Like the kaleidoscopic worlds they’re frequently set in, the sci-fi genre is an almost bottomless ocean of books, comics, movies, and TV shows — many of which are worth seeing or reading for one reason or another.
With how many sci-fi TV shows exist, it seems inevitable that dozens of great series fail to capture mainstream audience attention on par with Battlestar Galactica or Star Trek.
From cult space operas to overlooked gems from the UK, here are 25 of the best, most underrated sci-fi TV series ever made.
Heroes
Across the globe, ordinary people begin to discover that they have superhuman abilities. These individuals include an indestructible Texas cheerleader (Hayden Panettiere), a Japanese office worker who can teleport (Masi Oka), and a serial killer able to absorb other people’s powers (Zachary Quinto).
Ordinary People Discover They Have Superhuman Abilities
Ignoring the disastrous final two and a half seasons, you’re left with a taut, realistic superhero show that nearly dethroned Lost in its exceptional first two seasons.
V
Shortly after the events of V: The Final Battle, the hostile alien race known as the Visitors have returned to Earth, planning to conquer the planet with the help of several traitorous humans.
Hostile Alien Race
A continuation of the 1983 miniseries and its follow-up, V: The Final Battle, V is a bold and imaginative space opera start-up in the same overly stylized mold as Star Wars (in the best way imaginable, of course).
Almost Human
In the near future, a depressed human detective (Karl Urban) is assigned an android partner (Michael Ealy), their professional relationship slowly blossoming into friendship.
A Friendship Between a Human Detective and His Android Partner
Before Karl Urban was fouling up superheroes on The Boys, he was a sci-fi sensation with vastly underrated works like Dredd and this AI-focused study of man and machine.
Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog
Aspiring to one day join the prestigious Evil League of Evil, up-and-coming supervillain Dr. Horrible’s (Neil Patrick Harris) plans are complicated when he falls for a kind-hearted woman who begins dating his nemesis (Nathan Fillion).
Twisting the Script
A wonderfully written musical comedy, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog skewers the superhero genre in two, coming across a more adult version of Megamind.
Maniac
Annie (Emma Stone) and Owen (Jonah Hill) are strangers drawn into a strange pharmaceutical company’s test program for an experimental new drug.
Experimental New Drug
Led by solid performances from Stone and Hill — along with a memorably odd Justin Theroux — Maniac is a hallucinatory trip where, like the characters, you’re never entirely sure of what you’re seeing.
Red Dwarf
Dave Lister (Craig Charles) is a low-ranking technician aboard the mining spaceship Red Dwarf. Awaking from a 3 million-year-long cryogenic hibernation, Lister is shocked to find himself the last human in the universe.
Alone in the Universe
This little-known British export may not have much of a fanbase in the States, but its success speaks for itself: 12 seasons, four novels, and even a magazine that ran from ’92 to ’94.
Planetes
In 2075, galactic travel has become an average part of life. However, debris from spacecraft has become commonplace, requiring specialists to collect the waste and ensure smoother trips for passing ships.
Ensuring Smoother Galactic Travel
Though that premise may sound comedic, the joy of Planetes is its basis in hard science and its heavy focus on existential themes.
Space Battleship Yamato 2199
In 2199, Earth has been turned into a radioactive wasteland by an invasive alien race. In desperate need of an environment to sustain them, the spaceship Yamato travels to the planet Iscandar, believing the planet has the means to make their home hospitable again.
In Search of a Hospitable Planet
Released in 1974, Space Battleship Yamato 2199 has regularly been one of the most influential anime series there is, inspiring everything from Mobile Suit Gundam and Neon Genesis Evangelion to the iconic video game sensation, Space Invaders.
Lost in Space
Three decades into the future, Earth begins establishing colonies on distant planets across the stars. Crash-landing on a habitable world, the Robinson family defend themselves against their hostile environment and try to return to their expeditionary party.
Swiss Family Robinson in Space
Whenever a remake of a beloved ’60s show premieres, there’s bound to be a comparison between the original and the remake. Hinging heavily on its emotional undertones, though, Lost in Space does much to set itself apart from its earlier counterpart.
The Wild Wild West
In a steampunk version of the Wild West, two government agents ( Robert Conrad and Ross Martin) travel the frontier, ridding the land of any dangerous threats they come across.
Government Agents Facing Dangerous Threats
Designed to be a Western version of James Bond (complete with wacky gadgets, physically imposing henchmen, and dastardly villains), it’s one thousand times better than that godawful Will Smith movie.
Final Space
While working off his prison sentence, astronaut Gary finds companionship in a mysterious yet adorable alien — who also happens to be one of the most dangerous creatures in the universe.
Companionship in a Mysterious Yet Adorable Alien
Brimming with an all-star cast (David Tennant, Steven Yeun, Fred Armisen, Conan O’Brien, Jane Lynch, and Keith David), Final Space starts off as your typical Adult Swim comedy before slowly morphing into an out-and-out space opera of epic proportions.
The 100
Nearly a century after a nuclear war has ended civilization on Earth, the remnants of humanity send 100 troubled youths to the world’s surface in the hopes of reestablishing humankind’s presence on the planet.
Troubled Youths To Reestablish Humankind
A post-apocalyptic version of Lord of the Flies, The 100 is an acquired taste for some, but those who love a good, teen-driven drama won’t be disappointed.
The OA
Having gone missing seven years ago, a blind young woman named Prairie (Brit Marling) returns home, her eyesight somehow completely restored.
A Blind Woman’s Eyesight Mysteriously Restored
Canceled at the worst time imaginable, leaving infuriated fans with an unresolved cliffhanger, The OA has regularly been called one of the best sci-fi shows of all time by publications like Empire, Wired, and BBC.
Resident Alien
Tasked with destroying Earth, an alien disguised as a friendly Colorado doctor (Alan Tudyk) wrestles with the morality of his mission, made even more complicated by all the kind-hearted humans he meets along the way.
An Alien Disguised as a Friendly Colorado Doctor
Resident Alien‘s greatest strength is always entertaining Alan Tudyk, but more than that, it’s an unexpectedly emotional look at a very different kind of alien invasion.
Orphan Black
After witnessing the suicide of a woman who looks exactly like her, the street-savvy Sarah (Tatiana Maslany) decides to take the woman’s place, pulling her into a world of sinister conspiracies around every corner.
Cloneliness is Next to Godliness?
In her transformative performance as Sarah, Maslany propels Orphan Black to sci-fi heights, the show existing an intense and intelligent meditation on cloning and the ethics (or lack thereof) involved in the process.
The Venture Bros.
Once a famous boy inventor, Dr. Rusty Venture has since grown up to be a depressed, crotchety middle-aged mad scientist. Together with his two less-than-intelligent sons and their burly bodyguard, the four embark on numerous adventures the world over.
Jonny Quested
A spoof of classic ’60s Hanna-Barbera cartoons like Jonny Quest, The Venture Bros has amassed a significant following since its 2003 debut. However, even the most dedicated of fans can’t deny it tends to be overshadowed by more recent Adult Swim series like Rick and Morty.
Babylon 5
In the 23rd century, the galaxy is once again beginning to stabilize after a massive war between the Earth Alliance and the Minbari. Stationed at a strategic neutral zone is the station Babylon 5, a site of political intrigue and maneuvering by both sides of the conflict.
Last Outpost for Peace
If ever you were looking for a more political space opera, this is it. Tackling such themes as political factions, cold war power struggles, and racism, Babylon 5‘s reputation among sci-fi enthusiasts has only improved with time.
Future Boy Conan
Twenty years after World War 3, the remnants of mankind live on a chain of islands as they slowly try to rebuild society. In the middle of it all is Conan, a 12-year-old boy with superhuman strength trying to find an 11-year-old girl who’s been kidnapped by the insidious forces of Industria.
Living on a Chain of Islands
A very early work from anime giant and Studio Ghibli founder, Hayao Miyazaki, Future Boy Conan bears all the charm and imagination of Miyazaki’s later work, serving as a direct precursor to his breakthrough Castle in the Sky.
Legion
David Haller (Dan Stevens) is a powerful telepathic mutant diagnosed with acute schizophrenia. After he’s contacted by a fellow patient (Rachel Keller) in a psychiatric facility, David starts to suspect that there’s more to his mental illness than he originally believed.
XMen Adjacent
From Noah Hawley (creator of the similarly underrated FX series, Fargo), Legion is about as heady and psychedelic a superhero show you can get.
The Outer Limits
The immediate competitor to The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits is a ’60s anthology series exploring tales of sci-fi and cosmic horror.
Tales of Sci-Fi and Cosmic Horror
Sure, The Outer Limits is commonly recognized as a classic example of the TV anthology, but its contribution to pop culture tends to pale in comparison with Rod Serling’s monumental fantasy-based series.
The Expanse
In the 24th century, a weary police detective (Thomas Jane) and a hardened freighter captain (Steven Strait) search for a missing young woman, threatening the balance of power amongst the colonized planets of the galaxy.
The Search for a Missing Young Woman
A deft blend between space opera and neo-noir, The Expanse is a rich mystery series wrapped around an audacious sci-fi war story — one that may rival the likes of Stargate SG-1 or Babylon 5.
The Prisoner
After he abruptly resigns from his post for an unknown reason, a British secret agent (Patrick McGoohan) wakes up at a bizarre, idyllic coastal village policed by an unknown group. As his jailors routinely question him regarding his decision to retire, the agent continuously searches for ways to escape and find out who the mysterious Number One is.
A Bizarre, Idyllic Coastal Village
A marvel of British television and a hallmark of mainstream surrealism, what begins as a James Bond pastiche soon turns into an avant-garde exploration of individualism and conformity.
Fringe
With mounting cases of unexplained, possibly supernatural phenomena spreading throughout the country, the FBI establishes a small team of investigators (Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, and John Noble) to research and solve any mysteries they deem paranormal in nature.
A Team of Investigators
What The X-Files did for government conspiracy theories, Fringe does for fringe science. Delving into an expansive mythology as rich as Supernatural’s, it’s the best monster-of-the-week show you’ve never seen.
Utopia
Discovering a strange comic book that holds predictions for future events, a group of people are hunted down by an enigmatic organization known as The Network who wish to keep the comic a secret.
A Strange Comic Book Predicts The Future
Forget the horrendous American remake, the original British series is an ambitious and affecting piece of storyline, despite its heavy dose of extreme, often off-putting violence.
Firefly
Five hundred years into the future, a ragtag crew aboard the transport ship Serenity do their best to find their place in the galaxy, running from authoritarian government regimes, bounty hunters, and a horrendous subhuman race known as Reavers.
A Ragtag Crew
Nowadays, it seems almost a given that any list of underrated sci-fi shows ends with Firefly. Unjustly canceled after a single season, it’s continued to live on in the form of numerous comics, board games, and a feature film continuation.
Richard Chachowski is a freelance writer based in New Jersey. He loves reading, his dog Tootsie, and pretty much every movie to ever exist (especially Star Wars).
