In only a few short years, Apple TV has proven itself to be the number one streaming service for fans of science fiction. Although streamers like Netflix and HBO have wowed viewers with shows like “Stranger Things” and “The Leftovers,” respectively, Apple TV has built an impressive library of original series featuring some of the most thrilling and captivating science fiction mysteries in recent memory.
Of course, science fiction is not a new thing for television. The genre has been a part of television since the very beginning, with shows like “The Twilight Zone” and “Star Trek” innovating beyond its roots in novels and B-movies. Among the many sci-fi TV shows that define the genre are long-running sagas like “Doctor Who,” animated classics like “Futurama,” and pop culture phenomena like “The X-Files,” all of which serve as inspirations for the shows that currently make up Apple TV’s library of original content.
Though it may seem overwhelming as a new subscriber to Apple TV looking for which big sci-fi show to watch first, these 10 series are the ones to start binge-watching as soon as possible. Some are only a season or so into their run, meaning it won’t take long to catch up with the rest of the world. However, other shows are nearing their end, so best to watch them soon before time runs out.
10. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters
It seems almost hard to believe that before “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,” there had been no live-action “Godzilla” TV show to take the world by storm. Leave it to the Monsterverse to change that, with an Apple TV series that lives up to the massive scale of the movie franchise. “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” mainly follows the fictional organization studying giant monsters, flashing back and forth between several timelines, exploring Monarch’s origins in the 1950s and 1970s, as well as the events following 2014’s “Godzilla.”
Though it occasionally falls victim to the thin character development and heavy focus on spectacle that weigh down the films, “Monarch” provides some of the best sci-fi action on Apple TV. Once “Monarch” Season 2 introduces King Kong to its roster of monsters, the show evolves far beyond a grounded examination of how governments try to control that which they can never really control. With standout performances from Anna Sawai, Kurt Russell, and Kiersey Clemons, “Monarch” proves that great sci-fi shows don’t have to trade away their cinematic shine to adapt to the less lustrous pacing of television.
9. Sugar
On the surface, “Sugar” may seem like a series that doesn’t technically qualify to be on this list. The neo-noir stars Colin Farrell as John Sugar, a brilliant private investigator who is hired to track down a film producer’s kidnapped granddaughter. However, there’s more than meets the eye regarding this character, involving some peculiar powers, a mysterious substance he injects into himself every night, and a secret society of spies all hiding a dark secret about themselves. That deliberate genre-bending is a major part of the show’s appeal, as each new revelation forces viewers to reconsider exactly what kind of story they’re watching.
Without spoiling the big plot twists that await, “Sugar” delivers a sweet blast of retro sleuthing, anchored by an incredibly smooth performance from its lead actor. With Season 2 having just wrapped up airing in August 2026, it’s proving to be one of the most fascinating shows on Apple TV as the layers keep peeling back, revealing new aspects of this world that will definitely satisfy science-fiction fans, especially those who enjoy sci-fi noir like “Blade Runner” or “Minority Report.”
8. Foundation
Isaac Asimov is one of the most influential science fiction authors, notable for infusing scientific logic into his fantastical stories of intergalactic dystopias, artificial intelligence, and interconnected literary universes. It’s surprising that it took until 2021 for a proper television adaptation of Asimov’s “Foundation,” based on his series of novels released between 1951 and 1993. The show takes place in a distant future ruled by a triumvirate of genetic clones of Emperor Cleon I: Brother Day (Lee Pace), Brother Dusk (Terrence Mann), and Brother Dawn (Cassian Bilton).
Lou Llobell is the show’s clear standout in the cast, playing Gaal Dornick, a young mathematician thrust into a conflict between the Empire of Cleon and her mentor’s predictions regarding its collapse. It’s a show that not only expands on the great science fiction writer’s universe, with Asimov’s daughter as an executive producer of the Apple TV series, but also reinterprets its heavy lore and scientific concepts for a modern audience. If you’re a fan of sci-fi epics like “Dune,” “Foundation” is the kind of series that might serve as a gateway to more intellectually challenging science fiction.
7. Murderbot
Martha Wells’ series of novels known as “The Murderbot Diaries” was just oozing with potential to become the next hit TV dramedy, so it’s no wonder a streaming service like Apple TV got its hands on it. Starring Alexander Skarsgård, “Murderbot” follows a security robot who, detesting human behavior, hacks the part of its own programming that forces it to follow human beings’ commands. As it accompanies a team of researchers on various missions, Murderbot’s behavior arouses suspicions among the crew of morally dubious scientists.
With the sorely underused comedic strengths of Skarsgård and an equally funny supporting cast including David Dastmalchian, Anna Konkle, and John Cho, “Murderbot” provides a hilarious parable about social nonconformity while also painting an intriguing picture of a world in which artificial intelligence has gone beyond the limits of what humans can imagine. Toeing the line between futuristic comedy and serial killer thriller, “Murderbot” is a show that proves Apple TV is the best streaming service for sci-fi fans.
6. Sunny
“Sunny” makes for the second sci-fi series on this list about a robot that goes rogue. The comedy series stars Rashida Jones as an American woman living abroad in Kyoto, dealing with the grief of mysterious, technology-related deaths in her family. However, she’s unexpectedly gifted a “domestic assistance robot” named Sunny, designed by her presumed-dead husband, though her attempts to rid herself of this AI burden prove ineffective as she continues to investigate her family’s disappearance.
With a strong performance by a leading actress who can deftly handle the tonal shifts between quirky sci-fi comedy and mystery thriller, “Sunny” was a welcome addition to Apple TV’s growing library of science fiction exploring futuristic worlds that are a lot closer to reality than we’d like to imagine. Sadly, Apple TV cancelled “Sunny” after one season, putting an abrupt end to the highly inventive and, at times, disturbing show. If you like other A24-produced TV shows like “Beef” and “Margo’s Got Money Troubles,” then this might be the kind of hidden gem on Apple TV that you’ll wish there were more of on television.
5. Dark Matter
With only one season released in full, “Dark Matter” has kept fans on the edge of their seats for two years as they wait for Season 2 to be released. This science fiction drama, based on a 2016 novel by Blake Crouch, follows Joel Edgerton as Jason Dessen, a physicist who is abducted by another version of himself and sent to an alternate universe. He’s forced to fight his way back to his own reality, where his other self has taken his place alongside his wife, Daniela, played by Jennifer Connelly.
The doppelgänger story is not new to TV, with plenty of shows across the spectrum of genres exploring the trope, including “Counterpart” and “Orphan Black.” However, unlike these other shows, “Dark Matter” takes a slower, more methodical approach to building out its world, which becomes all the more fruitful as more alternate universes reveal themselves over the course of the first season. “Dark Matter” Season 2 only promises more twists on the horizon for its lead couple, continuing past where Crouch’s original novel ends.
Though some sci-fi fans might be bothered by the lack of grand spectacle in “Dark Matter” as opposed to other series on this list, the ones who stick with it will find an intriguing exploration of multiverse theory, especially for an entertainment industry overstuffed with multiverses. The show’s dark tone and grittier aspects also never shortchange the fun that’s to be had seeing an actor like Edgerton face off against himself.
4. For All Mankind
“For All Mankind,” compared to other science fiction shows on Apple TV, doesn’t stray too far from real-life events. The series takes place in an alternate history where the Soviet Union landed on the moon before the United States, sending the Space Race into overdrive as the conflict evolves over several decades. The show introduces new cast members in each season while still focusing on characters like NASA astronaut Ed Baldwin (Joel Kinnaman), engineer Margo Madison (Wrenn Schmidt), and Mars whistleblower Lily Dale (Ruby Cruz).
With a sixth and final season renewed at Apple TV, “For All Mankind” has the potential to finish off its run as one of the best sci-fi shows on television. The series expertly balances so many characters, plot threads, and time jumps without ever feeling too rushed, too slow, or too heady for even the more casual fans of the science fiction genre. Its grounded portrayal of historical events, both real and fictional, makes it feel less like science fiction at times and more like a documentary about the lengths we go to as a country to exceed the achievements of others.
Particularly in the most recent fifth season, “For All Mankind” has stretched its premise so far into the future (or, to us, our recent past) that we’re now seeing the formation of Mars colonies. Still, it hasn’t lost touch with the idea that the most fantastical science fiction is always a reflection of our modern reality.
3. Severance
Not since “Lost” has television had as intriguing a mystery box as “Severance.” The Apple TV show premiered in 2022, following a group of employees of Lumon Industries who have undergone a procedure splitting their work memories from their outside consciousness, keeping their role in their enigmatic employer’s research all the more suspicious. Adam Scott stars as Mark, a man who has undergone the “severance” procedure to deal with the grief of losing his wife, only for the arrival of a new employee, Helly (Britt Lower), to shake up the status quo in their department.
Though the first season provoked so many questions that kept fans on the edge of their seats waiting for more, even Season 2, released in 2025, raised more questions than it answered. The supporting performances of John Turturro as Irving, Zach Cherry as Dylan, Tramell Tillman as Mr. Milchick, and Dichen Lachman as Ms. Casey further keep the show feeling less like it’s ballooning out of proportion and more like it’s expanding into a deeper, darker mystery as it goes on.
With many burning questions going into Season 3 of “Severance,” this show is some of the best proof that Apple TV is the perfect home for science fiction. The combination of high-budget storytelling and the benefit of weekly releases, as opposed to the entire season dropping all at once, makes watching “Severance” feel like the rare event television show that the medium is missing these days.
2. Silo
“Silo” gives a long-overdue starring role to Rebecca Ferguson of “Dune” and “Mission: Impossible” fame, starring in the Apple TV series as Juliette, an engineer living in a dystopian society located in an underground silo, whose investigation into the silo’s origins reveals deeper truths about the apocalypse that sent humanity there. Even the best TV shows like “Silo” don’t do as incredible a job of world-building and creating a slow-burn narrative as this sci-fi drama.
Upon the release of its first season, critics praised “Silo” for creating a mystery box series that was equally intriguing to string along for multiple seasons as well as thrilling to keep you hooked from episode to episode. As the series has continued through a second and third season (with a confirmed fourth set to serve as its final installment), the world of “Silo” has only gotten bigger, from the addition of cast members like Jessica Henwick and Steve Zahn to stakes that occasionally turn it into a full-blown sci-fi action series.
Ultimately, where “Silo” succeeds more than anything is in Ferguson’s performance, which grounds the dystopian series in a likable protagonist who we root for from the very first episode. Her character arc from a lowly engineer to a leader of a rebellion might be gradual, but it’s some of the best work in both the actress’ career and Apple TV’s streaming library.
1. Pluribus
Though it’s only aired for one season thus far, “Pluribus” has enough goodwill supporting its place at the very top of this list. From creator Vince Gilligan, the man who brought TV both “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul,” comes the writer’s first major TV venture outside the AMC universe, while not straying far from the city of Albuquerque. “Pluribus” follows Rhea Seehorn as Carol Sturka, a fantasy author who becomes one of 13 people on Earth unaffected after an alien virus turns the rest of humankind into a benevolent hive mind determined to assimilate them.
Gilligan’s skill at writing compelling television, as slow as it may be, is not to be questioned at this point. However, viewers of “Pluribus” will walk away from it with a boatload of respect for Seehorn, who at many points leads episodes all by herself in the absence of her friendly hive-mind neighbors. Nevertheless, the show also boasts incredible performances from cast members like Karolina Wydra and Carlos-Manuel Vega, who help lighten the load that Seehorn clearly has no trouble lifting.
Simply put, in the span of only nine episodes, Seehorn shines in this defiantly weird sci-fi tale. Furthermore, it feels like a genuinely fresh take on the age-old hive mind trope with an even fresher message about the dangers of AI assimilation and the imperfections of human nature. If they keep it up for subsequent seasons, Gilligan may have just handed Apple TV its golden-yellow goose.
