The 1990s were a time when science fiction finally started to be taken seriously by mainstream audiences. Despite a few duds, the decade glittered with series that took chances, bringing sci-fi and fantasy to life. Syndication allowed some unique shows to became cult favorites. As the decade went on, the good shows outshone the bad.
Some shows became monster success stories while others were short-lived but as seen today as pioneers of the genre. For the purposes of this list, shows that started in 1999 but got better in the 2000s are left off (like Angel and Farscape), since they don't have enough ties to the '90s. It’s tough, but here’s how the 15 best sci-fi and fantasy shows of the 1990s rank against each other. Hopefully you're reminded how magical this decade was.
15. Stargate SG-1 (1997-2002)
The only reason Stargate SG-1 is low on the list is because its decade-long run meant some of its best years happened in the 2000s. However, the series, which started on Showtime in 1997, is the rare TV adaptation that's far better than the movie that inspired it. It expanded the on the idea of the military using a series of gates to explore the galaxy, clashing with the evil alien Goa’uld.
Richard Dean Anderson was terrific as Jack O’Neill, with a fine supporting cast that included Michael Shanks, Amanda Tapping and Christopher Judge. Each character got a chance to shine. It had some fun storylines and never got to include the joy of sci-fi exploration alongside the action. Again, the show got better in the 2000s, but the first seasons still marked Stargate as a sci-fi hit of the '90s.
Streaming on Prime Video
14. Highlander: The Series (1993-1998)
Another show far better than the movie that spawned it, Highlander: The Series did much more with the concept of Immortals who engage in sword duels to the final death. Adrian Paul was a great choice for Duncan Macleod, the 400-year-old Scotsman who finds himself battling other Immortals over the centuries. Each episode was laced with flashbacks to Duncan’s long life that linked to the present-day storyline.
The show had some entertaining characters like Richie, Methos and the gorgeous thief Amanda. There were also touches like the Watchers, a society that studied Immortals. The highlights were the duels ending with the sensational Quickening sequences. The was inventive in its stories, even if the last season was a bit muddled.
Streaming on Tubi
13. Gargoyles (1995-1997)
Amid the hilarious Disney cartoon series of the early 1990s, the company produced a show far darker and more complex than any animated series of the time. A pack of creatures who turn into stone by day awaken to the modern era. As they navigate the new world, they face numerous foes and magical threats.
The series was quite dark and violent, with a powerful gun-centered episode proving it was willing to tackle touchy topics. It had a lush storyline that mixed in mythology from Shakespeare and King Arthur, requiring fans to pay attention. It also had spectacular animation and fine voice acting (especially from Keith David). It's one of the best shows Disney ever put out and remains a favorite today.
Streaming on Disney+
12. The Outer Limits (1995-2002)
A rare instance of a revival series being far better than the original, this remake of the 1960s sci-fi anthology more than outdid the parent show. The Outer Limits shifted through a variety of sci-fi themes in its episodes, which often hadh dark and twisted endings. The stories were backed by a bevy of guest stars that included a lot of faces familiar to sci-fi fans. There were plenty of heart-warming stories as well.
The show could play with time travel, aliens, and more. You never knew where a story was going, and that was the fun. Before Black Mirror, this was the best sci-fi anthology of the modern age, and the best of the ‘90s.
Streaming on The Roku Channel
11. Cowboy Bebop (1998)
Fans of this 1995 anime were not happy with the live-action Netflix adaptation a few years back and openly celebrated it being canceled. It’s not hard to understand why, as the original show set the template for scores of sci-fi anime that followed and the Netflix adaptation did live up to its standards. Cowboy Bebop is a mix of sci-fi, Western and noir; it follows a pack of bounty hunters as they cross the galaxy looking for jobs that always put them in danger.
The characters are excellent, a group of broken people who are often their own worst enemies. The animation is stellar, the action grounded, dramatic moments powerful. It’s no wonder that 30 years later, Cowboy Bebop still tops lists of the greatest anime shows ever.
Streaming on Netflix
10. Xena: Warrior Princess (1995-2001)
While Hercules: The Legendary Journeys was a fun fantasy show, its spinoff was something else. In 1995, a show with a female action heroine as the lead was a rarity, making Xena stand out from the start. Lucy Lawless was stunning not just in looks but for how believable she was as a warrior, throwing herself into battles with ease. Backing her was Renee O’Connor as Gabrielle, who agreeably evolved from a timid barb to a strong warrior in her own right.
The show never shied from breaking boundaries with episodes that were musicals, time travel, a documentary and more. There was true emotion as each woman suffered loss and heartbreak while coming back for more and their bond created a new fandom. Its finale was a powerful wrap-up to the saga that still captivates a heroine of any age.
Streaming on Prime Video
9. Quantum Leap (1989-1993)
While it began in 1989, it was in the 1990s that Quantum Leap became a regular hit show for viewers. It had an excellent take on the concept of time travel concept, Sam Beckett (Scott Bakula) would “leap” into the bodies of people from the 1950s to ‘80s, trying to set things right. He was aided by Al (Dean Stockwell), a hologram from the future only Sam could see and hear.
The episodes had a ton of variety; one week we'd have a comedy episode, then crime drama and then a supernatural caper. Sam dealing with being in different bodies (especially a woman’s) presented unique challenges, and he and Al had a great chemistry. While the infamous finale is divisive, it’s no wonder the show has stood the test of time as one of the best time-travel shows ever.
Streaming on The Roku Channel.
8. Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995-1996)
One of the most important and acclaimed anime of all time, the impact of Neon Genesis Evangelion is still being felt across the genre. It puts most sci-fi shows of any decade to shame.
The setup is simple: the citizens of a domed city use giant robots to battle aliens, with glorious animation helping the stories go down easy. What makes the show different is how it deconstructs the mecha genre, examining the very real human cost these battles have on the pilots while digging into themes of psychology, religion and class warfare.
Neon Genesis Evangelion lasted for one season of 26 episodes, and the finale was pretty controversial. The storytelling and character work make it a landmark for an entire genre.
Streaming on Netflix.
7. Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988-1999)
MST3K (to use its fan nickname) didn’t invent the concept of riffing on movies. But it sure brought it to the masses and made it insanely popular. From a small Minnesota TV station to Comedy Central and Sci-Fi, the series excelled thanks to the wild but straightforward premise: A man and his robot friends are stuck on a space station and forced to watch some of the worst movies ever made, keeping their sanity by making non-stop jokes.
The show connects on so many levels. There are the entertaining sketches in between film segments, the hosts, the quips, trying to figure out the references, and simply marveling at how any of these films got made. The concept is so solid that the show continues to get revived to this day, and its original stars riff all around the world. The original run of MST3K could outdo most comedies as the funniest show on TV.
Episodes streaming on Tubi and YouTube.
6. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)
It seemed like a crazy idea: a TV series based on a 1992 movie few even remembered, but it worked. Joss Whedon had the genius idea of using demons and monsters as metahors for the ordinary terrors of high school. It helped that he had a cast of future stars, including Sarah Michelle Gellar, Alyson Hannigan, David Boreanaz, Seth Green and more to bring the tale to life.
Many will agree those first three seasons set in high school are the show’s best, mixing drama, laugh-out-loud humor, heartbreaking emotions and superb acting. The show is wonderful all the way to the end, but the first few seasons rank among the best of the 1990s. The show heralded a new era for fantasy TV.
Streaming on Hulu and Tubi.
5. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994)
Yes, Star Trek: The Next Generation began in 1987, but most fans will agree it actually got good in its third season. Indeed, the summer of 1990 had fans buzzing on the cliffhanger to “The Best of Both Worlds,” with Riker about to fire on a Borg-ified Picard. From there, the series would become a groundbreaking show that revived the spirit of Trek for a new generation.
The stories became more dramatic, the actors delved deeper into their characters, and the action ramped up. TNG openly outdid the original series to revive Trek forever. Several stories of the last four seasons rank among the best in all of Star Trek history and still hold up today.
Streaming on Paramount+.
4. Twin Peaks (1990-1991)
If ever a television show was ahead of its time, it’s Twin Peaks. The fact that it got on the air in 1990, and on ABC to boot, still boggles the mind. Some network executives were convinced David Lynch’s mad genius could work for television, and it paid off. What begins as a simple story of an FBI agent investigating a murder in a small town morphs into a show that continues to defy description.
Crime drama, melodrama, science fiction, horror, and fantasy are thrown together in what easily could have been a mess. Instead, Twin Peaks became a water-cooler sensation unlike anything television had seen. Perhaps it’s not a shock it only lasted two seasons, as audiences then just couldn’t grasp what they were seeing. Thankfully, its revival in 2017 was able to close out the story of a show that broke the mold for television. It'sd one of the finest efforts of a master storyteller.
Streaming on Paramount+.
3. The X-Files (1993-2002)
The X-Files came at just the right time for television. Just as the Internet was starting to become widespread, along came a Fox series that became the epitome of cult TV. What started as an offbeat show about two FBI agents investigating strange phenomena evolved into a critically acclaimed, award-winning favorite that spawned dozens of imitators but that was never truly duplicated.
Fox Mulder and Dana Scully became icons; their skeptic-vs-true believer dynamic provided tension and their “will they or won’t they” attraction kept fans coming back. The mythology became complex (maybe too much so), but it’s the stand-alone episodes fans remember for their scares, thrills and even laughs.
Its decade-long dominance made The X-Files a shorthand for TV shows that changed not just sci-fi but all of geek culture, while the first years remain among the finest seasons of television you could ask for.
Streaming on Hulu.
2. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999)
While The Next Generation took a few years to get good, Deep Space Nine was good from the start, before becoming great. At first, the idea of a new Trek show set on a space station rather than a starship seemed like a step back. DS9 managed to make the conflict over the fate of Bajor work, carried by a cast of characters who broke the mold of Trek tropes. From strong leader Sisko to conniving Quark, every character had a chance to evolv; see Rom going from dim-witted comic relief to heroic engineer, for example.
The show really kicked into high gear with the Dominion War, which took the story in directions Trek fans had never dreamed of. It got darker, grittier, and more willing to show its characters making bad choices. This is the first Star Trek series that showed fans how flawed the Federation could be.
We got all of that alongside great FX, shocking twists, and a bold seven-episode conclusion to the saga. It’s probably the best Star Trek show ever, and the franchise boldly forward.
Streaming on Paramount+.
1. Babylon 5 (1994-1998)
J. Michael Straczynski took a bold gamble, but it more than paid off. Babylon 5 was a five-season novel made for television, and it's near-brilliant. JMS rolled with various cast changes to keep the narrative going, and what seemed a standard sci-fi show transformed into an epic battle of good vs evil on a galactic scale where every character was drawn in shades of grey.
It was amazing watching the characters develop. Londo goes from comic relief to a party to genocide while G’Kar morphs from sinister enemy to the noblest figure on the show. The then-cutting-edge computer graphics were remarkable, and the show’s writing is sharp even in poorer episodes. Babylon 5 still holds together as one of the finest sci-fi achievements in TV history and a marvel for any decade.
Streaming on Tubi.
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