relevant topic of artificial intelligence and how it might affect our future. The story centers around a world where realistic, human-like robots, called “synths,” are common household helpers. The Hawkins family’s comfortable life is turned upside down when their synth, Mia, begins to develop thoughts and feelings.
The story isn’t particularly original – robots rebelling against humans is a common theme in science fiction. But with all the recent progress in artificial intelligence, it feels especially timely and impactful. Humans is a compelling and thought-provoking series that resonates even more strongly now than when it originally aired ten years ago.
‘The Expanse’ – Syfy and Prime Video (2015-2022, 6 Seasons)
Syfy/Prime Video
If I were ranking science fiction TV shows, The Expanse would be at the top. This six-season show is based on the fantastic book series by James S.A. Corey. It’s a great example of realistic, modern science fiction, and even though it’s become more popular recently, it still feels like a hidden gem.
Set about 200 years in the future, The Expanse is a compelling blend of detective stories and epic space adventure. It explores conflict between planets and how those in power often exploit the less fortunate. With elements of social struggle, intriguing alien mysteries, memorable characters, and a diverse crew aboard a ship named after a famous literary horse, this sci-fi series is a real standout. And Shohreh Aghdashloo’s fantastic use of colorful language is an added bonus!
The Expanse is consistently engaging from start to finish, closely following the books and featuring fantastic acting. It’s complex and requires focus, but it’s incredibly rewarding. Get ready for a great binge-watching experience, Beltalowda!
‘Farscape’ – Syfy (1999-2003, 4 Seasons)
Syfy
Wow! Farscape is a truly memorable science fiction show from the early 2000s and should be considered one of the best sci-fi TV series ever made. The story follows astronaut John Crichton, who is unexpectedly thrown across the galaxy through a wormhole. He ends up joining a ragtag group of alien escapees as the only human on board, and together they embark on a wild adventure as Crichton tries to find his way back to Earth.
The sci-fi series Farscape was a unique collaboration with The Jim Henson Company, known for its incredible creature effects, including the puppets Rygel and Pilot. It’s delightfully over-the-top and campy, but also surprisingly moving and emotionally resonant. Despite its fantastical elements, Farscape consistently delivers strong storytelling throughout its 88 episodes.
‘Warehouse 13’ – Syfy (2009-2014, 5 Seasons)
Syfy
I know a lot of the shows on this list are from Syfy – the channel used to have some really great, hidden gems before it wasn’t as strong. Warehouse 13 was definitely one of them. It’s pretty accessible because it’s not overly complicated science fiction, making it a good starting point for people new to the genre. Plus, it blends a lot of different types of shows together – you’ve got mystery, fantasy, action, and thriller all mixed in, which makes it really fun.
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Warehouse 13 is a show about two Secret Service agents who are assigned to a massive warehouse in South Dakota filled with strange and supernatural objects. They work with a team of experts to collect even more of these unusual artifacts. It’s a fun, lighthearted series – if you enjoy quirky and playful shows, Warehouse 13 is worth checking out!
‘Dark Matter’ – Syfy (2015-2017, 3 Seasons)
Syfy
Interestingly, Apple TV+’s Dark Matter isn’t the first series with that name. Before it, there was a Syfy show that ran for three seasons and was quickly cancelled, causing a lot of disappointment among its fans on Twitter. The show followed a crew aboard the spaceship Raza who wake up with no memories of who they are. The first episode reveals they were once ruthless mercenaries, and they now have to decide whether to go back to their old ways or try to become better people. A lot of the story focuses on the secrets from their pasts and how those secrets come back to cause problems.
As a critic, I’ve always had a soft spot for those scrappy, low-budget sci-fi and fantasy shows from the 2010s. There was a real ingenuity to them – they could tell compelling stories and create impressive visuals even when they didn’t have massive budgets. Dark Matter was a perfect example, and it’s a real shame it was cancelled so abruptly, especially leaving us hanging with that cliffhanger ending. It felt like we were just getting started!
‘Babylon 5’ – PTEN (1993-1998, 5 Seasons)
PTEN
First airing on the now-closed Prime Time Entertainment Network, Babylon 5 is the oldest show on this list and boasts an impressive 111 episodes—ideal for a long viewing session. This often-overlooked sci-fi gem focuses on the human military personnel and alien ambassadors stationed aboard the Babylon 5 space station. Its exploration of themes like oppression, politics, and redemption feels particularly timely and relevant today.
Babylon 5 is a really engaging show that mixes exciting action with complex characters and a sense of mystery. What makes it especially good for binge-watching is that the story unfolds over the entire series—episodes don’t wrap up neatly on their own, which was unusual for TV at the time. It’s a show you really get invested in, and if you’re looking for a captivating escape, Babylon 5 delivers.
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2026-03-01 23:06