Diego Pineda has been a devout storyteller his whole life. He has self-published a fantasy novel and a book of short stories, and is actively working on publishing his second novel.
A lifelong fan of watching movies and talking about them endlessly, he writes reviews and analyses on his Instagram page dedicated to cinema, and occasionally on his blog. His favorite filmmakers are **Andrei Tarkovsky **and Charlie Chaplin. He loves modern Mexican cinema and thinks it’s tragically underappreciated.
Other interests of Diego’s include reading, gaming, roller coasters, writing reviews on his Letterboxd account (username: DPP_reviews), and going down rabbit holes of whatever topic he’s interested in at any given point.
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Over the course of the last quarter of a century, science fiction fans have been treated to TV shows that have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that sci-fi television is alive and well in the 21st century. Whether these shows are family-friendly or fully for adults, whether they’re cartoons or live-action gems, and whether they revolutionized the genre or simply added a new masterful entry to its canon, they’re all essential viewing for sci-fi fans.
But while it’s rare enough to encounter a sci-fi show from the past 25 years that’s truly exceptional, to find one that’s downright perfect is all the more of a precious rarity. There are some particular shows, however, that stand out as the closest that small-screen science fiction has come to perfection throughout the 21st century. From animated shows like ***The Venture Bros. ***to live-action genre-definers like Firefly, these incredible series are virtually devoid of any significant flaws. In order to qualify for this list, the show’s pilot has to have aired sometime during the last 25 years.
Launched in late 2001, Adult Swim has been providing several of the greatest animated series for adults throughout the last 25 years. Case in point: The Venture Bros., one of the breakout hits that helped put their signature absurdist sense of humor on the map. This legendary sitcom is science fantasy at its best, constantly blending genres in its effort to parody classic action-adventure cartoons from the ’60s.
*Venture Bros. *is far and away one of the best Adult Swim shows of all time. Though its ratings were never stellar, it was the type of show that lent itself perfectly to a cult following: an entirely uncompromised creative vision, deeply layered lore and world-building, and a love letter to nerd culture as a whole. From the hilarious comedy to the irresistibly fun and thrilling action scenes, there’s pretty much nothing to complain about when watching Venture Bros.
Who could have possibly predicted that it would be League of Legends, of all games, that would go on to inspire one of the most acclaimed animated TV shows of the last 25 years? Not only that: ***Arcane ***may well also be **one of the most universally beloved sci-fi and fantasy shows of the 2020s **so far, and in a decade that has thus far been full of incredible genre series, that’s no small compliment at all.
It is, indeed, one of the most perfect fantasy shows shorter than five seasons, blending steampunk elements with mystical magic in a way that fans of either genre should find difficult to resist. The animation is some of the most stunning that the small screen has ever seen, the soundtrack is absolutely legendary, the many downright-badass action sequences are perfectly balanced with deeply nuanced character development, and the show as a whole is as easy to love as it is impossible to hate.
Apple TV joined the streaming game relatively late into the journey, but they have already had several chances to prove that they’re as capable of making bangers as any other streaming platform. Their sci-fi show output in particular stands out, all thanks to masterpieces of the caliber of Severance, which is easily one of the best thriller TV shows released since 2000.
It’s hard to figure out where one can even begin singing Severance’s praises. The cast, for one, is absolutely exceptional, each actor delivering their A-game in ways that have been nothing short of career-defining so far. They play some of** the most compelling and mysterious characters of any “mystery box” sci-fi show** in history, and it’s precisely the compelling layers of those characters and the fascinating mysteries surrounding them that serve as the anchor that makes *Severance *so difficult to stop watching.
Generally praised as one of the most scientifically accurate sci-fi shows of all time, ***The Expanse ***is the adaptation of the masterful book series of the same name by **James S. A. Corey **(the pen name of **Daniel Abraham **and Ty Franck). Though the show was canceled by Syfy after only three seasons, it was quickly picked back up by Prime Video for another three seasons. Thus, that leaves us with a show that has a strong argument for being the best six-season sci-fi show in history.
At the very least, *The Expanse *is one of the best sci-fi shows since 1990, a genre-blending neo-noir space opera that’s unlike anything else the sci-fi genre has seen throughout the last 25 years. Some find its first season a bit too slow-burning, but **after things pick up steam, The Expanse never drops in quality. Its seasons keep getting better, more creative, and more exciting as they go on, making it unsurprising that many would consider this one of the biggest sci-fi must-see shows of the 2010s and 2020s.
Your answers point to the iconic sci-fi hero who shares your instincts, your values, and your particular way of facing the impossible.
You carry a weight most people would crumble under — the knowledge of what you’re capable of, and the burden of what you might have to become.
You lead with instinct, warmth, and an absolute refusal to accept a no-win scenario — because you’ve always believed there’s a third option nobody else has thought of yet.
You are the kind of person who holds the line when everyone else is losing faith — not because you’re fearless, but because giving up simply isn’t something you’re capable of.
You are not reckless, not grandiose, and not particularly interested in being anyone’s hero — you just refuse to stop when it matters.
You have been through fire that would break most people — and what came out the other side is something the world underestimates at its peril.
Hiromu Arakawa’s manga series ***Fullmetal Alchemist *was still ongoing by the time the anime series of the same name started airing; so, even though it’s still a great show and essential viewing for modern anime fans, it hasn’t aged the best. On the other hand, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhoodwas designed to adapt the manga’s entire arc, and for that reason, it has only continued to age like fine wine over the course of the 16 years since its conclusion.
It’s one of the most universally beloved anime series of all time, as perfectly proven by the fact that it’s the highest-rated anime series and sci-fi series of all time on IMDb. It really *is *just that good, a faultless and fluffless masterpiece that even those who have never watched an anime show should consider checking out, as long as perfect sci-fi television is their thing. Airtight in its pacing and emotionally resonant to its core, it’s one of the most fascinating stories that animation has told on the small screen since the start of the 21st century.
When it made the jump to television in the ’80s, the *Star Wars ***franchise kept its small-screen output exclusively limited to animation, and it wouldn’t be until 2019 that they would start to make live-action shows. Only three years later, the world was treated to the first few episodes of what would end up being praised as the best piece of mainline Star Warsmedia since the end of the original trilogy: Disney+‘s Andor.
A prequel show to a prequel spin-off movie may not sound like the kind of series that could be so successful, but that’s precisely what makes *Andor *so special. It’s one of the most perfect sci-fi shows shorter than five seasons, a deeply thrilling and perfectly-written critique of authoritarian abuse and a celebration of rebellion in the face of such oppression. It’s timely, it’s technically masterful, it’s full of great performances, and it’s a gripping return to Star Wars’ thematic roots.
Dark, Netflix’s first-ever German-language series, is definitely not a show made for those who prefer science fiction that allows them to turn their brains off and have a few hours of good fun. As engrossing and undeniably entertaining as this time travel and multiverse sci-fi masterpiece is, it’s also a deeply thought-provoking show, one so intellectually challenging that there’s no way of understanding and appreciating it without offering it one’s full attention.
But that attention is never too much to ask, because Dark—one of those rare sci-fi shows that get time travel right—earns it so naturally with its meticulously-plotted narrative that the mental effort of watching it is always rewarding, never overwhelming. From its writing to its visuals to its performances, pretty much everything about *Dark *is absolutely perfect from pilot to series finale.
There are many instances of great sci-fi shows that were unfortunately canceled after only one season, well before they could prove their full value and artistic vision—but none of those cases even comes close to being as infamous as that of Joss Whedon’s Firefly. Easily one of the biggest cult classics in the 21st-century history of science fiction television, *Firefly *is one of the best single-season action TV shows of all time, a space Western that anyone and everyone who loves the subgenre needs to watch at least once in their lives.
A whopping 23 years after its untimely cancellation and with an animated continuation currently in production, now’s about as perfect a time as any to watch one of the most perfect sci-fi shows the world has ever seen. *Firefly *is stylish, exciting, emotional, and incredibly fun throughout each of its endlessly rewatchable episodes. The cast ensemble is legendary, the characters are all riveting, and the story is so compelling that it’s impossible to ever get tired of this truly flawless gem of a sci-fi show.
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Science Fiction
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2002 - 2003-00-00
Allan Kroeker, David Solomon, James A. Contner, Marita Grabiak, Michael Grossman, Tim Minear, Vern Gillum
