The Best Sci-Fi Series of Every Year of the 2010s

While many shows follow established formulas, there’s still a place for thought-provoking science fiction that explores big ideas. Sci-fi is popular now with shows on Apple TV and the success of the novel Project Hail Mary, but the 2010s also offered plenty of great examples.

The 1950s were a golden age for science fiction, filled with thought-provoking stories that explored humanity’s role in the universe and questioned how distant the future really was. Many classic sci-fi tales from this period remain highly regarded.

2010’s Best Sci-Fi Series Is Lost Girl

Lost Girl blended science fiction and fantasy in a unique way, and that’s often where the most compelling stories are found. This Canadian show offered a fresh, contemporary take on the supernatural. Actress Anna Silk played Bo, a succubus who explores her identity after unexpectedly entering the world of the fae.

Bo discovered her ability to feed on sexual energy stemmed from her heritage as a member of an ancient race, a race that expected her to choose a side in their conflict. But Bo rejected the political games of both the Light and Dark fae, choosing instead to solve supernatural mysteries alongside her human best friend, Kenzi. Like Bo herself, the show Lost Girl defied easy categorization, building a rich world and complex characters over five seasons.

2011’s Best Sci-Fi Series Is Black Mirror

The first episode of Netflix’s Black Mirror caused a huge shock when it aired, featuring a prime minister performing a deeply disturbing act with a pig on live television. The show’s name, referencing the black screen of phones and televisions, reflects its critical look at modern culture and technology.

The first season of Black Mirror, which aired in 2011, unexpectedly captivated audiences with its dark take on modern life. The show was ahead of its time, examining the dangers of technology through unsettling episodes like “Nosedive.” What was particularly disturbing was that, despite its popularity, Black Mirror rarely offered any optimistic vision of technology’s future. The show’s most unsettling – and most impactful – quality is that it has moved away from traditional science fiction and increasingly reflects real-world possibilities.

2012’s Best Sci-Fi Series Is Revolution

The TV show Revolution was a hidden gem that unfortunately didn’t last long. It starred characters navigating a world plunged into darkness after a mysterious global power outage. Combining elements of Lost and Jericho, the series presented compelling mysteries alongside a detailed look at a new society built after the collapse of the modern world. The story began fifteen years after the lights went out, when distinct territories had already started to emerge.

In the series, Billy Burke played Miles, a flawed character with a mysterious background. He was desperately searching for his kidnapped nephew, and his investigation led him and his niece, Charlie, to uncover a larger, unsettling conspiracy. The show, created by Eric Kripke, explored themes of technology dependence and the risks of unchecked power, offering a relevant commentary on contemporary issues. As noted by Revolution, the series presented these ideas in a compelling and thought-provoking way.

2013’s Best Sci-Fi Series Is Orphan Black

The 2010s saw a surge of creative science fiction, and Orphan Black stood out as a prime example. The show was brilliantly written and featured Tatiana Maslany playing not one, but multiple characters. Orphan Black took place in a believable near-future and followed Sarah, a con artist, who is stunned when she witnesses a woman who is her exact look-alike commit suicide. Sarah, with the help of her foster brother Felix, begins to uncover the truth: she’s one of many clones created by a shadowy organization.

Tatiana Maslany delivered a remarkable performance, single-handedly carrying the complex concept of the show. Each episode, she convincingly portrayed at least three distinct characters, frequently sharing scenes with herself. Her skillful use of contrasting accents and personalities made it easy to believe these were separate people. Maslany rightfully received praise for her work in a series that thoughtfully examined the idea of control over one’s own body.

2014’s Best Sci-Fi Series Is The 100

TV shows aimed at young adults often don’t receive the recognition they deserve, and that’s true for The 100. Based on Kass Morgan’s book series—which hadn’t even been published yet when the show began—the series portrays a dark future where nuclear war forces everyone to live on a space station called the Arc.

Determined to one day return to the surface, the governing council sent a group of 100 young offenders down to test the radiation. This group, known as ‘The 100’, had a powerful idea – and their motivation was clear.

The show began by tackling difficult themes, including the sacrifice of children for the sake of survival, and explored increasingly complex issues over its seven seasons. The 100 might have thrived on a different network and potentially reached a wider, more mature audience there. Throughout the series, the journeys of characters like Clarke and Bellamy examined the very definition of humanity.

2015’s Best Sci-Fi Series Is The Expanse

In its premiere year, The Expanse stood out as the best science fiction series. Based on the books by James S.A. Corey, the show explored realistic, scientifically grounded sci-fi in a way few others did. The Expanse imagined a future where humans have colonized Mars and the Asteroid Belt, and what’s truly remarkable is how it showed Earth’s political problems simply expanding to these new worlds instead of disappearing.

James Holden captained a mismatched crew who kept getting caught up in large-scale conflicts they didn’t ask for. Holden was an ordinary person who stumbled into trouble as he and the crew of the Rocinante worked towards a more just future. The story, much like a cautionary tale, reflected modern society, examining humanity’s flaws and suggesting paths to avoid repeating them.

2016’s Best Sci-Fi Series Is Westworld

Science fiction consistently gains importance, and the series Westworld has proven remarkably enduring. Based on Michael Crichton’s novel, the show explored the question of what it means to be human. It imagined a future where artificial intelligence had created incredibly realistic robots, and a company called Delos built a completely artificial Western-themed park.

Despite being based on a somewhat simple premise, the show Westworld was surprisingly intelligent. However, this complexity ultimately backfired, as the network lost interest. It was canceled after four seasons and then completely removed from HBO’s streaming service. While intended as a cost-saving measure, this decision meant losing a truly innovative and thought-provoking series.

2017’s Best Sci-Fi Series Is Future Man

Hulu’s Future Man openly embraced its silliness, which is what made it a refreshing take on science fiction. The show starred Josh Hutcherson as Josh Futturman, an ordinary guy unexpectedly tasked with saving the world.

Once he conquered what was thought to be an impossible video game, he was chosen by time travelers who used his gaming skills to identify someone capable of saving the world. The show, Future Man, playfully poked fun at this absurd idea while sending Josh on a chaotic adventure through time. Though it only lasted a few seasons, the series was a truly funny take on classic science fiction, boosted by a fantastic cast.

2018’s Best Sci-Fi Series Is Altered Carbon

I was really hooked by this darker sci-fi show that came out on Netflix in 2018. It’s based on a Richard Morgan novel and dives into some pretty intense themes, like the power of the wealthy and who really owns their own body. The premise is wild: in this future, nobody truly dies, at least not if you have the money. They’ve figured out how to back up your consciousness and transfer it into new bodies – they call them ‘sleeves’ – so the super-rich can essentially live forever by just uploading themselves into a fresh clone. It’s a seriously thought-provoking concept.

After a prominent figure was killed, Takeshi Kovacs was brought back to life – or ‘re-sleeved’ – to investigate. This gritty, futuristic detective story is a standout in the sci-fi noir genre. Though often bleak, the show tackled important contemporary issues before it was unfortunately cancelled. Its compelling, and sometimes disturbing, narrative effectively highlighted the significance of these themes.

2019’s Best Sci-Fi Series Is See

While Jason Momoa is famous for roles in popular shows like Game of Thrones, his series See didn’t get the attention it deserved. The show ran for three seasons on Apple TV, but remained largely unknown despite having a compelling premise and strong execution. Momoa starred as Baba Voss, the leader of a community in a future world where everyone is blind due to a strange virus.

The series See tells a captivating story about a world where everyone has lost their sight, and notably features actors with limited vision. It follows Voss, whose children are born with the ability to see, causing his family to fear they’ll be targeted by a zealous group called the Witchfinders, who consider sight a forbidden trait. See is a visually stunning and thought-provoking exploration of religious extremism and the bonds of family, and many consider it Jason Momoa’s strongest performance to date.

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2026-03-26 05:14