There are several incrediblesci-fishows that see long runs on television, airing without seeing a single bad season. This is in stark contrast to the trend that seems to be developing more and more as of late, wheresci-fi shows that don’t deserve to be canceledare prematurely ended, and otherunderappreciated sci-fi showsnever get the recognition they deserve. Although some long-running sci-fi shows likeDoctor Whohave been panned in recent years for poorly written seasons, many sci-fi shows with five seasons or more retain a consistent standard.
Though there are manyincredible sci-fi movies set to release in 2025, sometimes a sci-fi TV show with plenty of episodes is exactly what a viewer needs. It is rare to find a series that truly has no bad seasons, remaining of a certain quality all the way through. With so many quality seasons to keep one busy, shows like the originalQuantum LeapandStargate SG-1are sure to satisfy anyone looking for a weekend TV binge.
Warehouse 13
Cast
When Secret Service agents Myka Bering and Pete Lattimer are reassigned to Warehouse 13 in rural South Dakota, they find themselves part of a team of agents tasked with tracking down and recovering supernatural artifacts, to be stored in the warehouse.
Often overlooked compared to other sci-fi series,Warehouse 13was a show that revolved around a team of secret agents and the supernatural artifacts they were tasked with collecting every week. These artifacts would then be stored in the eponymous Warehouse 13, a warehouse that, much likeDoctor Who’s TARDIS, seems bigger on the inside. Throughout the series, fictional historical events are referenced, adding more and more lore to the show’s universe.
Even to this day,Warehouse 13holds the title for Syfy’s third-largest premiere, only trailing behindStargate AtlantisandEureka.The best part is that the series only continues to improve the longer it goes on, adding more and more drama and context to the overarching plot of collecting these artifacts for storage.The series itself holds an amazing 87% with fans on Rotten Tomatoes, and even earned an Emmy nomination for Best Original Main Title Theme Music.
Orphan Black
Orphan Black follows a streetwise hustler who becomes entangled in a complex conspiracy after witnessing the suicide of a woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to her. As she assumes the deceased’s identity, she uncovers a secret that places her life in jeopardy.
Orphan Blackbegins with an immediate hook, depicting British con-artist Sarah Manning as she witnesses the death of someone who appears to be her complete doppelgänger. The show soon reveals that this woman was not a chance doppelgänger at all, but was in fact one of many clones.This series' conspiracy runs deep, with its expertly crafted five seasons addressing the mystery of how these clones all came to be.
Tatiana Maslany
Out of each of its seasons, the lowest score thatOrphan Blackreceives on Rotten Tomatoes is an astounding 83% with every other season sitting over 90%. The series has both been nominated for and won many awards, and the fact that it was not nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series at the 65th and 66th Primetime Emmy Awards is considered by many to be unfortunate despite Tatiana Maslany winning the award in later seasons.Orphan Blackhas since been made into an entire franchise, including a spin-off series titledOrphan Black: Echoes.
8Quantum Leap (1989-1993)
The Original Series Was One Of Television’s Best
Starring Scott Bakula in his most famous role to date,Quantum Leapis the story of a scientist who, using the power of technology, is able to “leap” into the bodies of different people across time to correct the timeline. The series expertly blends humor and drama, with the question of whether or not Bakula’s character Dr. Sam Beckett will make it back to the present remaining up in the air. The unique take on time travel is interesting enough, tied together neatly with incredible writing and great special effects for the time.
A revival ofQuantum Leapwas released in 2022 on NBC starring Raymond Lee, running for two seasons and ending in 2024.
The showran for five seasons and had 97 episodes in total. It has won several Primetime Emmy Awards and Golden Globe Awards, many of which went to Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell for their cinematographyand acting. TV Guide considersQuantum Leapone of the Top Cult Shows Ever,cementing it as one of history’s greatest sci-fi shows.
Eureka
In the fictional town of Eureka, Oregon, sheriff Jack Carter is an ordinary guy in a town full of geniuses. Whenever there’s a technological accident or a science experiment gone wrong, Sheriff Carter and the town’s scientists step in to solve the mystery and save the day.
Considered one of thebest sci-fi shows on Amazon Prime,Eurekais a science-fiction comedy series set in the fictional town of Eureka, Oregon. Eureka is hidden away from the outside world, mostly because the town is filled with geniuses who all work for the same company. This series is full of comedy and fictional technological breakthroughs, and though each episode seems mostly contained, there are overarching plotlines throughout each season.
Holding the record for the highest-rated series premiere in Syfy Channel history, needless to say there are a lot of positives aboutEureka.The show was praised for its quirkiness and critical thinking, and was both nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award and honored by the Independent Investigations Group.Eurekaalso shares a fictional universe with the seriesWarehouse 13,with the two series having several crossover episodes and cameo appearances between them.
Fringe
This sci-fi procedural follows the FBI’s secretive Fringe Division and its agents Olivia Dunham, Walter Bishop, and Peter Bishop. Together, they investigate cases regarding strange events that threaten society, including cases of parallel universes, human experimentation, and other strange phenomena.
J. J. Abrams is best known for films such asArmageddon, Cloverfield,andStar Wars: The Force Awakens.However, he also created the seriesFringefor Fox. The series follows the FBI’s Fringe Division, a task force that focuses on cases related to “fringe science,” which often includes topics such as transhumanism and parallel universes.
Several comic books taking place in theFringeuniverse have been written and published by DC Comics.
The series is another with a big viewership and a cult following, with many likening it to iconic shows such asThe X-Files.Although it did not win any Emmy Awards it was nominated for several, winning at different awards shows such as the Saturn Awards.Fringeset the bar for many of the science fiction shows that would come after, marrying its weekly premise with serialized drama.
The Expanse
The Expanse is a sci-fi series set in the distant future where humanity has spread out across the solar system, but the alliances between the three most potent governing bodies have reached a state of the cold war. In the series, a mixed crew finds themselves at the center of a dangerous intergalactic conspiracy that threatens to bring war to the colonized worlds.
Originally based on a series of novels,The Expanseis a tense science fiction series that takes place hundreds of years in the future. The solar system has been colonized by humanity and the United Nations has become militaristic. As the story ofThe Expanseunfolds, more is learned about Mars and its role in the greater galaxy, as well as the cast of characters sent to investigate the conspiracy at the planet’s core.
The Expanseonly improves as the series goes on, eventually being dropped by the Syfy channel and picked up by Amazon Prime. Several of the series' seasons have 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, and for good reason.The series is notable for its commendable writing and complex character arcs, constantly giving viewers something new with every episode.
Stargate SG-1
Stargate SG-1 is a sci-fi adventure television series spin-off set in the Stargate Universe, initially created by Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin. Set roughly a year after the film’s events; the story takes place after it becomes known that the Stargate technology allows those who use it to travel across different planets. With several teams dispatched to perform recon and defend the Earth from potential extraterrestrial threats, the series follows the titular team SG-1 of the U.S. Air Force as they face several alien threats.
Acting as a sequel to the 1994 filmStargate, Stargate SG-1takes place a year later with the creation of a special operations team meant to investigate the Stargate network. Because it follows the entire network,Stargate SG-1explores even further than the planet featured in the original film, but still pulls inspiration from various mythologies.This series eventually grew to be so popular that, similarly toStar Trek,it spawned various sequel series such asStargate AtlantisandStargate Universe.
10 Most Shocking Twists In Stargate’s Shows, Ranked
Throughout the franchise’s long history, the three live-action Stargate TV shows have had some jaw-dropping plot twists, from deaths to major reveals.
Stargate SG-1is considered one of thebest Syfy Channel original seriesand is widely considered a staple of the genre. It was nominated for seven different Emmy Awards during its decade-long run, but despite being praised for everything from its visual effects to music composition, it did not win. The show is an incredible look into the science fiction genre, examining morality through the lense of these new alien worlds.
Futurama
Futurama is an animated science fiction series that follows Philip J. Fry, a pizza delivery boy from late-20th-century New York City. He is accidentally cryogenically frozen for a thousand years and becomes an employee at Planet Express, a delivery service in the retro-futuristic 31st century.
Despite being a campy comedy series in the same style as adult shows such asThe Simpsons,Futuramahas garnered an especially loving fan base due to its interesting storylines and willingness to address harsh topics.Following the character of Philip J. Fry, a man from the year 2000 who wakes up from being cryogenically preserved in the year 2999,Futurama,for the most part, sees different stories with every episode.Wacky and absurdist to its core, the show also often parodies other popular media.
Although it has been canceled and brought back by several different platforms, with its most recent home being on Hulu,Futuramaremains fresh with each season despite its decades-long run.Many of its seasons have 100% review scores, with viewers citing its endearing comedy and witty satire as reasons to watch the show.It is still running today, with season 12 being the series' most recent.
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation follows Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his crew aboard the USS Enterprise NCC-1701D as they embark on interstellar explorations, seeking out new worlds and civilizations.
In the grand scheme of things, theStar Trek: The Original Seriesis relatively short in comparison to the series that would come later, with only 3 seasons and 79 episodes.Star Trek: The Next Generation,however, is much longer, spanning 7 seasons with an impressive 178 episodes between them. Much like the series that came before,Star Trek: The Next Generationhas a different story with each episode, following the USSEnterpriseon its journey to explore the galaxy.
During its initial release, new episodes ofStar Trek: The Next Generationhad viewers numbering in the millions, often overtaking massive shows such asWheel of FortuneandCheersin views. The series won a phenomenal 18 Emmy Awards, going on to become the only syndicated TV show to be nominated for the Emmy Award for Best Dramatic Series. It has won Hugo Awards, Peabody Awards, and this series' success is the reason why there are so many otherStar Trekseries today.
The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone is an anthology series that debuted in 1959, featuring a collection of standalone episodes encompassing drama, psychological thriller, fantasy, science fiction, suspense, and horror. Known for its macabre or unexpected twists, each story is distinct, exploring various speculative themes and human experiences.
Known as an anthology series that covers all sorts of genres from science fiction to fantasy and horror,The Twilight Zoneoriginally aired all the way back in 1959. It has since been rebooted several times, with its latest release being as recent as 2020. The series has since released a film, audio dramas, and even a theme park attraction.
The show’s creator, Rod Sterling, was well-known for his criticism of the television medium and the censorship found within, andThe Twilight Zoneoften came into direct conflict with this censorship.
The Twilight Zoneis one of the bestsci-fiseries of all time, notable for pushing the boundaries of television at the time. The show’s creator, Rod Sterling, was well-known for his criticism of the television medium and the censorship found within, andThe Twilight Zoneoften came into direct conflict with this censorship. It paved the way for the science fiction series that would follow, bravely tackling subjects of the time, including nuclear war and McCarthyism, rather than sticking to the more whimsical stories that were popular during this period.
