Sci-fi is a top-tier genre for a plethora of reasons, one being how much it can explore through its storytelling. With science fiction, you can travel into the future, to dystopian worlds, and alternate settings. Its reliance on speculative contexts and scientific principles pushes creative boundaries within a framework of potential reality. Although the genre offers imaginative world-building and mind-bending scenarios, it holds a mirror to society with its exploration of real-world dilemmas and the complexities of human nature.
With Netflix being one of the most popular streaming giants, the platform offers a wide sci-fi selection. While many of those are films, there’s nothing quite like finding a new series to obsess over and keep your attention over a longer period.
Whether you’re looking for something to savor or a binge-worthy option for the weekend, this list has you covered with the 10 best sci-fi TV shows to stream on Netflix. From thrillers to anthologies to sitcoms, you’re bound to find something right up your alley.
‘Lost’ (2004 – 2010)
Are you one of the rare TV viewers who missed the Lost craze between 2004 and 2010? Luckily, Netflix has all six seasons available for streaming, so you can check it out to see why this series gave viewers enough to discuss and obsess over during its airing. Created by J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof, and Jeffrey Lieber, Lost is set on a deserted and mysterious island somewhere in the South Pacific Ocean. It follows a group of plane crash survivors who attempt to find rescue and survive, but find themselves confronted with strange events and supernatural threats.
A Riveting Blend of Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Survival Drama
Filled with intricate mystery, engaging characters, and jaw-dropping twists, Lost is a sci-fi series that never gets boring. To this day, it remains one of the boldest and most daring sci-fi productions to have ever aired. Throughout its run, this innovative TV show subverted expectation after expectation. There’s a reason this critically-acclaimed, Emmy-winning series grew such a devoted fanbase.
‘Black Mirror’ (2011 – Present)
Created by Charlie Brooker, Black Mirror is The Twilight Zone for 21st-century viewers. The first two seasons of the anthology series aired on Channel 4 in the UK, with Netflix taking over for future seasons and expanding its reach globally. Different directors bring their own unique touches to the world of Black Mirror. Among the many actors who have appeared in episodes, some notable names include Bryce Dallas Howard, Miley Cyrus, Jon Hamm, Daniel Kaluuya, Aaron Paul, Rashida Jones, Josh Hartnett, and Jesse Plemons.
One of the Best Sci-Fi Shows of the 21st Century
Each episode delivers a unique and individual story tinged with dystopian dread, exploring a future where technology has led to bleak, unsettling, and often horrifying outcomes. The series also explores the darkest corners of human nature, using the prism of technology to reveal humanity’s darker flaws, desires, and behaviors. Some tales serve as scathing critiques of capitalism, depicting how the relentless pursuit of profit can lead to oppressive, dystopian societies where people are further marginalized and exploited, and where commodities are valued over genuine human connection.
‘Orphan Black’ (2013 -2017)
Orphan Black is a fascinating sci-fi thriller from Canada that serves as a prime example of biopunk storytelling. The series begins with Sarah Manning (Tatiana Maslany) witnessing a young woman who appears identical to her jump in front of a train, and then stealing her identity, only to discover that she’s one of many clone “sisters.” Pulled into a conspiracy involving a shadowy organization, she soon finds herself evading assassins out to kill her and the other clones.
A Smart, Feminist Biopunk TV Show
Maslany is an absolute icon for her work on the show, having undertaken the gigantic task of playing several different characters throughout its run, 17 in total over all five seasons. Orphan Black raises moral and ethical questions about human cloning, science, and technology. It also delves into themes of identity, bodily autonomy, and the struggle against oppressive systems, while making the case for many progressive ideas. Throughout its run, it attracted a giant cult following, and to this day, it remains one of the greatest sci-fi shows of the last 25 years.
‘The 100’ (2014 – 2020)
This post-apocalyptic drama is set in a world where, almost a century earlier, a nuclear conflict annihilated most of human civilization, leaving the remnants of humanity forced to live in space on the Ark, an orbiting space station. When life support begins to fail and decline, those in charge send 100 teen prisoners down to Earth to see if it’s habitable. There, they discover the planet isn’t as lifeless as they were taught, and they’re forced to unite to navigate Earth’s perils and survive, uncovering long-buried secrets along the way.
An Ambitious Sci-Fi Saga
Loosely based on Kass Morgan’s young adult novel series of the same name, The 100 is more than just a CW teen show. Arguably, it’s the best to have ever run on the network. Don’t let its YA classification fool you — this production boasts fleshed-out characters, riveting storylines, nail-biting tension, and stunning visuals. The sci-fi saga will subvert your every expectation with its creative twists and thought-provoking episodes. If you’re looking for a show to binge on, this highly addictive, boundary-pushing gem will not disappoint.
‘Stranger Things’ (2016 – 2025)
If you’re an avid fan of sci-fi, chances are that you’re already familiar with the hugely popular Netflix original Stranger Things. Ever since its release in 2016, the genre-bending production has become one of the most-watched and beloved television series on the streaming platform. Still haven’t jumped on the bandwagon? The TV show is set in the 1980s in the small town of Hawkins, Indiana, opening with the disappearance of a young boy and the introduction of a young girl with psychokinetic abilities who escapes a mysterious facility.
A Sci-Fi Horror Series Steeped in ’80s Nostalgia
Their connection: a government cover-up and a parallel dimension called the Upside Down. Stranger Things will be a hit among Stephen King fans and those who like their movies and TV shows dripping in ’80s nostalgia. While watching, millennials will be reminded of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, as it revolves around a young group of friends trying to take on higher powers.
‘Dark’ (2017 – 2020)
The German sci-fi mystery thriller Dark earns a spot in the hall of fame among the best science fiction shows in television history. If you haven’t watched this masterpiece yet, do yourself a favor and stream it as soon as possible. The Netflix original is set in the small fictional town of Winden and focuses on a time travel conspiracy that spans generations. Featuring a captivating web of familial entanglements and paradoxes of time loops, this compelling story will keep you riveted from beginning to end. When you’re not watching it, you’ll find yourself ruminating on it.
A Carefully Woven Sci-Fi Saga
It all begins with the disappearance of a young boy. From there, the series unravels its mysteries in an enticing, slow-burn manner, masterfully building suspense and jumping across decades. Dark has it all — horror, time travel, generational drama, apocalyptic mystery, emotional stakes, and ever-changing alliances. Pushing boundaries with its mind-bending storytelling, this German gem is one of the most intricately constructed TV shows ever created.
‘Maniac’ (2018)
The limited series Maniac is a ten-episode wonder directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, and starring Emma Stone and Jonah Hill. Very loosely based on the Norwegian TV show of the same name, it’s set in a retro-futuristic world, and follows two strangers with personal issues, Annie (Stone) and Owen (Hill), who meet as participants in a mysterious trial conducted by Neberdine Pharmaceutical Biotech. Promising to cure their mental anguish, the experimental psychoactive drug they’re given takes them to surreal alternate realities, where they repeatedly meet and are forced to confront their traumas.
Genre-Hopping, Inventive Storytelling Grounded
Maniac defies categorization, blending sci-fi, emotional drama, and dark comedy. Additionally, the bizarre dreamscapes experienced by the protagonists play out in various genres, from film noir to fantasy quests to spy thrillers. This is precisely what makes the Netflix original so intriguing. At its core, Maniac is a deep meditation on mental health, human connection, empathy, and the elusive nature of happiness.
‘Lost in Space’ (2018 – 2021)
Easily one of the best sci-fi shows on Netflix, Lost in Space is a reimagining of the classic series of the same name, which ran from 1965 to 1968 and was itself inspired by the 1812 Johann David Wyss novel The Swiss Family Robinson. Set in 2046, it’s centered around the Robinsons, a family of space colonists whose ship deviates from its intended trajectory. Crash-landing on a dangerous, uncharted alien planet, they fight for survival against hidden perils and dangerous creatures.
An Epic Interstellar Adventure
Lost in Space stars Taylor Russell, Toby Stephens, Molly Parker, Mina Sundwall, and Maxwell Jenkins. Wielding heart, thrills, and accessible storytelling, it’s the kind of show that you can enjoy alone or with the whole family. Save this one for when you’re looking for a feel-good binge-watch. With the show completely wrapped up, you don’t have to worry about any cliffhangers.
‘Alice in Borderland’ (2020 – Present)
This beloved Japanese sci-fi thriller has been widely compared to Squid Game by audiences and critics alike. Based on the manga of the same name by Haro Aso, Alice in Borderland revolves around a group of people who are transported to a parallel, abandoned, dystopian Tokyo known as Borderland. There, they’re forced to compete in deadly games to survive. Among those trapped are three best friends, Arisu (Kento Yamazaki), Karube (Keita Machida), and Chōta (Yūki Morinaga).
One of Netflix’s Best Sci-Fi Original Series
Alice in Borderland is a captivating blend of heart and suspense, delivering both emotional punches and high-intensity stakes of life and death. At the 2021 Asian Academy Creative Awards, the series won awards for Best Cinematography, Best Direction, and Best Visual or VFX in a TV Series or Feature Film. If you’re searching for an immersive dystopian sci-fi tale with unpredictable twists, you will lose yourself in this one.
‘Resident Alien’ (2021 – 2025)
Based on the eponymous comic book by Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse, Resident Alien stars Alan Tudyk as Harry Vanderspeigle, an alien who lands on Earth with the intent of wiping away humanity. Assuming the identity of a small-town Colorado doctor, he finds himself embroiled in a murder mystery when he’s asked to perform an autopsy. As he spends more time with people, he begins to question his mission, and eventually, changes it to protecting humanity.
An Ingenious Sci-Fi Comedy Drama
Resident Alien is the sci-fi sitcom that has been missing from your life. Boasting a 98% on Rotten Tomatoes, the series was a critical success. The highly acclaimed but criminally underappreciated TV show treads the line of comedy and drama. With its final season wrapped, Resident Alien is another of the best sci-fi shows on Netflix available for streaming in its entirety.