There is a distinct difference in flavor between sci-fi television produced in the US and Britain. While shows likeStar TrekandThe X-Filesare well-acted and written, they are glossy, smooth as silk, and usually equipped with the best special effects money can buy. British sci-fi is often produced on shoestring budgets and depends almost solely on the ability of actors and writers to draw viewers into its imaginary worlds.
Compared to American sci-fi, it isusually darker, more dystopian, and less forgiving of technology and its promises for a better future. Although British sci-fi television is sometimes equaled, it’s never surpassed. Based on IMDb user ratings, these 10 British sci-fi shows are the best in the country.
10’Blake’s 7' (1978-1981)
IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
Blake’s 7tells the story of a small group of outcasts and criminals who rebel against the evil Federation and, with the help of a technologically advanced spaceship, actually land a few telling blows.
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But as in real history, where most small rebellions end badly for the rebels, so too does with this group of misfits. No amount of courage and determination can overwhelm a well-organized and entirely ruthless government. But there is always hope… and faithful followers of this series eternally hope that a sequel will be made, a sequel where the rebellion, inspired by the heroes of Blake 7, finally succeeds in overthrowing tyranny.
9’UFO' (1970-1971)
IMDb Rating: 7.9/10
This 1970 series told the story of SHADO, a top-secret organization established to combat an equally secretive invasion by aliens coming to Earth not to conquer but to steal our vital organs for transplants.
As ridiculous as the concept may sound,UFOwas exciting, colorful, and stuffed to the gills with state of the art for animatronics.Gerry and Sylvia Andersonare British sci-fi royalty, and it would be more surprising if they weren’t highly rated on IMDb. Two more of their shows,ThunderbirdsandCaptain Scarlet, just almost broke into the top 10 for British sci-fi on the website.
8’Ultraviolet' (1998)
Not the appalling 2006 movie,Ultravioletis arguablythe best-ever television series about vampires. A government organization — with the help of the Catholic Church — hunts down and neutralizes vampires before they can do the same to all of humanity.
Ultravioletsuccessfully recasts the old horror motif of the vampire as science fiction and is the better for it. Extraordinarily tense and constantly surprising, the writer and director of this six-part series —Joe Ahearne— admirably refused to do a second series: the story was complete, and anything that came after would only dilute the strength of the original.
7’Survivors' (1975-1977)
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
WriterTerry Nation’s best work was the creation of this post-apocalyptic series about ordinary people desperately trying to survive extraordinary times. Made on a comparatively meager budget,Survivorsdoesn’t turn awayfrom its protagonists' usually grim and often short lives.
Although the series ends with a glimmer of hope for its surviving characters — not to mention a glimmer of hope for civilization — the best episodes confront the terrible decisions a small community must make to survive in a world engulfed in a new dark age.
6’Ashes to Ashes' (2008-2010)
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
A sequel of sorts toLife on Mars,Ashes to Ashessends 21st-century police officer Alex Drake (Keeley Hawes) back to the 1980s, where she has to discover exactly how (and why) she’s been thrown back in time and simultaneously solve crimes, contend with the casual sexism of her colleagues, and deal with a defense lawyer who also happens to be her mother.
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While not having the same impact asLife on Mars, this series excels in throwing viewers successive curveballs so they feel as off-kilter as the protagonist and just as desperate to find answers.
5’Life on Mars' (2006-2007)
IMDb rating: 8.4/10
InLife on Mars,a car accident mysteriously throws 21st-century police officer Sam Tyler (John Sims) back to the 1970s, where he becomes a detective in the Criminal Investigation Department. Besides discovering how the hell he ended up over 30 years in the past, uncovering a particularly nasty murderer, and coping with a flood of sexist, racist, and excessively violent colleagues, Tyler is constantly struggling to hold onto his sanity, his only life raft in the constant maelstrom he finds himself.
Brilliantly conceived, the equally brilliant writingmaintains the energy and the mystery of the main storyline with humor, suspense, and a cast of great characters who hold the audience’s sympathy, including police officers whose behavior often horrifies and appalls in equal measure.
4’Red Dwarf' (1988-1999)
IMDb Rating 8.4/10
Waking up on the spaceshipRed Dwarfthree million years after being placed in suspended animation (for smuggling his cat on board), technician Lister finds himself the only surviving human anywhere. But he is not alone: he shares the spaceship with a sentient cat (the descendant of the cat he smuggled on board), a laid-back ship’s computer, and a snotty hologram who mistakenly thinks he’s naturally superior to everyone and everything. The android Kryten joins the crew from the third series.
Red Dwarfis a mix betweenHitchhiker’s Guide to the GalaxyandDoctor Who, combining the best of British humor and British sci-fi. During its long run (1988-1999), the show became a cult classic, a position it holds to this day.
3’The Prisoner' (1966-1968)
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
When a secret agent (Patrick McGoohan) hands in his resignation, he is knocked out and kidnapped, waking up in a bizarre village that is basically a prison, and given the name Number Six. The village is home to many people, and escape is impossible. Over seventeen episodes, Number Six is watched, studied, and interrogated while he slowly gains influence and power among the other inmates.
The Prisonerwas created by its star, Patrick McGoohan, and remains one of the most controversial and revered sci-fi programs ever made. The show comments about what it means to be an individual in a community that demands conformity: the show’s combination of authoritarianism, resistance, and surreal storylines has ensured its longevity.
2’Doctor Who' (1963-1989, 2005-)
IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
It’s not often that a science fiction television show becomes culturally significant.Doctor Who, together withStar Trek, helped shape the imagination of successive generations, from Baby Boomers to Gen Zs. Even those who have never seen an episode ofDoctor Whocould probably describe what a Dalek looks like.
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Although occasional episodes may fall flat or some arc stories seem needlessly obscure, the average quality has stayed remarkably high for its871 episodes over 39 seasons.Doctor Whofans always feel their hearts beat a little faster when hearing the show’s theme tune, knowing that once again, they’ll be traveling with the good Doctor through space and time.
1’Black Mirror' (2011-)
IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
Created byCharlie Booker,Black Mirrorpresents short, sharp,often dystopian sci-fi storiesusually set in the near future. Acclaimed for its writing and ingenuity, this is one of those shows that, while always compelling, doesn’t lend itself to binge-watching for its dark subject matter.
Television sci-fi has a strong tradition of anthology shows, often the best way to present a single clever idea in a tight format.LikeThe Twilight Zone,Black Mirroroffers stories with sympathetic characters confronted with problems without easy or morally comfortable resolution.
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