Stranger Things didn’t just become a hit for Netflix, but also became the show that defined the streaming giant’s identity in sci-fi. From its 2016 debut to its final season in 2025, it drew audiences toward Hawkins with a mix of supernatural thrills, 1980s nostalgia, and characters that felt like old friends. It was the series that turned Netflix into a cultural force. It inspired endless fan theories, Halloween costumes, and even reshaped how sci-fi television was perceived in the streaming age.
Now that the Hawkins story has wrapped up after five seasons of hype, anticipation, and hard goodbyes, the genre feels wide open again. Sci-fi works best when it embraces variety. Beyond Stranger Things, plenty of shows are pushing further, taking bigger risks with their stories, and building worlds that feel stranger, braver, and harder to pin down. Some of these dive into technology and its consequences, others explore space and alternate realities, and a few even manage to tell character-driven stories in ways that humble Hawkins. With Stranger Things officially part of TV history, it’s the perfect time to highlight shows that have taken sci-fi to the next level.
8
‘The 100’ (2014 – 2020)
Set nearly a century after nuclear war devastated Earth, The 100 begins when a group of juvenile prisoners are sent from a space station called Art to test whether the planet is habitable again. The survival experiment, however, spirals into an enormous saga of politics, war, and morality. Across seven seasons, the show evolves from a teen survival drama into a layered exploration of humanity’s capacity for both destruction and renewal.
Eliza Taylor’s Clarke Griffin and Bob Morley’s Bellamy Blake anchor the series. They navigate alliances with Grounders, the rise of A.L.I.E.’s AI-driven dystopia, and the eventual colonization of a new world. The 100 stands out specifically for its willingness to push characters into impossible choices. Unlike Stranger Things, which thrives on nostalgia and mystery, this one digs into survival ethics and the cost of leadership. Its mix of brutal realism and high-concept sci-fi makes it just as mind-bending as the next monster tale.
7
‘Westworld’ (2016 – 2022)
HBO’s Westworld is based on Michael Crichton’s 1973 film of the same name. Set in a futuristic theme park where lifelike androids cater to human desires, the series begins with Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood) and Maeve (Thandiwe Newton) slowly awakening to their own agency. Spanning four seasons, the narrative expands beyond the park into the wider world, exploring corporate control, artificial intelligence, and the line between reality and simulation.
With a cast that includes Jeffrey Wright, Ed Harris, and Anthony Hopkins, the show is not only a meditation on consciousness and free will, but also a combination of philosophical depth and jaw-dropping visuals. Stranger Things has only ever offered supernatural thrillers, but Westworld challenges viewers with its existential questions. Season 1’s maze reveal and Season 2’s Shogun World arc proved the show could reinvent itself, while Season 3 pushed into near-future dystopia. It’s the kind of sci-fi that’s both daring and complex.
6
‘Sense8’ (2015 – 2018)
Created by the Wachowskis and J. Michael Straczynski, Sense8 follows eight strangers across the globe as they discover they are mentally and emotionally linked. Known as “sensates,” they share skills, emotions, and experiences, and they’re all being hunted by a shadowy organization led by Mr. Whispers. Filmed on location in cities like Seoul, Berlin, and Nairobi, the series blends sci-fi with themes of identity and global connection.
It stars Bae Doona, Jamie Clayton, Miguel Ángel Silvestre, and Max Riemelt. The diverse cast and international scope makes it unlike anything else on Netflix. It also essentially expands the idea of family across continents, cultures, and identities. Nominated for two Primetime Emmys, Sense8 stands out with its inclusivity and bold storytelling, ultimately offering an experience that feels both intimate and sprawling.
5
‘Arcane’ (2021 – 2024)
Netflix’s Arcane brings the world of League of Legends to life through breathtaking animation and a devastating story. Set in the steampunk-inspired city of Piltover and its oppressed undercity, Zaun, it follows sisters Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) and Jinx (Ella Purnell) as their bond is tested amidst political upheaval and the rise of dangerous hextech technology. With its mix of action, fantasy, and sci-fi elements, Arcane balances explosive battles with nuanced character arcs.
Its artistry, produced by Fortiche in collaboration with Riot Games, set a new bar for animated sci-fi storytelling. Unlike Stranger Things, Arcane thrives on originality. Its visual style alone makes it unforgettable, but it’s Vi and Jinx’s tragic rivalry, Jayce’s political struggles, and Viktor’s transformation that elevate it. Naturally, Arcane won four Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Animated Program, and appeals to both gamers and newcomers.
4
‘The X-Files’ (1993 – 2018)
Premiering in 1993, The X-Files follows FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) as they investigate paranormal cases known as “X-Files.” Multer believes in extraterrestrial life, and Scully is a skeptic with a scientific background. Together, they form one of television’s most iconic duos.
Across 11 seasons and two feature films, the series mashes up monster-of-the-week episodes with a larger mythology involving government conspiracies, alien colonization, and shadowy figures pulling strings behind the scenes. Its eerie tone, memorable villains like the Cigarette Smoking Man, and mix of horror, sci-fi, and detective drama made it a cultural phenomenon. Basically, The X-Files proved sci-fi can be chilling and thought-provoking without relying on retro aesthetics.
3
‘Dark’ (2017 – 2020)
A German sci-fi thriller set in the small town of Winden, Dark begins with the disappearance of children, an event that reveals a tangled web of time spanning multiple generations. It intricately weaves together stories of four families (the Nielsens, Dopplers, Tiedemanns, and Kahnwalds) as they discover secrets about their lineage and the existence of a time loop that traps them in cycles of tragedy.
With its moody atmosphere, nonlinear storytelling, and philosophical undertones, Dark essentially explores the consequences of tampering with time. Unlike Stranger Things, it challenges viewers with a puzzle-box narrative that requires full attention. Its three-season run is tightly constructed, with no filler, and the finale delivers a haunting but satisfying conclusion, turning Dark into one of Netflix’s best international series.
2
‘Love, Death & Robots’ (2019 – Present)
Love, Death & Robots is an acclaimed, animated anthology series created by Tim Miller and produced by David Fincher. Each episode is a self-contained story, with narratives ranging from dystopian futures and alien encounters to surreal explorations of consciousness. The show’s format is such that it allows for experimentation in animation styles. There’s use of hyper-realistic CGI as well as hand-drawn artistry, with runtimes varying between 6 and 20 minutes.
What sets Love, Death & Robots apart is the fact that it constantly reinvents itself in every episode, offering fresh perspectives and visual innovation. In contrast, Stranger Things sticks to one narrative world. Episodes like “The Witness,” “Zima Blue,” and “Jibaro” became instant fan favorites, and the show won multiple Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Short Form Animated Program for making sci-fi accessible in bite-sized doses.
1
‘Severance’ (2022 – Present)
One of the most original sci-fi concepts to ever grace television, Severance is a workplace thriller set at Lumon Industries, where employees undergo a procedure that surgically separates their work memories and personal memories. Adam Scott’s Mark Scout leads a team whose “work selves” live entirely within the office, unaware of their outside lives. But as cracks form in the system, a tense unraveling of corporate secrets follows.
The Apple TV+ series blends a sanitized production design with unsettling tension to create a world that feels painfully familiar but severely alien. It digs into psychological sci-fi and touches on themes of autonomy and capitalism. Praised for its slow-burn storytelling and eerie atmosphere, Severance has already earned 14 Emmy nominations and won Outstanding Main Title Design. It’s one of those rare sci-fi shows that’s grounded in an everyday setting but manages to deliver mind-bending thrills.
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