February 13, 2021, 5:49 pm | Read time: 9 minutes
Good science fiction and/or fantasy is simply fun, whether it’s time-travel drama or dragon magic chaos. TECHBOOK has put together a personal list of the best sci-fi and fantasy series available on the streaming service Netflix.
Science fiction—meaning “science” and “fiction” (something that exists only in the imagination)—as a genre depicts humanity in a time shaped and transformed by science. In film, sci-fi is a popular genre, with few limits to the imagination. Speaking of imagination, closely related to the genre is fantasy, which has its roots in legends and mythologies. Netflix also offers a wide range of productions; the provider regularly produces major sci-fi and fantasy series and films. The two genres are also combined into one category there.
TECHBOOK has curated what the editors consider the best and most worth watching.
Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency (2 Seasons)
The science fiction series “Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency” is based on the legendary books by author Douglas Adams and truly has a lot to offer. The series is bloody and brutal, funny and confusing, sarcastic and disturbingly brilliant. Amidst this chaos stands Dirk Gently (Samuel Barnett), an eccentric guy in overly colorful shirts with a turquoise sports car. By his side—only somewhat willingly—is always his “assistant” Todd (Elijah Wood). Dirk Gently runs a “holistic” detective agency, solving crimes by “going with the natural flow of all things” (with minor course corrections when he senses the hidden connection between things).
The series is certainly not something to stream in the background. But if you want to fully immerse yourself in this delightful universe, you should definitely watch (unfortunately only) two seasons!
The Protector (4 Seasons)
The fantasy-mystery series “The Protector” hails from Turkey and is certainly one of the lesser-known titles on this list. The titular “Protector” is tasked with fighting the seven Immortals who hide among humans and seek to exterminate them. This battle has raged for centuries, and both sides have been severely depleted. Currently, it’s Hakan’s (Cagatay Ulusoy) turn, as he is the last descendant of the Protectors; he is to eliminate the last remaining Immortal. There are four seasons of the series, all available on Netflix.
The Umbrella Academy (2 Seasons)
Throw superheroes, time travel, a mysterious society with world domination ambitions, and a great cast into a pot, and you might still only get a pale imitation of “The Umbrella Academy.” Based on the comic of the same name, the series tells the story of a group of people with extraordinary abilities who are adopted by the eccentric scientist Sir Reginald Hargreeves and recruited for his superhero school. Initially, they are seven rather peculiar children; years later, when everything has somehow gone terribly wrong, they are even stranger adults who reunite to save the world.
Notable cast members include Elliot Page, Aidan Gallagher, and Robert Sheehan. So far, there are two seasons, with the second being a very pleasant and unusual improvement over the first. A third season has already been officially confirmed.
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (1 Season)
The planet Thra is cruelly ruled by the so-called Skeksis. To prolong their own lives, they kill the inferior Gelflings and drink their “essence.” When a group of Gelflings gets wind of this, they want to uncover and expose the whole truth. What is remarkable about the series “The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance” is not only the story but especially its execution. The sometimes cute and sometimes downright hideous inhabitants of Thra are not played by actors, but by puppets.
The fantasy series is a prequel to the 1982 film “The Dark Crystal.” Despite very good reviews and even an Emmy win, unfortunately, no sequel is planned.
Russian Doll (1 Season)
Calling the series “Russian Doll” science fiction might be a stretch, as the exact nature of the time travel the protagonist undertakes is not clearly technical. However, it’s not quite fantasy either, as viewers will see in the eight episodes of the first season that have been released so far. But since the concept of time travel is a fundamental one in the genres, the fantastic series with the equally fantastic Natasha Lyonne makes our list. The plot: Software engineer Nadia Vulvokov must relive her 36th birthday over and over again—including dying at the end.
Besides the brilliant lead actress, the series is also insanely well-written. Our recommendation: Definitely watch the series in the original!
The Dragon Prince (3 Seasons)
With “The Dragon Prince,” Netflix offers an animated fantasy series for the whole family, but adults can enjoy it too. It’s set in the magical land of Xadia and revolves around the power struggle between elves and humans. The elves use magic in a traditional, natural way, but humans have created dark new sources, killing the Dragon King and supposedly destroying his egg. By chance, young Prince Ezran discovers this egg hidden under his castle and decides to return it to restore peace. He is accompanied by his clumsy, magic-wielding stepbrother Callum, the elven assassin Rayla, and—let’s not forget—his glow-toad Bait.
The very humorous series currently includes three seasons, each with nine episodes. Reportedly, a total of seven seasons are planned.
Dark (3 Seasons)
“Dark” was the first German Netflix series at the time of its first season’s production—and it was an immediate hit. In the somehow wonderfully misty small German town of Winden, most locals work at the nearby nuclear power plant. Suddenly, several children mysteriously disappear, just as they did 33 years earlier. Jonas (Louis Hofmann) becomes entangled in a time-spanning conspiracy, as he searches for Mikkel, the missing brother of his great love Martha (Lisa Vicari). The gripping plot increasingly intertwines several families from Winden, who seem to have been interconnected for many generations…
It was planned from the start to have three seasons, and this precise planning is evident from the first to the last minute. Otherwise, such a confusing story could hardly be told. The final “Dark” season was released in summer 2020, so you can now binge-watch the sci-fi series to your heart’s content.
The Witcher (1 Season)
A handsome, silent, and extremely battle-hardened monster hunter (Henry Cavill), a beautiful and powerful sorceress (Anya Chalotra), and a princess with mysterious powers on the run (Freya Allen)—what more could a fantasy fan want? Perhaps a good dose of leather pants, golden dragons, shapeshifters, grim-looking dryads, likable side characters, and an earworm of a song. “The Witcher” offers all that. The Netflix series is based on the book series by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. Even more famous than the books are the successful video games by CD Projekt Red.
Even though the first season has its weaknesses, especially in the early episodes, the series is still absolutely worth watching! A second season is set to release in 2021, with a total of seven planned.
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Castlevania (3 Seasons)
The animated series “Castlevania” takes the basic premise of the well-known video game series of the same name. On one side are the vampires, led by Dracula. On the other side is primarily the vampire-hunting Belmont family, currently represented by Trevor (not Julius, as mistakenly mentioned in the video in video game euphoria) Belmont. When Dracula calls for a campaign of revenge against all humanity and sends out hordes of monsters because his human wife was killed, the lone and washed-up Trevor must take action. He is supported by the sorceress Sylpha (Alejandra Reynoso) and the half-vampire Alucard (James Callis), Dracula’s own son.
In three grandly dark seasons so far, a conflict unfolds that is deeply rooted in the fantasy genre. The video game source material is well utilized, so fans of the series should enjoy it, even if they don’t know the games.
Sense8 (2 Seasons + Film)
The Wachowski siblings have already proven their knack for good science fiction with the “Matrix” films. In the series “Sense8,” eight people are mentally connected across the globe. The premise: People born on the same day and at the same time can not only communicate telepathically but also take on the abilities of their so-called “cluster.” And like any good sci-fi series, “Sense8” naturally needs a mysterious, dark organization as an antagonist that wants to exploit the group’s special powers. The series was initially set to be canceled without a conclusion. However, due to strong protests from the fanbase, a long (and quite emotional) final episode was released.
The cast is authentic and international, and filming actually took place in the characters’ home countries and cities, including Berlin, Seoul, Mumbai, and San Francisco. This gives the overall polished series a special atmosphere. The main cast includes Max Riemelt, Brian J. Smith, Bae Doona, and Jamie Clayton. There are two seasons, and after significant fan protests following the cancellation, a concluding film was released.