The Syfy channel is literally named after the greatest genre of all time, sci-fi, and it has plenty of original shows that take the genre and have some iconic content. Though they may not always be the pinnacle of television or science fiction, Syfy shows are iconic for their comfortable, serialized nature and great watchability factor.
From its inception in 1992, Syfy has been known for bold ideas, unforgettable characters, and storytelling that grabs you from the get-go. Some of the most iconic shows from Syfy include Stargate SG-1, Battlestar Galactica, and more recently, The Expanse—but what has Syfy been releasing in the past decade? From 2016 on, here are the greatest Syfy sci-fi shows from the past 10 years, ranked by their popularity and fanbase.
6
‘Vagrant Queen’ (2020)
Vagrant Queen is like a comic book come to life—which it technically is, as it is based on the same-named comic book series published by Vault; it’s pure, unapologetic fun. It has a 100% Rotten Tomatoes rating and has been praised for its diverse cast, snappy dialogue, and Adriyan Rae’s charismatic lead performance. The show doesn’t take itself too seriously, instead embracing its pulpy nature with a modest but creative budget. It’s a hidden gem for anyone who misses Firefly, including the fact that it’s a show that was canceled after only one season.
Vagrant Queen follows Elida (Rae), the former child queen of a small, oppressed planet who fled after her mother was executed in a coup. Elida is now a scrappy, sarcastic scavenger drifting through space, but when her old friend Isaac (Tim Rozon) tracks her down with news that her mother may still be alive, she is drawn back into a fight against the tyrannical regime from which she fled. The two travel around, along with a scrappy mechanic named Amae (Alex McGregor), to help Elida figure out her past. Vagrant Queen is a fast-paced, colorful space adventure with a punk aesthetic and a found-family dynamic that Syfy fans will enjoy.
5
‘Alien News Desk’ (2019)
Alien News Desk is a unique and ambitious experiment that is pretty much just an animated version of Saturday Night Live‘s “Weekend Update”—hosted by aliens. It’s Syfy’s first late-night animated series, and it has an impressive lineup of executive producers, including SNL boss Lorne Michaels. Alien News Desk uses a satirical take to treat familiar human news items with utter alien bewilderment, resulting in a delightfully strange and somewhat innocent perspective on our world’s culture, politics, and entertainment. It’s a clever, absurdist gem for SNL, animation, and sci-fi fans.
Alien News Desk is a weekly half-hour animated series that airs live from the studio called “Galactic Syndicate Studio Ship Integritus.” Alien news anchors Drexx Drudlarr (Will Forte) and Tuva Van Void (Heidi Gardner) provide up-to-date coverage on the mysterious humans of Planet Earth. A typical night’s broadcast includes reports on strange Earthly events, pop culture commentary on things like the Academy Awards, and various segments, like the one called “Invade It or Avoid It,” in which Drexx and Tuva discuss places on Earth that look invadeable (or avoidable).
4
‘The Ark’ (2023–Present)
Dean Devlin, the writer of films such as Stargate and Independence Day, brings us The Ark, one of Syfy’s most recent original series that proudly flies its flag as one—for better or worse. While it’s not widely praised on Rotten Tomatoes (critics gave it 50% and audiences gave it 68%), it’s a fun throwback to some of the 1990s sci-fi classics, Devlin style. The Ark is, in fact, a very earnest and unpretentious story that isn’t afraid to be cheesy, giving its cast the opportunity to put their best foot forward through tension and character development. As the show progresses, it finds its rhythm by episode three; it was recently renewed for a third season, so it’s not going away anytime soon.
The Ark is set in the distant future, when a starship transporting 40,000 colonists to a new world suffers a catastrophic disaster, killing the majority of the crew and leaders. The remaining survivors—a crew of young, inexperienced cadets—must band together to keep the ship running and reach their destination. But they soon realize the disaster was not an accident. The show is a space survival drama with a traditional “generation ship” premise, featuring difficult decisions, hidden saboteurs, and the constant threat of death. It stars a fairly unknown cast, though Christie Burke, the lead, is widely known for portraying Renesmee Cullen, the child of Edward and Bella, in The Twilight Saga.
3
‘Incorporated’ (2016–2017)
Incorporated is a stylish, tense, and often frighteningly accurate spy thriller. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 72% Certified Fresh rating, praising its “impressive production values, solid performances, and engaging vision of a bleak future” while pointing out that it “outweighs a predictable, clichéd narrative.” The series was created by the Spanish directing duo David and Álex Pastor, while Matt Damon and Ben Affleck serve as executive producers. Incorporated is a lost gem of cynical, high-stakes futurism that feels more timely than ever, but it was canceled after one season due to poor viewership ratings; despite that, the show is one of the higher-rated Syfy originals, and its one-season run stands as a unique addition to the sci-fi landscape.
Incorporated takes place in Milwaukee in 2074, when corporations have replaced governments and the world is divided into “Green Zones” for the wealthy and upper-class citizens, and lawless “Red Zones” for the poor, where legal regulation is almost non-existent. Ben Larson (Sean Teale), a young executive at a powerful biotech firm run by his mother-in-law, Elizabeth (Julia Ormond), expertly conceals his past as he attempts to navigate the dangerous corporate world while also looking for his childhood love, Elena (Denyse Tontz). But Ben isn’t the only one with deadly secrets; everyone is expendable in the struggle for power, which he quickly realizes. Incorporated is a corporate sci-fi thriller at its finest, and it was unfairly overlooked.
2
‘Blood Drive’ (2017)
Blood Drive is a forgotten sci-fi series that aided Alan Ritchson’s television career in a variety of ways; before Reacher, he demonstrated his action hero abilities in Blood Drive, a show that many parents would be advised to keep their children away from. Blood Drive is a hyperkinetic, gore-splattered homage to 1970s and 80s exploitation films; it’s an unapologetically insane and gleefully violent action series with a fantastic lead performance by Ritchson and his co-star, Christina Ochoa. It’s a wild, often self-aware grindhouse thrill ride that doesn’t go on for too long; in fact, it was canceled right after Season 1 ended.
Blood Drive is set in an alternate, dystopian future in 1999, where water is as scarce as oil and the climate has made life unbearable. Arthur Bailey (Ritchson), possibly the last good cop, is forced to team up with femme fatale Grace D’Argento (Ochoa) and compete in “Blood Drive,” the world’s most dangerous and gory cross-country car race. The cars are powered by blood, and the contestants are pursued by a cruel ringmaster. It’s a grindhouse fever dream in which the line between predator and prey blurs at 200 mph, reminiscent of the Mad Max franchise and Jason Statham’s film Death Race.
1
‘Resident Alien’ (2021–2025)
Resident Alien with Alan Tudyk is a memorable sci-fi comedy based on Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse‘s comic book of the same title. Tudyk delivers a physical comedy masterclass as the titular alien, embodying the robotic and painfully funny behavior of his awkward character. The show has a near-perfect 98% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and has built up a devoted fan base over the years; many fans were heartbroken to learn that the fourth season would be its final. However, the show’s story will continue in comic book form, and fans can follow their favorite characters in some way. Resident Alien successfully balances strong character development with absurdist humor, resulting in a show where you root for an alien.
Resident Alien follows an alien from a dying planet as he crashes in the snowy mountains of Patience, Colorado. He murders a human doctor, Dr. Harry Vanderspeigle (Tudyk), then assumes his identity while waiting for a signal to end all life on Earth. But his plan goes horribly wrong when he becomes trapped solving a local murder, befriends the gruff, eccentric townspeople, and learns his job of a medical examiner from the TV show Law & Order. Resident Alien is a charming, witty, and surprisingly heartfelt comedy that examines humanity from the outside in, with “Harry” becoming an eccentric alien welcomed by a community that is just as unusual.
Resident Alien
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2021 – 2025-00-00
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Sara Tomko
Asta Twelvetrees