Making the perfect science fiction show is nearly impossible to do. It would need to open with a bang, demonstrate steady character growth, and give the fans a satisfying conclusion to reward their dedication. Shows like Lost started strong, but later seasons couldn’t keep the momentum going. Similarly, The X-Files could have been an all-timer, but the loss of David Duchovny for a stretch hurt the mystery series’ perfect record.
However, there have been science fiction shows that were able to end with fantastic conclusionsor be cut short when they were still in their prime and delivering amazing stories weekly. The following science fiction selections managed to achieve consistent greatness until the last episode and keep fans speaking their praises long after the final credits rolled.
15
‘Farscape‘ (1999–2003)
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An astronaut finds himself hopelessly far from home in Farscape. The show stars Ben Browder as John Crichton, an astronaut from Earth who is flung into a different part of the galaxy via a wormhole. Crichton is quickly pulled in by a living ship named Moya, where he will join a ragtag crew of aliens while looking for a way back to Earth. It won’t be easy, as Crichton is hunted by the Peacekeepers, a galactic military organization.
Farscape was a show frequently on the brink of cancellation, but the fan base remained vocal in their support over the four-season run. When other shows were beginning to experiment with computer animation, Farscape stood out by committing to practical effects with puppetry designed by The Jim Henson Company. Farscape embraced an experimental tone that was reflected in both the story and visuals.
14
‘Stargate SG-1’ (1997–2007)
Stargate SG-1 is one of the longest-running science fiction shows ever made, never sacrificing its high level of quality over a ten-season run. Based on the 1994 film Stargate starring Kurt Russell and James Spaderthe series picks up the story a year after the events of the movie. Each episode follows the adventures of SG-1, a military team led by Colonel Jack O’Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) on a mission to explore other planets in hopes of discovering technological breakthroughs and finding allies to establish ties with.
The mixture of relatable characters and satisfying long-term storytelling established Stargate SG-1 as a dominant sci-fi series with a devoted worldwide fanbase. Originally produced by Showtime, the show ran for five seasons on the premium cable channel before moving to the then-named Sci Fi Channel, where it would stay for five more seasons. The success of Stargate SG-1 would become a major hit for the network, leading to spin-offs in the form of Stargate: Atlantis and Stargate Universe.
13
‘Dark’ (2017–2020)
Fans of science fiction and cerebral mysteries can attest that Dark delivered a near-perfect three-season story on Netflix. The German town of Winden is on high alert after children begin to disappear, causing the small community to slowly panic and suspect one of their own. However, as the townspeople get closer to the truth, their concepts of time and the world around them will be challenged.
Dark is a masterfully plotted series, intricately tying together every detail in a way that will reward viewers who follow along closely. Shows that involve time travel can sometimes struggle to end on a satisfying note, but Dark avoids any shortcomings by ending the series as strongly as it began. Atmospheric, haunting, and riveting, Dark will appeal not only to sci-fi enthusiasts but also to horror fans who love an intriguing mystery.
12
‘Utopia’ (2013–2014)
A mythical graphic novel is at the center of a sprawling conspiracy, and so, so many murders in the cult classic series Utopia. Not many know about the graphic novel Utopia, which predicts often horrific global events, and that’s probably because the people who are aware of it don’t live long. When a group of strangers is united over interest in a second volume of Utopia, they’ll have to rely on one another to survive a shadowy organization and uncover the conspiracy at the heart of it all.
Be warned, Utopia is an extremely violent showand even those who think they’re prepared for anything might be caught off guard by certain scenes. Of all the science fiction offerings available, Utopia tells a more grounded story with realistic depictions of conspiracy theories that play as a dark commentary on the level of control any body of government could theoretically flex. A US version was commissioned by Amazon, but the two seasons of the UK original is the recommended option.
11
‘Orphan Black’ (2013–2017)
Some people suffer from the occasional identity crisis, but Tatiana Maslany takes it to a new level in the series Orphan Black. The series follows Sarah (Maslany), a low-level con who crosses paths with a woman who looks exactly like her before the woman throws herself in front of a train. Seizing the opportunity to take the woman’s identity, Sarah will quickly uncover the truth that not only is she a clone, but there’s a sprawling network of organizations that either want to control her or ensure she’s dead.
Maslany gives an impressive performance that appears exhausting, considering the many different personalities she effortlessly switches between. Praised for its writing that mixed smart science fiction with tense drama, Orphan Black developed a fan base that only grew over the course of five seasons. Maslany would win an Emmy for Best Outstanding Actress in a Drama, and the series would receive a spinoff in the form of the Krysten Ritter-starring Orphan Black: Echoes.
10
‘Battlestar Galactica’ (2004–2009)
A surprise attack sends the last stragglers of humanity into space, seeking a new place to call home in Battlestar Galactica. When the robotic but human-looking Cylons wage a deadly war on humans, they force the survivors to board a fleet of ships led by the Battlestar Galactica. Their escape was not the end of their struggle, as Cylons exist among them in secret, waiting to strike when they least expect it.
Although based on the short-lived 1978 series of the same name, the new Battlestar Galactica reinterpreted the campy space adventure as a dark and sometimes hopeless high-stakes drama. Changing the Cylons from metallic soldiers of doom into human passing spies adds a sense of paranoia that the audience is able to share with the tired and scared humans. The ending has its detractors, but Battlestar Galactica managed to be a crossover piece of fiction that reached mainstream attention as one of the greatest television shows of all time.
9
‘Watchmen’ (2019)
A piece of science fiction that hits strikingly close to the same political divide facing Americans today, the HBO series Watchmen is a modern masterpiece in every way. Taking place years after the events of the original Watchmen graphic novel, the series follows Angela Abar (Regina King), a police officer in Tulsa, Oklahoma, who must figure out who to trust and what to believe in the wake of her police chief, Judd Crawford (Don Johnson), being found hanged from a tree.
Along with being a well-written and well-acted series, Watchmen is beautifully shot with haunting images of brutality and violence. The core mystery of the series keeps the intrigue high while fitting into the overall Watchmen mythos that has made the series a crossover hit with comic-book fans and mainstream readers alike. Watchmen only received one season on HBOan intentional decision made by creator Damon Lindelofwho felt like he told the story he wanted to tell. After looking at the finished product, it’s hard to disagree with him.
8
‘Firefly’ (2002–2003)
A mixture of science fiction and classic westerns, Firefly followed the crew of the Serenity, a small Firefly-class ship captained by Malcolm “Mal” Reynolds (Nathan Fillion), a war hero who lands on the losing side of a galactic conflict. Each episode would see Mal lead his crew through jobs that skirted outside the law, making Firefly feel like the unofficial Han Solo series Star Wars fans never got to watch. Poor programming decisions by Fox led the series to be canceled after eight episodes, but being short-lived just means Firefly never had a chance to lose its quality.
Firefly was a melting pot of ideas and themes that, although incongruent on paper, formed into a show that’s still talked about today. The ensemble is one of the best in science fiction, with an on-screen chemistry that’s rare to findnot only in science fiction but in media as a whole. There wasn’t one character on Firefly that could have been considered expendable, so when crew members didn’t survive the follow-up film Serenityit felt like a devastating loss for faithful viewers.
7
‘Babylon 5’ (1993–1998)
Fans wouldn’t change one piece of the carefully designed space opera: the intelligently perfect Babylon 5. After war threatened to destroy humanity, a surprise peace treaty was negotiated to move forward without further loss of life. The space station Babylon 5 exists in honor of this newfound coexistence, a place where any race in the galaxy can meet to improve diplomatic relations or establish trade.
Stracynzski made a calculated decision in plotting a series that would require viewers to be familiar with each episode to properly follow the narrative, and although it was risky, it paid off. In a pre-DVR era, there was the risk of alienating audiences who were accustomed to weekly self-contained episodes, but by building the story in a serialized manner, character growth could be controlled and allowed to happen in a properly controlled manner. By the time Babylon 5 reached its fifth and final season, fans who stuck with the show knew they had watched something special that was ahead of its time.
6
‘Andor’ (2022–2025)
While many Star Wars projects prove divisive to the fanbase, Andor was one that everyone could agree on. Set before the events of Rogue One: A Star Wars StoryAndor follows the journey of Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) as he rises from thief to a key member of the Rebellion. As Cassian witnesses the brutality of the Empire up close, the audience sees the often complicated and morally ambiguous maneuverings made by both sides of the galactic conflict in order to gain an edge.
Andor was able to give what many Star Wars fans had been craving: a mature story set within the familiar universe. The story injected a sense of menace back into the empire, reminding even longtime fans why the rebels would sacrifice their lives to destroy the oppressive regime. One of the best pieces of Star Wars fiction released in the modern era, Andor’s second and final season won five Emmys, including a much-deserved award for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series.
