Some sci-fi shows are so great that they demand a second watch. Whether it’s to pick up on twists the second time around or take in the smaller, quieter moments that went unappreciated, rewatching great science fiction can be as thrilling as the first viewing, filled with layers of nuance that can only be noticed with another pass.
Sci-fi has perhaps benefited the most from a shift in modern storytelling, with the best science fiction series increasingly delivering binge-worthy storylines and enticing endings that build upon their lore. That said, some shows are designed to be even more watchable than others, the stories they weave urging a second pass for understanding.
Devs (2020)
A mind-bending miniseries from FX on Hulu, Devs tells the story of Lily Chan (Sonoya Mizuno), an engineer at a company called Amaya, which is at the cutting edge of quantum computing. When her boyfriend, Sergei (Karl Glusman), disappears, she doesn’t believe the company’s story and gradually uncovers “Devs,” which has developed technology that can predict all future outcomes.
Devs raises questions about free will versus determinism, and a viewer can better appreciate its dense concepts surrounding the multiverse theory on a rewatch of its tight eight-episode run. Furthermore, the lack of detail in the first watch hides subtle emotional cues, so earlier scenes have a different impact when you know what happens at the end of Devs.
The OA (2016-2019)
Although the Netflix series The OA was cut short, its two parts, comprising two seasons, tell an intriguing story that delves into mind-bending science fiction. It follows a visually impaired woman named Prairie Johnson (Brit Marling) who goes missing and then returns after seven years with her sight intact, calling herself “the OA,” and making claims of interdimensional travel.
The OA features a nonlinear narrative, which shifts across different timelines and dimensions, blurring the distinction between what’s real, what’s a dream, and what’s a memory. The story is filled with hidden cues and symbols that can be picked up on a second viewing, with events from Part II reframing Part I in a way that requires it.
Maniac (2018)
Emma Stone as Annie Landsberg in Maniac
A masterpiece Netflix miniseries comprising 10 episodes, Maniac follows Emma Stone as Annie Landsberg and Jonah Hill as Owen Milgrim, two trauma-inflicted strangers who partake in a study at Neberdine Pharmaceutical. They embark on a three-day trial that exposes its participants to drug-induced alternate realities, dreams, and fantasy sequences that intersect with their most formative traumas.
After watching Netflix’s underrated sci-fi series, it’s tempting to rewatch Maniac to appreciate the bizarre shifts in tone and setting as Stone and Hill embody rapidly changing characters and environments. A second viewing also lends itself to picking up on how metaphors, foreshadowing, and background details throughout the experience subtly link to their traumas that become fully revealed.
Legion (2017-2019)
David Haller untangles himself as a blue entity in Fox’s Legion show
Airing over three seasons on FX, Legion follows David Haller (Dan Stevens), a man diagnosed with schizophrenia who discovers he could actually be a mutant with immense psychic powers. While the superhero flick is technically Marvel property, it’s not part of the main MCU, and it’s a mind-bender unlike anything else in the franchise’s repertoire.
With its psychedelic elements that dissolve the show’s linear reality, taking the viewer between musical numbers, vignettes, and time loops, Legion is worth a rewatch to more deeply appreciate its nonlinear storyline. Its dense, layered storytelling, which explores the intersection of mental illness and reality, rewards careful decoding, and a second viewing clarifies many elements with the benefit of hindsight.
The Leftovers (2014-2017)
A mother gasping in horror in the opening scene of The Leftovers
Another mind-bending sci-fi series from HBO, The Leftovers follows the world in the fallout of an event called the “Sudden Departure,” a Rapture-like occurrence that disappears two percent of the world’s population. Those left behind, including Justin Theroux’s Kevin Garvey and Carrie Coon’s Nora Durst, struggle to understand the things they can’t explain, grappling with grief, guilt, and their beliefs.
After the end of The Leftovers, the story becomes even more compelling on a rewatch, because later seasons reframe what unfolds in the first couple of installments in touching ways, giving earlier seasons a whole new weight and watch value. The story is layered with detail from the onset, and its allegories and emotional subtlety gain weight over time.
Counterpart (2017-2019)
Counterpart is a sci-fi series starring J.K. Simmons that comprises two seasons. It leans heavily on sci-fi with its parallel universe premise, but also incorporates strong aspects of a spy or crime thriller. The show’s split reality setup stems from a Cold War-era experiment gone awry, which divided reality into two once-identical timelines that evolved into distinct realities.
Counterpart cleverly explores themes of identity and betrayal as interdimensional politics unfold. It’s worth rewatching because it is undoubtedly a career highlight for J.K. Simmons, as his expert performance as dual versions of Howard Silk is even better the second time. Furthermore, many plot points are only understood with hindsight, making Counterpart’s two-season run worth rewatching to decrypt.
Station Eleven (2021-2022)
A grimly whimsical post-apocalyptic speculative fiction drama from HBO Max based on Emily St. John Mandel’s novel of the same name, Station Eleven explores the effects of a deadly pandemic flu that wipes out 98% of Earth’s population. After the flu collapses society, several groups form in its aftermath, and Station Eleven’s nonlinear narrative explores life before and after.
At the heart of it is the relationship between Jeevan (Himesh Patel) and Kirsten (Mackenzie Davis). After completing the first watch, which provides viewers with an understanding of how the characters connect, a second pass at Station Eleven allows for a greater appreciation of how this impacts their emotional journeys.
Undone (2019-2022)
Bob Odenkirk in Undone Amazon Prime Video
Another sci-fi series that warrants a second look is Undone, Prime Video’s genre-bending animated drama that explores trauma, family secrets, and the nature of time and memory. After surviving a car wreck that threatens her life, Alma (Rosa Salazar) begins seeing her dead father, Jacob (Bob Odenkirk), which takes her on a quantum-bending journey that aids in her emotional healing.
Undone utilizes time loops, paradoxes, and alternate timelines that are clearer on a second watch, once the narrative’s puzzle is fully realized. Moreover, Undone’s themes of generational trauma and mental illness take on new weight when considered in the context of the show’s larger reality, and its interplay between perception and reality gains new meaning with the ending.
Severance (2022-Present)
Adam Scott as Mark in Severance whose head is opening to show himself at a desk
A cerebral sci-fi series from Apple TV+, Severance is an Emmy-winning television series that takes the concept of work-life balance to the extreme. It follows a group of employees at a company called Lumon Industries who undergo surgical procedures called “severance,” which separates their memories between their personal and professional lives.
The series features Adam Scott’s Mark Scout, a grieving widower who undergoes severance to escape his outer reality. Due to its slow-burning narrative and mysterious storyline, Severance is worth a rewatch to fully digest its earlier dialogues and narratives, which all take on new meaning, especially after the twists at the end of Severance season 1.
Dark (2017-2020)
Louis Hofmann as Jonas Kahnwaldwith in Netflix’s Dark
Another essential sci-fi show from Netflix worth rewatching is Dark, a German mystery following four families set in a town where children go missing. Following Jonas Kahnwald (Louis Hofmann), a teenager who becomes the central figure of Dark and a time traveler, the story unfolds into a time-bending epic, traversing multiple generations and alternate realities that prompt profound philosophical questions.
Following many different threads, Dark demands a rewatch to comprehend its timeline’s complexity. Viewers can gain a deeper appreciation for the characters at various ages on a second pass, as all the intricacies are impossible to grasp on the first. Moreover, subtle emotions and background details can be appreciated the second time around, making Dark a no-brainer sci-fi rewatch.