Peak TV keeps churning out television shows to the point that it is hard to decide what is worth watching these days, especially among genre entries. But the fact is that amidst the many supernatural dramas and procedurals with a twist, some decent science fiction television shows have hit the small screen this past year. Some of these have received a fair amount of buzz like Paramount+’s Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Apple TV+’s Severance, but some you may not even know to exist. Following are ten science fiction shows that I watched during 2022 which I believe are worth checking out.
10. Salvage Marines (PopcornFlix/Crackle)
This series takes place in a grim future where mega-corporations have control of much of the known galaxy and most people find themselves in a status of debt servitude. When factory laborer Sam Hyst learns that his wife is pregnant, he decides to join the Salvage Marines in order to pay off his family’s debt and make a better life for his son. This specialized group of foot soldiers is tasked with recovering “salvage” that the company deems to be profitable. But life is hazardous and often short for those who sign up for that service.
A word of warning going on this one: it does not have the mega-dollar production values we see with many streaming originals these days. It is done on a budget and that shows, but if you can handle stilted acting and cheesy special effects, this delivers a decent military sci fi entry with a bit of social commentary as well. This show is based on the Necrospace series of books by Sean-Michael Argo, and the first season wraps up its storyline pretty well so it won’t leave you hanging if the show does not continue (no word on a second season yet). And it is a quick watch at only six episodes, so it is worth your time. You can read more about the show at this link.
9. The Peripheral (Prime Video)
In the near future, a young woman who is an expert VR gamer tests out a new virtual interface and finds her consciousness transported to a post-apocalyptic future. Once there, she finds herself involved in a power struggle that also affects her family in the past, and she must decide who she can trust in both realities.
This series is based on the William Gibson novel of the same name and it comes to us from Christopher Nolan and Lisa Joy who also bent our minds for four years with HBO’s Westworld. The Peripheral does follow their pattern of dense storytelling with plenty of twists and turns, and that may not appeal to all viewers. But the show explores some pretty interesting sci fi concepts, and it has a good cast along with a Prime Video mega-budget to bring it to life. I’m not ready to call this one a great sci fi series just yet, but it is intriguing and unique enough to make it worth checking out.
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8. Undone (Prime Video)
After a traumatic accident, a woman starts seeing her deceased father and finds herself unstuck in time. As she comes to believe her visions are real, he works with her to solve the mystery of his death and also to bring their family back together.
The second season of this roto-scoped animated series arrived this year, and it is worth going back to re-watch the entire time-bending series (sixteen 30-minute eps make it a quick watch). The first season seems to drift between paranormal and science fiction while also taking some trippy twists and turns. But by the second season, it moves more heavily into sci fi territory. The angsty, family drama may get a bit thick at times, but if you stick with it you will find that this one delivers a gem of a genre entry. It wraps up its story at the end of the second season, so it won’t leave you hanging. But if more seasons follow, I am definitely along for the ride. Read more about the series at this link.
7. Pantheon (AMC+)
A bullied teenager starts receiving strange messages online, and she discovers that they are from her father who died two years ago but had his intelligence uploaded. She seeks the help of others to gain custody of his U.I. (Uploaded Intelligence) but discovers that the company that possesses it has other plans for the U.I. and the technology that made it happen.
This Anime series gets off to a slow start, but after its second or third episode it really picks up steam and ends up delivering a pretty epic tale. Based on The Apocalypse Triptych series of stories by Ken Liu, it delivers an interesting bit of hard sci fi with a dose of cyberpunk that poses some challenging questions on mortality as well as how far we should go with our technology. And while you might think that it will veer into angsty teen drama based on the early episodes, the show heads in a different direction as it takes a roller coaster ride through an intriguing cyberverse while remaining grounded in reality throughout. A second season of this show is in the works (as long as AMC+ does not pull the plug like it did with Moonhaven, see below), and it has definitely set up an interesting universe to continue its story. You can read more about the series at this link.
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6. Quantum Leap (NBC)
This revival of the classic ’90s TV series takes place in the present and follows a team that has been studying the work of Samuel Beckett and trying to figure out if they can bring him home. However, lead scientist Dr. Ben Song makes an unauthorized jump ahead of schedule and finds himself in the same predicament that Beckett was in, leaping into the bodies of people he knows nothing about. Ben’s fiance Addison Augustine acts as his liaison to the present, though he does not remember their relationship because the jump has affected his memory. The team also discovers that Ben had been carrying on research they were unaware of and that his jumps are following a pattern.
Reboots and revivals are all the rage these days, and this show is a rare example of where that works out pretty well. It continues from the original with a new cast while also paying homage to the show that has since been recognized as a sci fi classic. It has an episodic format that focuses on the jump-of-the-week while also building an ongoing story arc focusing on the mystery of why Ben jumped ahead of schedule. And it cuts back on the cringe-worthy moments of the original where Sam awkwardly tried to learn about the body he had leaped into. So far the show has done a good job of revitalizing the basic premise of the parent series, and it has been renewed for a second season. If it continues on its current path, perhaps it will count as a classic on its own someday. Read more about the show at this link.
5. Severance (Apple TV+)
This corporate dystopia follows a group of people working at Lumon Industries who have agreed to undergo the “severance” procedure which separates their work consciousness (their “innies”) from their non-work consciousness (their “outies”). The main focus is on the Macrodata Refinement group which consists of four people: Mark Scout, Dylan George, Irving Bailiff, and newcomer Helly Riggs. Their job tasks seem rather mundane and they are rewarded with various perks like finger traps, coffee mugs, and the ultimate prize, a waffle party. But as Helly rejects this corporate existence, they start to uncover the darker side of their reality.
The show takes some stabs at corporate America and offers some subtle satire with the mundane work environment and the overly pleasant management guiding the worker bees almost like children. But it also ventures into some Prisoner-esque territory with the main characters starting to question their leaders as well as the reality they seem to live in. And the show goes into some pretty dark territory pretty quickly. It also delivers a lot of twists and turns in its first season, and it is shaping up to tell a hell of a good story. It has been renewed for a second season, and I consider this a must-watch for sci fi fans. Read more about the show at this link.
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4. The Orville: New Horizons (Hulu/Disney+)
The story of the crew of The Orville continues in this show’s third season as the implications of the war with the Kaylons are felt throughout the known galaxy and new alliances emerge that will shape the future of the Planetary Union.
The third season of this show arrived on Hulu this past Summer (after shifting over from FOX) with very little promotion, and it did not seem to get much attention after an extended hiatus (the second season wrapped up in April 2019). But it is worth jumping back onboard because this show delivered some of its best moments in its third year. It has veered away from the more comedic tone of the first two seasons as it ventures into epic sci fi with a streaming original budget. But it still has the same heart that hearkens back to the Star Trek: TNG days, and its stories can pack a punch when at their best. The episodes did seem to get a bit bloated at times (several went well over an hour in length), but it is worth the investment of time, and hopefully more seasons (or movies) will be forthcoming from this franchise.
3. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+)
The U.S.S. Enterprise sets out on its mission to boldly explore strange new worlds, but this time with Captain Christopher Pike, Number One, and Mr. Spock leading the crew. This series is a prequel to Star Trek: TOS and includes characters that were introduced in Star Trek: Discovery.
The newer Star Trek shows which have been streaming on CBS All Access/Paramount+ have been a mixed bag so far with Discovery and Picard often succumbing to their excesses while the animated Lower Decks has been a fun trip back to the TNG days. Strange New Worlds has tried to bridge the gap between old and new among the live-action shows, and it did a decent job in its first season. It went back to the mostly-episodic format and it drew heavily on Trek lore, but it does still bring in some of the excessive action and CGI overload of the newer shows. Still, it has a good cast and a healthy respect for a franchise which has this show off to a good start, and it should appeal to Trek fans old and new.
2. Moonhaven (AMC+)
This show takes place 100 years in the future when civilization on Earth is on the verge of collapse.
A utopian community had been established on the Moon years prior to that called Moonhaven, and its goal was to develop the technology and cultural changes to revive the Earth. But as they are set to make their historic trip to the planet, a murder occurs and the fate of the mission is put in jeopardy.
This is one of the most unique genre entries I have seen on television in sometime, and it should be receiving more attention from the sci fi community. With an excellent cast, it delves into some interesting science fiction concepts–delivering a nice twist on utopian/dystopian tropes–while bringing a breath of fresh air to the genre. It does get off to a rather slow and confusing start, but stick with this one for a couple episodes because it does pay off. Sadly, AMC+ reversed the Season 2 renewal for the show amidst shakeups at AMC networks, so its future is uncertain. But if the sci fi community can rally behind this one, it could possibly continue on a new venue. Read more about the show at this link.
1. The Man Who Fell to Earth (Showtime)
This series acts as a sequel to the 1976 film of the same name, taking place nearly forty years after the events of that film which followed an alien coming to Earth to utilize the resources of our planet to help his own. In the series, an alien taking the name of Faraday comes to present-day Earth hoping to complete the mission of his predecessor who took the name Thomas Newton. Faraday contacts former physicist Justin Hall looking for her help in completing Newton’s efforts to create a powerful energy source that would make it possible to transport water back to their home planet where it is desperately needed. But there were reasons that Newton never completed his mission and now Faraday is running into the same obstacles.
The Man Who Fell to Earth delivers an old-style, slow sci fi story that is thoughtful and explores some interesting concepts, and it also has a great deal of respect for its source material. Add to that a spot-on cast, and you have a nearly perfect genre show that wraps up its story in one season. Interestingly, the show was co-created and co-written by Alex Kurtzman, the man that many blame for the excesses of the newer Trek shows and their divergence from the franchise’s prior direction. With The Man Who Fell to Earth, he managed to deliver the good sci fi many were hoping for from Discovery and Picard, so perhaps he works best outside of the constraints of a corporate-controlled franchise. The Showtime series was cancelled after one season, but it resolved most of its main storylines. Whether the characters will return on a different venue at some point is uncertain. But this show is definitely must-watch sci fi TV and you can read more about it at this link.
There are even more sci fi show worth mentioning, not all of which I have gotten around to watching yet. Disney+’s Andor has been getting some good buzz (assuming you consider that science fiction and not science fantasy), the time-bending series Kindred just got started on Hulu, Netflix’s Anime Exception looks interesting as well. Chime in below with your thoughts on the shows I have recommended above, and feel free to make your own suggestions as well.
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