5 Best Sci-Fi Episodes of Superhero TV Shows (#2 Is Hated)

The superhero genre is malleable. Whenever it needs to bend ever so slightly to make something work, it doesn’t have trouble. Just look at the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which often jumps between genres. Captain America: The Winter Soldier is a spy thriller that borrows elements from classics like All the President’s Men. Meanwhile, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness leans into horror, bringing in Evil Dead director Sam Raimi to take the titular hero on a terrifying journey. However, there’s one genre that superhero projects tend to stay away from, science fiction, because there is a significant amount of overlap.

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While it’s difficult to classify any superhero movie as sci-fi, TV shows with capes and masks paint a different picture. The episodic format allows creatives on the small screen to experiment with different ideas, including those that push boundaries. Here are the five best sci-fi episodes of superhero TV shows, including one that’s universally disliked.

5) “Invasion!” (Arrowverse Crossover)

It’s going to be hard to make any list about superhero TV shows that doesn’t mention the Arrowverse in some way, shape, or form. After all, it houses hundreds of episodes. Well, at least three of those episodes lean heavily into sci-fi territory, focusing on an alien invasion that happens on Earth-One. Barry Allen, aka The Flash, is the first on the scene and calls for aid after realizing his new extraterrestrial friends don’t care about phoning home.

The “Invasion!” crossover marks the first time that Green Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl all share the screen, which makes it a monumental event in Arrowverse history. There’s much more to it than superficial facts, though, as the Arrowverse’s heroes have to deal with time travel and mind control. A few of them even end up in a fake reality created by the Dominators where they can live their ideal lives.

4) “4,722 Hours” (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.)

In Season 1, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. serves as the MCU’s take on a procedural, following a group of agents as they clean up problems left behind by the characters in the big leagues. Subsequent outings give the show more freedom, but it doesn’t get much better than Season 3, which features what might be the most unique story in the MCU’s history.

While studying an alien artifact in “4,722 Hours,” S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Jemma Simmons disappears from her post and ends up on an alien planet. She meets a NASA astronaut who’s been marooned for years, and they devise a plan to escape while forming a connection. Unfortunately, they’re not alone on the planet, with a dark force watching their every move.

3) “Space Patrol” (Doom Patrol)

Doom Patrol embraces the weird and wacky side of the comic books. There’s a sentient street and a very grumpy man whose brain lives inside a robot body. Despite having all of that in its back pocket, Doom Patrol‘s strangest moment comes when a group of astronauts arrives at the titular team’s door.

“Space Patrol” introduces Larry Trainor, aka Negative Man, to The Pioneers of the Uncharted, whom the Chief sent into space in the 1950s and never heard from again. Larry listens to their story and opens up to Valentina Vostok, who has a Negative Spirit, just like him. There’s a strange feeling that Larry can’t shake, though, and his intuition turns out to be right because he learns a shocking truth about his new friends.

2) “Beebo the God of War” (Legends of Tomorrow)

Out of all the superhero shows in history, Legends of Tomorrow has the best case of being considered a sci-fi program. The titular team lives on a time-travelling spaceship and visits countless points throughout history, trying not to screw them up. Of course, they always do, but they usually put things back together in the end.

When Legends of Tomorrow is at its best, it’s not trying to be serious. “Beebo the God of War” follows a toy bear as it travels back in time and is worshipped by a group of Vikings. While most Arrowverse fans would rather forget this episode exists, it has a real charm, mainly because it follows an emotional outing that features the death of a beloved character.

1) “Science/Fiction” (Loki)

Alternate universes are a staple of the sci-fi genre, but the MCU takes things to another level in Loki. After learning of the TVA’s existence, the God of Mischief becomes a team player and wants to help his friend Mobius learn the truth about where Mobius works. Their mission opens a whole can of worms, with Loki’s variant, Sylvie, killing He Who Remains and unleashing the multiverse.

Season 2 sees Loki trying to keep the lid on the Temporal Loom. However, he’s running into trouble because he can’t stop time-slipping. The sophomore outing’s penultimate episode, “Science/Fiction,” sees the Asgardian make one last effort to learn to control his power before everyone he knows and loves is gone. It’s an emotional tale that features plenty of outstanding sci-fi elements.

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