Science fiction is more than a genre, it’s a doorway. It transports us to other worlds, other realities, and the maybes that keep our minds up all night. Netflix has produced some amazing sci-fi shows in recent years, but there are five that stand out above the rest. These aren’t good shows—these are full-on experiences. So if you’re looking for tales that challenge, thrill, and linger long after the credits are done rolling, this is your list.
1. Black Mirror
Not many shows get under people’s skins like Black Mirror. Each episode is a standalone story, yet all of them revolve around the same theme: our uncomfortable waltz with technology. It’s that kind of show where you can get in on any given episode and still become fully engrossed.
Some episodes, like “San Junipero” or “Hang the DJ,” will leave you contemplative, while others will plain disturb you. This is the type of series that forces you to perceive your phone differently after viewing. You’re not merely watching a future—you’re gazing into the mirror of our timeline.
2. Manifest
Manifest starts with an easy, sinister twist: an airplane vanishes, then comes back five years later—except for the travelers, no time has elapsed. As you read deeper into the story, events begin to unfold perfectly. Plot questions about time, fate, and greater forces at work render each episode more intense than the previous one.
This is not only a puzzle to be solved—it’s a slow-burn puzzle that draws you in to feel, ask questions, and speculate with the characters. It’s ideal for those who appreciate a good combination of supernatural thrills and emotional tension.
3. Love, Death & Robots
Wildly inventive and never to be anticipated, Love, Death & Robots is the sort of series that keeps you guessing. It’s a series of animated shorts that go from futuristic combat to surreal love affairs—and yes, robots. The strength of this show is its diversity. Some episodes are gut-busting intense, some embrace absurdity or tender emotion, and others fall somewhere in between. Each style of animation is unique, each tale new. It’s like reading the pages of a science fiction graphic novel in which each page opens up a new universe.
4. 3 Body Problem
This series does not mess around. 3 Body Problem is a thoughtful, ambitious exploration of humanity’s initial contact with an alien race, grounded in science, philosophy, and moral depth. Adapted from the classic Chinese novel, the book develops slowly and deliberately, challenging you to keep pace. It leaps into astrophysics, virtual reality, and survival on a planetary level. But beneath all that, it’s about us—how vulnerable and brilliant we are in the face of the unknown. It’s not fairy entertainment, but if you’re willing to take it on, it’s a trip you will never forget.
5. Parasyte: The Grey
This one hurts. Parasyte: The Grey, a Korean sci-fi horror movie, takes the terror of alien conquest to the streets and the psyche. Not only do these parasites infect bodies, but they also push against what makes us human. What truly stands out about this series is the grounded feel to it, even when the set-up is far from it. The action snaps, the graphics are intense, but the emotional centre? That’s what makes it so impactful. It’s not about surviving—it’s about identity, loss, and where to draw the line between living together and domination.
Written by: Shubham Choudhary