The 30 best sci-fi shows of all time, ranked

30. Stargate SG-1 (1997–2007)

Continuing from the events of Roland Emmerich’s Stargate (1994), this Canadian series tracks a group of militia men and women who venture into outer space to locate the Stargate, an alien portal to another dimension.

Stargate SG-1‘s life began on Showtime before switching over to Syfy at the beginning of its sixth season, which put a damper on the production values (if not the writing). One of the headiest and most thoughtful shows of the late ’90s, SG-1 only grows richer upon rewatching.

Where to watch Stargate SG-1: Amazon Prime Video

29. Tales of Tomorrow (1951–1953)

This devious little oddity served up a different story each week, a tradition best associated with The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits. That it predates those anthology series by a decade or so only reinforces its importance.

Tales of Tomorrow manages to pack some surprising darkness and shocking turns of fate into several of its most eventful installments. As a whole, this is a cozy throwback that’s just edgy enough to send a chill down your spine on a cold evening.

Where to watch Tales of Tomorrow: Tubi

28. Future Man (2017–2020)

A delightfully warped comedy from the Seth Rogen/Evan Goldberg stable, Future Man stars Josh Hutcherson as an underachieving janitor recruited by his favorite video game characters to save the universe from a very real conflict.

Both a raucous send-up of self-important, overly portentous sci-fi/superhero mythology and a daringly original story on its own, Future Man was a brilliant but unfortunately short-lived series featuring career-best work from Hutcherson and costar Eliza Coupe.

Where to watch Future Man: Amazon Prime (to buy)

27. The Bionic Woman (1976–1978)

This spinoff of The Six Million Dollar Man stars Lindsay Wagner as Jamie Summers, the proto-superhero who, after suffering a severe injury, is infused with robotic parts that allow her to, essentially, jump really high in slow motion when she needs to defeat drug dealers, animal abusers, or shady foreign operatives.

Wonderfully silly and packed with nifty practical effects in that specific ’70s TV vein, The Bionic Woman is an improvement over its predecessor and a wildly fun throwback watch.

Where to watch The Bionic Woman: Peacock

26. The Jetsons (1962–1963)

One of the rare primetime cartoons that, like The Flintstones, was aimed to appeal to adults as well as children, The Jetsons follows the titular futuristic family as they contend with modern problems like malfunctioning spacecraft and robotic housekeepers.

It’s a gorgeously hand-drawn series that works equally as a domestic comedy in the vein of The Honeymooners and I Love Lucy. But it also pushes its genre further than you might expect, treating its concepts with the same reverence offered by seasoned science-fiction writers.

Where to watch The Jetsons: Hulu

25. Lost in Space (1965–1968)

What was supposed to be a five-year exploratory mission turns into a lifetime of intergalactic terror for the Robinson family — dad John (Guy Williams); mom Maureen (June Lockhart); and kids Judy (Marta Kristen), Penny (Angela Cartwright), and Will (Bill Mumy) — when a scheming rival (Jonathan Harris) sabotages their ship.

Lost in Space plays like an extended version of the era’s many sci-fi features, positing that man’s evil and the folly of technology are intertwined. It’s great fun, and while not quite as preoccupied with big ideas as many other iconic sci-fi titles, it’s among the most thrilling of its contemporaries.

Where to watch Lost in Space: Hulu

24. Supernatural (2005–2020)

This rollicking monster-of-the-week procedural (Charmed with bros, if you will) stars Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki as Dean and Sam Winchester. The brothers are on a mission to eradicate paranormal evil, continuing the singular family business their father (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) launched after the boys’ mother died in an unexplained event.

Supernatural conjured a variety of demonic baddies across its 15 seasons and 327 episodes (!). It’s fun, light, and fairly frivolous, but also manages some properly spooky moments and winking callbacks to horror and sci-fi stories of yore.

Where to watch Supernatural: Netflix

23. Stranger Things (2016–present)

Netflix’s exceptional serial is one of the few modern originals to capture the rhythm and glow of classic-era Amblin productions like E.T. (1982) and The Goonies (1985). The comfortable, if routine, lives of Indiana adolescents are upset by the arrival of Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), the psychokinetic spawn of a government experiment.

Typical coming-of-age conventions are woven confidently into the show’s pulpier and more horror-inflected elements. Later seasons, which dive even further into the Cold War trappings of its ’80s setting, achieve a genuine, well-earned sense of melancholy.

Where to watch Stranger Things: Netflix

22. The Mandalorian (2019–2023)

Of all the pieces of Star Wars media from the Disney era, The Mandalorian is the one that truly reignited fervor for this universe. It strikes a closer tone to George Lucas’ original saga than most other recent installments. It’s a jocular, breezy throwback to 20th-century pulpy serials — but also offers its own new twists on the mythology.

Set five years after Return of the Jedi (1983), The Mandalorian follows titular bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), whose day job winds up getting him wrapped up in the fate of a particularly valuable bounty: a baby known as Grogu.

Where to watch The Mandalorian: Disney+

21. Futurama (1999–present)

Matt Groening’s clever series parodies just about every show on this list, and a recent Hulu reboot is currently having a go at modern sci-fi. It concerns the exploits of Phillip J. Fry, a ’90s slacker frozen in 1999 and thawed 100 years later, who finds work with an intergalactic shipping company, working alongside one-eyed Leela (Katey Sagal) and hard-drinking robot Bender (John DiMaggio).

Futurama is cruder than The Simpsons and not as pointed, but it’s a smashing and respectful homage to the genre, functioning as both a send-up and an earnest sci-fi serial in its own right.

Where to watch Futurama: Hulu

20. The Expanse (2015–2022)

Thomas Jane stars in The Expanse as Josephus Miller, a detective who takes on the case of a missing woman, only to be led into a vast inter-universal conspiracy. The sci-fi series populates its world with singular characters you grow to love while shaping it with poignant, thrilling writing. In other words, the show approaches its concept with the scope of an epic novel (which makes sense, as it’s based on a beloved series of novels).

Where to watch The Expanse: Amazon Prime

19. Sliders (1995–2000)

Physics major Quinn (Jerry O’Connell) sets the table for all sorts of adventures when he accidentally opens a wormhole that allows him and his cohorts (including Kari Wuhrer and John Rhys-Davies) to hop between parallel universes.

Fun in a quintessentially ’90s way, Sliders is sort of like if Quantum Leap watched Hackers after eating a particular type of mushroom. One of TV’s best “alternate reality” concepts, the show gets a ton of mileage from interrogating chance, fate, and the very different realities that could exist if things had gone just a little differently once upon a time.

Where to watch Sliders: Peacock

18. The Prisoner (1967–1968)

This surreal, enigmatic British miniseries stars Patrick McGoohan as Number Six, a former secret agent sent to live out his days in a mysterious seaside community (which is something like Village of the Damned crossed with that weird spy prison from Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy).

As Six digs deeper into the town’s nefarious characters, he begins to unravel the true reason for his presence there. One of the very finest British spy series — and that’s saying something — The Prisoner is an unequivocally slow burn, rewarding viewers for paying close attention and examining the clues.

Where to watch The Prisoner: Amazon Prime

17. The Outer Limits (1963–1965)

The budget answer to The Twilight Zone took the anthology concept and in a decidedly more monster-centric vision. And hey, there’s nothing wrong with that. Unlike Serling’s magnum opus, The Outer Limits focuses largely on tales of trapped spacemen, evil extraterrestrials, and intergalactic terrors that could only be hatched in the 1960s.

The similarity they share, of course, is that both shows used their format to ask heady, thought-provoking questions. The mid-’90s reboot is fine, but it doesn’t come close to matching the original’s brilliantly wacky kitchen sink mentality.

Where to watch The Outer Limits: MGM+

16. Aeon Flux (1991–1995)

MTV’s astonishingly realized, surrealist cyber-punk adventure follows the eponymous secret agent (voiced by Denise Poirier) as she engages in political espionage in an alternative, futuristic Germany.

The show is as out-there as it sounds, but you’ll be surprised how grounded it manages to be amid the off-the-wall visuals and decadent plotting. A subsequent film and video game failed to capture its combination of visual splendor, character development, and hell-for-leather action that makes this series such a treasure.

Where to watch Aeon Flux: Paramount+

15. Westworld (2016–2022)

HBO’s sizzling reimagining of Michael Crichton’s 1978 film depicts life inside a macabre amusement park attended to by robotic “hosts” who make customers’ every fantasy come true. It’s a concept given timely weight by creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, who aren’t shy about experimenting with structure and format.

The show evolves dramatically over its four seasons. Shady origins and shadowy corporate machinations that built the titular amusement park? Check. Advanced robots becoming self-aware? Check. If that’s not enough, Westworld eventually expands outside the park’s borders, diving into an AI-based world that’s more timely now than ever.

Where to watch Westworld: Amazon Prime (to buy)

14. Person of Interest (2011–2016)

Computer programmer Harold Finch (Michael Emerson) creates a software called “the Machine” that can predict terrorist threats across the globe. He recruits burnt-out former Special Forces and CIA op John Reese (Jim Caviezel) to assist in tracking down these persons of interest as the nefarious forces working against the Machine come into clearer view.

Another show that benefits from going in as blindly as possible, Person of Interest is great pop entertainment. But it sets itself apart by posing lofty moral questions while placing technology and centralized power under its microscope.

Where to watch Person of Interest: Amazon Prime

13. Severance (2022–present)

Apple’s positively chilling series posits a world in which citizens can opt into a “severance” program, which separates their work consciousness from their private one. It revolves around Mark S. (Adam Scott), whose work self (or “innie,” in the show’s vernacular) realizes this may not be the simple compartmentalization pitched to customers.

Severance’s DNA is distinctly in line with 1970s paranoid thrillers, with a conceptual hook that reflects on control, surveillance, religion, and the very nature of identity. Souls, even. The series never wastes a moment, continuously reinventing itself when you least expect it.

Where to watch Severance: Apple TV+

12. Orphan Black (2013–2017)

Tatiana Maslany anchors this Canadian potboiler with her portrayal of about a dozen (give or take) clones all built from the same original. One is an uptight housewife. One is a detective. Another is a genius biology student. Another is a manic Ukrainian assassin. You get the idea.

Needless to say, they discover each other’s existence — in fact, it seems like they’re constantly finding another clone sibling. Thus begins their unraveling of the conspiracy responsible for their existence in the first place. From there? Well, the less known about where Orphan Black goes, the better.

Where to watch Orphan Black: AMC+

11. Black Mirror (2011–present)

Charlie Brooker’s haunting dystopian anthology resets with each episode, so you can drop in wherever you like. Excellent installments abound in this eerie, surprisingly funny series, which throughout six seasons — and a choose-your-own-adventure special — has yet to jump the shark.

The primary hook is technology, as most episodes revolve around its many possible implications and applications — many of which feel all too plausible. The series has tackled artificial intelligence, social media, surveillance, cloning, simulated reality, and more — always in unnerving ways. There are plenty of great episodes, but “San Junipero” and “Joan Is Awful” are particular favorites.

Where to watch Black Mirror: Netflix

10. Quantum Leap (1989–1993)

One of the wildest network shows ever made, Quantum Leap stars Scott Bakula as physicist Sam Beckett, who, following an ill-fated time travel attempt, evaporates into the ether, only to find himself “leaping” from one body to the next across history, thus altering the course of the future.

It’s a deliriously imaginative way to reinvigorate the weekly potboiler template. The show offered a new, and always pleasant, surprise with every episode, from unusual settings to Sam’s often impossible-sounding missions.

Where to watch Quantum Leap: Amazon Prime (to buy)

9. Lost (2004–2010)

The buildup is definitely better than the payoff of Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse’s mystery-box spectacle, but who cares when the journey is so fun? Lost strands a group of airline passengers on a deserted island, where they wrestle with surviving the elements, forest beasties, and each other.

The series reinvented itself with every passing episode, introducing new mysteries, asking new questions, and providing compelling new details of its characters’ pasts through its flashback structure. This is one of the last proper watercooler shows before streaming consumed us all.

Where to watch Lost: Netflix

8. Firefly (2002)

Joss Whedon’s steampunk cult hit follows the crew of the Serenity, a group of intergalactic outlaw cowboys trying to make a living in the fallout of a devastating civil war. Firefly is part Western, part space opera, part caper, and all fun. It’s a ship full of lovable rogues, scoundrels, and, of course, a psychic fugitive who can kill you with her brain.

This is a classical adventure-of-the-week serial, with our ragtag group getting into one impossible scrape after another, always escaping by the skin of their teeth. Whedon takes well-worn sci-fi conventions and makes them his own.

Where to watch Firefly: Hulu

7. The X-Files (1993–2002, 2016–2018)

This seminal horror/sci-fi series follows FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) in a specialized unit investigating the inexplicable. Mulder’s the true believer (alien abductions, creature myths, folklore, you name it); Scully is the skeptic trying to keep her partner’s feet on the ground.

Over nine seasons, two features, and two revival seasons, her disbelief is put to the test through monster-of-the-week cases, unexplained events, and an increasingly intricate, far-reaching conspiracy. With its whip-smart banter, breathless thrills, and macabre humor, The X-Files spooked an entire generation, creating a ripple effect still felt on TV today.

Where to watch The X-Files: Hulu

6. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994)

Only Patrick Stewart could give William Shatner a run for his money. The then-unknown, now-iconic actor plays Jean-Luc Picard, captain of the USS Enterprise, overseeing a mission to search for unknown planets and alien lifeforms yet to be discovered.

Stewart’s screen presence makes him the perfect frontman for The Next Generation’s intellectual rigor and conceptual experimentation, which both paired remarkably well with the more straightforward action and adventure elements. There are still the pyrotechnics you’d expect, but the social commentary that has always underpinned the franchise became sharper than ever here.

Where to watch Star Trek: The Next Generation: Paramount+

5. Mystery Science Theatre 3000 (1988–2022)

After he’s shipped off to space by his mad scientist bosses, who are conducting an experiment about the effect of bad movies on the human psyche, former temp Joel Hogdson (and later Mike Nelson) builds a trio of robots to help him roast the Z-grade features he’s forced to watch.

MST3K relies largely on denigrating, and at times defiling, the art of others while simultaneously celebrating it. There isn’t a mean-spirited bone in the show’s body, but there are too many gut-busting quips to count, which helps some of the painfully tedious films go down a bit more smoothly.

Where to watch Mystery Science Theater 3000: Peacock

4. Star Trek (1966–1969)

This groundbreaking series made history by featuring television’s first interracial kiss (between William Shatner’s Captain Kirk and Nichelle Nichols’ Uhura), and that was just one way Star Trek pushed the genre — and television as a whole — forward.

Though it’s one of television’s most prolific franchises, with series both parodic and self-serious still being churned out today, the original Star Trek has yet to be topped. It tackled weighty political and social issues of the day while offering terrific comic-book thrills. It remains not just a fascinating time capsule, but thoughtful sci-fi at its best.

Where to watch Star Trek: Paramount+

3. Doctor Who (1963–present)

The BBC’s flagship series has been around longer than most of us have been alive — and will likely continue long after we’re gone. After all, regeneration is baked into the premise: a “Time Lord” alien goes on adventures through time and space, fighting evil, protecting the innocent, you name it. It’s no bother if he dies, he’ll just get him- (or her-) self another body.

Several Doctors have come and gone over the decades, but some things have remained consistent: the adventures are always fun, the sensibility is decidedly campy, and it all adds up to a truly singular sci-fi vision.

Where to watch Doctor Who: Max

2. Battlestar Galactica (2003–2009)

Nearly all of humanity — 12 planets’ worth — is annihilated by the Cylons, an android race created by mankind itself. The remaining few, namely those elsewhere in space during the Cylons’ genocidal attack, have the human race’s future in their hands. This novelistic wonder revolves around those on the eponymous ship as they set their sights on a rumored, distant planet: Earth.

Battlestar Galactica develops characters so naturally that they feel like close relations before the pilot even concludes. In its pleasantly complicated world-building, the series manages to be a shrewd political thriller, a cracking adventure, and a haunting religious allegory rolled into one.

Where to watch Battlestar Galactica: Amazon Prime (to buy)

1. The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)

For five seasons, creator and host Rod Serling guided unsuspecting viewers through some of the most haunting, macabre stories ever told. The forever iconic anthology series is both a wildly influential horror hallmark and a shrewd, eerily prescient social satire. If you’re new to the franchise, which includes three revivals and an infamous theatrical anthology, the original is the best place to start.

Gems include “Living Doll,” in which Talky Tina terrorizes an evil stepfather, and “The Midnight Sun.” It’s hard to go wrong with any of the classic episodes, including “To Serve Man” and Serling’s personal favorite, “Time Enough at Last.”

Where to watch The Twilight Zone: Paramount+