These 8 Sci-Fi TV Masterpieces Have Defined the Last 25 Years

We'll admit something here. Writing these types of pieces is often quite hard because the list that we come up with won't always match up to what the readers think. This is especially true when it comes to sci-fi TV shows, which is a genre that many readers have strong opinions about when it comes to certain shows.

Using our vast knowledge of the small screen, we are embarking on a series in which we list the TV masterpieces of the past 25 years. We've been treated to a lot of great TV shows that have solidified their place in TV history since the turn of the century; and we feel it's time to give these modern masterpieces their flowers, starting with the sci-fi genre. So, without further ado, let's dive into the sci-fi TV masterpieces of the past 25 years, and let the grand debate begin.

1 'Counterpart' (2017–2019)

How would you react if you discovered that your perceived "boring" job actually required you to help oversee a checkpoint between two Earths? That's what happened to Howard Silk (J. K. Simmons) in the hit sci-fi thriller Counterpart. Created by Justin Marks, the series follows Silk as he uncovers the true nature of his work (which was kept hidden from him), and also discovers that the alternate Earth is ready to get revenge on "Alpha" Earth.

Counterpart succeeded on two fronts. First, the plot was original and quite chilling, with an intelligent premise that took what could have been on the same level as Fringe, and made it realistic and cooler. Second, the acting was truly spectacular, especially with Simmons' dual performance selling us on the differences between the two worlds. It's one of the rare shows with a perfect Rotten Tomatoes score, and with good reason; Counterpart is a modern-day masterpiece.

2 'Black Mirror' (2011–Present)

For decades, The Twilight Zone was often hailed as a sci-fi masterpiece that couldn't be touched. But in 2011, its spiritual successor, Black Mirror, hit TV screens, and you begin to rethink the notion that the classic CBS series couldn't be matched in quality and tone. Much like The Twilight Zone, Black Mirror is an anthology series that uses sci-fi to speak about the relationship between society and technology.

While the later seasons are a bit hit-or-miss, the first four seasons of Black Mirror was peak television. It perfectly showcased the unsettling nature of the series, while making you think of our overreliance on technology, creating stories with dark overtones that will make you sit and think well after the end credits roll. While some may disagree, taken as a whole, Black Mirror is a sci-fi masterpiece that deserves to be treated as such.

3 'Westworld' (2016–2022)

It is a rarity that a TV show that’s based on a story that was first introduced in the movies, is remembered more than the actual movie. That is definitely the case with Westworld, the HBO adaptation of the criminally underrated 1973 film directed by Michael Crichton. In actuality, the TV adaptation of Westworld, created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, is actually based on the sequel, Futureworld, another movie that was tremendously underrated.

But while the films have to fight for their inclusion on multiple "best of" lists, Westworld, the TV show, doesn't have that same problem. This show is a sci-fi masterpiece, with the show going deeper into the lore than the movie's to discuss the wider issue of AI consciousness. That, and the stunning visual effects of the series, makes Westworld a modern-day sci-fi marvel that all fans of the genre should check out.

4 'Station Eleven' (2021–2022)

Shows based on the fall of humanity aren't anything particularly new; so, on the surface, HBO Max's Station Eleven shouldn't really be memorable, but it is, because of the way it decided to tell its dystopian story. Created by Patrick Somerville and based on the 2014 novel written by Emily St. John Mandel, Station Eleven tells the story of a group of survivors of a civilization-collapsing pandemic who try to make a living as traveling performers. Along the way, they meet a not-too-friendly cult that's led by a person who is linked to one of the performers.

When you think of a show based on the apocalypse, you'll normally think of the bleak and violent nature of a series such as that. But this series does things differently, in making the end of the world comfortable, humane, and optimistic, and it works like a charm. Because of that, Station Eleven is the easiest dystopian show to watch. It won't make you feel hopeless and full of dread. Instead, the miniseries will make you believe that, even in the bleakest of times, hope can survive, and that makes it a modern masterpiece in sci-fi TV.

5 'Battlestar Galactica' (2004–2009)

So, imagine that you're part of a space colony, and you think everything is all hunky-dory, right? Well, one day, an android race decides to launch a sneak attack on your colony, and you're forced to find a new home. That's pretty dour to imagine, but that's what the crew of Battlestar Galactica had to endure after the Cylons decided that the planet coalition didn't need to exist anymore, which isn't nice of them to do.

A reboot of the 1978 miniseries, Battlestar Galactica is often considered one of the best modern-day sci-fi shows of all-time. Ironically, the show really shouldn't be, as it's quite campy compared to today's more advanced sci-fi shows. But it's within that camp that makes Battlestar Galactica a nostalgic classic. Not only that, but the 2004 reboot went deeper with its characters. They're not perfect, and they're quite flawed, which gives the show a sense of gritty realism that sci-fi shows at the time didn't really have. Combine all of this, with the complex storytelling revolving around survival, politics, and moral ambiguity, and you have yourself a masterpiece.

6 'Severance' (2022–Present)

You can look at Severance in two ways; you can see it as a horror show if your workplace gives you heartburn whenever you clock in, or you can see it as a hilarious satire of work life, which could also give you heartburn. Either way you look at this series, both camps can come to the same conclusion: that Severance is a sci-fi masterpiece.

The Apple TV series is a prime example of how to create a high-concept premise. Take the traditional workplace setting, and add in a plot that involves the workers going through a medical procedure that lets its workers forget everything about the job as soon as they walk in the door. Severance doesn't blow its audience away out the gate. It's a slow-burn of tension that will keep you on the edge of your seat, and one that certainly won't give you heartburn when you watch it.

7 'Silo' (2023–Present)

If Station Eleven makes the apocalypse comfortable, Silo is the show that makes the end of days feel like it should — bleak and void of hope. Created by Graham Yost and adapted from the Hugh Howey book series in the 2010s, Silo follows a community that lives in a huge silo after a world-ending event. However, the community lives under strict regulations that they think are there to protect them, but slowly come to the realization that it may not be.

Silo wouldn't be the classic that it is today if not for the tremendous performance of Rebecca Ferguson, who portrays Juliette Nichols, one of the engineers of the Silo who begins to question the community they live in. Her performance draws us into the breathtaking dystopian world that Silo creates. This is a show that will make you think about how survival communities will operate if the end of the world does come around. That situation can become quite bleak, which is just like a great apocalyptic show outside of Station Eleven should be. If you like your dystopian show full of dark overtones, this is the show for you.

8 'Dark' (2017–2020)

When you get deep into the Netflix series Dark, you'll quickly get the sense that this is one of the best sci-fi shows ever made, and your senses will be right. Created by Baran Bo Odar and Jantje Friese, Dark takes the traditional sci-fi format and puts a sinister cherry on this dark and twisted sundae, which goes down smoothly thanks to the way the story was created.

The series follows four families as they search for how a child disappeared in a small German town. But while investigating how the kid went missing, they soon uncover that this small town is home to a time-traveling conspiracy that spanned generations. Dark meticulously builds the plot, and it avoided plot holes that would normally have cropped up with a plot such as this. Add in the extremely bleak and moody atmosphere, along with the fantastic acting, and you have a sci-fi masterpiece that people will talk about for years to come.