Sci-fi has been one of the most popular TV genres for decades, and with good reason. These shows often take place in the future and offer new hope for humanity in the form of new societies and interplanetary relationships. They also engage imagination, exploring what would happen if aliens were real or if certain events took place. Of course, science fiction can also offer stark warnings of where the human race is headed in the form of dystopian stories.
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It’s hard to determine what the most beautiful science fiction shows of all time are because there are so many good ones. However, the best shows say something important about humanity and offer the promise of a better future, even if the show depicts one that is particularly concerning.
7) The Prisoner
The Prisoner is a severely underrated science fiction show, but it is gorgeous both in its cinematography and its themes. The basic premise is pure dystopia: a spy is kidnapped shortly after he resigns and finds himself trapped in a place called The Village, where people are known only by numbers, dissent is discouraged, and a mysterious enemy plays psychological games to try to get the protagonist to explain why he quit.
The acting here is top notch, and there is a sense of foreboding and horror in every episode. Unfortunately, the series is marred by several filler episodes and a bizarre ending, but even with those problems, it is a high quality series that is hard to stop watching.
6) Stranger Things
Many people love Stranger Things for its 80s nostalgia as much as for its creepy plot. However, what makes this series special is the way it manages to keep the story going without becoming redundant or boring over the course of five seasons.
The idea of the Upside Down causing premonitions and other supernatural phenomena could have gotten stale far more quickly than it did, and even Will being rescued at the end of the first season doesn’t put a damper on this story. The unique stories in each season plus the nostalgia factor make this show a must-see.
5) The 100
The 100 is about a bunch of juvenile delinquents who are sent back to a post-apocalyptic Earth after their space habitat fails. The idea of a bunch of kids roaming a planet devoid of adults (at least at first) is similar to The Society, yet this version is completely different and makes for an extremely compelling television series.
The most beautiful thing about this show is that the characters grow and develop over time — they don’t just stay selfish teenagers, nor are they all evil. The complex character development is exciting, especially because the series also has one of the most diverse casts on television. Best of all, these characters become a found family, people who love each other despite lack of biology, which is a gorgeous theme well worth exploring.
4) Star Trek: The Next Generation
All the Star Trek shows are beautiful in one way or another, considering the themes of inclusion, acceptance, and genuine curiosity about the universe and other cultures. However, The Next Generation is even more special than the others. Its larger budget allowed it to tell more complex and complete stories than The Original Series.
Additionally, The Next Generation is easily the most philosophical of the Star Trek shows. The best episodes of The Next Generation explore deep questions such as what the difference between artificial life and natural life is. This show also focused on character development, offering interesting and unusual characters such as Lieutenant Worf, who was a Klingon, and allowing them to grow throughout the series.
3) Black Mirror
Black Mirror focuses on the relationship between humans and technology. The best episodes of Black Mirror ask disturbing questions while continuing to entertain — it is horrific without being gory or otherwise turning viewers off, and the philosophy in it is never heavy-handed or boring.
These aspects make it one of the best modern science fiction anthology series. Additionally, at its core, the series explores what it means to be human in an ever-changing, technologically advanced world, which is a question that becomes more relevant every day.
2) Doctor Who
Although Doctor Who is often campy, it also takes on serious social issues and asks big philosophical questions. This long-running science fiction series is often very emotional, and no show deals with profound loss as much as Doctor Who.
The Doctor often loses companions either to death or to them deciding they’re ready to settle down somewhere, and the modern version of the series deals with themes of isolation and heartbreak quite often. Yet they have never lost their sense of wonder, curiosity, or joy at being alive, and despite the pain, the Doctor believes every living being is important and worthy of love.
1) The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone is popular almost 65 years after it premiered because of the way it blends science fiction concepts with important messages about both the best and worst of humanity. The anthology series often tackled racism, scapegoating, and other social ills, while other episodes dealt with fear of growing old, the desire to return to childhood, or other aspects of the human condition.
Serling’s ending narrations are often masterpieces that have become social media memes, and many of the stories are examples of how to tell a succinct, compelling, and important story without being heavy-handed.
What do you think the most beautiful science fiction show is? Leave a comment and join the conversation at the ComicBook Forum.
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