As technology permeates our lives at an unprecedented rate, a dystopian future sees advanced cybernetics battling an oppressive system. science fiction The cyberpunk genre gives visual expression to this possibility, telling stories that address the implications of technological advancement in compelling and thought-provoking ways.
Television, in particular, has been an ideal medium for cyberpunk storytelling, translating seminal novels into live-action and animated adventures. From dark, gritty dramas to vibrant anime, small-screen cyberpunk excels at creating some of the most immersive futures, where characters put their lives on the line to confront global politics and networks.
Common elements found in these TV shows range from the use of augmented reality to neutral networks, powerful corporations, divisions between social classes, and specific heroes who use their wits to fight for freedom and truth.
Our relationship with technology has grown over the past decade or so. Cyberpunk predicted this future long ago, which is why these stories resonate with us. Cyberpunk explores our hopes, fears, and resilience. In this list, we’ve highlighted the 10 TV shows with the most innovative and compelling stories. These shows capture the excitement of the speculative fiction genre, but the end result is so amazing that you forget it’s not reality. At least for now.
Ten Almost Human (2013 – 2014)
Before taking on the role of Billy Butcher in the Amazon Prime Video superhero satire series the boysKarl Urban plays a troubled detective on the Fox sci-fi crime drama. Close to human.
Set in the mechanized future of 2048, the show follows lone cop John Kennex, who reluctantly teams up with an android cop after losing his human friends to the latter. Traumatized after a 17-month coma, Kennex still has holes in his memory, but with the lifelike combat android by his side, he learns what it means to be “almost” human.
Karl Urban’s breakout thriller
Fans of video games like Detroit: Become Human will be excited to watch this show due to the similarities in its setting, and the series is genre accurate with its faithful portrayal of cyberpunk tropes like high-tech police gear, widespread use of enhanced human features, corrupt government forces, and unaccompanied heroes. But its heart lies in the story of Kennex, who learns to trust and respect again after meeting Dorian. Close to human It was canceled after two seasons but remains widely praised.
9 Blade Runner: Black Lotus (2021–2022)
Based on the novel by Philip K. Dick Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Blade Runner Black Lotus is a visually stunning neo-noir animated series set in Los Angeles in 2032. It tells the story of Elle, a young Roman with traumatic memories, superhuman skills, and no purpose or identity. Trapped in a dystopian city where an unknown threat is mounting against her life, Elle soon follows clues and rediscovers her past.
Truly an anime masterpiece
Paying tribute to Ridley Scott’s classic film Blade Runner Black Lotus It also enriched the series by transporting the audience to a dark, rain-soaked metropolis and making the protagonist pose existential questions that they could empathize with. Each frame feels carefully put together with cyberpunk beauty and overwhelming violence. The performances of voice actors such as Arisa Shida, Hideo Fujima, and Takako Honda added weight to the themes centered around memory, power, and justice.
8 Development (2020)
Developer
- release date
- March 5, 2020
- season
- 1
One of the most underrated and ambitious hard sci-fi shows. Developer Written and directed by Alex Garland, the story revolves around Lily Zhang, a young software engineer at the quantum computing company Amaya. After her boyfriend suddenly dies on her first day at work at Amaya, Lily begins to doubt her own company. While shadowing and investigating CEO Forrest, she uncovers a conspiracy that suggests free will is an illusion and fate is fabricated.
Accurate and moving storytelling
Garland is 28 days later and never let me go Still hailed as exemplary today, he brings his signature blend of intelligent storytelling and unwavering emotion to this miniseries.
Lily’s transformation from office worker to determined detective is as fascinating as the show’s technological horrors. Sonoya Mizuno leads the cast to chilling effect, while Nick Offerman provides style, impact and depth as the villain. Developer It’s a puzzle worth putting together.
7 PSYCHO-PASS (2012 – 2019)
Tom Cruise’s Minority ReportYou’ll see why the anime version of the same story is a masterpiece. Set in a future Japan, psychopath It introduces viewers to a government that operates based on the Sibila System, which predicts future criminal acts of humans based on existing data and factors.
A team of law enforcement officers tries to thwart crimes based on forecasts. Honest enforcer Akane Tsunemori joins forces with veteran Shinya Kogami to investigate a conspiracy that suggests the Sibila System is flawed.
Character-driven and action-packed
psychopath Combining dystopian themes and crime-fighting stories with compelling character drama, from Akane’s optimism to Kougami’s ferocity, it balances a hopeless present with a future where destiny can be quantified. Above all, it piques curiosity and raises questions about the use of artificial intelligence and the surveillance state. psychopath It also features beautiful animation and totally convincing high-tech settings.
6 Love, Death & Robots (2019-present)
Love, Death and Robots is an anthology of adult animated stories across a variety of genres, from sci-fi and horror to cyberpunk and dark comedy. Each episode relates to the title concept and, although they vary in tone and theme, they maintain a common threat: a very real, yet mind-bending premise centered around technology and its impact on society.
Short stories, big ideas
Episodic but interconnected by areas of interest, the series is a perfect medium for cyberpunk, featuring some of the wildest and most ingenious concepts, from adrenaline-fueled soldiers facing off against terrifying foes to biological immortality leading to overpopulation and random executions.
Rather than relying solely on visual splendor or conflict resolution, Love, Death and Robots Its focus on raising questions and subverting societal norms, and its diverse directors and production studios ensure that no episode is like another.
Five Ergo Proxy (2006)
Set in a semi-apocalyptic world, Ergo Proxy is another cyberpunk anime that will challenge your perception of the future. Domed cities are home to the last remaining human civilization on Earth. They have created humanoid robots called AutoReivs to aid and coexist with them. But when the AutoReivs become infected with a virus and gain intelligence, seeking the truth of their origins, government agent Re-I Meyer embarks on a journey to uncover a dark secret.
Designing a Deserted Paradise
Ergo Proxy A quintessential cyberpunk masterpiece that combines dystopian mystery with philosophical science fiction. Initially, it depicts an isolated community hiding behind a vibrant past. The series then morphed into a thriller that explores themes such as humanity’s relationship with creation and destruction. Each episode is a subtle allegory about either corruption or the need for change. The dark tone matches the range of topics covered, and has earned it a cult following.
Four Dark Angel (2000–2002)
Set in a dystopian Seattle in the near future of 2019, Dark angel It depicts society rebuilding after an electromagnetic pulse weapon throws the country into chaos. Max Guevara, a genetically enhanced human who escaped a research facility as a child, fights to survive on the streets while she reconnects with her Manticore brothers and sisters and tries to find purpose outside of the control of her creator.
Ahead of the curve
Dark angel It sought to make classic cyberpunk tropes accessible to mainstream audiences by incorporating them into a gripping, X-Men-style drama, with Max, played brilliantly by Jessica Alba, as a morally conflicted vigilante trying to help humanity in the midst of economic collapse.
Playing the tough-as-nails yet vulnerable heroine, she led a strong ensemble that also included Michael Weatherly, John Savage and Valerie Rae Miller. The film was well written and well acted. Dark Angel’s The short running time really makes it rewatchable.
3 Batman Beyond (1999 – 2001)
Now that Gotham City has far surpassed its Gothic state, futuristic society has taken its place, entering a future of caped warriors. Batman Beyond High school student Terry McGinnis discovers the true identity of an aging Bruce Wayne and agrees to mentor him. After Bruce is attacked, Terry dons a new, high-tech Batsuit and battles Mr. Fix and other villains wreaking havoc in the city.
A dynamic new Dark Knight emerges
The Dark Knight has been around for over 70 years, but this is the first time a film or TV series has placed the hero in the future. The subculture and aesthetics of 2039 will, surprisingly, evoke surprise in fans. Will Friedle’s Terry is a complex hero: he confronts a great legacy while at the same time protecting citizens disillusioned by corporate corruption. Mature, but never dark. Batman Beyond Taking advantage of the Batman worldview, the film offers a fresh perspective on familiar action.
2 Altered Carbon (2018–2020)
Modified Carbon
- release date
- February 2, 2018
- Main genre
- science fiction
- season
- 1
The film is based on the 2002 novel of the same name by Richard K. Morgan. Modified Carbon is one of the few big-budget sci-fi TV shows around, and is set in a future where consciousness can be transferred after death, making people essentially immortal.
After being trapped in a consciousness prison for 250 years, ex-soldier Takeshi Kovacs is released into the body of billionaire Laurence Bancroft and is tasked with solving his murder. Although much has changed since Kovacs’ death, his past still comes back to haunt him.
Neo-noir detective story
Modified Carbon is a clever cyberpunk reimagining of Morgan’s classic novel. The premise itself is dark and original; the fact that one’s soul is a literal commodity, like buying or renting clothes at a high-end store, is riveting. Joel Kinnaman and Anthony Mackie embody Kovacs with grit and nuance, while also indulging in intense violence and subplots that critique class inequality. Praised by both audiences and critics around the world, the show is a noir-inspired fantasyland.
1 Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (2022)
In a lawless Japan, a street kid named David Martinez wants to fulfill his mother’s dream of working his way up to a high-ranking position at Arasaka, one of the world’s leading security companies. But after being beaten down by a ruthless street gang, he uses cybernetic enhancements to gain superhuman speed, become an outlaw, and exact revenge on one of his tormentors. Meanwhile, he meets Lucy, a data thief, who helps him survive and make a fortune.
Inside Neo-Tokyo’s wildly beating heart
It’s like an action-packed tragedy. Cyberpunk: Edgerunner is a collaboration between Trigger Studios and CD Projekt Red. By taking full advantage of the skills and storytelling of both companies, the series has established itself as a breakout cyberpunk anime.
Night City’s atmosphere and sense of life are reminiscent of open-world games. Moreover, many of its episodes are poetic depictions of life in the underground city. Character storylines are tightly woven and emotionally impactful. It feels raw, authentic, and Cyberpunk: Edgerunner It deserves to be at the top of the list.
