Despite being on the verge of fully folding into Disney+, Hulu remains one of the best streaming services around. That’s especially true for the sci-fi genre, as the platform offers a wide range of fantastic projects, including both feature films and hit television shows. It’s home to both blockbusters and hidden gems.
Some of the sci-fi offerings on Hulu are some of the greatest TV series of all time, while others are shows that were canceled before their time. On the movie side of things, there are international sci-fi films, tremendous entries in some iconic franchises, and standalone projects that are critically acclaimed.
The X-Files (1993-2018)
It’s hard to discuss sci-fi television without mentioning The X-Files. Starting way back in 1993, the series had a simple premise that made it work so well. It followed two FBI agents, Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, as they investigated unsolved cases surrounding the paranormal.
The show worked so well because of the differences between the characters. Mulder was a conspiracy theorist who believed in the supernatural, while Scully was the analytical non-believer. David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson played off each other perfectly, with their chemistry carrying things for years.
Of course, the sci-fi aspect was so well done, with many of the episodes receiving widespread acclaim and being held up as some of the best installments of TV in history. Whether aliens, mutants, or anything else, the show succeeded with its subject matter almost every single time out.
Firefly (2002-2003)
Speaking of sci-fi TV shows that are listed among the best ever, there’s Firefly. It’s rare for a show to only last a single season, yet have such a lasting impact on pop culture. There are devoted fans who still talk about Firefly today and attend conventions centered around the series.
Firefly came from the mind of Joss Whedon and was set in the year 2517. It followed the adventures of the crew of Serenity, a spaceship filled with renegades after the arrival of humans in a new star system. The case included Nathan Fillion, Summer Glau, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin, Gina Torres, and more.
While audiences didn’t watch Firefly much upon its release, the show has become the ultimate cult classic. A film was released a few years later, while role-playing games and comic books have followed. It’s the ultimate space adventure and an easy show to binge on Hulu.
Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004)
By the time 2004 rolled around, Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet were probably not two actors you’d expect to find in a sci-fi movie. Carrey was as good as it got in comedic roles, while Winslet was as good as it got in dramas. Yet together, they starred in a true sci-fi classic.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is one of the most intriguing sci-fi movies ever. It centers on Carrey and Winslet as a couple who undergo a memory erasure procedure after their breakup. It makes for a film that is as engaging on a scientific level as it is on a romantic one.
Carrey and Winslet deliver phenomenal performances and the film won Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards. Reviews for the film are stellar and many millennials who were teenagers when it came out still list this among their favorite movies ever.
Lost (2004-2010)
Television was changed forever when J.J. Abrams debuted Lost. The show started with a bang, opening with the aftermath of a plane crash that ultimately strands the survivors on a deserted island. On its own, that could’ve been a strong show.
However, Lost is truly special because of those sci-fi aspects. The mysterious Smoke Monster, polar bears in a tropical location, and more dominated the first few episodes, only for the show to go even further as time went on with things like time travel and some of the best plot twists ever.
When Lost was airing, it was something everyone was talking about the next day. We just had to know the truth about The Others, what the meaning of the island was, where the characters were going to end up, and so much more. Many shows have tried to match Lost but it hasn’t happened yet.
The Host (2006)
These days, Bong Joon Ho is a household name because of his historic film, Parasite. The movie won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best International Feature Film at the Oscars, yet over a decade before it was released, he put out the sci-fi hidden gem The Host.
The Host was set in Seoul and told the story of how the city is rocked when a young girl gets kidnapped by a giant creature dwelling in and around the Han River. The focus is on the father of the girl, who escapes quarantine to try and save her.
Despite not being nearly as well known as Parasite or Snowpiercer in Bong Joon Ho’s filmography, The Host is one of his best works. It utilizes the monster movie format so well, delivering a great sci-fi picture that also gives you the always important connection to its human characters.
Fringe (2008-2013)
As noted, several sci-fi shows have attempted to follow in the footsteps of Lost and haven’t found success. J.J. Abrams himself even tried this in 2008, as he was behind Fringe, one of the twistiest and most stunning shows in the genre in history.
Fringe never matched the impact of Lost but it was wildly successful, spanning five great seasons. The show followed an FBI agent, a brilliant yet dysfunctional scientist, and the scientist’s son, who work in the Fringe Division for the agency, which investigates unexplained occurrences.
Fringe took some high-end sci-fi concepts and brought them to the small screen with tremendous success. Whether it was parallel universes or transhumanist experiences, everything about Fringe was just what you want from a sci-fi project.
Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes (2014)
There have been plenty of takes on the Planet of the Apes stories over the years, from the original films back in the ’60s and ’70s or Tim Burton’s attempt at it in 2001. However, the modern trilogy from the 2010s was as good as it gets for the franchise.
While the first installment was very good and the final leg is great, it’s the middle entry that stands out as the best. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes picked up a decade after the “Simian Flu” devastated the world and now apes, led by Caesar, were the dominant species as humans were nearly extinct.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes features Andy Serkis delivering a stellar performance as Caesar, builds up the start of the war between apes and humans with great tension, and was met with widespread acclaim.
Poor Things (2023)
Poor Things is a different kind of sci-fi movie because it comes from the famously weird mind of Yorgos Lanthimos. Most people have likely heard of his films because they were hits at award shows, especially when it comes to the performances of Emma Stone.
Stone has delivered masterful acting in Lanthimos’ projects, yet her greatest work is likely in Poor Things. An interesting take on the Frankenstein story, Poor Things centers on Bella Baxter, a woman in Victorian London who is brought back to life via a brain transplant.
However, the brain comes from a fetus, meaning she’s a grown woman with the mind of a baby. It sets the table for one of the wildest sci-fi rides you’ll ever go on and is must see for the sheer brilliance of Emma Stone.
Alien: Earth (2025)
Alien is one of the most prominent sci-fi franchises in history. The films have spanned several decades and the first two, from 1979 and 1986, are genuine classics. While there have been ups and downs, the 2024 release, Alien: Romulus, was another great one.
The most recent project from the franchise was a TV show. Alien: Earth still features the Xenomorphs that the series is known for, yet it tells its own story off to the side on its own. The end result was a captivating project.
Alien: Earth is set two years before the original movie and looks at humanity’s pursuit of immortality through cyborgs, synthetics, and hybrids. The show explored some truly deep themes and is one of the best entries into an already storied franchise.
Predator: Badlands (2025)
Speaking of long-running sci-fi franchises, Predator is actually at its best right now. The original is a classic, but the sequels were a mixed bag for the most part. Prey turned things around and is a spectacular prequel movie that also ranks among the best sci-fi films on Hulu.
Then there was Predator: Killer of Killers, which has the franchise’s highest Rotten Tomatoes score. The latest entry just hit Hulu, as Predator: Badlands is another hit for the series. This time, it took the interesting route of focusing on a Yautja protagonist.
The film followed a Yautja runt who goes on a mission to hunt an unkillable apex predator to prove himself. Along the way, he finds a clan in a synthetic and a creature from the planet he’s on. The end result is a phenomenal film, boosted by Elle Fanning’s dual performance.