Science fiction has always been the perfect genre toquestion the world we live in. Stories of distant planets, futuristic technology, and time travel have proven to be the perfect mirror of human fears and ambitions. Not only does the genre explore possible futures, butit also reflects on the present, and that is what makes it so impactful.
Over the years, Prime Video has become home to some of the most ambitious and thought-provoking sci-fi storytelling that forces viewers to really think about the consequences of technology and progress. Here is a list of the greatest sci-fi shows on the platform that hit the perfect 10/10 mark.
1
‘The Expanse’ (2015–2022)
The Expansehas to be one of the most criminally underrated shows on Prime Video. At a time when sci-fi shows were focused on dramatic space wars and heroes who saved the galaxy in seconds, The Expanse told the story of a believable future. The show, based on the novels by James S. A. Corey, is a six-season saga that feels as lived-in and authentic as ever. The story follows a diverse group of characters, including United Nations Security Council member Chrisjen Avasarala (Shohreh Aghdashloo), a detective Josephus Miller (Thomas Jane), along with ship officer James Holden (Steven Strait)and his crew, as they navigate the balance between Earth, Mars, and the Belt.
The Expanse’scommitment to realism is what makes it stand out. The show uses real physics to create a world where ships flip and burn for deceleration, a single bullet can rupture a hull, and the characters live with the constant threat of vacuum. Beyond science, though, the show’s politics and human drama mirror social divides in the real world, which gives the story depth. The Expanse never underestimates its audience and trusts them to follow complex storylines and layered characters without ever overexplaining. Sure, the show is set in a high-tech future, but the narrative is still grounded in human elements of ambition, corruption, and compassion, which is what makes it stand out from the crowd. This one is a must-watch even if you aren’t a fan of the genre.
2
‘Timeless’ (2016–2018)
Timelesswas a total surprise. The show positioned itself as a straightforward time-travel adventure.However, when you start watching, you realize that it’s far more than just that. The show, created by Shawn Ryan and Eric Kripke, follows history professor Lucy Preston (Abigail Spencer), soldier Wyatt Logan (Matt Lanter), and engineer Rufus Carlin (Malcolm Barrett) as they chase a rogue ex-NSA agent, Garcia Flynn (Goran Višnjić),through time to stop him from rewriting history. Each episode takes you to a different moment in America’s past, from the Hindenburg disaster to the Salem Witch Trials, as the crew rushes to save the timeline and uncover the truth behind the mysterious organization Rittenhouse.
Now, all of this might sound like too much, but Timeless is a masterclass in execution with how the narrative flows naturally. The show is a lesson in history and a high-stakes race against time that only keeps you wanting more. Spencer and Barrett, in particular, deliver Timeless‘s most powerful performances and turn its weekly “mission of the week” format into something that feels much more personal. The science in Timeless doesn’t always check out, but once you look past that, you start to understand that the show is more about the human experience and less about the technicalities.
3
‘Continuum’ (2012–2015)
Continuum is a Canadian sci-fi sleeper hit that is still better than most of its American contemporaries. The show, created by Simon Barry,is set between 2012 and 2077 and follows Kiera Cameron (Rachel Nichols), a cop from the future who is pulled back in time with a band of condemned “terrorists” called Liber8. When Kiera is stranded in modern-day Vancouver, she starts to realize that her world, where democracy has collapsed and mega-corporations run everything,was never the utopia she thought it was.
Continuum is way more than a time-travel procedural because the show places a lot of emphasis on grey areas. There are no purely evil characters here because every side believes that they are doing the right thing. Sure, Liber8’s tactics are brutal, but their cause is completely valid, and even Kiera realizes that. At the same time, Kiera wants to do the right thing, but you can’t blame her for being loyal to the oppressors in the future. That kind of uncertainty gives the show its edge. The storytelling in Continuum is airtight, and the show’s use of functional visual effects like holographic interfaces and cybernetic implants feels practical rather than flashy. Continuum features grounded sci-fi to make the future feel all the more convincing, and that is the genius of the show.
4
‘Upload’ (2020–2025)
Uploadis a sci-fi comedy thatdoes everything right.The show takes a high-concept idea and turns it into something oddly heartfelt yet hilarious at the same time. The story, set in the year 2033, imagines a world where people can upload their consciousness into a digital afterlife, as long as they can afford the data plan, of course. The show follows Nathan Brown(Robbie Amell), a young programmer who dies unexpectedly, only to find himself uploaded into the virtual heaven Lakeview. However, things take a turn when he starts to suspect that his death wasn’t an accident.
Upload is extremely clever in how it makes fun of the very idea of the digital age,with Nathan realizing that his new life comes with its own set of paywalls, glitches, and an unforgiving algorithm. Now, all of this could have easily wandered off into parody territory, but the sharp writing in Upload never lets that happen. Nathan’s chemistry with Nora(Andy Allo), a living customer service rep, is the heart of the show. Even when you know their relationship is doomed, you can’t stop rooting for them.Through this rollercoaster ride of a narrative, Upload strikes the perfect balance between humor, romance, and what it truly means to be human. The show starts as a comedy about digital ghosts, but leaves you surprisingly moved by the end.
5
‘Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams’ (2017–2018)
Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams is a collection of eerie, stand-alone sci-fi stories from the author. The 10-part anthology is produced byRonald D. Moore, Michael Dinner, and Bryan Cranston, who also stars in one of the episodes. It might sound like the show takes a leaf out of Black Mirror‘s book, but Electric Dreams paints a more human picture of the future. The show is less about technology and more about what happens to people when they let their lives be governed by it. Every episode in the show builds its own world, but every storyline comes back to the one question Dick never stopped asking: What does it mean to be human? The show features an impressive cast, including Anna Paquin, Steve Buscemi, Janelle Monáe, Greg Kinnear, and Vera Farmiga,all of whom do complete justice to the author’s stories that move across tone and time. Electric Dreams does feel uneven at times, with certain episodes feeling more impactful than others.
However, the show never relies on shock valueor sudden twists to keep you engaged. Instead, it focuses on themes of unpredictability and paranoia to create a constant sense of tension. Not to mention that the show is visually stunning, which really helps immerse the viewers in the adventures the characters embark on. Some might argue that Electric Dreams is more philosophical than sci-fi because the show might be set in distant futures, but the fears it explores are timeless.
6
‘The Twilight Zone’ (1959–1964)
The Twilight Zonepracticallyredefined television itself.The show, created by Rod Serling, is a black-and-white anthology series that uses science fiction and fantasy to explore the parts of humanity we all like to ignore. Each episode is set in a world that feels familiar, until it isn’t. The show is interesting, in that, it places ordinary people intoextraordinary situations that are revealed with only a big twist in the end. You hold your breath right from the start as you wait for the ball to drop, and that experience never stops feeling exhilarating.
When you look beyond the monsters and aliens, though, you realize that Serling told stories aboutprejudice, paranoia, and war, as well as the quiet dread of modern life, and that’s what makes The Twilight Zone so timeless. The show made you question whether humans were the real monsters, and in doing so, Sterling critiqued popular ideas about racism, mass hysteria, and nuclear destruction. The Twilight Zone was shot on film, which gave it its cinematic quality. The stark lights, minimalist sets, and haunting music came together to create an experience that truly felt otherworldly.Even over six decades later, the show continues to define what bold speculative storytelling looks like.
7
‘From’ (2022–)
From,created by John Griffin, is a sci-fi horror series thatfeels unforgiving in the best way. The show begins with a family taking a wrong turn on a country road and ending up in a small town they can’t seem to escape, with every road looping back in. Not to mention the deadly creatures that come out to kill whenever the sun sets. The whole thing sounds like something out of a Stephen King novel, with themes of religion, reincarnation, and psychological torment. The show spends a lot of time developing its characters before unleashing the horror, so the sense of fear and dread actually feels personal.
Harold Perrineau‘s performance as the town sheriff, Boyd Stevens, feels raw and authentic, while Catalina Sandino Morenoand Eion Bailey capture the Matthews family’s desperation to survive. From thrives on uncertainty and forces you to make connections between the patterns that unfold with each episode. The way every season adds to the mythology and the strange symbols you see everywhere makes for the perfect buildup. However, it remains to be seen whether the show will stick the landing and continue its streak of sharp storytelling.
8
‘The 100’ (2014–2020)
Some might write The 100off for being just another teen survival show, but you really have to stick with it to realize that it is one of the most ambitious sci-fi series of the 2010s. The show is based on Kass Morgan‘s novel series of the same name, and is set 97 years after a nuclear war has wiped out life on Earth. Humans now live on a space station called the Ark, but things take a turn when a hundred juvenile prisoners are sent to the Earth to see if the planet is habitable again. Of course, things get messy fast when the kids realize that the planet their ancestors called home isn’t barren after all. In fact, entire civilizations evolved from the ashes that live there now. One thing about The 100 is that it never plays it safe.
The show begins as a coming-of-age story in the future,but soon transforms into an epic tale about politics, leadership, and sacrifice. Sure, the main characters are all teenagers, but the experiences they go through harden them. In fact, Clarke’s (Eliza Taylor)character arc from an idealist to an experienced leader is one of the show’s standout elements. The worldbuilding in The 100 is brilliantly deliberate, and by the time the show ends, you just don’t want to say goodbye.
9
‘Outer Range’ (2022–2024)
Who would have thought a sci-fi neo-Western would become one of Prime Video’s greatest offerings? Outer Rangemight feel too slow-paced for some, but you can’t deny that the show is as original as it gets.The story follows Josh Brolin as Royal Abbott, a Wyoming rancher who discovers a mysterious black void in his pasture. The stakes rise when a drifter named Autumn(Imogen Poots) wanders onto his land and sets off a chain of events that threaten reality itself. It’s interesting how Outer Range tells a story about land and legacy while also standing as a cosmic mystery about faith, time, and destiny.
These two genres shouldn’t come together so effortlessly, but the brilliance of Outer Range lies in exactly that. Don’t be fooled, though, because the show doesn’t meet you halfway.You either pay full attention to the narrative or watch something else because Outer Range demands its audience fully engage with the characters and storylines. It’s not every day that you see a drama that takes bold risks with its writing without falling flat, and the fact that Outer Range was canceled after just two seasons is a tragedy.
10
‘The Boys’ (2019–)
The Boysis undoubtedly one of the greatest superhero shows of all time because of how it turns the genre on its head. Think of it as the antidote to your average superhero show that gets boring and predictable after the first few episodes. No shade to Marvel! The story is set in a world where superheroes or “Supes” are real, but they are controlled by a corrupt billion-dollar corporation called Vought International. Vought’s superhero team is led by the terrifyingly manic Homelander (Antony Starr), who delivers the performance of a lifetime.
You then have the Boys, a group of vigilantes led by Billy Butcher(Karl Urban), who want to bring the Supes down. The Boys is a biting satire that critiques celebrity culture and corporate greed. Not just that, the show also tackles bolder themes such as fascism, religious fanaticism, and racism. Every season shows just how easily we buy into manufactured ideas of morality. The great thing about The Boys is its moral ambiguity. No one in the show is purely good or bad, and every character is fighting for something they think is real. For a genre that’s built on idealism, The Boys strips away the fantasy and shows you the rot within.
