’90s Sci-Fi Shows That Still Hold Up Today

It’s possible that pop culture peaked in the 1990s. Nowhere is that more evident than in the hefty selection of incredible science fiction television viewers enjoyed on a regular weekly basis. These shows never generated the staggering viewership of mainstream comedies like “Seinfeld” or blockbuster hospital dramas like “ER,” but they did their part, delighting audiences with thoughtful ideas, carefully crafted moral dilemmas, and smart comedy.

Seriously, though, look around. Aside from better visuals, are there any modern sci-fi shows that capture the zeal of space exploration as well as “Farscape” does, or delve into the human condition as thoughtfully as “Star Trek: The Next Generation”? These series were transformative, introducing characters and ideas that modern filmmakers continue to chase with mixed success.

To prove this point, we’ve assembled some of our favorite ’90s sci-fi television, ranked in no particular order. No, they’re not always perfect, but where they may falter in special effects, they more than make up for it by delivering compelling entertainment that engages both the brain and the heart.

“3rd Rock from the Sun” is a sitcom with a twist. Rather than focusing on a typical American family, this hilarious comedy centers on a group of aliens on Earth who are forced to pose as one. The high-concept premise gives way to absurdity as these extraterrestrials observe humans like confused outsiders. Essentially, it’s a fish-out-of-water tale that satirizes human behavior, questions social norms, and explores identity, gender, and relationships from an outsider’s perspective.

Featuring a game cast led by an absurdly over-the-top John Lithgow, “3rd Rock from the Sun” plays with sitcom tropes. When two people date, the series steps back and examines the purpose of dating. Casual workplace conversations are dissected as though they were scientific experiments. Misunderstandings mount because the alien family — specifically Dick (Lithgow) — takes everything they hear too literally.

Running a full six seasons, “3rd Rock from the Sun” felt like a breath of fresh air in an increasingly crowded marketplace and proved a family sitcom could offer something deeper than wacky hijinks.

In a better world, we’d reminisce about “The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.” and recall the best moments from its wild finale. Alas, Fox ditched this entertaining sci-fi-western far too early, pulling the plug after just one season. Too bad, because this series absolutely packs a punch.

Starring the almighty Bruce Campbell, the show centers on a dashing bounty hunter named Brisco County, Jr., who rides through the Old West using his brains and wit to court the ladies and outsmart all manner of criminals, all while attempting to understand the true nature of a mysterious orb with unspecified powers.

That’s the sci-fi part. Armed with a host of steampunk gadgets, courtesy of John Astin’s eccentric inventor Professor Albert Wickwire, and teamed with Julius Carry’s sharply dressed bounty hunter Lord Bowler, Brisco sets out to take down the John Bly Gang. His journey forms the backbone of the series, which delivers plenty of atypical cowboy mayhem and a hefty dose of sharp humor.

“Brisco” deserved better. It’s a fun, genre-bending series that owes as much to Indiana Jones as it does to John Wayne. We just needed more of it.

“Babylon 5” ditches the episodic format that defined television in the ’90s for something far bolder. Typically, a TV series would more or less hit reset at the end of every episode, making each week’s story feel self-contained, like a mini-movie.

J. Michael Straczynski opted to tell a five-season story arc, allowing his characters and plot threads to evolve over time. He plants numerous seeds in the early seasons that eventually pay off — a tactic we take for granted today but was incredibly novel at the time.

And so, in this complex world of war (and cartoonishly bad CGI), “Babylon 5” delivered edge-of-your-seat sci-fi in which heroes rise and fall, villains see the light, and every action comes with consequences. Moreover, the series wasn’t afraid to tackle everything from authoritarianism and propaganda to religion, war, sacrifice, and moral compromise. None of these topics arrives with easy answers, and the show respects the audience’s intelligence enough to let them decide where they ultimately fall.

Like many shows, “Babylon 5” does take a bit to get going, and the effects are rough. Still, outside of “Star Trek,” this is one of the best sci-fi TV shows ever made.

Like a weirder version of “Stranger Things,” “Eerie, Indiana” transforms suburbia into something deeply unsettling. In this bizarre locale, people seal children in Tupperware to prevent them from aging; Elvis, the King of Rock and Roll, lives on; children manipulate reality; and nearly everyone behaves in a manner that suggests they’re hiding something.

Imagine “The Twilight Zone,” but for kids. Yeah, that’s “Eerie, Indiana,” a delightfully quirky, semi-anthology series starring Omri Katz (aka Max from “Hocus Pocus”) as Marshall Teller, a teenager who relocates from New Jersey to Eerie and immediately senses something is awry. Narrating each episode, Marshall and his buddy Simon Holmes (Justin Shenkarow) investigate odd disturbances and try to get to the bottom of their bizarre surroundings.

Lasting just one season, “Eerie, Indiana” toes the fine line between too dark and too silly, never fully tipping into either. Kids will dig the weird storylines and the unsettling vibe that percolates throughout each episode, while older audiences will appreciate the dry, ironic humor. It’s really fun, just incredibly strange.

Now, can we get that reboot?

“Farscape” stands out from the pack thanks to its absurd weirdness. Crafted by the wizards at Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, this slickly designed sci-fi saga follows a motley crew of space adventurers as they bond during their many quests.

Sounds like the plot of “Guardians of the Galaxy,” right? Well, the comparisons don’t stop there. Our main hero is John Crichton (Ben Browder), a square-jawed, relatively naive astronaut who winds up aboard a living ship alongside a group of escaped prisoners, including a hardened Peacekeeper named Aeryn Sun (Claudia Black), a bad-tempered Luxan warrior (Anthony Simcoe), and an eccentric alien ruler (Jonathan Hardy). Slowly, they cast aside their differences to tackle threats big and small, much of it played for laughs.

Okay, so on the surface, it functions as a precursor to James Gunn’s Marvel crew. However, closer inspection reveals details that place “Farscape” in much darker territory, often designed to make viewers slightly uncomfortable.

Visually, the show looks fantastic, with a plethora of alien creatures dominating nearly every frame. Storywise, while it follows familiar sci-fi beats, “Farscape” is more concerned with character, leaning into deeply personal arcs and genuinely strange encounters. General audiences may not always mesh with its offbeat approach, but “Farscape” remains a beloved sci-fi gem.

Who would’ve thought an animated comedy series would boast more brains than practically every other show on TV? Welcome to “Futurama,” an incredibly smart yet consistently hilarious sci-fi series with plenty of jokes for general audiences and enough real science to appease nerds.

Like creator Matt Groening’s other flagship series, “The Simpsons,” “Futurama” also contains ample heart and emotion. Who can forget “Jurassic Bark,” a tear-inducing episode that ends with a devastating montage of Fry’s dog quietly waiting years for his owner to return? Or “Game of Tones,” which features Fry reuniting with his mother in her dreams?

Other episodes lean into actual mathematics to solve problems. In “The Prisoner of Benda,” multiple characters switch bodies, necessitating the use of a real mathematical theorem to reverse the effects. “Roswell That Ends Well” plays with the grandfather paradox, while the series sprinkles countless equations, physics references, and computer science jokes throughout.

It’s a show made by nerds for nerds — and all the better for it.

Lance Henriksen headlines this dark, psychological drama from Chris Carter about FBI profiler Frank Black and his time spent working with a mysterious organization known as the Millennium Group. The twist here is that Black can see the world through the eyes of killers, allowing him to track down some of the most disturbing criminals imaginable. And, hey, he lives in Seattle.

Darker than, say, “The X-Files,” this enthralling series benefits from a commanding performance by its star and an overarching plot that ultimately places it within the “X-Files” universe. No joke. Its themes surrounding our fear of the approaching millennium, you know, when the world was supposed to end at the stroke of midnight, add another layer of tension, while the moody atmosphere, eerie plots, and conspiracy-driven, end-of-the-world scenarios make it a series ripe for binging in the modern age.

And honestly, “Millennium” could work as a series today thanks to its grounded approach to the supernatural. It’s quietly unsettling and genuinely haunting television.

No, no, not the black-and-white series that debuted way back in 1963. Here, we’re talking about “The Outer Limits,” the mid-’90s revival that ran for seven seasons and delivered an incredibly re-watchable sci-fi anthology aimed at adults.

Like “The Twilight Zone,” “The Outer Limits” presents a collection of bizarre stories featuring moral dilemmas often tied to sci-fi tropes — aliens, advanced technology, dystopian futures. You get the gist. Each episode typically builds toward an unsettling, ironic, or tragic twist that recontextualizes everything that came before.

Where the original “Outer Limits” and “The Twilight Zone” had to play within stricter broadcast standards, the revival leans into darker territory. There’s more violence, more intensity, and a willingness to push its concepts further, alongside enough sci-fi weirdness to make your head spin. Not every episode works, but the show’s darker approach will likely land well with modern viewers who prefer their sci-fi served with a hefty dose of mature themes.

Let’s be honest: “Quantum Leap” is little more than a silly gimmick. And yet, somehow, the writing, directing, and characters help the show rise above its simple premise and become something magical, emotional, and deeply engaging.

Scott Bakula stars as Sam Beckett, a “leaper” stuck in a perpetual cycle. In each episode, he leaps into another person’s body, gaining total control over them. Each of these individuals is facing a problem that Sam must deduce and fix before moving on to the next leap. Sometimes he prevents a murder; other times, he repairs relationships or stops someone from making a terrible mistake. Once he accomplishes his mission, Sam leaps again, often reacting to his new appearance with a weary, “Oh boy.”

Adding further drama is Sam’s personal plight. He’s trapped in his own experiment, never sure when the next leap might be his leap home, as the opening narration explains. Aiding Sam on his missions is Al (Dean Stockwell), a cigar-chomping hologram only he can see and hear. Each adventure, whether funny or dramatic, brings them closer together, culminating in a rushed finale that famously misspells Sam’s last name.

It’s not always perfect, but “Quantum Leap” blends comedy, drama, and heart better than most.

“Sliders” is another high-concept series that unfortunately crashed and burned after Fox decided to lean harder on action than thoughtful sci-fi. Early on, however, this very ’90s adventure provided viewers with a weekly dose of quirky satire that took jabs at culture, politics, and history.

Basically, “Sliders” follows a group of travelers who jump between parallel Earths — think the “multiverse” in Marvel-speak. Each new world features a wrinkle that lets our heroes see what society might look like if, say, World War II never happened, or if the American Colonists had lost the Revolutionary War. The Sliders must quickly learn the rules of their newfound world and avoid danger long enough for the timer to open the next portal.

Yeah, yeah, the special effects haven’t aged well, and the cast — led by Jerry O’Connell, Sabrina Lloyd, Cleavant Derricks, and John Rhys-Davies — never fully settles into a rhythm, thanks in part to behind-the-scenes meddling. At its best, “Sliders” is pure escapism and a near-perfect formula for sci-fi television. It’s a shame it hasn’t been rebooted yet.

Based on the more light-hearted Roland Emmerich film, “Stargate SG-1” took the same concept to create a more well-rounded narrative. For 10 seasons, viewers watched a group of beloved characters travel to different planets, encountering fascinating mythology rooted in familiar territory, including Egyptian, Norse, and Arthurian lore. 

The secret sauce of this beloved series is MacGyver himself, Richard Dean Anderson, as Jack O’Neill, a character with both brawn and wit who stares down every wild encounter with a wink and a smile. Echoing this approach, the show expertly balances humor, action, and intelligent sci-fi. One episode might tackle ancient mythology, moral dilemmas, or war, while the next features wild gunfights sprinkled with carefree humor.

Amanda Tapping, Michael Shanks, and Christopher Judge round out the core cast, each evolving their characters in satisfying ways over time. Regrettably, “SG-1” never received a proper series finale, even after jumping networks, but it wrapped up many of its storylines in a pair of follow-up movies that are absolutely worth checking out.

Following its initial run in the 1960s, “Star Trek” bounced back in the 1980s with a string of big-budget movies that reignited interest in the sci-fi franchise. On the small screen, “Star Trek: The Next Generation” proved even more successful, eventually leading to its own run of feature films.

To this day, “TNG” stands as peak “Star Trek” (on TV, at least). Blasphemy, you say? Sure, but close your eyes. What’s the first defining image of “Star Trek” that comes to mind? Is it Captain Kirk (William Shatner) battling a Gorn in a rock quarry, or Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) confidently commanding the USS Enterprise from his chair?

Granted, Season 1 got the show off to a rough start, but once “TNG” righted the ship, so to speak, everything clicked. The cast and characters are excellent, the production design terrific (especially for late-’80s/early-’90s television), and the heady themes explored in each episode are compelling enough to engage even the most jaded TikTok user. The “Star Trek” brand may have evolved over the years, but “The Next Generation” remains its most iconic and influential incarnation.

Building on the ideas established in “The Next Generation,” “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” takes a darker approach to the material. Rather than focus on an optimistic frontier, this novel series operates in morally gray territory where Starfleet isn’t always the clear good guy. Free from restraint, “Deep Space Nine” carries more weight than other “Star Trek” adventures, testing its characters’ ideals and exploring the consequences of their choices.

Leading the charge is Commander/Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks), whose journey thrusts him straight into war. Where Captains Kirk and Picard focused on adventure and philosophy, Sisko balances his roles as commander and father, raising his son, Jake, while also serving as a major religious figure. He makes calculated decisions that get people killed, forcing him to reflect on his choices and making him one of the more engaging characters on the show. Flanked by a memorable supporting cast, Sisko helps steer “Star Trek” into bold, uncharted territory.

Yeah, this one was obvious. “The X-Files” left an imprint on pop culture large enough for Bigfoot to sleep in. Today, filmmaker Ryan Coogler is developing a reboot for the modern age, reflecting just how significant “The X-Files” remains to audiences around the globe.

Even if you didn’t watch Chris Carter’s sci-fi extravaganza, chances are you’re at least casually aware of its characters, Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), and its strange premise — two FBI agents investigate bizarre cases dubbed “X-Files” in an effort to prove (or disprove) the existence of aliens and the supernatural. Think “Men in Black” without overt comedy.

From its early days as a twisted version of “Law & Order,” it was clear this show was special. Each episode contains an intriguing element that plays on our greatest fears. Mulder and Scully serve as our eyes and ears through a dark world overrun by shadowy organizations, corrupt governments, and strange encounters that can’t always be explained. Like Scully, viewers are meant to harbor a certain amount of skepticism, even when UFOs appear in random locations, and people behave in ways best described as otherworldly.

Like any great thing, “The X-Files” didn’t always know when to quit and never tied up its numerous threads satisfactorily. Nonetheless, it still remains one of the greatest sci-fi shows that helped define the genre.