10 Binge-Worthy SciFi/Fantasy TV Shows You Need to Watch

(L-R) Josh Hartnett, Billie Piper, Harry Treadaway, Eva Green, Reeve Carney, Timothy Dalton and Danny Sapani (Penny Dreadful promotional image, Season 3, image via Showtime)

Game of Thrones isn’t coming back until summer 2017. Here are 10 binge-worthy TV shows to help you keep your mind off it.

Aside from their genre, what these 10 Science Fiction/Fantasy shows have in common is that they tell great stories with interesting characters. That’s what we really want from TV: good acting and excellent writing that pull us in and keep us watching.

Until recently, science fiction and fantasy entertainment has been campy, poorly produced. We saw a few notable exceptions, like Quantum Leap. But most 20th century SF and fantasy shows never took themselves too seriously. Remember Buck Rogers in the 25th Century? Gary Coleman and lizard chili, I mean really.

The newer generation of fantasy and science fiction has self-respect and depth. This is TV for people who care about depth and quality. Today’s SF/fantasy shows are populated by diverse and interesting characters. They make smart decisions and sometimes even show self-awareness. The writers of these shows are aware of The Conversation and the smart dialog and far-reaching story lines reflect that.  These are shows for all us fans who stuck by this genre through the years, for the wonder, the adventure, the quest for new ideas, and different ways of seeing the universe.

Next: Killjoys