Good hard sci-fi shows are relatively hard to come by, but there have been a few more popping up in recent years. Hard sci-fi is defined by its concern for scientific accuracy and logic. There are no magical systems or elements of fantasy in hard sci-fi, just believable premises that could soon become reality as technology in the real world advances. In most examples, hard sci-fi focuses on a near future where a certain technology has been allowed to develop beyond humanity’s potential to control and comprehend it, whether this is artificial intelligence, genetic modifications or something else.

Complicated sci-fi movies and TV shows can often get bogged down in their own logic, and this can be particularly difficult for hard sci-fi shows, which can’t magically explain away any plot inconsistencies. However, when it is done right, hard sci-fi can be incredibly rewarding, and much more immersive than most other sci-fi. The best hard sci-fi shows range from space-faring thrillers to Earthbound technological dramas, but they are all categorized by their believable atmospheres and their dedication to accuracy.

15

Defying Gravity (2009)

A crew struggles with the effects of long-term space travel

Defying Gravity focuses on the psychological effects of long-term space travel with a small crew. This premise should have gotten more interesting and more intense as the series progressed, so it’s a shame that Defying Gravity was canceled after a solitary season without managing to fulfill its potential. The flashbacks hamper the show’s progress a little too much, but there are signs that it could be a fascinating drama when it keeps the action on board Antares for long enough. There are many better sci-fi shows out there, but Defying Gravity is a novel experiment as a soap opera in space, and it was quirky enough to deserve at least another season.

14

3 Body Problem (2024-)

Earth deals with the consequences of first contact

Based on the award-winning novels by Liu Cixin, Netflix’s new sci-fi series had a lot to live up to. The first season provided a steady start, but more importantly, it sets up an even more exciting future for the show. Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D. B. Weiss have a lot of experience juggling huge ensemble casts, and this skills are essential to keep 3 Body Problem ticking along at an even pace. This steady direction, coupled with a few breakout performances, means that 3 Body Problem season 2 could iron out the kinks and deliver on the show’s potential.

13

The Man In The High Castle (2015-2019)

An alternative history where World War II had a different outcome

Set in an alternate reality where the Axis powers defeated the Allies in the Second World War, The Man in the High Castle often puts its sci-fi elements on the backburner to explore the rich landscape of its alternate Earth. There is enough political intrigue and personal drama to make the show interesting even without the sci-fi twist, that there are films in existence which provide glimpses into other realities where the Allies were victorious, or where an American resistance pushes back against oppression.

12

Person Of Interest (2011-2016)

Artificial intelligence is used to predict terrorist activity far in advance

Created by Jonathan Nolan, Person of Interest is a sci-fi drama that focuses on the terrifying intersection between mass surveillance and artificial intelligence. Set in an alternate world that is becoming increasingly likely, Person of Interest follows a software engineer and a Special Forces veteran who team up to investigate people who are deemed as potential threats to national security by an advanced computer known ominously as “the Machine”. Person of Interest probes at the relationship between man and machine during the ascent of artificial intelligence, and it questions who’s truly in charge.

11

Foundation (2021-)

A group of isolated humans try to survive the Galactic Empire

Foundation is more expansive than most hard sci-fi shows. It’s set thousands of years in the future as humanity has conquered the galaxy, but this isn’t Dune or Star Wars, since the rules of the universe still conform to science and logic. The one fantastical system at play is “psychohistory,” but this is merely a pseudoscience that combines psychology and history to try to predict the future. It’s only a few steps removed from astrology, so its presence shows that human arrogance will always prove to be the undoing of society. Foundation is packed with stunning visuals, but it also has the substance to back this up.

10

Altered Carbon (2018-2020)

Humans can preserve their consciousness to extend their lives beyond death

Altered Carbon presents a fascinating murder mystery in the vein of many classic noir thrillers, but the detective at the center of it all has only just had his consciousness rebooted and inserted into another body. Altered Carbon sometimes threatens to tip over into more fanciful sci-fi, but it mostly remains logical and clear. The bold genre mash-up of sci-fi and crime drama is a pleasure to watch, and the two dovetail nicely. Just as Takeshi Kovacs learns more about the new world around him and the puzzling murder he must solve, the audience also learns the rules of the game.

9

Travelers (2016-2018)

People travel back in time to protect their fragile timeline

Netflix’s Travelers could have been one of many similar time-travel shows where the rules are muddy and obscure and the timeline is too convoluted to be interesting. Instead, the show focuses intently on the consequences of its central premise, both in terms of the timeline implications and the philosophical debate. Travelers features several characters from the future who harness technology which can send their consciousness back in time. They work covertly to prevent a series of catastrophes which threaten their very existence, but it’s a delicate balancing act as they try to avoid the usual time travel paradoxes which stymie other shows.

8

For All Mankind (2019-)

An alternative history where the space race rumbles on for decades

Another one of Apple TV’s great sci-fi shows, For All Mankind delves into an alternative history where the USA and the Soviet Union continued the Space Race well beyond the 1960s. Each season jumps forward in time to highlight the rapid technological progress born out of the intense competition of the Cold War. For All Mankind season 5 could see private interests getting even more tangled up with space exploration. In this way, the show’s alternative history reflects potential real-world scenarios of the near future. For All Mankind manages to maintain enough focus on its characters to carry its plot as it jumps through time.

7

Devs (2020)

A tech giant keeps a shadowy conspiracy under wraps

Although it only ran for eight episodes, Devs lingers long in the memory. The show follows a software engineer at an enormous tech company who gradually unravels the dark mysteries relating to her employer’s top-secret project. Nick Offerman shines as a gruff antagonist who sees himself as the shepherd who will guide humanity into a new era of consciousness, reflecting the obscene power that some real-life tech companies hold. Devs is created, written and directed by Alex Garland, and the series has the same disquieting atmosphere as his movie Annihilation.

6

Orphan Black (2013-2017)

A group of clones find each other and search for answers about their creation

Orphan Black is a showcase for Tatiana Maslany’s talents as an actor. She plays several clones, each with their own individual styles and personalities, who were born as part of an illegal experiment. The clones share a unique bond, and this allows Orphan Black to explore themes of family and solidarity as well as examine the controversies of human cloning. Orphan Black is also an exciting thriller, however, as the clones discover that they are being hunted by the corporation responsible for their creation. There are plenty of twists and turns as the clones search for answers, and the series keeps these mysteries interesting across its five seasons.

5

Severance (2022-)

Workers surgically split themselves between the office and the outside world

If Severance season 2 is anything like the first, then the Apple TV show could creep even further up this list. Severance dissects the grim state of corporate culture, with workers undergoing a medical procedure that splits their memories of work from their memories of their lives outside. From this relatively simple yet original premise, Severance finds plenty of new ways to examine the downside of society’s unhealthy relationship with work. The scariest thing about Severance is how the writing and the performances make it seem relatable despite its dystopian atmosphere.

4

Dark (2017-2020)

When children start to go missing, a small town uncovers a strange mystery

Dark is a German sci-fi show with a deeply fascinating mystery at its core. After children start to go missing one-by-one in a small town, the townsfolk uncover a wormhole beneath the local nuclear power plant. While anything with a wormhole would usually be fantastical to be classified as hard sci-fi, Dark gets a pass due to its relatively grounded exploration of the concept. Dark‘s tightly constructed narrative uses multiple timelines spanning several decades, but it remains compelling and comprehensible throughout. Part of the allure of Dark is slowly learning about the complex mechanics at play.

3

Black Mirror (2011-)

A sci-fi anthology about the potential horrors of humanity’s obsession with technology

Since Black Mirror is an anthology series, the episodes vary in their approach to science-fiction, but they are mostly grounded and realistic. The best episodes of Black Mirror tend to take a zeitgeisty technology to its dark limits, showing a near future where people’s day-to-day lives are orchestrated by oppressive artificial systems. In each of these episodes, the point is that humanity has placed all sorts of stringent limits on itself for no reason other than corporate greed. The season 3 episode “Nosedive,” for example, explores a world where people incessantly rate each other on social media, assigning social privileges to those deemed worthy.

2

Westworld (2016-2022)

A theme park staffed by robotic “hosts” goes haywire

Westworld takes place in a future where the obscenely wealthy can take vacations at a theme park populated by artificially intelligent robots. There, they are free to indulge their every desire, but the robots soon develop sentience beyond their programming. The idea of artificial intelligence developing its own agenda has been everpresent in sci-fi, but there aren’t many movies, shows or books that approach this premise quite like Westworld. The automatons can be seen as stand-ins for any number of oppressed groups, as their creators weigh up moral considerations along with financial ones.

1

The Expanse (2015-2022)

Humans across the solar system head toward all-out war

In a future where humanity has spread across the solar system, ther exists a fragile peace between Earth and Mars, until new technologies threaten to grant world-ending power to whoever wields them. The Expanse pairs this epic storyline with a fascinating investigation into a missing persons case. This allows the series to maintain its impressive scope without losing sight of its characters. The Expanse is hard sci-fi at its very best. It eschews the tired tropes of the genre and grounds itself in a reality where everything must make sense. There are no magical solutions for the characters, and this keeps the stakes high.