10 Best Sci-Fi Horror TV Shows Ever Made

Science fiction and horror are a match made in heaven as these two genres have continually come together to produce some of the best TV shows of all time. With the sci-fi side of things opening the door to any number of thought-provoking themes or premises and horror adding to the unnerving, eerie appeal of a series, sci-fi horrors represent some of the most entertaining, engaging, and engrossing programs ever made. With anthology series, animated shows, and ongoing mysteries, sci-fi horror has the power to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

While the best sci-fi shows include mind-bending explorations of other worlds and great horror TV shows leave viewers quaking in their boots, the best of both styles together amounts to some truly thought-provoking television series. Whether it’s from the mind of the late visionary David Lynch or more recent shows that have been praised by the likes of Stephen King, sci-fi horror series have long kept audiences happy with original and intriguing concepts. With shows that date back several decades, sci-fi horror has been one of the most consistently popular genres across TV’s history.

10 Helix (2014 - 2015)

2 Seasons

While post-apocalyptic series like The Walking Dead showcased the aftereffects of a society decimated by a zombie outbreak, Helix would appeal to those more interested in the preventative efforts to stop such an event from happening. Following a team of scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at an Arctic research facility investigating a potentially catastrophic outbreak, Helix focused on a small team entering a life-or-death situation that has ripple effects for the future of mankind as a whole.

Helix was sadly canceled before its time and had a disappointingly short run of just two seasons; however, in the wake of the major global viral outbreak of Covid-19, its realistic take on a society-destroying viral emergency feels shockingly relevant in hindsight. With incredible suspense, strong characterization, and exceptional worldbuilding, the twists and turns of Helix made it an underappreciated and engrossing sci-fi horror show.

9 From (2022 - Present)

3 Seasons

From is truly one of the most exciting sci-fi horror TV series to come out in recent years, as its sense of mystery and intriguing revelations made for truly spectacular viewing. Having received a glowing review from the master of horror Stephen King, From severed as the perfect replacement for mysterious bingeable series like Lost and even starred Michael Dawson’s actor, Harold Perrineau. Exploring the circumstances of a nightmarish U.S. town in which everyone who enters becomes a prisoner, From has kept audiences guessing and added more mystery with each subsequent season.

From terrifying creatures who emerge after darkness to the spooky forest that surrounds the town, From is a mystery box that continues to deepen and boasts an incredible 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes. While it remains to be seen how well From can deliver on all the promises of its cryptic narrative, the best shows are about the journey, not the destination, and this one has certainly been a wild ride so far.

8 The Outer Limits (1995 - 2002)

7 Seasons

While the original version of The Outer Limits from the 1960s stood as an enjoyable alternative to The Twilight Zone, it was in the 1990s revival that the series truly came into its own. This anthology series focused primarily on sci-fi stories and usually infused them with elements of horror to tell self-contained stories, often featuring a twist ending. The Outer Limits explored thought-provoking, philosophical topics in a way that was much deeper and more intriguing than the original series.

Anchored by the narration of Kevin Conway as the Control Voice, The Outer Limits was more interested in story and characterization than impressive guest stars as it told creative and unique sci-fi horror tales of terror. With a mix of happy, tragic, and catastrophic endings, part of the appeal of The Outer Limits was viewers never being fully sure what was in store from one episode to the next.

7 The Last Of Us (2023 - Present)

1 Season

It’s famously difficult to make a good video game adaptation, and the writers behind HBO’s The Last of Us had their work cut out for them when they sought to make their version of one of the most acclaimed PlayStation titles of all time. As a narrative-driven game, the zombie apocalypse seen in The Last of Us connected with audiences due to the depth of its characters and heartfelt themes of parental bonding and sacrifice, meaning the TV series had a lot to live up to when it came to the characterization of Joel and Ellie's father-daughter-like relationship.

The Last of Us series lived up to its source material to deliver a sci-fi horror that recaptured the magic that made the game such an emotional rollercoaster. By expanding upon the stories of characters seen in the game, The Last of Us even took the time to explore secondary characters’ backstories and deliver the astounding episode "Long, Long Time.” Telling the story of a post-apocalyptic same-sex romance over the course of 20 years, this episode of The Last of Us justified the show’s existence by pushing beyond what was already explored in the game.

6 Love Death & Robots (2019 - Present)

3 Seasons

Love Death and Robots

Animation

Release Date: March 15, 2019
Directors: Craig Ferguson
Writers: Tim Miller

Cast

Topher Grace

Love Death & Robots blends elements of comedy, horror, science fiction, and fantasy and emerged from Tim Miller and David Fincher’s planned reimagining of the cult animated movie Heavy Metal. As an anthology animated series that focused each episode on at least one of either love, death, or robots, this highly creative look into alternate histories, life for robots after the apocalypse, or plots for world domination offered a varied and unique glimpse into sci-fi horror-based concepts.

With plenty of violence, humor, and heart, Love Death & Robots echoed the appeal of Black Mirror while wrapping up in a highly stylized animated package. While some episodes delivered on their concepts better than others, this series' willingness to tell creative, self-contained stories in episodes that sometimes didn’t amount to more than a few minutes truly embraced streaming’s potential to discard preestablished rules of runtimes. Love Death & Robots was a fun watch that will appeal to any sci-fi or horror lovers.

5 Stranger Things (2016 - Present)

4 Seasons

Few sci-fi horror series have had as much of an effect on popular culture as Stranger Things, a series that has achieved global success and become one of Netflix’s flagship shows. With an impressive level of worldbuilding, this highly entertaining series took influence from classic sci-fi movies of the 1980s, Spielbergian-style nostalgia, and grotesque body horror to produce a series that connected with all kinds of viewers. Starting with the compelling mystery of a missing boy named Will Byers in 1983, Stranger Things revealed an alternate dimension known as the Upside Down and a vast government conspiracy of shocking experimentation.

Stranger Things made stars out of child actors like Millie Bobby Brown and Finn Wolfhard, and the addition of the 1980s icon Winona Ryder added to its nostalgic aesthetic. With each season, Stranger Things added intrigue to the sinister world of the Upside Down as the residents of Hawkins, Indiana, faced increasing supernatural threats. As a coming-of-age tale that has fascinated Netflix viewers for nearly a decade, it will be exciting to see how things finally wrap up in the long-anticipated fifth and final season in 2025.

4 Twin Peaks (1990 - 1991, 2017)

3 Seasons

The serialized mystery seen in Twin Peaks truly revolutionized television and signaled one of the earliest examples of a true mystery box TV show. As viewers eagerly tuned in each week to discover the mystery of who killed Laura Palmer, they were slowly ingratiated into the surreal and dreamlike world created by David Lynch and Mark Frost. With a focus on an ongoing story that builds in complexity with each subsequent episode, the trailblazing nature of Twin Peaks' slow-building narrative was later emulated in everything from The Sopranos to The Good Place.

While Twin Peaks was at its core a mystery drama, the series blended aspects of horror, sci-fi, and even soap opera to produce a show that was unlike anything that came before it. The sci-fi horror nature of Twin Peaks became more pronounced as the show went on, and the revived third season, subtitled The Return, delivered some of the most confrontational and shocking visuals ever seen on television. As the culmination of the filmmaking visionary Lynch’s entire body of work, Twin Peaks was a masterclass of cryptic storytelling, and countless subsequent shows owe their existence to its legacy.

3 Dark (2017 - 2020)

3 Seasons

Dark was a mind-bending German-language time travel series that truly had to be seen to be believed. With multiple timelines that require any audience member’s full and unwavering attention to get their heads around, what started as a mystery drama about a young boy’s disappearance grew into a sprawling, intergenerational story that traverses the full history of its character’s existence. Through carefully laid narrative breadcrumbs, Dark was complex enough to keep viewers guessing right until the end but so well-plotted and thought out that it never felt overwhelming or needlessly convoluted.

Through deeply philosophical themes of ethics and fate, Dark’s three seasons developed as a slow-burn triumph packed with richly imagined characters. As one of the greatest TV shows of the modern era, those who are normally put off by foreign-language TV series should do themselves a favor and make an exception for this exceptional German production. Dark was one of the few series that can be said to get better with each subsequent season and was a highly rewarding and thought-provoking experience.

2 The X-Files (1993 - 2002, 2016 - 2018)

11 Seasons

The way The X-Files blended monster of the week stories with a rich and constantly developing mythology made it one of the most iconic TV shows of the 1990s. Featuring the FBI Special Agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), the pair’s mismatched philosophies made for a winning combination as a true believer and skeptic were forced to work together on paranormal cases. From the original series, movies, revivals, and spin-offs, The X-Files franchise is one of the most successful sci-fi horror properties of all time.

From hunting down monsters to saving innocent civilians from government conspiracies involving alien invasions, The X-Files took inspiration from the classic sci-fi horror series that came before it and took many cues from Twin Peaks and The Twilight Zone. While the longevity of the series meant it went through several highs and lows, at its best, The X-Files was among the most urgent and satisfying TV shows ever made.

1 The Twilight Zone (1959 - 1964)

5 Seasons

The Twilight Zone (1959)

When considering the greatest sci-fi horror TV shows of all time, it’s essential to give The Twilight Zone its due as the grandfather of them all. With a blend of sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and drama, this influential anthology series laid the groundwork for everything from Black Mirror to the body horror seen in The Substance. From the extraordinary mind of showrunner and head writer Rod Serling, The Twilight Zone was not only popular at the time but has surpassed these origins to become shorthand for weird or unusual happenings in general.

The Twilight Zone has endured incredibly well in the six decades since the original series went off the air, and countless shows have since tried to emulate its undeniable appeal. With deeply philosophical episodes that explored topics of sci-fi and horror with a level of depth never previously seen on television, the twist endings and poignant messages of many of the show's best episodes remain masterclasses in TV writing. The best episodes of The Twilight Zone have stood the test of time, and those with an interest in sci-fi horror must go back and check out this classic series.

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