It’s insanely difficult to maintain outstanding quality throughout asci-fiTV show’s entire run, although some seasons manage to achieve that perfect 10/10 status even if the overall show had some disappointing moments. Generally, television series follow season-long arcs, and it’s only natural that some will be better than others over the course of along-running sci-fi program. From amazing anthology series to underappreciated cult favorites, the history of sci-fi TV is full of shows that boasted perfect seasons.
While many of the bestwritten sci-fi series of all timeknocked it out of the park with their first season, other shows took some time to truly peak and only achieved that elusive 10/10 status in their third or fourth season.It’s often the case that sci-fi series get better as they progress, as viewers have had time to understand the lore of the show, and it’s possible to explore deeper and more complex themes and ideas. While none of these shows had flawless runs, each contained a season packed withperfect episodes.
10The X-Files (1993 - 2002, 2016 - 2018)
The X-Files season 3 was a perfect 10/10
The X-Fileswas a truly trailblazing sci-fi series and one of the defining TV shows of the 1990s, although even hardcore fans will admit that some seasons were better than others. With an astounding 218 episodes and various spin-off media, it would be practically impossible to maintain peak quality throughout, although season 3 came as close to perfect as the show ever got. With the perfect blend of serialized storytelling and classic monster-of-the-week episodes, this season made the most of its carefully built lore, emphasizing romantic and humorous stories alongside hard sci-fi concepts.
By its third season, audiences understood what to expect fromThe X-Files, and it was able to delve even deeper into its rich mythology. With episodes laying the groundwork for the viral alien black oil, the First Elder, and the mystery surrounding X, there were just so many examples of the show embracing complexity while delivering hugely entertaining episodes. With five Emmy wins,The X-Files’third season highlighted the series truly hitting its stride.
9Black Mirror (2011 - Present)
Black Mirror season 3 was a perfect 10/10
The British anthology seriesBlack Mirrorwas telling incredibly bleak and thought-provoking sci-fi stories from the very beginning, although in its first two seasons, the show was produced by Channel 4 before moving to Netflix after the grim holiday special “White Christmas.” With this move to streaming,Black Mirrorgained a much larger budget, leading to many of its greatest episodes. From classic imagined dystopias like in “Nosedive” to the oddly poignant “San Junipero,” season 3 was the point whereBlack Mirrorgrew from an underappreciated sci-fi favorite to a truly global phenomenon.
The third season ofBlack Mirrorfeatured some of its creator Charlie Brooker’s best writing as he balanced gut-wrenching intensity with some small glimmers of hope. As a glimpse into the darkest versions of our imagined future,Black Mirrorhas always showcased the way technology has been both a blessing and a curse to society. While later seasons of the show had hit-and-miss episodes, season 3 was 10/10 the whole way through.
8The OA (2016 - 2019)
The OA season 1 was a perfect 10/10
The OAwas the greatest Netflix series that nobody watched, and it was sadly axed by streaming after just two seasons and a major cliffhanger. While season 2 had plenty of intriguing moments, the truth was that the show was never better than its intriguing first season. Telling the story of a mysterious missing blind woman who resurfaces after having been missing for seven years with her sight restored, this fascinating series blended fantasy, sci-fi, and the supernatural.
Co-created by and starring Brit Marling as Prairie Johnson, the young woman also known as the titular OA, this thought-provoking series saw its star find connection with a group of misfits as she revealed her connection to another dimension. As a thematically rich and challenging series, it’s a real shame thatThe OAwasn’t able to finish its run, although sci-fi fans can go back and watch this woefully underseen series and join the litany of viewers who were disappointed by its cancellation, with one fan going on hunger strike outside Netflix’s headquarters (viaVanity Fair) demanding its return.
7Fringe (2008 - 2013)
Fringe season 3 was a perfect 10/10
Fringewas truly one of the most enthralling and bingeable sci-fi series of all time, which rarely gets its due as one of the best procedural series ever. With explorations of time travel, alternate universes, and high-concept sci-fi themes, whileFringewas great from the beginning, the show achieved a perfect season as it began to focus on season-long arcs and serialized storytelling. With season 3 representing the show at its peak, this amazing piece of television ensured that practically everything that had built up over the first two seasons at last paid off.
With the parallel universe Fringe Division coming to the forefront as major protagonists,Fringeseason 3 pushed these characters into the forefront rather than as simple villains. With viewers already familiar with the complexities of this show’s mythology,Fringewas able to explore the story of two worlds going to war with one another.
6Westworld (2016 - 2022)
Westworld season 1 was a perfect 10/10
While the later seasons ofWestworldcontinued to explore intriguing sci-fi concepts, if the show had been a one-season miniseries, it would have gone down in history as one of the greatest science fiction stories ever told. As a powerful exploration of artificial intelligence, technology, and the destructive consequences of entertainment,Westworld’sfirst season encouraged viewers to watch carefully and search for cluesto unpack its carefully constructed mystery. With a twist involving multiple connected timelines, the appeal ofWestworld’spremiere season was that even though it was complex, it never felt alienating.
However,Westworldlost its way in its later seasons as it introduced new concepts and stayed ever further from the Wild West amusement theme park setting. While later installments maintained the show’s stellar writing and complex storytelling, it started to pack too many ideas into its episodes, and the show began crumbling under the weight of its own ambition. Sadly, by the end of the show’s run, many viewers had dropped off, and most were disappointed it could not maintain the creative heights of the show’s glory days.
5Stranger Things (2016 - Present)
Stranger Things season 1 was a perfect 10/10
It’s truly hard to understate just how much of a big deal it was when the first season ofStranger Thingsaired back in 2016. As a nostalgic callback to the aesthetic of the 1980s, Spielbergian sentimentality, and Lovecraftian horror, this exciting new series updated an older style for a new generation and was elevated by the skills of its immensely talented young cast. With familiar faces like Winona Ryder also adding to the nostalgic feeling of the show,Stranger Thingsseason one just delivered on all fronts.
While later seasons ofStranger Thingsremains essential viewing for sci-fi fans worldwide, it’s still the first season that contained many of the show’s most iconic moments. From Eleven’s father-daughter relationship with Hopper, the friendship she developed with Mike and the rest of the gang, and the residents of Hawkins' first encounters with the Upside Down,Stranger Thingsimmediately signalled itself as a modern classic. While it’s hoped the long-awaited final season will also be a 10/10 season, for now, season 1 remains the show at its peak.
4Futurama (1999 - Present)
Futurama season 4 was a perfect 10/10
WhileFuturamawas always a fantastic animated sci-fi series, its impact is sometimes overshadowed by the cultural dominance of another Matt Groening-created show,The Simpsons. However, this was a real shame becausein many waysFuturamaactually surpassedThe Simpsonsin terms of storytelling, clever writing packed with physics and mathematical humor, and a real sense of sentimentality.Futuramareally hit its stride in season 4 with a run of episodes that were absolutely perfect.
Not only didFuturama’sfourth season deepen the series lore and add depth to the characterization of Fry and the rest of the Planet Express crew, but it also featured the most gut-punching episode of the entire show. Any viewers who have seen it will not be able to forget “Jurassic Bark,” the heartbreaking episode that told the story of the dog Seymour, who, unbeknownst to Fry, spent the last days of his life faithfully waiting outside Panucci’s Pizza for his owner’s return that would never come to be. Just thinking about it makes us tear up a little.
3Doctor Who (2005 - Present)
Doctor Who season 4 was a perfect 10/10
The adventures ofDoctor Whodate all the way back to 1963, and this universe-traversing Time Lord was reintroduced to modern viewers when the series was revived back in 2005. While the first season with Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor kickstarted the revival with a bang, things got really interesting afterDavid Tennant took up the role in the second season. Tennant’s run as the Tenth Doctor lasted three seasons, and it was in season four where everything came together absolutely perfectly, and the sci-fi series delivered a perfect 10/10 season.
Everything about season four ofDoctor Whojust worked as Catherine Tate blew all expectations out of the water as the beloved companion Donna Noble. With showrunner Russell T. Davies managing to blend the campy fun of “Partners in Crime,” the philosophical horror of “Midnight,” and the all-out war of the two-part finale “The Stolen Earth/Journey’s End,” this season featured just about everything a sci-fi TV lover could possibly ask for.
2Heroes (2006 - 2010)
Heroes season 1 was a perfect 10/10
Coming out two full years before the beginning of the Marvel Cinematic Universe,Heroeswas an NBC drama that showcased the potential of superhero stories on the small screen. With an astounding debut season, the first 23 episodes ofHeroeswas a perfect 10/10 run that had viewers immediately hooked on its “save the cheerleader, save the world.” With mature storytelling and an engaging ensemble cast of characters,Heroeswas a show whose premise of everyday people developing superpowers provided practically unlimited opportunity for compelling storytelling.
While the first season ofHeroessignaled the series as one of the most exciting shows on television, everything fell apart in season 2. Asone of the most notorious victims of the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America Strike, the planned 24-episode second season was cut to just 11, and these production problems meant the show lost its momentum and never regained it. While there have been several attempts to tap into the jaw-dropping power ofHeroesseason one with revivals likeHeroes Rebornin the years since, nothing has ever come close to that all-time opening season.
1Lost (2004 - 2010)
Lost season 1 was a perfect 10/10
From its all-time great pilot episode right through to the fascinating truth behind the mysterious island,few shows have managed to hook viewers in quite like the first season ofLost. As a cryptic mystery box series that mastered the art of cliffhangers at the end of almost every episode,Lostalways offered just enough information to leave viewers begging for more and eagerly tuning into the next episode. With great characters and a flashback structure, Lost was the most talked-about TV show in the world back in 2004.
Telling the story of the survivors of Oceanic Airlines Flight 815,Lostblended sci-fi with the supernatural and walked the fine line between fantasy and reality. As asci-fi serieswhere anything was possible,Losttook cues from serialized mysteries likeTwin Peaksto carve out a mythology that had viewers endlessly discussing their theories. Sadly,Lostwas not a 10/10 show for its entire run, and it felt like by the end it had overpromised and underdelivered, but it’s about the journey and not the destination, and season one was truly a wild ride.
