Science fiction is one of the most creative and evolving genres we have in all of fiction. Sci-fi is often one of the most experimental genres and can lead to a lot of fantastically unique and exciting ideas.
As such, there are a lot of sci-fi television shows out there that don’t get paid their due by fans because they’re too “out there” or they’re just forgotten about with the immense amount of content we have available to us in the age of streaming. Here is a list of some of the best sci-fi series from the past five years that have flown under the radar.
12 Monkeys
If the name 12 Monkeys sounds familiar to you, it might be because you’ve seen the original movie the television series was based on. The show aired from 2015 to 2018 and in that time it acquired a lot of critical praise and a loyal fanbase.
It deals with time travel if that kind of thing interests you. It’s a very inventive show with an immersive plot and great characters you’ll find yourself getting attached to. Amanda Schull and Aaron Stanford lead the cast and help bring you into the complicated, but thrilling world of the series.
The OA
The OA is one of the most recent series on this list. The show was canceled earlier this year and fans have taken the news pretty hard. There was even one fan who declared she would go on a hunger strike until the show was renewed, that’s how good it is.
Needless to say, it has an extremely devoted fanbase but Netflix decided to ax the series after only two seasons. The show begins by following a blind young woman who had vanished for years before suddenly reappearing with the ability to see.
Sense8
Sense8 is another Netflix science fiction series that was canceled before its time although it got a better deal than The OA since fans wound up getting a special series finale produced by the streaming service to wrap up the major plotlines and cliffhangers.
The series followed a group of eight strangers from across the globe who realize they are connected to one another and can tap into each other’s memories and abilities. The show was beloved for its inclusive cast and vast array of diversity.
Colony
Colony is a lesser-known show than a lot of the others on this list. It starred sci-fi/horror vets, Josh Holloway and Sarah Wayne Callies as a married couple trying to adapt to a world with aliens and on a mission to find their son after he gets separated from them.
The extraterrestrial beings altered walls separating the cities and cut him off from returning home. The series aired for three seasons before NBC ultimately canceled it. There are a lot of fans out there who are angry about the ending still.
Final Space
Final Space is one of the only shows on this list that is presently still airing and yet it might also be the most underrated. It’s an animated series that airs on TBS. It’s labeled as a space opera comedy and a lot more hilarious and optimistic than some of the darker series on here.
However, despite being animated, it is an adult series along the lines of Futurama. It follows an astronaut and his friends as they embark on intergalactic adventures.
The Expanse
The series is also renewed for a fourth season already and gaining popularity so it might not be underrated for much longer! The show is based on a book series by James S. A. Corey. It’s set in the future where humanity lives in a series of planets and space systems orbiting through the solar system.
Dark Matter
Alas, Dark Matter is another show that fell into the Syfy curse. The channel has become known for canceling a lot of its popular shows before they even get the chance to grow. It’s rare they keep a series around for more than three seasons.
Dark Matter follows a group of people who wake up while orbiting in a spaceship. None of them know who they are or how they got there. It was based on a comic book series of the same name. It starred Melissa O’Neil, Zoie Palmer, Melanie Liburd, Roger Cross, Alex Mallari Jr., and Marc Bendavid.
Killjoys
Killjoys also aired on Syfy but unlike Dark Matter, it was allowed a proper finish. It aired for five seasons before coming to an end, but it was still pretty underrated. Many people have never heard of the series before.
It’s an adventurous space drama that follows a group of three bounty hunters on different adventures through space. Their job was to apprehend people after receiving warrants to go after them in the interplanetary system. However, they have to swear to have no allegiance to anyone and at times, that becomes very difficult for each character for one reason or another.
Lost in Space
Lost in Space is still a relatively new science fiction series that debuted on Netflix last year. The second season is set to be released on Christmas Eve of this month. It is loosely based on the original Lost in Space series from the 1960s although a lot has been changed to make it more appealing to modern audiences.
The series follows the Robinson family after they are selected to become part of an experiment to take humans into space to see if they can colonize it. However, before they reach their destination, their ship crashes onto a planet and they have to start their fight for survival there.
Humans
Gemma Chan starred in this incredible Channel 4 series about life where human-like robots exist around people in a normal everyday capacity.
The robots in this series became known as “synths” and the show sought to explore the psychological, physical, and philosophical ramifications of humans depending on artificial intelligence for everything from household chores to genuine love and companionship. Sadly, Humans never got as much attention as other shows similar to it, such as Westworld. It was canceled after three seasons.
