Science fiction has always been a popular TV genre. From The Twilight Zone to Doctor Who to The X-Files to The Expanse, there’s always been something out there for audiences who want to slip the surly bonds of normality and indulge in the weird, wild, and out-of-this-world.
In the age of streaming, sci-fi shows have proliferated even further, and new ones are coming out all the time. That includes lots of shows that have released new episodes just this year. Some have already wrapped up their latest seasons, some are in the middle of a new run, and all are ready and waiting to be binged. If you’re looking for a 2026 sci-fi saga to get absorbed in this weekend, I can tell you where to look.
Why You Should Trust Me: I’ve been writing about the entertainment industry for over 10 years on websites like The A.V. Club, MakeUseOf, and MovieWeb. I have a special affection for the science fiction and fantasy genres, and have spent more time watching, thinking, and writing about shows like The Expanse, For All Mankind, Severance, and Black Mirror than is normal or healthy.
‘Star City’
The ‘For All Mankind’ Spin-Off Premiered May 29, 2026, on Apple TV
Star City is a prequel to For All Mankind, one of the first original shows to air on Apple TV. For All Mankind is set in a world where the Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union never stopped. The first season is set in the 1960s, and each subsequent season jumps ahead in time to show us how the world would be different if humanity had made space travel a priority. By Season 5 of For All Mankind, which is set in the 2010s, Mars has a fully functional civilization.
Star City turns the clock back to the 1960s and explores how this alternate version of the Space Race played out from the Soviet perspective. The show takes place in Star City, where the Soviet Union trains its cosmonauts before sending them out into space. Like For All Mankind, a lot of care was put into depicting the science on the show; everything is grounded in real-world physics. However, unlike For All Mankind, Star City is awash in paranoia and suspicion. The main characters are constantly monitored by their government to ensure they toe the Communist Party line, which makes for a very different sort of viewing experience. Star City is part sci-fi, part alternate history show, and part spy thriller.
All eight episodes from the first season of Star City are available to stream now on Apple TV, although we don’t yet know if the show will be returning for Season 2. If you get through all of them, you can also watch all five seasons of For All Mankind.
‘Silo’
Season 3 Premiered July 3, 2026, on Apple TV
Apple TV has a reputation for making excellent sci-fi shows, and Silo is one of the best. Adapted from Hugh Howey’s book trilogy, the series is set in a post-apocalyptic world where a mysterious cataclysm has driven what remains of humanity underground. People have lived in a massive, multi-level Silo for so long that no one can remember how they ended up there.
Our hero is Juliette (Rebecca Ferguson), an engineer who becomes the new sheriff in the Silo. In the first two seasons, she uncovers a conspiracy among the Silo’s leadership and even ventures into the outside world, which everyone underground has been told is unlivable.
Silo Season 3 is the most ambitious yet, and it’s almost halfway over. Not only does the show continue Juliette’s story in the Silo, but it also features extended flashbacks to the 21st century, where we learn about the disaster that destroyed the surface world. Silo is expertly paced, beautifully made, and features excellent performances from Ferguson and her castmates, including Tim Robbins as Bernard Holland, one of the leaders in the Silo.
If you want a lighter take on this premise, the second season of Prime Video’s Fallout was also released in 2026. The series is also about an apocalyptic event that drove people underground, but it’s less grim and more tongue-in-cheek than Silo.
‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’
Season 4 Premiered July 23, 2026, on Paramount+
The Star Trek franchise has had its share of ups and downs over the decades. Recent years have seen several new Star Trek series come and go, including Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard, and Star Trek: Lower Decks. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 is currently streaming on Paramount+, and it may be the best of these newer efforts.
Strange New Worlds stars Anson Mount as Captain Christopher Pike, a character who first appeared in the pilot for Star Trek: The Original Series in the 1960s. Captain Pike leads his crew aboard the USS Enterprise on a series of adventures throughout the cosmos, boldly going where no man has gone before.
Although there are serialized elements, most of the episodes of Strange New Worlds stand on their own, which distinguishes the show from other recent Trek fare like Discovery. Some episodes are action-heavy, some are comedic, and some tug at the heartstrings. The Season 4 premiere, which aired on July 23, saw the Enterprise warped back to prehistoric times, when dinosaurs still roamed the Earth. The solar system, as it turns out, was already populated during this period, and the episode tells a different origin story about the asteroid belt than most have before.
Overall, Strange New Worlds feels like a modern-day update of The Original Series, which has gone over well. With the fourth season just getting started, now is the perfect time to binge this show. And if you want more Star Trek, a brand-new series called Starfleet Academy aired its first season early in 2026.
Have you seen any of these great sci-fi TV shows? Which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!
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