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The Best Sci-Fi Television Series Of All Time

Originally by Ranker Community

Updated October 12, 2020 1.2m votes 64.3k voters 822.3k views308 items

List RulesVote up the best sci-fi TV shows and series with strong science fiction elements.

Here is a list of the best sci-fi shows and best sci-fi series of all time, as ranked by hundreds of Ranker voters. This list includes long-running sci-fi TV shows like Doctor Who as well as some of the best canceled shows of the genre. Science fiction TV shows have been around for decades, and some of the longest running shows have fallen into this category. Popular shows such as Star Trek have enjoyed several incarnations, and fan-favorite shows like Firefly and The X-Files have made the crossover from TV to the big screen.

Thanks to networks like SyFy, FX, and The CW, new sci-fi TV shows premiere every year. Sci-fi series like The Expanse, Orphan Black, and The 100 continue to raise viewership ratings and grow fan bases. Netflix has also contributed to the science fiction genre with their original series Stranger Things, which was met with rave reviews.

Vote for your favorite science fiction shows to move them to the top of the list, or press re-rank to create your own list of your favorite science fiction series. Be sure to stop by to vote on the best British sitcoms and best current TV shows airing right now.

Are you a sci-fi fan? Check out this list of current sci-fi shows to watch.

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1
23,406
9,683
Firefly
Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres
Premiered: 2002
Network: Fox Broadcasting Company
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2
16,628
8,655
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner
Premiered: 1987
Network: CBS
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3
15,201
7,390
Stargate SG-1
Richard Dean Anderson, Michael Shanks
Premiered: 1997
Network: Showtime, Syfy
4
16,776
9,562
Battlestar Galactica
Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell
Premiered: 2004
Network: Syfy
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5
15,482
9,369
Doctor Who
Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant
Premiered: 1963
Network: British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC America, BBC One, S4C, BBC HD
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6
11,647
7,112
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Avery Brooks, Rene Auberjonois
Premiered: 1993
Network: UPN
7
12,711
7,814
Star Trek: The Original Series
William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy
Premiered: 1966
Network: NBC
8
10,771
6,588
Star Trek: Voyager
Kate Mulgrew, Robert Beltran
Premiered: 1995
Network: UPN
9
12,986
8,075
The X-Files
David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson
Premiered: 1993
Network: Fox Broadcasting Company
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10
10,406
6,664
The Twilight Zone
Rod Serling, Robert McCord
Premiered: 1959
Network: UPN, CBS
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11
9,998
6,309
Stargate Atlantis
Joe Flanigan, Rachel Luttrell
Premiered: 2004
Network: Syfy
Be sure to check out our list of the best Stargate Atlantis episodes.
12
11,119
7,153
Farscape
Ben Browder, Claudia Black
Premiered: 1999
Network: Syfy, Nine Network
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13
10,609
4,461
The Expanse
Thomas Jane, Steven Strait
Premiered: 2015
Network: Syfy
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14
9,039
6,050
Star Trek: Enterprise
Scott Bakula, John Billingsley
Premiered: 2001
Network: UPN
15
8,819
5,916
Quantum Leap
Scott Bakula, Dean Stockwell
Premiered: 1989
Network: NBC
16
9,882
6,699
Futurama
Billy West, John DiMaggio
Premiered: 1999
Network: Comedy Central, Fox Broadcasting Company
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17
12,306
8,470
Babylon 5
Jerry Doyle, Mira Furlan
Premiered: 1994
Network: Prime Time Entertainment Network, TNT
18
10,403
7,175
Fringe
Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson
Premiered: 2008
Network: Fox
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19
8,316
5,618
Battlestar Galactica
Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell
Premiered: 1978
Network: American Broadcasting Company
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#59 of 537 TV Shows Canceled Before Their Time#5 of 300 The Best Shows Canceled After a Single Season
20
7,603
5,420
Warehouse 13
Eddie McClintock, Joanne Kelly
Premiered: 2009
Network: Syfy
21
6,659
2,384
Stranger Things
Winona Ryder, David Harbour
Premiered: 2016
Network: Netflix
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22
8,208
5,914
Eureka
Colin Ferguson, Salli Richardson-Whitfield
Premiered: 2006
Network: Syfy
23
6,653
5,213
Red Dwarf
Chris Barrie, Craig Charles
Premiered: 1988
Network: British Broadcasting Corporation, Dave
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24
7,370
6,104
Torchwood
John Barrowman, Eve Myles
Premiered: 2006
Network: British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC One, Starz, BBC HD, BBC Three
25
5,986
4,310
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Clark Gregg, Ming-Na Wen
Premiered: 2013
Network: ABC
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