6 Sci-Fi Shows To Watch After Netflix's 'The One'
These mind-bending series will keep you on the edge of your seat.
For those who enjoy sci-fi on television, chances are you have heard of (or have already seen) the new, buzzy Netflix show, The One. Arguably one of the hottest series that hit the streaming platform in recent weeks, the British drama stars Hannah Ware, Lois Chimimba and Dimitri Leonidas, and is set in a world where one’s “true love” is found through a revolutionary technology based on genetics. Rebecca (played by Ware), the brain behind the DNA-based matchmaking service that tells people who they are destined to be with for the rest of their lives, struggles to hide the secrets that have led to the success of her company. Kate (Zoë Tapper), a detective inspector, follows the clues to uncover the dirty truth tied to the business.
If you’re looking for other sci-fi titles to watch after The One, we’ve compiled a list of similarly mind-bending TV shows to add to your binge-watch list. Our recommendations include widely-loved series such as Black Mirror and Altered Carbon, as well as more recent releases like Alice in Borderland, Behind Her Eyes and Away. Read on for some of the best sci-fi shows to add to your Netflix queue.
Alice in Borderland (2020)
Cast: Kento Yamazaki, Tao Tsuchiya, Aya Asahina, Dori Sakurada
Based on a suspense manga series of the same title, Alice in Borderland is set in a dystopian world where the main characters Arisu (Kento Yamazaki) and Usagi (Tao Tsuchiya) are challenged with a series of dangerous life-and-death games. After surviving each game, players receive “visas” that allow them to stay alive without participating for a few days. Throughout their journey, Arisu and Usagi try to reveal the people behind these meticulously cruel quests.
Altered Carbon (2018)
Cast: Anthony Mackie, Lela Loren, Simone Missick, Chris Conner
Altered Carbon is a cyberpunk series that portrays a world in the year 2384 where consciousness can be interchanged between bodies. With an individual’s memories recorded and stored in a disk called a “cortical stack,” people are able to live hundreds of years without the biological constraints of a human body. In the show, a soldier-turned-investigator Takeshi Kovacs (Joel Kinnaman) is given a task to solve a murder.
Away (2020)
Cast: Hilary Swank, Josh Charles, Vivian Wu, Mark Ivanir, Ato Essandoh, Ray Panthaki
This sci-fi drama series follows NASA’s first crewed trip to Mars, led by an international group of astronauts and scientists. Emma (Hilary Swank) takes the lead on the three-year-long journey in which multiple crises occur. The touching, nerve-racking and surreal show emphasizes the deep connection between loved ones, the vastness of space and our need to depend on one another in difficult times. Unfortunately, Away has been canceled after the first season and will not return to Netflix for a second installment.
Behind Her Eyes (2021)
Cast: Simona Brown, Eve Hewson, Tom Bateman, Robert Aramayo
Although Behind Her Eyes doesn’t exactly fall under the sci-fi category, the psychological thriller storyline is one that will surely remind you of The One. It follows Louise (Simona Brown), a single mom who unexpectedly meets the man of her dreams, David (Tom Bateman). The story follows twist after twist as Louise befriends David’s wife Adele (Eve Hawson), gradually turning into a dark thriller filled with secrets.
Black Mirror (2011)
Cast: Bryce Dallas Howard, Cristin Milioti, Hannah John-Kamen, Michaela Coel
Out of its many popular episodes, Black Mirror‘s Nosedive is one that shares similarities with The One. The short film covers the story of Lacie (Bryce Dallas Howard), who lives in a world controlled by ratings on an app. Obsessed with her score, she does anything she can to receive elevated ratings to ultimately live in a luxurious home and reach a higher social status.
Sisyphus: The Myth (2021)
Cast: Park Shin-hye, Cho Seung-woo, Chae Jong-hyeop, Jeong Hye-in, Tae In-ho, Sung Dong-il
This K-drama series is set in a dystopian world where people from the future in post-war times travel back to the present. Kang Seo-hae (Park Shin-hye) returns to 2020 to help genius engineer Han Tae-sul (Cho Seung-woo) save the planet from danger plotted by evil villains.
