For sci-fi fans looking for a quick binge-watch session, there are plenty of excellent shows with less than five seasons. And for those looking for a longer commitment to enjoy over the course of several months, there are also many with more than five. But when it comes to science fiction, for some inexplicable reason, five seasons—the exact number of seasons that several of the genre’s best TV series have—seem to be the sweet spot.
From campy classics, like Quantum Leap, to shows which aired their final season far more recently, like Stranger Things, the number of legendary sci-fi shows with exactly five seasons is too large to be considered a pure coincidence. Not so short that they can be watched in a single sitting, but also not so long that watching the pilot feels like a huge commitment, they’re right in the delightful middle ground.
1
‘Quantum Leap’ (1989–1993)
There are plenty of cheesy ’80s sci-fi shows that somehow still hold up, and Quantum Leap is easily one of the most iconic. Starring the always-incredible Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell, this cult classic combined sci-fi with humor, romance, and social commentary masterfully throughout its entire run, delivering a timeless experience that’s aged like fine wine.
It’s the kind of brilliant sci-fi series that kept coming up with inventive ways of refreshing itself, which made its five-season run consistently exciting—and ensured that it went out with a bang instead of fizzling out like many shows of its kind often do. Well-acted, nostalgic, and often surprisingly dramatic for a series that so often has pretty silly premises, it may not be perfect, but it sure provides a good time.
2
‘Orphan Black’ (2013–2017)
Bolstered by Tatiana Maslany‘s masterful star-making performance as several characters, Orphan Black is one of the greatest Canadian TV shows ever made, let alone Canadian sci-fi shows. It’s not just the quality of its lead performance: This is one of those rare sci-fi shows that are perfect from start to finish, the kind that only kept getting better with each passing season.
For people who love clone and doppelgänger science fiction, Orphan Black is a must-see. It’s a wild ride full of pulsating suspense, layered character work, and thought-provoking themes and commentary on the moral and ethical implications of human cloning. It’s a deeply complex show that never lets its innovative premise run out of steam, and by the time it came to an end, it had already solidified itself as one of the highest-quality sci-fi shows of the 2010s.
3
‘Spider-Man: The Animated Series’ (1994–1998)
The very first Spider-Man animated TV series started airing in 1967, and since then, the Wall-Crawler has become one of the most familiar faces in the realm of animated superhero fare on the small screen. It wasn’t until 1994, however, that audiences were exposed to just how great Spidey shows could truly be, all thanks to Spider-Man: The Animated Series.
It’s the second highest-rated Spidey show on IMDb, and it isn’t hard to see why. The animation is vibrant and has aged well, the rogues gallery that Spider-Man faces throughout the show’s run was top-tier, and the several story arcs that each season contained were always an entertaining delight. It truly feels like a comic book run pasted on the small screen in all the right ways.
4
‘X-Men: The Animated Series’ (1992–1997)
It was X-Men: The Animated Series which proved in 1992 just how great Marvel cartoons could really be. To this day, it’s still widely regarded as one of the most perfect superhero shows ever made, and it’s the whole reason many people fell in love with the X-Men from childhood. It’s not just nostalgia: This is children’s television at its very best.
The show is perfectly episodic while still feeling like a larger adventure overall, supported by some excellent visuals and voice acting. Sure, it may look and feel a bit dated here and there, but that only adds to its charm the vast majority of the time. All in all, it’s still the best possible introduction to superheroes for kids, and just as engrossing of a show for grown-ups who love Marvel.
5
‘Fringe’ (2008–2013)
Before Lost had come to a close, J. J. Abrams jumped to co-create another sci-fi series: Fringe. Whereas many people think that Lost was a series that started out amazing and then got weaker as it went on, the opposite seems to be the case with Fringe. Following a more episodic, less coherent first season, the show only kept getting better and better as it went on.
It’s one of the most criminally forgotten sci-fi shows of the 2000s and 2010s, an X-Files-inspired gem that never overstayed its welcome. With its dense mythology, mind-bending plots and twists, strong character arcs, and resounding final season, it’s one of the most entertaining network science fiction series of the 21st century.
6
‘Stranger Things’ (2016–2025)
What started out as just a cozy, nostalgic, mysterious sci-fi series that paid homage to the movies and pop culture of the ’80s soon became one of the biggest media juggernauts at Netflix’s disposal: Stranger Things. There’s no denying that the final season left most fans pretty disappointed, but there would also be no point in denying that this was one of the most pop-culture-defining sci-fi shows of the 2010s and 2020s.
That’s why this is one of those sci-fi series that shouldn’t be remade, underwhelming fifth season notwithstanding. The technical aspects are nigh-faultless, the performances are mostly phenomenal, and the overarching story is as engaging as it is mysterious. Wearing its influences out on its sleeve, Stranger Things proved that the streaming giant could do some fantastic stuff with the sci-fi genre.
7
‘Person of Interest’ (2011–2016)
Yet another piece of evidence that network sci-fi television can be absolutely exceptional when placed in the hands of the right team, Person of Interest is far and away one of the best genre shows of the 2010s. Touching on themes of technology and surveillance that feel even more timely today than they did back then, it’s essential viewing for sci-fi fans even now, a decade after its conclusion.
The series remained amazing throughout its entire run, but it’s its fifth and final season in particular—one of the highest-rated seasons of television on IMDb—that really seals the deal: This is one of the best sci-fi shows of the 21st century thus far. Deep, mysterious, and as emotionally engaging as it is thought-provoking, it’s everything that science fiction should aim to be.
8
‘Samurai Jack’ (2001–2017)
Genndy Tartakovsky‘s magnum opus, Samurai Jack, may not be overt science fiction as often as many of its peers, but it’s nevertheless one of the greatest time travel series ever made—animated or otherwise. Full of striking visuals, adrenaline-pumping samurai action, and the kind of enthralling world-building that Tartakovsky is such an expert at, it’s one of the best animated series of the century so far.
The show was originally canceled after only four short-lived seasons, having left its story without a conclusion. 13 years later, however, Tartakovsky came out with a darker, more mature fifth and final season that enshrined this as one of the best five-season sci-fi shows ever. It’s the kind of animated show that everyone should watch at least once in their lives.
9
‘Babylon 5’ (1993–1998)
It wasn’t just science fiction: American network television as a whole had a “before Babylon 5” era and an “after Babylon 5” era. In a way practically unprecedented for American broadcast television at the time of its airing, the series was designed as a “novel for television,” where each pre-planned season would contain episodes envisioned as “chapters.” This kind of serialized science fiction storytelling had practically never been seen before on American network television, and the genre hasn’t been the same since.
Sure, as a ’90s sci-fi series with a relatively low budget, Babylon 5 looks, sounds, and feels a little dated in certain spots; but this is nevertheless one of those low-budget sci-fi shows better than their big-budget counterparts. The writing is top-notch, the visuals have a timeless charm to them, and the story arc of each season is just as enthralling as the last and the next.
10
‘The Twilight Zone’ (1959–1964)
Saying that The Twilight Zone is one of the most groundbreaking sci-fi shows ever made, and probably the most influential, is such a truism that it goes without saying. Rod Serling‘s creation is a masterclass in how to make a sci-fi anthology series, a show so phenomenal that it contains several of the greatest sci-fi anthology episodes of any show in history.
Inventive, fresh, and sometimes eerily prophetic, The Twilight Zone is just as fun and thought-provoking today as it was back during the ’50s and ’60s. Not all of its episodes hit, as can be expected of any anthology show; but the ones that do are absolutely unforgettable, with some of the coolest production values and writing of any show the genre has ever seen. Five seasons were all that was needed to make this a generation-defining masterpiece.
The Twilight Zone
- Release Date
-
1959 – 1964
- Directors
-
John Brahm, Buzz Kulik, Douglas Heyes, Lamont Johnson, Richard L. Bare, James Sheldon, Richard Donner, Don Medford, Montgomery Pittman, Abner Biberman, Alan Crosland, Jr., Alvin Ganzer, Elliot Silverstein, Jack Smight, Joseph M. Newman, Ted Post, William Claxton, Jus Addiss, Mitchell Leisen, Perry Lafferty, Robert Florey, Robert Parrish, Ron Winston, Stuart Rosenberg
