TV

5 Quality Sci-Fi Shows from SyFy Channel, Rated 80% or Higher by Rotten Tomatoes

5 Quality Sci-Fi Shows from SyFy Channel, Rated 80% or Higher by Rotten Tomatoes
Image credit: Syfy

What do you do when you need a worthy sci-fi project? That’s right, you turn to SyFy.

The combination of futuristic tones, the concept of time travel, life on other planets and advanced technology has made science fiction a hugely successful genre.

And the Syfy Channel has played a big part in this – it has produced many popular TV shows, and almost all of them have been in the science fiction genre.

1. Eureka, 2006-2012

Rotten Tomatoes Viewers’ Score: 88%

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The series is set in the fictional town of Eureka, Oregon, where almost the entire population consists of scientific geniuses. At the center of the story is Sheriff Jack Carter, who investigates the misuse of technology and crimes committed with the help of local geniuses.

Although Jack is often taken off guard by the wonders and dangers of the technologies invented in Eureka, his ideas bring a fresh perspective to the community of scientists.

Eureka is one of Syfy's longest-running original series, and its lighthearted and often humorous use of technology has attracted an average of 2-3 million viewers per episode.

When it was announced that Eureka would be canceled after five seasons, many fans began signing petitions calling for the show to be revived, but Eureka was too expensive to produce.

2. Battlestar Galactica, 2005-2009

Rotten Tomatoes Viewers’ Score: 94%

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The story takes place in the distant future, where humans live on a cluster of planets called the Twelve Colonies. After the Cylons, a cybernetic race created by humans, go to war with the Colonies, the crew of the old warship Galactica, with refugees and survivors aboard, is forced to seek refuge on a long-lost colony called Earth.

The series is based on the original 1978 show, which lasted only one season. Battlestar Galactica, a space saga about human survivors of genocide at the hands of their robotic creations, is worthy of the many accolades it has received from critics and viewers throughout its run.

3. Warehouse 13, 2009-2014

Rotten Tomatoes Viewers’ Score: 89%

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After saving the life of the President, two Secret Service agents are transferred to a secret facility in South Dakota. It contains supernatural items that the US government has been collecting for centuries. Their new assignment is to recover some of the missing items and investigate reports of new ones.

The series is still at the top of the network's popularity list, and crossovers have brought it additional popularity, as Warehouse 13 characters have appeared in other original SyFy series.

Sometimes the investigations of the agents are serious, but they are never gritty or bloody. Episodes alternate to keep viewers from getting bored – deep stories are replaced by comedic ones.

4. The Expanse, 2015-2022

Rotten Tomatoes Viewers’ Score: 92%

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One of the best and most underrated sci-fi shows of recent years remains The Expanse – an adaptation of the book series of the same name, which resembles a mix of Firefly and Battlestar Galactica.

This is a spectacular space western about a group of smugglers who find themselves at the epicenter of a major political conspiracy.

This is a stylish, clever, original show that has managed to build an impressive army of fans. It was all the more surprising to learn that after a fairly strong third season, SyFy declined to pick up the series, and The Expanse was on the verge of cancellation. Fortunately, the project did not go the way of Firefly – it was rescued by Amazon and continued for three more seasons.

5. Farscape, 1999-2003

Rotten Tomatoes Viewers’ Score: 84%

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The scientist John Crichton tests a space module of his own construction. According to John's theory, by using the Earth's gravitational pull, the module can reach speeds significantly higher than those of modern spacecraft.

Then comes the day of the final test, but something goes wrong, and the space module and John fall into a black hole that has appeared out of nowhere.

The series did not achieve mass popularity, but still managed to gather a huge fan army around the world. Farscape is unforgettable thanks to the make-up and the amazing puppet characters, which sometimes look even better than modern CGI.