SerpApi.Org
Great sci-fi TV shows have always occupied a space in popular culture, but not all of them are remembered the way they deserve. While iconic sci-fi shows like Severance, Black Mirror, and The Expanse have deservedly become global sensations, there are some older series that were just as good — at times, even better — yet tragically, very few people know they exist.
Some science fiction TV shows have faded from collective memory simply because they arrived at the wrong time (after all, at its best, science fiction offers new perspectives on society), making it hard to find an audience. Despite whatever may have led to these sci-fi series becoming relics of the past, there’s no denying that they are up there with some of the greatest science fiction stories ever created.
Continuum (2012-2015)
Number Of Seasons: 4
The core reason science fiction is so popular is that it asks, "What if?" One way to do this is by exploring the intriguing concept of time travel, which the Canadian series Continuum uses to drive its narrative. Set in the year 2077, Continuum depicts a society controlled by powerful corporations. Continuum's primary protagonist, Kiera Cameron (Rachel Nichols), is an officer who is sent back in time after a terrorist group escapes execution by traveling back to 2012.
Time travel is not a new idea in this genre. In fact, it is one of the most overused tropes in sci-fi. How it's used is important, and Continuum ensures that it maintains a balance within its core concept, telling a nuanced story about societal control and the thin line between right and wrong.
Almost Human (2013-2014)
Number Of Seasons: 1
Before Karl Urban starred as the charismatic Billy Butcher in The Boys, the actor portrayed John Kennex in Almost Human, a police officer who is partnered with an android named Dorian (Michael Ealy). Dorian, however, isn’t the emotionless robot Kennex learned to despise. The android was actually decommissioned for being too human.
Almost Human stood out from the sci-fi crowd because it used the familiar format of a police procedural drama, elevating the concept with androids and how their presence affects society. John and Dorian are also exceptional partners. They learn from each other, rather than John being the one to teach Dorian how to be human.
Undone (2019-2022)
Number Of Seasons: 2
Prime Video’s Undone sadly didn’t get the recognition it deserved, even though sci-fi TV shows with unique concepts are becoming more mainstream. Undone centers around Alma (Rosa Salazar), a 28-year-old woman who gains the ability to experience time non-linearly following a nearly fatal accident. What makes Undone such a great series is its animation style and its emotional, intellectually stimulating concept.
The show uses rotoscope animation, a visual style that uses live-action footage to produce traced frames, creating surreal, dreamlike images. Undone’s animation style wasn't purely chosen for aesthetic purposes, however. It mirrors how Alma's perception of reality was altered following her near-death experience.
Future Man (2017-2020)
Number Of Seasons: 3
Another sci-fi series that uses time travel in a clever, engaging way is Hulu's Future Man. The Hunger Games' Josh Hutcherson stars as Josh Futturman, a janitor who feels stuck in life and plays a video game called Biotic Wars as a way to alleviate his mundane existence. When he finally wins, Josh discovers that the game wasn’t just for fun: it was designed by soldiers from the future who end up recruiting him for their cause.
Although Josh is the fabled "Chosen One" meant to save humanity, he is awkward, unmotivated, and doesn’t exactly exude confidence. Fortunately, Future Man doesn’t try to make Josh into something he's not. Instead, the show embraces sci-fi's tried and tested tropes while simultaneously mocking them, resulting in an endlessly funny show with no dull moments.
Pantheon (2022-2023)
Number Of Seasons: 2
The future of humanity and how artificial intelligence may affect society has long been a popular topic in sci-fi TV shows. Based on Ken Lieu's short stories, Pantheon explores this idea with rare insight, examining exactly what it means to be human. The underrated sci-fi series centers around Maddie Kim (Katie Chang), a teen who discovers that her father’s consciousness was uploaded to the cloud after his death.
Most science fiction TV shows tend to dig into the negative sides of technology. Pantheon, however, shows both. Due to Uploaded Intelligence, Maddie continued having a relationship with her father. The downside to that was that he couldn’t experience the things that he did when he had a physical body, raising the question of what the human experience truly entails.
Killjoys (2015-2019)
Number Of Seasons: 5
Set in a planetary system called the Quad, ruled by The Nine — an elite group of families that exerts a huge amount of influence over their charges — Killjoys centers around Dutch (Hannah John-Kamen), Johnny (Aaron Ashmore), and D’avin (Luke Macfarlane). The trio, a group of licensed bounty hunters, works for the Recalibration Apprehension Coalition and is tasked with apprehending wanted people. One of the reasons Killjoys is such an exceptional sci-fi series lies in how it presents its three primary protagonists.
The bounty hunters are not typical heroes; they are forced to stay neutral when they're enlisted to help track down criminals. This form of storytelling adds complexity to the show because it's not a black-and-white story. During its five seasons, the show evolved into more than an action series, becoming a multilayered sci-fi title about political intrigue and class struggles. As Killjoys went on, its character arcs and storylines got better, but it still kept its core identity.
Humans (2015-2018)
Number Of Seasons: 3
Black Mirror may be the most current series to dominate conversations about how human beings relate to technology; it's certainly not the only British sci-fi series to do so, however. Humans, starring Gemma Chan, is set in an alternate modern-day reality where Synths, highly developed robotic servants, cater to the needs of humans.
Over time, the humanoids begin to exhibit traits of genuine humanity, like consciousness and free will. Humans isn’t just a series about the relationship between Homo sapiens and robots. It's a show that raises important questions about the implications of creating life-like machines and thoroughly explores what kind of rights they should be granted.
Dark Matter (2015-2017)
Number Of Seasons: 3
It's a shame that a show as unique as Dark Matter is barely remembered; it had the potential to become a global sensation. Dark Matter focuses on a group of six people who wake up on a spaceship with no recollection of who they are. As the show goes on, they eventually discover that they weren’t exactly the "good guys" in their previous lives.
Dark Matter is an incredibly interesting series because it kept reinventing itself during its three-season run. There was no shortage of twists, betrayals, or secrets. The series remains painfully underrated, despite its witty writing, strong ensemble of characters, and smart incorporation of sci-fi tropes.
The 4400 (2004-2007)
Number Of Seasons: 4
The 4400 focuses on a group of people who disappear for years and then come back to a world they hardly recognize. The returnees have not aged a day since they left, and what’s more, they begin gaining superpowers like telekinesis and telepathy.
The 4400 isn’t just about people going missing and what it was like for them upon their return. The show’s premise combines several sci-fi concepts and emotional storytelling, grappling with essential questions, including how much control a government should have over its people. Sadly, The 4400 was canceled after three seasons, leaving several questions about the returnees' futures unanswered.
Travelers (2016-2018)
Number Of Seasons: 3
With a 100% Rotten Tomatoes critics' score and an equally impressive 97% approval rating from audiences, Travelers should have been one of the biggest science fiction TV shows of the 2010s. Instead, it proved that critical acclaim isn't always enough to leave a lasting impact.
The show follows a group of operatives from the future who are sent back in time to prevent events that will lead to humanity's collapse.Though Travelers follows in the footsteps of many sci-fi shows that came before by using a time travel plot, it managed to carve out its own unique story by using time travel as a vehicle for a larger narrative about identity, morality, and sacrifice.
