22 best science fiction series of all time

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

From the classic X-Files and Star Trek to modern Stranger Things and Westworld.

22. People

• USA, 2015-2018.
• Science fiction, drama.
• Duration: 3 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 0.

The series takes place in a world where high-tech robotic servants, almost indistinguishable from humans, have become extremely popular. Living side by side with their owners, they increasingly influence their lives. And they do it sometimes in a very dangerous way.

The authors of the project took as a basis the Swedish TV series "Real People", but improved the special effects and added many interesting twists to the action. However, the main merit of this story is that the series shows a world very similar to ours, and the attitude of people towards robots perfectly reflects their hidden flaws.

21. The Man in the High Castle

• USA, UK, Canada, 2015–2019.
• Science fiction, drama, thriller.
• Duration: 4 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 0.

The events of the series, based on the novel of the same name by Philip Dick, unfolds in an alternative world, where the coalition of Germany and Japan won the Second World War. Stalin was executed, and Washington was destroyed by a nuclear bomb. The main action is devoted to the search for a mysterious newsreel, which shows a completely different world, where the Nazis still lost.

Over time, the series deviated greatly from the plot of the original book (everyone was hunting for Dick's novel "And Feast on Locusts"). However, the reflection of an alternative world, where the story went in a completely different way, greatly impressed the audience.

20. Quantum Leap

• USA, 1989-1993.
• Science fiction, drama, adventure.
• Duration: 5 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 1.

Dr. Samuel Beckett developed a machine that allows humans to travel in time. But the test did not go according to plan, and the hero began to fall into the bodies of various people in the past. To move on, Beckett needs to fix something in the lives of each of them. And only a hologram of a friend - Admiral Albert Kalavichi helps him.

After five seasons, the series was closed without showing the audience a sensible denouement. And only 26 years later, an alternative ending to the story was published on Reddit, which remained among the working materials.

19. Beyond the Possible

• USA, 1963-1965.
• Science fiction, thriller, detective.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 2.

In the sixties, Leslie Stevens and renowned screenwriter Joseph Stefano began producing a fantastic anthology that would later become one of the genre's most famous examples. Each episode told a new story about encounters with aliens, time travel, environmental disasters, and all kinds of monsters.

Many famous authors have worked on the scripts for this series. Among them is even the legendary science fiction writer Harlan Ellison, who invented the episodes "The Demon with the Glass Hand" and "The Soldier." The original series only lasted two seasons. But 30 years later, a new version of the project appeared, on which, by the way, Stevens and Stefano also worked. The remake consists of seven seasons - over 150 episodes.

18. Stay Alive

• USA, 2004-2010.
• Science fiction, thriller, drama.
• Duration: 6 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 3.

A plane flying from Sydney to Los Angeles unexpectedly crashes. Only 48 passengers survive. They all end up on a mysterious island somewhere in the ocean. But gradually it becomes clear that they got there for a reason.

The series from the famous JJ Abrams and the future creator of "Guardians" Damon Lindelof was an instant hit. A complex story with many flashbacks and a mixture of fiction and drama has intrigued viewers from the first season. But, unfortunately, the ending disappointed many, and “Lost” regularly gets into the lists of projects with the most unfortunate ending.

17. Star Trek

• USA, 1966-1969.
• Science fiction, action, adventure.
• Duration: 3 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 3.

The action of the first series from the future fantasy franchise takes place in the XXIII century. In the center of the plot - the starship "USS Enterprise NCC-1701" under the leadership of Captain Kirk, recovered on a research expedition.

Over the years, Star Trek has grown into one of the largest MCUs in film and television history. At various times, there were series that surpassed the original in popularity, for example, "Star Trek: The New Generation" and "Star Trek: Discovery".

And the number of full-length projects has already exceeded a dozen. In addition, books, comics, video games and many other materials are published to complement the fantasy world.

16. Babylon 5

• USA, 1994-1998.
• Science fiction, drama, action.
• Duration: 5 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 3.

The space station Babylon 5 was built as a place for diplomatic negotiations to maintain peace between stellar civilizations. But in the end, it is there that all sorts of political intrigues and conflicts unfold.

Joseph Michael Strazhinski created one of the most famous space operas with a cool twist. The first three seasons are considered the best, but later the series got into a difficult situation. Due to competition with the more popular Stargate, the project was canceled.

And therefore, the authors showed all the ideas and the main denouement in the fourth season. When Babylon 5 was finally rescued, the scriptwriters had to invent new storylines on the fly, many of which seemed unnecessary to the audience.

15. Eighth Sense

• USA, 2015-2018.
• Science fiction, drama, thriller.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 3.

Eight people living completely different lives in different parts of the world suddenly discover that they are emotionally connected to each other. A powerful person is trying to bring them together, but in parallel, those who see them as a threat open up the hunt for the heroes.

The famous Lana and Lilly Wachowski, who directed The Matrix, are behind this Netflix series. The project was successfully released for two seasons, and after the closure of the fans staged a whole campaign in support of the "Eighth Sense". Then it was decided to shoot an additional two-hour ending.

14. Futurama

• USA, 1999-2013.
• Science fiction, adventure, comedy.
• Duration: 7 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 4.

The kind and a bit ridiculous pizza peddler Philip J. Fry got into a cryogenic chamber on January 1, 2000, and was thawed only 1000 years later. In the new world, he again becomes a courier, but in the interplanetary service. And at the same time he finds new friends in the person of the robot Bender, the alien Leela and his elderly descendant Hubert Farnsworth.

This animated series was invented by the author of the legendary "The Simpsons" Matt Groening. But in Futurama, he allowed himself a break from social themes, leaning towards fantasy and light humor. Although there are enough touching episodes in the series: what are the stories of Fry's brother or his dog.

13. Stargate SG-1

• USA, Canada, 1997-2007.
• Science fiction, drama, action.
• Duration: 10 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 4.

In Roland Emmerich's 1994 film Stargate, humanity discovered an ancient portal to other worlds. The action of the series takes place a year after these events. The main plot is dedicated to the SG-1 squad, which is looking for allies on distant planets to protect the Earth from a race of space parasites.

Starting with a feature film, the Stargate franchise lasted 10 years as a series, and then continued in all sorts of spin-offs and sequels. From the very beginning, the authors relied on special effects and space battles, without saving on the budget, and the investment paid off very well.

12. Space

• Canada, USA, 2015 - present.
• Science fiction, detective, drama.
• Duration: 4 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 5.

In the world of the future, humanity conquered space and settled throughout the solar system. Private investigator Joseph Miller investigates the disappearance of a young woman and ends up aboard the starship. The captain of the ship wants to help him, but gradually the crime story turns into the exposure of a large-scale conspiracy associated with the revolutionaries.

The adaptation of the series of books by James Corey (the common pseudonym of writers Daniel Abraham and Ty Frank) has become one of the brightest premieres of the SyFy channel. But after three seasons, the management decided to close the project. Then fans created a petition to save Space and even rented a plane with a huge banner that flew near the Amazon windows.

As a result, the streaming service bought the project and continued to release it. And the most active fans were even invited to the set.

11. X-Files

• USA, 1993–2018.
• Science fiction, thriller, detective.
• Duration: 11 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 6.

FBI agents Dana Scully and Fox Mulder are investigating all sorts of supernatural and UFO contacts as part of The X-Files. They have to deal with both all kinds of monsters and conspiracies of the highest circles of power, hiding the truth from people.

The story of the low-key and skeptical Scully and Mulder, who believes in the supernatural, is very much loved by the audience. During the first years of the existence of the series, the authors managed to talk about all kinds of aliens, and about mutations, and even connected the plot with the past of the agents themselves.

The project was closed in 2001, despite the fact that David Duchovny practically did not appear in the frame for the last two seasons. After some time, the feature film "The X-Files: I Want to Believe" appeared. And in 2016, the project was returned to television, but for only two seasons.

10. Doctor Who

• UK 2005 - present.
• Science fiction, adventure, comedy.
• Duration: 12 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 6.

The energetic Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey travels to different times and planets, saving entire worlds from all kinds of threats. His spaceship looks like a police box, and he most often takes earthlings from our time into satellites.

In fact, Doctor Who started back in 1963, and the number of seasons has already exceeded 35. The authors of the project are greatly helped by the ability of the Time Lords to regenerate: this way you can change the actors, leaving the main character the same.

After a rather long hiatus, the series was restarted in 2005, resetting the seasons. And the majority of modern viewers prefer to start with new episodes, only then turning to the classics.

9. Battlestar Galaktika

• USA, 2004-2009.
• Science fiction, drama, adventure.
• Duration: 4 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 7.

In the future, humanity founded colonies on 12 planets, creating Cylon robots to help themselves. But as a result, the machines began to attack their creators, unleashing a war. The few surviving people set off on a journey in the Galaxy spaceship to find the legendary thirteenth colony called Earth.

For the first time, the "Star Cruiser" Galaxy "" appeared on the screens back in 1978. But this is a rare case when a remake of the series has been more successful than the original version. In 2003, a new full-length film was released, which relaunched the whole story and gave rise to a new television project.

8. Darkness

• Germany, USA, 2016 - present.
• Science fiction, horror, detective.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 7.

The German series from Netflix is set in a small town not far from a nuclear power plant. The disappearance of two children gives rise to fantastic events, in the center of which are four families at once.

At first, many considered Darkness to be an analogue of Stranger Things. Yes, the plot of both stories is similar. But gradually the plot of the German series became much more complicated, since the action in it takes place at once in the past, present and future, and different timelines affect each other in a completely unexpected way.

7. World of the Wild West

• USA, 2016 - present.
• Science fiction, thriller, western.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 7.

In the Wild West World amusement park, visitors can fully experience the atmosphere of adventure. And they are helped in this by specially designed androids, outwardly indistinguishable from humans. Robots are regularly erased from memory so that they go through the same cycle over and over again. But the system malfunctions, which leads to dangerous consequences.

The authors of the series, Jonathan Nolan (brother of the famous Christopher Nolan) and Lisa Joy took the film of the same name by Michael Crichton in 1973 as a basis, but significantly complicated the plot, placing not only people, but also the androids themselves at the center of the action. As a result, the series balances on the brink of fiction and philosophical drama with very complex interweaving of storylines.

6. Black mirror

• UK, 2011 - present.
• Science fiction, thriller, drama.
• Duration: 5 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 8.

In 2011, British satirist Charlie Brooker launched a fantastic anthology that went on to become incredibly popular. Each episode tells a different story, but they all focus on the impact of technology and the media on humans.

By the third season, the project moved from Channel 4 to Netflix, and the number of episodes increased from three to six. In 2018, within the framework of the Black Mirror, an interactive film Bandersnatch also appeared, in which viewers can influence the plot themselves.

5. Very strange things

• USA, 2016 - present.
• Science fiction, horror, detective.
• Duration: 3 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 8.

In the small town of Hawkins, a boy, Will Byers, disappears. Mom and the local sheriff try to find him, believing that the child somehow connects with them from a parallel world. Meanwhile, Will's friends meet a girl named Eleven, who has telekinesis abilities.

The creators of this series, the Duffer brothers, did not just shoot another teenage horror film - they added dozens of references to the pop culture of the eighties to the series. The result is a purely nostalgic project reminiscent of many old films.

4. Cowboy Bebop

• Japan, 1998-1999.
• Science fiction, drama, action.
• Duration: 1 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 9.

Partners Spike Spiegel and Jet Black travel in the spaceship Bebop, working as bounty hunters. During the next order, their team is replenished with the gambler Fay Valentine, the brilliant hacker Ed and the suspiciously clever dog Ain. Together they have to deal with both new worries and their own past.

Of course, there are many great stories in the anime, but "Cowboy Bebop", although it lasted only one season, gained immense popularity not only in Japan, but also in other countries. Later they released a full-length cartoon, and in 2018 Netflix began developing a remake with live actors.

3. Twilight zone

• USA, 1959-1964.
• Science fiction, horror, drama.
• Duration: 5 seasons.
• IMDb: 9, 0.

The classic anthology, which became the prototype for both Beyond the Possible and Black Mirror, was created by screenwriter Rod Serling. In stories about aliens and all sorts of fantastic phenomena, he raised many serious social topics, himself acting as the narrator at the beginning and end of the episode.

The original series aired for five seasons, with over 150 episodes aired during that time. And then the project was restarted on screens three times. Moreover, the latest version, led by Jordan Peel, was launched in 2019.

2. Firefly

• USA, 2002-2003.
• Science fiction, adventure, western.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 9, 0.

The crew of the Serenity spacecraft, led by galactic war veteran Malcolm Reynolds, transports cargo, contraband, and regularly gets involved in all sorts of troubles. The friendly team includes a priest, a courtesan, a modest pilot and his tough wife, an aggressive mercenary, as well as a strange girl with superpowers who are hunted for.

The space western from the famous director Joss Whedon did not last on the screens for one season: the series was closed due to low ratings. But later the project became truly iconic. And this allowed Whedon to release the feature film "Mission Serenity" in 2005, which completed the main storylines. The rest of the stories were told by the authors in numerous comics around the world of the series.

1. Rick and Morty

• USA, 2013 - present.
• Science fiction, adventure, comedy.
• Duration: 4 seasons.
• IMDb: 9, 3.

Not entirely adequate, but brilliant Professor Rick constantly draws his grandson Morty into all kinds of adventures. They have to travel to different worlds, save the Earth from invaders, and sometimes face themselves from parallel universes.

Oddly enough, the animated series, parodying all sorts of cliches from science fiction, has become more popular than many serious projects of the genre. In Rick and Morty, it's easy to find analogies with Doctor Who and the Back to the Future trilogy.

And nobody revealed the concept of parallel worlds more clearly and boldly. It is humor on the edge and crazy ideas that provide a huge fan base for the animated series. By the way, he has already received an extension of 70 episodes at once.