The science fiction genre had a banner year in 2024 and it’s time to look back on the best of the best.
This year brought us a handful of new “Star Wars” shows that took the canon to new eras, a devastating finale to Netflix’s beloved animated series “Arcane” and reintroduced fans to the classic X-Men in “X-Men ’97.” It was an embarrassment of riches for fans of the genre.
These are the nine best sci-fi TV shows that made their mark on the year.
There have been plenty of good-to-great reboots of beloved series in the past few years. But there’s something about “X-Men ’97,” perhaps owing to its animated origins, that feels as though these new episodes are picking up right where the beloved 1990s show left off. And that’s no easy feat. While the animation has definitely improved, it still maintains the spirit of the original, including its willingness to adapt any silly comic book moment that more serious-minded endeavors would probably have sidestepped. By the time the third episode rolls around, which involves clones and babies and the Hellfire Club, you know that you are in capable, extremely nerdy hands. It’s a shame that Beau DeMayo, the creator of the new series and, by all accounts, its central creative force, was dismissed shortly before the series premiered. It’s unclear what happened, exactly, but as far as the work he delivered goes, well, it’s simply astonishing. — Drew Taylor
“Fallout” became the latest video game IP to get the Hollywood treatment from director Jonathan Nolan and co-EPs Graham Wagner and Geneva Robertson Dworet — and it paid off for Prime Video with record viewership numbers. The drama series, which leverages the dark and comedic elements from the video game franchise while telling an original story set in the same universe, stars Ella Purnell as Lucy MacLean, who’s living in a luxury vault after a nuclear apocalypse has ravaged the Earth. Season 1 follows Lucy to the surface — a violent world known as The Wasteland she’s never experienced before — as she looks to rescue her father Hank (Kyle MachLachlan) by delivering a mysterious artifact to his kidnappers.
Along the way, she encounters The Ghoul/Cooper Howard, a former movie-star-turned-bounty-hunter who’s been deformed by the bombs’ radiation and is portrayed by scene-stealer Walton Goggins, and Maximus, a member of a militaristic faction known as the Brotherhood of Steel portrayed by Aaron Moten, who are both after the same artifact and test her resolve as a naive, optimistic Vault Dweller. But things are not as they seem back in the vault as Lucy’s brother Norm (Moises Arias) uncovers the mystery surrounding how Vault-Tech came to be in the first place. With loose ends still to tie up and new areas from the video game to further explore, “Fallout” is leaving both diehard fans and new audiences in suspense as we await the show’s upcoming second season. — Lucas Manfredi
Warner Bros. first foray into a fully original story set in Frank Hubert’s world of “Dune” landed on HBO back in November. “Dune: Prophecy” takes place 10,000 years before Paul Atreides’ rise on Arrakis and follows a pair of Harkonnen sisters that establish the mysterious Bene Gesserit group to attempt to make the galaxy a safer place — or at least a place molded to their image. If you’re craving a deeper dive into the lore of “Dune,” then this prequel series is likely to give you what you’re searching for and more. — Jacob Bryant
There were a lot of book-to-TV adaptations in 2024 and one of the strongest among that offering was Apple TV+’s “Dark Matter.” Based on the Blake Crouch novel and featuring excellent performances from both Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Connelly, the story is the latest in the current multiverse fad but told in a refreshing “the grass isn’t always greener on the other side” cautionary tale. One version of Edgerton’s Jason Dessen is married to Connelly’s Daniela with a great kid to boot but finds himself kidnapped and thrown into a universe where he chose a career in science over love and family. The version of him realized Daniela was the right choice and found a world were he could replace a version of himself. What follows is one Jason’s journey to get back his family and save them from himself. – JB
For the second time in their careers, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have adapted the unadaptable with “3 Body Problem.” Also from “The Terror” Season 2 showrunner Alexander Woo, Netflix’s latest sci-fi series is based on the book of the same name by Liu Cixin and tells the story of a woman who asks aliens to come visit Earth, knowing that her choice will forever doom humanity. Decades later, the top minds in the world scramble to avoid just that. When “3 Body Problem” is at its best, it offers viewers harrowing visuals as it ponders whether or not humanity deserves to survive, as told through the journeys of five scientist friends. — Kayla Cobb
A key ingredient missing in much of the Disney era of Star Wars stories is that swashbuckling adventure. Apparently the plan was to save it all up for “Skeleton Crew.” The latest outing takes clear inspiration from “The Goonies,” the sun-soaked cul-de-sacs of the golden age of Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Productions, and just about any other “kids on bikes” adventure — but set in a galaxy far, far away. Place Jude Law opposite these plucky kids and the recipe for success only gets stronger as the rag tag group contends with pirates and smugglers while they try to find their way home. And for people who complained about a lack of puppetry in shows like “Andor,” those also were hiding entirely in “Skeleton Crew.” — JB
Disney+ gave “Star Wars” fans their first live action look at The High Republic era with “The Acolyte.” The series takes place 100 years before “The Phantom Menace,” at the height of the Jedi group’s power and influence. A respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae) is tasked to look into a crime spree and comes into contact with a former Padawan (Amandla Stenberg) as the two discover the emergence of dark side powers. The series took a closer look at the more hypocritical nature of the Jedi Order. While not always a flawless show, the finale set up what would have been an interesting second season. — JB
The anticipation for the second and final season of “Arcane” cannot be overstated, and even still it exceeded expectations. The series offered the emotional storytelling that made Season 1 so captivating all wrapped up in some of the best animation on offer. Watching Season 2 makes it clear that every frame of the show is made with tender care and consideration. Come with a box of tissues on hand because if you thought Season 1 was a tearjerker than the final season is likely to break your heart in all the right places. – JB
Apple TV+’s dedication to sci-fi continued it’s gold streak with the second season of “Silo.” Rebecca Ferguson remains a highlight in the dystopian series about people stuck living in a massive silo after the world seemingly comes to an end. Within the silo is a community full of people vying for political power or just a slightly better life than the one on offer. The second season explores the world outside Silo 18 as Ferguson’s Juliette manages to escape and see what else is out there – and how other silo’s faired. – JB
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