These seven shows are some of the best sci-fi series released on TV in 2025. As a genre, science-fiction has amazed audiences for decades by taking us across the stars, into the far future, into alternate worlds, or into dark dimensions. With the refinement of visual effects, CGI capabilities, filmmaking techniques, and narrative TV storytelling, sci-fi has only become more realistic, raw, believable, and immersive over the years, which has allowed 2025 to become a stand-out year for sci-fi on TV.
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We’ve watched some brilliant sci-fi TV shows in 2025, including memorable series such as The Eternaut, Invasion season 3, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3, Black Mirror season 7, Foundation season 3, and many more. Some sci-fi shows in 2025, however, have stood out as the most talked-about, successful, poignant, thought-provoking, and influential sci-fi shows of the year. These comprise original smash hits, franchise expansions, and brilliant adaptations, and make us excited to see where sci-fi TV will go in 2026 and beyond.
7) Murderbot Season 1
Adapted from Martha Wells’ 2017 novel All Systems Red, Murderbot stars Alexander Skarsgård as the titular Murderbot, a media-obsessed private security robot who gains autonomy, but must hide this to embark on a series of dangerous assignments. Developed by brothers Paul and Chris Weitz (About a Boy, Cracking Up), Murderbot boasts a unique blend of action and comedy while tackling relevant themes such as artificial intelligence and capitalism. Murderbot is a faithful adaptation of Wells’ source material, keeping the heart and humor of her work alive, and this will continue in a much-anticipated season 2.
6) Alien: Earth Season 1
As the first TV series in the long-running Alien franchise, Noah Hawley’s Alien: Earth had a tall task, but it certainly delivered. Set two years before the events of Ridley Scott’s Alien from 1979, Alien: Earth brought the iconic Xenomorph to Earth for the first time ever, and expanded the franchise’s lore in some exciting ways. With clean and pristine special effects, a high production value, strong writing and direction, and a thoughtful and faithful expansion of the Alien franchise, the series provided rich world-building, which we can’t wait to see develop further in Alien: Earth’s now-confirmed second season.
5) Cassandra
Few sci-fi shows in 2025 have been as unsettling as Cassandra, developed by German screenwriter Benjamin Gutsche for Netflix. Cassandra follows a family that moves into a house that has been unoccupied for 50 years and is maintained by the retro-futuristic artificial intelligence Cassandra (Lavinia Wilson). With a compelling blend of psychological depth, horror elements thanks to the captivating AI antagonist, and remarkable character moments, Cassandra has more than earned its whopping 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Quiet, emotional, intense, and thrilling, Cassandra is an incredible example of sci-fi TV.
4) Andor Season 2
Far beyond being one of the best sci-fi TV shows of 2025, Andor’s second season is widely considered one of the strongest instalments in the entire Star Wars franchise. Diego Luna continues to lead the ensemble cast as Cassian Andor in this Rogue One: A Star Wars Story prequel. Andor is emotionally raw and beautifully made with stunning visuals and clever connections to the franchise. If anything, it’s a shame we won’t get more of Andor, as its masterful storytelling, examination of mature themes, and exceptional performances across the board make it one of the best sci-fi shows we’ve seen.
3) Stranger Things Season 5
At the time of writing, only the first four episodes of Stranger Things season 5 have hit Netflix, but it’s already become one of the stand-out sci-fi shows of 2025. Stranger Things’ fifth and final season has been almost a decade in the making, and its first volume has already set it up to be the perfect conclusion to the Duffer brothers’ acclaimed series. We were thrown straight back into the action as Hopper (David Harbour) embarked on a dangerous Crawl, Holly Wheeler (Nell Fisher) was taken to Vecna’s (Jamie Campbell Bower) memory prison, and Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) gained psychic powers of his own. Season 5 continues Stranger Things’ unmatched storytelling, and has made us very excited to see the final four episodes.
2) Pluribus
A surprise hit from Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, Apple TV’s Pluribus shocked viewers in November by breaking viewership records and ranking as the most-watched streaming original series in the United States in its week of release. Pluribus follows Carol Sturka (Rhea Seehorn), who is one of a few individuals immune to the effects of an alien virus that causes “the Joining,” locking everyone in a worldwide hive mind that promotes peace, contentment, and optimism. Pluribus tackles complex themes including societal pressures around happiness and humanity’s general pessimism, and Seehorn’s performance is fantastic in this high-concept, genre-bending series.
1) Severance Season 2
While Pluribus broke viewership records for Apple TV, few other sci-fi shows have grabbed the public consciousness and been the center of conversation as Severance. The second season of Dan Erickson’s compelling mystery box series released in January 2025 and caught up with Mark S. (Adam Scott), Helly R. (Britt Lower), and the other Severed employees of the enigmatic Lumon. Severance season 2 boasts some wild twists, game-changing revelations, and thrilling moments while examining the human condition, interpersonal connections, and thought-provoking surrealism with stunning visuals and cinematography, formidable performances across the board, and a shocking ending that will leave us guessing and theorizing until Severance season 3 hits our screens.
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Image Courtesy of Netflix
