There are some great science fiction TV shows onHBO Max, catering to every level of interest in the genre.Unlike the fantasy genre, science fiction is a bit more specific a genre to define, but there is still a wide variety of sci-fi series appropriate for viewers of all interest levels.
The science fiction offerings on HBO Max run the gamut from crude, hilarious cartoons to franchise epics with millions of dollars invested in production. It’s not the longest list of TV shows, with superhero series and comedies taking up a big portion of the list, but the best it has to offer are excellent shows.
The TNT sci-fi seriesFalling Skiesbegins six months after an alien invasion of Earth. The invading aliens easily rolled over humanity, killing 90% of the world’s population. The 700 million survivors are spread out across the globe, either in hiding or banding together to fight back.
A former history professor, Tom Mason (Noah Wyle), is now the second-in-command of Earth’s militia regiment, set on exposing the secrets of the invaders and saving what remains of their home.Falling Skiesis an intriguing mystery box of a show, and while it grows convoluted over the seasons, it’s still worth watching.
Visitorsis anunderrated comedy science fiction TV showfrom France that follows a rookie cop named Richard Garcia (Simon Astier) from the town of Pointe-Claire who experiences a mysterious explosion that drags him and his goofy group of friends into a war with forces from beyond the stars.
It’s an action-packed series that sees a group of ne’er-do-well humans caught up in a fight between alien nations, and there’s a lot of comedy that can be extracted from that premise.Visitorsis a quirky, very bingeable series, at least once you get used to its odd sense of humor.
Dune: Prophecyis set 10,000 years before the events of Denis Villeneuve’sDunefranchise. It draws specifically from Brian Herbert’s (Frank’s son) trilogy,Great Schools of Dune, though it is set after those novels, makingProphecyprimarily an original story. The series focuses on the early days of the Bene Gesserit.
Called the Sisterhood in this time period, the cabal of powerful superhuman women seeks to maintain their power in the aftermath of a large war that ended the threat of artificial intelligence in theDuneuniverse. The series is strengthened by Emily Watson and Olivia Williams' powerful performances and serves as a satisfying appetizerwhile we wait forDune 3.
The comedy science fiction seriesAvenue 5stars Hugh Laurie as Ryan Clark, the captain of the interplanetary cruise shipAvenue 5. This luxury ship is slightly damaged in the first episode, resulting in the eight-week-long cruise back to Earth taking three years. Ryan and his crew prepare for three years of maintaining order on an increasingly desperate ship.
Josh Gad, Zach Woods, Suzy Nakamura, and Nikki Amuka-Bird also star as crew members and passengers, all attempting to handle this new normal. It’s an incredibly caustic show, in the same vein as creator Armando Iannucci’sVeep, but it is still filled with smart, clever jokes and an adherence to the plot.
Based on the DC Comics superhero of the same name,Doom Patrolis a squad of some of the strangest heroesto ever appear in comics. The series follows the eponymous team, who all received their powers through tragic circumstances and are shunned by society for the most part.
The Doom Patrol is cared for by Niles Caulder (Timothy Dalton), who also allows them to reside in his mansion. These misfits battle all sorts of villains while figuring out the secrets of their past. It’s a series completely unafraid of its own weirdness, and its commitment to the characters helps you to care about a wacky and unbelievable story.
Fired on Marsis a workplace comedy in a science fiction setting and manages to marry the two conceits better than almost any science fiction series before it. The animated adult show perfectly captures how the bureaucracy and frustration of the modern job industry won’t change just because of scientific advancements.
The show, set on Mars, follows Jeff Cooper (Luke Wilson), a graphic designer living and working on the Red Planet for a new start-up. Once his work is deemed redundant, however, he’s fired, and he must now figure out how to find fulfillment despite having no job and not being allowed to return to Earth.
Originally pitched as a Bizarro version ofBack to the Future,Rick and Mortytakes inspiration from just about every science fiction trope and story you can think of to create something ridiculous, absurd, and surprisingly clever. It’s a show stuffed with jokes as well as an understanding of sci-fi story conventions that never feels too obnoxious.
The series follows Rick, a super-genius scientist and misanthrope, and his grandson Morty, a naive and often selfish young teen roped into Rick’s adventures.It’s a wildly creative show, often spending an inordinate amount of time showcasing something as mundane as the location of the perfect toilet seat.
The dystopian science fiction miniseriesYears and Yearstakes place between 2019 and 2034 and focuses on the Manchester-based Lyons family whose lives converge on a crucial night in 2019.Years and Yearsthen quickly jumps through the next 15 years of upheaval brought on in part by a celebrity populist turned controversial politician.
The series was produced in 2019 and is a shockingly accurate depiction of the events that have since transpired. It’s a scathing depiction of the present and the future, which would be funny if some of the predictions weren’t coming true. Despite the nihilism, there’s a sense of humor inYears and Yearsthat gets you invested in the family.
Damon Lindelof’s miniseriesWatchmenis the sequel to Alan Moore’s seminal graphic novel and Zack Snyder’s adaptation of that novel. This series is set in a post-Doctor Manhattan world, and vigilantes have been outlawed due to their violent methods. However, there are some who still remember the past.
Watchmenis a beautifully constructed series, with probing philosophical questions that are expertly explored, and mysteries and puzzles that nearly all get satisfying answers. It’s a show that takes place in a creative, invented world, yet has so many key similarities to our own, you might mistake yourself in the reflection of an interrogator’s mirrored mask.
Scavengers Reignis one of thoseamazing TV shows that nobody seems to have watched. The animated series follows the survivors of the damagedDemeter 227, an interstellar cargo ship, who land on the uncharted planet of Vesta. This alien planet is home to flora and fauna that are completely unique.
The creativity on display is unbelievable at times inScavengers Reign. Never has an alien planet felt so alien. There aren’t many comparisons to the creatures on Vesta, and to even call them creatures is not exactly accurate. It’s a science fiction show onHBO Maxthat needs to be seen to be believed.
