10 Short Sci-Fi Series You Can Binge in a Day

Science fiction often requires a lot of thinking. Or at least, that’s what most people think of science fiction. But in reality, science fiction done right is pretty easy to absorb, as it fluctuates between what’s possible and impossible by incorporating certain elements originating from the imagination of the author or filmmaker. Sure, some worlds are very hard to believe, but that’s where the power of the genre lies. It’s always best to imagine further, beyond the limits of what’s already been envisioned.

For the most part, movies and TV shows are prime examples of the best executions of science fiction work. Since the birth of the cinema medium, artists have been able to bring to life what seemed impossible before. If we add special effects to the formula, the absurd becomes a reality.

While it sounds ideal, we’re also aware that sci-fi sometimes requires time. That is because sci-fi movies and TV shows, as skillfully written as they can be, often expand into bigger plots that represent longer films and more episodes. But if you’re a fan of the genre, you’re in the right place. We’ve carefully curated a list of sci-fi TV series you can binge on in one day. Some of these are a stretch, so bathroom breaks will have to be quick, and it’s always better if your sofa has a bridge incorporated into it.

10 The OA (2016 – 2019)

The OA, created by frequent collaborators Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij, is a Netflix-produced TV show that tells the story of a woman named Prairie who resurfaces after years of disappearance. The mystery lies in her being able to see when she was blind before going missing and in her mystical attitude, which makes everyone believe something extraordinary happened to her during her captivity. The OA is probably the best sci-fi show you can watch today on Netflix.

Two Seasons – 16 Episodes

Though it was critically acclaimed and very well received by audiences, the show was canceled after two seasons. The reason is a mystery. And while its creator has teased everyone with the idea for the show’s return, it’s looking grim. The worst thing is that it ended on a cliffhanger with a risky narrative device that has never been seen on modern television. Yes, it’s that interesting because it went ahead to unfold a bold take on the show’s premise that many thought made no sense. Oh, but it did.

Watch a trailer for The OA here.

Stream on Netflix

9 Watchmen (2019)

Damon Lindelof’s version of Watchmen takes viewers into present-day Oklahoma, a long time after the events in the original DC Comics series and therefore the events in the movie, meaning they’re not exactly related to the show. It tells the story of a detective named Angela Abar, who also has a gig as a city vigilante. She and her partners at the Tulsa Police Department are dealing with a white supremacist group called the Seventh Kavalry, who don’t exactly appreciate the presence of vigilantes.

One Season – Nine Episodes

The show was highly acclaimed by everyone. The production value, performances, and writing were spot on, and many put it as a worthy adaptation of the comics, which at some point seemed hard to adapt. The themes of racial tension and their relationship with current events are not a coincidence, and the show perfectly uses them as a strong backdrop for the story about vigilantes who are not seen as “good people” who are able to defend us against any threat. It is a very special case of a TV show that doesn’t require any follow-up.

Watch a trailer for Watchmen here.

Stream on Max

8 Devs (2020)

Alex Garland’s techno-thriller, Devs, takes us to a scientific facility where a visionary has created a machine that will change the world. But he’s not without his enemies and spies. Lily and Sergei work at a tech company called Amaya, and Sergei is caught trying to steal code. He’s taken out of the picture, and Lily suspects the company may have had something to do with his death. As she begins investigating the truth about Sergei and the company’s founder, Forest, she discovers what’s behind the Faraday cage: a quantum computer with enough power to bend existence as we know it.

One Season – Eight Episodes

The show is thrilling enough to make for a good action piece. Its plot is very well expanded in eight episodes that have no filling at all. But Devs also projects a dramatic background that feels compelling and is achieved by solid performers like Sonoya Mizuno, Nick Offerman, Alison Pill, Zach Grenier, and Stephen McKinley Henderson. It’s one of the few shows on modern television that realistically tackles hard sci-fi elements and the current growth of technology segments that we should be cautious of. This is one of the shows on the list that could actually use a follow-up.

Watch a trailer for Devs here.

Stream on Hulu

Related: Underrated Sci-Fi Movies of the ’90s, Ranked

7 Years and Years (2019)

Created by Russell T Davies of Doctor Who fame, Years and Years is a dystopian drama released on HBO and BBC One that tells the story of the Lyons family as they navigate their lives through several decades in Manchester while the entire world is subjected to political turmoil, technological advancements, and all sorts of social upheavals. At the center of society is a politician called Vivienne Rook, who rises to power with her controversial views and outspoken manner.

One Season – Six Episodes

More of a British drama than a pure sci-fi series, Years and Years features a family in a realistic setting who are forced to face the challenges of an evolving world in complete disarray. Their issues are a reflection of the lack of control the world is subjected to, when technology becomes central to our ability to perform, cope, and progress. Trust us when we say elements of science fiction make their presence in one of the best British shows you’ll ever get to see.

Watch a trailer for Years and Years here.

Stream on Max

6 Sense8 (2015-2018)

Created by The Wachowskis and J. Michael Straczynski, Sense8 is an epic science fiction series that tells the stories of eight people around the world who share something amazing between them. They are “sensate,” which means they are connected to each other from an emotional perspective. They can share their skills and knowledge just by thinking. And of course, a rogue organization and a sensate killer are out to get them.

Two Seasons – 24 Episodes

When the show ended its second season with a cliffhanger, Netflix decided to cancel. An instant uproar was heard around the world, which forced producers to make a finale that would give closure. Needless to say, opinions vary on whether the ending was enough. The show included themes of individualism, diversity, gender, and identity in ways that we hadn’t seen on television before, and it was crucial to have at hand eight central characters that were engaging enough to stay with them through the whole run.

Yes, we know 24 episodes is too much to watch in one sitting, but rest assured that this one is worth sacrificing your beauty sleep for at least one day.

Watch a trailer for Sense8 here.

Stream on Netflix

5 Tales from the Loop (2020)

In 2020, Nathaniel Halpern made the jump from writer to writer/showrunner for Amazon’s Tales from the Loop. The result was a fascinating science fiction anthology consisting of eight episodes that don’t exactly connect with one another in their storylines. Their only link seems to be what inspired Halpern to write the show: the artistic drawings by Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag. His narrative art has been compiled in books, and Tales from the Loop was one of them. The show’s basis is around the residents of Mercer, Ohio, where technology seems to have advanced at a higher speed.

One Season – Eight Episodes

While all episodes are written by Halpern, they’re directed by prominent filmmakers like Jodie Foster, Ti West, Andrew Stanton and Mark Romanek, among others. The caliber of performers is also formidable: Rebecca Hall, Paul Schneider, Jonathan Pryce, Jane Alexander, etc. These are only a handful of the familiar faces you’ll see in Tales from the Loop, a dramatic series where technology and hard sci-fi elements seem to be an invasive background over their human values. It is, without question, one of the best sci-fi shows you can watch on Prime Video today.

Watch a trailer for Tales from the Loop here.

Stream on Prime Video

4 Severance (2022-Present)

Apple TV’s Severance tells the fascinating story of Mark, an office worker at Lumon Industries. Mark willingly accepts a different kind of “contract” in which his memories outside the office are completely severed from those he has when he enters the office building and goes down on the elevator. With him, there are others who have also accepted to work under this condition, which supposedly allows for freedom outside work. But then the two “sides” begin suspecting there may be something dark in this scheme.

One Season – Nine Episodes (So Far)

Most episodes were directed by Ben Stiller, whose skills at directing are extremely underrated. Severance transitions from its comedic arc to something much more emotional, and therefore enthralling, when we start connecting with both versions of the characters. This engagement isn’t very common in shows with this little number of episodes, but performers like Adam Scott, Zach Cherry, Britt Lower, and John Turturro are responsible for accomplishing something very strong.

Didn’t most of you scream when the credits rolled in the season finale? With only one season that didn’t exactly answer all the questions, the show’s return is inevitable.

Watch a trailer for Severance here.

Stream on Apple TV+

3 11.22.63 (2016)

Adapted from the novel of the same name (actually there’s a change: the novel is called 11//22/63) by Stephen King, 11.22.63 tells the story of Jake Epping, an English teacher whose best friend makes a surprising reveal during his last days: he has discovered a time portal, and he has attempted to stop Kennedy’s assassination attempt many times, but the whole time travel thing has given him cancer.

Al assigns Jake the very important mission to go back to the past, save the president, and change the future to something better. When Jake arrives in 1960, he immediately falls in love. But nothing distracts him enough from his mission. The problem is that he should have thought twice before accepting it.

One Season – Eight Episodes

Adapted by Hulu in 2016, 11.22.63 is a well-acted miniseries carefully curated to appeal to Stephen King fans because it’s very faithful to the book. That is, except for James Franco’s casting as Jake Epping, a casting decision that doesn’t feel very precise. But regardless, it’s effective because of how witty its narrative is, combining the romantic aspect of Epping’s journey with his very important mission. This one goes by in a flash and is one of those Stephen King adaptations that works better on TV because of all the time jumps and subplots.

Watch a trailer for 11.22.63 here.

Stream on Hulu

2 The Last of Us (2023-Present)

In The Last of Us, humanity is suffering from an infestation of a horrific organism that grows inside each of us. The worldwide pandemic is caused by a fungal infection that spreads uncontrollably and turns its human hosts into zombie-like creatures that behave exactly like you’d expect them to. The story’s centered around Joel, a smuggler who’s tasked with bringing Ellie to safety, as she’s suspected to be the key to finding a cure because of her immunity.

One Season – Nine Episodes (So Far)

Based on the video game franchise of the same name, The Last of Us took the world by surprise in 2023 when it presented a convincing and heartwarming set of characters that enabled the premise beyond its horror sci-fi component. While most of the show revolves around Joel and Ellie’s relationship, both superbly portrayed by Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, respectively, the show is an HBO production. This means it goes heavy on the drama and the high production value. It’s hard to find a better video game adaptation than The Last of Us, whether it’s a movie or a TV show.

Watch a trailer for The Last of Us here.

Stream on Max

Related: 30 Most Mind-Blowing Sci-Fi Movies Ever Made, Ranked

1 Station Eleven (2021 – 2022)

Station Eleven tells the story of human survivors in the wasteland that was once the United States. After a pandemic (cunningly resembling that of COVID-19) kills almost everyone in the country, a group of survivors spends their lives on the road as a traveling artistic collective. But the emergence of a violent cult interrupts their trip. The story is told from the perspective of Kirsten, a survivor whose past is dissected in the flashback portion of the series, which shows how she came to be the woman she is today.

One Season – 10 Episodes

Most people have forgotten Station Eleven by now. And it seems to be because of its similarity to other shows of the same nature and the fact that it didn’t really present a compelling storyline. However, when it comes to modern sci-fi shows, few are better executed than this one. Its cast includes Mackenzie Davis in the starring role, as well as Himesh Patel, Matilda Lawler, Lori Petty, David Cross, Enrico Colantoni, and more. Try to have patience with its slow-burn narrative; you just have to take your time with it and let it simmer, even if you plan to binge on it in one sitting.

Watch a trailer for Station Eleven here.

Stream on Max

To stay in tune with this incredible world, here’s a video about the best hard sci-fi movies that define the genre: