I realize this selection won't be popular with hardcore fans, but these series simply failed to keep my interest and left me more annoyed than entertained. I'm ready for the backlash and rotten tomatoes, especially for #1 and #5.

1- Battlestar Galactica (8.7 on IMDB)

I can’t believe I watched all four seasons of this insufferable show! The premise is really engaging: the narrative follows an apocalyptic uprising by sentient cyborgs (Cylons) against their creators. With Earth destroyed, the remaining human population escapes into deep space, constantly playing a game of cat and mouse to avoid extinction. This is actually a great story with philosophical undertones that question humanity and sentience. However, the characters ruin everything! Most characters in this show are unsympathetic and I especially disliked the woman-child Kara, aka, Starbuck whose tantrums were so irritating. The only character I was rooting for was the Cylon robot, Number Six, because she was smoking hot and smart. I was also profoundly annoyed by how they use the word ‘frak’ instead of ‘fuck’. Come on, we are not ten years old! I know the story is a lesson of resilience and of politico-military strategy but save yourself the hassle and watch something else.
2004-2010. 4 seasons on Syfy Network.

2- House of the Dragon (8.2 on IMDB)

I was a big fan of the Game of Thrones show and diligently watched everything until the end. But I can’t stand the House of the Dragon. Again, it’s about characters. You need to have at least a few likeable ones. Joffrey and Cersei were the villains we loved to hate while Tyrion Lannister was the greatest anti-hero on TV since Sawyer in Lost. House of the Dragon? A bunch of power-hungry jerks who drink vinegar for breakfast. There is zero humour in this show. There is also a sense of statism: while GOT offered rich world-building across multiple kingdoms with varied landscapes, and diverse cultures, the prequel is taking place in a single location, gray and dull, swapping the original's sense of wonder for dirty political games. I guess I also suffered from pseudo-medieval fatigue too: Milady this, Milord that. Ugh, enough of that already. Time to move on.
2022-Present, three seasons on HBO.

3- The 3-Body problem (7.5 on IMDB)

This show is based on the best-selling and mind-blowing trilogy from Chinese author Liu Cixin. In a previous post, I wrote that this is my favorite scifi read ever so my expectations were high but I very disappointed. First, I understand the concept of 'adapting' rather than integrally reproducing the entire storyline and while this can sometimes work well (think the genetic dynasty in Foundation), it does not here. The inclusion of Auggie, a character absent from the source material, creates a noticeable dissonance as a top model scientist whose makeup is always on point, even when she is on the verge of a mental breakdown. In the books, the overwhelming majority of characters are Chinese but, in the show, it’s about 10-20%. I'm surprised there was not more backlash regarding how whitewashed the story had been. Most importantly, the first season spends a lot of time depicting the video game that allows aliens to interact with humans, a part of the story I did not like much in the book. It’s also that the cartoonish aesthetic of the video game sequences overshadows the narrative’s deeper philosophical and metaphysical themes. This masterpiece deserved so much better than this. Please read the books instead, they will blow your mind I promise.
2024-Present, 1 season on Netflix.

4- Lost in Space (7.3 on IMDB)

To be fair, the show seems aimed at a younger audience since its storyline is quite simplistic, leaving little room for emotional or thematic depth. We follow the story of a family of colonists who crashed on an Earth-like planet. Every conceivable catastrophe strikes them, yet they predictably find a solution in time and almost every episode gets a happy ending. The villain, Dr. Smith, was also caricatural and extremely unlikeable, and I could not stand watching her lay out selfish moves repeatedly. What I appreciated the most was the look of the alien robot, with its star-like luminescent pattern face mask that changes color to convey emotion. That was pretty cool.
2018-2021, 3 seasons on Netflix.

5- The Expanse (8.5 on IMDB)

Ok, I know I’m going to get stoned for this one knowing that The Expanse has hardcore fans. But I could not get into it. Yes, it takes place in space but in the episodes I watched, there was no mystery, no sense of wonder. Instead, this show is about political and economic conflicts between human colonies and old Earth. I know some alien-mystery comes later (see below). One of the main characters, Detective Miller, was also getting on my nerves with his arrogant demeanor and stupid hat (now you understood that I get easily annoyed). Diplomat Avasalara is played by a talented and gorgeous actress, but her unbelievably raspy voice makes me want to cough all the time. Because I am intrigued by the underlying alien mystery, I’m planning to start reading the books in December. Now comes the real challenge: shaking off the actors' faces from the screen to construct my own mental portraits of the characters.
2015-2022, 6 seasons on Syfy Network.

Dishonorable mentions

Lisey’s Story (5.9 on IMDB)
Beautiful, atmospheric visuals and great actors but the pace is way too slow. It would fit for a movie, not 8 episodes on TV. I suppose the book by Stephen King is more compelling!
2021. 8 episodes on Apple TV.

The Silent Sea (6.9 on IMDB)
This South Korean scifi show is visually well-executed but it’s slow and boring. But most importantly, the premise is ludicrous: lunar water possesses a lethal property that causes people to drown internally. Consider this spoiler a time-saver.
2021. 1 season, 8 episodes on Netflix.

Invasion (6.2 on IMDB)
Earth is visited by an alien species that threatens humanity’s existence. Despite that, the characters seem to be more concerned with their marital problems than by this existential threat. Very annoying. Viewers also complained about the show’s very slow pace.
2021-2025. 3 seasons, 30 episodes on Apple TV.

Check out my favorite Top 10 Scifi and Fantasy shows here!

Check out my Top 5 Scifi books here!