🔗 Share this article

What could you accomplish if you had boundless ability? This is a core question posed by the best sci-fi as well as fantasy tales. What if you gained superhuman abilities? Or stumbled upon a revolutionary substance? Or if each and every other human was dedicated to your satisfaction? Could you wield such influence for good, or would you give in to your own baser impulses?

The television series listed below all grapple with this theme in unique ways (aside from one notable exception). Detailed below is our ranking of the 10 best installments of sci-fi and fantasy television from the past year.

10. Spider-Man: Your Friendly Neighborhood

Even after over 60 years of history, Spider-Man remains reimagined by new creative voices. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man presents a novel perspective at the hero's early years, cleverly combining classic source material story beats with influences from other adaptations to create something which is both fresh and profoundly engaging.

Rather than being solo or Iron Man as a guide, this iteration of the hero develops a evolving relationship with Norman Osborn, who in this story is merely the head of Oscorp. Through their dynamic, Peter becomes a true hero, internalizing the signature lesson of great power and responsibility.

9. Hazbin Hotel Season 2

Creator Vivienne Medrano's audacious mature musical show, which originated as a crowdfunded pilot, fully found its footing in its second installment. Following the game-changing events of the first season, the narrative broadens considerably, centering on the ambitious media overlord Vox as he seizes command of the narrative, sparking a chain of increasingly dramatic conflicts that inevitably end in show-stopping song.

While it might not have a one viral hit quite like season one's "iconic tune," that's because each element in this season being more ambitious. The fight sequences, character development, and especially the music are collectively more sophisticated. The season moves the overarching plot dramatically while delivering no shortage of weird, unhinged, and simply entertaining fantasy.

8. Daredevil: Born Again

Following the legendary Netflix series, this series had enormous expectations. Despite well-documented development challenges, the resulting show proves it was worth the wait. The plot centers on Matt Murdock once his secret identity as Daredevil is exposed, making him vulnerable to foes from his past and present in a refreshed version of his well-known world.

The first episode is explosive, evoking the intense feeling fans loved from the prior incarnation. Although the middle episodes explore certain new narrative ground, the first season concludes on a strong note, setting fans eagerly anticipating a second season.

7. Common Side Effects

A unexpected this year's highlight, this show could be described as an animated Breaking Bad filtered through a humor of a suburban satire. Helmed by an Adult Swim veteran and comedy Steve Hely, it follows the story of a nerdy mycologist who discovers a miraculous mushroom and quickly finds himself pursued by everyone from unscrupulous Big Pharma CEOs to federal agents.

Despite being a spoof, the narrative unfolds with the grave intensity of a 1970s conspiracy film. Enhanced by trippy visuals and an eerie score, the story delves into deeper mysteries about the substance's true capabilities. It's a intelligent, beautifully animated, and utterly compelling first season.

6. Fallout Season 2

The hit series of the iconic video game franchise returned with a second season of stories that expanded its sprawling mystery and broadened its post-apocalyptic setting. Although it ventures in the direction of the legendary location of New Vegas, the season is far from a straight retelling of that game; instead, it further explore themes of control and autonomy.

It expertly juggles several narrative threads and points of view, from Lucy's mission for answers to a knight's struggle with the ideology of the his faction. The outcome is a rich detailed and utterly absorbing addition to the expanding wasteland saga.

5. Invincible Season 3

The bloody and emotionally charged animated series keeps its powerful momentum in season 3. The hero faces tremendous challenges on all fronts: training for a coming Viltrumite threat, mentoring his powered brother, and clashing with the secretive GDA. The season once again features some of the most brutally intense fight sequences the show has yet delivered.

The protagonist's physical and psychological limits are constantly pushed. He must contend with foes stronger than he is, the aftermath of his battles, and the ethical burden of his choices. Standout arcs for key cast members such as Cecil Stedman and Rex Splode complete a superb season.

4. Peacemaker Season 2

James Gunn's irreverent anti-hero show came back with elevated importance within the new DC canon, and it delivers on both count. While it successfully establishes groundwork for future DCU stories, it primarily tells a powerful and self-contained {