The 10 best sci-fi shows on Peacock to watch in Sept 2024

These series concern time travel, artificial intelligence, and more.

Science-fiction has been a staple of television since its inception. The genre’s most enduring stories are often able to express complex ideas about human nature inside of its heady concepts, taking audiences to new worlds while allowing them to explore the worlds within themselves.

The sci-fi shows on this list, all available to stream on Peacock, range from hopeful time-hoppers like Quantum Leap to fun space dramas like Farscape. Read on to see which series made it onto our list of the best sci-fi shows on Peacock right now.

Mrs. Davis (2023)

If the poster featuring Betty Gilpin in full nun habit riding a motorbike doesn’t sell you on this gonzo sci-fi miniseries, we don’t know what will. The Peacock original, created by Tara Hernandez and Damon Lindelof, is set in a world where an artificial intelligence system named Mrs. Davis has completely revolutionized our way of life.

Gilpin’s Sister Simone rejects Mrs. Davis outright, and things become complicated when the system tasks her with destroying the Holy Grail in exchange for the AI shutting down completely. However, as EW’s critic notes, “Mrs. Davis is better experienced than explained,” so we recommend just taking it all in yourself. —K.J.

Where to watch Mrs. Davis: Peacock

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Cast: Betty Gilpin, Jake McDorman, Andy McQueen

Related content: Mrs. Davis stars and creators explain what they think of artificial intelligence

Farscape (1999–2003)

This beloved sci-fi saga is about a ragtag group of fugitives just trying to find their way home again. After American astronaut John Crichton (Ben Browder) enters a wormhole, he accidentally becomes embroiled in an epic war between a motley crew aboard a living spaceship called Moya and a militaristic group chasing after them, ironically named the Peacekeepers.

With gloriously gonzo character design by the Jim Henson Company, Farscape is a fun hang that gets you invested in its characters to the point that you’d follow them anywhere in the galaxy. —K.J.

Where to watch Farscape: Peacock

Cast: Ben Browder, Claudia Black, Virginia Hey, Anthony Simcoe, Gigi Edgley, Paul Goddard, Lani Tupu, Wayne Pygram

The Ray Bradbury Theater (1985–1992)

The Ray Bradbury Theater is an anthology series in the vein of The Twilight Zone, with each episode written by Ray Bradbury — author of the classic dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451. Like Twilight Zone’s Rod Serling, Bradbury introduces every installment, with many of the productions adapted from the writer’s 400-plus short stories.

The 65-episode series features horror, body swapping, creepy carnivals, social allegories, and a parade of dazzling guest stars like Drew Barrymore, Jeff Goldblum, William Shatner, and Eugene Levy. At under a half hour each, these bite-size narratives are a perfect sci-fi snack. —A.W.

Where to watch The Ray Bradbury Theater: Peacock

Cast: Ray Bradbury

Related content: The 21 best horror anthology series ever

Resident Alien (2021–2024)

An alien with an unpronounceable name crash lands on Earth and hides out in the remote mountain town of Patience, Colo. He proceeds to kill a local doctor named Harry Vanderspeigle and steal his identity so he can covertly carry out his mission to destroy mankind. But, when a medical emergency in town forces him to keep up his charade, things start to get complicated for the diabolical extraterrestrial — especially when he encounters a 9-year-old boy who can see his true form.

The more Harry has to interact with the human race, the more difficult, and hilarious, his mission becomes in this smart, irreverent dramedy. —A.W.

Where to watch Resident Alien: Peacock

Cast: Alan Tudyk, Sara Tomko, Corey Reynolds, Alice Wetterlund, Levi Fiehler, Judah Prehn, Elizabeth Bowen

Related content: Alan Tudyk explains why his Resident Alien character hates humans

Heroes (2006–2010)

“Save the cheerleader, save the world.” With this phrase, Heroes helped separate itself from the many Lost copycats of the late-2000s and had viewers hooked on its ambitious, globe-spanning storytelling. Centering on a group of seemingly ordinary humans with extraordinary powers, the NBC series may have dropped off in quality over time, but its stellar first season is still an excellent 22 episodes of television with a killer premise and standout performances from the likes of Hayden Panettiere, Masi Oka, and Zachary Quinto. —K.J.

Where to watch Heroes: Peacock

EW grade: N/A (read the review)

Cast: Milo Ventimiglia, Hayden Panettiere, Masi Oka, Adrian Pasdar, Greg Grunberg, Ali Larter, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Zachary Quinto, Jack Coleman, Noah Gray-Cabey, Santiago Cabrera, Tawny Cypress, Kristen Bell

Related content: Leonard Roberts describes racism, ‘friction,’ working on Heroes; costar Ali Larter responds

Quantum Leap (2022–2024)

Thirty years after Sam Beckett disappeared using the Quantum accelerator, Dr. Ben Song (Raymond Lee), lead physicist of the restarted Quantum Leap project, uses the device and becomes lost in time. Ben awakens in a host body in the past, tasked with righting a wrong before he can leap into the next adventure. Ben is guided by the holographic projection of his fiancée, Addison (Caitlin Bassett), who tries to piece together the fragments of his memory and discover why he took that fateful leap.

Original series EP Deborah Pratt told EW, "There are four 'H's' to tell a Quantum Leap story: hope, heart, humor, and history." This new iteration not only re-establishes all four, but re-examines events from recent history from a fresh perspective. —A.W.

Where to watch Quantum Leap: Peacock

Cast: Raymond Lee, Caitlin Bassett, Mason Alexander Park, Nanrisa Lee, Ernie Hudson, Eliza Taylor, Peter Gadiot

Related content: Scott Bakula weighs in on Quantum Leap reboot: 'I wish them good luck'

Primeval (2007–2011)

A team of scientists investigates strange anomalies that allow creatures from the past and future to disrupt the present in this British cult favorite. Professor Nick Cutter (Douglas Henshall) and his team — Stephen Hart (James Murray), Connor Temple (Andrew-Lee Potts), and Abby Maitland (Hannah Spearritt) — try to contain the monsters flung out of time and prevent themselves from becoming their prey.

While Primeval has inevitably drawn comparisons to Doctor Who, the former concerns itself far more with the past, particularly prehistoric times, and has a slightly more realistic approach. —K.J.

Where to watch Primeval: Peacock

Cast: Douglas Henshall, James Murray, Andrew-Lee Potts, Lucy Brown, Hannah Spearritt, Juliet Aubrey, Ben Miller, Mark Wakeling

Sliders (1995–2000)

Brilliant physics student Quinn (Jerry O’Connell) has discovered a way to visit parallel universes. Quinn can "slide" in and out of these alternate Earths by using a timer that pinpoints the exact moment he can safely return to his homeworld. When he demonstrates the device's capabilities to his physics professor, Maximilian Arturo (John Rhys-Davies), and best friend Wade (Sabrina Lloyd), a power surge causes the dimensional vortex to expand, pulling in an R&B singer named Rembrandt (Cleavant Derricks) and sending them to a world covered in ice.

Desperate to get off this frozen Earth, they prematurely open a new doorway, throwing the timer out of whack, and stranding them in the multiverse. Mixing social commentary with popcorn entertainment, Sliders is a joyride through infinite Earths. —A.W.

Where to watch Sliders: Peacock

Cast: Jerry O'Connell, Cleavant Derricks, Sabrina Lloyd, John Rhys-Davies, Kari Wuhrer, Charlie O'Connell, Robert Floyd, Tembi Locke

Related content: The 20 best shows on Peacock

Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction (1997–2002)

This clever anthology series poses a fateful question to viewers at the end of each short story: fact or fiction? Each episode consists of multiple tales within the realm of the supernatural or at the very least unusual situations, some of which are allegedly based on true events.

While it’s fun to watch the show’s writers devise science-fiction to throw viewers off the scent, the segments based in reality — such as a muddy handprint on a wall that’s remained for centuries, or a cursed chair that doomed those who sat in it — will stick with you the most. —Kevin Jacobsen

Where to watch Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction: Peacock

Cast: James Brolin, Jonathan Frakes

Related content: Jonathan Frakes embraces meme status 25 years after Beyond Belief

Code 404 (2020–2022)

When Detective Inspector John Major (Daniel Mays) is killed in a botched sting operation, London's Metropolitan Police Service uses an experimental program to revive him as an AI robot. Unfortunately for Majors, there are a few bugs in the system and he’s not the super cop he used to be. If these kinks don’t get ironed out soon, the ethics committee will shut the program down — and shut him off. To further complicate things, he’s been reteamed with his partner/best friend, DI Roy Carver (Stephen Graham), who, unbeknownst to Majors, is now living with his former wife.

Set “a few years from now," Code 404 is a slapstick, Naked Gun meets RoboCop mash-up with heart and a whole lot of laughs. —Andrew Walsh

Where to watch Code 404: Peacock

Cast: Stephen Graham, Daniel Mays, Rosie Cavaliero, Anna Maxwell Martin, Amanda Payton, Michelle Greenidge, Richard Gadd, Tracy-Ann Oberman

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.