Friday Will Be A Massive Day For Sci-Fi Fans On Apple TV+, Thanks To Two Of 2025's Best TV Shows

Apple TV+ has been something of a haven for sci-fi fans for a few years now, but January 17, 2025, marks a thoroughly exciting Friday for those who love the genre. The streaming service has made so many shows within the beloved category that several of the sci-fi shows on Apple TV+ have come to sit among the overall best shows on Apple TV+, regardless of genre. The platform generally tends to space out its sci-fi shows, although it has so many now that the risk of overlaps is increasing.

Sci-fi went through a period of neglect by various streaming services before Apple TV+ decided to quietly specialize in the genre. Since then, it has endeavored to bring to life various sci-fi projects that take the form of book adaptations as well as original stories. The platform is also careful to balance overused sci-fi TV tropes, so each show has a distinct feel. In other words, it's not all space operas and jetpacks, as slightly more grounded sci-fi certainly gets a huge look in.

The Silo Season 2 Finale & Severance Season 2 Premiere Both Release Friday, January 17th On Apple TV+

As one Apple TV+ sci-fi show ends, another begins

After beginning in late 2024, Silo season 2's story concludes on January 17 as the finale lands on Apple TV+. Just as Silo season 1 ended on a massive cliffhanger, the second batch of episodes is sure to do the same. Thankfully, the adaptation of Hugh Howie's novels has been confirmed to run for two more seasons. During this time, the story will be fully wrapped up, so there's no chance of early cancelation. Thankfully, Apple TV+ fans won't be left without their sci-fi fix between Silo seasons 2 and 3.

Immediately after finishing the Silo season 2 finale (or even before), it'll also be possible to access the premiere of the long-awaited Severance season 2. With Severance season 1 ending in April 2022, it's been almost three years since Apple TV+ released the show's inaugural run. So, there will presumably be droves of viewers eager to see what will happen next at Severance's Lumon Industries - if they can remember what happened after such a long break.

Why Silo & Severance Are Currently Two Of The Best Sci-Fi Shows Available

There's a reason both shows have been hits for Apple TV+

Even taking into account other sci-fi efforts across various streaming platforms, Silo and Severance still rank in the upper echelon of shows within the genre. Neither show prioritizes dazzling visuals but rather focuses on sleek and highly stylistic camera work. Plus, both shows are deeply mysterious, and the truths of the respective worlds only gradually unravel as the episodes go by. It's impossible to watch an installment of either Apple TV+ sci-fi show without being left in thrilling suspense and desperate to find out what happens next.

Every character in Silo and Severance has been cast so well that it's impossible to imagine any other actor in any of the roles.

Additionally, both projects are immaculately directed. Everything that's supposed to be clear, is clear. Inversely, the story points that are intended to be shrouded in mystery are done so in such a way that the audience understands perfectly that information is being withheld from them for reasons that will later become apparent. So, there's no frustrated flailing while trying to predict the shows' futures. Plus, every character in Silo and Severance has been cast so well that it's impossible to imagine any other actor in any of the roles.

Silo vs. Severance: Which Apple TV+ Sci-Fi Show Is Better?

1 of these 2 sci-fi projects comes out just slightly in the lead

Despite both being sci-fi, Silo and Severance are still drastically different shows. As such, it's difficult to directly compare the two. However, that doesn't mean they can't be held up against each other and have their respective qualities evaluated. Firstly, although they're both paced in a fairly laid-back manner, they also manage to find distinct ways to uphold a general feeling of unease. In terms of acting performances, both shows demand different things from their stars. In Severance's favor, it's very compelling to watch Adam Scott and many of his co-stars playing two versions of the same character.

Silo & Severance: Rotten Tomatoes Scores
Show	Debut Year	Rotten Tomatoes Score
Severance	2022	96%
Silo	2023	92%

Severance places particular emphasis on its psychological thriller elements, which manage to draw audiences in immediately while also reveling in the enigma of it all. Silo does this a little too, but it focuses far more on its high-stakes storytelling and constantly putting pretty much every character at risk. To its detriment, Silo's dystopian world isn't anything that hasn't been done before - although it does also add a few new twists to various tropes the sub-genre tends to favor. So, on balance, Severance's creative premise probably makes it the better project of the two.

That being said, Severance's slight superiority over Silo shouldn't discourage those trying to decide which to watch from experiencing the latter. Silo still has a great deal to offer - even for those who have read the source material. On the other hand, the fact that Severance has been built from the ground up without any source material with which to start makes its near-flawless execution all the more impressive.

What Apple TV+'s Sci-Fi Future Looks Like For 2025 & Beyond

Sci-fi remains a priority for Apple TV+

As well as Silo being guaranteed to reach a conclusion on its own terms over a total of four seasons, Apple TV+ subscribers can now also rest easy, knowing that Severance season 3 is now confirmed. While it's great news that both shows have an immediate future set in stone, they are but a small cross-section of other Apple TV+ sci-fi projects that are set to debut and continue in 2025, as well as the years that follow. For starters, Foundation season 3 is expected to be released this year, as the adaptation of Isaac Asimov's book series continues.

As an added bonus, none of these upcoming 2025 shows have been announced as final installments.

Plus, For All Mankind season 5 is also coming in 2025, along with Invasion season 3. As an added bonus, none of these upcoming 2025 shows have been announced as final installments. So, there is a strong chance most of them will continue into 2026 and beyond. Perhaps most surprisingly was Dark Matter season 1's ending teasing a second run, despite the events of the Blake Crouch book on which it was based being exhausted by the adaptation's first batch of episodes. Although Dark Matter season 2 could arrive in late 2025, it's more likely to arrive in 2026.

So, it's quite obvious that Apple TV+ feels validated by its decision to double down on its sci-fi content. Otherwise, the platform would surely be ending shows left and right instead of endlessly renewing them for multi-season runs. If its sci-fi triumphs continue, it's fairly safe to assume that the platform will continue to produce this type of content. If the shows start to falter, at least Apple TV+ kept sci-fi fans happy for the time it did.