Sci-fi Walkthrough
Welcome to FLIXGUIDE’s sci-fi walk-through!
Here I take you through the best sci-fi content that Netflix has to offer.
Stranger Things
Image: Netflix
Stranger Things is undoubtedly one of the best shows on Netflix, and if you haven’t had the chance to see it yet, then this is the perfect place to start.
When a young boy goes missing, his mother (Winona Ryder), the police chief (David Harbour) and his friends must confront dangerous and supernatural forces in order to try and get him back.
The series which is part science fiction, part horror and part coming of age drama was the breakout for many young stars such as Millie Bobby Brown and Finn Wolfhard (who you may have seen in the most recent adaptation of Stephen King’s IT).
With a lot of 80s nostalgia, impressive special effects and witty dialogue, Stranger Things is a show that has something for fans of many different genres.
Star Trek: Discovery
Image: StarTrek.com
Next we visit a classic franchise…
Netflix recently acquired the rights to broadcast the revival of Star Trek, one of the most famous and acclaimed Sci-fi franchises in the world.
This new season which premiered on Netflix last year is a prequel, set 10 years before the first ever series of Star Trek which came out in 1966.
Star Trek: Discovery brings the series back to its roots following JJ Abrams’ high budget, action packed Star Trek film franchise starring Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto.
The series, starring Soniqua Martin-Green and Jason Isaacs follows the crew of the USS Enterprise as they discover new worlds and lifeforms.
Altered Carbon
Image: Netflix
Now for something a bit grittier…
Altered Carbon is a cyberpunk series set in a dystopian 2348, chronicles a future in which death is a thing of the past. Those living in the future do not die, but transfer their consciousness into a new body. As can be expected, the elite ruling class use this to their own twisted advantage – keeping themselves young and beautiful, whilst forcing those beneath them to fight to the death for their own entertainment.
The series follows Takeshi Kovacs (Joes Kinnaman), a soldier brought back from the dead to help one of the rich solve his own murder. Kinneman shines in Altered Carbon, portraying Kovacs as a multi-layered troubled character with a lot of depth. While the story is by no means perfect, Altered Carbon is worth the watch purely for the visuals and stellar acting from almost all the cast.
Lost in Space
Image: Netflix
Another classic franchise gets a reboot…
This series is a remake of the 1960s series of the same name, about a family of space colonists, the Robinsons who (you’ll never guess) get lost in space.
The series is family drama/adventure story set in a sci-fi back drop. Netflix seems to have spared no expense in the making of this, and the high budget pays off extremely well with impressive visuals and action sequences a cut above the norms of a television series.
Annihilation
Image: Paramount
The only film in this walkthrough, Annihilation is a Sci-fi movie as bleak as it is beautiful.
Based on the book by Jeff Vandermeer, the film stars Natalie Portman and Oscar Isaacs and is undoubtedly one of the best films on Netflix.
I won’t say too much about this film as I believe you should see it blind, but if you want to know more, check out FlixGuides full review coming soon!
Travelers
Image: Netflix
Now to leave the future in the past…
Travelers is a sci-fi series exploring a fresh take on time-travel. At the time of its release, time travel was ‘in,’ with 11.22.63 and Timeless releasing around the same time.
The series is about people from the future being sent back into the bodies of people in the 21st Century to perform missions and save humanity from a terrible future.
Starring Eric McCormack, the series is a fun, popcorn series with enough depth to keep you engaged whilst never taking itself too seriously. It’s a Netflix series well worth a watch, and after the mind-bending Annihilation, it’s a nice break for your brain.
Black Mirror
Image: Netflix
Black Mirror comes at the end of this walkthrough because you’ll need at least a day to process what you have just seen.
The series, written by journalist Charlie Brooker, explores the darker side of technology, works both as a critique of modern life and a warning of what the future might hold.
Originally made for the Channel 4, Netflix picked it up for its third and fourth seasons. The huge cast includes some big names in Hollywood such as John Hamm and Bryce Dallas Howard.
It’s an anthology series, meaning that every episode is its own unique story. Episodes to watch out for are White Christmas, USS Callister (a Stark Trek spoof) and Hang the DJ.
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And that's it (so far) for your Netflix sci-fi walkthrough! Don't be left stuck for what to watch all over again, though. FLIXGUIDE has even more unique walk-through's on the way!