Science fiction has captured the imagination of many for generations. The imagination and futuristic concepts of the writers, TV shows makers and film creators take us on our journey into the unknown. The genre that delves into time travel, parallel universes, fictional worlds, space exploration and extraterrestrial life explores the potential consequence of scientific innovations.

But like me if you’re a sci-fi nut, then these shows on Amazon Prime can help fill the void.

Battlestar Galactica

Originally telecast in 1978 in a television series by Glen A. Larson, the 2004 re-imagination of Battlestar Galactica stars Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, Katee Sackhoff, Jamie Bamber, James Callis, Tricia Helfer, and Grace Park.

Set in a distant star-system, the show is about a civilization of humans who live on a group of planets called the Twelve Colonies. These colonies had been in a constant war with an android race of their own creation called the Cylons. Tricked into helping the Cylons, a human, Dr. Gaius Baltar, becomes unknowingly responsible for the destruction of the planets as a result of a sneak attack by the Cylons.

The devastation of their twelve home worlds, leave the once numbering in billions population reduced to a mere 50,000 humans, board civilian colonial spaceships under the only military capital ship, Battlestar Galactica.

Leading the survivors and defending them from the persistent Cylons, Colonial fleet officer William Adama and President Laura Roslin take up the task of searching their origin world - Earth.

The show is riddled with drama, suspense, intense space and ground action and most of all hope.

Dr. Who

The longest running science fiction show on earth, Dr. Who, is a British tv show since 1963. The show follows the adventures of ‘Time Lord’ aka ‘The Doctor’, of alien origin from the planet Gallifrey, who takes human form. Time Lord travels the expansive galaxy in a time-travelling spaceship called the TARDIS, that resembles a blue British police box on the outside.

Along With a number of companions, the Doctor fights a smattering of foes while working to save civilizations and help beings in need. A significant part of British pop culture, Dr. Who has a bank of almost 950 episodes spanning 26 seasons and 11 series.

The show has had thirteen actors headlining the role of the Doctor. The transitions of the roles are written into the plot of the show encompassing the concept of regeneration and reincarnation. Each of the characters taking on the mantle have unique portrayals, but together form a single lifetime within a single narrative.

The show is a typical example of the genre with episodes about time travel, parallel universes, multi-dimensional collisions and much more.

The Expanse

Political conspiracies, deep character development, stunning visuals and all this in space. The Expanse The show, set in the future, is a story of an unravelling mystery as bunch of anti-heroes travel though the vast expanse of space and find themselves getting closer to the centre of a conspiracy. Humanity has progressed to the point where they’ve colonised most of the solar system. A police detective (Thomas Jane), a United Nations council member (Shohreh Aghdashloo) and a ship officer (Steven Strait) along with his crew fight the powerful government that threatens the very balance of classes and most of all the survival of humanity.

The super-scaled TV show is available on Amazon Prime Video for three whole seasons hitting the 45 minute mark on each episode.

Heroes

Heroes is a story about ordinary humans discovering that they have superhuman capabilities and how these abilities affect their lives as they eventually find each other and work towards preventing a catastrophic future. The storytelling narrative of Heroes has deep character development for each of the superhumans as it weaves a fabulous web that merges into the grand plot.

The pivoting points of the show rests on its characters who come for very ordinary to extraordinary parts of life. A hospice male-nurse, a high-school cheerleader, a congressional candidate, an office worker and an LAPD police officer, form the centre of the story that was told over four seasons and spawned a whole new universe comprising of comic books, action figures, magazines, a mobile game, a novel, clothing and other merchandise.

Available to view on Prime Video for four intricately connected seasons, this TV show is a must watch.

The Ray Bradbury Theatre

Two versions (1986 and 2017) of this anthology series created by Ray Bradbury are ready to stream. The shows episodes are 20-25 minute shorts from the Bradbury vault of sci-fi. Each of the seasons’ episodes have narrative and comments by Bradbury and they vary in its degree. The first season itself starts with him in his office, reminiscing over the mementos of his life, which he regards as the spark to his stories.

There are a plethora of actors appearances in the series including Peter O’Toole, William Shatner, Jeff Goldblum, Drew Barrymore, Rovert Vaughn, Sally Kellerman to name a few. The shorts are fantastically imaginative and explore a wide variety of concepts that inhabit the science fiction universe.

So which of these will you binge watch first?