5 Must-Watch Sci-Fi TV Shows You Can Only Stream On Netflix

It's a big undertaking for any streaming service to invest so heavily in the science-fiction genre. Unlike more simplistic comedies and dramas that can get by with minimal cast and settings, sci-fi typically requires far-off worlds and unique creature designs. There's far more of an investment upfront, which is why it's so refreshing to see a bevy of great sci-fi TV shows you can only stream on Netflix.

Some are Netflix originals, meaning they live and die by the streamer. But you shouldn't overlook some hidden gems that originated elsewhere. For some sci-fi shows, Netflix is now the only place you can watch them for free. You might be able to purchase episodes elsewhere, but buying season-by-season adds up quickly. The Netflix monthly subscription fee is a small price to pay (even as it continues to grow) considering how much entertainment is made available. 

You may think you already know the best sci-fi shows on Netflix, but here are a few more exclusive to the platform you shouldn't miss. 

"Pantheon" has had an intriguing journey to being available only on Netflix. It began life on AMC+ until the second season debuted on Amazon Prime Video. Now that many AMC and Prime Video series have trekked over to Netflix, it's available for a wider audience that will hopefully appreciate what a riveting show it is. 

"Pantheon" has a lot to say about our modern digital age. It all begins with a teenage girl, Maddie (Katie Chang), who starts receiving online messages from someone claiming to be her deceased father, David (Daniel Dae Kim). We soon get introduced to other characters all around the globe whose stories intersect in increasingly volatile ways, all pointing to a global conspiracy from corporations trying to achieve technological singularity. 

"Pantheon" is one of the few sci-fi shows to achieve a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. While the initial synopsis may sound all doom and gloom, the series has a surprisingly optimistic outlook on humanity's future. Yes, there will always be corporate-driven individuals willing to trade morality for a few more dollars. But there is a way forward where humans can make the most of technology and ensure everyone, regardless of income level, benefits. 

Fans of "The Pitt" need to watch Noah Wyle's sci-fi series, "Falling Skies" on Netflix, the only streamer currently where you can watch it for free. The series itself is a lot more manageable to wrap your head around than other sci-fi shows dealing with AI and singularities. "Falling Skies" is an alien invasion story where 90% of humanity has already been wiped out. What remains fights back against an alien force with mysterious motives involving kidnapping children.

"Falling Skies" feels very much in the vein of "The Walking Dead" but with aliens. You have the lead, Tom Mason (Wyle), who's out of his depth as a military leader when he used to be a history teacher. But everyone is forced to make sacrifices, and the human stories help ground the extraterrestrial battles. Families are forced to make tough decisions, and just when you grow attached to a secondary character, they get blasted away.

The main thing that'll keep you coming back to "Falling Skies" is the central mystery. There's the lingering question as to why aliens came to Earth, which doesn't get answered until later on. "Falling Skies" was an underrated gem when it first came out in the 2010s, but today, it makes for some entertaining binge-watching. 

To be fair, Oats Studios isn't really a TV show. It's a production company founded by "District 9" filmmaker Neill Blomkamp that has produced several short films, all of which have been gathered together in one neat package on Netflix. Each episode is its own standalone story, which makes for breezier viewing. If you watch one you don't like, you can move onto something completely different.

And variety truly is the name of the game with Oats Studios. One short film, "Rakka," feels heavily inspired by "District 9," as it follows what's left of humanity fighting back against an alien invasion. Then there's "Cooking With Bill,"  a series of cooking infomercials that feels more like something you'd find on Adult Swim late at night. But Blomkamp swung for the fences with the cast, as the series includes the likes of Sigourney Weaver, Dakota Fanning, and Kellan Lutz. 

Blomkamp has had a rough go in Hollywood. His "Alien" movie is officially dead, and he was also attached to a "Halo" film at one point that didn't pan out. But he's clearly been keeping busy and has plenty of ideas if he ever wants to make another sci-fi feature. 

With a vast roster of characters and an immense lore, a series based on "League of Legends" could've easily been too esoteric for casual audiences to enjoy. But "Arcane" did something astonishing and became one of the best TV shows based on a video game ever. It strips away the game's more complex details and focuses on two orphaned sisters — Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) and Jinx (Ella Purnell) — who get caught up in an escalating conflict between the wealthier city of Piltover and the more desolate area of Zaun.

The animation looks astounding, making all of the fight sequences truly pop. This was a show that could've easily rested on that laurel and just been pure eye candy. However, it takes the story a step further by examining sociopolitical divides between different classes. 

The characters break out of their one-dimensional roles from the game. Jinx goes down a mental path of deterioration, becoming increasingly paranoid as she engages in more terrorist activities. The show becomes a battle for Jinx's soul, as her sister tries to pull her out of this state, but Jinx is in far too deep to just walk away. Netflix cancelled "Arcane" after just two seasons, mostly due to its high production cost. At least the streaming service invested a ton of money into something that's absolutely worth watching, even if you're not a gamer. 

"Human Vapor" is a more recent addition to Netflix, but it offers something entirely new to its sci-fi collection. It begins with a professor getting killed on live television by a mysterious stream of vapor. It's soon revealed that this stream is actually an entity all on its own known as the Human Vapor, who will continue killing everyone involved with the White Center. Detective Kenji Okamoto (Shun Oguri) has to figure out what the White Center is and what's going on before it's too late. 

"Human Vapor" ties its sci-fi premise with a tantalizing conspiracy thriller. Pretty much every episode runs through a wide range of genres, from comedy to horror, without any getting deflated. 

You'll want to see how all of this plays out, and the show even throws in some social commentary for good measure. With a strange killer on the loose, politicians and social media influencers alike try to spin the story for their own financial gain and self-interest. Once you see that professor explode, you'll be hooked and want to see how all of these seemingly divergent stories come together.