The 1990s Were the Greatest Decade for Sci-Fi, and These 8 Shows Prove It

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By

Anja Djuricic

Published Apr 30, 2026, 7:39 PM EDT

Anja Djuricic was born in Belgrade, Serbia, in 1992. Her first interest in film started very early, as she learned to speak English by watching Disney animated movies (and many, many reruns). Anja soon became inspired to learn more foreign languages to understand more movies, so she entered the Japanese language and literature Bachelor Studies at the University of Belgrade.**

Anja is also one of the founders of the DJ duo Vazda Garant, specializing in underground electronic music influenced by various electronic genres.

Anja loves to do puzzles in her spare time, pet cats wherever she meets them, and play The Sims. Anja's Letterboxd four includes Memories of Murder, Parasite, Nope, and The Road to El Dorado.

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If you look at the IMDb **page that lists sci-fi television shows from the 1990s, you'll find over 50 titles, and that's likely not even the entirety of it. The reason why the 1990s were so fruitful in terms of science fiction storytelling is the technological revolution and the awakening of CGI on the big (and small) screens. With better tech came bigger possibilities to make a believable, exceptional world of wonder that would immerse viewers.

Besides tech, the prevailing curiosity of otherworldly existence never seems to die down. Since the 1960s and the Space Race, we've been seeing various stories about what might exist out there, beyond Earth, and how humanity could be important in such a discovery. The 1990s was the greatest decade for sci-fi, and these shows prove it; they prove that people dared to dream bolder, bigger, and better than ever before, passing on that passion and curiosity to newer generations.

'The Outer Limits' (1995–2002)

The cast of 'The Outer Limits' remake in the 1990sImage via Showtime

In the 1990s, science fiction was mostly serialized, but The Outer Limits_ showed that the anthology format was still as popular as ever, especially since The Twilight Zone never truly went out of fashion. The show wasn't a brand-new concept when it was released in 1995; it's a revival of the classic 1960s anthology of the same name that shifted away from the well-known "monster of the week" formula and toward the dangers of technology, making cautionary tales out of artificial intelligence and body horror. Episodes about mutations and aliens were genuinely haunting, inviting viewers to think beyond what they already know, thanks to a combination of practical effects and emerging CGI. With an IMDb rating of 7.7/10, it's a must-see for any fan of cerebral sci-fi.

The Outer Limits is a seven-season anthology series with 152 episodes, each of which serves as a moral message or cautionary tale. Every episode is a standalone story about the dark consequences of scientific hubris, ranging from rogue AI and genetic mutations to alien invasions and government conspiracies. Guided by a foreboding narrator named Control Voice (Kevin Conway), the show told cautionary tales in which humanity frequently paid a high price for its curiosity. The pilot episode was based on a story by George R. R. Martin and Leonard Nimoy appears in one episode, which was directed by his son Adam. The Outer Limits may not be as great as its predecessor, but it's definitely a grandly cynical vision of the future that only showrunners in the '90s could have made.

'Space: Above and Beyond' (1995–1996)

_ Joel de la Fuente as Paul Wang and Morgan Weisser as Nathan West in 'Space: Above and Beyond'.Image via FOX

Space: Above and Beyond_ was co-created by James Wong and Glen Morgan; Wong is the acclaimed director of the first Final Destination film, and he's also co-written for The X-Files and_ American Horror Story_. His unique blend of sci-fi and horror worked well for Space: Above and Beyond, which was conceived as a sort of "World War II in space," serving as a stark precursor to Battlestar Galactica's gritty reboot, which relied heavily on a dark tone, political thrills, and realism. Unlike established polished utopias, Space: Above and Beyond depicts a desperate, confusing conflict fought by soldiers who were often outmatched.

Space: Above and Beyond takes place between 2063 and '64, following a futuristic humanity colonizing other planets. During an exploration mission, Earth's forces come across an unknown alien race called the "Chigs," sparking a tense interstellar war. The protagonists of the story are the "Wildcards," a tough squadron of fighter pilots—including artificially created humanoid warriors called In Vitroes—as they face discrimination, religious doubt, and the brutal reality of combat in a war they never wanted to be a part of. Space: Above and Beyond was canceled after only one season, which ended on a shocking cliffhanger, but its 23 episodes had a significant impact on the genre, even gaining it Emmy nominations. Today, fans regard it as one of the best sci-fi war dramas ever made.

'Dark Skies' (1996–1997)

_ Eric Close as John Loengard and Megan Ward as Kimberly Sayers in front of a chain link fence on 'Dark Skies'Image via NBC

Dark Skies_ was arguably the most ambitious sci-fi series of the 1990s, and it's a true conspiracy gem for fans of The X-Files and political espionage. For its ardent fans, the show's story depth and seamless integration of 1960s history with UFO lore made Dark Skies a fantastic, deeply enjoyable, and complex experience. Though some criticized it at the time for being just a well-executed imitation of existing shows, its grim, tense atmosphere and refusal to rely on a week-by-week format have aged well, allowing it to stay relevant. Dark Skies was canceled after a single season of 18 episodes, but it remains a uniquely entertaining "what if" for history buffs and sci-fi fans alike.

Dark Skies depicts a vividly illustrated alternate history of 1960s America, in which a young couple discovers that the 1947 UFO crash in Roswell was only the beginning of a silent alien invasion. As they attempt to expose the truth, they are pursued by Majestic 12, a sinister secret government organization. The show weaves its sci-fi narrative through real-world events, from the Kennedy assassination to the Beatles' American invasion, revealing the "hidden truth" behind the conspiracy; many actors play existing famous people, including Carl Sagan,** Marilyn Monroe**, and Colin Powell. Brent V. Friedman and Bryce Zabel, the show's creators, created a story plan that spanned five seasons, but with indications that Dark Skies may be completely canceled during its run, the final episode of the first season provides a somewhat fitting conclusion.

'Stargate SG-1' (1997–2007)

Considering that Stargate, the film, was not the shining example of great sci-fi blockbusters of the 1990s, the series that spawned from it, Stargate SG-1, did an excellent job of keeping the lore alive. For over a decade, it was the dependable workhorse of sci-fi television, providing an ideal blend of military realism and otherworldly exploration. It lasted 10 seasons and filled a void for fans who craved the sense of wonder and unknown that many genre shows had previously provided. In its early run, Stargate SG-1 was heavily character-driven and horror-focused, but its solid plot, intricate visual effects and production design, and great character arcs helped it build a massive, enduring fan base. It became a true genre staple, with a devoted cult following that fueled three live-action spin-off series and one animation.

Stargate SG-1 is set one year after the events of the 1994 film, implying that the Stargate program has been discontinued. However, when Colonel Jack O'Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) discovers that the volatile alien race known as Goa'uld is preparing a massive attack, the secret facility is reactivated. O'Neill leads a military-science expedition team known as SG-1 to explore the galaxy using the ancient network of portals. Their mission is to bring advanced technology back home to protect the planet, but each step into the unknown brings them closer to either dying in the attempt to save Earth or discovering something they can't come back from. Throughout its 10-season run, Stargate SG-1 received 129 nominations and won 22 of them, including four Saturn Awards for Best Syndicated Television Series. Fans of the _Mass Effect _games might particularly enjoy Stargate SG-1.

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COLLIDER Collider · Quiz

Collider Exclusive · Sci-Fi Survival Quiz Which Sci-Fi World_ Would You Survive? The Matrix · Mad Max · Blade Runner · Dune · Star Wars

Five universes. Five completely different ways the future went wrong — or sideways, or up in flames. Only one of them is the world your instincts were built for. Eight questions will figure out which dystopia, galaxy, or desert wasteland you'd actually make it out of alive.

💊The Matrix 🔥Mad Max 🌧️Blade Runner 🏜️Dune 🚀Star Wars

TEST YOUR SURVIVAL →

QUESTION 1 / 8INSTINCT

01 You sense something is deeply wrong with the world around you. What do you do? The first instinct is often the truest one.

APull on every thread until I understand the system — then figure out how to break it. BStop asking questions and start stockpiling — food, fuel, weapons. Questions don't keep you alive. CKeep my head down, observe carefully, and trust no one until I know who's pulling the strings. DStudy the patterns. Every system has a rhythm — learn it, and you learn how to survive it. EFind the people fighting back and join them. You can't fix a broken galaxy alone.

NEXT QUESTION →

QUESTION 2 / 8RESOURCE

02 In a world of scarcity, what resource do you guard most fiercely? What we protect reveals what we believe survival actually requires.

AKnowledge. If you understand the system, you don't need resources — you can generate them. BFuel. Everything else — movement, power, escape — runs on it. CTrust. In a world of fakes and informants, a truly reliable ally is rarer than any commodity. DWater. And after water, information — the two things empires are truly built on. EShips and credits. The galaxy is big — you survive it by being able to move through it freely.

NEXT QUESTION →

QUESTION 3 / 8THREAT

03 What kind of threat keeps you up at night? Fear is useful data — if you're honest about what you're actually afraid of.

AThat reality itself is a lie — that everything I experience has been constructed to keep me compliant. BA raid. No warning, no mercy — just the roar of engines and then nothing left. CBeing identified. Once someone with power decides you're a problem, you're already out of time. DBeing outmanoeuvred — losing a political game I didn't even know I was playing. EThe Empire tightening its grip until there's nowhere left to run.

NEXT QUESTION →

QUESTION 4 / 8AUTHORITY

04 How do you deal with authority you don't trust? Every dystopia has a power structure. Your approach to it determines everything.

ASubvert it from the inside — learn its rules well enough to weaponise them against it. BIgnore it and stay out of its reach. The further from any power structure, the better. CAppear to comply while doing exactly what I need to do. Visibility is the enemy. DManoeuvre within it carefully. You can't beat a system you refuse to understand. EResist openly when I have to. Some things are worth the risk of being seen.

NEXT QUESTION →

QUESTION 5 / 8ENVIRONMENT

05 Which environment could you actually endure long-term? Survival isn't just tactical — it's physical, psychological, and very much about where you are.

AUnderground bunkers and server rooms — cramped, artificial, but with access to everything that matters. BOpen wasteland — brutal sun, no shelter, constant movement. At least the threat is honest. CA dense, rain-soaked city where you can disappear into the crowd and nobody asks questions. DMerciless desert — extreme heat, no water, and something enormous living beneath the sand. EThe fringe — backwater planets and busy spaceports where the Empire's attention rarely reaches.

NEXT QUESTION →

QUESTION 6 / 8ALLIANCE

06 Who do you want in your corner when things fall apart? The company you keep is the clearest signal of who you actually are.

AA tight crew of believers who've seen behind the curtain and have nothing left to lose. BOne or two people I'd trust with my life. Any more than that and someone talks. CNobody, ideally. Alliances are liabilities. I work alone unless I have no choice. DA community bound by shared hardship and mutual survival — people who need each other to last. EA ragtag team with wildly different skills and total commitment when it counts.

NEXT QUESTION →

QUESTION 7 / 8MORALITY

07 Where do you draw the line — if you draw one at all? Every survivor eventually faces a moment that tests what they're actually made of.

AI won't harm the innocent — even the ones who'd report me without hesitation. BI do what I have to to protect the people I've chosen. Everything else is negotiable. CThe line shifts depending on who's asking and what's at stake. DI draw a long-term line — nothing that compromises my people's future, even if it'd help now. ESome lines, once crossed, can't be uncrossed. I know which ones they are.

NEXT QUESTION →

QUESTION 8 / 8PURPOSE

08 What would actually make survival worth it? Staying alive is one thing. Having a reason to is another.

AWaking others up — dismantling the illusion so no one else has to live inside it. BFinding somewhere — or someone — worth protecting. A reason to keep moving. CAnswers. Understanding what I am, what any of this means, before time runs out. DLegacy — shaping the future in a way that outlasts me by generations. EFreedom — for myself, for others, for every world still living under someone else's boot.

REVEAL MY WORLD →

Your Fate Has Been Calculated You'd Survive In… Your answers point to the world your instincts were built for. This is the universe your temperament, your survival instincts, and your particular brand of stubbornness were made for.

The Resistance, Zion

The Matrix You took the red pill a long time ago — probably before anyone offered it to you. You're a systems thinker who can't help but notice the seams in things.

• You're drawn to understanding how the system works before figuring out how to break it.

• You'd find the Resistance, or it would find you — your instinct for spotting constructed realities is the machines' worst nightmare.

• You function best when you have access to information and the freedom to act on it.

• The Matrix built an airtight prison. You'd be the one probing the walls for the door.

The Wasteland

Mad Max The wasteland doesn't reward the clever or the well-connected — it rewards those who are hard to kill and harder to break. That's you.

• You don't need comfort, community, or a cause larger than the next horizon.

• You need a vehicle, a clear threat, and enough fuel to outrun it — and you're good at all three.

• You are unsentimental enough to survive that world, and decent enough — just barely — to be something more than another raider.

• In the wasteland, that distinction is everything.

Los Angeles, 2049

Blade Runner You'd survive here because you know how to exist in moral grey areas without losing yourself completely.

• You read people accurately, keep your circle small, and ask the questions others prefer not to answer.

• In a city where humanity is a legal designation rather than a feeling, you hold onto something that keeps you functional.

• You're not a hero. But you're not lost, either.

• In Blade Runner's world, that distinction is everything.

Arrakis

Dune Arrakis is the most hostile environment in the known universe — and you are precisely the kind of person it rewards.

• Patience, discipline, and political awareness are your core strengths — and on Arrakis, they're survival tools.

• You understand that the long game matters more than any single victory.

• Others come to Dune and are consumed by it. You'd learn its logic and earn its respect.

• In time, you wouldn't just survive Arrakis — you'd begin to reshape it.

A Galaxy Far, Far Away

Star Wars The galaxy far, far away is vast, loud, and in a constant state of violent political upheaval — and you wouldn't have it any other way.

• You find meaning in being part of something larger than yourself — a cause, a crew, a rebellion.

• You'd gravitate toward the Rebellion, or the fringes, or whatever pocket of the galaxy still believes the Empire's grip can be broken.

• You fight — not because you have to, but because standing aside isn't something you're capable of.

• In Star Wars, that willingness is what makes all the difference.

↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ

'Farscape' (1999–2003)

_ Two characters stand in a corridor and look ahead with serious expressions in Farscape.Image via SYFY

Aside from the big, famous, more muscular shows, there's a cult classic in hiding: Farscape_. Farscape is the epitome of a curated 90s sci-fi series; created in collaboration with The Jim Henson Company, the show was intricately strange, embracing chaos and camp to create something entirely unique. The aliens, despite being gimmicky and some being just humans in prosthetics, had greatly developed character arcs; some species were brought to life using advanced puppetry and animatronics capable of great emotional expression. Farscape was described as both a psychedelic action-adventure epic and a romantic character drama, with hallucinatory episodes and witty pop-culture moments that broke the mold of traditional space adventure. With a devoted fanbase, it remains a unique achievement in visual storytelling.

Farscape follows American astronaut John Crichton (Ben Browder) as he tests an experimental spacecraft when a wormhole violently catapults him across the universe, landing him in the midst of a prison break. Stranded on Moya, a mysterious, biomechanical living ship, he escapes with a group of equally desperate alien fugitives. Crichton, now pursued by the authoritarian Peacekeepers, must navigate a strange and dangerous galaxy using only his wits and a growing ability to tap into the wormhole knowledge inside his own head. The alien puppets were so complex that they required multiple operators, and the most iconic is Pilot, a creature permanently bonded to Moya, serving as her driver and voice.

'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine' (1993–1999)

_ Avery Brooks as Benjamin Sisko in Star Trek: Deep Space NineImage via Paramount Television

Deep Space Nine_, long dismissed as the dark Trek that stayed in one place, is now widely regarded as the most ambitious and well-written_ _Star Trek series. It was the **first Trek series to embrace serialized storytelling, long-form arcs, and moral ambiguity **while tackling more serious issues such as terrorism, genocide, religious faith, PTSD, and the ethics of war. The show's final 10-episode arc (The Dominion War) is a masterpiece of television drama, culminating in a series finale that many fans regard as the best in Star Trek history. With an 8.1 IMDb rating and a resurgence of critical acclaim in the streaming era, _DS9 _has finally established itself as the pinnacle of 1990s science fiction.

DS9 is set on a decaying Cardassian space station named Deep Space Nine that orbits the strategic planet Bajor. The station's commander, Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks), is tasked with assisting the Bajoran people in recovering from a brutal occupation, but his mission changes when a stable wormhole to the Gamma Quadrant is discovered, making Deep Space Nine the most important port in the galaxy. As the station becomes a hub for alien traders, religious pilgrims, and spies, **Sisko and his crew are caught up in a brewing conflict with the Dominion, a terrifying new power **from beyond the wormhole. The show's creators had planned a more serialized format but were forced to keep it episodic at first. However, they won the battle over time, and by season four, DS9 had become the first Star Trek_ _series to feature multi-episode arcs, paving the way for all modern serialized science fiction.

'Babylon 5' (1993–1998)

_ Mira Furlan as Delenn looking perplexed in Babylon 5.Image via PTEN

Babylon 5 _is the show that permanently changed the rules of television. Long before the era of prestige TV, creator **J. Michael Straczynski **meticulously planned a five-year "novel for television," where every action had a consequence and characters grew and changed over time, with events in the show impacting each of them in different ways. The series explored themes of authoritarianism, faith, and sacrifice, and its use of low-cost Amiga computer graphics demonstrated that compelling narratives could outperform large budgets. The long-running Shadow War, depicted on a truly cosmic scale, produced some of the most ambitious and satisfying storylines of the 1990s.

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Babylon 5 _begins the year 2258, ten years after a devastating war with the Minbari. Earth has launched Babylon 5, a five-mile-long space station designed to serve as a neutral diplomatic hub **between the galaxy's major powers. Commander Jeffrey Sinclair (later Captain John Sheridan) is tasked with keeping the fragile alien alliance together. When the station's commander is falsely accused of attempting to assassinate a mysterious Vorlon ambassador, he uncovers a sinister plot to plunge the galaxy back into all-out war. Michael O'Hare, who played commanding officer Sinclair, left after the first season and was replaced by **Bruce Boxleitner **as a completely different character, honoring O'Hare's influence on Babylon 5's humble beginnings. Many consider this show to be the greatest sci-fi series ever made.

'The X-Files' (1993–2018)

_ THE X-FILES, Gillian Anderson, David Duchovny, 1993-2002. photo: Chris H.B. / © Fox Network / Courtesy: Everett CollectionImage via FOX

The X-Files _is what we call "the shot heard 'round the world" for modern genre TV. It's a show that achieved a rare trifecta of high ratings, critical acclaim, and a devoted fan base in a short period of time. Its cinematic visual quality paved the way for today's high-budget prestige genre television, while the electrifying dynamic between the dependable cynic and the paranoid believer established a template for a generation of duos. Although it followed a terrifying and formulaic "monster of the week" format, The X-Files' overarching mythology about several key events and characters made it both addictive and lovable.

The X-Files follows two FBI agents, Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), who are assigned to the "X-Files," a department that investigates unsolved paranormal cases. Mulder is a true believer, haunted by the disappearance of his sister as a child, whom he believes was abducted by extraterrestrials; Scully is a medical doctor and skeptic tasked with debunking Mulder's claims and applying scientific analysis to the bizarre. Together, they discover a complex government conspiracy that threatens to reveal the truth about an alien invasion. Despite the show's many iconic visual and narrative symbols, the iconic poster with a hovering UFO and the tagline "I Want to Believe" is likely its most well-known remnant. Originally taken in Europe, the production team used the photo without copyright clearance and had to change it in later seasons due to a lawsuit. The X-Files is one of the shows you can watch anytime, as it doesn't seem to age; it only gets better with time.

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The X-Files

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Release Date**

1993 - 2018-00-00

Network

FOX

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Showrunner

Chris Carter

Directors

Rob Bowman, David Nutter, R. W. Goodwin, Michael W. Watkins, Tony Wharmby, Daniel Sackheim, Michael Lange, Cliff Bole, David Duchovny, Jim Charleston, James Wong, Peter Markle, Rod Hardy, Thomas J. Wright, William A. Graham, Jerrold Freedman, Joe Napolitano, Kevin Hooks, Larry Shaw, Richard Compton, Tucker Gates, Allen Coulter, Barry K. Thomas, Brett Dowler

Writers

jeffrey bell, Frank Spotnitz, Howard Gordon, David Amann, Darin Morgan, Steven Maeda, Greg Walker, Chris Ruppenthal, Kim Newton, Paul Brown, Sara B.