Science fictionshows contain some of TV’s best storytelling in action, consistently bending the rules of reality and logic with strangeness beyond anything normal. Practically anything is possible, which has made some shows incredibly successful within the community of sci-fi fans and casual audiences as well. In the very same show (and scattered throughout the genre), characters can comparelife in spacewith life on Earth, battle with their past and future selves, and wage war against alien oppressors. While some pieces of science fiction are best consumed through a one-and-done watch, audiences flock back to others to watch over and over. Check out the 10 most rewatchable sci-fi TV shows of all time.
10The Twilight Zone (1959-1964)
The originalTwilight Zonehas been imitated and rebooted, but no modern iteration will truly ever replicate the old excellence of its initial run. Media legend Rod Serling’s gravely serious narration welcomes viewers into the fuzzy dioramas of dozens of black-and-white episodes. Its plot lines landanywhere from creepyto tragic to happy, and somewhere between hopeful and existential, always including some futuristic and/or off-putting lesson. Audiences can always expect aTwilight Zoneepisode to be bizarre in its own unique way.
9Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009)
You may think you already know what the 13 Colonies are, butBattlestar Galacticarevolutionizes the phrase’s meaning. On their mission to reach the last one, Earth, the team of the “Battlestar Galactica” ends up in a necessary battle to preserve humanity as we all know it. This sci-fi show, a revitalization of its ’70s version, captures the war between the Cyclon robots and the group aboard Galactica, creating emotional moments, unforgettable scenes, and a 2000s sci-fi staple that curious viewers-to-be just can’t miss.
8Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013-2020)
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.expands upon the Marvel Cinematic Universe, before it really expanded into the Multiverse we know today (at least, in our timeline). The show, of course, covers the adventures of Marvel’s S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, who encounter unbelievable threats and embark on dangerous missions across the world.The crew’s camaraderieaboard their giant aircraft (called “The Bus”) allows room for some laughs among harrowing situations involving superheroes and villains.
7Black Mirror (2011-Present)
While some would argue thatBlack Mirrorisn’t very rewatchable as a whole, it absolutelydepends on the episode. Many people get too bummed out watching too many of these existential explorations and technological exploits in a row, and rightfully so. But you know how it goes – sometimes you just watch something so unbelievable, you decide to show it to a friend or family member, so they can share your pain.Black Mirror’s anthological nature offers plenty of opportunities for that, since each episode is entirely new, including both off-putting stories and more gratifying ones.
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6Future Man (2017-2020)
Future Manis led by Josh Hutcherson as Josh Futturman, a cleaner who uncovers his ability to travel through time after his favorite video-game world turns out to be a real place, desperate for his help to save it – kind of likeThe Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirlfor adults, but with more reluctance. The show’s light-hearted exterior nature reveals some deeper internal messaging, digging deep for many audience members and headed by a familiar, famous face in science fiction.The Guardiandescribed the show as “orchestrated peril that glories in the profound non-logic of the form.”
5Futurama (1999-2023)
Futuramawas called “The Greatest Show About the Future that Ever Aired” in the title of anarticle by Popular Science. Rebooted. In the thousand years that pizza guy Philip J. Fry was cryogenically frozen, time has progressed all the way into 2999, stranding him in a strangely accelerated future. Its visually unforgettable characters, palatable short format, and complicated inner workings created an exemplary piece of sci-fi animation within the comedy genre.
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4Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994)
The overarching story ofStar Trekhas survived through so many iterations, within both film and television. Its ’80s and ’90s TV adaptation,Star Trek: The Next Generation, combines humor and human nature with otherworldly exploration. The expressive visual essence of that era is subtly infused into each scene, despite the fact that it takes place well beyond Earth. This particular series is arguably the show’s most iconic version, but it may have to face off against the 1960sStar Trekwith William Shatner for the title of Most Nostalgic.
3Stranger Things (2016-Present)
You may never forget where you were when you first watchedStranger Things, especially if you started watching when its first season was released in 2016. The awe-inspiring sci-fi coming-of-age series from Netflix brings generations together on-screen and off-screen, allowing both actors and viewers to share the experience with loved ones around them. The layered, immersive feel that this series exudes is unlike any other, whether you’re reliving the 1980s or the 2010s, and the Duffer Brothers will verify you remember both in equal vividness.
2The X Files (1993-2018)
Since 1993,The X Filescarried the science fiction genre on television through the millennium and then some, finally coming to an end in 2018. FBI Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully present uniquely opinionated personalities that both work and clash so well together, especially in the face of their jobs: cracking cases called “X-Files” wide open. Like many long form visual stories out there, it includes some lackluster plot lines and episodes, but its integrity as a show is still celebrated by fans.
1Doctor Who (2005-Present)
The whimsy ofDoctor Who, throughout its many decades, including its original run, has entertained multiple generations and pockets of science fiction fans. The series centers around the time-traveling Doctor (a talented alien whose outer look and actor changes every few years through “regeneration”), their companions, and the interstellar adventures they encounter. Although the series was rebooted in 2005 by the BBC,Doctor Whohas technically been on air since 1963. The show will becelebrating its 60th anniversaryin November 2023, and its 14th season is currentlyin the works.
