What's a great way to distract from the mess of this world? Travel — televisually, at least — to an entirely different one via the best sci-fi shows available on streaming, powered with futuristic technology, alternate realities, space travel and colorful (and sometimes extraterrestrial) characters.
Peacock, one of the top streaming services around, is packed with such galactically good stories, ranging from swashbuckling alien adventures to heavy dystopian thrillers to chrome-cool cyberpunk fantasies.
That sprawling library, however, can make things feel overwhelming when you're trying to track down exactly which sci-fi tale you should watch next. To act as a bit of a North Star for you, Tom's Guide is here to shine a light on three great sci-fi shows on Peacock that you should add to your next binge session.
'Resident Alien'
Based on the Dark Horse comic by Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse, "Resident Alien" recently wrapped up its four-season run, which means you can now enjoy the sci-fi dramedy in its totality on Peacock. Led by Alan Tudyk, the series centers on an extraterrestrial who crash-lands on Earth (in the remote town of Patience, Colorado, to be specific) with the intent to destroy the planet.
However, as the alien — who has stolen the identity and visage of a local doctor named Harry Vanderspeigle — becomes more entangled with the town's inhabitants, particularly a nine-year-old boy who can see through his human disguise, he begins to question the morality of his mission. Cross-species hijinks unsurprisingly ensue.
Also starring Sara Tomko, Corey Reynolds, Alice Wetterlund, Levi Fiehler, Elizabeth Bowen and Meredith Garretson, "Resident Alien" has a stellar 98% overall approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, earning a perfect 100% score for its recent fourth season.
Watch "Resident Alien" on Peacock now
'Misfits'
Your coming-of-age years are eventful enough, but how about adding supernatural powers? Such is the crux of this five-season British dramedy, which follows a group of five juvenile delinquents (played by Antonia Thomas, Iwan Rheon, Lauren Socha, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and Robert Sheehan) who are sentenced to work in a community service program when they're struck by a freak electrical storm that imbues each with an otherworldly ability.
As the youths contend with their newfound powers, from invisibility to telepathy to time travel, they also have to navigate personal relationships, the realities of teenage life and the hardships of, you know, saving the world.
"The premise of ordinary people gaining superpowers has been done before, but this irreverent yet gritty drama stands out from the crowd" with its youthful irreverence and British humor, reads the critical consensus over on Rotten Tomatoes, where the sci-fi favorite has a 92% overall approval rating.
Watch "Misfits" on Peacock now
'Twisted Metal'
Led by Marvel regular Anthony Mackie, this live-action comedy follows the same framework of the PlayStation video game series that inspired it: A motor-mouthed amnesiac milkman named John Doe (Mackie) is tasked with delivering a mysterious package across a post-apocalyptic American wasteland in the hopes of a brighter future, all the while trying to survive deadly challenges and violent maniacs, including an ice cream truck-driving killer clown called Sweet Tooth (voiced by Will Arnett).
The second season raced onto screens this summer, with Mackie's character and Stephanie Beatriz's Quiet entering a sinister demolition derby hosted by a mysterious man known as Calypso (Anthony Carrigan).
Peacock hasn't yet announced whether a third installment is in store. However, given its solid viewership (it's one of the streamer's most-watched originals, with 400 million viewing minutes in the weekend following its premiere, according to Nielsen data) and critical reviews (season 2 received an excellent 95% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes), we see this one revving up for more.
Watch "Twisted Metal" on Peacock now
