Top 7 best sci-fi & dystopian shows: Complete list

With society increasingly focused on technology and the future, sci-fi and dystopian shows have gained widespread popularity in exploring fascinating and frightening visions of what may come. 

From dystopian dramas like The Handmaid's Tale to satirical superhero series like The Boys, these shows immerse viewers in fascinating worlds while raising important questions about society, politics, and humanity. Settle in for an escape to the not-too-distant tomorrow with these seven shows. 

Gen V (2023)

Gen V is an action-packed spin-off of The Boys that delves into the origins of the first generation of superheroes. Set alongside the fourth season of The Boys, this American superhero series follows a group of super-powered individuals who discover the truth about their abilities. As they compete for the top spot in their school, they face intense physical and moral challenges that push their limits.

With a talented cast, including Jaz Sinclair, Chance Perdomo, Lizze Broadway, Maddie Phillips, London Thor, Derek Luh, Asa Germann, and Shelley Conn, Gen V delivers captivating performances. 

Critics have praised the show for its compelling character. Gen V has been renewed for a second season shortly after its premiere.

Watch on Amazon Prime Video.

The Last of Us (2023)

The Last of Us is a new post-apocalyptic drama series on HBO based on the popular video game of the same name.

It takes place in 2023, which is two decades after civilization was destroyed by a fungal pandemic that turns people into zombie-like creatures.

Game of Thrones stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ransey star as hardened survivor Joel, and teenager Ellie. The show follows the thrilling journey that unfolds when Joel is tasked to escort Ellie across the United States as Ellie may be humanity's last hope for a cure.

Gabriel Luna, Merle Dandridge, and Anna Torv co-star as other survivors Joel and Ellie encounter on their journey.

The series premiered on HBO in January 2023 to critical acclaim. It was nominated for 24 Emmy Awards and has become one of HBO's most-watched shows in years, with almost 40 million viewers within two months.

Due to its popularity, HBO renewed The Last of Us for a second season shortly after the first season premiered.

Watch on Max.

The Boys (2019 - present)

The Boys is an American superhero series on Amazon Prime Video that offers a satirical take on the genre. Developed by Eric Kripke, it follows a group of vigilantes known as "The Boys” as they stand up to superheroes who misuse their powers and are then helped in covering up their crimes by the conglomerate Seven and Vought, that manages their affairs.

With a talented ensemble cast including Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr, and Erin Moriarty, the show has received rave reviews for both its storyline and the satirical take on the genre.

Since its premiere in 2019, The Boys has been nominated for several Emmy Awards. It has also spawned spin-off web series Seven on 7, and Gen V, and an animated anthology, Diabolical, expanding the universe of The Boys.

Watch on Amazon Prime Video

Upload (2020 - present)

Upload is set in a technologically advanced future where humanity has developed the ability to upload a person's consciousness into a virtual afterlife after death.

The main character Nathan Brown (Robbie Amell) finds himself in this exact situation after dying prematurely in 2033. He awakens in Lakeview, one of the most high-end and expensive digital afterlives. However, he quickly realizes that being uploaded does not necessarily mean freedom, as his still-living girlfriend Ingrid (Allegra Edwards) tries to control him from the real world.

The show also follows Nora (Andy Allo), a customer service representative who acts as Nathan's virtual guide. As she gets to know Nathan and helps him adjust to life in Lakeview, Nora starts to form feelings for him. However, she also begins to question whether Nathan's uploading was truly an accident or if he was secretly murdered.

Watch on Amazon Prime Video.

The Handmaid’s Tale (2017 - present)

The Handmaid's Tale explores a dystopian future set in what used to be the United States. After a devastating civil war and catastrophic drop in fertility, a new totalitarian regime called Gilead rises to power.

Gilead is ruled through religious fanaticism, militarism, and a brutal social hierarchy that subjugates all women. In this bleak world, fertile women called "Handmaids" are forced into sexual servitude as they are ritually raped each month in an attempt to repopulate the land. They exist merely as vessels for childbearing and have no rights or freedoms.

The show centers around one such Handmaid named June (Elisabeth Moss). Assigned to a high-ranking Commander (Joseph Fiennes) and his wife (Yvonne Strahovski), she must comply with Gilead's oppressive rules while desperately clinging to her hopes of escape and reunion with her daughter.

Watch on Hulu.

Stranger Things (2016 - present)

Developed by the Duffer Brothers, Stranger Things combines the thrill of investigation with horror elements and nostalgic tributes to 1980s pop culture.

Stranger Things is a thrilling narrative set in the small town of Hawkins, Indiana, where the residents face a dangerous alternate dimension called the Upside Down, unleashed by a secret government experiment.

The ensemble cast, including Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, and Millie Bobby Brown, delivers impressive performances.

As one of Netflix's flagship shows, Stranger Things has become the one of the most watched shows on the platform and garnered numerous nominations and awards. Stranger Things season five was originally slated to hit Netflix in 2024, but the SAG-AFTRA strike could delay it. 

Watch on Netflix.

From (2022 - present)

From is a sci-fi horror series that takes place in a mysterious town in Middle America. What seems like an ordinary small town is actually a nightmarish place that traps anyone who enters and refuses to let them leave. 

Residents live in constant fear, struggling to survive each night as terrifying creatures emerge from the surrounding forest. They do their best to stay alive and search for some way to escape this strange and frightening place, but its secrets and the danger always seem to be one step ahead.

Critics have praised the unsettling story that kept viewers on the edge of their seats, wondering if any of the townspeople can finally break free from their nightmare prison or if the creatures of the forest will claim them first.

The third season of the show is set to premiere in 2024.

Watch on Amazon Prime Video.