The sci-fi genre has proven consistently popular across its many decades on the small screen. Despite advancements in visual effects technology and shifting societal patterns, which have aged older titles considerably, sci-fi TV has remained a staple of most network lineups in one form or another. Many of the best sci-fi TV shows of the 21st century take an innovative approach to the genre, opting to blend science fiction with thriller, mystery, horror, or drama. Others still have fully embraced the space opera subgenre, spinning sprawling intergalactic yarns that draw viewers in through sheer immersion due to extensive and imaginative worldbuilding.
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Recent years have seen many great sci-fi shows that nobody talks about. For every successful show like Severance or Westworld, there are more that go largely unnoticed, and the genre has seen some truly great television go largely unappreciated. While many of these recent sci-fi shows are incredible, the competitive and often ruthless nature of modern TV means that they’ve already become unfairly overlooked.
5) Counterpart (Starz, 2017-2019)
Hailed as one of the best sci-fi shows of recent years, Counterpart is an incredible chapter of sci-fi television that, for some reason, isn’t talked about enough. It stars J.K. Simmons as Howard Silk, an unremarkable United Nations employee who discovers that the agency he works for is actually guarding a gateway to a parallel dimension. Silk’s counterpart is a highly efficient agent, allowing Simmons to turn in an excellent performance in the dual role.
An espionage thriller that makes ample use of its sci-fi premise, Counterpart is an excellent example of a recent must-watch sci-fi TV show. Its spy-heavy story adds a layer of intrigue to its story that perfectly complements its sci-fi premise, making it truly brilliant TV. For some reason, Counterpart never quite receives the attention it deserves, because it’s one of the best sci-fi shows of recent years.
4) Colony (USA Network, 2016-2018)
Recent years have seen several great sci-fi TV shows cancelled in their prime, but Colony is one of the most often overlooked. Set in a near-future Los Angeles, it follows a human race living under the oppressive regime of the Transitional Authority, an organization that serves the interests of a powerful alien race. Colony gradually reveals more about the alien oppressors as its story unfolds, even though it was abruptly scrapped after its second season.
Colony is a great example of a more traditional sci-fi story packed with political and sociological allegory. It’s an entry into the sci-fi genre that feels unique and thought-provoking from the very beginning, but it’s sadly not really talked about much at all. Despite being a great sci-fi show from the last decade, Colony‘s short-lived run hasn’t helped it leave a lasting impact on the genre, no matter how good its story may have been.
3) Fortitude (Sky Atlantic, 2015-2018)
At a glance, the British thriller series Fortitude might not appear to be a sci-fi TV show. However, as its tense story of the community of a remote Arctic town unfolds, it slowly becomes clear just where the show’s science fiction label comes in. It’s a show that combines elements of the thriller, drama, horror, and sci-fi genres, packing an impressive narrative punch in the process.
As well as major stars such as Stanley Tucci, Michael Gambon, and Christopher Eccleston, Fortitude has a truly gripping story from its very beginning. The chilling and surreal atmosphere created from the show’s first episodes, right through to its third and final season, makes its story hugely memorable. However, it’s another sci-fi show that is rarely talked about, even though its quality speaks for itself.
2) Killjoys (CTV Sci-Fi & Syfy, 2015-2019)
Killjoys may have enjoyed a modicum of mainstream success, but it’s largely remembered as something of a cult sci-fi TV show from recent years that didn’t get the love it deserved. Starring Hannah John-Kamen, Aaron Ashmore, and Luke Macfarlane, Killjoys follows a trio of bounty hunters in a four-planet-and-moon solar system known as the Quad. Having aired for a total of 50 episodes over 5 seasons, Killjoys earned itself a respectable run, even if it didn’t quite reach mainstream success.
What makes Killjoys so great is how refreshing its approach to the genre is. Instead of getting mired in deep lore or exposition, it’s simply fun, fast sci-fi action, brought to life by a cast of relatable and entertaining main characters. There’s very little not to enjoy about Killjoys, though for some reason it simply doesn’t get talked about enough even in sci-fi circles.
1) Travelers (Netflix, 2016-2018)
It’s often said that cancelled sci-fi TV shows deserve another season, but, in Travelers‘ case, it’s really true. Having been cancelled after its third season, Travelers was a TV show that had huge potential to continue its intriguing sci-fi story. It follows operatives based in a post-apocalyptic future who can travel through time by inhabiting the consciousness of people from the past, all in the hope of preventing society’s collapse.
A talented ensemble cast, a unique spin on common time travel tropes, and a central mystery combined to make Travelers one of the most exciting new sci-fi shows. Even so, it never quite got the recognition it deserved, which perhaps contributed to its premature cancellation. It’s by far one of the most interesting recent sci-fi shows that hardly anybody seems to talk about.
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