I love me some speculative fiction, no matter the type of media. A couple years ago, I shared some of my all-time favorite Fantasy and Science Fiction shows. Since then, I’ve encountered some pretty amazing gems, and I couldn’t resist making another list. So, if you’re looking for something new to watch, be sure to put these five shows on your watchlist.
Interview With the Vampire
A masterfully made interpretation of the popular Anne Rice books, this horror fantasy series is perfect if you’re looking for some more vampire-focused media post-Sinners and Nosferatu. Starring Jacob Anderson (aka Raleigh Ritchie to fans of his music) as Louis de Pointe du Lac and Sam Reid as Lestat de Lioncourt, the show initially focuses on Louis as he recounts the story of his turning and subsequent tumultuous relationship with his maker to interviewer Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian).
This show is very much a drama—complete with twists, turns, unreliable narration, and plenty of toxicity. I am absolutely here for it.
The Wheel of Time
This Amazon adaptation of Robert Jordan’s whopping 14-book series has officially been cancelled (sobbing), but the three seasons that do exist are still very much worth watching. I absolutely love high fantasy and seeing it brought to life on the screen (and done well, I might add) always makes my nerdy heart so full. There is magic, politics, rich lore, and stunning worldbuilding. What more can a fantasy fan ask for?
Sidenote: The opening credits for The Wheel of Time are one of my absolute favorites, alongside Game of Thrones and, most recently, The Last of Us.
WoT follows the Aes Sedai Moraine as she searches for the Dragon Reborn—the person with the ability to either break the world or save it. That search leads her to a small village where she encounters our five protagonists, each of whom possesses power beyond their comprehension.
Dorohedoro
Dorohedoro is weird, dark, animated fun, and if you’re an anime fan, I highly recommend it. Based on the manga by Q Hayashida, it follows Caiman—half man, half reptile—as he searches for the sorcerer responsible for cursing him. With only the strange man who lives in his mouth (I told you it’s a weird show) to guide him, Caiman scours Hole for clues, but not without attracting the attention of a few adversaries along the way.
Resident Alien
This is my most recent watch and, simply put: This. Show. Is. Amazing.
It has been so long since I’ve watched a really immersive and well-put-together science fiction show, much less one by SyFy. Resident Alien is an intriguing storyline wrapped up in a feel-good show and I adore it so much. Alan Tudyk is amazing in his role as our titular Resident Alien, Harry (real name unpronounceable), and the entire cast does a stellar job at portraying the residents of the tiny Colorado town of Patience.
After crash landing on Earth, Harry assumes the identity of the town doctor. In doing so, he soon finds himself at the center of a murder case that rocks the entire town. Season 4 recently wrapped production, and I can’t wait for it to premiere later this year.
Lovecraft Country
Afro-SciFi developed by a woman? Yes, please. If, like me, you’ve been deep in the Sinners trenches lately, you might have stumbled upon a few videos listing Lovecraft Country as one of the shows to check out if you loved Ryan Coogler’s cinematic masterpiece. It’s based on the book of the same name by Matt Ruff. In it, we follow Atticus, a black man traveling across Jim Crow era United States, as he searches for his missing father. In addition to blatant racism, Atticus and his companions also find themselves facing literal Lovecraftian horrors along the way. Although the series was cancelled, it does wrap up rather satisfactorily by the end of the season.
Have you seen any of these Fantasy and Science Fiction shows yet? What would you put on your top five list?
Khaila A. Gentle 