Over the years, Netflix has made it easier than ever for viewers to watch many of the greatest sci-fi TV shows of all time. Netflix’s best sci-fi TV shows are both Netflix originals and productions from elsewhere, but regardless of their origins, audiences are still quick to check them out on the streaming service. Because there are so many science fiction shows available to watch nowadays, it’s harder for these titles to stand out from their competition, and they need to have some sort of edge to grab viewers’ attention.
The most successful sci-fi TV shows always have some element of unpredictability. By drawing audiences in with a juicy mystery or drama, it makes them think more and become further invested in the story. Then, when something shocking or unexpected happens, they’re even more intrigued, and it makes them desperate to talk to others about it. Viewers never know what will happen next in these mind-boggling sci-fi TV shows, and even if they’re rewatching them, they’re still somewhat surprised by how unpredictable they are.
8
‘Black Mirror’
Even though Black Mirror technically originated on Channel 4 in the UK, the show has officially been a Netflix title since the streaming service picked it up in 2016. Black Mirror is a sci-fi masterpiece with an array of famous episodes that keep audiences talking long after the credits roll. Charlie Booker’s trippy and unpredictable anthology series delves into several topics, but there’s often a focus on sci-fi technology in a dystopian future, and the show brilliantly finds ways to throw viewers off while still pushing its overall message about social and cultural issues.
7
‘Dark’
Dark is a perfect example of an unpredictable sci-fi show. The German time travel thriller is full of complicated lore and strange timelines that audiences need a lot of attention to follow, but it’s well worth doing so. Between the murder mystery side of things and Dark’s sci-fi elements, viewers never know what will happen next, and the possibilities are endless. Dark has been called a perfect follow-up to Stranger Things, but with even more time travel confusion and even more unpredictability than the Upside Down itself.
6
‘3 Body Problem’
While 3 Body Problem left audiences divided upon its release, there’s no doubt the show is unpredictable, just like the physics phenomenon it’s named after. 3 Body Problem centers on a series of scientists during the Cold War who come across an alien civilization. However, their first encounter doesn’t result in peace, but rather quite the opposite. With a looming extraterrestrial threat nearby, it’s hard to know how certain actions will impact the future, and audiences are left anxiously waiting as the show jumps between two timelines to find out humanity’s fate.
5
‘Altered Carbon’
Altered Carbon is an amazing sci-fi murder mystery title with a truly thought-provoking story. The cyberpunk show is one of the most exciting Netflix series ever made, focusing on newly released prisoner Takeshi Kovacs, who uses body-swapping technology to solve a murder in a world where people’s consciousnesses are digitally uploaded for safety. Whether it’s because of the jarring difference in Takeshi between Seasons 1 and 2 or the use of dystopian sci-fi technology, audiences agree that Altered Carbon‘s story is another level of unpredictable.
4
‘Sense8’
Sense8 is an incredibly mind-bending watch, and while it’s primarily a sci-fi title, it also features a lot of romance, action, and drama, too. The show follows a group of 8 strangers who are all mentally and emotionally connected through a psychic bond as a result of a strange experiment, who try to escape and survive the organization that created them as they attempt to hunt the “sensates” down. Watching the Sense8 characters discovering their origins and fates is a nail-biting experience, and despite the show’s frustrating cliffhanger ending and Season 3 cancellation, it’s still worth a watch.
3
‘Orphan Black’
Even though Orphan Black isn’t a Netflix original, it has gained so much popularity thanks to the streaming service, and it’s typically the first port of call for viewers when they want to watch it. Orphan Black centers on Sarah Manning, one of multiple genetically engineered clones, but she only discovers this after she assumes the identity of a dead woman who looks exactly like her. Audiences never know whether they’ve met all the clones or not, and the show’s themes of the power of human identity and the ethical and moral implications of cloning make this underrated sci-fi TV masterpiece an unpredictable and gripping watch.
2
‘Love, Death, & Robots’
Love, Death, & Robots is a fascinating sci-fi anthology series, and it’s considered unpredictable in several ways. Each installment follows a new sci-fi story with twists and turns, but they all differ so much from one another that viewers have no idea what to expect when they start the next episode. From secret billionaire robot artists to time loop murders, Love, Death, & Robots takes audiences to all manner of strange and wonderful versions of history. Even though it isn’t unpredictable in the traditional sense, as there’s no overarching story for viewers to sink their teeth into, Love, Death, & Robots ensures there are plenty of surprises.
1
‘Maniac’
While mainly a psychological dark comedy, the sci-fi elements of Maniac are very important to the unpredictable story. Maniac focuses on Annie and Owen, two strangers who form a bond during a trippy and unusual pharmaceutical drug trial, resulting in the pair experiencing some truly mind-bending hallucinations. Both the characters and viewers struggle to figure out what is real and what is a part of these eerie, psychedelic worlds, and while it’s tempting to work it out as you go along, it’s easier to just enjoy the ride and wait for the ending to reveal all (or does it?).
There’s nothing quite like an unpredictable sci-fi TV show, and Netflix offers some of the very best titles available to stream right now. Of course, each viewer is different, and some may have predicted these shows’ twists and turns quicker than others. Did you think these titles were unpredictable, and if not, which Netflix sci-fi TV shows do you think should be included in this list? Let us know in the comments.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
