🔗 Share this article

What could you accomplish with unlimited ability? This is a central question asked by all best science fiction as well as fantastical stories. Imagine if you were granted extraordinary powers? Or stumbled upon a revolutionary drug? What about each and every single person became dedicated to your satisfaction? Could you wield such power for good, or give in to your darker impulses?

These television series listed below all confront that very concept in distinct ways (aside from one notable exclusion). Outlined below is our ranking of the ten best installments of sci-fi & fantasy TV from the past year.

10. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man

Even after over 60 years of history, Spider-Man remains reinvented by new creative voices. This series presents a novel look at the character's formative years, skillfully merging essential source material story beats with ideas from the broader Marvel universe to create something that feels simultaneously new and profoundly compelling.

Instead of operating alone or having Tony Stark as a mentor, this iteration of Peter Parker forges a complex relationship with the future Green Goblin, who here is still just the head of Oscorp. Through their interactions, Peter becomes a true hero, internalizing the iconic lesson of great power and responsibility.

9. Hazbin Hotel Season 2

Showrunner Vivienne Medrano's boldly transgressive mature musical-comedy series, which sprang from a crowdfunded short, fully came into its own in its sophomore installment. Building on the climactic events of season 1, the story broadens considerably, following the scheming TV demon Vox who takes command of the narrative, igniting a series of ever-more dramatic confrontations that naturally culminate in show-stopping musical numbers.

While it may lack a one breakout song on the level of the first season's "Loser, Baby," this is due to everything in this season being increasingly ambitious. The action, personal arcs, and above all the music are collectively elevated. The story moves the overarching storyline forward while delivering plenty of bizarre, unhinged, and simply entertaining fantasy.

8. Daredevil: Born Again

As a successor to the acclaimed Netflix series, this series faced immense expectations. Despite well-documented development challenges, the final show proves it was worthy of the effort. The plot follows Matt Murdock once his dual life as Daredevil is publicly revealed, making him a target to foes both history and new threats in a slightly version of his well-known setting.

The premiere is a thrilling return to form, capturing the intense feeling fans loved from the original series. While the middle episodes explore certain new territory, the season concludes powerfully, setting fans eagerly awaiting a follow-up installment.

7. Common Side Effects

A unexpected 2025 highlight, this show is essentially an animated crime saga filtered through a humor of King of the Hill. Created by an Adult Swim veteran alongside writer Steve Hely, it follows the saga of a mild-mannered fungi expert who finds a miraculous mushroom and quickly finds himself hunted by everyone from unscrupulous pharmaceutical CEOs to federal authorities.

Far from being a parody, the narrative unfolds with the grave intensity of a classic conspiracy thriller. Accentuated by trippy animation and an eerie score, the story delves into bigger questions about the mushroom's full capabilities. It's a smart, beautifully animated, and utterly compelling ten-episode season.

6. Fallout Season 2

This acclaimed series based on the iconic video game franchise returned with a second batch of episodes that deepened its sprawling mystery and broadened its post-apocalyptic world. While it travels toward the fan-favorite location of New Vegas, the season is not a direct retelling of that game; rather, it continues to examine ideas of control and autonomy.

It skillfully balances multiple storylines and points of view, from Lucy's quest for answers to Maximus's reckoning with the dogma of the his faction. The outcome is a rich layered and utterly absorbing chapter to the expanding Fallout mythology.

5. Invincible Season 3

The bloody and heartfelt adult animation series continues its powerful streak in its third outing. The hero confronts immense challenges on all fronts: training for a looming alien threat, mentoring his young sibling, and clashing with his shadowy GDA. The story also features some of the most brutally intense action scenes the show has ever delivered.

The protagonist's physical and emotional endurance are constantly pushed. He must grapple with foes stronger than himself, the aftermath of his battles, and the moral burden of his decisions. Excellent storylines for supporting cast members such as Cecil Stedman and Rex Splode round out a superb installment.

4. Peacemaker Season 2

The director's offbeat superhero show came back with increased importance within the revamped DC canon, and season 2 delivers on both count. Although it effectively lays groundwork for future cinematic universe projects, it also tells a powerful and focused {