Top 10 Best Sci-Fi TV Shows of All Time
The X-Files is an American science fiction drama television series created by Chris Carter. The original television series aired from September 10, 1993, to May 19, 2002, on Fox. Chris Carter had a great idea, and I love the series. The writing is excellent, but I admit I was more of a fan of the early years when there was more of a monster of the week focus and less emphasis on aliens. Once the balance shifted, I became more of a binge-watcher rather than a week-to-week viewer.
All the actors are brilliant, and they understand their characters' motivations. The writers know their material, and the directors are fantastic.
This show is brilliant not just for its on-camera work, but also for its behind-the-scenes efforts. In this case, I'll say Millennium was even better - it was darker.
Doctor Who is a British science-fiction television programme produced by the BBC since 1963. The programme depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called "the Doctor", an extraterrestrial being from the planet Gallifrey. The Doctor explores the universe in a time-travelling space ship called the TARDIS... read more Trust me when I tell you this, Doctor Who is the best show I have ever seen. Yes, I have finished Breaking Bad, The X-Files (seen season 10), seen Game of Thrones, Supernatural, and The Office, but nothing even comes close to Doctor Who. It's charming, funny, emotional, and just an awesome series. Go watch Heaven Sent, Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead, or Listen and try to tell me they're not masterpieces of storytelling.
While not as much hard sci-fi as The X-Files, most of the best stories like the ones I listed above employ many sci-fi elements. Aside from the best episodes, it's an awesome ride from start to finish. It might have cheesy moments every once in a while, but that just makes it more charming.
10/10. Unparalleled in the television world.
Star Trek is an American science-fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry that follows the adventures of the starship USSÂ Enterprise. This show was groundbreaking. It demonstrated what sci-fi is truly about - addressing current issues by portraying them in a future setting, so as not to offend contemporary audiences. Roddenberry had a clear vision of what he wanted to achieve with the show, and he followed that path.
Again, all the actors are brilliant and perform their roles as if they love their characters and fully understand their motivations. The writers know their material, and the directors are fantastic.
This show is brilliant not just for its on-camera work, but also for its behind-the-scenes efforts. That's why fans are still passionate about this show and its spin-offs. While the spin-offs are great, nothing beats the original.
Battlestar Galactica is an American science fiction media franchise created by Glen A. Larson. The franchise began with the original television series in 1978 and was followed by a short-run sequel series, a line of book adaptations, original novels, comic books, a board game, and video games. The best sci-fi show ever (obviously the latter-day remake, not the original that was truly terrible).
This haunting series follows the thrilling yet terrifying journeys of Sam and Dean Winchester, two brothers who face an increasingly sinister landscape as they hunt monsters. After losing their mother to a supernatural force, the brothers were raised by their father as soldiers who track mysterious... read more I believe this is horror rather than sci-fi. That said, Eric Kripke is a brilliant writer and storyteller. He is able to create characters that exist in shades of gray - some leaning more towards white or black, while others are entirely white or black to draw those gray characters toward either end of the scale.
All the actors are brilliant and portray their roles as if they love the characters and truly understand their motivations. The writers know their material, and the directors are fantastic.
This show excels not only in front of the camera but also behind the scenes. That's why fans are still crazy about it, similar to the dedication seen in fandoms like Star Trek and Star Wars (when they still cared about those shows).
Firefly is an American space Western drama television series which ran from 2002–2003, created by writer and director Joss Whedon, under his Mutant Enemy Productions label. This is the best sci-fi TV serial I have ever seen. Unfortunately, it was stopped after the first season. It should be number one. People who have seen it definitely agree with me. So, fans of Firefly, vote for it.
This show is definitely one of my all-time favorites. Such great characters and stories, you can't help but fall in love with the show. It deserved much more than 14 episodes (and a movie).
Fourteen episodes? I am missing some. Great show.
The Twilight Zone is an American anthology television series created and presented by Rod Serling, which ran for five seasons on CBS from 1959 to 1964. Each episode presents a stand-alone story in which characters find themselves dealing with often disturbing or unusual events, an experience described... read more This show was so diverse. It was so pertinent for its time and covered so many themes. It was dark, fun, suspenseful, and loaded with surprise endings. My favorites were: To Serve Man, Nightmare at 20,000 Feet, On Thursday We Leave for Home, and Time Enough At Last.
The creator of The X-Files said that without The Twilight Zone, The X-Files would never have been made. Both are worthy of the top seat.
This show was, by far, the best sci-fi show... tied for second place - The Outer Limits and Star Trek.
Definitely my favorite sci-fi franchise. Loved SG-1, just started watching it all again. Atlantis was better looking visually. Both had great casts with a mix of humor and action. They were and are great.
While I bought and watched "Stargate Universe," it is the worst part of the franchise. They try to make a Battlestar Galactica/Voyager clone. I only enjoyed a few episodes of the two seasons.
I watched every episode of this from start to finish in about a month. I couldn't stop. It would be 3 in the morning, I'd have to go to work at 7, and I'd still watch one more episode. I couldn't help myself. Call me sad, I call it dedication.
This was an incredible series. The best aspects are the five-year story arc, the writing, and the absolute lack of ridiculous 'relevant' plot arcs.
This was a complete, well-told story -- not a referendum on modern culture or recent history. Most sci-fi series rely on using political hot points to infuse their scripts with life, but this one was purely the child of J. Michael Straczynski's imagination, and it lives and breathes on the screen like nothing before or since.
The themes in this show - political and philosophical - are always relevant. Every time I watch this series, it has something to say about current events - it is just that universally relevant. Plus, unlike most sci-fi (i.e., Star Trek), it shows a real society with classes, poverty, and homelessness. They even have to be concerned about their budget being cut (can't shoot your way out of that, Kirk!).
One of the best sci-fi TV shows of all time. They took sci-fi TV to another level. Those that followed (including a few higher on this list), even with more money to hype their shows, didn't have nearly the character depth and story range as Farscape.
Many excellent shows here, but I have to spread the Farscape love. It wouldn't have existed without Star Trek, but it was more fun, dark, ambitious, and downright entertaining than any other sci-fi of its time.
One of the few shows to have real aliens (not just bumps on the heads) and a compelling story arc.
The Newcomers
Stranger Things is an American science fiction-horror Netflix original television series created, written, directed and co-executive produced by the Duffer Brothers, Matt and Ross Duffer, as well as co-executive-produced by Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen.
Gravity Falls is an American animated television series produced by Disney Television Animation that first aired on Disney Channel, and then on Disney XD from June 15, 2012 to February 15, 2016. The series follows the adventures of Dipper Pines and his twin sister Mabel in the fictional town of Gravity... read more
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series in the Star Trek franchise created by Gene Roddenberry that ran between 1987 and 1994. Roddenberry, Maurice Hurley, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout its production... read more To people talking about how Star Trek is already on here, they're different TV shows. It isn't like Doctor Who. It's like saying Star Wars: A New Hope is the same movie as The Empire Strikes Back.
Well anyway, The Next Generation is the peak of Star Trek. The original may be iconic, but The Next Generation exceeds it, although both will have a special place in my heart.
This is the standard by which all other shows are measured. Great character development, intelligent plots, and a very loose timeline. There is no one else I would want to take me into battle over Captain Picard.
An amazing thrill ride of sci-fi, drama, action, and most importantly, comedy. The characters are amazing. The plot can be ludicrous, but its charm and self-awareness always trump the ridiculousness of the truth for the show's benefit.
It has stronger characters than most shows above.
How on Earth is Fringe this low? Was this list started today? A show that fans managed by force of will to keep on air for another season and a half? This is unacceptable... or the alternate universe.
Fringe should be in at least the top 5! Fringe was the best sci-fi series ever!
This show had an amazing concept that made up for its special effects being aged.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is an American superhero children's television series that premiered on August 28, 1993, on the Fox Kids Network.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars is an American 3D CGI animated television series created by George Lucas and produced by Lucasfilm Animation with the division Lucasfilm Animation Singapore, Lucasfilm and CGCG Inc. Best show ever. And that's coming from a high schooler. Still pissed at Disney for canceling it. Then again, who isn't pissed at Disney?
If you want to put a sci-fi show, it should be a very cool one. So, this show is awesome.
This show is not the typical 'boldly going' of most Trek, and although all Star Trek is great, the focus on religion, war, and interstellar politics puts it above the other Star Trek series as well as other great shows like Firefly and Farscape.
I have not watched Battlestar Galactica though, except for the miniseries, but from that miniseries, it looks to be awesome.
An amazing show with a really good plot arc being the Dominion War.
ALF is an American science fiction sitcom that aired on NBC from September 22, 1986 to March 24, 1990. It was the first television series to be presented in Dolby Surround. ALF is the best! Put this on number 1. It's my favorite sitcom!