The 15 best sci-fi shows on Amazon Prime Video for when you need to escape
The 15 best sci-fi shows on Amazon Prime Video for when you need to escape
Kevin Jacobsen, Will HarrisThu, May 14, 2026 at 7:00 PM UTC
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Walton Goggins as the Ghoul on 'Fallout'; Antony Starr as Homelander on 'The Boys'; Christopher Judge as Teal'c on 'Stargate SG-1'
Credit: FOX; Amazon; Everett
Let's face it: The real world isn't exactly an ideal place to dwell in all the time, and it's natural to want an escape. That's where the science fiction genre comes in handy, whether it be intergalactic space travel, alternate worlds with different rules and technology than our own, or dystopian dramas that warn of where things could be going.
Amazon Prime Video has a huge collection of sci-fi shows streaming now, offering the escape you're craving. From older cult classics like The Outer Limits to ongoing favorites like Fallout, science fiction is well-represented on the streamer, all of them free with a Prime subscription.
Read on for EW's list of the 15 best sci-fi shows on Amazon Prime Video.
01 of 15
The Boys (2019–2026)
Karl Urban as William 'Billy' Butcher and Antony Starr as John/Homelander on 'The Boys'
Credit: Amazon Prime
When Alan Moore penned Watchmen, his epic superhero saga, he offered arguably the darkest mainstream comic book look up to that point. Little did viewers know that The Boys would take things in an even darker direction, albeit with far more humor than the aforementioned Mr. Moore ever would have offered. Adapted from the Garth Ennis/Darick Robertson comic book series and executive produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, The Boys gets wilder with each passing episode...and if you doubt us, then may we suggest you investigate "Herogasm"?
While it's in no way for the faint of heart, The Boys absolutely answers the questions, "What would happen if superheroes weren't all squeaky-clean bastions of morality?" and "What kind of universe would Marvel be if no one had ever uttered the phrase, 'With great power comes great responsibility'?" The answer: a very disturbing one, indeed. Funny at times, but still pretty damned disturbing. —Will Harris
Where to watch The Boys: Amazon Prime Video
Cast: Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr, Erin Moriarty, Dominique McElligott
02 of 15
Continuum (2012–2015)
Rachel Nichols as Kiera Cameron on 'Continuum'
Credit: Syfy
There is a fascinating dynamic at the heart of Continuum, which aired for four seasons on Syfy in the mid-2010s. The action begins in 2077, when a police officer named Kiera Cameron (Rachel Nichols) works in a dystopian society dominated by corporations. A group of terrorists called Liber8 tries to take down the corporations and find a wormhole that allows them to escape execution, time-traveling back to 2012. The only problem is, Kiera travels back, too. EW's critic calls Continuum a "crisp, crackerjack series" that deftly combines multiple tried-and-true TV genres. —K.J.
Where to watch Continuum: Amazon Prime Video
Cast: Rachel Nichols, Victor Webster, Erik Knudsen, Stephen Lobo, Roger Cross
03 of 15
The Expanse (2015–2022)
Steven Strait as James Holden on 'The Expanse'
Credit: Amazon Prime Video
Set several hundred years in the future, The Expanse considers where humanity might end up heading, positing a scenario where the three major powers are the United Nations of Earth and Luna, the Martian Congressional Republic on Mars, and the Outer Planets Alliance (which encompasses the folks living on Jupiter, Saturn, and some habitable asteroids). Things are tense. War seems imminent. What great news, then, when a missing persons case emerges that ultimately threatens to expose a major conspiracy. It's kind of a "you got your political thriller in my sci-fi series/you got your sci-fi series in my political thriller" situation, but the end result is, thankfully, two great tastes that taste great together.
A repeat Saturn Award nominee for Best Science Fiction Television Series, The Expanse definitely isn't the happy-go-lucky sci-fi that some of the other programs on this list may be, but it's must-see TV and then some. —W.H.
Where to watch The Expanse: Amazon Prime Video
Cast: Thomas Jane, Steven Strait, Cas Anvar, Dominique Tipper, Shohreh Aghdashloo
04 of 15
Fallout (2024–present)
Walton Goggins as the Ghoul on 'Fallout'
Credit: Amazon
Video game adaptations are notoriously hit or miss, but this visually arresting show based on the Fallout series is a clear winner. Set more than 200 years after an apocalyptic nuclear attack, a young woman named Lucy (Ella Purnell) emerges from her bunker in search of her captured father (Kyle MacLachlan), exploring an unpredictable wasteland full of colorful characters. "The eight-episode season exists in a vivid and captivating universe that will be familiar to gamers," EW's critic observes of season 1, "though knowledge of the franchise isn't required to enjoy its darkly comic dystopian pleasures." —K.J.
Where to watch Fallout: Amazon Prime Video
EW grade: B+
Cast: Ella Purnell, Walton Goggins, Aaron Moten, Kyle MacLachlan, Moisés Arias
05 of 15
Farscape (1999–2003)
Anthony Simcoe as Ka D'Argo, Claudia Black as Aeryn Sun, Dominar Rygel XVI (voice: Jonathan Hardy), Ben Browder as John Crichton, and Virginia Hey as Pa'u Zotoh Zhaan on 'Farscape'
Credit: Everett Collection
When astronaut John Crichton (Ben Bowder) gets sucked into a wormhole, he finds himself in a distant part of the Milky Way, but that was just the beginning of the strangeness he'd experience over the course of four seasons and a miniseries. John quickly ends up part of a ragtag band of outsiders trying to escape from a militaristic group called the Peacekeepers. Traveling in a living starship called Moya, John's crew consists of renegade Peacekeeper fighter pilot Aeryn, empath Zhaan, warrior D'Argo, deposed ruler Rygel, and — after a few episodes — a thief named Chiana.
For all their disparity, however, these characters share one thing in common: They're all on a quest to find their way home. Unfortunately, the Peacekeepers, led by the despicable Scorpius, have every intention of stopping that from happening. With creatures created by the Henson Company, the visuals are fun in Farscape, but the chemistry is even better. —W.H.
Where to watch Farscape: Amazon Prime Video
Cast: Ben Browder, Claudia Black, Virginia Hey, Anthony Simcoe, Gigi Edgley
06 of 15
Gen V (2023–2025)
Chance Perdomo as Andre Anderson on 'Gen V'
Credit: Brooke Palmer/Prime Video
While essentially sold as The Boys: The College Years, this spinoff of the popular Amazon superhero saga is far from your traditional CW-esque college-set show. The dark comedy-drama centers on a group of budding superheroes attending the Godolkin University School of Crimefighting, or "God U." Blood manipulator Marie (Jaz Sinclair) is our window into the story, as she has a surprisingly eventful first week at school. She also comes to discover the shadiness of Vought International, the big bad conglomerate that owns the university.
Those who haven't watched The Boys may want to check it out before diving into this spinoff (you may be a tad lost on some of the references), but avid Boys watchers should revel in Gen V's cheeky violence and trenchant social commentary. As EW's critic writes, "Gen V would kick ass even if The Boys didn't exist." —K.J.
Where to watch Gen V: Amazon Prime Video
Cast: Jaz Sinclair, Chance Perdomo, Lizze Broadway, Maddie Phillips, London Thor
07 of 15
Invincible (2021–present)
Markus Sebastian 'Mark' Grayson/Invincible (voice: Steven Yeun) on 'Invincible'
Credit: Amazon Studios
Invincible, based on writer Robert Kirkman's popular comic, blends classic superhero tropes with the character development of a family saga. The animated series centers on Mark (voiced by Steven Yeun), a high schooler whose father Nolan (J.K. Simmons) happens to be the most powerful superhero in the world — Omni-Man, a Superman-esque alien who wards off villains. Mark inherits his father's powers and must figure out how to control them while also sharing the struggles most teenagers go through as they grow up.
The series finds a strong balance between Mark's coming-of-age story and the superpowered world he inhabits, accented by flashes of violence that go beyond your traditional Saturday morning cartoon. —K.J.
Where to watch Invincible: Amazon Prime Video
Cast: Steven Yeun, Sandra Oh, J.K. Simmons
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08 of 15
The Outer Limits (1963–1965)
Arlene Martel as Consuelo Biros and Robert Culp as Trent in the 'Demon With a Glass Hand' episode of 'The Outer Limits'
Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection
This cult classic '60s anthology series — essentially The Twilight Zone, but make it sci-fi — delved into the perils of humanity pushing science and technology to the edge. Each episode told a self-contained story, from time travelers meddling with past and future events to an outcast threatening to bomb his enemies, in addition to alien invasions aplenty. Like most anthology series, not every episode is a home run, but some episodes, like season 1's "The Zanti Misfits," in which an alien planet decides Earth is the place to send its criminals, still hold up even all these years later. —K.J.Where to watch The Outer Limits: Amazon Prime Video
Cast: Various
09 of 15
Outer Range (2022–2024)
(From left to right): Tom Pelphrey as Perry Abbott, Lewis Pullman as Rhett Abbott, and Josh Brolin as Royal Abbott on 'Outer Range'
Credit: Richard Foreman Jr. SMPSP/Amazon Prime
This is inarguably the least science-fiction-y inclusion on this list, but there's one specific aspect of Outer Range that causes it to qualify. (Otherwise, it feels like a modern-day Western, à la Yellowstone.) The series stars Josh Brolin as Royal Abbott, a Wyoming rancher with a wife (Cecilia, played by Lili Taylor) and two sons: Rhett (Lewis Pullman) and Perry (Tom Pelphrey). In addition to dealing with the mysterious disappearance of Perry's wife, Rebecca, there's also a mysterious stranger — Autumn (Imogen Poots) — who's camping out on the ranch.
Ah, but you're wondering about the sci-fi element: Suddenly, for no discernible reason, a giant circular void has appeared on the Abbotts' land, one which results in a myriad of effects when someone goes into it. It's an unlikely blending of plots — there's also a storyline where another family tries to steal Royal's land — but damned if it doesn't work. —W.H.
Where to watch Outer Range: Amazon Prime Video
Cast: Josh Brolin, Imogen Poots, Lili Taylor, Tom Pelphrey, Tamara Podemski
10 of 15
Paper Girls (2022)
Riley Lai Nelet as Erin Tieng and Ali Wong as adult Erin Tieng on 'Paper Girls'
Credit: Amazon/Courtesy Everett Collection
This acclaimed series based on the comic book series of the same name by Brian K. Vaughan may have been short-lived, but it's still well worth the watch. Tiff (Camryn Jones), Erin (Riley Lai Nelet), Mac (Sofia Rosinsky), and KJ (Fina Strazza) are the paper girls, going about their routine delivering papers the morning after Halloween 1988, when they stumble into a fierce conflict between time travelers.
While many shows and movies based on comics are enhanced by knowledge of the source material, Vaughan tells EW that such knowledge is unnecessary to enjoy the show. "If you're a hardcore fan of the comic, it's still going to be extremely surprising to you," he said. "With our blessing, they go to some places that we never could as a comic and there are new characters, there are new threats." —K.J.
Where to watch Paper Girls: Amazon Prime Video
Cast: Camryn Jones, Riley Lai Nelet, Sofia Rosinsky, Fina Strazza, Adina Porter
11 of 15
Person of Interest (2011–2016)
Jim Caviezel as John Reese and Enrico Colantoni as Carl G. Elias on 'Person of Interest'
Credit: John P. Filo/CBS via Getty Images
CBS' Person of Interest pulled off a magnificent balancing act of constantly building on itself, while — especially in the beginning — sticking to its network-standard procedural format. The series follows enigmatic billionaire Harold Finch (Michael Emerson) and his development of a machine that is able to predict future crimes. Finch teams up with war veteran John Reese (Jim Caviezel) as they attempt to quash future terrorist activity.
What starts as a compelling case-of-the-week eventually turns into a grand-scale saga of competing artificial intelligence and all the moral dilemmas that lie within. As EW's critic writes, "The show can simultaneously unsettle, comfort, excite, and amuse its viewers — something for everyone, if you, like Mr. Finch, like to watch." —K.J.
Where to watch Person of Interest: Amazon Prime Video
EW grade: B+
Cast: Jim Caviezel, Taraji P. Henson, Kevin Chapman, Michael Emerson, Amy Acker
12 of 15
Stargate SG-1 (1997–2007)
Corin Nemec as Jonas Quinn, Amanda Tapping as Samantha Carter, Richard Dean Anderson as Jack O'Neill, and Christopher Judge as Teal'c on 'Stargate SG-1'
Credit: Everett Collection
It began as a 1994 film by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich about an ancient alien device found on Earth that allows for transportation to other worlds, and with this show developed by Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner, Stargate was transformed into a multi-series TV franchise.
A deft blending of storylines involving the U.S. government and its military-led exploration of other planets while also defending its home turf, Stargate SG-1 stars Richard Dean Anderson for the first eight of its 10 seasons, with Ben Browder (Farscape) filling his shoes for the final two. But it's the show's ensemble cast — including Michael Shanks, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge, and Don S. Davis — that helps to successfully anchor SG-1 in an emotional reality despite all of the special effects and alien races, technology, and landscapes, and serves to make it such an entertaining and exciting trip week after week. —W.H.
Where to watch Stargate SG-1: Amazon Prime Video
Cast: Richard Dean Anderson, Michael Shanks, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge, Don S. Davis
13 of 15
Tales From the Loop (2020)
Rebecca Hall as Loretta in 'Tales From the Loop'
Credit: Jan Thijs/Amazon
Adapting Simon Stålenhag's art book of the same name, Tales From the Loop is a deeply humanistic examination of life in an Ohio town — which happens to contain an experimental underground facility called the Loop. The town features all natures of strange phenomena from time traveling to body swapping, which impacts the lives of its residents. Starring Rebecca Hall and Paul Schneider as a married couple working in the Loop, the series features gorgeous Emmy-nominated cinematography and visual effects that bring Stålenhag's striking imagery even further to life. —K.J.
Where to watch Tales From the Loop: Amazon Prime Video
Cast: Rebecca Hall, Paul Schneider, Duncan Joiner, Daniel Zolghadri, Jonathan Pryce
14 of 15
Timeless (2016–2018)
Matt Lanter as Wyatt Logan and Abigail Spencer as Lucy Preston on 'Timeless'
Credit: Darren Michaels/Sony/NBC
We all know the thought experiment: If you had the ability to time travel, would you go back and kill baby Hitler to prevent his future crimes against humanity? How would that change the world if you did? This wonky sci-fi series extrapolates from that idea, centering on a history professor (Abigail Spencer), an Army sergeant (Matt Lanter), and a programmer (Malcolm Barrett) who team up to stop a time-traveling terrorist from rewriting history. From the Lincoln assassination to Watergate, history enthusiasts will get a kick out of the two-season drama's depiction of world events (though some suspension of disbelief is required). —K.J.
Where to watch Timeless: Amazon Prime Video
Cast: Abigail Spencer, Matt Lanter, Malcolm Barrett, Paterson Joseph, Sakina Jaffrey
15 of 15
Upload (2020–2025)
Robbie Amell as Nathan Brown on 'Upload'
Credit: Aaron Epstein/Amazon Studios
Created by Greg Daniels, the man behind the American adaptation of The Office and co-creator of Parks and Recreation and King of the Hill, this series posits a world where death is no longer final and one's existence can be continued by being "uploaded" into a virtual afterlife.
Unfortunately, when it happens to Nathaniel Brown (Robbie Amell), he's not expecting it, and his fate is left in the hands of his girlfriend, Ingrid (Allegra Edwards), who holds it over his head that she's footing the bill for his expensive afterlife in Lakeview. Meanwhile, Nathaniel forges a friendship with Nora (Andy Allo), the Lakeview employee assigned to help him transition into his new existence, and the two discover that there's a romantic spark between them. In the midst of all of this, Nathaniel also begins to suspect that his death may not have been accidental. It's a sci-fi rom-com murder mystery. Who could ask for anything more? —W.H.
Where to watch Upload: Amazon Prime Video
Cast: Robbie Amell, Andy Allo, Allegra Edwards, Zainab Johnson, Kevin Bigley
on Entertainment Weekly
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
