Sci-Fi TV Series: My All-Time Favorites
No sci-fi with super-powered characters since core story would be about actual superpowers. I have a Greatest of All-time list devoted to super-powered, enhanced humans.
Shows listed randomly except I placed ongoing/active shows on top.
Shows listed randomly except I placed ongoing/active shows on top.
List activity
1.6K views
• 6 this weekCreate a new list
List your movie, TV & celebrity picks.
77 titles
- CreatorGraham YostStarsRebecca FergusonCommonTim RobbinsMen and women live in a giant silo underground with several regulations which they believe are in place to protect them from the toxic and ruined world on the surface.1 season / 10 episodes: Ongoing Series
update: 24jun2023: Renewed for a season 2:-)
------------------
It's Sci-fi within a dystopian framework. It is also a great drama.
It engages, it immerses... you are a part of this experience and are drawn into all of the questions. And... when a season ends as powerfully as the first season does, the wait is agonizing. - CreatorGreg DanielsStarsRobbie AmellAndy AlloAllegra EdwardsAfter his premature death, a man's consciousness is uploaded into a virtual world. As he gets comfortable with his surroundings, questions about his death arise.3 seasons / 25 episodes: Season 4 will be finale
Update, 08jan2024: Finished watching season 3.
I love this show. I love the way it handles questions about a digital afterlife that we - the viewers - have not even begun to think about.
Questions about ownership of digital memories, the rights of those in the "afterlife", the rights of the poor gaining access to this form of Virtual Reality, lots more...
I also love seeing all the little NextGen Sci-fi tweaks and gadgets. The script is smart, light and funny! I am hoping that Amazon renews this for several more seasons. - CreatorDan EricksonStarsAdam ScottZach CherryBritt LowerMark leads a team of office workers whose memories have been surgically divided between their work and personal lives. When a mysterious colleague appears outside of work, it begins a journey to discover the truth about their jobs.1 season / 9 episodes: Ongoing Series
Wonderful drama that builds up nicely during the season, terrific hook (dual lives via technology), great character depth, dystopia at its inception.
I'll admit that the trailer didn't pull me in and almost passed on this series. I gave it a chance because I liked the premise. So happy I did. - CreatorDavid X. CohenMatt GroeningStarsBilly WestJohn DiMaggioKatey SagalPhilip J. Fry, a pizza delivery boy, is accidentally frozen in 1999 and thawed out on New Year's Eve 2999.11 seasons / 150 episodes: Ongoing Series
Update 02nov2023:
Season 12 is expected to air in 2024. Season 13 & 14 have also been greenlit for 10 episodes each.
----------------------
Enjoy the tech, the characters, the far-out stories, the humor... it's pure sci-fi in the best way possible.
This show just keeps coming back:-) Its first run was from 1999-2003 (72 episodes, Fox). Its second run lasted from 2008-2013 (68 episodes, Comedy Central).
Now it's Hulu which is currently giving us an additional total of 40 episodes (season 11-14). - CreatorDan HarmonJustin RoilandStarsChris ParnellSpencer GrammerSarah ChalkeThe fractured domestic lives of a nihilistic mad scientist and his anxious grandson are further complicated by their inter-dimensional misadventures.7 seasons / 71 episodes: Ongoing Series
This show is crazy... crazy good!
The adventures, the gadgets, the great scripts, the alien lifeforms, the multiverse, Rick, Morty... so much more. All like candy for the brain.
------------------------------------
Related: The Vindicators (2022) - CreatorJosh FriedmanDavid S. GoyerStarsJared HarrisLou LlobellLeah HarveyA complex saga of humans scattered on planets throughout the galaxy all living under the rule of the Galactic Empire.2 seasons / 20 episodes: Ongoing Series
-----------------------
update, 13dec23: Just finished watching season 2. Season 1 was great. Season 2 was exceptional. I cannot believe how good this series is. I am drawn in, I feel what the characters feel.
This is an exceptional drama. It is an exceptional sci-fi series. It is simply exceptional. - CreatorSteven KaneKyle KillenStarsPablo SchreiberShabana AzmiNatasha CulzacWith the galaxy on the brink of destruction, Master Chief John-117 leads his team of Spartans against the alien threat known as the Covenant.2 season / 17 episodes: Series Pending
The series follows a 26th-century conflict between humanity and an alien threat known as the Covenant.
I found the first season to be excellent. Loved the advanced science-evolved humans known as Spartans, the United Nations Space Command, the Covenant, the technological breakthroughs developed in this series and even the Artificial Intelligence.
Immersive plot; characters with depth helping establish both positive and negative emotional connections; high production; great acting. 'Halo' was one of the better series to come out in 2022.
I really like that the major plotline was concluded and we weren't left with a huge cliff hangar. Very respectful to their audience and I very much appreciated it. It also leaves the door open for an interesting season two.
(update, 17apr2024: season 2 was even better than season 1). - CreatorDavid BenioffD.B. WeissAlexander WooStarsJovan AdepoLiam CunninghamEiza GonzálezA fateful decision made in 1960s China reverberates in the present, where a group of scientists partner with a detective to confront an existential planetary threat.1 season / 8 episodes: Ongoing Series
This was really good. Strong drama, excellent character building, engrossing mystery, a worldwide threat, terrific story-telling, advanced alien tech.
This is how you do long-form story telling. Happy that it as renewed. I so hope that continue to focus on quality writing. - CreatorTim MillerStarsFred TatascioreScott WhyteNolan NorthA collection of animated short stories that span various genres including science fiction, fantasy, horror and comedy.3 seasons / 35 episodes: Ongoing Series
A top-tier gem! Mostly 3D graphics animation. An easy 10 rating from me for the first 2 seasons.
So very impressed. Many episodes remind me of the upper tier episodes of the 90s Outer Limits. Top quality stuff, thought provoking, immersive.
The series also contains episodes that focus on other genres.
---------------------------
The third season (about a 7 rating) didn't quite have the same appeal as it segued into the artistic.
Preferred to make a point about humanity (or people) in a kind of artistically, half-hearted way. Too much emphasis on animation instead of telling complete stories.
Love, Death & Robots remains on this list based on the strength of its first two seasons. - CreatorDan HagemanKevin HagemanStarsRylee AlazraquiDee Bradley BakerBrett GrayA group of enslaved teenagers steal a derelict Starfleet vessel to escape and explore the galaxy.1 season / 20 episodes: Ongoing Series
Watched the first 10 episodes (the next 10 episodes are in the queue).
I thought the show was trying to appeal to both kids and adults through their choices of characters.
While I connected to the younger characters, I really liked that it was the older characters that drove the core of each episode. It helped maintain the seriousness of the evolving story.
The serious overtones, good Sci-fi elements and the way the story is organically growing made a huge difference for me.
I also love the addition of Hologram (Captain) Janeway. Everyone has their favorite captain. Janeway happens to be my favorite post-TOS captain and Kate Mulgrew has delivered on the role once again. - CreatorBrian WatkinsStarsJosh BrolinTamara PodemskiImogen PootsA rancher fighting for his land and family discovers an unfathomable mystery at the edge of Wyoming's wilderness.2 seasons / 15 episodes: Ongoing Series
The first season was a good mix of drama, mystery and sci-fi. I rated this first season an 8 but only if there is a second season that begins tying up the many dangling story arcs.
I'm a bit irked that the first season was created with the sole purpose of generating multiple unanswered questions and to force a second season because of the many open arcs.
I'm concerned that the second season may continue this annoyance of creating many additional dangling arcs with zero reveals to try and force a third season.
This meandering nonsense drove me away from Manifest (2018). It would have the same effect here. - CreatorLeslye HeadlandNatasha LyonneAmy PoehlerStarsNatasha LyonneCharlie BarnettGreta LeeA cynical young woman in New York City keeps dying and returning to the party that's being thrown in her honor on that same evening. She tries to find a way out of this strange time loop.2 season / 15 episodes: Season 3 pending
Season 1: Nicely done Time Loop storyline
Season 2: Terrible Quantum Leap style time travel
-------------------------
Season 1 was smart, engaging, built around a time loop/mystery with great acting. It was fantastic and it's the only season that qualifies being on this list as an All-Time Great.
-------------------------
Season 2: Not only did I not like the Quantum Leap Style direction this series turned into (dismissing the Time Loop premise) but the plot was uninteresting, self-serving and awfully written.
I'm convinced this production company sat on their hands during the long break and rushed a money-grubbing script out the door. It was essentially a boring 2-episode story stretched out over an entire season.
Writing a Time Loop story is complicated and takes some effort. Sadly... it seems they phoned in season 2 (after cashing their checks). - CreatorSeth MacFarlaneStarsSeth MacFarlaneAdrianne PalickiPenny Johnson JeraldSet 400 years in the future, the crew of the U.S.S. Orville continue their mission of exploration, navigating both the mysteries of the universe, and the complexities of their own interpersonal relationships.3 seasons / 36 episodes: Series Complete
First two seasons were on Fox. Hulu picked the series up for a season 3 (10 episodes). No word yet as to a season 4.
Loved this series for doing Star Trek better than the official rights holders have been doing of late. (Exception: loved Picard; listed here).
It started off as a parody (kinda, of sorts) and has since moved toward a dramatic series. The show does a remarkable job of filling you with that sense of wonder & awe; amazing alien vistas & worlds; and always making you feel like you are a part of this future.
Great cast, great scripts, both fun and serious.
The Orville has become the unofficial continuation of Star Trek proper. This group has delivered Star Trek in the way it was intended. - StarsChloë Grace MoretzGary CarrJack ReynorSet in the future when technology has subtly altered society, a woman discovers a secret connection to an alternate reality as well as a dark future of her own.1 season / 8 episodes: Series Complete
update, 23aug2023: Crushing news. This one hurts. I just read that the series was canceled.
---------
The first season was bingeable good!
A great TV series with stellar acting by a terrific cast, an immersive plot and lots of great Sci-fi elements on display. - CreatorChris SheridanStarsAlan TudykSara TomkoCorey ReynoldsA crash-landed alien takes on the identity of a small-town Colorado doctor and slowly begins to wrestle with the moral dilemma of his secret mission on Earth.1 season / 10 episodes: First season Only Recommended
Season 1 turned out to be one of the best TV series of 2021. Smart, funny, bingeable. This series makes my Greatest List based on season 1 only.
-------------------
I quit watching this series 5 episodes into season 2. It was terrible. I lasted 5 episodes only because of the momentum of season 1 and I hoped they might turn it around.
So bad. One of the the most epic falls I've ever seen. I do not expect to return to the series for its season 3.
----------------
This entry ends the listing of active/ongoing shows. The following shows have all ended. - CreatorJonathan GlassnerBrad WrightStarsRichard Dean AndersonMichael ShanksAmanda TappingA secret military team, SG-1, is formed to explore other planets through the recently discovered Stargates.10 seasons / 214 episodes, 2 films: Series Complete
Includes Stargate: The Ark of Truth (2008) (which caps off the series) and Stargate: Continuum (2008) (a great standalone addition, capping off the Ba'al thread).
As a long time Star Trek fan (having seen just about everything in that Universe), the Stargate Universe won me over as my favorite multi-season franchise within the sci-fi genre.
Stargate just made for better storytelling overall. A strong connection to the core characters, galactic allies and even the (often) series-long (unbelievably great) villains. There was also the feeling that these stories could (conceivably) exist in the here and now - which helped draw us in even further.
While the franchise has only taken a hiatus (one hopes), it has left behind 354 terrific episodes and 2 great films - plus the original movie.
(I am not including the horrific "Stargate Origins" nor the generically written non-canon animated Stargate Infinity (2002). Both of which are pretty bad.) - CreatorRobert C. CooperBrad WrightStarsJoe FlaniganRachel LuttrellDavid HewlettAn international team of scientists and military personnel discover a Stargate network in the Pegasus Galaxy and come face-to-face with a new, powerful enemy: The Wraith.5 seasons / 100 episodes: Series Complete
I absolutely love this series. The extended Stargate concept, the new alien threat(s), the phenomenal city/ship that is Atlantis and a great cast. Just writing this comment makes me want to watch the series again!
But (I feel compelled to say this)... I can never, ever forgive them for replacing Torri Higginson as leader of the expedition. It was the first time I resented seeing Amanda Tapping in anything Stargate related. I still resent seeing her on this particular series.
I don't blame Tapping. Something about how this played out always felt unjust and so wrong to me. Still does... We may never really know what happened here. Dr. Elizabeth Weir was truly one of the great leaders (and captains) in Sci-fi. I liked her thoughtful, intelligent and communicative management style.
I also very strongly felt the loss of Rainbow Sun Francks as part of the team. He was a good actor with a very natural comedic pacing. Also preferred his (stylish, real-world) fighting style. I not only resented seeing Jason Momoa (who basically replaced Francks when there was room for both) but considered him a non-actor and a grunt early on.
During my second viewing of Atlantis, I did warm up to Momoa and finally accepted his character as the in-house prototype warrior (ala: Teal'c, Worf & Ka D'Argo) while also becoming a cast favorite of mine. - CreatorRobert C. CooperBrad WrightStarsRobert CarlyleLouis FerreiraBrian J. SmithTrapped on an Ancient spaceship billions of light-years from home, a group of soldiers and civilians struggle to survive and find their way back to Earth.2 seasons / 40 episodes: Series Complete
When this series first came out, many expected a style similar to SG-1 and Atlantis. This expectation created an initial lukewarm reaction - many considering it "slow". SGU, however, boldly went to a place few Sci-fi shows had ever gone:
This was a battlefield experience with a crew that was bruised, often in retreat and looking for that one last chance. It looked at relationships during the most difficult of times. It told a story of survival and perseverance.
In a world full of TV shows & Films that pull off miracles weekly, SGU reminded us that in the real world, we are more often humbled. But... even in retreat, we can find solutions when we have each other.
SG: Universe is also the kind of series that gets better during its second and third viewing. Lots of folks who didn't like it during their first go around, loved it during the second viewing.
Often, it's about expectations. So if you've only seen this once... see it again, for the first time.
-----------------------
There is a 6-issue comic book series that takes place after the end of the season 2 finale called 'Stargate Universe: Back to Destiny'. Published by 'American Mythology Productions'.
I thought it was a great storyline while also providing a great series ending. I loved it. I needed it. If you loved Stargate Universe - I enthusiastically recommend reading this series. I think you'll enjoy it as much as I did. - CreatorJoss WhedonStarsNathan FillionGina TorresAlan TudykFive hundred years in the future, a renegade crew aboard a small spacecraft tries to survive as they travel the unknown parts of the galaxy and evade warring factions as well as authority agents out to get them.1 season / 14 episodes plus 1 film: Series Complete
Serenity (2005) is the finale and caps off this series.
One of the greatest action, adventure Sci-fi series ever made along with one of the greatest cast of characters. The 2005 film made for one of the best series ending finales I've ever seen. - CreatorRockne S. O'BannonStarsBen BrowderClaudia BlackAnthony SimcoeThrown into a distant part of the universe, an Earth astronaut finds himself part of a fugitive alien starship crew.4 seasons / 88 episodes plus miniseries: Series Complete
The exceptional 2 episode miniseries, Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars (2004), caps off the series.
Of all the similar sci-fi franchises, I think this one was the bravest and most creative. It wasn't afraid to experiment with alien lifeforms. It had, quite possibly, the best variety of aliens I've seen in a series.
They made sure that their technology made practical sense. That it didn't feel like lazy writing or magic. Their version of the Universal Translator, for example, was brilliant.
They made the "far out" believable. You were immersed in their world. Humanoids felt distinct. You felt like a (lesser) alien yourself in someone else's backyard. This is a feat very few other shows have been able to accomplish.
In too many other similar series, the self-important humans are always right and it's their worldview/culture that is the most important. That kind of human-centered hubris (mostly) did not exist in this series.
This series just got better and better as it went along. Finishing as one of the greatest Sci-fi adventures of all-time. - CreatorJoseph MallozziPaul MullieStarsMelissa O'NeilAnthony LemkeAlex Mallari Jr.In the dystopian 27th century, six people wake up on a deserted spaceship with no memory of who they are or what they're doing there. They reluctantly team up and set off to find answers with the help of a female android.3 seasons / 39 episodes: Series Complete
One of the best space adventures produced. I was really surprised at how good it was when I came across this.
When I discovered this gem, I thought how could something this good fly under my radar? At the time, it was truly a hidden gem. Nowadays, people have discovered it and based on the rating... enjoying it as much as I did. - StarsPeter KrauseJulianna MarguliesPeter JacobsonA detective investigates a mysterious motel room which acts as a portal to anywhere in the world.miniseries / 3 episodes or 6 episodes: Complete
Superb drama driven by exceptional Sci-fi mystery.
I saw this again Nov/2022 and it was as good, as engaging as the first time I watched it. - CreatorLeslie StevensStarsKevin ConwayAlex DiakunEric Schneider"The Outer Limits" is a science fiction anthology series, with Kevin Conway providing the voice of "Control Voice".7 seasons / 152 episodes: Series Complete
The 1995 'Outer Limits' far surpasses the original. So many episodes in this series that were truly excellent. So many episodes that could have easily evolved into their own standalone series. Great, immersive story-telling. Great performances. Great drama.
'The Outer Limits' is closing in on 30 years since it first aired but still feels as immersive and vital as it did when it premiered. - CreatorGlen MorganJames WongStarsMorgan WeisserKristen ClokeRodney RowlandThe Earth is embroiled in a desperate war against alien invaders, and this series focuses on one squadron of Marine pilots involved in it.1 season / 23 episodes: Series Complete
If you loved the first Starship Troopers film (which came out later), you'll love this series too. Nearly three decades old, it remains modern viewer friendly and engaging. - CreatorKirsten BeyerMichael ChabonAkiva GoldsmanStarsPatrick StewartMichelle HurdJeri RyanFollow-up series to Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) that centers on Jean-Luc Picard in the next chapter of his life.3 seasons / 10 episodes: Series Complete
ST: Picard delivered three fantastic seasons with a great mix of storytelling, cast (including some old favorites), Sci-fi elements (AI, Time-travel, new/old Aliens) and great acting.
It has established itself as one of the best Star Trek series produced to date. - CreatorJ.J. AbramsAlex KurtzmanRoberto OrciStarsAnna TorvJoshua JacksonJohn NobleAn F.B.I. agent is forced to work with an institutionalized scientist and his son in order to rationalize a brewing storm of unexplained phenomena.5 seasons / 100 episodes: Series Complete
Once you accept & embrace the premise, this series becomes one of the outstanding Sci-fi series of all-time.
I'll admit, it took me several tries over the years to accept the premise. I'd watch a couple of episodes and quit each time. Finally, I accepted the mad/brilliant scientist scenario and it clicked. I binged on some of the best storytelling and Sci-fi drama for any series produced.
This series was consistently great during its entire 5-year run. - CreatorPaul FeigStarsTrace BeaulieuNeil CaseyEugene CorderoA young and inexperienced crew venture into space to face mysterious clouds, folds in time and the occasional alien attack, as well as more household challenges.1 season / 8 episodes: Series Complete
From 2015 and on what was called Yahoo! Screen. Lasted only a season because Yahoo closed their streaming service by January 4, 2016.
'Other Space' is one of the best Sci-fi Space Shows ever produced - comedy or otherwise.
I find that I connect with this series, its characters and its humor in a way that keeps me coming back for more. I've seen it twice and I'd be lying if I said that was enough.
Light, enjoyable, funny, great characters. Truly a (low budget) hidden gem. - CreatorJonathan NolanStarsJim CaviezelTaraji P. HensonKevin ChapmanAn ex-CIA agent and a wealthy programmer save lives via a surveillance AI that sends them the identities of civilians involved in impending crimes. However, the details of the crimes, including the civilians' roles, are left a mystery.5 seasons / 103 episodes: Series Complete
Great character-driven "conspiracy" drama with nice touches of sci-fi and action. - CreatorRick BermanMichael PillerJeri TaylorStarsKate MulgrewRobert BeltranRoxann DawsonPulled to the far side of the galaxy, where the Federation is seventy-five years away at maximum warp speed, a Starfleet ship must cooperate with Maquis rebels to find a way home.7 seasons / 172 episodes: Series Complete
Taken as a complete series (its entire 7 year, 172 episode run) - Voyager had the best consistent set of great scripts and fantastic multi-episode arcs. It started off extremely well and somehow managed to get even better.
Other series had some good to great short-term arcs, a smattering of decent episodes, interesting characters of their own but none... I mean none... matched Voyager for its great story-telling consistency during their entire runs. None. I've seen them all.
Voyager has my vote as the best post-TOS TV series produced and the best post-TOS captain. Includes every series that is post-TOS. Everything from ST:TNG to the most recent Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. It's not even close. - CreatorGene RoddenberryStarsWilliam ShatnerLeonard NimoyDeForest KelleyIn the 23rd Century, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets.3 seasons / 79 episodes: Series Complete
The Original Series isn't listed as an all-time great out of some sense of respect, homage or because of its pioneering influence on TV.
It's here because it remains a great series with great stories centered around great (iconic) characters.
It is a series that continues to deliver the message that humanity could overcome many of its negative impulses to help drive this vision of tomorrow.
Star Trek: TOS still shines as a beacon of hope for today and a testament to what we can conceivably achieve. - CreatorBaran bo OdarJantje FrieseStarsLouis HofmannKaroline EichhornLisa VicariA family saga with a supernatural twist, set in a German town where the disappearance of two young children exposes the relationships among four families.3 seasons / 26 episodes: Series Complete
German with English DUB available.
Time paradoxes, closed time loops (over an extended time period), alternate reality via time line changes, large cast, the past and present interconnected... One of the great dramatic Sci-fi television programs of this era. - CreatorBrad WrightStarsEric McCormackMacKenzie PorterNesta CooperHundreds of years from now, surviving humans discover how to send consciousness back through time, into people of the 21st century, while attempting to change the path of humanity.3 seasons / 34 episodes: Series Complete
Great cast, great acting, great script. They really made the concept work. I especially loved that the entire story was told by series end. This series is complete (unto itself). - CreatorEric KripkeShawn RyanStarsAbigail SpencerMatt LanterMalcolm BarrettAn unlikely trio travels through time to battle unknown criminals and protect history as we know it.2 seasons / 28 episodes: Series Complete
Great series, good depictions of historical figures & events, daring enough to actually alter the timeline throughout the series.
Perhaps, the best time travel TV series I've ever watched. - CreatorStephany FolsomStarsCamryn JonesRiley Lai NeletSofia RosinskyFour young friends' paper routes are disrupted on Hell Day 1988, when they unknowingly time travel to 2019. While searching for a way home, they come face-to-face with their adult selves and learn how to work together to save the world.1 season / 8 episodes: Series Completed
All 8 episodes made available on 29jul2022. It was announced on Sept/2022 that the series was cancelled after 1 season.
Some viewers may be fine with the cancellation because there was enough closure by the final episode. Some dangling story arcs at the end but the core plot was told.
These dangling story arcs were intended to help springboard a season 2 - which (surprisingly & unfortunately) did not happen.
Very good Sci-fi series written for an adult mindset: great time traveling plot, great performances, connection to both the main and secondary characters -- great character depth throughout.
This series did a ton of things right and very little wrong. I honestly don't know where this series failed that a second season wasn't approved. It was certainly good enough to make this Greatest List. - CreatorPaul ZbyszewskiStarsTaye DiggsMoon BloodgoodVictoria PrattToday Detective Brett Hopper will be accused of shooting state attorney Alberto Garza. He will offer his rock solid alibi. He will realize he's been framed. And he will run. Then he will wake up and start the day over again.1 season / 13 episodes: Series Complete
This series did a great job of pulling the story together in an easy to digest way when so much was going on.
I remember watching this when it first aired and during the first episode wondering... "how are they going to make time-looping work over an entire season?"
Not only did they make it work - they managed to immerse you into the story and engage you with a great cast. Great bingeable series with a satisfying ending. - CreatorJay BeattieDan DworkinStarsSteve ZahnNatalie MartinezTommy BastowRefugees from a war-torn country 180 years in the future start showing up in the present to seek asylum in an American town.1 season / 11 episodes: Series Complete
Good drama, terrific character development, nicely interwoven sci-fi elements and a true miniseries (good closure). - CreatorAlex GarlandStarsSonoya MizunoNick OffermanJin HaA computer engineer investigates the secretive development division in her company, which she believes is behind the disappearance of her boyfriend.1 season / 8 episodes: Series Complete
Funny thing about the tech used here... we aren't that far away, in real life, to producing similar. Everyone seems to be a data scientist these days.
Great story, good drama. - CreatorDavid JenkinsStarsWyatt CenacLuka JonesAlice WetterlundJournalist Ozzie Graham is skeptical when he investigates a support group for oddballs who think they have been abducted by aliens -- yet the more he learns, the more confused, intrigued, and seduced he becomes.2 seasons /20 episodes: Series Complete
Fun, light, UFO/Sci-fi themed drama with light comedy. Likable characters, lots of character development and depth. - CreatorSimon DonaldStarsRichard DormerBjörn Hlynur HaraldssonSienna GuilloryPerched on the edge of the Arctic Circle, Fortitude is one of the safest towns on earth. There has never been a violent crime here. Until now.3 seasons / 26 episodes: Series Complete
The first season was among one of the best seasons of any Sci-fi series ever produced.
No hyperbole. The season was so good, it makes the list solely on this (an easy 10+ rating). It's also the only season I recommend watching (as it tanks so badly after that: see my full review). - StarsRoark CritchlowAndrew AblesonTara Platt1 season / 13 (23min) episodes or 130 (3min) episodes : Series Complete
Was an animated episodic web series and one of the best things I've ever seen. A riveting apocalyptic Sci-fi mystery and a masterpiece in story-telling. - CreatorVanessa AlexanderPeter CoxRachel LangStarsCharles MesureTania NolanMiriama McDowellAlec Ross awakes one morning to find that he doesn't know who or where he is and doesn't recognize his wife or children.1 season / 13 episodes: Series Complete
A New Zealand import which delivered great TV. Bingeable good with nice tech gadgets. Attention to details, including their own OS for small screens.
As great as this series is... I remain surprised that it isn't better known (only 610 votes for a 7.8 rating as of 07aug2023). One thing is for certain, it clearly belongs on a list like this. - CreatorAllan FoshkoMarty KrofftSid KrofftStarsWesley EureKathy ColemanSpencer MilliganA family finds themselves fighting to survive in a land populated by dinosaurs and otherworldly beings.3 seasons / 43 episodes: Series Complete
Few series had more sci-fi elements in it:
Time travel, alternate dimensions, dinosaurs, intelligent alien species, dangerous aliens, brilliant tech, (affable) neanderthals, (de)evolution, new age tech via pylons, a self-contained closed-loop universe, another world (three moons in the sky), resourceful family at a nexus point in time and space.
So much more - including a close connection to nature: all intermingling at the same time. They also found a way to connect with viewers in a very human way.
Possibly the most remarkable Sci-fi driven world ever created for a TV Series (or film). - CreatorRemi AubuchonRonald D. MooreStarsEric StoltzEsai MoralesPaula MalcomsonTwo families, the Graystones and the Adamas, live together on a peaceful planet known as Caprica, where a startling breakthrough in artificial intelligence brings about unforeseen consequences.1 season / 19 episodes: Series Complete
Not a fan of BSG (having watched the entire series - sorry, fans) but Caprica (the prequel) is an all-time great. - CreatorTara ButtersMichele FazekasStarsAllison TolmanAlexa SwintonOwain YeomanA police chief investigates a case involving a young child found near the site of a mysterious accident.1 season / 13 episodes: Series Complete
Wonderfully engaging, thought-provoking, well-acted series. Very well-received by both viewers and critics. As great as the first season was (and it was great), you could see that it was really going to take off in season 2.
This was an unexpected and surprising cancellation. - CreatorBrannon BragaDavid S. GoyerStarsCourtney B. VanceJoseph FiennesJack DavenportA special task force in the FBI investigates after every person on Earth simultaneously blacks out and awakens with a short vision of their future.1 season / 22 episodes: Series Complete
Unique mystery drama that explodes out of the gate. - CreatorChris FedakJosh SchwartzStarsZachary LeviYvonne StrahovskiJoshua GomezWhen a computer geek inadvertently downloads critical government secrets into his brain, both the CIA and the NSA assign an agent to protect him and exploit his newfound skills.5 seasons / 91 episodes: Series Complete
There are a few other shows that used the same (or similar) concept (John Doe, Intelligence and to a lesser degree... Jake 2.0). Chuck's large cast, sharp writing and connection to the characters made this series the best of the bunch. - DirectorChristian GossettStarsRichard HatchTony ToddKate VernonVarious retired leaders discuss their experiences of the Four Years War, a war between the Federation and the Klingons, and the build up to a battle at Axanar that caused a major turning point in the war.Short Film :: 20 min
Documentary style discussion of The Federation and Klingon 4 year war leading to the battle at Axanar. Award winning, impressive CG, powerful script, immersive acting. - CreatorKyle KillenStarsJason IsaacsLaura AllenSteve HarrisAfter a car accident takes the life of a family member, a police detective lives two alternating parallel lives, one with his wife and one with his son. Is one of his "realities" merely a dream?1 season / 13 episodes: Series Complete
Great concept, well implemented. It is Schrodinger's Cat Paradox where two outcomes come to pass for the lead character. Both of them bittersweet.
It can also be treated as a miniseries, since there is complete closure (in a strongly Sc-fi way) at the end. I personally loved the ending. - CreatorRyan J. CondalCarlton CuseStarsJosh HollowaySarah Wayne CalliesPeter JacobsonIn the wake of a mysterious alien invasion, a family fights to stay together in a new world order.3 seasons / 36 episodes: Series Complete
Great series. Give it 3-4 episodes before it really comes together.
Colony doesn't suffer from the trope of a "rag-tag team putting up a fight when the world's military and science failed".
Any resistance you see will all make sense (just give it time to unravel). Wonderfully done; logical approach that doesn't insult our intelligence. - CreatorAdrian CruzPhilip LevensStarsTricia HelferGil BellowsBrian Van HoltA young woman's murder causes the subjects of a century-long mission to populate a new world to question the true nature of the project as they approach the point of no return.mini-series / 6 episodes: Complete
What a mind trip... - StarsKatherine ParkinsonGemma ChanLucy CarlessIn a parallel present where the latest must-have gadget for any busy family is a 'Synth'--a highly-developed robotic servant that's so similar to a real human--is transforming the way we live.3 seasons / 24 episodes: Series Complete
Such a riveting series centered around artificially intelligent androids as they evolve into sentience. A series that felt more real-life than it did sci-fi, drawing you into their world. Quite an accomplishment. - CreatorBen RichardsStarsHermione NorrisDaniel MaysAmy MansonWith Earth rapidly becoming uninhabitable, pioneers seek to colonize the harsh terrain of the planet Carpathia. 10 years later, the town of Forthaven faces danger as the planet's dark secrets are revealed.1 season / 8 episodes: Series Complete
Great series that desperately needed a season 2.
I've seen so many TV series over my many years and I'm not sure I've ever wanted a second season as much. Something in the way this series ended (prematurely) that I have always been haunted by the lack of closure.
Listed as an all-time great. But... how do I recommend a show that leaves you needing closure this badly? At some point, I expect I'll see this series again. Maybe I'll feel differently about how it doesn't end. - CreatorTracy TorméRobert K. WeissStarsJerry O'ConnellSabrina LloydJohn Rhys-DaviesA boy genius and his comrades travel to different parallel universes, trying to find their way back home.5 seasons / 88 episodes: Series Complete
This show took the concept of the multiverse, taming it and making it a viable new sub-genre. They did so with a pleasant cast, acceptable storytelling and a connection to the characters that made it one of the best things on TV.
The strength of this series was always the original cast. Together they were greater than their individual characters. They managed to not only make each episode's plot better by their mere interactions but they made each other better.
That chemistry was shattered about 2/3rds into season 3 with the loss of Arturo. Whatever magic remained within the group was obliterated when Wade Wells did not return for season 4.
Despite this, I was able to rewatch the entire series recently (Oct/2022) and was very surprised that I enjoyed both seasons 4 and 5 (when I disliked them both in the late-90s). This only works if you are willing to embrace the character changes - something I was unable to do decades earlier.
What seasons 4 and 5 lacked was chemistry. The new groups simply did not have the same "magic" as the original complete cast.
Even with over 25 years of prep time, learning to embrace changes, knowing what was coming... I still found the loss of both Maximilian Arturo and Wade Wells to be palpable. I never stopped feeling their absence. I still grieve for them both when I think about this series.
This probably, at some level, may have effected my acceptance of the new groups.
With Remmy's (Rembrandt's) final jump in the series finale, it is entirely possible that the entire original crew was... (too sad to contemplate).
--------------------------
Related: Doorways (1993) - CreatorMark ShirrefsJohn ThomsonStarsZbych TrofimiukGosia PiotrowskaBrian RooneyWhen a prank at a school camp goes drastically wrong, 15-year-old Paul Reynolds is blasted into an alternative reality and has to try to find a way home.2 seasons / 26 episodes: Series Complete
Fun, serious (in a family drama way), relaxing, outstanding cast, great plot. I also found the alternative world fascinating to experience. Even loved the villain in this story and how adaptable she was portrayed. - CreatorMark ShirrefsJohn ThomsonStarsLauren HewettRyan KwantenLeonard FungKathy is on a camping trip when she finds a bamboo boat belonging to Mek, a scientist who has discovered a way of travelling between parallel worlds. Kathy meddles with the controls, sending herself and Mek to the world of Spellbinders.1 season / 26 episodes: Series Complete
Did not expect the second arc to be as good as the first. Great new world, great new characters, great new plot. They even managed to bring in a key character from the 1995 series... nice one! - CreatorLeslie BohemStarsDakota FanningMatt FrewerEmily BerglThree families experience alien abductions over a period of five decades.miniseries / 10 episodes: Complete
This may be the best series (and/or film) I've ever seen that focuses on the classic ("real world") ET encounter. Well written, great drama, fantastic acting. - CreatorJosh FriedmanStarsLena HeadeyThomas DekkerSummer GlauSet after the events in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), Sarah Connor and her son, John, try to stay under-the-radar from the government, as they plot to destroy the computer network, Skynet, in hopes of preventing Armageddon.2 seasons / 31 episodes: Series Complete
The excellent first season was truly a chronicle of Sarah Connor. We saw a mother protecting her child, planning every move... among great storylines. All of this as she prepared John Connor for his future as they struggled to survive daily.
The second season segued into an emphasis on John Connor and brought with it a formulaic, redundant, action formula. It was watchable but I much preferred season 1. - StarsKatharine CullenMelissa MarshallJames FindlayIn the year 3000, Alana is kidnapped by evil Silverthorn, after a time travel experiment goes wrong. He takes Alana to the year 1990. With the help of Jenny Kelly and family, Alana must find Silverthorn before the time capsule leaves.2 seasons / 24 episodes: Series Complete
Great concept brought to life in a serious (but light) drama that was both imaginative and endearing.
I always love taking a peek into someone else's vision of the future including technological advances. This series provided their own unique view. - CreatorRod SerlingStarsRod SerlingRobert McCordJay OverholtsOrdinary people find themselves in extraordinarily astounding situations, which they each try to solve in a remarkable manner.5 seasons / 156 episodes: Series Complete
"There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity."
"It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge."
"This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call the Twilight Zone." - StarsJane BadlerMichael DurrellFaye GrantA seemingly peaceful alien race, arrives at earth and asks for help to ensure their own planets survival. However, the visitors agenda turns out be much darker.Various seasons / 24 episodes total: Series Complete
Viewing Order
1. 1983: 2-part miniseries (this entry)
2. V: The Final Battle (1984) : 3-part miniseries
3. V (1984) : 19-episode full season - CreatorRoderick TaylorStarsSam GroomGretchen CorbettTony O'DellThrown into another dimension, a family must keep ahead of a tyrannical state's hunters while searching for a way home.1 season / 8 episodes: Series Complete
Watched this on july2021 -- Loved it! Had a really great time soaking this in. Serious but in a light (family-friendly) way. It's the serious, dramatic presentation that makes this series modern viewer friendly. - CreatorJustin MarksStarsJ.K. SimmonsOlivia WilliamsHarry LloydA hapless UN employee discovers that the agency he works for is hiding a gateway to a parallel dimension that's in a cold war with our own, and where his other self is a top spy. The war slowly heats up thanks to spies from both sides.2 seasons / 20 episodes: Series Complete
This sci-fi miniseries is held together by great drama, superb acting and a tightly written script. - CreatorKenneth JohnsonScott PetersStarsElizabeth MitchellMorris ChestnutJoel GretschAn extraterrestrial race arrives on Earth with seemingly good intentions, only to slowly reveal their true machinations the more ingrained into society they become.2 seasons / 22 episodes: Series Complete
I seem to recall having mixed feelings about this series. I don't remember the series all that well now. Is this an all-time great? Listing it for now but I suspect I will remove this in time. - CreatorDean BakopoulosChristina LeeAlissa NuttingStarsCristin MiliotiBilly MagnussenRay RomanoA young woman, on the run after 10 years in a suffocating marriage to a tech billionaire, suddenly realizes that her husband has implanted a revolutionary monitoring device in her brain that allows him to track her every move.2 seasons / 16 episodes: Series Complete
First season: Fun/serious drama with some dark and raw comedy. Second season: segues into pure drama and leaves the comedy behind.
I really like the sci-fi elements attached to this series. The darker aspects of tech are explored, along with the coming age of virtual/augmented reality. While the series was cancelled it also felt that there was nearly total closure (except for the Alice subArc).
Personally, I was happy that it ended when it did. The series seemed to slowly move away from an attempt at a tech-based utopia.
It somehow seemed to move to satisfying the personal needs of Hazel Green. By the last episode she actually felt (selfishly, self-centered and coldly) evil. In contrast, Byron Gogol did some evil things (and seemed to suffer from them) but it was always in pursuit of a wider good for humanity (if that makes sense). - CreatorJose RiveraKarl SchaeferStarsOmri KatzJustin ShenkarowMary-Margaret HumesTeenage weirdness investigator Marshall Teller adventures through his new small-town home with his friends, geeky Simon Holmes and mysterious Dash X.1 seasons / 19 episodes: Series Complete
The magic of our childhood imagination is brought to life in this light series. Fun show with great characters. - CreatorGene RoddenberryStarsVon FloresLeni ParkerAnita La SelvaWhen an alien species comes to Earth bearing gifts for humanity, a few suspicious humans seek to discover and resist the newcomers' true designs.4 seasons / 88 episodes: Recommended Run (See Below)
5 seasons / 110 episodes: Complete Series Run
The 5th season (22 episodes) does not exist for me (please read my review).
Season 1 was great. Season 2 saw a major cast change and at the time (1998), was not well received.
If you embrace the changes for Season 2, you will find really great sci-fi for the Liam Kincaid years. (note: the first half of season 2 = not too great. So be patient).
The 5th season is not worth watching. It's a disservice to the series. It only exists (I think) to get the episodes past the 100 syndication friendly number.
It's horrific and a slap in the face to the work done during the previous 4 seasons. It was a lazily written money grab. - CreatorAndrew CosbyJaime PagliaStarsColin FergusonSalli Richardson-WhitfieldErica CerraA U.S. Marshal becomes the sheriff of Eureka, a remote, cozy little Northwestern town where the best minds in the US have secretly been tucked away to build futuristic inventions for the government which often go disastrously wrong.5 seasons / 77 episodes: Series Complete
I recently re/watched all 5 seasons of 'Eureka' July-Aug/2023. Great Sci-fi elements, comfortable/likable characters, formulaic but engaging episodic stories.
After 3 seasons, I started to feel that the series was beginning to feel a bit stale. When season 4 started, they brilliantly found a way to spice up the series. They managed to reinvigorate the series again for season 5.
I felt that as entertaining as the first 3 seasons were, the final 2 seasons really saw the series stretch its wings. - DirectorJoe PennaStarsRay TrickittCircus-SzalewskiJade HarlowA multi-era tale about a man's struggle with immortality.Short film: Complete
This is a 40 minute indie effort that's the length of a TV episode but feels like it plays for much longer. Hard to pause this slow, smartly written and riveting drama. - CreatorJosh BernhardBracey SmithStarsJames David RichAlexandra BlattEinar GunnA Cold War relic returns amid fears of terrorism but turns out to be a forgotten Soviet space mission. What it brings back will have implications for the entire world.1 season / 6 episodes: Series Complete
I saw this when it first came out. I remember the hoopla surrounding BitTorrent as a distribution technology, the fund-raising... mostly I remember how great of a story it was.
It's 05mar2024 as I write this and wanted to say that I just finished watching the 6-episode series again.
The acting, the casting, the production values... all much better than I remember. The story... as magical now as it was back then. - CreatorBragi F. SchutStarsCarla GuginoBrian Van HoltBrent SpinerA team of experts are assembled after the U.S. Navy discovers an extra-terrestrial object briefly appeared near a ship in the Atlantic Ocean.1 season / 13 episodes: Series Complete
Watched the entire series during the last week of November/2022. I liked it. It starts off confusing because it was hard to figure out what the infected were doing. The alien threat seemed sloppily done.
As the reveals took place, the series started to come together very well.
The best part of this series - far and away - was the team itself. From the first episode until the last - this was an excellent team with an absolutely great cast.
The team was extremely well written, the threshold protocols well done and it wasn't plothole heavy. This helped balanced some of the sloppy work on the infected/alien side of things.
Overall, I think this is accurately rated at 7+ for most viewers but would rate higher during a second viewing. This is because the sporadic and lengthy reveals won't be an issue.
The part of the series where you (as the viewer) really focus on the team, I would rate a 9. They were that good. They are the reason 'Threshold' makes this All-Time Great List. - CreatorJ.H. WymanStarsJonathan TuckerRiann SteeleNorbert Leo ButzTwo agents from two different continents and two different mindsets, must work together to investigate when wreckage from a destroyed alien spacecraft has mysterious effects on humankind.1 season / 13 episodes: Series Complete
I have mixed emotions about including this series as an all-time great. It was getting there : arguably becoming great during the second half of the season.
Riann Steele is fantastic throughout the series. I really enjoyed her acting (her facial expressions displayed every nuanced emotion) and overall general appeal. Jonathan Tucker is lackluster (and lifeless) at the start but turns things around starting with episode 8.
The show moved along too slowly, seemingly stretching things out (this is where it failed and nearly lost me and many others). But it picked up steam with a great episode 8 and stayed strong afterwards.
I was hooked by season's end. Including it as an all-time great based on the final 6 episodes. Sadly, I think, most others lost patience with the series before the upswing took place. It was not renewed. - CreatorLucia AnielloPaul W. DownsIlana GlazerStarsIlana GlazerPaul W. DownsKevin HeffernanCenters on two cousins who discover a time-traveling bong and ride high as they blaze through time.1 season / 3 episodes: Series Complete
Well scripted, well acted, low-budget fun! The last thing I expected was to include a series like this on an all-time great list. It surprised me and it will surprise you. Roll with it... - StarsJen TaylorSteve DownesMichelle LukesAnimated series adapted from the original book, Halo: The Fall of Reach. It's an explanation and backstory of the shaping and creation of Spartan 117, The Master Chief.1 of 4: The recent 2022 TV Series (Halo (2022)) sold me on this Universe. I decided to see all the other Halo stuff available during the second half of August/2022.
I rated this miniseries an 8. This was my favorite of all the related Halo videos I turned up during my search.
Great story and well executed intro to the Halo Universe as well as the 'Spartans'.
The ratings took a big hit simply because many did not like the animation ... but... the actual story and execution were top tier. Only the graphics were poor.
A shame so many viewers are influenced by pizazz over quality story-telling & (voice) acting (the core of any film or series)...
---------------------------
The other videos I turned up during my Halo search do not make the Greatest of All-Time List.
2 of 4: Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn (2012) - Rated a 7: I enjoyed this. Above average story only.
3 of 4: Halo: Nightfall (2014) - Rated a 6: Overall, I recommend this only as a slightly above average (non-Halo) Sci-fi film. I do not recommend this as something a Halo fan should watch.
4 of 4: Halo Legends (2010) - Rated below 5: Did not enjoy this. Made it to 8 minutes, started to skip ahead and I just didn't see much developing or interesting to me. - CreatorLisa JoyJonathan NolanStarsEvan Rachel WoodJeffrey WrightEd HarrisAt the intersection of the near future and the reimagined past, waits a world in which every human appetite can be indulged without consequence.4 seasons / 36 episodes: Series Complete
Listed as an all-time great on the strength of the first two seasons only. The third season was average - shifting into more pedestrian story-telling. I have not seen season 4 yet.
Season 3 had the effect of diverging enough from where I thought the series was going, that I kinda' lost interest. It seems many others did too. The series was not renewed for the expected 5th and final season. I am not certain I'll watch season 4... - CreatorStephen KingStarsKeith SzarabajkaFelicity HuffmanEd LauterAn elderly janitor hurt in an explosion at a secret army lab run by "The Shop" starts to grow younger. A ruthless operative is sent to cover it up, so the janitor and his wife go on the run with help from a sympathetic female agent.miniseries / 7 episodes: Series Complete
Entry, 30sept2021: Saw this about 3 decades ago when it first aired. I even re-watched it about a decade later (about 2 decades ago as I write this). I remember I really enjoyed this series both times.
Really surprised to see it rated at 5.3 (30sept2021 by 2,892). It's possible it hasn't aged well...? Maybe I was in the mood for what this miniseries delivered lo those many years ago? I do recall going into the series (both times) with very low expectations - maybe this is it.
Anyway... listing 'Golden Years' for now as an all-time great until such time that I can watch this again. I'm actually curious as to what I think of it today. - CreatorSimon AllenStarsRichard DormerLara RossiAdam HugillA group of misfit cops rise up from decades of helplessness to save their corrupt city from catastrophe.1 season / 8 episodes: Series Complete
Season 1 aired Jan-Feb/2021. We're at 3.5 years (as I update this on 04aug2023) with no updates. Likely this was a one-and-done series.
-------------------------
I never read the books. Clueless about this series - going in.
So many bad ratings were because of the nagging and tiresome refrain - "not like the book".
As a standalone (something "inspired by") this is an entertaining, engaging fantasy/sci-fi series with great characters. If there was no book series, I'm certain the rating would be much higher. - StarsGuy BurnetDavid ThewlisJing LusiA man's invention of a brain implant that allows people to share thoughts and emotions gets into the wrong hands.1 season / 10 episodes: Series Complete
Not well-known but great series. The inevitable consequences of brain implants.
The acting, the drama and the engagement are all top notch.