Whether you’re a sci-fi geek or simply love to watch some otherworldly adventures from time to time, you’ve probably noticed that sci-fi shows have been killing it lately. Cast, plot twists, character dynamics, and visual effects have improved greatly – some shows even look better than movies! That’s one of the best things about sci-fi – everything is possible and you don’t even need billions to build an image of a distant future. But once you have some serious financial support you can create real masterpieces! Here are 10 visually stunning sci-fi TV shows you need to watch in 2020.
Star Trek: Picard
Star Trek has been rocking the world with comebacks like Star Trek: Discovery and the latest addition Star Trek: Picard. Our all-time favourite captain is back in the business after a few decades of reminiscing about the past and things he could have done differently. We see a bunch of familiar faces, lots of new ones (his space crew is superb!) and a mystery that will change the world as we know it. Hint: AI is heavily involved. The show is loaded with top notch video fx and gorgeous space vistas.
Devs
Alex Garland hit the sci-fi world strong with movies Annihilation and Ex Machina, establishing himself as a brilliant producer and a wicked plot-maker. Now he’s whipped up a whole TV show with a promising premise of a murder mystery, quantum physics, computer engineering, and genius scientists. The trailer is hinting to some pretty mind-bending plot twists and turns in a visually stunning setting.
Doom Patrol
DC Universe comes back with the Season 2 of Doom Patrol, featuring a truly bizarre, yet fun team of not-really-superheroes trying to do the right thing despite the drama they’ve experienced. Those mishaps have shaped them and gave them superpowers, but also scarred them for life, so expect to see lots of psychological revelations and character growth. Reluctant to jump on the superhero train with so much luggage, they’re left with no choice when The Chief, a person who cared for them and literally brought some of them to life, mysteriously disappears.
Future Man
If you’re up for some visual madness – this is it! Starring Josh Hutcherson from The Hunger Games, this baby of Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen will take you back in time, then into the future, then maybe a bit left and right – to the places you never expected to see! It’s hilarious, gritty, and 100% original. It’s the best time to tune into this geeky madness as season 3 is already here.
The Expanse
SyFy dropped the series after Season 3 for some unknown reason, leaving all fans of this space opera desperate to see more. Luckily, Amazon quickly picked it up and we already have season 4 to feast our eyes upon. Based on the book series with the same name, The Expanse tells the story of a future world with fully colonized Solar System and humanity striving for more. There’s power play worthy of Game of Thrones, mysterious protomolecule – a bioweapon that quickly goes out of control and develops a mind of its own, and more visually satisfying goodness than in any other show. In season 4 the team of spaceship Rocinante travels to a far off planet and gets caught up in a fight between new settlers and a mining company. To top it all, there’s another threat hanging in the air…
The Mandalorian
Disney+ has put together a show that, according to numerous fan reviews, might just save the Star Wars franchise. Not that the movies are all that bad, but The Mandalorian offers a new, fun, and adventure-packed take on the Star Wars Universe and something we’ve never seen before – a baby Yoda. Yes, you read that right! The show stars Pedro Pascal, but don’t expect to see much of his face as his character, a ruthless bounty hunter, spends most of his time wearing full armour. Expect lots of action and a bit of drama, too!
Tales from the Loop
What happens if you live in a town where everything is possible? Whatever sci-fi plot or unusual gadget you dream up – soon becomes part of the reality. This is exactly how the inhabitants of a small town built above a peculiar Loop machine spend their lives. Loop was created specifically to investigate the impossible mysteries of the Universe. Naturally, some of those mysteries seep right into the daily events of townsfolk. The show is based on the art book created by Simon Stålenhag, so prepare for some unusual sci-fi tech!
Lost in Space
How about a family drama set deep in space on an unknown planet packed with hidden dangers? Yep, that’s the general premise of the show. Carefully mixing two different genres, Lost in Space manages to deliver in every aspect. You will not be bored by the character dynamics and relationship developments of the Robinsons family, and the whole alien-packed mysterious environment they end up crashing in is pure sci-fi heaven that will satisfy the geekiest of geeks.
Westworld
Pegged as the ‘best show ever’ by thousands of fans all over the world, Westworld is a visual masterpiece that is as beautiful as it is smart, philosophical, and twisted on so many levels. It delves heavily into the topic of artificial intelligence and the future of androids, painting a picture that is both scary and brilliant in many ways. In the first season we get to see a Western-themed amusement park packed with androids, that seem to be only programs with no conscience or free will whatsoever. Things start to change quickly as one of the androids starts realising who or what she actually is…
Star Trek: Discovery
The second season of the new Star Trek series kept us all glued to the screens with a time travel mystery and the beautiful, yet complicated brother-sister relationships between Michael Burnham and the younger version of Spock. We also got to see another character from the original series – captain Pike, who gets to rule Discovery during the investigation of mysterious signals scattered all over the Universe. The season ended with a blast, throwing both Burnham and Discovery far into the distant future. Needless to say, the series is beautifully made and will leave you wanting for more. Season 3 is coming soon!