stranger things is one of the best sci-fi TV shows on Netflix to date, but the truth is, there are other sci-fi shows that are even better. Netflix has a wide variety of original TV shows from different genres, some of them now considered some of the best TV shows of all time. When it comes to science fiction, Netflix has had some of the most successful series in recent years, one of them being the Duffer Brothers. stranger things.
stranger things introduced the audience to Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), her friends, and all the horrors unleashed by Hawkins Lab, most notably the parallel dimension known as the Upside Down, the different monsters that lived in it, and Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower). stranger things ended in 2025 after five seasons, and although its ending was quite divisive, it remains one of Netflix’s best sci-fi shows to date.
However, as big as stranger things I mean, Netflix has other sci-fi shows that are better than Eleven’s adventures. These shows are better because of their tone, characters, stories, complexity, or overall quality, although some have some flaws or divisive endings. Still, these programs will often be ranked higher than stranger things when talking about the best sci-fi shows on Netflix.
The Umbrella Academy
four seasons
Based on the comic series of the same name by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá, The Umbrella Academy It premiered on Netflix in 2019. The Umbrella Academy introduces viewers to the superhero team of the title, consisting of the Hargreeves, seven adopted siblings with different sets of superpowers. The Hargreeves and 36 other children around the world were born on the same day, at the same time, and to women who were not pregnant when the day began.
Scientist and billionaire Sir Reginald Hargreeves (Colm Feore) set out to adopt as many children as possible, whom he then trained to form the Umbrella Academy team. However, the Hargreeves gradually become separated and do not reunite until Reginald’s death, when they also discover that the end of the world is rapidly approaching. The Hargreeves band together to stop him, leading them on a complex journey of time travel, trauma, and dark family secrets.
Although The Umbrella Academy had a divisive final season, overall it’s still a better sci-fi show than stranger things. The Umbrella Academy It has much better and consistent character development and depth, engaging and complex sci-fi elements like time travel, and a healthy dose of dark humor, with relatable characters that are far from perfect.
3 Body problem
Season 2 will arrive in 2026
Based on the novel series by Liu Cixin. Remembrance of Earth’s past, 3 Body problem It premiered in 2024 with great success. It all begins in the 1960s, when astrophysicist Ye Wenjie is sent to a secret military base where she competes against other countries to make first contact with extraterrestrials. However, your decisions have a direct impact on the future. In the present day, a group known as the “Oxford Five” investigates a series of mysterious murders among scientists, leading to the discovery of a shocking secret.
3 Body problem is David Benioff and DB Weiss’s first television project since game of Thrones.
3 Body problem was an instant critical hit and was renewed for a second season shortly after its debut, with season 2 scheduled for release in late 2026. 3 Body problem is much more mature than stranger thingswith complex and hard science fiction concepts, moral dilemmas, philosophical themes and a narrative style that requires more attention. 3 Body problem It also has its horror elements, just like stranger thingsbut it is aimed at a more mature audience interested in real science.
bodies
Eight episodes
Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Si Spencer, bodies is a British science fiction mystery thriller miniseries developed by Paul Tomalin and released on Netflix in 2023. The events of bodies It begins with the appearance of a corpse in Longharvest Lane, London… in four different years: 1890, 1941, 2023 and 2053. Four detectives, one in each period, take on the case, and not only do their investigations intertwine, but they also uncover a disturbing, complex and massive conspiracy.
bodies It only lasts one season but, unlike many other Netflix shows, it was not cancelled; instead, it is a self-contained story designed to be told from beginning to end in a limited number of episodes. This is a great advantage over stranger thingssince it is a complete story, tighter and better written, without filler episodes, instead of a plot stretched over several seasons. The mystery and central conflict in bodies It is also much more complex than the horrors in stranger thingsand the characters address much darker and more mature themes.
Love, death and robots
four seasons
One of the best sci-fi television shows of all time, which is also among the best animated shows ever made, is Love, death and robots. Created by Tim Miller, Love, death and robots is an adult animated anthology television series that premiered on Netflix in 2019. Each episode of Love, death and robots is a different story written by a different team and in a variety of animation styles, making the show a collection of short films from various creators and animators. Such as, Love, death and robots It has a little bit of everything, from full sci-fi stories to more dramatic ones and some that lean more towards horror.
What they all have in common is that they address one or more of the show’s three title themes, and while each episode is different, Season 1’s “Three Robots” had a sequel in Season 3, titled “Three Robots: Exit Strategies.” Love, death and robots has been praised for its overall quality, variety, creativity and voice acting, with each episode being a unique experience, and many of them feeling cinematic.
Despite being made up of a variety of stories in different styles, that is exactly why Love, death and robots It is a much more complete experience than stranger things. Every episode of Love, death and robots is a contained story, which will be refreshing for those who don’t like serialized stories like stranger things.
black mirror
Season 8 in development
Created by Charlie Brooker, black mirror is a British anthology television series that began on Channel 4 and moved to Netflix after its second series and its Christmas special. Every episode of black mirror It’s a different story with a different cast, but they all have one thing in common: they explore the impact and consequences of technological advances, the media and its influence, and how these affect society. Thanks to this, black mirror It has many disturbing episodes, which has become the style of the show.
Each black mirror The episode offers social commentary and gives the audience something to think about for a long time after the story is over. black mirror brings together science fiction, drama, horror and black comedy, while covering real-life fears, exploring futuristic scenarios (some of which, unfortunately, have come true), and tackling adult themes. black mirror is higher than stranger things in terms of production, writing, tone and creativity, and for many, an anthology show is less exhausting than a show with a story spanning multiple seasons.
Dark
three seasons
There’s a reason why Dark is widely considered “mature” stranger things.” Created by Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese, Dark premiered on Netflix in 2017 and was a huge hit with critics and the general public, helping it rank among the best science fiction shows of all time. Dark takes viewers to the fictional town of Winden, Germany, where, one night, young Mikkel disappears after he, his older sister, and their friends enter a cave.
Mikkel’s disappearance leads to different investigations: his father, police officer Ulrich, investigates on his own, as does Jonas, one of Mikkel’s sister’s friends, and discovers a complex truth involving time, family connections and other secrets. Dark is one of the most complex, intelligent, and generally brilliantly realized sci-fi shows of all time, and it’s practically perfect from start to finish.
Dark It also tackles complex philosophical themes, has depth and character development, and a perfectly crafted story where every clue and detail ultimately pays off. All this also does Dark a show worth re-watching as it is packed with details that elevate the viewing experience even further.
- Release date
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2016 – 2025-00-00
- Grid
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netflix
- showrunner
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Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer
- Directors
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Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer, Andrew Stanton, Frank Darabont, Nimród Antal, Uta Briesewitz
- Writers
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Kate Trefry, Jessie Nickson-Lopez, Jessica Mecklenburg, Alison Tatlock
