Greatest Sci-fi and Fantasy Shows
by Sally1829 | created - 11 Apr 2013 | updated - 03 Jul 2014 | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. The X-Files (1993–2018)
TV-14 | 45 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Two F.B.I. Agents, Fox Mulder the believer and Dana Scully the skeptic, investigate the strange and unexplained, while hidden forces work to impede their efforts.
Stars: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Mitch Pileggi, William B. Davis
Votes: 249,770
The one, the only. :)
2. Firefly (2002–2003)
TV-14 | 45 min | Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi
Five 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.
Stars: Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin
Votes: 281,691
3. Battlestar Galactica (2004–2009)
TV-14 | 45 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
When an old enemy, the Cylons, resurface and obliterate the 12 colonies, the crew of the aged Galactica protect a small civilian fleet - the last of humanity - as they journey toward the fabled 13th colony, Earth.
Stars: Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, Jamie Bamber, James Callis
Votes: 175,545
4. Twin Peaks (1990–1991)
TV-MA | 50 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
An idiosyncratic FBI agent investigates the murder of a young woman in the even more idiosyncratic town of Twin Peaks.
Stars: Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Ontkean, Mädchen Amick, Dana Ashbrook
Votes: 215,367
It's not exactly sci-fi or fantasy, but certainly incorporates enough paranormal weirdness to fit into the category. And, more importantly, it is still fantastic.
5. Angel (1999–2004)
TV-14 | 44 min | Action, Drama, Fantasy
The vampire Angel, cursed with a soul, moves to Los Angeles and aids people with supernatural-related problems while questing for his own redemption.
Stars: David Boreanaz, Charisma Carpenter, Alexis Denisof, J. August Richards
Votes: 75,761
6. Game of Thrones (2011–2019)
TV-MA | 60 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Nine noble families fight for control over the lands of Westeros, while an ancient enemy returns after being dormant for millennia.
Stars: Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington, Lena Headey
Votes: 2,283,946
7. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003)
TV-14 | 44 min | Action, Drama, Fantasy
A young woman, destined to slay vampires, demons and other infernal creatures, deals with her life fighting evil, with the help of her friends.
Stars: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Head
Votes: 159,711
8. Star Trek (1966–1969)
TV-PG | 50 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
In 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.
Stars: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, Nichelle Nichols
Votes: 92,911
9. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999)
TV-PG | 45 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
In the vicinity of the liberated planet of Bajor, the Federation space station Deep Space Nine guards the opening of a stable wormhole to the far side of the galaxy.
Stars: Avery Brooks, Rene Auberjonois, Cirroc Lofton, Alexander Siddig
Votes: 70,777
10. The 4400 (2004–2007)
TV-14 | 43 min | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
As the reappearance of 4,400 missing persons on a single day confounds the global community, federal agents on the case slowly discover the ways in which the victims have been changed.
Stars: Jacqueline McKenzie, Joel Gretsch, Patrick John Flueger, Conchita Campbell
Votes: 46,880
This is what Heroes should have been.
11. Orphan Black (2013–2017)
TV-MA | 44 min | Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
A streetwise hustler is pulled into a compelling conspiracy after witnessing the suicide of a girl who looks just like her.
Stars: Tatiana Maslany, Dylan Bruce, Jordan Gavaris, Kevin Hanchard
Votes: 116,942
Best sci-fi on tv right now.
12. Ultraviolet (1998)
TV-14 | 300 min | Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
The six-episode series, first aired in 1998, stars Jack Davenport as Detective Sergeant Michael Colefield, who discovers a secret government vampire-hunting unit while investigating the disappearance of his partner.
Stars: Jack Davenport, Susannah Harker, Idris Elba, Philip Quast
Votes: 2,824
So creepy.... The production values are a little low (especially the sound values), but it's a very different flavor of vampire show.
13. The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
TV-PG | 51 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Ordinary people find themselves in extraordinarily astounding situations, which they each try to solve in a remarkable manner.
Stars: Rod Serling, Robert McCord, Jay Overholts, James Turley
Votes: 93,137
Sure, it's campy, and, sure, in the intervening decades we've seen the same ideas played through in different iterations. But the original is iconic and can creep me the heck out.
14. Eureka (2006–2012)
TV-14 | 60 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
A 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.
Stars: Colin Ferguson, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Erica Cerra, Neil Grayston
Votes: 58,269
It's like the Northern Exposure of sci-fi, but too charming to leave out. At least in the early seasons.
15. Roswell (1999–2002)
TV-14 | 42 min | Drama, Mystery, Romance
The lives of three young alien/human hybrids with extraordinary gifts in Roswell.
Stars: Shiri Appleby, Jason Behr, Katherine Heigl, Majandra Delfino
Votes: 30,711
It was kind of soapy and silly a lot of the time, but I loved it as a kid. I miss the alien-obsession of the '90s sometimes!
16. Surface (2005–2006)
TV-14 | 60 min | Adventure, Drama, Mystery
A marine biologist, an insurance salesman and a teen-aged boy find their lives fundamentally changed by the emergence of a new, and often dangerous, species of sea life, while government agents work to keep the affair under wraps.
Stars: Lake Bell, Jay R. Ferguson, Carter Jenkins, Leighton Meester
Votes: 10,373
It was cancelled too soon and too suddenly to tie everything together, but it had such potential.
17. Dollhouse (2009–2010)
TV-14 | 44 min | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
A top secret organization erases the identities of attractive young people, turning them into blank "dolls" ready for imprints of temporary identities they need to fulfill assignments for clients.
Stars: Eliza Dushku, Harry Lennix, Fran Kranz, Tahmoh Penikett
Votes: 51,797
Oh, Wheaton. The show had some interesting ideas behind it, but it's on here more for what it could have been than what it was.
18. The Jetsons (1962–1963)
TV-Y7 | 25 min | Animation, Comedy, Family
The misadventures of a futuristic family.
Stars: George O'Hanlon, Janet Waldo, Mel Blanc, Penny Singleton
Votes: 23,964
Yeah, a cartoon. But one that profoundly influenced the imaginations of Baby Boomers.
19. The Outer Limits (1963–1965)
TV-PG | 51 min | Fantasy, Horror, Sci-Fi
An anthology series of insightful science fiction tales.
Stars: Bob Johnson, Ben Wright, William Douglas, Robert Culp
Votes: 9,301
20. Fringe (2008–2013)
TV-14 | 46 min | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
An 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.
Stars: Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble, Jasika Nicole
Votes: 257,468
So many people loved this that I had to add it. And I can't figure out why I don't like it. . . the acting is good, the arc is reasonably coherent and impressively long, etc. It's the JJ effect...I can never figure out what it is that I don't like about JJ Adams' projects, but there's something about all his stuff that leaves me cold. But, for what it is, it's well done, and it was certainly the most ambitious and consistent sci-fi on the air for a few years. And Olivia's character was well done and refreshingly free of gender stereotypes. Plus, any show with Leonard Nimoy gets a little love from me.
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