29 Intense Sci-Fi TV Shows You Can Watch on Netflix Immediately
Since its transition from a mail-based DVD rental business to a streaming service in 2007, Netflix has always been home to science fiction. Many original sci-fi Netflix movies have been released over the years, but the platform also offers a large repository of TV series for all to enjoy. Listed below are some of the most intense sci-fi TV shows you can watch on Netflix immediately.
Altered Carbon
It is a story of a future world where human consciousness is just a set of data, transferrable among individuals. Despite some occasional awkwardness in the storyline, the visual effects and social commentary make Altered Carbon a commendable series.
The Silent Sea
An abandoned research facility on the moon contains an unknown substance. The Silent Sea follows the journey of a crew of astronauts tasked with recovering a sample of the mysterious stuff for unclear purposes.
Stranger Things
One of Netflix’s heavy-hitters, Stranger Things deliver fascinating sci-fi horror premise yet with easy-to-follow plot set in a nostalgic 1980s’ Indiana. A group of amateur detectives are on their way to uncover the mystery of the underworld lying beneath their hometown of Hawkins.
Lost in Space
Humanity is on the brink of extinction. In 2046, the population is looking to colonize a new planet; the Robinson family is part of the crew. Besides the inevitable family drama, Lost in Space sprinkles the story with the presence of alien robots and an all-around strange new world.
Archive 81 (2022)
Dan Turner is an archivist. His job involves restoring damaged videotapes from the 1990s. It turns out the gig drags him into an investigative journey revolving around the life of an unknown woman and a mysterious cult.
Away (2020)
Emma Green, a NASA astronaut, leads an expedition to Mars. Since the beginning of the expedition, the crew has cast doubt on her ability as a commander.
Black Mirror
Advanced technologies are commonplace in a futuristic world. Black Mirror offers as exploration of the idea through painful stories. Much of the premise revolves around the consequences of living a constantly plugged-in life.
The One
Genetic-based matchmaking service sounds infallible. The same DNA analysis can be used as a tool to investigate a murder case. The One is based on a 2016 book of the same title by John Marrs.
The 100
Some teens from a juvenile detention facility are sent to Earth to determine whether the planet remains a habitable place post-apocalypse. Although it appears like a standard teen drama, The 100 works on more levels than anybody expects.
The OA
A young blind woman, who has gone missing for years, now returns with her sight restored. She tells a story of abductions and escapes, before eventually claiming to be an angel.
Into the Night
Passengers on a hijacked plane survive not only the mid-air crime but also a global catastrophe down on the ground. The struggle for survival does not end there because they have to make sure the plane flies long before landing at a safe destination, if such a place exists.
Dark
Some say Dark is nothing but Germany’s version of Stranger Things. It may appear to be an imitation at first, but the series has grown into a compelling alternative with its own intriguing layers of storytelling. The plot starts with the disappearance of a child, and then unfolds its complex mix of sci-fi noir, conspiracies, and time travel.
Sense8
Eight total strangers find their fates and souls intertwined. They can tap into each other’s personality and power when dealing with precarious circumstances. The story is as diverse as the characters.
Love, Death + Robots
The animated anthology series delivers a thought-provoking idea with each episode. It has a space mission gone wrong, a farmer piloting a mechanical suit, and robots in a post-apocalyptic world to name a few.
Star Trek: The Next Generation
When confused with what to watch on Netflix for any given day, there are always 178 episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation. From the late 1980s to early 1990s, TNG was the definitive sci-fi series. Under the command of Captain Piccard, the crew of starship Enterprise-D explores the vastness of the universe and meets with all sorts of alien civilizations out there.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
DS9 is not as popular as TNG, but the former is definitely more action-packed, character-driven, and often darker. The main plot takes off from the discovery of a wormhole that connects the Alpha Quadrant with the yet-to-be-explored Gamma Quadrant.
Stargate: SG-1
The premise is as simple as a sci-fi can be: a military unit sent to protect the home planet from alien invasions. However, SG-1 takes inspirations from the very much worldly mythologies of the Greek, Egyptians, and Norse.
Travelers
Set in a post-apocalyptic future, special operatives – known as travelers – have their consciousness sent back in time to prevent society from destroying itself. An artificial intelligence called “Director” controls their missions.
The Twilight Zone
A classic sci-fi anthology from the 1960s is back. The Twilight Zone is a glorious mixture of sci-fi, mystery, horror, and drama with its broad range of unsettling stories.
Maniac
Two strangers met at a neurological pharmaceutical trial. They display different symptoms but look for the same remedy. Both discover more than what they bargain for.
Raising Dion
A widowed mother realizes that her son, Dion, possesses superhuman powers. Besides her everyday motherhood challenges, she now has to keep Dion safe from all who try to take advantage of him.
Legends of Tomorrow
Unlike most series, Legends of Tomorrow is not afraid of changes. The series never hesitates to introduce wacky villains and bonker storylines into its time-travel premise.
Neon Genesis Evangelion
The animated series compiles several major themes into one cohesive storytelling experience. The series is a coming-of-age drama as much as it depicts the inevitability of an apocalypse, robot action, or loneliness.
The Flash
Over the course of nine seasons, The Flash has tackled a massive range of storylines, including the all-familiar alternate reality classic of Flashpoint paradox to Gorilla Grodd.
Dark Matter
Six people find themselves on a spaceship without memories of anything prior to that moment. They don’t even know how they ended up on the spaceship.
3%
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Part sci-fi and part psychological thriller, 3% is a story of survival. Only a handful of the entire population will get the chance to live a better life. The remaining 97% will remain impoverished.
The Rain
A young girl barely survives a global catastrophe, and now the real struggle begins. She has to protect her family from everyone and everything while navigating a post-apocalyptic world.
Nightflyers
Coming from George R.R. Martin, the Nightflyers might not be as popular as Game of Thrones, but for sure it features the same penchant for bloodshed. Contact with extraterrestrial civilization is the least of humanity’s concern.
Roswell, New Mexico
Aliens from the infamous Roswell incidents are alive. They had been kept in incubation pods before they were released to be part of human society. Some of them are now high school students.
We think nothing is cooler than spending a quiet, often thrilling, evening at home binge watching some of the brilliant shows on Netflix. We do it all the time! Maybe we do it too much? Is it bad to watch a show for 22 hours straight because you simply must know how the season ends? Do you binge watch sci-fi shows? If so, let us know what entertains you. We’d love to hear from you!
Other things you might want to know about.
Why do we binge watch shows?
According to wistia.com there is a line between enjoyment and unhealthy habits. Binge watching can be a great way to relax after a long week of work or just a way to de-stress. But it may become a problem when you choose it over other important activities. It can become like gambling or other behavioral additions. Binge watching rewards the brain by producing dopamine and making us feel good. Binge watching continues and less dopamine is produced as we are in the same level of our activity. It takes more and more to give us the same enjoyment, which makes binge-watching tv shows harder to stop. When our favorite show is over we are mournful-what are we going to watch now? Researchers now are saying that binge-watching is related to lack of sleep, stress, anxiety, and depression.
But we may ask ourselves do we really care what research is telling us?
Let’s begin with this quote, “Netflix CEO Reed Hastings famously said that sleep is Netflix’s biggest competitor.” Netflix states on their blog that more than 8 million subscribers have binged at least one series. Streaming services are made to be addictive-no commercials makes it fewer distractions for the viewers and cliffhangers are there to keep us hooked. We just can’t wait to see what’s next. All streaming services rely on these behaviors to make futures decisions on shows to keep their customers happy.
Try to stick to healthy habits while watching your favorite shows. Commit to only watching a certain number of episodes and try to stick with it. Set a bedtime for yourself, you might even enjoy an old hobby of actually reading a book or two.
