The sci-fi genre features some of the best action scenes of all time, as there is so much potential for a fantastic spectacle. Still, there is more to a great action scene than just visual effects, and this is especially true of earlier TV shows, which made up for low-budget effects with powerful performances. This makes many sci-fi TV shows better than any blockbuster movie.
The best sci-fi TV shows of all time balance action with character development so that we feel the impact when a beloved character does something heroic or dangerous. Sci-fi might have a reputation for being cold, but this is inaccurate, as even the best TV battle scenes in sci-fi shows tend to highlight the unforgettable actions of individuals.
The Clone Fight
Altered Carbon
Cyberpunk TV shows tend to oversexualize their female characters, and while this includes Altered Carbon at times, the fight between Rei and Kristin is about brutality rather than sexuality, despite the nudity involved. The two characters appear equally matched, and the scene is a perfect example of high stakes, as we have no idea who will win.
There might only be one of Kristin, but her bionic arm is a challenge for Rei, who sends her consciousness into her many spare sleeves, one after the other. This presents an exhausting fight for Kristin, who is gravely injured but armed with a gun. The scene is unpredictable, fast-paced, and features some great stunts from both actors.
Obi-Wan Escapes Mandalore
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
The Clone Wars is arguably the best Star Wars TV show ever made, with many scenes that are tough to watch. Star Wars animations feature some surprisingly dark scenes, and Obi-Wan’s escape from Mandalore is one of the best. As the Mandalorians are attacked by the Nite Owls, Obi-Wan escapes with both his jetpack and lightsaber, heading for the docklands.
The emotional stakes are high in the scene, as Obi-Wan is still reeling from watching Satine’s murder, and the spectacle makes the action incredibly hard-hitting. Every new angle shows a new side to the chaos raging around the characters, highlight Obi-Wan’s escape scene as a success in every way, from the storytelling and character development to the animation and epic scale.
The Boat Fight
Into The Badlands
Not all sci-fi action scenes have to take place on spaceships, and Into the Badlands‘ boat fight scene is one of the best smaller-scale action scenes for its unusual genre mix. The show takes inspiration from both sci-fi and martial arts movies, giving us an iconic fight. Nobody uses guns in Into the Badlands, so the scene is entirely done with weapons and hand-to-hand combat.
The boat fight takes place on a small riverboat, as Sunny and Bajie battle a horde of enemies using a combination of gymnastics, martial arts moves, and genius use of the surroundings, like the boat’s slippery surfaces. The scene could rival any martial arts movie for its creativity and humor, as well as the continous shots that highlight Daniel Wu’s real-life martial arts skills.
The Empire Destroys Terminus
Foundation
While there are some epic live-action battles in TV history, the sci-fi genre is unique in its ability to showcase scale. Even the biggest battles in most TV shows involve a literal field of battle, while sci-fi can make a battlefield out of an entire planet. This is what happens in Foundation, during the devastating scene where the Empire destroys the planet Terminus.
The visuals are a sci-fi standout, showing the planet from far away as the ship opens fire. Foundation cuts the destruction with scenes of individual characters about to die and others watching the planet’s death from safety. It is a terrifying depiction of war, with the soundtrack making the scene into a cinematic piece as well as a commentary on the cruelty of the Empire.
Burnham Surfs The Ship
Star Trek: Discovery
Spacewalks highlight the vastness of space and illustrate how tiny the characters really are, adding an extra layer of danger to any sci-fi TV series. As Star Trek is one of the greatest sci-fi franchises of all time, each installment has a lot to live up to, and Star Trek: Discovery delivers. Sonequa Martin-Green’s Commander Michael Burnham gives an incredible chase scene in season 5.
While chasing the lovers, Moll and L’ak, Commander Burnham mounts the spaceship and rides it at warp speed. The action scene perfectly illustrates Burnham’s daring and prowess in being outside the ship. Her space ride is one of the best scenes in Star Trek that takes place outside the spaceship, and her comment, “Never a dull moment,” sums it up.
Severed Dreams
Babylon 5
“Severed Dreams” is one of the single best episodes of sci-fi television that ever aired, winning Babylon 5 a Hugo Award. The episode is one of a three-part storyline in which Earth’s Alliance forces attempt to take control of the Babylon 5 station. While the firefight that breaks out is an excellent spectacle considering the older special effects, it is Delenn’s speech that punctuates the action.
As Babylon 5 breaks away from President Clark’s totalitarian control of Earth, the Minbari arrive to challenge the Earth ships, who refuse to withdraw. Delenn challenges, “Only one human captain has ever survived battle with a Minbari fleet. He is behind me. You are in front of me. If you value your lives, be somewhere else,” effectively ending the fight.
The Siren’s Revenge
Love, Death + Robots (Jibaro)
Love, Death + Robots is a short excellent sci-fi series that you can binge in a day, while also being one of the most ambitious sci-fi series of all time. The cyberpunk anthology features several phenomenal action scenes, but the fight between Jibaro and the siren is the best. The greedy conquistador Jibaro discovers a golden siren guarding a lake, and the two fascinate each other.
The siren’s animation is based on the sinuous movements of a dancer, and she appears otherworldly in comparison to the human character. What begins as a romantic encounter begins to turn violent, but still looks like a dance throughout. The action moves at the speed of the pair’s emotions, and is both beautiful and disconcerting to watch.
Narkina 5 Prison Break
Andor
Andor‘s episode “No Way Out” is the culmination of the escape plan of a group of prisoners who break out of the brutal Narkina 5 prison. The group includes Cassian Andor, who emerges as a compelling leader. Rather than relying on typical sci-fi tropes like high-tech weaponry, Andor‘s prison break scene is much more realistic considering the setting.
The scene is chaotic, highlighting the power of the many united prisoners against the guards, and the spectacle is a perfect visual contrast, with the hard-hitting and desperate act set within the sterile and cold setting. Star Wars has always focused on the human cost of war, and the scene involves some of Andor‘s best performances, including a heartbreaking sacrifice.
The Razorback Chase
The Expanse
Some of the space battles in The Expanse look better than many sci-fi movies, and the Razorback chase sequence is not only a standout moment for The Expanse but for the sci-fi genre. While space presents many threats, gravity is one of the most dangerous and underestimated, but in the Razorback chase scene, it is given as much attention as the enemy.
As Bobbie coaches Chrisjen through survival at high speed, The Expanse takes the action to a smaller scale, with the characters fighting their own fear. This is the perfect contrast to the wider scene, which shows the ships hurtling through space at breakneck speed. The Expanse‘s commitment to scientific accuracy gives this action scene even more significance and realism.
The Adama Maneuver
Battlestar Galactica
The Adama maneuver action scene has a well-deserved reputation for being one of the most jaw-dropping scenes on TV. Battlestar Galactica‘s Commander Adama showcases a risky move in the middle of a battle, and becomes a sci-fi legend in the process. As a battle rages on the ground below, Adama launches his ship into freefall, shedding armor under the heat.
He releases Vipers mid-fall, before jumping back out just in time. The move is a combination of bravery, loyalty to his people, and sheer desperation. There are many great action scenes in Battlestar Galactica, but this one stands out for one man’s heroism. The Adama maneuver has a place as one of the best scenes in Battlestar Galactica and the sci-fi genre.
