10 Best Alien TV Shows of All Time, Ranked
Aliens have been part of television since the very beginning, but the best alien shows do far more than show up with ray guns. They use first contact, hidden invasions and the fear of the unknown to ask what makes us human. Some are gripping thrillers, some are sharp comedies and some are sweeping sagas about survival. Whatever your mood, there is an alien show out there waiting for you.
This list gives you ten alien TV shows that are genuinely worth your time. We looked at how each series builds its alien mythology, how strong its characters are and how well it balances big ideas with personal stories. We also checked reception on Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic and IMDb before writing. The range is wide, from grounded family dramas to space exploration and full-scale invasion.
What separates the strongest picks from the rest? The best alien shows make the aliens matter. Whether they are visitors with a hidden agenda, neighbours with a secret or a presence that changes history, the strongest series use them to reveal something about the humans on screen. A show that only uses aliens as a costume for generic action will struggle to rank highly here.
Each entry below explains the premise first, so you know what you are watching before you read why it earns its place. You will notice the list runs from the most ambitious and rewarding picks at the top to strong but less consistent shows at the bottom. Every title here is still well worth a watch.
Alien fiction has a long history of reflecting the anxieties of its time. Invasion stories have been used to explore fear of outsiders, mistrust of governments and the cost of resistance. Keep that in mind as you read, because it explains many of the rankings, especially in the middle of the list.
We have also tried to avoid major spoilers. Each entry explains the setup, the central conflict and the stakes, but it does not give away the endings or the biggest reveals. You should finish each section knowing what the show is about and why it is worth your time, without having the best moments ruined. Let’s get into it 👇
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10. People of Earth
People of Earth is a sitcom created by David Jenkins that began on TBS in October 2016. Wyatt Cenac plays Ozzie Graham, a New York City journalist sent to Beacon, New York, to write about StarCrossed, a support group for people who believe they were abducted by aliens. Ozzie begins to recall his own abduction, quits his job and moves to Beacon to investigate what happened to him.
The group’s therapist, Gina Morrison, played by Ana Gasteyer, treats the members with care, while Michael Cassidy plays Jonathan Walsh, Ozzie’s boss, whose behaviour starts to look increasingly strange. The central conflict is Ozzie’s search for the truth about his past, set against the odd, funny and sometimes unsettling lives of the people around him. The stakes are his own sense of identity and the question of whether the strange things he sees are real.
The show is gentle, quirky and deliberately uneven, with a warm sense of humour. Its best moments land when the comedy turns sincere and the characters admit how much they want to be understood.
Why it ranks here: People of Earth ranks tenth because its concept is charming and its cast is strong, but it has only two seasons, and its comedy is hit and miss. It sits below the bleaker, more ambitious shows on this list, but it earns its place for its warmth and its originality as a sitcom about alien abduction.
Why fans and critics value it: Fans appreciate its gentle humour, its sympathetic characters and the way it treats alien abduction as a question of belonging.
Who should watch: Viewers who enjoy quirky comedies with a sincere heart.
Where to watch: Availability varies. Check your local listings for the latest streaming options.
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9. Taken
Taken is a ten-episode miniseries that aired on the Sci-Fi Channel in December 2002. Created by Leslie Bohem, with Steven Spielberg as an executive producer, it follows three families across about five decades and four generations. Aliens abduct humans and implant tracking devices in their brains as part of a hybridisation experiment.
The Keys, the Crawfords and the Clarkes all become tangled in the experiment, with Russell Keys, played by Steve Burton, and Owen Crawford, played by Joel Gretsch, among those drawn into its consequences. Kate Keys, played by Julie Benz, and Sally Clarke, played by Catherine Dent, carry much of the emotional weight. The central conflict is the struggle to understand the abductions and resist the experiment. The stakes build toward the birth of Allie Clarke, the key product of the programme, who also narrates the story.
The miniseries is ambitious in scope, moving between decades and generations to build a sweeping alien saga. Its emotional focus on family gives the premise weight, even when the science fiction feels dated.
Why it ranks here: Taken ranks ninth because its scope is impressive and its emotional core is strong, but its ten episodes sit in a different league from the sustained storytelling of the shows above it, and some of its effects feel dated. It sits above the weaker shows at the bottom of the list because its ideas are more unusual.
Why fans and critics value it: Fans value its generational storytelling, its Spielberg-backed ambition and the way it treats abduction as a family wound.
Who should watch: Viewers who enjoy long, ambitious miniseries about family and mystery.
Where to watch: Availability varies. Check your local listings for the latest options.
8. Colony
Colony is set in a near-future Los Angeles under military occupation by the Transitional Authority, which serves alien “Hosts.” Walls divide the city into zones controlled by checkpoints. Residents face curfews, surveillance, rationing and forced labour, while collaborators work for the occupiers and the Resistance fights back.
Will Bowman, played by Josh Holloway, is a former FBI agent and Army Ranger who is forced to hunt Resistance members to protect his family. His wife Katie, played by Sarah Wayne Callies, secretly works for the Resistance. Their son Charlie is separated from them when the wall goes up, and their son Bram joins a rival group. The central conflict is a family divided by its loyalties, and the stakes are their freedom and their survival.
Colony is tense and carefully built, with a strong sense of place and a constant feeling that everyone is being watched. Josh Holloway gives the show its moral weight, and the story is most gripping when it asks what people will do to keep each other safe.
Why it ranks here: Colony ranks eighth because its occupation drama is gripping and its premise is well executed, but its middle seasons are uneven and some storylines feel repetitive. It sits below the shows that combine alien mystery with greater ambition, though it stays above the weakest entries here because of its strong tension.
Why fans and critics value it: Fans praise its tense, grounded take on occupation and its focus on family loyalty under pressure.
Who should watch: Viewers who enjoy resistance thrillers with a grounded, dystopian edge.
Where to watch: Originally on USA Network in the US. Check your local listings for current availability.
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7. Roswell
Roswell is based on Melinda Metz’s Roswell High novels and was created by Jason Katims. It aired on The WB and later on UPN, and follows three teenagers in Roswell, New Mexico, who share a secret: they are aliens. Max Evans, played by Jason Behr, Liz Parker, played by Shiri Appleby, and Michael Guerin, played by Brendan Fehr, must hide who they are while their town has no idea what is happening around it.
Maria DeLuca, played by Majandra Delfino, becomes part of the group, and the central conflict is the friends’ struggle to keep their powers hidden while pursuing normal teenage lives. The stakes include their safety, their families and whether they can trust one another. Government agents and strange events keep the pressure high.
The series is a mix of teen romance, drama and science fiction. Its romance-driven storytelling and its strong small-town atmosphere made it a favourite for many viewers, and the chemistry between the leads is central to its appeal.
Why it ranks here: Roswell ranks seventh because its alien premise is clever and its romance is engaging, but the storytelling is more teen-focused than the bigger science fiction shows above it, and the later seasons lose momentum. It sits above the weaker entries because its characters are memorable and its concept is distinctive.
Why fans and critics value it: Fans love its romantic storylines, its small-town setting and the way it treats alien identity as a teenage secret.
Who should watch: Viewers who enjoy teen sci-fi romances with a mystery at the centre.
Where to watch: Availability varies. Check your local listings for current options.
6. V
V is set when giant spaceships appear above 29 major cities around the world. Their leader, Anna, played by Morena Baccarin, says the Visitors come in peace and offer advanced technology and medicine in return for a small share of Earth’s resources. The public is charmed, but FBI counterterrorism agent Erica Evans, played by Elizabeth Mitchell, starts to suspect that the Visitors are reptilian beings hiding in human-like skin.
Erica joins the Fifth Column, a resistance movement of humans and Visitors who oppose the invaders. The central conflict is whether the world can see the threat in time, and the stakes include the freedom of humanity and the lives of everyone who stands in the Visitors’ way. Morris Chestnut and Joel Gretsch add to the cast, and the show moves quickly from charm to menace.
The 2009 series is a remake of the 1983 miniseries of the same name, created by Kenneth Johnson. It is tense and often gripping, and its best episodes use the alien threat to explore trust, propaganda and the price of resistance.
Why it ranks here: V ranks sixth because its premise is strong and its early episodes are compelling, but it was cancelled after two seasons before it could fully develop its mythology. It sits below Roswell and Falling Skies, which both develop their characters more fully over time, but above Colony, Taken and People of Earth, because its alien menace is more unsettling and its opening episodes are more gripping.
Why fans and critics value it: Fans enjoy its pulpy energy, its strong early episodes and the way it turns a welcoming invasion into a chilling mystery.
Who should watch: Viewers who like fast-moving alien conspiracies with a resistance story at the heart.
Where to watch: Availability varies. Check your local listings for the latest options.
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5. Falling Skies
Falling Skies begins six months after an alien invasion has devastated Earth. Survivors in the Boston area form the Massachusetts Militia Regiment, known as the “2nd Mass,” and fight back against the invaders. Former Boston University history professor Tom Mason, played by Noah Wyle, serves as a senior officer while searching for his missing son, Ben.
The 2nd Mass is led by retired Army Colonel Dan Weaver, played by Will Patton, and the group includes families, teenagers and soldiers trying to survive. The central conflict is the fight for humanity against an enemy that controls the cities, and the stakes include the lives of every family in the militia and the hope of reuniting with missing loved ones.
The show was created by Robert Rodat, with Steven Spielberg as an executive producer. Its post-apocalyptic setting and focus on family give it strong emotional drive, and Noah Wyle carries the series as a reluctant leader.
Why it ranks here: Falling Skies ranks fifth because it is emotionally solid and has a long run of five seasons, but its alien mythology is less distinctive than the shows above it, and its later seasons rely more on familiar survival beats. It sits above V in this ranking because its characters are more fully developed over time.
Why fans and critics value it: Fans appreciate its grounded survival story, its strong family focus and Noah Wyle’s steady lead performance.
Who should watch: Viewers who enjoy post-apocalyptic dramas with a strong emotional core.
Where to watch: Availability varies. Check your local listings for the latest options.
4. Resident Alien
Resident Alien is based on the comic book series by Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse, and was created for television by Chris Sheridan. Alan Tudyk plays Harry Vanderspeigle, an alien sent to wipe out humanity who crash-lands near Patience, Colorado. After killing the real Dr. Harry Vanderspeigle, he takes over the doctor’s identity and begins working at the town clinic.
Over time, the alien begins to struggle with his mission as he develops human feelings. Sheriff Mike Thompson, played by Corey Reynolds, and Deputy Liv Baker, played by Elizabeth Bowen, investigate the town’s murders, which entangle Harry in cases that threaten his secret. The central conflict is Harry’s double life, and the stakes are his mission, his new relationships and the safety of the town.
The series is a dark comedy with a sharp sense of humour. Tudyk’s performance is the highlight, balancing deadpan comedy with genuine heart, and the murder-mystery structure gives each season a clear shape.
Why it ranks here: Resident Alien ranks fourth because it is funny, distinctive and anchored by a superb lead performance, but its mystery plotting is lighter than the shows above it and some seasons are more comedy than sci-fi. It sits above Falling Skies because its alien premise is more original and its tone is more consistent.
Why fans and critics value it: Fans love its quirky comedy, Alan Tudyk’s performance and its blend of murder mystery and alien fish-out-of-water storytelling.
Who should watch: Viewers who enjoy offbeat comedy with a murder mystery at its core.
Where to watch: Syfy in the US, with season four also shown on USA Network. Check your local listings for availability elsewhere.
3. 3 Body Problem
3 Body Problem is a Netflix adaptation of Liu Cixin’s novel The Three-Body Problem, created by David Benioff, D. B. Weiss and Alexander Woo. The story begins in the 1960s, when Chinese astrophysicist Ye Wenjie witnesses her father’s death during the Cultural Revolution and later makes contact with an extraterrestrial civilisation. In present-day London, a series of suicides draws a government investigator and a group of former physics students into a mystery.
The scientists who died owned an advanced virtual reality headset that runs a game called 3 Body. The game reveals the San-Ti, an alien civilisation from a star system with a three-body problem, and their plans for Earth. Jovan Adepo plays Saul Durand, Eiza González plays Auggie Salazar, and Jess Hong plays Jin Cheng, whose choices shape the investigation. The central conflict is whether humanity can understand the threat in time, and the stakes are nothing less than the survival of the planet.
The series is ambitious, visually bold and full of big ideas about science, politics and time. Benedict Wong adds warmth and wit to a cast carrying enormous themes.
Why it ranks here: 3 Body Problem ranks third because it is ambitious and its central idea is one of the most powerful on this list, but its plot is sprawling and some storylines move slowly. It sits just below the top two because its science fiction is huge in scope while Star Trek and The X-Files are more fully developed in character and tone.
Why fans and critics value it: Fans praise its scale, its strong ideas and its faithful sense of the book’s wonder, along with a cast that balances the huge themes with human stakes.
Who should watch: Viewers who enjoy ambitious, high-concept science fiction with a global scope.
Where to watch: Netflix in many regions. Check local availability for the episodes you want.
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2. Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is set in the 24th century, aboard the starship USS Enterprise-D, which explores the galaxy on behalf of the United Federation of Planets. Created by Gene Roddenberry, it ran on CBS for seven seasons, from 1987 to 1994. Patrick Stewart plays Captain Jean-Luc Picard, a thoughtful leader who guides a diverse crew through encounters with new civilisations.
Brent Spiner plays Data, an android who longs to understand what it means to be human, while Jonathan Frakes plays Commander William Riker and Michael Dorn plays Worf, a Klingon officer. The central conflict in each episode is the crew’s attempt to solve a dilemma, often one involving alien contact, and the stakes range from a single life to the safety of entire worlds. The Borg and the mysterious being Q are among the series’ most memorable threats.
The show is hopeful, intelligent and endlessly rewatchable. It uses alien encounters to explore ethics, identity and cooperation, and its best episodes remain some of the most thoughtful science fiction on television.
Why it ranks here: The Next Generation ranks second because it is one of the most consistent and beloved science fiction series ever made, with a strong ensemble and a hopeful outlook. It falls just short of the top spot because The X-Files is more focused on the idea of alien contact as a hidden conspiracy, which gives it a sharper edge across its run.
Why fans and critics value it: Fans love its optimism, its memorable characters and its thoughtful approach to alien life, which makes it a benchmark for television science fiction.
Who should watch: Viewers who enjoy thoughtful science fiction with a hopeful, ensemble-driven heart.
Where to watch: Availability varies by region. Check your local listings for the latest options.
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1. The X-Files
The X-Files follows FBI Special Agents Fox Mulder, played by David Duchovny, and Dana Scully, played by Gillian Anderson. Mulder is a believer in alien life and the paranormal, while Scully is a trained scientist who begins as a sceptic. The X-Files unit investigates cases the FBI would rather bury, and their motto, “The truth is out there,” sums up the series.
Each week brings a new case, from monsters to strange disappearances, but beneath those stories runs a larger mythology about a government conspiracy and an alien presence on Earth. The central conflict is Mulder and Scully’s search for the truth against people who want it hidden. The stakes are their careers, their lives and whether anyone in power can be trusted.
The series ran on Fox from 1993 to 2002, with revival seasons in 2016 and 2018, created by Chris Carter. Its blend of monster-of-the-week horror and serialised alien conspiracy was hugely influential, and the chemistry between Duchovny and Anderson makes the long investigations feel deeply personal.
Why it ranks here: The X-Files takes the top spot because it gives alien mythology the most sustained, original and emotionally resonant treatment on the list. Its partnership is one of television’s strongest, and its mix of case-of-the-week horror and long conspiracy arc has never really been matched. It beats Star Trek: The Next Generation because its alien threat is more unsettling and more connected to the human characters, and its best episodes are as memorable today as they were when they first aired. Its later seasons are uneven, but the highs are high enough to place it first.
Why fans and critics value it: Fans love its scary, funny and emotionally grounded episodes, and its influence on later alien television is widely acknowledged.
Who should watch: Viewers who enjoy episodic investigations with a long-running alien conspiracy behind them.
Where to watch: Availability varies by region. Check your local listings for the latest options.
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Final Thoughts
Alien television works best when the aliens say something about us. Across this list, the strongest series use first contact, invasion and abduction to ask who we trust, what we will sacrifice for safety and how we treat people who are different. Some shows lean into conspiracy and dread, like The X-Files and V. Others use alien life to explore hope and belonging, like Star Trek: The Next Generation and People of Earth. Colony, Falling Skies and Taken show what survival and family can cost when the world changes overnight.
Each show brings its own kind of pleasure. The X-Files takes the top spot because it balances the strangest ideas with the most human relationships, and it still feels fresh. Which one would you put first? Share your favourite in the comments, tell us your own ranking, and let us know which alien show we missed.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best alien TV show of all time?
The X-Files is the strongest pick on this list. Its mix of case-of-the-week horror and a long alien conspiracy gives it variety and depth, and its lead partnership is one of television’s best. Star Trek: The Next Generation is a close second for viewers who prefer hopeful science fiction.
What is Resident Alien about?
Alan Tudyk plays an alien who crash-lands in Patience, Colorado, and takes over the identity of a local doctor. He is supposed to wipe out humanity, but he begins to develop human feelings while helping the town’s sheriff and deputy with murder investigations.
Is 3 Body Problem based on a book?
Yes. It adapts Liu Cixin’s novel The Three-Body Problem. The Netflix series expands the story into a global mystery that moves between the 1960s and the present day.
Is Falling Skies worth watching?
Yes, especially if you enjoy post-apocalyptic survival drama with a strong family focus. It ran for five seasons on TNT, and Noah Wyle carries the series as Tom Mason.
Where can I stream Colony?
Availability changes often and depends on your region. Colony was originally on USA Network in the US, so check your local streaming listings for current options.
Is V the same as the 1983 series?
No, the 2009 series is a remake of the 1983 miniseries of the same name. It has its own cast and storyline, and it follows an FBI agent who uncovers a hidden threat behind the Visitors.
Does Star Trek: The Next Generation need prior Star Trek knowledge?
No. It is a good starting point for new viewers, because each episode is largely self-contained and the crew’s characters are introduced clearly from the first season.
Is People of Earth a comedy?
Yes, it is a sitcom. It mixes quirky humour with a sincere look at people who want to be understood, and its warm tone makes it an easy watch.
Will 3 Body Problem return for another season?
Yes. Netflix renewed the series for a second season, which is scheduled for 2026. Check the official listings for the latest release information in your region.
Which alien show is best for family viewing?
Star Trek: The Next Generation is a good choice for families, since its stories are hopeful and largely free of graphic content. The X-Files has more mature themes and is better suited to older viewers.
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