🔗 Share this article

What could you accomplish with boundless control? That's a central question explored by all best sci-fi as well as fantastical stories. What if you possessed extraordinary powers? Perhaps discovered a life-altering drug? Or if every single person was wholly committed to your personal happiness? Could you wield that influence for good, or succumb to your own baser impulses?

The shows listed below each confront that very theme in various ways (with one notable exception). Outlined here is a list of the ten best seasons of sci-fi & fantasy TV from the past year.

10. Spider-Man: Your Friendly Neighborhood

Even after over six decades of history, the web-slinger remains reinvented by new creative voices. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man delivers a refreshing look at the hero's formative days, cleverly combining classic source material story beats with ideas from other adaptations to craft something that feels simultaneously new and deeply engaging.

Rather than being solo or Iron Man as a mentor, this version of the hero forges a evolving relationship with the future Green Goblin, who in this story is still just the CEO of Oscorp. Across their dynamic, Peter becomes his own man, learning the signature mantra of power and great responsibility.

9. Hazbin Hotel Season 2

Creator Vivienne Medrano's audacious mature musical-comedy show, which originated as a fan-funded short, truly hit its stride in its second installment. Building on the climactic revelations of season 1, the narrative expands considerably, following the ambitious media overlord Vox as he takes command of the narrative, sparking a series of increasingly dramatic confrontations that naturally end in elaborate musical numbers.

While it might not have a one viral hit on the level of season one's "Loser, Baby," this is due to each element in season 2 being increasingly ambitious. The action, personal development, and especially the score and songs are collectively elevated. The season moves the overarching plot forward while providing no shortage of weird, wild, and ultimately fun fantasy.

8. Daredevil: Born Again

Following the legendary Netflix show, Daredevil: Born Again faced immense expectations. After well-documented development issues, the resulting show proves to be worth the effort. The plot follows Matt Murdock after his secret identity as Daredevil is exposed, making him vulnerable to foes both past and present in a refreshed take of his familiar world.

The first episode is a thrilling return to form, evoking the gritty feeling audiences cherished from the original incarnation. While the middle chapters venture into some different territory, the season concludes powerfully, leaving fans eagerly anticipating a follow-up season.

7. Common Side Effects

A surprising this year's gem, this series could be described as a Breaking Bad with the humor of King of the Hill. Helmed by an Adult Swim veteran and writer Steve Hely, it tells the saga of a mild-mannered fungi expert who discovers a curative mushroom and soon finds himself hunted by everyone from ruthless Big Pharma executives to federal agents.

Far from being a parody, the narrative plays out with the serious atmosphere of a classic conspiracy film. Enhanced by trippy animation and an unnerving musical soundtrack, the story delves into bigger mysteries about the substance's true capabilities. It's a smart, beautifully animated, and utterly compelling first season.

6. Fallout Season 2

The hit series of the popular gaming series returned with a second season of stories that expanded its epic mystery and broadened its nuclear wasteland world. Although it travels toward the fan-favorite location of New Vegas, the season is far from a straight retelling of that title; instead, it continues to examine themes of control and autonomy.

It skillfully juggles multiple storylines and perspectives, from Lucy's mission for justice to Maximus's struggle with the ideology of the his faction. The outcome is a rich detailed and wholly absorbing addition to the expanding wasteland saga.

5. Invincible Season 3

This visceral and emotionally charged adult animation show continues its winning streak in its third outing. The hero confronts immense challenges on every side: training for a coming alien invasion, mentoring his powered sibling, and clashing with the secretive GDA. The season once again includes some of the most brutally intense fight sequences the series has ever produced.

Mark's physical and psychological limits are repeatedly pushed. He must grapple with opponents more powerful than he is, the consequences of his battles, and the ethical burden of his decisions. Standout storylines for supporting characters like Cecil Stedman and Rex Splode round out a fantastic season.

4. Peacemaker Season 2

James Gunn's offbeat superhero series came back with elevated importance within the new DC canon, and season 2 delivers on both fronts. Although it successfully lays groundwork for upcoming cinematic universe projects, it also tells a resonant and self-contained {