It should go without saying that a sci-fi show that’s perfect is the dream of every fan of genre television. But a sci-fi show that’s almost perfect—a near-masterpiece, if you will—can be every bit as delightful. There can be a variety of reasons why they don’t quite reach “masterpiece” status. Perhaps they’re a little dated, or they have a couple of narrative mistakes here and there, or they were prematurely cancelled before they could achieve greatness. But no matter what, these are still some of the greatest sci-fi shows ever made.
From classics like the British cult favorite Red Dwarf to modern hidden gems like Colony, these shows come about as close as a TV series can come to true science fiction perfection. Hugely imaginative and creative, full of interesting characters and world-building, and with some of the coolest visuals of any show from their era, these series, whether they’re underappreciated or absolutely legendary, are a must-see for all sci-fi fans.
‘The Peripheral’ (2022)
Loosely based on the 2014 book by William Gibson, Prime Video’s The Peripheral was a tragic victim of the extended duration of the 2023 SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes. But while this left it as one of those sad single-season sci-fi shows that was never allowed to reach their full potential (a category that unfortunately has many exponents), it’s still one of the most underrated sci-fi shows of the 2020s so far.
Starring the incredible Chloë Grace Moretz and executive-produced by Westworld‘s Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, The Peripheral feels like it was designed for people who love cyberpunk sci-fi and genre slow-burns. Its thought-provoking, deliberately-paced nature may not fully appeal to those who prefer their science fiction action-packed and adrenaline-filled, but for people who have no problem with sci-fi shows that take their time, it’s a must-see.
‘Red Dwarf’ (1988–2020)
The long-running BBC sci-fi comedy Red Dwarf has become a multimedia franchise with almost four decades’ worth of diehard fans, but only 12 seasons of the show have aired. That’s primarily due to the eventual dissolution of the creative partnership between its creators, Rob Grant and Doug Naylor. But even in spite of all the gaps and hiatuses, this is one of those underrated sci-fi shows that are far better than they look.
Red Dwarf can often be delectably campy, pulpy, and imaginative; but at its worst, it can be an atrocious disappointment. After around season six (when the Grant & Naylor split took place), Red Dwarf lost some of the polish that had made it a beloved classic for so long. But even the worst of Red Dwarf episodes are far funnier and more enjoyable than most sci-fi comedies on the air today, and that’s more than enough to still make it worth watching today.
‘The 4400’ (2004–2007)
Yet another exceptional sci-fi show that was canceled due to a WGA strike (this one in 2007), The 4400 is nevertheless one of the best TV series the genre had to offer during the 2000s. The show felt like a direct response to the general national mood in the U.S. post 9/11, at least tonally, and it kept that atmosphere throughout the entirety of its run. That may make it sound like it reads more like a product of its time nowadays, but in fact, The 4400 is still every bit as enjoyable in 2026 as it was back in 2004.
It was always surprisingly ambitious for a CW science fiction show, often feeling more like the kind of prestige genre television you’d expect to find somewhere like HBO. Sometimes the pacing isn’t great, and the drama can feel a little forced, but the vast majority of the time, The 4400 remained a show taut in its writing, memorable in its performances, and exceptionally entertaining in its creativity and originality.
‘Colony’ (2016–2018)
Colony was created by House of the Dragon creator Ryan Condal and former Lost showrunner Carlton Cuse. It starred Lost‘s Josh Holloway and The Walking Dead‘s Sarah Wayne Callies. With a pedigree like that, it’s no wonder this was such a beloved and acclaimed show throughout pretty much all of its run, a run which came to a tragic end after three seasons due to declining viewership and rising production costs.
In all honesty, sci-fi fans failed Colony. In it, they had one of the best-written, thought-provoking, and intelligent genre shows on network television, and that made its untimely conclusion all the more of a tragedy. The series was never perfect, since it sometimes felt a little too derivative of alien invasion classics like V; but it was the kind of sci-fi show that only kept getting better and more engrossing as it went along, and fans continue to be disappointed that the story wasn’t allowed to continue.
‘Stranger Things’ (2016–2025)
The elephant in the room must be addressed: Yes, the main reason why Stranger Things loses its right to hold the “masterpiece” status that one may argue it held after Season 4’s conclusion is how underwhelming its final season was. But those willing to look past a disappointing ending will find themselves treated to one of the most prestigious, creative, and nostalgic sci-fi shows of the 21st century thus far.
Stranger Things is the kind of sci-fi show so nearly-perfect that it should never be remade. The casting is phenomenal, the visuals are out of this world, and the homage that the writing team constantly paid to movies, shows, and pop culture from the ’80s was always a delight. Emotionally engaging and full of compelling characters, Stranger Things deserved a better ending. Even though it didn’t get it, it’s still one of the most entertaining genre shows from recent years.
‘The Mandalorian’ (2019–2023)
Ever since Star Wars: Ewoks and Star Wars: Droids debuted together on the same fateful day in 1985, the televisual dimension of the Star Wars franchise had been exclusively limited to animation. It wasn’t until 2019, years after Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm and just a month before the conclusion of the Skywalker Saga with The Rise of Skywalker, that the galaxy far, far away made the jump to live-action television with The Mandalorian.
Though the series’ third (and latest) season was disappointing, it still had its moments; and the first couple of seasons were top-tier Star Wars content. It’s one of the most nearly-perfect shows on Disney+, a bounty-hunting space adventure that takes full advantage of its episodic format while still having plenty of serialized elements to keep viewers engaged. It’s exciting, full of great additions to the Star Wars lore, and packed with references and Easter eggs that fans will surely appreciate.
‘The Boys’ (2019–Present)
Highly divisive and very often criticized, Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson‘s The Boys comic book series wasn’t exactly the kind of source material that made it easy to make a masterful show. And yet, from the moment Prime Video’s show of the same name started streaming, fans knew that not only were they in for a series considerably superior to the comics it was based on, but also potentially one of the greatest superhero shows ever made.
The Boys is one of those action TV shows that are like an adrenaline rush from start to finish, full of dark humor and clever satire poking fun at the superhero genre, Hollywood, and modern American society. While its jokes don’t always land, its edginess doesn’t always feel organic, and its later seasons have gotten clunkier in certain spots, it’s still one of the most exciting and entertaining social and political satires currently on television. Whether its final season will be able to stick the landing and bring it closer to full-fledged “masterpiece” territory remains to be seen as of the time of writing this article.
‘Star Trek: The Original Series’ (1966–1969)
In 1964, long-time sci-fi fan Gene Roddenberry came up with the idea for a TV series about the crew of a large spaceship exploring the galaxy. That idea eventually transformed into Star Trek (now retroactively subtitled The Original Series), a show that, from the day it first aired in September 1966, was far ahead of its time. It’s an iconic gem whose unmistakable style, optimistic and hopeful approach to the genre, and social and political progressiveness have become so immensely influential that it feels weird adding the word “nearly” before “perfect” when talking about it.
In all fairness, however, it’s more than fair to say that almost everything that The Original Series does well has been done slightly better by some other Star Trek property that came after. But if there’s any show which proves that being an almost-masterpiece doesn’t mean it’s any less impactful or iconic, it’s this one. Star Trek: The Original Series is a cornerstone of science fiction history and a must-see for all those who love the genre, a classic full of entertaining stories and with one of the best ensemble casts in television history. Sci-fi wouldn’t be what it is today without it.
Star Trek: The Original Series
- Release Date
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1966 – 1969-00-00
- Showrunner
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Gene Roddenberry
- Directors
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Marc Daniels, Joseph Pevney, Ralph Senensky, Vincent McEveety, Herb Wallerstein, Jud Taylor, Marvin J. Chomsky, David Alexander, Gerd Oswald, Herschel Daugherty, James Goldstone, Robert Butler, Anton Leader, Gene Nelson, Harvey Hart, Herbert Kenwith, James Komack, John Erman, John Newland, Joseph Sargent, Lawrence Dobkin, Leo Penn, Michael O’Herlihy, Murray Golden