Binge-watching has become one of the world’s favorite hobbies. People love to lie down and watch an entire show at once, often refusing to stop until the TV series’ enthralling conclusion. Sci-fi series tend to be binge-worthy fan favorites, as they usually involve an interesting mystery or complex worldbuilding. Luckily for fans, Amazon Prime has some of the best options.
The Prime Video streaming service offers a range of sci-fi series that are sure to appeal to a wide audience. From sci-fi comedies like Upload to more complex stories like The Expanse and The Peripheral, Prime subscribers have a treasure trove of great series to dive into.
10/10 Humans Was Canceled Too Soon
3 Seasons, 24 Episodes
Starring Manpreet Bachu, Emily Berrington, and Ruth Bradley, Humans is set in a world where humanity takes advantage of “synths,” a species of anthropomorphic robots that help humans in their daily life. The series explores the ethics that come from sharing the world with artificial intelligence.
One of the best sci-fi tales, Humans puts special focus on the social hierarchy that would inevitably follow if androids gain as much intelligence as humans do. Unfortunately, Humans got canceled after three seasons, but its 24 episodes are enough to fill any void for sci-fi fans.
9/10 Electric Dreams Is An Anthology With A Great Cast
1 Season, 10 Episodes
Electric Dreams is an anthology of stories that explore all kinds of science fiction. Each of its 10 episodes is based on a different short story by Philip K. Dick, a prolific sci-fi author. Although the series’ episodes aren’t connected, it’s impossible to stop watching them.
One of the best things about Electric Dreams is its cast. The show includes iconic and talented actors like Bryan Cranston, Timothy Spall, and Julia Davis. Their excellent performances and K. Dick’s captivating work make a worthy series that’s perfect for any sci-fi fan.
8/10 American Gods Plays With The Old And The New
3 Seasons, 26 Episodes
Ricky Whittle stars in American Gods as Shadow Moon, a former convict who takes a job as Mr. Wednesday’s personal assistant. This decision puts him in the middle of a war between two groups of Gods, who can’t be seen by the naked eye. While dealing with this, Shadow Moon has to make sense of his own life now that he’s out of jail.
Like all of Neil Gaiman’s incredible works, American Gods introduces the viewers to a complex universe with amazing lore. Gaiman plays with the idea of New Gods, who represent modern society’s interests, as well as the growing irrelevance of previous gods. The series has been widely praised for its visuals and its narrative.
7/10 Night Sky Has A Mature Couple As Protagonists
1 Season, 8 Episodes
Sissy Spacek and J.K. Simmons portray Franklin and Irene York, respectively. The two are married and have a portal to another world right in their backyard. The couple keeps this place a secret for many years until a mysterious man named Jude drags them into a more complicated situation.
Night Sky sees an older couple deal with threats that, in most sci-fi media, are reserved for young heroes. This refreshing and unique element, combined with J. K. Simmons and Sissy Spacek’s incredible performances, make Night Sky a must-watch.
6/10 Grace Moretz Gives An Incredible Performance In The Peripheral
1 Season, 8 Episodes
Based on William Gibson’s book of the same name, The Peripheral centers on Flynne Fisher, a gamer woman who lives in a dystopian America. This series follows Fisher (portrayed by Chloë Grace Moretz) as she delves into a dangerous conspiracy in the videogame industry.
The Peripheral takes the viewers by the hands and drags them into a well-planned mystery. Fisher’s desperation in the face of her family’s demise and this complicated situation is incredibly captivating. Viewers looking for a thrill should check The Peripheral out.
5/10 Upload Is A Wholesome Comedy
2 Seasons, 17 Episodes
In Upload, Nathan Brown is a computer engineer who’s working on the public service of a virtual afterlife in 2033 when he dies in a suspicious car accident. After his girlfriend uploads him to Lakeview, the most expensive afterlife, he discovers a conspiracy that’s working against the lower class. At the same time, he falls in love with Nora, his personal assistant in this virtual paradise.
Sci-fi shows usually feature dark tones and serious narratives, but this doesn’t have to be the rule. Upload still makes an effort to explore important dystopian themes like economic disparity and virtual reality. However, it’s also a lighthearted modern sitcom. Even those who don’t like sci-fi will enjoy Upload.
4/10 The Fandom Tends To Ignore Stargate Universe
2 Seasons, 40 Episodes
From the Icarus bases, Dr. Nicholas Rush needs to communicate with the Stargate so they can access different locations in the Galaxy. To do this, he puts together a team of experts who can help him translate the Ancients’ writing, so he can dial properly.
The Stargate franchise is a staple sci-fi series. Stargate Universe has been widely ignored by the fandom, but it deserves as much attention as the other installments. Although Stargate Universe was criticized for being a bit “edgier,” many critics believe it did a better job than Stargate Atlantis.
3/10 Viewers Will Relate With The Characters From Paper Girls
1 Season, 8 Episodes
Erin, KJ, Tiffany, and Mac are four paper girls in 1988. While trying to get revenge on a group of older bullies, they stumble upon a group of time travelers and end up in the middle of a centuries-old conflict between a fascist group from the future and its resistance.
Based on the comics by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang, Paper Girls boasts an enthralling sci-fi narrative. However, the series also explores girlhood, mental health conditions, and self-identity. As a result, the four paper girls are endlessly relatable, which helped the series earn a 91% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
2/10 People Love The Expanse’s Political Dimension
6 Seasons, 62 Episodes
In a future where humanity has already conquered the Solar System, The Expanse follows a group of public servers who deal with the result of this progress. The Expanse follows the main characters as they delve into a conspiracy that could break the current Cold War.
Since it premiered, The Expanse has been widely praised by critics. Its political nature is very different from what other sci-fi shows offer, which helped earn the show several Saturn Awards and a Hugo Award. The Expanse’s six seasons had the audience holding their breath until the end.
1/10 Audiences Can’t Get Enough Of The Boys
3 Seasons, 24 Episodes
The Boys is set in a world where superheroes are corrupt. The Seven are a superpowered team full of corrupted heroes who abuse their power. As a result, a group of vigilantes named the Boys attempts to bring them down. Based on Garth Ennis’ comic, The Boys centers on the conflict of these deeply flawed characters.
The Boys has been the ultimate must-watch for a couple of years now. Its gritty and ultra-violent take on superheroes and its science fiction-based lore have been refreshing, especially because the market has been full of PG-13 superheroes from Marvel and DC.