40 fantasy and sci-fi shows to watch this year

Outlander season 7

After a shortened season 6, Starz’s hit time-travel drama Outlander will be back this year and bigger than ever. Outlander’s seventh season will span 16 episodes, covering the kick-off to the Revolutionary War. The good times are gone at Fraser’s Ridge now, there’s only the looming conflict to come and the hope that the Fraser family can get through it together.

Starz has already released a teaser trailer for Outlander season 7. There are some hints in there about the trials that await the Fraser family; we see Brianna (Sophie Skelton) seemingly giving birth, Claire (Caitriona Balfe) with a noose around her neck, and even someone tearing down the Declaration of Independence. Season 6 was a bit of a lull for the series due in part to pandemic-related filming issues which caused some of its final episodes to be shifted into season 7. With the added bulk, season 7 could be one of Outlander’s most ambitious yet.

Outlander season 7 will be taking a page from the show’s earliest seasons and releasing in two separate chunks. The first batch of eight episodes begins airing on Starz on June 16, with the second slated to release sometime in 2024.

Black Mirror season 6

This summer will also see the return of Black Mirror, and we’re already trembling with anticipation and terror. Black Mirror is a science fiction anthology series on Netflix created by Charlie Brooker; each episode is its own standalone cautionary tale exploring how technology can affect our fives.

The first five seasons of Black Mirror were excellent, but Brooker decided it was time to let the series rest for a bit during the pandemic. But enough time has passed and Black Mirror season 6 is coming.

Season 6 will include five episodes, and the cast is stacked with stars like Aaron Paul, Selma Hayek, Annie Murphy, Josh Hartnett, Michael Cera, Myha’la Herrold, Samuel Blenkin, John Hannah, Danny Ramirez, and too many more to list here. Netflix recently released details about each of the five episodes.

Black Mirror season 6 is coming to Netflix on June 15.