3 Sci-Fi TV Shows That Are ‘Out of This World’ Good
Underrated TV shows I see almost no one talking about
“The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself.” — Carl Sagan
I love science fiction because I can escape reality. Whether it be spaceships, galactic battles, or time travel, it is one of my favorites genres.
Naturally, I’ve watched a lot of different science fiction TV shows over the years. But, it’s difficult to find a balance of shows that have good special effects, strong acting, and an interesting premise.
These TV shows, however, are some of the best I’ve seen recently. They’re incredibly underrated and seriously entertaining. If you love science fiction, you need to watch these:
Salvation
2 seasons, 2017 Originally aired on CBS (check streaming services, available on Netflix in some countries)
Premise: An MIT graduate student discovers that an asteroid is headed to Earth. The world has six months to prepare.
Why you should watch it
When I started watching Salvation, I talked to everyone I knew about how much I loved it. I must have personally recommended it over twenty times. And everyone who took my advice and watched the series said it was fantastic.
The show follows this geeky MIT guy who discovers the asteroid, a tech superstar inventor, and a low-level Pentagon official. We watch as they attempt to prepare for the asteroid and how their lives change because of this life-threatening secret.
While Salvation can be dramatic, the tone matches the stakes set by the show. It is both fast-paced and action-packed. There’s also Quite a bit of romantic tension and drama between the characters which made the show even more entertaining.
Timeless
2 seasons, 2016 Originally aired on NBC (check streaming services, available on Netflix in some countries)
Premise: A mysterious criminal steals the government’s top-secret time machine to destroy American history.
Why you should watch it
Be warned: you may become incredibly addicted to this show. I watched several episodes in a row at one point because I just had to know what would happen.
If you love shows about time travel and learning about American history, this show is perfect for you. The show follows three characters, a historian, a soldier, and a pilot, as they chase the man who stole the time machine through time.
The plot went in so many unexpected directions. We really get to see how changing small moments in history can affect the future (also known as the Butterfly Effect). Not only does the show highlight certain forgotten moments from history, but it also contextualizes our flawed past in a nuanced way.
The show is suspenseful, entertaining, funny, romantic, and educational. I couldn’t recommend this one enough.
Lost in Space
3 seasons, 2018 Netflix Original
Premise: On the way to establish a new colony in space, the Robinson family is pulled off course and crash land on a lost planet.
Why you should watch it
“Danger Will Robinson!”
Lost in Space is a remake of a show by the same name which came out in 1965. Though I’ve only seen bits of the original, my dad remembers watching it (and loving it) when he was a kid. The Netflix version takes a lot of elements of the original, while also updating it for a modern audience.
I don’t often notice this about shows, but the cinematography and production quality for the show stood out to me in this. It was fantastic. These details really elevated the experience of watching the show.
At its core, the show is about family and friendship. There’s suspense and action, but it is definitely one you can watch with the whole family. With three seasons, there’s quite a bit of content to watch. And I found all three seasons equally as strong.
What are your favorite science fiction shows? Have you seen any of these?
If you enjoy science fiction, check out this other article where I recommend 5 sci-fi series I love:
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