5 TV Shows Every Back To The Future Fan Must Watch

The Back to the Future movies have carved themselves a permanent place within pop culture history through their success and continued popularity. Every entry into the trilogy of movies has become a sci-fi classic, each exploring a slightly different aspect of their time-travelling premise. All three Back to the Future movies possess their own individual charm, while also establishing a three-film arc that is deeply satisfying and complex enough to keep audiences engaged for generations. However, the sheer quality of the Back to the Future movies means that other entries into the genre have often failed to replicate the same nostalgic feeling of adventure inspired by the trilogy.

Just because there are very few like-for-like replacements for the trilogy, that isn’t to say that there aren’t movies Back to the Future fans should watch. The same goes for the small screen, with multiple TV shows that tap into similar ideas or carry a tone reminiscent of Back to the Future. When it comes to time-travelling sci-fi that creates a feeling of nostalgia or explores the concept of changing the past, Back to the Future is actually in very good company.

5) Doctor Who (BBC & Disney+, 1963 – Present)

As well as being a hugely iconic TV show in its own right, Doctor Who is a TV show that many fans of Back to the Future will love. First airing all the way back in 1963, its sci-fi legacy cannot be denied, and it has continued to delight audiences of all ages for generations. Following a humanoid alien known as a Time Lord, the titular Doctor’s adventures through time and space have become a staple of British TV and of wider sci-fi culture.

As such a long-running show, many Doctor Who actors have played the titular Time Lord, with countless other characters joining him along the way. In terms of time-travel stories, there are few TV shows that boast the longevity and broad appeal of Doctor Who. Any Back to the Future fans who have never given the BBC series a try are almost certain to enjoy at least some of its compelling sci-fi stories.

4) Futurama (Fox, Comedy Central, & Hulu, 1999 – Present)

In many ways, Futurama has never quite earned the success it truly deserves. From the creators of The Simpsons, the show follows Philip J. Fry, a pizza delivery boy who is cryogenically frozen in 1999 and who awakens at the beginning of the 31st century. His adventures in the future have seen Futurama spoof many sci-fi tropes and stories over the years, with instances of time travel occasionally featuring.

Though some consider the best episodes of Futurama far in the past, it’s a show that manages to create nostalgia even with a story set 1000 years in the future. The comedic nature of its story makes its sci-fi feel light-hearted, while the speculative future setting is almost reminiscent of Back to the Future Part II‘s own futuristic predictions. It’s a show that has explored some of the same ideas as Back to the Future over its run, delivering them in hilarious short episodes that stand out as especially memorable.

3) Sliders (Fox & Syfy, 1995 – 2000)

If ever there was a sci-fi TV show begging for a modern reboot, it’s Sliders. Its story concerns a group of travelers who use a wormhole to visit various alternate realities, each time attempting to find their way back to their own home universe. Sliders ran for five seasons before ending on a frustrating cliffhanger, which has infuriated many of its fans for decades since its cancellation.

Sliders‘ story might tap into different sci-fi tropes than that of Back to the Future, but it captures a very similar vibe. The show’s focus on characters launched into an existential adventure by advanced technology shares many ideas with Back to the Future, including the exploration of parallel timelines. It remains one of the best-loved sci-fi TV shows of the 1990s, and is well-worth watching for any Back to the Future fans looking for stories with a similar feel.

2) Loki (Disney+, 2021 – 2023)

Back to the Future is primarily known for its time travel elements, but it also explores other sci-fi ideas, including altering events in order to create new timelines. This was a major narrative concern throughout the trilogy, and preserving the sanctity of his original life became increasingly important as Marty McFly’s travels continued. In that regard, another TV show that perfectly complements the Back to the Future is Loki, one of Marvel’s own timeline-hopping stories.

Often cited as one of the MCU’s best TV shows, Loki‘s story sees him become involved in the TVA, where he is forced to consider the needs of multiple timelines and alternate realities. Though its MCU setting might seem to make it less compatible with Back to the Future, its approach to its sci-fi elements actually makes it great for fans of the iconic movies. For those who loved Back to the Future‘s complex exploration of the wider quantum implications of time travel, Loki is surprisingly perfect.

1) Quantum Leap (NBC, 1989 – 1993)

There are few sci-fi TV shows that better evoke the spirit of Back to the Future than Quantum Leap. Starring Scott Bakula as Dr. Sam Beckett, whose consciousness becomes lost in spacetime, Quantum Leap‘s story involves its protagonist entering the bodies of various people throughout time. Dr. Beckett is tasked with fixing the timeline in order to preserve the future, in the hopes of eventually returning to his own body and time.

What makes Quantum Leap so perfect for Back to the Future fans is the spirit of its story. The idea of travelling into and then fixing the past is central to both Quantum Leap‘s and Back to the Future‘s respective stories. Additionally, both being released around the same time only adds to the similarities in presentation and ideas, making the show a perfect sci-fi companion to the beloved movie trilogy.

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