10 Best Sci-Fi TV Shows of the 21st Century

Originally published September 14, 2026. This article covers the best sci-fi television shows of the 21st century.

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It’s hard to believe we’re closer to 2030 than 2020. It’s equally hard to comprehend that the turn of the century was 26 years ago. Every facet of pop culture was so different then, including our slate of science fiction TV series. And now that we’re years into the age of streaming, it seems like new sci-fi shows are coming out every day.

To celebrate Bestember, I’ve compiled a list of the 10 best sci-fi shows of the 21st century, from hard sci-fi to sci-fi with comedic elements and everything in between.

• The Expanse
• For All Mankind
• Firefly
• Severance
• Battlestar Galactica
• Orphan Black
• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
• Silo
• Misfits
• Doctor Who

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The Expanse

• First Episode: “Dulcinea” (December 14, 2015)

Hard sci-fi never looked so good. Adapting the first six books of James S.A. Corey’s thrilling science fiction series of the same name, The Expanse spent three seasons on Syfy before finding new life at Prime Video for three more seasons. Often described as “Game of Thrones in space,” The Expanse never shied away from holding a mirror up to society, reflecting our greatest strengths and our deepest flaws. Bolstered by captivating performances across the board, memorable characters, and intriguing interplanetary politics, this series is well worth your time.

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For All Mankind

• First Episode: “Red Moon” (November 1, 2019)

“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for [all] mankind.” Apple TV knows a thing or two about quality sci-fi. For All Mankind is one of its first shows, and it makes sense why the platform would launch with it. A series about trailblazers pushing the celestial envelope makes for compelling television. Plus, it’s fun following these characters through the decades, from the Moon landing to the Mars base and beyond as the show prepares to stick the landing with its sixth and final season. The Expanse might dig deep into human complexities, but For All Mankind champions our accomplishments.

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Firefly

• First Episode: “Serenity” (December 20, 2022)

By my pretty floral bonnet, this list isn’t complete without Firefly. The cult classic helped pave the way for the sci-fi boom of the 2010s, in my humble opinion. Firefly was a unique beast during its airing – a series chock-full of quirky yet wholly relatable characters and quick-witted one-liners in a sci-fi setting. Despite this ragtag group of misfits traveling in a spaceship, the show always felt more grounded than its out-of-this-world backdrop.

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Severance

• First Episode: “Good News About Hell” (February 18, 2022)

Severance was the talk of the town during its first season, and the crew behind it still knocked it out of the park with season 2. The thought-provoking sci-fi also has elements of a psychological thriller, weaving an intricate narrative of shock and awe. I love the immersive world-building and the high production values one expects from an Apple TV series. The “innie” and “outie” identities certainly speak to the work/life balance we strive to maintain in the real world. Here’s hoping we never actually have to split our memories to achieve that balance.

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Battlestar Galactica

• First U.S. Episode: “33” (January 14, 2005)

Speaking of memory manipulation, I wish I could wipe my memories so I could watch Battlestar Galactica for the first time again. Like Firefly, this series blazed a trail for the sci-fi shows in its wake, particularly for Syfy and its slate in the years to come. Battlestar Galactica was more than a show about the human survivors of a genocide perpetuated by robots; it was a twisty, enthralling tale full of political machinations, identity struggles, and a whole lot of frakin’ action.

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Orphan Black

• First Episode: “Natural Selection” (March 30, 2013)

Before Tatiana Maslany was She-Hulk, she played approximately one billion clones in Orphan Black. Sometimes, she even portrayed a clone pretending to be another clone. This sci-fi series was a masterclass in acting in that regard, watching Maslany inhabit identical-looking characters with distinct personalities – so distinct you forget she’s playing all of them. Acting aside, Orphan Black was well written, with a narrative as strong as its performances.

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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

• First Episode: “Strange New Worlds” (May 5, 2022)

Hit it. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds explores, you guessed it, strange new worlds with Captain Christopher Pike and his crew aboard the Enterprise before James T. Kirk takes the helm. It’s fun watching characters we know and love like Spock, Uhura, and Scotty in their pre-TOS days, and observing how they’ll inevitably develop into the characters the world first met in 1966. Strange New Worlds always takes bold swings for the creative fences, from a musical episode and horror homages to a trip to prehistoric Earth. Those risks certainly pay off in my eyes, making for damn entertaining TV.

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Silo

• First Episode: “Freedom Day” (May 5, 2023)

What if you lived centuries into the future in an underground silo, in a world where it isn’t safe to go outside? Apple TV’s Silo is another stunning adaptation that defies genre conventions, dancing on the edge of sci-fi, thriller, murder mystery, and riveting political drama. The talented cast includes Tim Robbins in a role that requires him to be very tall and equally menacing. Silo is a sci-fi series that holds your attention with its intricate plotlines and its characters’ relentless pursuit of the truth.

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Misfits

• First Episode: “Episode One” (November 12, 2009)

Misfits became my obsession when I first watched it years ago. It’s more comedy than sci-fi, but I feel it left an impact back then by marrying those two genres. The premise itself was so silly: Young adults doing community service obtain powers after being shocked by an electrical storm. However, Misfits found creative ways to incorporate those powers into each episode, along with plenty of humor and heart. Robert Sheehan turned in the most memorable performance, in my humble opinion. Save me, Barry!

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Doctor Who

• First Episode: “Rose” (March 26, 2005)

Doctor Who returned from a lengthy hiatus in 2005 to bless audiences with more shenanigans across time and space in a blue box owned by a human-looking alien with two hearts. After 20 years, the long-running sci-fi series is back in the woods indefinitely, but like the Doctor, Doctor Who has a way of finding new life when it’s most needed. The show kept things fresh by having its titular Time Lord regenerate every few seasons or so, and it was the perfect antidote to potential stagnation. More importantly, Doctor Who was a series about hope, and hope is in short supply these days.

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What are your favorite sci-fi shows from this century?

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