Have no trouble finding the best sci-fi TV series in the depths of First video — use this list to find the best of its kind. black orphan, The extent and Counterpart are essential viewings, but you can also find great alternatives exploring androids and alternate histories.
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Scroll down to see our top picks for the best sci-fi TV shows you can stream right now on Prime Video.
Tales from the Loop (2020—)
Screenshot Amazon Studios/YouTube/CNET
Not just another show about a small town where weird things happen, Tales from the Loop has layers beneath its beautiful surface. Based on a narrative art book by Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag, the series is beautiful to watch. Meticulous and symmetrical frames somehow give off a painterly feel. The interconnected city dwellers are equally nuanced, their stories exploring loneliness, aging, and the impact of technology.
Black Orphan (2013-2017)
BBC America
In more ways than one, Orphan Black is Tatiana Maslany’s show. Before she becomes a household name thanks to Disney Plus’ upcoming She-Hulk, see her play no less than 14 characters in one series, including a hallucinated scorpion. Let that sink in for a second. Orphan Black weaves clever sci-fi concepts into a fast-paced, galloping thriller with more mystery and comedy in its stride. An essential sci-fi series exploring the debate between nature and nurture.
The Expanse (2015-2022)
Amazon Studios
Amazon rescued The Expanse from the realm of canceled television, bringing the series to six seasons. Thank goodness, because The Expanse is smart sci-fi with realistic characters, high production values, and a touch of detective noir. In a future where humanity has colonized the solar system, a plot threatens to ignite a cold war between the greatest powers. A band of anti-heroes find themselves in the center. Expect more space western themes in the still excellent later seasons.
The Flow (2019)
Screenshot Amazon Studios/YouTube/CNET
Black Mirror comparisons are inevitable with this British tech series gone awry. Set in futuristic London, The Feed centers on an implant that allows people to livestream their lives without having to press a button on a phone. No, absolutely nothing is wrong. An impressive cast includes David Thewlis and Michelle Fairley. While not as polished or deep as Black Mirror, The Feed is still worth a look.
Humans (2015-2018)
Screenshot of Channel 4/YouTube/CNET
Humans may not be entirely original, but the assembled parts sing. A British family buys an artificially intelligent robot called a “synthesizer” to help them through their busy lives. This grounded approach to sentient and potentially dangerous robots is one of humans’ greatest strengths. At the center of the sweet: an innocent bond between the youngest daughter of the family and Anita, the elegant and efficient synth of Gemma Chan. A mystery draws the family into the origins of robots, which explore necessary philosophical themes such as humanity, pain, memories, and reality.
Electric Dreams (2017-2018)
Elizabeth Sisson
Electric Dreams is aptly named, each episode of the anthology series is a vibrant, polished product purring to the ideas of its source material: the works of Philip K. Dick. As with most anthologies, some episodes are better than others, but if you fancy telling stories with Black Mirror-like setups, let that reverie slip away.
Counterpart (2017-2019)
Starz/YouTube/CNET Screenshot
The counterpart features JK Simmons playing against JK Simmons. Get excited about it for a second. Set in Germany during a Cold War, the sci-fi thriller follows a lowly office grunt discouraged by his grim life. Then one day he switches to work and meets, but a better version of a parallel world. Secrets, tense action and a masterful dual-role performance from Simmons make Counterpart a must watch.
The Man in the High Castle (2015-2019)
Amazon Studios
The Man in the High Castle imagines an alternate history where the Axis powers (Rome-Berlin-Tokyo) win World War II. Based on a novel by Philip K. Dick, the series follows characters from the 1960s who live in a parallel universe, where Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan control the United States. But there are impossible news images surfacing of a world where Germany and Japan are losing the war, causing some to rebel. To really hammer home its dystopia credentials, The Man in the High Castle is helmed by producer Ridley Scott. Fully realized and with a focused plot, it’s gripping television.
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