Ever since Netflix became a streaming service back in January 2007, Hollywood has tried to play catch-up with studios deciding to release their own streaming services. While some have failed, such as Quibi and Yahoo Screen, most studios have managed to find a way to compete with Netflix by offering original content.
In recent years, Disney has launched Disney+, while Paramount+ has built a service around its Star Trek offerings. Other services, such as Hulu and Prime Video, have since found themselves on the rise, putting more of an effort into original content. But which streaming services are the best options for fans of science fiction? We break down some of the biggest streaming services and examine what they have to offer sci-fi fans.
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How Streaming Services are Taking Risks with Sci-Fi Titles
When it comes to science fiction, Hollywood can sometimes be tepid concerning the big screen. Science fiction films are often costly and don’t always guarantee a nice return at the box office. This leads to many science fiction titles being saved for the small screen, where costs are often cut, and box office returns are no longer a concern. Television is often seen as a place where creators are allowed to take more risks, given the ability to tell a story more freely and without the constraints of a limited timeframe.
This is how projects like Halo, which was originally in development as a film in the early 2000s, find life on television. In the case of Halo, after the film fell through, it was being developed as a television series for Showtime. In the end, Paramount+ secured the streaming rights for the series. Now, it’s now the home of the live-action adaptation, with a second season having recently wrapped. For streamers, taking risks on projects like Halo is how they build their library and, hopefully, their audience. It’s one of the biggest draws to streaming services: they’re willing to adapt projects with care, while studios often rush out a project with the hopes it is received well. But which streamer is the best option for science fiction fans?
Breaking Down the Biggest Streaming Services
Netflix
Netflix is all about genre content. From Stranger Things to The Witcher, the streamer is always willing to put its money behind big genre titles. So, it’s no surprise then that its science fiction options are plentiful. From the recently added Ender’s Game, to Rebel Moon, the streamer has plenty of sci-fi titles to offer. Fans can enjoy shows like Resident Alien, Travelers, Sense8, and Black Mirror. Or they can get lost in the recently released 3 Body Problem adaptation. They offer a constantly growing catalog, and a willingness to commit to genre programming. If there’s one streaming service that is worth subscribing to above all the others, it is Netflix.
Hulu
Hulu is one of the biggest streaming services alongside Netflix. However, when it comes to content for science fiction fans, Hulu doesn’t have as much to offer. There’s The Orville (which seems unlikely to see another season), Rick & Morty, Solar Opposites, and the recently rebooted Futurama.
Still, it’s not quite enough to capture the attention of genre fans. While cult-favorite shows like Firefly and Buffy the Vampire Slayer can be watched on Hulu, those are not exclusive to the streaming service. Although there is plenty of great content on Hulu, it doesn’t cater to sci-fi fans.
Paramount+
Paramount+ is easily one of the best streaming services for fans of science fiction. Along with adapting the fan-favorite video game series Halo, the streamer has become the home of the Star Trek catalog. Fans can revisit The Next Generation and Enterprise, or if they’d rather jump forward, they can enjoy Star Trek: Discovery or the animated Star Trek: Lower Decks. Also available on Paramount+ is the science fiction classic, The Twilight Zone.
For fans of Star Trek, Paramount+ is definitely worth subscribing to, as the streamer seems keen to continue to expand the Star Trek franchise. With Strange New Worlds recently getting renewed, and production on the Michelle Yeoh-led movie, Star Trek: Section 31, having recently wrapped, there’s plenty for fans to celebrate. While there’s evidently room for growth, science fiction fans should subscribe to Paramount+ if only for its ever-expanding Star Trek content.
Max
Max, formerly HBO Max, seems to have nearly everything. However, its science-fiction footprint leaves plenty to be desired. While fans can watch Dune on the service, and the upcoming Dune television series, Dune: Prophecy, there isn’t much in the way of original content. Much of its sci-fi content can be viewed elsewhere. Films such as Aliens, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Blade Runner, and Ex Machina are currently streaming on Max. However, a quick Google search shows those titles are also available elsewhere, making their presence on Max less exciting.
Having undergone rebranding and plenty of changes with the higher ups, there are still plenty of growing pains for Max. With that in mind, while its current content is rather lacking, Max does seem eager to expand. So, while it might not be the best streaming service at the moment, that could change in the future.
Prime Video
Amazon’s Prime Video is quickly becoming one of the best streaming services out there. The streaming service is already home to one of the biggest fantasy shows with The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, but Prime Video has also developed its fair share of sci-fi content. After the series was canceled on SyFy, Amazon gave The Expanse a new home with its fourth season in 2019. The critically acclaimed sci-fi series is just one of many reasons sci-fi fans will enjoy Prime Video. For those looking for a lighter sci-fi show, the streamer’s sci-fi comedy, Upload, is a well-received take on life after death in the digital afterlife. More recently, though, the streaming service has delivered its biggest sci-fi offering with the live-action adaptation of Fallout, based on the beloved video game franchise.
With a rather impressive back catalog, and the streaming service’s commitment to delivering quality original programming, Prime Video is perhaps the best streaming service out right now for science fiction fans.
Disney+
Disney+ is a great streaming service for the family. Serving as the home to Marvel Studios and Star Wars on the small screen, there are plenty of offerings for fans to consider. With Andor, Ahsoka, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and The Mandalorian, there’s plenty on Disney+ for fans of the galaxy far, far away. Marvel fans also have a huge selection of content, ranging from the franchise’s films, to its Disney+ exclusive shows such as Loki.
For those looking for science fiction content outside of Marvel and Star Wars, Disney+ isn’t the best service to consider. However, it is now the streaming home of Doctor Who, which is a plus for those eager to keep up with the timelord’s travels. All in all, though, Disney+ feels like a service not worth having for sci-fi fans.
Apple TV+
When it comes to streaming services, Apple TV+ is least-considered option among the general public. Unlike Netflix, Apple TV+ doesn’t seem to care about quantity, instead focusing its efforts on quality. Shows like Foundation and Silo, though not nearly as popular as some other shows, have not only found an audience, but have also found success among critics. Silo, one of Apple TV+’s latest offerings, is based on the best-selling book series by Hugh Howey. And the streamer’s most recent title, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, seems to have taken the service to new lengths. It has quickly earned a second season, with the streamer also reportedly exploring other spinoffs.
While Apple TV+ doesn’t have the biggest library of science fiction titles for viewers yet, it remains one worth subscribing to, with plenty to come for fans in the near future.
Having broken down some of the biggest streaming services out there, it’s safe to say there is a clear winner. W\hen it comes to which streaming service is best for science fiction fans, that honor goes to Prime Video, with Paramount+ and Netflix close behind.
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