Diego Pineda has been a devout storyteller his whole life. He has self-published a fantasy novel and a book of short stories, and is actively working on publishing his second novel.
At its best, science fiction television is some of the most imaginative, original, and freshly entertaining that the medium can possibly be. Perfectly suited for grand stories of space exploration, technological advancement, and parallel cyber-realities, sci-fi is ideal for bingeworthy TV content.
On occasion, however, these shows can also be remarkably intense. Full of nail-biting suspense, emotionally riveting moments, and even a bit of terror here and there, the most intense sci-fi shows are among the greatest ever made. From contemporary successes like Stranger Things to well-defined cult classics like Battlestar Galactica, intense science fiction TV series are the most engaging out there. Whether they find their intensity through pure tension, eliciting strong emotional reactions, or offering high-stakes action sequences, they never fail to keep the audience on the edge of their seats. 10 'Stranger Things' Created by Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer One of Netflix's most groundbreaking shows, the Duffer brothers' Stranger Things is a chilling, thrilling, enthralling tribute to '70s and '80s pop culture, from movies to music and television. It's no walk in the park, though. In fact, despite being about a group of young friends à la E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, it's often overwhelmingly intense. Whether it's the horror caused by the Demogorgon or Vecna; the suspense of never knowing whether one's favorite character is safe; or the the fast-paced action scenes in the show's most pivotal episodes, Stranger Things never fails to keep the viewer's eyes entirely fixed on the screen all throughout each season. Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Your comment has not been saved Like Stranger Things Fantasy Horror Drama 21 9.8/10 Release Date 2016 - 2025-00-00 Showrunner Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer Cast See All Powered by Expand Collapse 9 'Person of Interest' Created by Jonathan Nolan Created by Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan's younger brother and common collaborator, Person of Interest was considered by many critics throughout its run the single greatest sci-fi show on broadcast television during the time of its airing. It has aged like fine wine, even if it doesn't always get the praise it deserves nowadays. With some of the most riveting storylines of the genre and some of the best TV seasons in history, each new one getting more fun and more intense than the last, Person of Interest is the rare kind of show that only keeps getting better as it goes on. There are plenty of dark moments and character arcs, adding an awful lot to the series' staying power. Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Your comment has not been saved Like Person of Interest Mystery Drama Action Release Date 2011 - 2016-00-00 Network CBS Cast See All Showrunner Greg Plageman Powered by Expand Collapse 8 'Lost' Created by J.J. Abrams, Jeffrey Lieber, and Damon Lindelof Throughout its entire run—and even up to its controversial finale—, Lost remained one of the most important and talked-about cultural phenomena that the small screen was home to during the 2000s. Intelligently mixing elements from several genres, from sci-fi to fantasy to survival drama, it was a series that never got boring, even when it got a bit too out-there for its own sake. To this day, Lost still has some of the best performances, the best music, the most jaw-dropping twists, and the most engaging characters in the history of broadcast television. With subverted expectation after subverted expectation, as well as plenty of scary moments and more than a few shocking character deaths, the show is nothing if not nail-bitingly intense. Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Your comment has not been saved Like Follow Followed Lost TV-14 Adventure Drama Mystery Sci-Fi Supernatural 9.1/10 Release Date 2004 - 2010-00-00 Network ABC Cast See All Showrunner Damon Lindelof, Carlton Cuse Powered by Expand Collapse 7 'Battlestar Galactica' Developed by Ronald D. Moore The Battlestar Galactica franchise was born with the original 1978 television series, and it quickly expanded into several other media, from novels to games. It was then reimagined into a three-hour miniseries released in 2003 , which was followed by a 2004 show that ran for four magnificent seasons. It's this modern version of the show that Battlestar Galactica is best-remembered for, and for plenty of great reasons. It's simply that good. There are also some pretty intense scenes, from suspenseful action scenes to some pretty dark themes and storylines, something not very often seen in television space operas. Battlestar is all the better thanks to its willingness to go in gloomier directions than most series in its genre ever approach. Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Your comment has not been saved Like Follow Followed Battlestar Galactica TV-14 Action & Adventure Drama Science Fiction War 8.6/10 Release Date 2004 - 2009-00-00 Network SyFy Cast See All Showrunner Ronald D. Moore Powered by Expand Collapse 6 'Orphan Black' Created by John Fawcett and Graeme Manson The Canadian biopunk thriller Orphan Black is filled to the brim with exceptional individual episodes, but it's when taken as a greater whole that it can reasonably be called one of the best sci-fi TV series of the 2010s. Raising plenty of interesting moral and ethical questions on the topic of cloning and identity, it soon gained a strong cult following that still vouches for its quality to this day. Tatiana Maslany, who's given the titanic task of playing several different characters, delivers one of the greatest performances that the genre has seen in years. But Orphan Black's true strength comes from how impossible its intensity makes it to stop watching episode after episode. This often implies a gritty, disturbing tone and a complex story that audiences are given incentive to try and decipher through some pretty potent scenes. It's never not a rush. Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Your comment has not been saved Like Orphan Black TV-MA Sci-Fi Drama Action Fantasy 9.0/10 Release Date 2013 - 2017-00-00 Showrunner Graeme Manson Cast See All Powered by Expand Collapse 5 'The Leftovers' Created by Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta Since pretty close to its inception, HBO has been the king of prestige television. This means that they created some of the greatest shows of the 2010s, which include the gut-wrenching and pitch-black drama The Leftovers. Although its sci-fi elements are much more toward the lighter side, to the point that some might argue it's hard to count it as a sci-fi show, they're nevertheless present enough for it to easily be considered one of the most intense in all of its genres. Though it's so enthralling that it's remarkably easy to binge the whole thing in just a week, The Leftovers is still incredibly intense. It's not exactly frightening, but the emotional reactions it causes and the deeply thought-provoking themes it deals with make it the kind of series that stays with you for weeks on end after you watch the finale. It's tough to get through, but oh so worth it. Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Your comment has not been saved Like Follow Followed The Leftovers TV-MA Drama Mystery Supernatural Thriller Release Date 2014 - 2017-00-00 Showrunner Damon Lindelof Cast See All Powered by Expand Collapse 4 'Watchmen' Created by Damon Lindelof The comic book limited series Watchmen, by writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons, and colorist John Higgins, is one of the most groundbreaking, important, and influential graphic novels in the history of the medium. As such, it deserves adaptations that are just as great. The recent HBO miniseries adaptation, though controversial, can definitely be argued to fit the bill. A must-watch sci-fi miniseries, Watchmen is a richly layered and delightfully complex expansion to the themes and style of the source material. It's also incredibly intense all across the board. From the nuanced sociopolitical and cultural themes, to the labyrinthine narrative structure, to the powerful action scenes, it's a miniseries that never lets your heart rate slow down. Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Your comment has not been saved Like Follow Followed Watchmen TV-MA Crime Drama Mystery Superhero 8.7/10 Release Date 2019 - 2018 Network HBO Cast See All Powered by Expand Collapse 3 'Severance' Created by Dan Erickson One of the most culturally relevant TV shows currently airing or streaming, Apple TV+'s Severance is sci-fi mystery at its most enthralling, its most puzzling, its most delightfully absurd, and its most creative. It's incredibly funny when it gets the chance, but also expertly serious in dealing with its themes, story, and character arcs, all of which tend to get pretty intense. Thanks to the surrealistic sense of humor, the terrific music, the visually-stunning cinematography, and the incredible performances, the intensity is made quite digestible—but not any weaker as a result. When it's not making the audience laugh in exquisite confusion or start theorizing on the story's countless mysteries, Severance has them biting their nails in suspense or holding their breath for what twist is around the corner. It's quite a heart-racing viewing experience. Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Your comment has not been saved Like Follow Followed Severance TV-MA Drama Mystery Sci-Fi 16 9.4/10 Release Date February 18, 2022 Showrunner Dan Erickson, Mark Friedman Cast See All Powered by Expand Collapse 2 'Westworld' Created by Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan Another one of HBO's modern sci-fi masterpieces, Westworld is a futuristic dystopian Western based on the 1973 film of the same title written and directed by Michael Crichton, author of the Jurassic Park novel. Although fans tend to agree that the show kept getting weaker as it progressed, it's nevertheless must-see sci-fi entertainment for fans of the genre who can't get enough of it. That's not to say that Westworld is an easy—let alone a feel-good—show. Quite the contrary, in fact. It's one of the most disturbing sci-fi shows in history, unflinching in its exploration of complicated themes, profoundly unsettling storylines, and dark character arcs. It's an enrapturing TV series, but definitely not one that lets the audience off the hook easily. Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Your comment has not been saved Like Follow Followed Westworld TV-MA Sci-Fi Thriller Western Release Date 2016 - 2022-00-00 Network HBO Max Cast See All Showrunner Jonathan Nolan, Lisa Joy Powered by Expand Collapse 1 'Dark' Created by Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese It's pretty hard to argue against the statement that Netflix's Dark is the most iconic and most mainstream German TV show in history. It's no coincidence, however, that it's also one of the most bizarre and mind-bending TV shows in history. One of the most unpredictable crime shows ever made, it's a brain-melting time travel series that's worth every last bit of effort put into interpreting it. However, it's not just the challenge of keeping track of every character and plot point that makes Dark the most intense science fiction TV series in history. It's also the gloomy tone, the complicated themes, and the fact that every episode is one thrilling, suspenseful scene after the other. There's barely any room to breathe—but, quite frankly, that's just the way its fans like it. For people who like sci-fi shows that are guaranteed to give them whiplash, Dark is an obligatory watch. Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Your comment has not been saved Like Follow Followed Dark Mystery Drama Crime 10.0/10 Release Date 2017 - 2020-00-00 Network Netflix Cast See All
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