The sci-fi genre is made for innovation, with boundary pushing and advanced technology literally written into some of the most iconic sci-fi franchises of all time, with Star Trek‘s often-quoted line, “to boldly go where no one has gone before.” Over the past few decades, the advances in CGI and visual effects have been tremendous, and many sci-fi TV shows that have aged well in terms of character development and worldbuilding still look dated when it comes to their visuals.

The Twilight Zone is a perfect example of this, and of all the sci-fi TV shows that deserve a reboot, this is one of them. Others, like the sci-fi comedy Red Dwarf, achieved incredible results with an extremely low budget, creating a series with an instantly identifiable look. That said, while great visuals might define a TV show, a distinctive aesthetic and impressive visual effects do not make up for a compelling story, and the best sci-fi TV shows of all time have all of these.

Battlestar Galactica

Many modern TV shows use CGI to polish rough edges, which has occasionally been criticized due to the resulting shows feeling unnaturally smooth, removing viewers from the action. Battlestar Galactica became a must-watch TV series for sci-fi fans by taking the opposite path, using CGI to give the series a grittier feel, showing every dent and mark that the ship accumulated throughout the show’s run. Director Michael Rymer specifically wanted a documentary feel, with handheld cameras and jarring space combat scenes. This gave the show a different aesthetic than other popular shows at the time, setting it apart even now.

It is a testament to Rymer’s vision that Battlestar Galactica still feels fresh and new despite being a reboot of a 1978 TV series. The show took risks, blurring the lines between humans and machines in a way that turned a common sci-fi trope into a prestige drama, tackling political issues in a way that still feels relevant today. The decision to reimagine Starbuck as female was controversial at the time, but made Katee Sackhoff into a sci-fi icon, and Battlestar remains one of the most intelligent and immersive sci-fi shows for its forward thinking and approach to visuals.

Foundation

Foundation was once considered unadaptable for its epic story that spans generations, documents the fall of empires, and focuses on detailed mathematical concepts. Apple TV regularly invests time in ambitious sci-fi TV shows like this, and Foundation is not ending anytime soon, with both its visuals and writing breaking new ground for the genre. Despite being based on such a dense and lore-filled book, the show is surprisingly easy to follow, even while including some of the most complex questions and plot points in the source material.

Foundation illustrates how small people can be in the grand scheme of the world and its timeline, but in an impressive feat of visuals and storytelling, it also shows the opposite within the same scene. Many sci-fi series include the destruction of planets and galaxies as a plot point and visual spectacle, but viewers can feel removed from the action when scenes like this are nothing more than an explosion. Foundation shows individual people reacting to their impending death when Terminus is destroyed, and the scene is a turning point for the season, which received a perfect Rotten Tomatoes rating.

Westworld

The sci-fi meets Western genre blend that Westworld popularized was already both exciting and cinematic, but the series then pushed further, introducing futuristic settings that were far removed from the original and much smaller-scale story. Westworld was an exercise in frustration, canceled just as the show was set to come full circle and return to the Old West theme park that formed the basis for the first season, but it never stopped being compelling and innovative.

Westworld is full of subtle hints relating to whether something is real or a simulation that are only noticeable on a rewatch, and this visual symbolism forms the basis for the show’s many-layered storytelling. The series’ nonlinear approach conceals its timeline and, occasionally, its viewpoint character. The reveals and twists then recontextualize earlier events, making the show a great mystery box story that should have been allowed to conclude.

Arcane

Not all animation is created equal, and it is only in the past few decades that it has become clear to mainstream viewers that animated TV shows are not automatically aimed at children. Arcane‘s intense and occasionally brutal storyline earned the show a new fanbase despite initial skepticism surrounding the show’s status as a video game adaptation. Instead, Arcane surpassed all expectations by capturing the spirit of League of Legends while its animation style allowed the show to achieve the otherwise-impossible.

The battle between Ekko and Jinx is not just one of the best action scenes in fantasy TV, it perfectly shows why animation was the best option for Arcane. The shots alternate between the two fighters, showing them both as children and as adults, illustrating how they first knew each other and, to an extent, still see each other. Doing this with live-action may have been more confusing, while each frame of the animated sequence looks like art, proving that Arcane‘s two Emmy Awards for animation are well-deserved.

The Expanse

The commitment to scientific accuracy, extremely diverse cast, and realistically flawed characters gained The Expanse a fanbase that refused to allow the show’s abrupt cancellation to go unchallenged. The Expanse was saved by the greatest fan campaign in TV history, with George R. R. Martin and European Space Agency astronaut Andreas Mogensen being counted among the fans of the show.

The Expanse has succeeded against the odds, becoming one of sci-fi TV’s greatest masterpieces. Despite changing genre from a space-themed film noir to a sci-fi action with elements of Alien and Star Wars, it has retained its fanbase through consistent character development and stunning visuals. The smooth transition from the Joe Miller-centered story to the reveal of the protomolecule was a masterclass in writing and foreshadowing, which still left room for standout scenes, like the exploration of the infected Eros and Joe Miller’s fate.

Love, Death & Robots

Love, Death & Robots is one of the most ambitious recent sci-fi TV shows, as its nature makes it both subjective and considerably uneven. As an anthology, Love, Death & Robots explores sci-fi and cyberpunk themes through short episodes that showcase varying visual styles, and can range from just a few minutes to about half an hour. Art and storytelling are extremely personal concepts, so while some of the show’s best episodes are undisputed masterpieces, others are more niche.

That said, from a motion-capture sea monster horror to a disconcerting warning against colonization, the show’s visuals are always spectacular, making it a must-watch for sci-fi fans. Love, Death & Robots is so good that it could last forever, as it consistently pushed the boundaries for visual effects and proved that a series does not have to last for multiple seasons to be captivating. Love, Death & Robots might have four seasons, but the show tells a perfect story within minutes.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Star Trek: The Original Series is a sci-fi TV show that has aged exceptionally well considering it first aired in the 1960s. That said, this is largely due to the plots and characters that were ahead of their time in virtually every way, rather than the visuals, which are an aspect of The Original Series that has, understandably, not aged so well. When Star Trek: The Next Generation aired, it revived the franchise, showcasing the latest developments in visual effects while also continuing the themes from the first series.

By modern standards, The Next Generation does not stand out for its effects. However, when the show aired, it had an enormous budget that allowed it to make major changes to the alien species and futuristic sets. The series continues with the same far-reaching ideas as the original, and its legacy is unparalleled, with The Next Generation introducing new viewers to the Star Trek franchise and inspiring other writers in turn.

Fallout

The source material for the Fallout TV show was already expansive and instantly recognizable, even among people unfamiliar with the video games. The Western meets 1950s Americana aesthetic allowed for a lot of creativity when writing and designing the TV show, and Fallout not only delivered but made the same smart choice as Arcane in telling an original story. The series is just as distinctive, and as it references the games without alienating viewers who have not played them, it is so accessible that Fallout has become the queen of streaming TV on Prime Video.

By setting a story within the same world as the games, Fallout could have gone in any direction as long as it kept the same tone. This required characters that were just as zany and eccentric, and both Walton Goggins and Ella Purnell delivered while playing extremely different people. The show perfectly reflects the experience of playing the games through its aesthetic style and references, while allowing the storytelling to expand the franchise.