15 Forgotten 90s Sci-Fi Shows That Deserve a Reboot

This list is a shout-out to forgotten sci-fi gems of the 90s, a wish list for TV magic to bring them back and give them a modern twist; it's for everyone who loves to escape reality for a bit and dive into worlds where the only limit is imagination, reminding us why we fell in love with sci-fi in the first place.

1. Sliders (1995-2000)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 70%

Quinn Mallory, a young genius, creates a device that opens portals to parallel universes, leading him, his professor, a journalist, and a singer to slide between worlds, each with its own history and challenges, in a quest to find their way back home, confronting alternate versions of themselves and societal norms.

2. Space: Above and Beyond (1995-1996)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 70%

Set in the 2060s, young recruits of the United States Marine Corps Space Aviator Cavalry battle against an alien species, the Chigs, navigating interstellar warfare, personal sacrifices, and the dark side of humanity as they strive to protect Earth and its colonies.

3. SeaQuest DSV (1993-1996)

Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 86%

In the near future, Captain Nathan Bridger commands the high-tech submarine SeaQuest DSV 4600, exploring the ocean's mysteries, thwarting threats to Earth's fragile underwater colonies, and encountering new life forms, with a crew that includes a genius teen, a talking dolphin, and a diverse group of scientists and military personnel.

4. Earth 2 (1994-1995)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 63%

A group of colonists, led by Devon Adair, embark on a journey to a distant planet, Earth 2, to escape a dying Earth and create a new world, facing alien species and internal conflicts as they attempt to establish a new home for their children, including Adair's son, who suffers from an illness only the new planet can cure.

5. Babylon 5 (1994-1998)

Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 93%

Commander Jeffrey Sinclair and later Captain John Sheridan lead Babylon 5, a space station serving as a diplomatic hub in neutral space, through political intrigue, interstellar conflict, and ancient threats, with a diverse crew and ambassadors from various alien races, weaving a complex narrative of war, peace, and survival.

6. The Outer Limits (1995-2002)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 75%

An anthology series that presents a new story each episode, exploring the consequences of human innovation, alien encounters, and unexplained phenomena, challenging the characters' morality, existence, and the fabric of reality itself.

7. Dark Skies (1996-1997)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 67%

Set in the 1960s, John Loengard and his partner Kimberly Sayers discover a government cover-up of an alien invasion that is manipulating historical events; their journey to expose the truth pits them against the Majestic 12, a secret committee, and leads them into encounters with historical figures.

8. Eerie, Indiana (1991-1992)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%

Teenager Marshall Teller moves to Eerie, Indiana, the center of weirdness for the universe, where he and his friend Simon Holmes uncover bizarre mysteries involving supernatural elements and unexplained phenomena in their seemingly ordinary town.

9. Lexx (1997-2002)

Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 93%

Stanley Tweedle, a cowardly security guard, becomes the captain of the Lexx, the most powerful destructive force in the two universes, alongside a love-slave, a dead assassin, and a robot head, as they flee from the tyrannical Divine Order and search for a new home, encountering bizarre planets and entities.

10. Farscape (1999-2003)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

Astronaut John Crichton is catapulted through a wormhole to a distant part of the universe, where he joins a band of alien fugitives on the living ship Moya, battling against the militaristic Peacekeepers and searching for a way back to Earth, forming complex relationships and facing moral dilemmas along the way.

11. Highlander: The Series (1992-1998)

Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 89%

Duncan MacLeod, an Immortal who has lived for centuries, navigates the modern world and the hidden society of Immortals, facing challenges and enemies who seek the ultimate power of "The Quickening," while upholding a moral code forged through his long life.

12. TekWar (1994-1996)

Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 36%

In the 21st century, ex-cop Jake Cardigan is framed for dealing Tek, a powerful virtual reality drug; after being thawed from cryogenic prison, he joins a private investigation agency to uncover the truth, battling the Tek Lords who control the drug's distribution.

13. VR.5 (1995)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 83%

Sydney Bloom, a telephone lineman and computer hacker, discovers she can enter a virtual reality through her phone line; using VR.5, she explores subconscious minds, uncovers secrets, and becomes entangled with a shadowy group known as The Committee, which seeks to control this powerful technology.

14. Nowhere Man (1995-1996)

Thomas Veil, a photojournalist, finds his life erased overnight—his wife gone, friends not recognizing him, and his identity wiped clean—prompting him on a desperate quest to uncover a conspiracy linked to one of his photographs.

15. Pretender (1996-2000)

Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 95%

Jarod, a genius with the ability to master any skill and become anyone he wants to be, escapes from a secret facility after discovering his talents were used for dubious purposes; he embarks on a journey to find his true identity while outsmarting his captors and helping strangers with his unique abilities.