10 Sci-Fi TV Shows That Aren't Too Complex Or Overwhelming

Sci-Fi TV shows often tend to become too complex with the rationale behind their premises or innumerable plot twists becoming hard to keep track of. Some of the best sci-fi TV shows are uniquely complex and mind-bending, immersing viewers in their worlds of intricate exposition and narrative design. However, such complexity often, especially in the past, led to declining viewership and subsequent cancelation of sci-fi TV shows that should be remade today.

The use of a sci-fi premise to tell a straightforward story doesn't make a series any less engrossing. Sci-fi shows of all kinds have become popular today, so simplistic ones that take one specific aspect of the current world to twist into a sci-fi premise and tell a story that falls into some other genre are equally welcomed by viewers. While that can lead to its own complexity in the form of detective sci-fi TV shows and more, simple sci-fi shows aren't rare either.

10 Future Man (2017-2020)

3 Seasons

The hilarious and wacky premise of Future Man sets the tone for the whole show, which doesn't rely on complex mechanics, but instead appeals to viewers through action and comedy. An underachieving janitor has only one thing to be proud of: He has successfully finished a video game that's widely thought of as unbeatable. When he beats the game, its two main characters come to life and recruit him to fight the villains from the game, who also apparently inhabit Earth.

Created by Howard Overman, Kyle Hunter, and Ariel Shaffir, Future Man is better described as a comedy series rather than a sci-fi show. Executive producer Seth Rogen even appears as a significant character in the final season to add to the comedy of the show. Josh Hutcherson's comedic timing as the underachieving action hero makes for a great time for viewers who are looking for a simplistic sci-fi show where they can sit back, relax, and enjoy without getting confused.

9 Fallout (2024-Present)

1 Season, More To Come

Although video game adaptations resulting in good shows are a more recent trend, with titles like Fallout, Arcane, and The Last of Us, this is clearly the golden age of video game adaptations. Led by Ella Purnell, the adaptation of Bethesda's successful and beloved game franchise was one of the most anticipated shows of 2024, and it didn't disappoint. Fallout follows a woman as she ventures into dangerous territory in search of her father.

Fallout was nominated for 16 Primetime Emmy Awards in 2024.

The concept of the sci-fi show isn't that complicated. It's set on a futuristic Earth where a nuclear war has forced everyone into bunkers to survive the fallout. The occupants of these bunkers or vaults have been subject to experimentation, but the bigger threat comes from the wasteland outside, where raiders loot and kidnap anyone who leaves the vaults. The show is faithful to the source material and brings the games' world to life with fascinating accuracy. It's a straightforward post-apocalyptic action show worth everyone's time.

8 Lexx (1997-2002)

4 Seasons

One of the naughtiest sci-fi shows that is clearly a product of its time,Lexx is a refreshingly fun time laden with innuendo, even in costume design. It's not a complicated show with a lot of plot twists, but rather a dark and sexy lighthearted show for viewers who want something simple and tantalizing. Some of the elements haven't aged very well, but as a time capsule into the late '90s and early 2000s, it's still worth watching.

Following a ragtag group of crew members aboard the titular Lexx, led by a man of the same name, whose team is the very definition of wacky. While the tone of the show changes with time, its first two seasons are purely sci-fi dark comedy. Lexx is one of the most underappreciated sci-fi TV shows that deserve revisiting, and it has earned itself a cult following over the years.

7 Upload (2020-Present)

3 Seasons, More To Come

Critically acclaimed and Emmy Award-winning writer Greg Daniels, who worked alongside Mike Schur on shows like Parks & Recreation and The Office, wrote this sci-fi comedy. Upload follows the consciousness of a dead man after he is uploaded to an expensive location and the misadventures of his customer service representative, who develops feelings for him while still alive.

The sci-fi mechanics of Upload aren't complicated, and it plays out like a satirical drama with a dark sense of humor. It uses its premise to explore people's relationships with their mortality through a comedic lens. So, for viewers who want an engrossing sci-fi show that's focused more on the people and explores social truths more than the intricacies of a sci-fi premise, it is an ideal watch. With Upload season 4 confirmed to be the show's ending, now is the perfect time to watch it ahead of its release in 2025.

6 Silo (2023-Present)

2 Seasons, More To Come

One of the sci-fi TV shows with an excellent mystery element, Silo tells the story of a group of people who live in a silo underground after the surface world has been declared unsafe for human life. The drama among the residents of the silo is the focus of the show, and the technology, while explored, rarely develops into plot complexities.

The drama and the mystery thriller aspects are predominant in Silo's writing, as the premise only serves those genres with the elements it introduces. World-building is especially equally dependent on the sci-fi aspect and the socio-drama aspect. The mystery, while intricate, isn't confusing, as Silo follows a relatively straightforward style of storytelling. It explores human nature and the inevitability of social hierarchies while also dealing with a mystery about occurrences on the surface world.

5 Paper Girls (2022)

1 Season

Canceled too early due to a lack of viewership, Paper Girls is based on the graphic novels of the same name. It follows four young paper delivery girls who unwittingly get caught between two warring factions of time travelers: teenagers from the future, and the Old Timers, who are their predecessors from the past. The girls' encounter with the teens leads them to a time machine that then allows them to travel through time as well.

The mechanics of time travel in Paper Girls isn't over-the-top, and it instead focuses on the interpersonal dynamics of the characters. Even the greater conflict is more about embracing change than it is about the intricacies and specificities of traveling through time. Paper Girls features another interesting aspect that time travel sci-fi often explores: The characters meet their future selves and must reconcile with who they become.

4 Killjoys (2015-2019)

5 Seasons

A fun and lighthearted sci-fi show, Killjoys follows a trio of bounty hunters as they jump from planet to planet in search of targets. It is in a location in space known as The J, which consists of multiple planets and moons, all of which are inhabited. The chemistry between the trio, their collective sense of humor, and the feisty action all make for an entertaining viewing experience.

Killjoys also isn't highbrow, with some commonly used cliché tropes even making their rounds through the narrative, but it is an enjoyable show that doesn't need much thinking to understand and follow. The visuals are cool, the action choreography is slick, the characters are fashionable and funny, and the antagonist in the later seasons is a classic sci-fi villain. Since it has a full run, viewers will also get the satisfaction of watching a complete story if they follow it to the end.

3 Humans (2015-2018)

3 Seasons

Set in a world very similar to the real one, Humans is another show that's more interested in exploring social structures than in creating a detailed sci-fi system. It tells the story of a world in which there are Synths, which are hyperrealistic robots employed by humans to do their work. The robots soon realize that they don't want to be indentured servants because intentionally or not, they gain sentience.

Unlike the usual AI scare premise that such a concept follows, Humans instead investigates the discourse of rights. It doesn't commit to a robot uprising plot and depicts how the humans still subdue the Synths and make them do their work. The central theme of the show is the idea of what makes a Synth a Synth and why it is to be considered inferior in the social hierarchy to a human. The social commentary on classismis very effective in the first season especially, and as a sci-fi show, it's not complicated but rather fascinating.

2 Stranger Things (2016-Present)

4 Seasons, Final Season To Come

An instant classic and a household name today, Stranger Things is perhaps the first show one will think of when asked for an understandable sci-fi series. Set in the 1980s, in a fictional town in Indiana, it follows the residents of Hawkins, where a portal exists to an alternate dimension. The portal was accidentally opened by a team of scientists working in the national laboratory where they also performed experiments with the paranormal on human subjects.

Featuring Millie Bobby Brown in her breakthrough role as Eleven, a superpowered laboratory escapee, Stranger Things primarily follows a group of teenagers. They're trying to solve a disappearance case in the first season, as one of their friends has gone missing. With time, the series developed its lore, introducing monsters, magic, and more sci-fi elements, but it's a straightforward narrative. The themes of bravery and friendship are predominant in Stranger Things, which primarily focuses on the bonds of this group of friends.

1 Resident Alien (2021-Present)

3 Seasons, More To Come

Led by Firefly star Alan Tudyk, Resident Alien is a comedy sci-fi show that follows a stranded alien who kills a doctor and thus has to replace him. The shapeshifting alien has no trouble looking the part, but it takes him considerable effort to behave according to the role. To further complicate things, some humans have the natural ability to see through his illusions, so he has to grapple with the moral conundrum of killing a kid just because he knows he's an alien.

The body humor of the alien attempting to walk and act like a human as he wrestles with the consequences of having a fleshy skinsuit is hilarious. The character's gradual change of heart and decision to become a protector of humans is heartwarming. Finally, the drama of his attempts to keep the kid quiet and prevent him from spilling the beans is both funny and adorable. While the basic premise is rooted in sci-fi, it is a sweet show and most similar shows like Resident Alienmake for lighthearted, fun times.

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