The Top 10 Sci-Fi and Fantastical Television of This Year
How would you do with boundless power? This is a core question explored by all greatest science fiction as well as fantasy narratives. What if you were granted extraordinary powers? Or stumbled upon a miraculous substance? Or if each and every other person became wholly committed to your personal satisfaction? Would you use such influence for good, or would you succumb to your baser impulses?
The series featured below each explore this theme in various manners (aside from a single key exception). Outlined below is our ranking of the ten best seasons of sci-fi & fantastical TV from the past year.
10. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man
Despite more than 60 years of history, Spider-Man continues to be reinvented by fresh creative voices. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man presents a refreshing perspective at the character's early years, skillfully merging essential source material story beats with ideas from other adaptations to create something which is simultaneously new and profoundly engaging.
Instead of being alone or Iron Man as a mentor, this version of the hero forges a evolving relationship with the future Green Goblin, who here is still just the CEO of Oscorp. Across their interactions, Peter grows into his own man, internalizing the signature mantra of power and great responsibility.
9. Hazbin Hotel Season 2
Creator Vivienne Medrano's boldly transgressive mature musical series, which sprang from a crowdfunded pilot, fully hit its stride in its second installment. Following the climactic revelations of the first season, the story broadens considerably, following the scheming media overlord Vox who takes control of the narrative, igniting a chain of increasingly dramatic conflicts that naturally end in show-stopping song.
Although it might not have a single viral hit quite like the first season's "Loser, Baby," this is due to everything in this season being more ambitious. The action, character arcs, and above all the music are all more sophisticated. The story moves the overarching storyline forward while delivering no shortage of bizarre, wild, and ultimately fun fantasy.
8. Daredevil: Born Again
As a successor to the legendary Netflix show, this series had immense shoes to fill. After well-documented production issues, the resulting show demonstrates it was worth the wait. The plot centers on Matt Murdock after his dual life as Daredevil is publicly revealed, leaving him vulnerable to enemies from his history and present in a refreshed version of his well-known setting.
The premiere is explosive, evoking the intense feeling audiences loved from the prior incarnation. Although the subsequent chapters venture into some different territory, the first season concludes powerfully, setting fans eagerly awaiting a second installment.
7. Common Side Effects
A surprising 2025 highlight, this show is essentially an animated Breaking Bad with a humor of King of the Hill. Created by Joe Bennett and writer Steve Hely, the series tells the story of a mild-mannered fungi expert who discovers a curative mushroom and soon finds himself pursued by everyone from unscrupulous pharmaceutical CEOs to federal agents.
Despite being a parody, the narrative plays out with the serious intensity of a classic paranoia film. Accentuated by hallucinogenic animation and an eerie score, the story delves into bigger mysteries about the substance's true capabilities. It's a intelligent, beautifully animated, and completely gripping first season.
6. Fallout Season 2
This acclaimed adaptation based on the iconic gaming series returned with a new batch of stories that deepened its sprawling lore and expanded its nuclear wasteland setting. While it travels toward the fan-favorite location of New Vegas, the story is far from a straight adaptation of that game; instead, it further explore ideas of control and autonomy.
It expertly balances several narrative threads and points of view, from the protagonist's quest for justice to Maximus's struggle with the ideology of the his faction. The outcome is a deeply layered and utterly engaging addition to the expanding Fallout saga.
5. Invincible Season 3
This visceral and heartfelt animated show keeps its winning streak in season 3. The hero confronts tremendous challenges on all fronts: preparing for a looming alien threat, guiding his powered brother, and battling with his secretive GDA. The story once again features some of the most brutally intense action scenes the show has ever produced.
The protagonist's bodily and emotional endurance are repeatedly pushed. He must grapple with foes more powerful than he is, the aftermath of his actions, and the ethical weight of his choices. Excellent arcs for supporting cast members such as Cecil Stedman and Rex Splode round out a fantastic installment.
4. Peacemaker Season 2
The director's offbeat superhero show returned with elevated importance within the new DC canon, and it executes on that count. Although it effectively establishes foundations for future DCU stories, it also tells a resonant and focused {