Ever have one of those weekends where you just want to disappear into another world, but don’t have time for a never-ending series? We've all been there. Maybe you’ve got errands, plans, or just a busy life that makes committing to a 10-season show feel impossible.
And yet, the itch for adventure, mystery, or a mind-bending story won’t quit. Luckily, there are amazing sci-fi shows out there that are short enough to watch start-to-finish in just a weekend. In this article, we've shared a list of some of those thrilling, binge-worthy series. All you need to do is add them to your watchlist.
Fallout
This is for all the gamers out there. Video game adaptations often vary in quality. Sometimes they fall flat, failing to capture what made the original games great. Other times, they surprise us with engaging stories, stunning visuals, and characters that feel just as iconic on screen as they do in-game. Fortunately, Fallout is one of the adaptations that get it right.
Based on the popular video game franchise of the same name, the post-apocalyptic sci-fi series takes place decades after a nuclear war has reshaped the world, following Lucy MacLean as she leaves the safety of Vault 33 in search of her father. Along the way, she meets and teams up with ghoul bounty hunter Cooper Howard and the mysterious Maximus of the Brotherhood of Steel.
Ella Purnell, Aaron Moten, Kyle MacLachlan, Moisés Arias, Xelia Mendes-Jones, Walton Goggins, and many others make up Fallout's cast. The first season is available to stream on Prime Video right now. A second season is slated to premiere on the streaming platform on Dec. 17, 2025.
Love, Death and Robots
You're probably wondering why Netflix's Love, Death and Robots is included on this list since it has four seasons. Well, the episodes are really short. They range from 6 to 20 minutes each, so you can easily binge several in one sitting.
What's so great about this animated series is that every episode is completely different. We're talking different stories, different animation styles, and different genres, so it never feels repetitive. One minute you’re watching a dark, futuristic thriller, and the next, a hilarious or mind-bending sci-fi tale. It’s bold, imaginative, and unapologetically creative, perfect for those nights when you just want to get lost in a whirlwind of crazy, beautiful, and sometimes haunting tales.
The Peripheral
It's been over two years since The Peripheral's cancellation, and it still hurts to think about all the storylines we’ll never see fully explored. The sci-fi series was initially renewed for a second season, but due to the lengthy actors and writers strikes, Prime Video decided to rescind its renewal. However, don't let this stop you from diving into the one season we do have. It's still worth a watch!
The Peripheral is based on the 2014 novel of the same name by William Gibson. It stars Chloë Grace Moretz as Flynne Fisher, a young woman who becomes entangled in a dangerous conspiracy after discovering a futuristic virtual reality that lets her interact with a world decades ahead of her own.
The rest of the cast includes Gary Carr, Jack Reynor, JJ Feild, T'Nia Miller, Louis Herthum, Katie Leung, Melinda Page Hamilton, Chris Coy, and many other talented actors.