The best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix in October (2024)

The best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix in October (1)

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So that you don't have to spend hours searching through thousands of movies, some good, some bad and everything in-between, we've compiled a list of the best science-fiction movies and television shows currently on Netflix.

Movies

The Adam Project

The Adam Project | Official Teaser | Netflix - YouTubeThe best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix in October (2)

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Synopsis: 13-year-old Adam Reed, still grieving the sudden death of his father a year earlier, walks into his garage one night to find a wounded pilot hiding there. This mysterious pilot turns out to be the older version of himself from the future, where time travel is in its infancy. He has risked everything to come back in time on a secret mission. Together they must embark on an adventure into the past to find their father, set things right, and save the world. Adding to the challenge of the mission, the two Adams discover they really don't like each other very much, and if they're going to save the world, they're first going to have to figure out how to get along.

Why you should watch: Ryan Reynolds leads an all-star cast in this family action drama that incorporates much of Reynold's dry wit. While not paying too much attention to the so-called "rules" of time travel, it brings drama and the complexities of human relationships into a spirited science fiction movie aimed at older kids and young adults. Joining Reynolds is an impressive line up, including Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Garner, Zoe Saldana and Catherine Keener. Plus it's directed by Shawn Levy, who also gave us "Free Guy" and "Real Steel."

Apollo 10½: A Space Age Adventure

Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTubeThe best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix in October (3)

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Synopsis: The story of the first moon landing in the summer of 1969 from two interwoven perspectives. It both captures the astronaut and mission control view of the triumphant moment, and the lesser-seen bottom up perspective of what it was like from an excited kid's perspective, living near NASA but mostly watching it on TV like hundreds of millions of others. It's ultimately both an exacting re-creation of this special moment in history and a kid's fantasy about being plucked from his average life in suburbia to secretly train for a covert mission to the moon.

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Why you should watch: This is, in essence, a rotoscoped home movie about the space race from the perspective of writer and director Richard Linklater, who lest we forget, gave us the epic animated interpretation of Philip K. Dick's "A Scanner Darkly." It focuses less on actually going to the moon and more on what it was like to actually grow up during that chapter of history. This might not appeal to everyone and Jack Black’s “Wonder Years”-style narration might be appealing to many, it's not for everyone. Zachary Levi ("Shazam!") joins the voice talent along with Glen Powell ("Top Gun: Maverick") and Josh Wiggins ("Greyhound").

Apollo 13

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Synopsis: The world watched in wonder as Apollo 11 landed on the lunar surface. However, now that the Russians had been beaten to the Moon, public interest in the Apollo program began to fade. But that all changed when the crew of Apollo 13 suffered a near-catastrophic oxygen tank explosion that crippled their spacecraft while en route to the Moon. Everyone at Mission Control and the astronauts themselves worked tirelessly to improvise a solution that could return them safely back to Earth.

Why you should watch: Despite being forced to include some Hollywood-style over-dramatization (Apollo astronauts were super composed and that just wouldn't make for a thrilling movie), this Ron Howard-directed movie starring Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton and Kevin Bacon is extremely enjoyable and the culture and atmosphere of 1970s NASA is faithfully reproduced, not to mention how accurate the production design is, including the environment suits and spacecraft interiors. The soundtrack to this movie is another delight and features the angelic vocals of Annie Lennox.

Bodies

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Synopsis: Based on the mind-bending graphic novel by Si Spencer, "Bodies" is a time travel thriller with a twist. When a body — thesamebody — is found on Longharvest Lane in London's East End in 1890, 1941, 2023 and 2053, one detective from each period must investigate. As connections are drawn across the decades, the detectives soon discover their investigations are linked, and an enigmatic political leader — Elias Mannix (Stephen Graham) — becomes increasingly central. To solve the mystery, our four detectives must somehow collaborate and uncover a conspiracy spanning over 150 years.

Why you should watch: This and "Maniac" are two of the best, little-known sci-fi thrillers on Netflix at the moment. An impressive cast, including Graham and also Kyle Soller you might know from "Andor," Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, Amaka Okafor and Shira Haas. The penultimate conclusion, is such an incredibly thrilling almost-finale, that when the actual finale comes, it throws you in a totally different direction. This is a masterclass in time travel thrillers and hopefully there will be a second season, but even if there isn't, this is still very much a must-see.

Captain Nova

Captain Nova - Netflix Trailer - YouTubeThe best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix in October (6)

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Synopsis: In 2050, Earth has become a dry and desolate place. Fighter pilot Nova is forced to travel back in time to prevent a devastating environmental disaster. However, an unforeseen side-effect of time travel makes Nova young again and she crash lands in the year 2025 as a twelve-year old. Nobody seems to take her and her mission seriously, except for Nas — a neglected teen who tries to keep this mysterious girl and her little flying robot ADD out of the hands of the secret service. Will Nova and Nas succeed in saving the future world?

Why you should watch: This Dutch children's movie is not without its charm. Both Kika van de Vijver and Anniek Pheifer play Nova, as different ages and Marouane Meftah plays Nas. The story is interesting and the production values are high. Thanks to a combination of quality cinematography and a relevant underlying message, this feature from writer and director Maurice Trouwborst will more than likely appeal to many adults as well.

Don't Look Up

DON'T LOOK UP | Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTubeThe best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix in October (7)

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Synopsis: Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence), an astronomy grad student, and her professor Dr. Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio) make an astounding discovery of a comet orbiting within the solar system. The problem is that it's on a direct collision course with Earth. The other problem is that no one cares. Turns out warning mankind about a planet-killer the size of Mount Everest is an inconvenient fact to navigate.

Why you should watch: Not only does this boast an amazing cast, including Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett, Ron Perlman and Mark Rylance, but the writer and director behind it is the same individual who gave us "The Big Short" and "Vice" And "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy," Adam McKay. It has all the signs that it's going to be a well-written, very funny, deeply disturbing and beautifully observed dark comedy-cum-satire. It is, in essence, a message about climate change and mocks those who willfully and repeatedly scoff at the science. And sadly, that could be applied to a number of things, including the pandemic, pollution, orbital debris...

Edge of Tomorrow

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Synopsis: In the near future, an alien race has hit the Earth in an unrelenting assault, unbeatable by any military unit in the world. Major William Cage (Cruise) is an officer who has never seen a day of combat when he is unceremoniously dropped into what amounts to a suicide mission. Killed within minutes, Cage now finds himself inexplicably thrown into a time loop-forcing him to live out the same brutal combat over and over, fighting and dying again...and again.

Why you should watch: Let's not mince words here, this is Tom Cruise's best movie. Ever. Not only is his performance outstanding, equally blending abject terror, just the right amount of humor when it's needed and everything else in-between, but the story is an enthralling interpretation of the Groundhog Day premise. Moreover an incredible accompanying cast, including Emily Blunt, the late, great Bill Paxton and the vastly underrated Noah Taylor, help make this one of the best action-drama-sci-fi movies ever made.

Ender's Game

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Synopsis: In the near future, a hostile alien race has attacked Earth. In preparation for the next attack, the highly esteemed Colonel Graff (Harrison Ford) and the International Military seek to find a future leader who can save the human race. Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield), a shy but strategically brilliant young mind, is recruited to join the elite, where he's trained to lead his fellow soldiers into an epic battle that will determine the future of Earth.

Why you should watch: This movie was a box-office failure and was listed in Variety's "Biggest Box-Office Bombs of 2013," but the book was a big success as were its four sequels. It's worth a watch simply because of its unique story and storytelling style. There are solid performances from everyone involved and it really should have spawned adaptations of the follow-up novels, but it probably would've had more success if it'd been released in 90s, when experimental sci-fi had a much longer shelf-life.

First Man

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Synopsis: A minimally-embellished biopic on the life of the legendary test pilot and astronaut Neil Armstrong on his journey to becoming the first human being to walk on the moon, exploring the sacrifices that only Armstrong himself makes, but also family during one of the most dangerous missions in the history of space travel.

Why you should watch: Ryan Gosling stars as Armstrong and his masterful, understated portrayal in that movie showed he was made for this role. Even knowing how the story ends doesn't make their flights less thrilling or failures less frustrating. You'll be glued to the screen from start to finish, so we would highly recommend you watch this on the biggest screen possible. The unpolished realism of the cinematography combined with the superlative sound design truly put you inside the violently shaking cockpit, sharing the same terrifying experience that Armstrong seemed so well able to just take in his stride. There's a full review here.

I Am Mother

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Synopsis: In the wake of humanity's extinction, a teenage girl is raised by a robot designed to repopulate the earth, but their unique bond is threatened when an inexplicable stranger arrives with alarming news.

Why you should watch: Before "Raised With Wolves" came "I Am Mother," which also deals with the notion of robots raising humans. This Australian indie film stars Hilary Swank and features the voice of Rose Byrne; the story is well-written and relative newcomer Grant Sputore does an excellent job of directing, keeping your attention focused, right up until the plot twist at the end. It's simple and very effective.

Maniac

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Synopsis: Two strangers, Annie (Emma Stone) and Owen (Jonah Hill), sign up for a pharmaceutical test program. Over the program's course, not only do previously-undiscovered parts of their minds and memories reveal themselves, but also their dreams and subconscious become interconnected. Over time, the two bond, however, the line between was is real and what isn't gradually becomes more blurred over time and there's a danger that the experiment might be shut down.

Why you should watch: "Maniac" is one of the best limited series sci-fi shows on Netflix at the moment — and Netflix does offer a few high-quality sci-fi thrillers like this, including "Love, Death + Robots" and "Lost in Space." This is also among the finest performances from both Stone and Hill that we've seen so far. You quickly become invested in the characters and it's a self-contained, limited run show, so you don't need to worry about whether there will be a second season or not. Without a doubt, this is well worth a watch. Indulge in some edibles too if you want to take viewing to a whole new level.

The Midnight Sky

The best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix in October (13)

Synopsis: Set in the near future after Earth has recently undergone an apocalyptic event, a lonely scientist in the Arctic (George Clooney) races across the frozen tundra to reach a radio transmitter powerful enough to contact an exploration spacecraft still in space and warn them not to return home. Along the way, he finds and rescues a very young girl and the two form an inseparable friendship.

Why you should watch: This is a low-on-action, character-driven movie that only just sneaks in under the genre banner of sci-fi. It's directed by and stars George Clooney and is very much a portfolio piece for him. If you like Apple TV+'s "Invasion" then you'll enjoy this, but it's not everyone's cup of tea. The cinematography is stunning and the film features an impressive cast, all in cameo roles, including David Oyelowo, Felicity Jones, Kyle Chandler, Ethan Peck and Tim Russ. Clooney however, has coaxed an outstanding performance from newcomer Caoilinn Springall. Aside from one or two liberties taken with the laws of thermodynamics, this is an enjoyable, in-depth illustration of Clooney's skills, both in front of, and behind the camera.

Mute

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Synopsis: Berlin. Forty years from today. A roiling city of immigrants, where East crashes against West in a science-fiction Casablanca. Leo Beiler (Alexander Skarsgard), a mute bartender, has one reason and one reason only for living here, and she's disappeared. But when Leo's search takes him deeper into the city's underbelly, an odd pair of American surgeons (led by Paul Rudd) seem to be the only recurring clue, and Leo can't tell if they can help, or who he should fear most.

Why you should watch: This is Duncan Jones second major sci-fi motion picture set in the "Moon" universe and it does not disappoint. (The trilogy was concluded with the graphic novel "Madi.") Rudd and Skarsgård lead the cast, joined by Justin Theroux, and together they all deliver strong performances in this vastly underrated, gritty sci-fi thriller set in the not-too-distant future.

Oxygen

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Synopsis: A woman wakes in a cryogenic chamber with absolutely no recollection of how she got there. Unable to exit the status pod and slowly running out of oxygen, she must try to rebuild her memory in order to find a way out of her nightmare.

Why you should watch: One of the good things streaming services have enabled is for relatively low-budget sci-fi movies to be made that would never have seen the light of day 10 or 15 years ago, and this is one of them. "Oxygen" follows a simple premise and demonstrates that less quite often can be more. It has very little in the way of set changes and is focused entirely on the incredible performance of Mélanie Laurent ("Inglorious Basterds," "Beginners," "Enemy"). Another French heavyweight, Mathieu Amalric ("Munich," "The Grand Budapest Hotel," "Quantum of Solace"), provides the voice for the Medical Interface Liaison Officer or MILO, the AI incorporated into the cryogenic chamber.

Project Power

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Synopsis: In the very near future, on the streets of New Orleans, a new pill that unlocks superpowers unique to each user is becoming popular. However, the catch is that you don't know what will happen until you take it. While some develop bulletproof skin, invisibility, and super strength, others exhibit a deadlier reaction. A local cop (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) teams with a teenage dealer (Dominique Fishback) and a former soldier fueled by a secret vendetta (Jamie Foxx) to fight power with power and risk taking the pill in order to stop its production.

Why you should watch: Netflix's homegrown sci-fi often makes you wonder who on Earth is giving the green light to some of these projects, but this one is worth a watch. Gordon-Levitt is guaranteed to be outstanding in just about any movie he's in and Fishback also gives a stellar performance. It has a gritty, indie feel, with some nuanced layers to the story, making an enjoyable, interesting sci-fi noir. The cinematography in this movie is what Kathryn Bigelow's 1995 sci-fi noir thriller "Strange Days" desperately needed.

Rebel Moon: Parts I & Part II

Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTubeThe best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix in October (17)

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Synopsis: When a peaceful settlement on the edge of a distant moon finds itself threatened by the armies of a tyrannical ruling force, Kora (Sofia Boutella), a mysterious stranger living among the villagers, becomes their best hope for survival. Tasked with finding trained fighters who will unite with her in making an impossible stand against the Mother World, Kora assembles a small band of warriors — outsiders, insurgents, peasants and orphans of war from different worlds who share a common need for redemption and revenge. As the shadow of an entire Realm bears down on the unlikeliest of moons, a battle over the fate of a galaxy is waged, and in the process, a new army of heroes is formed.

Why you should watch: You may remember that Tig Notaro, was placed in "Army of the Dead" entirely digitally with her whole performance being filmed in front of a green screen that didn't requite any interaction with any other member of he cast. Well, that same technology has given us "Rebel Moon" and when you think that Zack Snyder gave us "300," "Watchmen" and "Man of Steel" one can't help but wonder if he's lost his touch. In other words, despite a strong start, this remake of "Battle Beyond the Stars" — and hence also "The Seven Samurai" — frankly ain't that good. We're only including it here 'cause such a fuss was made before it aired.

And now that Part II has dropped, we can honestly say, it's awful. For the love of God, don't waste your time on this.

Spaceman

Synopsis: Orphaned as a boy, raised in the Czech countryside by his doting grandparents, Jakub Procházka (Adam Sandler) has risen from small-time scientist to become the country's first astronaut. When a dangerous solo mission to Venus offers him both the chance at heroism he's dreamt of, and a way to atone for his father's sins as a Communist informer, he ventures boldly into the vast unknown. But in so doing, he leaves behind his devoted wife, Lenka, whose love, he realizes too late, he has sacrificed on the altar of his ambitions.

Why you should watch: To be perfectly honest, this story could've played out in just about any setting, it didn't have to be in space. And Sandler in a serious role always takes a bit of getting used to, but that's not to say he can't pull it off. Perhaps space was chosen so that the visual effects could help this slow-burning flick keep the audience's attention. This is an extremely nuanced movie that offers the opportunity for multiple interpretations. Granted, it's a little off the beaten track, but hey, that's what we like.

Space Sweepers

The best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix in October (18)

Synopsis: In the year 2092, space is full of dangerous floating garbage like discarded satellites and deserted spaceships. The crew of The Victory trawls between the Earth and the Moon looking for the garbage they can sell to make money, while also competing with junk collector ships from other countries and using the speediness of their craft to defeat their rivals.

Why you should watch: The South Koreans have produced some quality movies in the past that should really be watched if you have any interest in contemporary foreign cinema, including "The Brotherhood of War," "Parasite" and "The Host." While this might not be up to quite the same standard of dramatic quality, it's an enjoyable sci-fi action romp with high production values and extremely effective special effects.

Spectral

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Synopsis: Set in the not too distant future, a US special forces unit fighting somewhere in Europe in what appears to be a global conflict encounters a weird, ghost-like entity that cannot be killed and is only visible in certain light spectrums. Before long, more of these phenomena are detected and troops are being wiped out, left and right. Can a scientist from DARPA work out how to defeat these deadly, ethereal demons?

Why you should watch: It's a little bit "Aliens," a little bit "Battle Los Angeles" and maybe even a little bit "World War Z" and if you like all of those, you'll enjoy this too. A great cast including James Badge Dale, Max Martini, Bruce Greenwood and Gonzalo Menendez —all veterans of quality action movies —carries this straightforward, but stylish sci-fi drama that shows off extremely high production values.

Stowaway

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Synopsis: The crew of a spaceship headed to Mars on a two-year scientific mission discovers an accidental stowaway shortly after takeoff. Too far from Earth to turn back and with the fuel and oxygen resources depleting, the crew faces an agonizing ethical dilemma. Their situation worsens further when they are informed of an incoming coronal mass ejection.

Why you should watch: Once you get past the hilarious situation engineer Michael Adams (Shamier Anderson) is in —waking up from taking a nap behind bulkhead to find himself two million miles from Earth —this is an okay movie. However, if you're a stickler for accurate factual representation, then this might not be your bag. The performances are strong and the movie is boosted by the presence of Toni Collette, who —let's face facts —is brilliant in just about everything.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day

The best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix in October (21)

Synopsis: In terms of the story, between 10 and 15 years have passed since the events of the first "Terminator" movie and young John Conner is now the target of an assassination attempt by Skynet and it sends a significantly more advanced infiltration unit, the T1000, through time. However, as before, the resistance is also able to send a protector through, but this time it's a reprogrammed T800.

Why you should watch: Arguably this is the best installment of the "Terminator" franchise – it's definitely between this and the first one at least — and the groundbreaking VFX support a well-written plot and solid performances from all involved, in particular of course Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton and Edward Furlong. It was just a damn shame that the IP got so clogged up with awful attempts to reboot it.

Upgrade

The best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix in October (22)

Synopsis: Grey Trace (Logan Marshall-Green), a self-confessed technophobe and stay-at-home mechanic, is returning a car to his client, along with his wife. However, the self-driving car malfunctions and crashes and Grey can do nothing but watch helplessly as she bleeds to death next to him. He returns home a widowed quadriplegic and all of that together with the inability of the police to uncover who is responsible causes him to sink into a depression. After a suicide attempt, he's offered to have high tech chip implant that will, among other things, enable him to walk again. Though initially hesitant, he's eventually persuaded to have the surgery.

Why you should watch: In short, this is one of the most underused movies of the last 10 years. It could — and should — have launched a multi-season, spin-off show...but alas, it never happened. There was talk of it...but like "Almost Human" and even "Debris," it's potential was never fully realized. Which is a shame, because there's SO much that could've been done to develop the idea and the characters further. You may remember Marshall-Green from "Prometheus" — and this was made after that — and he delivers a solid performance and would've been outstanding in a spin-off TV show. Such a waste of a really good idea.

The Wandering Earth

The best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix in October (23)

Synopsis: Set in the distant future when the sun is about to expand into a red giant and devour the Earth, mankind makes an audacious attempt to save the planet. People all around the world unite and build giant planet thrusters to move Earth out of its orbit and sail Earth to a new star system. Yet the 2500-year journey comes with unexpected dangers, and in order to save humanity, a group of young people in this age of a wandering Earth fight hard for the survival of humankind.

Why you should watch: This is without the Chinese equivalent of a Michael Bay sci-fi movie and as such it's utterly bonkers, but beautiful to watch. The performances are good, but the VFX, along with the out-of-this-world concepts, are truly the stars of this flick as our now frozen planet begins its slow journey through space, powered by hundreds of giant "planet engines."

Warriors of the Future

Warriors of Future | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTubeThe best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix in October (24)

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Synopsis: A meteorite brings an extraterrestrial life to the earth. When powerful alien creatures threaten humanity, Commander Sing Lee's elite forces are almost wiped out, and the surviving soldier Tai Loi discovers an even bigger conspiracy.

Why you should watch: According to IMDb, this is Hong Kong's highest grossing local film as of November 2022. We suspect that if you enjoyed other recent sci-fi offerings from Asia, including "The Wandering Earth" and "Space Sweepers," which themselves were quite enjoyable, then you'll probably enjoy this too. Put your brain into neutral and coast through this fun flick, without paying too much attention to silly things like a plot or believability.

TV Series

Altered Carbon

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Synopsis: After 250 years on ice, a prisoner returns to life in a new body with one chance to win his freedom: by solving a mind-bending murder

Why you should watch: If you haven't seen Season 1, you've got 8 hours and 52 minutes worth to get through first. The second season is considerably better than the first, but to get maximum enjoyment, we suggest taking in the first season as well. The production design on this is incredible and thankfully Anthony Mackie helps bring the story up to the same standard of the Blade Runner-esque visual aesthetic. Tragically, Netflix canceled "Altered Carbon," so there won't be a third season, but these are without a doubt still worth watching.

Another Life

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Synopsis: Set in the not too distant future, an anomaly from space appears in Earth's orbit and plants a stalk-like object into the ground. Humans attempt to determine what it is, why it's been placed there, and what's going to happen next, but it's taking too long to crack the code so they send a team into space to the source of the object to investigate further.

Why you should watch: Why you should watch this? Wel …er, it's got Katee Sackoff in it, isn't that reason enough? No? Oh, okay. There's no other way to put this, "Another Life" is a mostly below-par sci-fi and frankly we're amazed that it got renewed for a second season. Sackoff herself seems to bounce around like a pinball in between amazing and atrocious sci-fi: "The Mandalorian" and "Battlestar Galactica" for example…and then "Riddick" and then this show. But, some people —mostly young kids —do enjoy it and if you've watched all the other sci-fi on Netflix, it couldn't hurt to give it a go, right?

Away

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Synopsis: An US astronaut struggles with leaving her husband and daughter behind to embark on a dangerous mission with an international space crew.

Why you should watch: This drama set in space really looks at the issues around family and relationships and in particular being a long distance away from them. What better backdrop is there than the life of a married astronaut? Hilary Swank stars in this 10-part series and while it's not perhaps as extreme as "Lucy in the Sky," it covers much of the same emotional ground. Granted, some liberties have been taken with some of the plot points, but then that just wouldn't make for compelling television would it?

Black Mirror

Black Mirror - U.S.S. Callister | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix - YouTubeThe best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix in October (28)

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Synopsis: A contemporary British re-working of "The Twilight Zone" with stories that tap into the collective unease about our modern world. Over the last 10 years, technology has transformed almost every aspect of our lives before we've had time to stop and question it. In every home, on every desk, in every palm is a plasma screen, a monitor, a smartphone — a black mirror of our 21st-century existence.

Why you should watch: There are only a few episodes in each season and among those are some truly inspired moments of genius from the show's creator Charlie Brooker. The first episode "The National Anthem" will frankly shock you into watching more and the standalone episode entitled "Bandersnatch" was the world's first interactive television experience, where you determine what happens to the principal character. Quite what dystopian misadventure awaits in this, the brand new fourth season...remains to be seen.

Countdown: Inspiration4 Mission to Space

Synopsis: Follow four civilians as they launch into space on a three-day trip orbiting Earth and reaching an altitude higher than that of the International Space Station (254 miles). The SpaceX Dragon mission, dubbed Inspiration4, was the most ambitious step to date in the rapidly-developing age of civilian space exploration, making history as the first all-civilian mission to orbit. The mission launched on Sept. 15, 2021 and returned to Earth three days later.

Related: Watch the first trailer for the Inspiration4 documentary from Netflix

Why you should watch: This five episode miniseries is the closest many of us will get to experiencing what it's like to train and then travel into space, and the privately funded mission raised money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Lost In Space

Lost in Space | Official Trailer | Final Season | Netflix - YouTubeThe best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix in October (30)

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Synopsis: The human race has been forced to organize an evacuation from Earth and a giant spacecraft has been built that's made up of smaller ships, designed to act as landing craft that can each accommodate one family. On the way to Alpha Centauri, the Robinson's landing craft crash lands on an uncharted planet and they struggle to survive against all the odds as they must deal with weird indigenous creatures, alien robots and potentially fatal flora and fauna.

Why you should watch: Remember how "Battlestar Galactica" was reimagined? The same has been done to the old 1965, black and white show that came from the mind of Irwin Allen. And the result is amazing. The first season is marginally better than the second, but both are worth binge-watching in their entirety. You'll laugh, you'll definitely cry and you'll be on the edge of your seat as you watch John Robinson, his wife, Maureen, their children (Judy, Penny and Will) and Major Don West fight to survive against the natural elements of an alien world. In the third and final season, the stakes are higher than ever and the Robinson family's survival instincts will be put to the ultimate test.

Love Death + Robots

LOVE DEATH + ROBOTS VOLUME 3 | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTubeThe best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix in October (31)

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Synopsis: A collection of short stories, ranging from eight minutes to 18 minutes, each one in a different style of animation with the occasional live action one thrown in. They usually incorporate technology and/or robots in the plot and often take place in a dystopian future.

Why you should watch: This is the best original series Netflix has produced since "Lost in Space." Each story is totally different and while some follow a familiar theme, or perhaps feature some ideas seen before, each one has a totally unique twist. Some episodes are dark and disturbing, while others exhibit a very dark, but hilarious, sense of humor. Every one is creative, well written and beautifully produced. The first season contains 18 episodes and the second just eight and quite often there are very subtle nods to well known sci-fi franchises, including "The Terminator" and "Aliens." Season 3 recently debuted on Netflix. It captures your imagination and never lets go.

The Movies That Made Us

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Synopsis: A series of light-hearted, hour-long documentaries that focus on the production history of some of pop-culture's favorite flicks.

Why you should watch: Chances are high you've probably seen this before on Netflix, but this third season includes a look two of the biggest science fiction blockbusters to come out in the '80s, "Robocop" and "Aliens." Many of the cast members recount their experiences along with former senior studio executives. No matter how much of a fan you already call yourself of these epic sci-fi flicks, you will definitely learn something new. It's great to see Sigourney Weaver offer her insight, but sadly Peter Weller is a no-show. However, if you're a fan of "Robocop" you should definitely keep tabs on the fan-made "Robodocumentary" currently in production. And we'll keep you up to date with all the latest news about that here on Space.com.

Mystery Science Theater 3000

The best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix in October (33)

Synopsis: Set in the not-too-distant future, a Gizmonic Institute employee is lured to the dark side of the moon by third-generation mad scientist Kinga Forrester (Felicia Day) and her flunky, Max (Patton Oswalt). He is sat in front of cheesy movies with his robot buddies and forced to tortuously watch bad B-movies in their entirety as these mad scientists study the effects on his mind.

Why you should watch: Arguably one of the best hangover cures or rainy day shows ever made for television. During each atrociously bad B-movie, the crew of the SOL space station, Jonah, Servo, Crow and Gypsy, mercilessly shred it, with sarcastic and side-splittingly funny comments. The current Netflix offering is two seasons; the first is called "The Gauntlet" (six episodes) and the second is "The Return" (14 episodes). Back in November 2019, Netflix canceled the show, but in April of 2021, creator and star Joel Hodgson launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the production of more episodes and a dedicated platform to show every season of the show. The campaign reached its minimum goal of $2 million within 25 hours of launch and ended with more than $6.5 million, assuring that more episodes will be produced.

Resident Alien

The best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix in October (34)

Synopsis: The alien, whose actual nameis pronouncedN'a [click] ka-tay-ahla-Oooay, has crash landed on earth on a mission to destroy humanity. Assuming the identity of a small Colorado town doctor, he remains undetected by the residents while he searches the snow-covered mountains for pieces of his ship. Along the way, he spends more time with humans and learns what it means to be human, which gives him pause, but he's still determined to complete his mission to destroy the people of Earth.

Why you should watch: This was the surprise hit of the 2019 New York Comic Con when the first episode was shown to an excited crowd gathered at the Hammerstein Ballroom. Frankly, it's one of the best sci-fi comedies out there, with other notable examples in a shockingly small sub-genre including "Red Dwarf" and "Avenue 5." The character development is outstanding and you'll eventually become invested in every single character. The show was adapted by Chris Sheridan (who also is a producer on "Family Guy") from a series of comic books by British creators Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse and published by Dark Horse.

The Signal

The Signal | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTubeThe best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix in October (35)

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Synopsis: After months on the ISS, scientist and astronaut Paula (Peri Baumeister) is finally back on Earth. She's just parachuted into the atmosphere aboard the Vision Capsule and, after a flight across the ocean, she'll soon be back home with her family. But Paula never makes it, and the plane she boarded is nowhere to be found. It's as if it completely vanished.

Why you should watch: In an increasingly crowded sci-fi arena currently witnessed in the steaming universe, "The Signal" represents another German-bred success that stirs the heart and opens the mind. Perhaps the best way to describe this impressive miniseries comes from a line spoken to Paula by one of her American astronaut crew members on the space station in response to her strange existential attitude: "How very German of you. Philosophical, poetic, and just a gentle touch of depression." There's a more detailed review here.

The Silent Sea

The Silent Sea | Teaser Trailer | Netflix - YouTubeThe best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix in October (36)

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Synopsis: During a perilous 24-hour mission on the moon, space explorers try to retrieve samples from an abandoned research facility steeped in classified secrets.

Why you should watch: Korean television is undoubtedly on a hot streak in the West. This is an 8-episode series based on the short film "The Sea of Tranquility," which was written and directed by Choi Hang-Yong, the man behind this show. Sadly this doesn't have quite the same production budget as say, something like "For All Mankind" and the cross-lunar-landscape hike in the first episode was weighed down without the benefit of more expensive practical effects, but that's not to say this show isn't enthralling. Sadly however, what starts off as a few teeny-tiny, nitpicky issues steadily grows to incorporate more than a fair share of clichés, which is a shame because they overshadow the clever, well-thought-out ideas that shone through early on.

Space Force

Space Force: Season 2 | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTubeThe best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix in October (37)

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Synopsis: The second season of the space-themed satire "Space Force" picks up from the ending of the first, with the threat of nuclear war hanging over everyone's heads, the arming, disarming and rearming of Habitat One, potential conflict with the Chinese, and General Naird (Steve Carell) headed back to the Space Force to deal with the situation.

Why you should watch: The arid dry wit of this show is not for all, but if you enjoy shows like "Avenue 5" and even Amazon's "Upload," then this will almost certainly appeal. A dynamite cast, including John Malkovich (Dr. Mallory), Ben Schwartz (F. Tony Scarapiducci), Tawny Newsome (Captain Angela Ali), Lisa Kudrow (Maggie Naird) joins Carell and hopefully we'll see more of both Jane Lynch (Chief of Naval Operations) and Patrick Warburton (Commandant of the Marine Corps) too. The first season is also available to watch. Netflix has cancelled this show, so there won't be a third season.

Star Trek: Prodigy –season 2

The best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix in October (38)

Synopsis: This latest incarnation of "Star Trek" comes from a collaboration betweenParamount+and Nickelodeon and follows five alien adolescents from assorted origins who are incarcerated on an obscure planet in an uncharted part of the galaxy. They escape from their imprisonment and race across the planet to find a defunct starship buried in the sand of the planet's surface. They enter the ship, but are unable to make it work. With prison guards hot on their heels, they suddenly stumble upon an Emergency Training Hologram in the form of Capt. Janeway, voiced bynone other than Kate Mulgrew herself.

Why you should watch: You may recall that back in June we reported how Paramount had unexpectedly cancelled "Star Trek: Prodigy" and that it would remove the show from its streaming service. Post-production work on 20 episodes of the second season, which was originally scheduled to air this winter, was mostly completed, but without a new home, its future was uncertain. The reason? Nothing more complicated than trying to save cash. By removing the show, the network was no longer duty bound to pay royalties to the voice acting cast, which was a shame, because this was significantly better than most of the other nostalgia-driven "Star Trek" durge the studio insisted on spending countless $millions on. "Prodigy" is a surprisingly good show for new fans as well as veterans, both and young and old.

The Twilight Zone

The best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix in October (39)

Synopsis: A series of unrelated, standalone stories containing drama, psychological thriller, fantasy, science fiction, suspense, and/or horror, often concluding with a macabre or unexpected twist.

Why you should watch: This, the original "Twilight Zone" that ran for five seasons from 1959 to 1964 should really be on the national curriculum. The iconic opening narration and music are instantly familiar and the show influenced an entire generation of sci-fi writers, including Harlan Ellison and Gene Roddenberry and other shows, like "The Outer Limits." In fact, "the Twilight Zone" was a big influence on "Black Mirror" that we mentioned above.

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The best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix in October (40)

Scott Snowden

When Scott's application to the NASA astronaut training program was turned down, he was naturally upset...as any 6-year-old boy would be. He chose instead to write as much as he possibly could about science, technology and space exploration. He graduated from The University of Coventry and received his training on Fleet Street in London. He still hopes to be the first journalist in space.

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19 CommentsComment from the forums

  • dfjchem721

    I am already watching the "Twilight Zone" - tons more to go. Of all the "movies" mentioned above, I have not even heard of half of them, but will have to Wiki them and see if I want to watch them. Some of these picks are questionable.

    But the one I want to remark on most is "Star Trek: Enterprise". This was grossly under-rated as the review states. I found this to be better than Deep Space Nine in many cases, and on par with the others in many episodes. You can really relate to so much of this series, and Captain Jonathan Archer is a match for Kirk and Picard in terms of tenacity and heroic performances. Star Trek: Enterprise is a must see. (It will also give you a different impression of those sneaky Vulcans!)

    Reply

  • mcgeearch

    dfjchem721 said:

    I am already watching the "Twilight Zone" - tons more to go. Of all the "movies" mentioned above, I have not even heard of half of them, but will have to Wiki them and see if I want to watch them. Some of these picks are questionable.

    But the one I want to remark on most is "Star Trek: Enterprise". This was grossly under-rated as the review states. I found this to be better than Deep Space Nine in many cases, and on par with the others in many episodes. You can really relate to so much of this series, and Captain Jonathan Archer is a match for Kirk and Picard in terms of tenacity and heroic performances. Star Trek: Enterprise is a must see. (It will also give you a different impression of those sneaky Vulcans!)

    Enterprise was a great show. The last few shows were throw aways. They must've known they'd been cancelled.

    Reply

  • jimbojoneskoolaid

    Nope, Scott Snowden you're way off. I felt compelled enough to create an account to comment on this article. These movies/shows listed are completely hot garbage. Do NOT waste your time on them:
    John Carter
    Star Trek Voyager
    Start Trek Enterprise
    Lost in Space (though not as bad as the Star Treks above)

    Reply

  • Dave

    Enjoyed your selection. There are a few on your list I have not seen yet, and will try to see. Some of the greatest sci-fi is not on netflix, these are the movies I am currently binge watching. 1 The original Planet of the Apes movies.
    2. Silent Running
    3. Soylent Green
    4. THX 1138
    5. Dr. Who and the Daleks
    These are some of the true classics. Enjoy.

    Reply

  • Truthseeker007

    Must be nice to not have to work and time to watch these shows.

    Reply

  • wangusangus

    Hellboy doesn't appear to be available on Netflix US right now, though someone was just telling me recently that I should watch it.

    I came to Star Trek late, and have been working my way through the different series over the last few years (taking some shortcuts thanks to binge-watching guides). I'm on Voyager now and am enjoying it--not as much as DS9 or TNG, but I think it's better than I expected it to be. Each series seems to follow a similar arc: promising first episode, rocky first season or two, then by S3-S4 it's pretty consistent and interesting. I wonder if Voyager's evaluation was hurt by the fact that DS9 was hitting its groove when Voyager was still rocky, then when Voyager was hitting its groove, DS9 was stellar.

    Reply

  • Dave

    Reading sci-fi never gets old, either. Highly recommend some of the classics. Some of these novels and their message or warning have actually come true, in reality. Take H.G. Wells classic The Invisible Man, recently redone as a movie. It tells the story of a good natured man who when invisible becomes the darker side of himself. Today, the reality can be seen on the internet, as trolling, by so many.

    Reply

  • Truthseeker007

    Dave said:

    Reading sci-fi never gets old, either. Highly recommend some of the classics. Some of these novels and their message or warning have actually come true, in reality. Take H.G. Wells classic The Invisible Man, recently redone as a movie. It tells the story of a good natured man who when invisible becomes the darker side of himself. Today, the reality can be seen on the internet, as trolling, by so many.

    What about the book 1984? Most of that has come true with government surveillance among many other things in that book.

    Reply

  • AgedWizard

    Dave said:

    Enjoyed your selection. There are a few on your list I have not seen yet, and will try to see. Some of the greatest sci-fi is not on netflix, these are the movies I am currently binge watching. 1 The original Planet of the Apes movies.
    2. Silent Running
    3. Soylent Green
    4. THX 1138
    5. Dr. Who and the Daleks
    These are some of the true classics. Enjoy.

    You definitely picked some of the really good classic Sci-fi movies, Dave. I hope to watch them soon.

    Reply

  • AgedWizard

    From the time children get hooked on Nintendo, they, and their parents, should watch and discuss ST-TNG Season 5, Episode 6, "The Game".

    Reply

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