The best sci-fi TV shows on Prime Video that will take you to another world

Fallout is a fun, dynamic, and action-packed video game adaptation that stays true to the feel of Bethesda’s iconic franchise while taking it in a new direction story-wise. You don’t need to be a game enthusiast to enjoy the show – there are plenty of cool Easter eggs for fans to enjoy, of course – but Fallout was made with a wider audience in mind, and thanks to the fantastic acting from the cast (Walton Goggins and Ella Purnell are flawless) and the detailed world-building, you won’t want to miss out on this wild journey into the wasteland.

Cyberpunk mastermind William Gibson wrote the original novel for The Peripheral. Created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, who brought you TV’s Westworld and Fallout, the series follows Chloe Grace Moretz as Flynn Fisher, a woman who becomes entangled in a reality-warping virtual reality video game. A journey to a future London and an unexpected mission to save the world changes her life – and the series – forever.

Greg Daniels has plenty of experience bringing revolutionary comedies to TV, from The Office to Parks and Recreation to The Good Place, and in Upload he brings that quirky sensibility to the afterlife, creating a show in the near future where a technology company offers virtual resorts where the consciousnesses of the recently deceased can enjoy a heavenly, eternal vacation – if they can afford it, of course.

The Expanse is a “little engine” of a science fiction television show. The series depicts a future world where humanity has successfully colonized the solar system. It began as a scripted original series on SyFy, but the network canceled the show after three seasons. Thankfully, Amazon swooped in and saved the show from cancellation. Over its six season run, the series gained popularity and viewership, maturing into an intelligent and engaging sci-fi drama.

A few years after Garth Ennis’ Preacher enjoyed moderate success on AMC, the writer’s celebrated superhero comic The Boys arrived on Prime Video to huge success. In the series, a group of unscrupulous celebrity superheroes vie for power and fame while an outlaw gang (the Boys) hunts them down individually. It’s violent spectacle laced with plenty of social and political commentary that punches you in the face. And it’s pretty damn good.

Read our review of The Boys.

Like the original series, Gen V shines a light on the next generation of genetically engineered superheroes who are powerful, violent and disruptive. The usual social and political tropes are present here. Additionally, Gen V delves into topics such as the impact of social media, body image, classism and race in the field of higher education.

Inspired by the narrative artbooks of Swedish retro-future artist Simon Stålenhag, the series balances the sleek aesthetic of a tech-driven future world with the tranquil, quaint atmosphere of rural America. Jonathan Pryce and Rebecca Hall deliver standout performances in this quirky, slow-paced sci-fi series.

The Outer Range is perhaps the best mix between Yellowstone and The X-Files. This sci-fi western follows Royal Abbott (Josh Brolin), the head and owner of the Abbott family ranch. His family is struggling with the aftermath of the mysterious disappearance of his daughter-in-law. When a stranger comes to stay with the family, Royal is forced to consider his past, present and future. If you’re looking for a quirky series backed by great writing and performances, this is it.

Read our review of Outer Range.

What if America hadn’t won World War II? That’s the central question that The Man in the High Castle seeks to answer. Based on the novel of the same name by Philip K. Dick, the series is set in the 1960s and presents an alternate reality in which Nazi Germany and Japan jointly rule the United States. When newsreel footage surfaces from an alternate timeline in which Germany and Japan lost the war, the seeds of rebellion are sown. Ridley Scott serves as executive producer on this moving, thought-provoking series.

Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), Ronald D. Moore (Battlestar Galactica) and Michael Dinner (Justified) have come together to bring Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams to life. This futuristic anthology series explores how technology will affect humanity in a variety of fantastical and terrifying ways. The similarities between the stories in Electric Dreams and Black Mirror are undoubtedly numerous, but each episode of the Prime Video show takes inspiration from the work of the sci-fi author of the same name.

Thematically, “Night Sky” is reminiscent of “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and “Cocoon.” Lasting just one season, this slow-burn series stars J.K. Simmons and Sissy Spacek as an elderly couple dealing with the trials and tribulations of their golden years, when there’s also a mysterious portal to a strange planet beneath their shed. This sentimental mystery box series explores aging and death in a surprisingly heartfelt way, thanks to compelling performances from its two lead actors.

Inspired by Robert Kirkman’s comic book series of the same name, Invincible follows Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun), an ordinary high school student who is the son of Earth’s mightiest superhero, Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons). Mark develops special powers and discovers the unfortunate truth about who his father is and the shady deeds he committed. The animated series is beautifully designed, well-written, and superbly acted. It is considered by many to be the best superhero show on television, and for good reason.

The Prime Video series “The Power,” based on Naomi Alderman’s 2016 novel of the same name, tells the story of teenage girls around the world who suddenly gain the ability to shoot electricity from their hands. How will this superpower change the female experience in America and beyond? Starring Toni Collette and John Leguizamo alongside a cast of talented young women, the series aims to upend gender tropes and dynamics.

It’s easy to draw comparisons between Paper Girls and Stranger Things: Parts of the story are set in the ’80s and follow a group of kids riding their bikes around town, struggling to make sense of the supernatural happenings happening in their town. But that’s where the similarities end. Based on Brian K. Vaughn’s comic book of the same name, the one-season show begins with a group of 12-year-old papergirls coming face to face with their future selves and fighting to survive as a time-traveling war rages around them.

It may come as a surprise, but Truth Seekers is the first TV show created by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. Over the past few decades, the duo has built a reputation for creating entertaining fare across a variety of genres, from Shaun of the Dead to The End of the World. Truth Seekers may not be as laugh-out-loud funny as their previous collaborations, but that’s okay. The ghost-hunting series is still packed with horror homages, and the fun chemistry of its ensemble cast makes it worthy of a low-risk binge-watch.

Following the initial success of Black Mirror, a boom in genre anthology series has seen the release of “The Feed,” now available on Prime Video, another show that explores the dark side of technology. The show is set in a near-future London where people are able to livestream their daily lives thanks to implants in their heads. A look at society’s obsession with social media and the dopamine rush that drives bad decisions, “The Feed” features an A-list cast that includes David Thewlis (Wonder Woman, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) and Game of Thrones’ Michelle Fairley.

Prime Video took a big gamble with Dead Ringers. This modern take on David Cronenberg’s cult horror classic stars Rachel Weisz in the dual roles of doctors Elliot and Beverly Mantle, whose zeal for pushing the boundaries of medicine leads them to ignore medical ethics. As a result, the show is eager to explore a variety of themes, including Big Pharma’s control over women’s health, outdated reproductive medicine, and bodily autonomy.

The rotoscope animation used in Undone presents the audience with a dreamlike tapestry. While one could view the show as a fantastical work of art, it also contains deep meaning. The show follows Alma (Rosa Saraza), a troubled twenty-something whose life changes after an accident. As her reality shatters into something else, she must fight to make sense of the trauma. A mix of mystery, thriller, and family drama, it’s no exaggeration to say that Undone is unlike any TV show you’ve ever seen.

Not to be confused with the short-lived comedy starring Patrick Warburton, this live-action version, featuring a blue superhero with wiggly antennae, is broader, more action-packed, and takes the parody comic book genre a little more seriously. Ben Edlund, creator of the original comic books and the 2001 TV series, served as executive producer on this iteration of the character, ensuring that the show’s sense of humor and tone stayed true to his original vision. Peter Serafinowicz and Griffin Newman have great chemistry, and Jackie Earle Haley is an absolute joy as the villain Terror. This three-season series is a must-watch for any comic book fan.