The 2000s brought a lot of great series to the forefront, especially in the world of sci-fi. This is the decade that brought us shows like Firefly, Stargate: Atlantis, and Fringe, and we’re grateful for it. This is also the decade that brought Doctor Who back to life, so once again, sci-fi fans were living large. However, for every amazing sci-fi show people raved about, there are easily a dozen that flew under the radar. These shows are complex, fascinating, and create amazing adventures that any sci-fi fan would fall in love with, even years after the story is complete.
Sci-fi covers a delightful variety of themes and topics, meaning that there’s usually something for everyone, from daring space odysseys to more comedic dips into the sci-fi realm. The 2000s, in particular, really appreciated what sci-fi had to offer, explaining why there are so many series from this decade. Here are but a few of the amazing sci-fi series worth diving into, so be sure to add them to your watch list.
1) Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003-2005)
Most Star Wars fans are aware of the animated Clone Wars series, which introduced beloved characters and raised the stakes of the infamous war. That said, fewer fans may be aware of an earlier Clone Wars run, which happened in the earlier 2000s. Developed by Genndy Tartakovsky, the series has also been called Genndy Tartakovsky’s Clone Wars by fans. The series is famous for many things, including the introduction of General Grievous.
Star Wars: Clone Wars ran for three seasons, totaling 25 episodes. Sadly, it’s not considered part of the current Star Wars canon, but it’s still a blast to watch, and that’s reason enough. Despite its non-canonical nature, a lot of care was taken to ensure it fits within the franchise’s continuity, paying great attention to details. Voice actors include Mat Lucas, Andre Sogliuzzo, Tom Kane, and James Arnold Taylor.
Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003-2005) is available to stream on Disney+.
2) Sanctuary
Fans looking for something that blends sci-fi with fantasy will be delighted to hear about Sanctuary. The show originally aired on Syfy, and it has a lot of familiar faces. Amanda Tapping plays the leading role, Dr. Helen Magnus. Sci-fi fans probably recognize that name, as she was at the helm of Stargate SG-1 and later would begin appearing more in Stargate Atlantis. In fact, Tapping left Atlantis to pursue this role. Along for the ride are Robin Dunne, Emilie Ullerup, Christopher Heyerdahl (another familiar face from Stargate Atlantis), Ryan Robbins, and Agam Darshi. The show also has a lot of walk-on roles featuring cast from across the Stargate franchise, so it’s a must-watch for that reason alone.
Sanctuary follows Dr. Helen Magnus, a terratologist who runs a place known as Sanctuary, a safe haven for Abnormals. Utilizing a more monster-of-the-week style format, the show introduces all sorts of critters from both the realms of sci-fi and fantasy. It ran for four seasons, totaling 59 episodes. While it had a magical blend of themes, it largely didn’t grow the same size audience as Stargate.
Sanctuary is available to stream on Pluto TV and The Roku Channel.
3) The Middleman
The Middleman is a show that uniquely combines many elements, including action, adventure, science fiction, and comedy. It may sound like a chaotic combination, but the show makes it work. It follows Wendy Watson (Natalie Morales), a struggling artist turned Middleman-in-training, as she dives into the deep end of the supernatural and paranormal. Her boss (Matt Keeslar) has perfected the art of maintaining the peace and keeping their ludicrous adventures undercover. Together, these Middlemen have faced off against succubi, Luca Libre warriors, deadly vampire puppets, and trout-craving zombies.
To put it another way, The Middleman is the perfect show for sci-fi fans that want a tale that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s hilarious and consistently finds new ways to surprise viewers. Sadly, the show only got one season, and even that was cut down by an episode. The missing story has since been told in comic book form, so there’s a way for determined fans to continue. On the bright side, the show is full of delightful pop culture references, many of which are shockingly sharp.
The Middleman is available to rent on several platforms, including Amazon Prime Video.
4) Night Visions
Night Visions combines horror and sci-fi, so those looking for something a bit darker will be pleased. The show is more of an anthology format, allowing for each episode to cover two different stories, usually playing with supernatural or horror elements. Night Visions has been described as a creepy break from reality, which is an accurate way of looking at the show.
Night Visions only ran for one season, totaling 13 episodes. On the bright side, this means that there were 26 stories folded into the show. It covered various sci-fi tropes along the way, including the end of the world, superpowers, and the darker sides of humanity. Some may describe the show as a more modern take on The Twilight Zone. Unlike the Twilight Zone, Night Visions was unafraid to get much darker and more graphic, as needed.
5) Surface
Those who have a fear of dark water and what comes out of it may be better off skipping Surface. The show follows a group of characters who accidentally stumble across strange creatures while conducting deep-sea research. Yeah, in the world of sci-fi, a lot can happen in those research facilities. At the forefront is Miles Barnet (Carter Jenkins), a 14-year-old boy who found an unlikely new companion, a mysterious creature he helped hatch from an egg. Naturally, he took it home and began to raise it. This kicks off a series of events, from those trying to steal the creature away to an increasingly restless ocean, or rather, the creatures within.
Unfortunately, Surface was cancelled after one season, so it only got 15 episodes to tell its story. While it does have a cliffhanger ending, it’s still worth diving into, though perhaps not literally, in this case. Sci-fi fans who enjoy creature-centric stories should absolutely check out the series, for obvious reasons. Alongside Jenkins, actors include Lake Bell, Jay R. Ferguson, Ian Anthony Dale, Leighton Meester, and Eddie Hassell.
Surface is available to stream on Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime Video.
6) Threshold
Threshold first premiered in 2005, combining sci-fi and drama. The show is perfect for those who would rather see a tale about extraterrestrials over the creatures of the deep. Threshold is the tale of a government task force (the same name as the show), which quickly becomes responsible for first contact after spotting a UFO. Unfortunately, it seems like in this extraterrestrial tale, the aliens have no intention of sitting down and having a calm discussion, instead going right for rewriting the DNA of the human race. It’s the perfect watch for viewers looking for something dark and experimental, portraying familiar themes and tropes in a different light.
Threshold stars Carla Gugino, Brian Van Holt, Brent Spiner, Rob Benedict, Peter Dinklage, and Charles S. Dutton. So if the plot wasn’t enough to draw you in, maybe the cast will convince you. It only got one season before getting canceled, totaling 13 episodes, plus four that were originally unaired that became available later.
Threshold is available to stream on YouTube.
7) Dark Angel
Dark Angel is a sci-fi drama that began airing in 2000. Right off the bat, you’ll probably recognize at least one familiar face, as Jessica Alba landed the leading role. The story itself has a strong dystopian theme, set in a near future that is much darker. It follows Max Guevara (played by Alba), a genetically enhanced supersoldier on the run from her creators. Since escaping, Max has tried hard to lead a normal life while blending in, but viewers can probably guess how well that goes. Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans would appreciate this foray into sci-fi, as it overall has a lot of themes and points in common.
When Dark Angel first started airing, it looked like everything was going perfectly for it. It got a prime Fox spot, hit targets, and even got critical compliments. Conversely, the second season was seemingly set up for failure, having been moved to a far less desirable spot. All things said and done, Dark Angel ran for two seasons before it was canceled, totaling 43 episodes. On the bright side, the story continued on after the show’s ending. A novel series continued and completed the story, while the show also got a video game adaptation.
Dark Angel is available to stream on PBS.
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