The 17 best science fiction TV shows of all time – according to New Scientist writers

Television hasn’t always been kind to sci-fi, abandoning smaller budgets for special effects and epic, in-universe narratives ahead of their time. But despite all the obstacles, many series have proven that long-form storytelling on the small screen is the perfect way to explore the complex ideas and philosophies that make this genre so compelling.

So much gold to choose from, the The New Scientist the group found it a difficult task to choose a favorite sci-fi series; not everyone could narrow it down to one. While this is far from a definitive list (and presented in no particular order), we hope our picks have something for everyone, no matter what kind of sci-fi fan you are.

Rebooted from an ill-fated 1978 series, Battlestar Galactica It begins with a nuclear holocaust and the remnants of humanity piling into wrecked spaceships to escape the sentient machines. But those who survive its most compelling moments struggle to balance social and ethical norms against the cold calculation of survival. Jeremy Hsu

The waste it’s not the best sci-fi series I’ve seen, it’s maybe the best TV show ever made. Big claim, I know. The premise is strange: what if one day, out of nowhere, 2% of the population disappeared? Don’t expect an answer as to why this happened; the series does not offer. Instead, it explores the devastating effects of so much grief and inexplicable loss. Chelsea Whyte

My family was not there Doctor Whoso I think this show was my introduction to science fiction (if you consider time travel science fiction, which I certainly do). It follows physicist Sam Beckett (Scott Bakula) who has invented a way to travel through time, although it’s not quite what he expected. Sam has disappeared from his own reality, but his consciousness jumps into other people’s bodies, and he must fix their lives before he can move on, and hopefully return home. The series was revived in 2022, and when I get a minute that isn’t filled with kids or books or the need to sleep, I’ll watch it. Alison Flood

Two parts sci-fi, one part noir, a richly detailed universe the expanse I was drawn to it like no other. Set in a future where humanity has colonized the solar system, it follows a hard-hitting detective investigating the disappearance of the crew of a deep-space ice transporter and a wealthy heiress. Before long, the exploited Belters living on the asteroids are embroiled in a conspiracy and rebellion. Alliance of Outer Planets Live! Bethan Ackerley

Black Mirror It operates in a weird sci-fi twilight zone, not fantasy-y enough to feel truly contrived, but just a little too futuristic to feel like a real-world drama. Each episode delves into how technology distorts the human experience, jumping genres from romcom to slasher horror. The first series are the most compelling – the first episode, featuring the UK Prime Minister and a pig, will burn your brain – but throughout. Black Mirror it’s thought-provoking, disturbing, and often funny. Madeleine Cuff

How many stories begin when someone opens the door and steps into the unknown? the joy of Doctor Whoand one of the two reasons for its longevity, the titular Doctor’s spaceship is a portal to anywhere in time and space. You can set a story in Victorian London or a billion years in the future. The other reason the show has lasted over 60 years is that the Doctor can regenerate into a new body, which is handy when you want to cast a new protagonist. Rowan Hooper

I started to see X-Files At about 9 years old, way too young! I thought Mulder was the epitome of cool, I wanted to believe, and I was amazed and horrified by the monsters he and Scully encountered every week. Rewatching the series as an adult, I identified more with the skeptical Scully and was drawn to the long narrative of an alien conspiracy. That structure of weaving independent plots with ongoing stories is what makes it X-Files so good Let’s pretend the revival of the 2010s never happened. Jacob Aron

Set in New York at the end of the 31st century, this animated series is your classic workplace sitcom, with basically all the main characters working for the interplanetary shipping company Planet Express (including Philip J. Fry, who was cryogenically frozen). 1999 and wakes up 1000 years later). Futurama it has an absurd gags-per-minute ratio, but there are also profound moments – just thinking about Fry’s dog makes me sob – and often heartwarming sci-fi homages. Tim Boddy

Imagine it from Han Solo Star Wars entering a Wild West saloon. A mix between Western and science fiction, firefly The spaceship Serenity sees a crew of lovable misfits trying to survive and make a difference in a space empire run by the Alliance. The series has become a cult classic thanks to its idiosyncratic characters, engaging cast, inventive storylines and witty dialogue. Chris Simms

At first glance, the edges looks like an heir X-Files: has a rather antagonistic pair of curious investigators and quickly dives into the supernatural and the personal. But it is much more than that. where X-Files had aliens and government conspiracies, the edges it has parallel universes, family secrets, psychedelics and sensory deprivation, as well as an incredibly strong supporting cast. Expect Leonard Nimoy as the villain, the double, and the man turned into a giant bird. Karmela Padavic-Callaghan

I’m reluctant to admit that sci-fi isn’t my entertainment choice – stories of robots and aliens don’t really do it for me. But the outsider offers an alternative take on the genre, with plenty of romance and a sizzling heroine. It follows Claire Beauchamp, who accidentally travels back in time from 1945 to 1743. After accepting her fate (and meeting the love of her life, Jamie), nurse Claire surprises her contemporaries with her 20s.^th– century knowledge of anatomy and pathogens – not to mention her feminist attitude. Alexandra Thompson

The Star Wars the franchise began as an uncomplicated space opera: The Empire is evil because its agents look like fascists; rebels are good because they are not. But the last parts have helped a lot to complicate that narrative. Andor it examines what an “ordered” space empire would look like – colonialist, trivial, dehumanizing – and why these conditions make thieves heroes. Linda Rodriguez-McRobbie

There’s something about it Modified carbon that is terrible and depressing, but at the same time incredibly attractive. Who wouldn’t want to be able to try on a smorgasbord of different bodies called on the show? Epic cities, extreme disparity, friendly AI and a questionable story – this cyberpunk series has it all! Search for Grant

I’m terrible at watching TV at night after a day of work/kids/life in the bag; I generally sleep. Not when it comes to the adventures of Rick (Andrew Lincoln), Michonne (Danai Gurira) and their ragtag crew. I’ve seen all the episodes The Walking DeadFrom when Rick wakes up in the hospital to discover a world ravaged by a virus that has turned everyone into a “walker”, to the horrible communities they traverse. It’s amazing, well acted and, especially in the previous series, full of surprises. Alison Flood

the original Star Trek it is the aspirational model of a science-driven society with true equality and peaceful exploration. That’s a cathartic escape in today’s hectic world, perhaps even more so than in the 1960s. It’s a great show to get in and out of, and the over-the-top Technicolor, awesome special effects and wooden cast add to its appeal. The series created a stunner series of spin-offs of different quality, but in my opinion the original cannot be beat. Matthew Sparks

How different would your life be if you had made different decisions at key points? And what would you do if you visited the other multiverses created at these points, with your different ones? That’s the intriguing premise Dark MatterAdapted for TV by Blake Crouch from his book. The first few episodes can be a bit slow at times, but it gets better and better. Michael LePage

Recency bias be damned: despite only debuting in 2022, Termination It has already earned its place among the greatest sci-fi TV shows of all time. Imagine if you could separate your work memories from the rest of your life. Outsourcing your daily work may seem trivial at first, but what horrors can your body unknowingly experience in the office, and what mishaps can an alternate version of yourself endure? Bethan Ackerley