🔗 Share this article

How would you do with unlimited ability? That's the core question posed by the best sci-fi and fantasy tales. Imagine if you gained superhuman abilities? Or discovered a life-altering drug? Or if every other person was wholly committed to your personal satisfaction? Would you wield such influence for good, or would you succumb to your baser instincts?

The shows featured herein each confront that very theme in unique manners (aside from one notable exception). Detailed below is a countdown of the ten top installments of sci-fi & fantasy television from the past year.

10. Spider-Man: Your Friendly Neighborhood

Even after over six decades of stories, the web-slinger remains reimagined by fresh talent. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man delivers a novel look at the hero's formative days, skillfully merging essential source material story beats with influences from other adaptations to create something that feels both fresh and profoundly engaging.

Rather than operating alone or having Iron Man as a guide, this version of the hero forges a evolving partnership with the future Green Goblin, who here is still just the CEO of Oscorp. Through their interactions, Peter becomes a true hero, learning the signature mantra of power and great responsibility.

9. Hazbin Hotel Season 2

Showrunner Vivienne Medrano's audacious adult musical-comedy show, which originated as a crowdfunded short, truly came into its own in its second installment. Following the game-changing events of the first season, the narrative expands considerably, following the ambitious TV demon Vox as he seizes command of the situation, sparking a series of increasingly explosive confrontations that naturally culminate in show-stopping musical numbers.

Although it may lack a one viral song on the level of season one's "Loser, Baby," that's because each element in this season being more interwoven. The fight sequences, character development, and especially the score and songs are all more sophisticated. The story advances the main plot dramatically while providing no shortage of bizarre, unhinged, and ultimately fun fantasy.

8. Daredevil: Born Again

Following the legendary Netflix show, Daredevil: Born Again had enormous expectations. After significant development challenges, the resulting show proves it was worth the wait. The story follows Matt Murdock once his dual life as Daredevil is exposed, leaving him vulnerable to foes both history and present in a refreshed take of his well-known setting.

The first episode is a thrilling return to form, capturing the intense feeling fans loved from the original series. While the subsequent chapters explore certain different narrative ground, the first season concludes powerfully, leaving fans eagerly awaiting a second installment.

7. Common Side Effects

A unexpected this year's highlight, this series could be described as a Breaking Bad filtered through the sensibility of King of the Hill. Helmed by an Adult Swim veteran alongside writer Steve Hely, it tells the saga of a nerdy mycologist who discovers a curative mushroom and soon finds himself pursued by forces including unscrupulous pharmaceutical CEOs to federal agents.

Despite being a parody, the show unfolds with the grave atmosphere of a classic paranoia film. Accentuated by hallucinogenic visuals and an unnerving musical soundtrack, the story explores deeper questions about the substance's true capabilities. It's a smart, visually striking, and utterly compelling first season.

6. Fallout Season 2

The hit adaptation based on the popular video game series returned with a new season of stories that deepened its sprawling lore and broadened its nuclear wasteland world. Although it travels toward the legendary location of New Vegas, the season is not a direct retelling of that title; rather, it continues to examine ideas of authority and autonomy.

The show expertly balances multiple narrative threads and perspectives, from Lucy's mission for justice to a knight's reckoning with the dogma of the his faction. The result is a rich layered and utterly absorbing addition to the expanding Fallout saga.

5. Invincible Season 3

This visceral and emotionally charged adult animation series continues its powerful momentum in its third outing. The hero faces immense pressure on every fronts: training for a looming alien invasion, guiding his powered brother, and battling with the secretive Global Defense Agency. The story also features some of the most brutally brutal action scenes the series has ever produced.

Mark's bodily and emotional endurance are repeatedly pushed. He must grapple with opponents stronger than himself, the aftermath of his actions, and the ethical weight of his choices. Standout arcs for supporting cast members such as Cecil Stedman and Rex Splode round out a superb season.

4. Peacemaker Season 2

The director's irreverent superhero show came back with elevated importance within the new DC universe, and season 2 delivers on that count. Although it effectively establishes groundwork for future DCU projects, it also tells a resonant and focused {