10 Best Sci-Fi Shows If You Love The Alien Franchise

The release of every new Alien movie sparks audience discussion about the history of the franchise and often means that viewers will be looking for further content to scratch the same itch as Alien. Since the first film of the series premiered in 1979, the sequel films have all followed the same example and are movies that perfectly blend sci-fi and horror. This mixture of genres and specific aesthetic and tone are what sets the Alien films apart and informs other movies and TV shows that incorporate similar stories. As sci-fi increasingly moves to TV, this has become more apparent.

There is a litany of science fiction TV shows set in space and deal with humans interacting with aliens across the galaxy, but this isn’t enough to draw a direct comparison to the film franchise. The setting matters less than if the monsters and plot points evoke the same kind of thrills that the Alien movies do. Stories of invasion, possession, and moments of well-timed violence and fight scenes move these TV series into the same territory as Alien. All the Alien movies in chronological order demonstrate how the franchise has evolved but maintains connections to its roots.

10 Stranger Things (2016–Present)

Monsters and possession make Stranger Things a worthy comp to the Alien franchise.

As the final season of the beloved TV show approaches, Stranger Things season 5 must address complaints and fix character endings so that Netflix’s long-running sci-fi show can go out on the same high it premiered on. It’s been a long time since Stranger Things was released, and the show has evolved a great deal since then, but the eerie creatures and terrifying atmosphere have remained a consistent aspect of the series. While the monsters from the Upside Down might not be aliens, they still evoke a similar feeling as the xenomorphs.

Additionally, a recurring conflict is that once characters go to the Upside Down or interact with the monsters, the creatures can possess them. It’s rarely as graphically violent as in the Alien movies, but Stranger Things has never been afraid to make its characters suffer and put them through traumatic situations. The design of the monster is also reminiscent of Alien, as the movies have been enormously influential in shaping audience perception of what’s scary.

9 Falling Skies (2011–2015)

The story of Earth’s invasion is told through a guerrilla militia group fighting in the aftermath.

One of the biggest questions that pop up in stories about alien invasions is the purpose behind the otherworldly creatures’ attack. In Falling Skies, life on Earth is turned upside down by a force of skilled and brilliant aliens, and though the humans fight back with everything they have, they’re uncertain what the invading army wants from them. In the Alien movies, it’s fairly clear that the xenomorphs’ only aim in life is to procreate and maintain the survival of their species, making them a different kind of intelligent and terrifying.

Falling Skies sees the last of humanity band together to attempt to stop the alien invasion throughout its five-season run. Though the sci-fi element of Falling Skies is the inciting incident of the series, many of the plot points come down to human ingenuity, and the major conflicts in the show play out similarly to battles and human wars. Noah Wyle stars as the protagonist, Tom Mason, one of the humans who survives and must use his knowledge of history to fight the aliens and get his son back.

8 Roswell (1999–2002)

This YA series helped introduce sci-fi to a generation of younger viewers.

Blending sci-fi with horror or fantasy makes sense, as these genres all complement each other and have similar themes. However, Roswell took on the difficult task of taking a teen drama and infusing it with classic sci-fi elements, including aliens and conspiracy theories. Though it only ran for three seasons, Roswell made its mark on television and inspired further forays into the teen sci-fi genre. While Roswell doesn’t get quite as scary as any of the Alien movies, it still has plenty of stakes and tension.

The invasion of the aliens in Roswell is more covert and subtle than other more violent shows, but this adds to the mystery and intrigue that defines the series. Roswell was popular enough that it was recently revived as Roswell, New Mexico, in 2019, a series that ran for four seasons and added to the lore of the original show. Aliens aren’t necessarily the villains in Roswell, which is a welcome change from the monstrous archetypes that most sci-fi series utilize.

7 Alien: Earth (2025)

This highly anticipated series will include more history and information about the Alien franchise.

The premier of Alien: Earth can’t come soon enough, as the upcoming prequel show will give fans of the film series ample information about the character’s past and the mysteries behind the xenomorphs’ origins. There’s a lot of pressure riding on Alien: Earth, as the series is following in the footsteps of an enormously popular collection of movies and a dedicated fanbase. However, if Alien: Earth can deliver both visually and in terms of story, it will open doors for the franchise to expand out of film and dig into television.

Many recent sci-fi shows prove the genre’s future is on TV, and it will be well worth it for Alien to take the risk and develop this series if it can take off. Not much is known about Alien: Earth other than that the series takes place before the events of the first movie and has an exciting cast of characters lined up. Episodes of Alien: Earth will be directed by Noah Hawley, whose past credits include experimental and boundary-pushing projects like Legion and the Fargo TV show. These factors make it easy to get excited for the forthcoming series.

6 3 Body Problem (2024–Present)

Netflix’s expansive series is based on the iconic novel of the same name by Liu Cixin.

3 Body Problem was quickly hailed as one of the best sci-fi TV shows of 2024, and it’s no wonder considering its rich source material and far-reaching narrative. Liu Cixin’s book series has been highlighted as a work of science fiction that accurately and intricately deals with factual science while creating well-built imagined technology and math to flesh out the abilities of its world. 3 Body Problem pays tribute to the worldbuilding created by Cixin and delves even further into the characters and relationships within the story.

In 3 Body Problem, multiple timelines are dealt with, similar to how audiences learn more about the characters and the xenomorphs as sequels and prequels are released in the Alien franchise. However, the alien invasion is years away, and it’s up to the characters to try and prevent it or prepare for the fallout. Even though the threat of annihilation isn’t as immediate in 3 Body Problem as it is in Alien, it’s still just as pressing and thrilling to watch Earth’s future unfold onscreen.

5 Parasyte: The Grey (2024–Present)

Deadly parasites and humans fight for control in this live-action adaptation of the manga.

Parasyte: The Grey is a loose spinoff of the best-selling manga Parasyte, but it takes the world of the story to new heights in the South Korean series. The visuals and aesthetics of Parasyte: The Grey are stellar, which is an incredible feat considering the intricate visual effects that are required to make the parasites look realistic inside their human hosts. After these parasites fall to Earth in Parasyte: The Grey, groups of humans rise up to stop them, but it proves difficult considering the shapeshifting abilities and power of the parasites.

The parasites are markedly different from the xenomorphs in Alien, as they live inside human bodies and take over their minds to survive. However, the protagonist, Su-in, merges with her parasite and maintains her humanity while using the parasitic powers she’s developed to protect herself and fight against the more sinister parasites. Thriller elements and detective work are incorporated into the story as multiple groups battle for control of the human and parasite worlds.

4 Sugar (2024–Present)

The sci-fi twist in this crime drama will leave audiences shocked.

Colin Farrell makes an interesting Private Detective in Apple TV+’s Sugar, a series that seems like a crime drama on paper but hides a sci-fi twist. Sugar is set in Los Angeles and is deeply in conversation with the film noir mysteries and history of Hollywood that pave the streets of the city. While this style of cinematography and storytelling might not usually go hand-in-hand with sci-fi, it turns out to be an effective setting for the otherworldly aspects of the show.

For several episodes, hints are dropped about the incredible twist that changes the meaning of the series, but it’s not until the sixth episode that all the pieces fall into place. This is a considerably slow burn for a sci-fi or thriller series, but Sugar makes it work with its strong character development and foreshadowing. It’s possible to catch on to Sugar’s secret before he reveals himself to the viewer, but it’s almost more exciting to watch the show with no idea what will happen next and why Sugar is so desperate to fit in.

3 The X-Files (1993–2018)

Few sci-fi shows are so long-running and synonymous with the genre.

The X-Files has everything a great procedural drama should, and it adds an extra layer of mystery and science fiction, which sets it above the competition. It helps that Scully (Gillian Anderson) and Mulder (David Duchovny) have incredible chemistry and that the series doesn’t waste their relationship by having the characters be romantic with each other too early in the series. Their compatible but opposite approaches to life and the realities of extraterrestrial beings make them an ideal pair to investigate the abnormal.

The series originally ran for nine seasons, ending in 2002, but it was popular enough to warrant several additional seasons years after the first finale. However, it’s the original run of the show that holds the tightest and most cohesive episodes that consistently push the audience’s beliefs about alien life on Earth. With Mulder the true believer and Scully the staunch skeptic, there’s something for any viewer to relate to when watching The X-Files.

2 Resident Alien (2021–Present)

This comedic series puts a sentimental spin on the concept of an alien invasion.

Alan Tudyk is no stranger to starring in offbeat sci-fi series, as his role in Firefly is still one he is well-remembered for. Tudyk plays the central alien in Resident Alien, who masquerades as a human doctor in a small town while attempting to end the world. While this premise might sound dark, Resident Alien pokes fun at the traditional anxieties surrounding an alien invasion by making Harry, the alien, an empathetic character who makes mistakes and quickly learns to love and care for humans.

By blending elements of comedy into a premise that is classically framed within a horror context, Resident Alien subverts audience expectations and is surprisingly heartwarming. Central issues involve what it means to be human and the subtleties of understanding the intricate social rules of being a person. These elements put Harry in awkward but hilarious situations. While Resident Alien doesn’t have the terror of the Alien franchise, it does cleverly reference the long history of aliens in media for strong results.

1 Sweet Home (2020–2024)

Netflix’s smash-hit sci-fi thriller has been a hallmark of the genre since it premiered.

Beloved K-drama star Song Kang leads Sweet Home in one of his best and most dramatic roles to date. However, Sweet Home doesn’t see Song playing his usual archetype of the romantic lead. Instead, Sweet Home chronicles the aftermath of an invasion of brutal monsters who take over human bodies and terrorize the rest of the population. His character, Cha Hyun-su, challenges the norm and becomes at war with himself as he becomes a human-monster hybrid and realizes that monsters aren’t the only threat to his life.

Like in Alien, the humans must be resourceful to combat the invading monsters, and the central characters in Sweet Home are trapped in a single building during season 1. This mirrors the way the characters in the movies are confined within spaceships and forced to confront the xenomorphs within the small space. As Sweet Home progressed, the series provided more information about the characters and expanded their world, seeing the effects the monsters had on larger sections of the population.