Top Sci-Fi Shows of the Year: Andor Leads a Diverse Lineup

This video ranks the year's best sci-fi shows, with Andor at number 1 and a quick look at Paradise, Einna, Common Side Effect, Pluribus, and Severance, highlighting what makes each title stand out.

Introduction

In this ranking video, the host counts down the best sci fi shows of the year, praising performances, writing, and concepts that push the boundaries of the genre. The list ranges from a political thriller set in a near future to mind bending animated dramas, with Andor at the top and a variety of tones throughout the lineup.

Paradise

Ranked sixth, Paradise starts as a stylish thriller about Xavier Collins, a Secret Service agent tasked with protecting President Cal Bradford who lives in a safe gated community. The host notes that despite the calm setting, the show blends a clever mystery with lighthearted self awareness. Cal Bradfords affinity for 80s power ballads adds a quirky charm, and the early murder kickstarts a case where Collins is both investigator and suspect as he probes the crime and what safety means in a seemingly perfect environment.

Einna

Ranked fifth, Einna is described as a sleeper hit from Argentina. Snow falls in summer, and touching it kills you. The protagonist Juan Salvo builds a suit to roam outside and search for his family, while hints suggest a larger supernatural or cosmic mechanism at work behind the wintery phenomenon. The show uses a high concept premise to explore resilience, community, and the ethics of survival.

Common Side Effect

Ranked fourth, an animated series about a fungi expert Marshall who discovers a blue mushroom capable of curing illnesses. The show frames a prime conflict with a pharmaceutical company while delivering humor and humanity. It uses its premise to discuss care and compassion and the costs of profit in medicine.

Pluribus

Ranked third, Pluribus introduces Carol Sterker, a jaded romance novelist in New Mexico. An alien virus infects most humans turning many into a hive mind, while Carol, one of just 13 uninfected, fights for a return to normal. Created by Vince Gilligan, the show blends a quirky premise with a strong character focus and a mystery core. The host notes they haven’t seen the ending yet but found almost every element compelling and surprising in its setup.

Severance

Ranked second, Severance follows workers at a biotech company who have severed memories separating work life from personal life, creating a second consciousness inside the same body. The series uses a sharp blend of mystery and dark humor to explore themes of labour, autonomy, and the relationship with employers. It is described as thoughtful, funny, and boundary pushing as it probes the costs of the gig economy and the complexities of identity shaped by memory and trauma.

Andor

Ranked first, Andor is hailed as the year’s best show across genres. A Rogue One prequel, it follows Cassian Andor as he moves from petty theft to a principled rebel. The host calls it a gritty spy drama that exposes the banalities of fascism and the courage of ordinary people who resist, often at great personal cost. The show stands out for its tense plotting, political depth, and character work that elevates science fiction to a powerful lens on resistance and sacrifice.

Conclusion

The ranking reveals the breadth of modern sci fi, from intimate character studies to sprawling political thrillers. Across Paradise to Andor, the year’s top shows push boundaries, combine strong performances with well crafted worlds, and invite audiences to think deeply about safety, power, memory, and humanity.