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The best sci-fi shows you can watch now on Apple TV+

From Silo to Severance, these are the best sci-fi series on Apple TV+.

Apple TV+ Silo Episode 1 Photo of Rashida Jones and David Oyelowo
Apple TV+

Because it’s still a relatively new streaming service, and because it didn’t come into existence with a back catalog, Apple TV+’s library is thinner than most. Even so, the streamer has managed to build a subscriber base in part by investing heavily in quality shows, and specifically in quality shows with a sci-fi twist.

Severance is one of the best shows on television, and it seems like a guarantee that it will be heavily awarded at the next Emmy ceremony. Severance is one of my favorite shows, too, but it’s far from the only sci-fi series on Apple. We’ve pulled together a list of the best shows available over there if you’re looking for great science fiction:”

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Silo (2023)

Silo
tv-ma
2 Seasons
Genre
Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Drama
Stars
Rebecca Ferguson, Common, Harriet Walter
Created by
Graham Yost
Watch on Amazon
Adapted from a series of novels, Silo is set in a distant future in which much of humanity has been forced to move underground into Silos. These siloes, which hold 10,000 people, feature displays showing a dystopic, barren wasteland outside. When one resident begins to question whether those displays are real, though, the entire system that keeps the silo functioning begins to crack. Anchored by a remarkable star performance from Rebecca Ferguson, Silo is a sturdy, intriguing sci-fi series that has continued to build out its universe in intriguing ways. 
Silo — Official Trailer | Apple TV+

Severance (2022)

Severance
tv-ma
3 Seasons
Genre
Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Stars
Adam Scott, Britt Lower, Tramell Tillman
Created by
Dan Erickson
Watch on Apple TV+
One of the crown jewels of Apple TV+’s entire lineup, Severance is set in a world where some people can choose to split their consciousness in half so that they don’t remember what they did at work. That simple premise spins out into a wild, deeply unusual series filled with intricate lore that also works well as a satire of corporate culture. Expertly directed, remarkably well acted and written, and almost shockingly intriguing, Severance has built up a loyal fan base in part because it’s the perfect blend of smart sci-fi and genuine comedy.
Severance — Official Trailer | Apple TV+

See (2019)

See
tv-ma
3 Seasons
Genre
Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Action & Adventure
Stars
Jason Momoa, Sylvia Hoeks, Hera Hilmar
Created by
Steven Knight
Watch on Apple TV+
One of Apple’s very first series, See is set in a world where humankind has lost the ability to see. Starring Jason Momoa as the father of twins who were born with the ability to see, the series carefully builds out its imagined future on a pretty broad canvas. The show, which lasted a total of three seasons, is one of the more fascinating in Apple’s lineup in part because not everything about it is totally successful. Even so, Momoa is excellent in action mode, and the show around him only got better as the seasons went on. 
SEE — Official Trailer | Apple TV+

For All Mankind (2019)

For All Mankind
tv-ma
4 Seasons
Genre
Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, War & Politics
Stars
Joel Kinnaman, Toby Kebbell, Krys Marshall
Created by
Ronald D. Moore, Ben Nedivi, Matt Wolpert
Watch on Apple TV+
A brilliant, bracing alternate history series, For All Mankind imagines a world where Russians landed on the moon before America could get there, and spins out a completely different future from there. Featuring a large ensemble of astronauts and NASA employees, For All Mankind is both a fascinating examiniation of how one moment can change history and a thrilling adventure series about all the reasons that space travel is among the most amazing things that human beings can do.
For All Mankind — Official First Look Trailer | Apple TV+

Dark Matter (2024)

Dark Matter
tv-ma
1 Season
Genre
Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Drama
Stars
Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Connelly, Alice Braga
Created by
Blake Crouch
Watch on Apple TV+
Branching timelines and alternate realities are one of the biggest ideas in science fiction today, and Dark Matter is one of the best examples. The series follows a physicist who finds himself in an alternate version of his life, and has to fight to get back to his actual reality, and get rid of the man who replaced him. Starring Joel Edgerton, the show is a brilliant examination of all the ways we take our lives for granted, and all of the little choices the define the people we become. While the plotting isn’t perfect from episode to episode, the series remains hugely compelling thanks to the pace at which it delivers its reveals.
Dark Matter — Official Trailer | Apple TV+

Foundation (2021)

Foundation
tv-ma
2 Seasons
Genre
Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Drama
Stars
Jared Harris, Lee Pace, Lou Llobell
Created by
David S. Goyer
Watch on Apple TV+
Adapted from Isaac Asimov’s novels of the same name, Foundation tells several interwoven stories that take place centuries apart from one another. The core idea of the series is the Foundation, a document of sorts that contains a summary of all the knowledge available to humankind. Describing Foundation and its sprawling cast is hard to do, but the series is one of the more ambitious efforts on television, and through two seasons, it manages to take some of the densest and most interesting sci-fi ideas ever committed to the page, and translate into something genuinely compelling. 
Foundation — Official Trailer | Apple TV+

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (2023)

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters
tv-14
1 Season
Genre
Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Drama, Action & Adventure
Stars
Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe
Created by
Matt Fraction, Chris Black
Watch on Apple TV+

A sideways sequel series to the original 2014 Godzilla probably shouldn’t work nearly as well as Monarch ultimately does. The show, which follows two siblings who investigate their father’s connection to a mysterious organization known as Monarch, splits its story time across two stories separated by 50 years. Thanks to a compelling cast, though, and the genius gimmick of having Kurt and Wyatt Russell play the same character at different ages, Monarch manages to be a smart conspiracy thriller set in a world where monsters are very real.

Foundation — Official Trailer | Apple TV+

The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (2022)

The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey
tv-ma
1 Season
Genre
Drama
Stars
Samuel L. Jackson, Dominique Fishback, Cynthia Kaye McWilliams
Created by
Walter Mosley
Watch on Apple TV+

A showcase for Samuel L. Jackson above all else, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey follows a 91-year-old man who dementia who is given the opportunity to briefly regain his memory. After regaining his memories, he becomes determined to solve his nephew’s murder and reckon with the man he was. Although this series is not as fantastical as some of the others on this list, its imagining of a world where you can remember who you were is both a fascinating thought experiment and a great chance for Jackson to remind us all why he is one the world’s best actors.

The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey Limited Series Trailer | Rotten Tomatoes TV
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Joe Allen
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Joe Allen is a freelance culture writer based in upstate New York. His work has been published in The Washington Post, The…
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