Best Sci-Fi TV shows on Netflix in 2023 offers a wide variety of science fiction, such as Black Mirror, The OA, and Stranger Things, but it has also tapped into top-notch foreign material. This includes underappreciated masterpieces like Canadian sci-fi Travelers and German science fiction Dark, which is among the greatest Netflix series ever.
The Best Sci-Fi TV Shows on Netflix in 2023?
Science fiction, often known as sci-fi or SF, is a subgenre of speculative fiction that focuses on fantastical and future ideas such as advanced technology, space travel, time travel, parallel worlds, and extraterrestrial life.
Science fiction’s greatest quality is that no two interpretations are ever exactly the same. This explains why the genre has such a broad appeal: You name it, and someone has brought it into the world (and in the case of space sci-fi, actually brought it into the cosmos): sci-fi thrillers, sci-fi horror, animated sci-fi. The most captivating science fiction narratives may transport you to a different world.
There is a subgenre within the Science Fiction genre to suit all preferences, whether you’re into other histories, the multiverse, dystopian futures, or the emergence of AI and its pitfalls (hey, Chat-GPT!).
For years, Netflix has been a major participant in the Sci-Fi genre, consistently delivering high-calibre shows. There are plenty of creative television shows that leave you wondering about humanity’s future, from the brilliant multilingual Sense8 to the German mind-bender Dark to the novel adaptation Altered Carbon.
Given that programs like The Imperfects and the much-awaited return of Manifest debuted last year, it makes sense to see what science fiction offerings Netflix members might expect in 2023.
Netflix’s Top and Highest-Rated Science Fiction TV Series for 2023
An Astronaut and a Girl (2023–)
In February 2023, this Polish science fiction romance made its Netflix debut. It offers a unique perspective on the love triangle cliché. A married couple in the 1950s finally meet the young guy she fell in love with before she wed him.
Because he’s been frozen in space for thirty years, he looks just how she recalls him. Critics and viewers alike were unimpressed with the program, despite its intriguing idea.
Official Synopsis: When an astronaut returns home after a thirty-year hiatus, he rekindles a past romantic relationship and piques the curiosity of a firm that wants to know why he hasn’t aged.
Mulligan (2023–)
Even though it wasn’t highly reviewed, this adult animated film is nonetheless enjoyable to see. It’s worth seeing for the all-star cast, at the absolute least.
Official Synopsis: A group of mismatched survivors must rebuild civilization after an extraterrestrial onslaught destroys Earth.
Make My Day (2023 – )
The original plan for this anime series on Netflix was to make it into a film. However, the streamer quickly approved a full eight-episode run. Character development and an engaging plot kept critics happy even if the show’s viewership ratings were relatively modest.
Official Synopsis: On a wintry, ice-covered world, prisoners extract an energy-rich resource until they come under attack by an enigmatic being.
Welcome to Eden (2022 – )
With every season that goes by, the Spanish thriller Welcome to Eden becomes more captivating. After a great celebration, only a select few are permitted to depart, while the others decide to live on the island permanently whether they want to or not.
Official Synopsis: A new drink sponsors an exclusive party for Zoa and four other young people on a hidden island. What they expect is a purported paradise, but it’s everything but.
Knight of the Black (2023–)
In this six-episode K-Drama, a comet strikes the earth and wreaks havoc on some regions of the planet, forcing humanity to rely on Black Nights for survival.
Official Synopsis: The Black Knights, who are not your typical delivery men, are essential to humanity’s existence in a bleak future destroyed by air pollution.
Yakitori: Misfortune’s Soldiers (2023–)
The novels authored by Carlo Zen served as the inspiration for this dystopian anime. The main character of the show is a young man who joins a military branch with a poor survival record in an attempt to find his place in the world.
Official Synopsis: Akira’s only hope for a brighter future, after Earth is overrun by a more powerful alien race, is to enroll as a foot soldier for the Yakitori.
Rebirth of GAMERA (2023–)
The first animated series in the venerable franchise about the big, protective turtle is called GAMERA Rebirth. Fans of anime that are similar to Godzila should definitely watch it.
Official Synopsis: During the summer of 1989, four children in Tokyo witness the appearance of Gamera, a turtle kaiju that valiantly battles enormous monsters that devour humans.
From 2019 to 2023, Ultraman
This anime series, which is based on the manga of the same name, finished its three-season run on Netflix this year.
Official Synopsis: In the past, a “Giant of Light” by the name of Ultraman protected Earth from the threat of extraterrestrial invasions and monsters. After years of service, he finished his mission and left Earth. After Ultraman’s mission was completed, humanity embraced an era of prosperity, but the planet now requires the might of a “Giant of Light.” This time, a new hero in the shape of a troubled, average-sized high school kid wearing a metallic costume appears. As the son of former Ultraman Shin Hayata, he goes as Shinjiro Hayata and fights to become the Ultraman of a new age.
Mech Cadet (Class 2023–)
A teenage underdog, extraterrestrial invaders, and lots of space adventures make this series appealing to most sci-fi aficionados.
Official Synopsis: Set fifty years after our planet was attacked by the terrifying alien species known as Shargs, teenager Stanford Yu works as a janitor at the Sky Corps Military Academy. Throughout his life, he has only dreamed of piloting a Robo Mech—giant robots from outer space that came to our rescue. When Stanford finally gets his chance, he and his classmates will have to set aside their differences and act as a unit to protect Earth from an impending extraterrestrial invasion.
Manifest (2018–2023)
One of those amazing series that viewers miraculously managed to preserve after an early cancellation is Manifest. After just three seasons on the original network, Netflix stepped in and offered the showrunners an opportunity to complete the tale that they had begun back in 2018. There are now even discussions about a possible spin-off.
Official Premise: The crew and passengers of Montego Air trip 828 were relieved when it arrived safely following a bumpy but usual trip. However, in those brief hours, the world had aged by five years, and their friends, relatives, and coworkers had moved on and given up hope after grieving their death. They are all given another shot now that they are in an untenable situation.However, a deeper mystery emerges as their new realities become apparent, and some of the returning passengers quickly come to the realization that they could be destined for something bigger than they ever imagined.
The Bounty Hunter, my dad (2023–)
Unsurprisingly, Netflix purchased two seasons of the endearing show only this year. The entire family will love its fantastic animation and abundance of interplanetary adventures.
The official premise of the action-comedy series is on the most skilled bounty hunter in the galaxy, a guy whose family on Earth is unaware of his line of work. So they find out that the typical Dad’s profession is anything but dull when his two kids unintentionally go off into space and crash his current mission. Avoiding hostile extraterrestrials and engaging in several laser battles, this family-bonding activity is intense. Await Mom’s discovery.
2011–present: Black Mirror
Five new digital horrors were added to Charlie Brooker’s award-winning anthology series, which made a comeback on streaming services. Black Mirror has been providing a series of standalone episodes exploring different dystopian situations since its 2011 debut.
Official Synopsis: “Black Mirror” is a modern take on “The Twilight Zone,” featuring stand-alone dramas that explore techno-paranoia via witty, suspenseful, and satirical narratives that tap into a general sense of disquiet about the state of the world. Stars like Bryce Dallas Howard (“The Help”), Alice Eve, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Tom Cullen, and Jerome Flynn (“Game of Thrones”) are among the distinctive array of characters that each narrative has. Featured directors include Joe Wright, Dan Trachtenberg, and James Watkins.
