A guide to the best sci-fi streaming this summer

The Verge

a day ago

It's that time again: for a third year running, the summer is looking pretty great for streaming some science fiction. There's just something about cool fictional futures that's a good fit for hot summer days spent indoors, and it seems the various streaming services agree. It's been a pretty good year so far for the genre, with the return of Severance, Andor, and Black Mirror. And that momentum looks like it will continue through the next few months; we've already seen strong debuts for Murderbot and Ironheart, while other shows like Alien: Earth and The Institute are on their way, as well.
Here are some series to keep an eye on.
Streaming on Apple TV Plus now
If you haven't been keeping up with Apple's adaptation of Martha Wells' beloved novels about a depressed and anxiety-ridden killing machine, the good news is that it's perfect for binge-watching. The episodes are brisk and funny, making it easy to watch a bunch in a row. It provides a nice and light addition to the streamer's ever-growing sci-fi lineup — that is, until it gets all existential on you. The finale of the 10-episode-long first season drops on July 11th, so there's plenty of time to catch up before then.
Streaming on Disney Plus now
Tony Stark's futuristic Iron Man suits helped kick off the MCU's popularity, and Riri Williams looks to keep that vibe alive. The series, which takes place after the events of Wakanda Forever, follows the genius inventor Riri as she returns home after getting kicked out of MIT, only to get pulled into some typical Marvel shenanigans. The series is relatively short, clocking in at six episodes, and the first half gets off to a high-flying start.
Streaming on Apple TV Plus on July 11th
Apple's century-spanning sci-fi epic is back, and the third season jumps ahead in time once again. It takes place 152 years after season 2, at a time when the genetic dynasty's power is shrinking and the titular Foundation is growing. Oh, and a new warlord known as The Mule shows up, throwing another wrench into everyone's plans.
Streaming on MGM Plus on July 13th
This series is sort of like X-Men by way of Stephen King. Based on a King novel from 2019, The Institute takes place in a facility for children with physic abilities. But unlike Professor X, the people who run this institute have far less idealistic aims. The series is helmed by Jack Bender, best-known for directing a whole lot of Lost and MGM Plus' horror series From.
Streaming on Paramount Plus on July 17th
As we recently learned, we're now at the midway point of Strange New Worlds. The Star Trek prequel is about to kick off season 3, but it will end with season 5, adding a sense of urgency to every episode moving forward. Paramount says that the new season 'dives into thrilling adventures of faith, duty, romance, comedy, and mystery, with varying genres never before seen on any other Star Trek.'
Streaming on Peacock on July 31st
The first season of Peacock's Twisted Metal adaptation — which is based on a mostly dormant PlayStation game series — was a bit of a tease. It was a prequel, detailing the events leading up to the vehicular combat tournament at the heart of the franchise. But with that out of the way now, the show is ready to dive straight into the action — or at least that's how things look in the trailers. This season will also introduce my favorite character, Axel, a man imprisoned between two giant wheels.
Streaming on Hulu and FX on August 12th
After a whole bunch of movies — including last year's spinoff Romulus — the Alien series will soon have a TV series. This prequel (obviously) shifts the setting to Earth, and takes place before the original movie when a ship crash lands on our planet, bringing with it some unwanted visitors.
Streaming on Apple TV Plus on August 22nd
Apple's alien series has steadily escalated over two seasons, starting out slow with a human-level view of the invasion, before eventually bringing all of its various threads together for what looks to be a large-scale showdown. That's where season 3 comes in, which promises to ramp the action up considerably.
Streaming on Disney Plus on August 27th
Marvel's animated anthologies have been hit-or-miss so far, but Eyes of Wakanda seems like a promising addition. As the name implies, the series will follow a handful of important and influential Wakandan figures throughout the nation's history, providing a few more chances to explore Marvel's afrofuturistic world. The series will also span a relatively brisk four episodes, making for a solid summer binge.