There’s no genre more imaginative than science fiction; they can be set deep in the expanses of space or an everyday world much like our own.Amazon Prime’s newest television show,The Power, introduces a world where teenage girls gain the ability to electrocute others at will, creating a change in the power dynamic of society. Having premiered on Mar 31 andboasting an impressive cast, audiences may be interested in more science fiction shows to binge between episodes.
Over the last several decades, several dystopian sci-fi shows have been released that are worth checking out. From the futuristicThe CWshow,The 100, which features a world gone bad, to theHuluoriginal series,The Handmaid’s Tale, which takes an in-depth view into a plausible, dystopian future.
10’Station Eleven' (2021-2022)
After famed actor Arthur Leander (Gael Garcia Bernal) dies on stage, a global flu pandemic spreads and wipes out the population. Fifteen years later, Kirsten Raymonde (Mackenzie Davis), an actress from that performance, travels with a group of performers through the post-apocalyptic world and encounters a dangerous cult leader who proclaims he is a prophet.
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Station Elevenis a 10-episode miniseries showing a world that collapsed due to a deadly flu virus. In the aftermath, the world changes, and civilization struggles to adapt. The series crosses many genres, with a firm view of a dystopian future, and the scenes in the past reflected much like a survival thriller.
9’Colony' (2016-2018)
In the not-so-distant future, aliens invade and occupy Earth. The series follows Will (Josh Halloway), Katie Bowman (Sarah Wayne Callies), and their family. To save his family, Will works alongside a group of humans serving the aliens while Katie serves in the Resistance, freedom fighters attempting to put an end to the alien occupation.
Colonyran for three seasons and explored the struggles of surviving on a planet now occupied by superior alien life. The show used themes of an alien occupation to explore how occupying forces have ruled other countries in the past and mixed action and suspense together to create a captivating sci-fi series.
8’Brave New World' (2020)
In a world where life appears perfect, a group of well-off people begins to question the rules set in place and challenge the society they were born into. In a nearby part of the country known as The Savage Lands, John the Savage (Alden Ehrenreich) and other citizens struggle with the harsh reality of their lives.
Loosely based on the novel of the same name,Brave New Worldshows a world that, on the surface, appears pristine and perfect, but there are much deeper events in play. Only running for one season, the Alden Ehrenreich drama explored the dystopian undertones of a seemingly utopian world.
7’Snowpiercer' (2020-2023)
After an experiment to stop global warming fails and causes a new Ice Age, a train carrying the last remnants of humanity circles perpetually around the globe. Separated by social classes based on skill and wealth, the more prominent members thrive on the train while those of lower classes, including the tailies, struggle to survive.
Based on a graphic novel,Le Transperceniege, and the film of the same name,Snowpierceris a series that explores class warfare and social injustice. It features standout performances byDaveed Diggs,Jennifer Connelly,andSean Bean.
6’Westworld' (2016-2022)
Set in the future,Westworldtakes place in a theme park created by Dr. Robert Ford (Sir Anthony Hopkins), where vacationers get to experience their fantasies and desires with android hosts. After years of misuse, some androids gain sentience, question their purpose, and fight back.
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Based on theMichael Crichtonmovie of the same name, the television series explores a world where human desires, no matter how depraved, are indulged and questions the morality of such a society. TheJonathan NolanandLisa Joyseries won nine Emmy Awards over the four-season run.
5’The 100' (2014-2020)
In a post-apocalyptic world, groups of survivors from a space habitat return to the Earth nearly a century after a nuclear apocalypse. The first people sent back, a group of delinquent young adults, must survive on a planet where they are not alone.
Amassing a dedicated fan base over its seven seasons,The 100introduced audiences to an Earth that was dangerous and hostile, and questions of survival were always posed. With a total of 100 episodes,The 100is a perfect show to watch for more dystopian drama and thrills.
4’Under the Dome' (2013-2015)
After an indestructible, invisible dome traps the people of Chester’s Mill inside, the residents of the small town must fight to survive as they run low on resources. A small group of townspeople must work together to uncover the mystery of the dome and attempt to find a way to escape.
Based on theStephen Kingnovel of the same name,Under the Domewas a series that ran for three seasons onCBS. The series posed questions and thrilled audiences over its short run. The mysteries of the dome ran deep, and the length of the series lends it to be binged.
3’Black Mirror' (2011-2019)
Black Mirroris an anthology series that explores the future, specifically the dangers of rapidly advancing technology and its effect on society. Each episode presents differing and often terrifying views of the future: while the setting and plausibility of each episode vary, they are all equally chilling.
Black Mirrorfeatures stand-alone drama episodes that explore various dystopian possibilities in society. The episodes are often unsettling and pose questions about the efficacy and safety of the technology that society now relies on.
2’The Last of Us' (2023-)
Set in an alternate universe where a mass fungal infection caused the infected to transform into zombie-like creatures,The Last of Ustells the tale of Joel (Pedro Pascal), a man tasked with transporting Ellie (Bella Ramsey) across the United States. Ellie is immune to the virus and may be the key to creating a vaccine.
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The Last of Usis based on theNaughty Doggame of the same name and premiered Jan 2023. More speculative fiction than science fiction, this zombie thriller still terrifies andchallenges audiences' perception of human nature.
1’The Handmaid’s Tale' (2017-)
Following the Second American Civil War, a fundamentalist regime holds power in the country of Gilead, where they deem women as property of the state. In an attempt to repopulate the world, the government enslaves fertile women to increase the birth rates. June Osbourne (Elisabeth Moss), one of the women enslaved, attempts to survive the dystopian society and find her daughter, who was taken from her.
Falling under the umbrella of science fiction due to its speculative nature,The Handmaid’s Taledoesn’t fall into the common sci-fi tropes. LikePower,The Handmaid’s Taleis set in a world similar to modern society and not far in the future where technology becomes unrecognizable. The show has five seasons, with a sixth and final one on the way.
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