10 Best Sci-fi/Fantasy TV Series in 2025: Paradise, Andor, Pluribus, and More
2025 was another excellent year for sci-fi/fantasy TV series. From new standouts like Paradise and Pluribus that blew our minds, to returning favorites such as Andor, The Wheel of Time, and Severance, there was a little something for everyone.
There were also plenty of surprises.
Based on our critics’ individual choices for the best TV shows of the year, here’s a look at the top sci-fi/fantasy TV shows, as chosen by Tell-Tale TV critics, in 2025.
1. Paradise
From the stunning twist at the end of Paradise Season 1 Episode 1, which redefines the trajectory of the entire series, Paradise is a standout of the year and of all post-apocalyptic fiction. Much of this rests on the shoulders of star Sterling K Brown, but every cast member, writer, and crew member clearly put their all into these eight episodes.
The discoveries made and actions taken by characters are often brutal or heartbreaking, yet we are left waiting for season 2 with a fervent sense of hope. It’s especially welcome when many elements of this science-fiction universe feel uncomfortably close to home.
2. Andor
“Rebellions are built on hope,” has been a rallying cry for Star Wars fans for almost a decade now, and that line came full circle in Andor Season 2. Following Cassian Andor’s deeper involvement in the rebellion and the development of the Rebel Alliance, Season 2 is a must-watch political thriller full of timely messaging.
Divided into four three-episode arcs, Andor brings you into a more grounded but equally exciting version of the Star Wars universe. The plot on Ghorman is a horrifying, captivating look at how easily authoritarianism takes root and silences dissent.
It’s hard to spotlight just one performance in a cast led by the magnetic Diego Luna and Adria Arjona. Genevieve O’Reilly as Mon Mothma at the wedding, spiraling out literally, or giving her rousing speech to the Senate denouncing genocide, will be hard to forget.
The season is anchored in Cassian and Bix’s love story and what they’re willing to sacrifice for the greater cause. Knowing how things end in Rogue One makes it all the more bittersweet and emotional.
3. The Wheel of Time
The best season of The Wheel of Time yet featured Rand stepping into the role of the Car’a’carn as the battle between the light and the dark raged across the land.
4. Pluribus
Easily one of the most engaging, suspenseful shows of the year, Pluribus is the kind of show that’s impossible to stop watching once you start. The series comes from Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul creator Vince Gilligan, and it stars Better Call Saul’s Rhea Seehorn.
Seehorn plays Carol, a cynical author who finds herself in a changed world after a terrifying, mysterious event. Now it’s up to her to change it back, but the twists that keep coming make that an incredibly difficult task.
While much of the tone, directing, and cinematography feel similar to Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, the premise is entirely different — and it’s excellent.
5. Severance
Severance Season 2 takes its already ambitious concept and deepens it tenfold, weaving in even more sinister layers to the mysterious Lumon Industries.
The world expands to intricate heights as the audience finally starts to get some answers (that ultimately lead to even more questions). After a season laden with dazzling visuals and impeccable performances, let’s hope it doesn’t take nearly as long to get Season 3.
6. Daredevil: Born Again
Daredevil: Born Again feels entirely surreal. It’s never guaranteed that you will see some of your favorite characters again after a show is canceled, even if they exist around (and now in) the ever-expansive Marvel Cinematic Universe. So, the mere existence of Daredevil: Born Again and its bringing back so many cast and crew members is celebratory.
Even when it struggles to find its footing after seven years away and amid creative hurdles, the show makes it so easy to lean into the good.
Most importantly, Charlie Cox hasn’t missed a step (or a punch, if you will) as Matt Murdock/Daredevil, and Vincent D’Onofrio is just as chilling as Wilson Fisk clings to power. They are definitive castings in superhero media, and it’s good to have them (and the rest of the Daredevil cast!) back.
7. School Spirits
Some would say teenage coming-of-age shows are dead; School Spirits argues they’re just undead.
This gritty high-school drama expertly keeps the signature Teen Wolf blend of teenage angst and supernatural shenanigans alive. The ensemble of characters spans decades of turmoil and crushes, while centering the story on Peyton List’s Maddie Nears.
Season 2 enriches the heart-pounding stakes of Maddie’s quest to return to the land of the living while weaponizing our desire to stay with the beloved ghosts of Split River High for as long as possible.
8. Gen V
It’s hard to imagine another series that can so famously go toe-to-toe with the outrageous, balls-to-the-wall scenarios that take place in The Boys, but its spinoff series, Gen V, takes those antics to new heights.
The hiatus between Seasons 1 and 2 was a grueling but worthwhile wait, as our favorite collegiate superheroes overcame their differences to defeat the villain puppeteering their lives.
Season 2 does an exceptional job of setting the scene for what’s to come in the final season of The Boys, but what stood out to me most is their tackling the unfortunate death of Chance Perdomo, who played Andre, and eloquently weaving his death into the show, rather than simply writing him off.
9. Stranger Things
Stranger Things Season 5 has split our Hawkins crew into (assumedly) their main groups for the bulk of the season, with a surprising number of characters ending up in the Upside Down. Half the fun of the show is seeing who gets paired up together, and so far, all the groups have something fun to offer.
It can be risky to have new characters take on such large roles in the final season, but so far, Holly and Delightful Derek have been a great addition to the main cast. The show was smart to pair them with some established characters, and now we’re being treated to some great new dynamics.
10. IT: Welcome to Derry
Prolific horror scribe Stephen King undoubtedly has the most book-to-screen adaptations. Well, at least as a living author. IT: Welcome to Derry continues the King adaptation train, and folks, it’s a sumptuous feast of spine-tingling visuals.
The performances of Amanda Christine and Clara Stack, two young actors with plenty of potential, are particularly impressive. There’s a real maturity and depth to their work.
Additionally, the pilot truly grabs you by the wrist and doesn’t let go. That disconcerting scene in the car with the demon baby is enough to give anyone nightmares.
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What were your favorite sci-fi/fantasy series in 2025? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Contributions by: Shelby Elpers, Alicia Gilstorf, Adam Patla, Breeze Riley, Melody McCune, Allison Nichols, Ashley Bissette Sumerel, Cade Taylor, and Caitlin Wyneken.
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Tell-Tale TV is dedicated to offering insightful episodic reviews of a variety of television shows. Our passionate team of writers also works to provide previews, news, in-depth interviews, and other analytical pieces. Tell-Tale TV is a Tomatometer-approved publication.