The Best Sci-Fi TV Shows on Netflix

Power Rangers in Space (1998)

Sure, the Power Rangers is a campy franchise that many felt above, but this is a great point to turn on if you ever found the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers interesting. The series begins with the former Turbo Rangers retreating into space to seek their lost leader, Zordon. While the evil Dark Specter is the main big-bad for this season, classic franchise villains Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa return and experience major changes. Not only did it renew fan interest in the series, but so many tuned in that Power Rangers in Space didn't serve as the final era of the series, despite that being the plan. — Henry T. Casey

Star Trek Voyager (1995 - 2001)

There's no denying that Star Trek: Voyager took a long time to find its footing. After a fantastic premiere, which stranded the crew of the USS Voyager 70,000 light-years from home, the show lost a little steam. However, Capt. Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew, Star Trek's first female lead) and her crew found themselves facing down some fascinating foes in Season 3 and beyond. Trying to find their way home from the distant Delta Quadrant, Janeway had to recruit alien crew members, root out a traitor in her ranks and even forge an alliance with the Borg. — Marshall Honorof

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993 - 1999)

If you enjoy today's serialized, story arc-driven prestige TV, you can thank Star Trek: Deep Space Nine for it. This Next Generation spinoff was one of the first sci-fi TV shows to experiment with long, multi-episode narratives, which often required viewers to internalize information, and carry it over from one week (or season!) to the next. The story revolves around Cmder. (and later Capt.) Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks, the first black actor to lead a Trek series), who takes command of a remote space station called Deep Space Nine. He and his motley crew become key players in a complicated war for the future of the galaxy. — Marshall Honorof

Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988 - 1999, 2017)

MST3K's pretense — a janitor named Joel is stuck on a spaceship and forced to watch movies with bitter, sarcastic robots — is rich enough for an entire show, but it's just the framework. Instead, this show is a great way to watch cheesy-bad sci-fi movies like Space Mutiny, Future War and Horrors of Spider Island, with the hosts providing a running commentary of riffs. A 2017 made-for-Netflix reboot brought Patton Oswalt, Felicia Day and Jonah Ray (seen here) into the cast. — Henry T. Casey

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987 - 1994)

Star Trek: The Next Generation is, in a lot of ways, a gentler series than its rough-and-tumble '60s predecessor. The trade-off, though, is that it's often more thought-provoking. Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) commands the USS Enterprise-D and its charismatic bridge crew, including Lt. Cmdr. Data (Brent Spiner): an android who wants to become more human. Some of the show's best episodes challenge our perceptions about the addictive nature of technology, the distinction between reality and fantasy, and what it means to be sentient. There's still plenty of action, though, including an enjoyable riff on Die Hard in the episode Starship Mine. — Marshall Honorof

The Real Ghostbusters (1986 - 1992)

Star Trek: The Next Generation is, in a lot of ways, a gentler series than its rough-and-tumble '60s predecessor. The trade-off, though, is that it's often more thought-provoking. Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) commands the USS Enterprise-D and its charismatic bridge crew, including Lt. Cmdr. Data (Brent Spiner): an android who wants to become more human. Some of the show's best episodes challenge our perceptions about the addictive nature of technology, the distinction between reality and fantasy, and what it means to be sentient. There's still plenty of action, though, including an enjoyable riff on Die Hard in the episode Starship Mine. — Marshall Honorof

Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973)

Until recently, Star Trek: The Animated Series was something of a historical curiosity. Unless you could track down an old episode on VHS somewhere, it was almost impossible to find. Thanks to the advent of streaming services, now everyone can enjoy the animated adventures of Capt. Kirk and his crew — or at least marvel at the weirdness of it all. The Animated Series picks up where the original series left off, following the  Enterprise's final two years of its five-year mission. Some highlights include a glance into Spock's past, another encounter with swindler Harry Mudd and a showdown against a Mayan god. — Marshall Honorof

Star Trek: The Original Series (1966 - 1969)

If you've kept up with pop culture at all in the last 50 years, you're probably already familiar with the  Enterprise's five-year mission: "To explore strange, new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before." In this classic sci-fi series, Capt. James T. Kirk (William Shatner) explores the galaxy, encountering bizarre aliens, challenging moral quandaries and plenty of action-packed adventures along the way. The original Star Trek series arguably still has the best balance of action, drama and thoughtfulness in the whole franchise. — Marshall Honorof

The Twilight Zone (1959 - 1964)

We love Black Mirror, but we probably wouldn't have gotten it without The Twilight Zone. Although it's less tech-focused, it preys on just as many of our emotions. Must-watch episodes include The Invaders, a classic tale of frightening aliens, and The Lonely, where a convict falls for a lifelike robot. — Henry T. Casey