The 10 Best Alternate Reality TV Shows, Ranked (original) (raw)
Sadie Sink in a poster for Stranger Things 4
Image via Netflix
Published Jul 6, 2024, 6:00 PM EDT
Mariah Starks is a former writer at Collider, where she covered film, television, and pop culture through features, lists, and commentary. With a keen eye for both new releases and timeless classics, she brought fresh insights to stories that resonate with fans. Outside of writing, Mariah is passionate about exploring how movies and TV shape culture and connect audiences around the world.
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Alternate reality often refers to a parallel reality that is similar, but not the same. Storylines set in parallel universes usually add sci-fi or fantasy elements to segments of society. Even the changing of historical events results in an alternate timeline. However, the main question that an alternate universe concept should ask is: What If? What if society became dependent on artificially intelligent androids? What if during World War Ⅱ, the Axis Powers won rather than the Allied Powers? What if the U.S. government opened a multidimensional portal called the UpsideDown that released paranormal creatures? Emmy-winning series like Stranger Things capture the imagination and creativity of alternate universes and demonstrate how commercially successful the concept can be. For example, the series garnered a whopping 140.7 million views in the first 91 days on the platform, becoming the second most-watched show ever on Netflix.
Alternate reality is also a storytelling mechanism for inserting sociopolitical commentary or criticism on present-day events, people, and issues. Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone is a classic example of how the sci-fi fantasy genre can be utilized to make social commentary without stirring significant controversy. These shows portray the creativity of the alternate reality concept.
10 'Dark Matter' (2024-Present)
Created by Blake Crouch
Alice Braga and Joel Edgerton costar in the Apple TV+ series Dark Matter (2024).
Image via Apple TV+
Based on Blake Crouch’s 2016 novel of the same name, the Apple TV+ series follows a Chicago physicist, Jason Dessen (Joel Edgerton), who is suddenly warped into an alternate dimension of his life and must return to save his family from his violent doppelganger.
Dark Matter adopts elements of the thriller noir genre as it adds high stakes and intensity to the alternate reality theme, similar to Christopher Nolan’s Inception. The show’s simple premise allows the cast and Edgerton, who must portray two opposing characters, to show off their acting skills. Edgerton’s thoughtful and restless acting style is the glue to the believability of this mind-bending reality from which his character must escape. While the show is relatively recent and is still developing an audience, it has garnered favorable reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, with an 81 percent approval rating from critics. As of the publication date of this list, Apple TV+ has not yet announced a second season.
Cast
Jennifer Connelly, Joel Edgerton, Oakes Fegley, Jackie Dallas, Michael A. Dean, Reilly Oh, Snag Flynn, Alice Braga, Jimmi Simpson, Dayo Okeniyi, Amanda Brugel, Matthew Amador, Rolando Boyce, William Smillie, Joe Dioletto, Arti Ishak, Elvis Garcia, Jenne Kang, Peter Sipla, Kathryn Acosta, Madelyn DePorter, Bassam Abdelfattah, Brenann Stacker, Beacon Bowman, Tara Mallen
Directors
Jakob Verbruggen, Alik Sakharov, Roxann Dawson, Logan George
Creator(s)
Blake Crouch
Main Genre
Sci-Fi
Seasons
2
9 '11.12.63' (2016)
Created by Bridget Carpenter
James Franco and George McKay listen to tapes with retro headphones in 11.22.63.
Image via Hulu
Speculative fiction has expanded the world's imagination, not only regarding humanity’s future, but also the past. Historians often speculate what the world would be like if tragedies and infamous events in American history occurred differently. How would life be different if such infamous incidents could be avoided? Adapted from Stephen King’s sci-fi thriller novel of the same name, 11.22.63 follows English teacher Jake Epping (James Franco), who travels back in time to 1960 on a mission to prevent the assassination of 35th U.S. President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas. Writer-director Kevin Macdonald, King, and J. J. Abrams serve as executive producers.
With such an intense and personal premise, King had high expectations for his novel’s television adaptation. After reading the novel, Franco became interested in acquiring film rights but could not, as Abrams was already the owner. Subsequently, the 46-year-old actor voiced his disappointment on X (formerly known as Twitter) and in a Vice article. Both Abrams and Carpenter noticed Franco’s plea and agreed that Franco would be the lead and direct an episode of the series. While it only had eight episodes, the show was an overall success and scored 83 percent on RT.
Release Date
April 6, 2016
Seasons
1
8 'Upload' (2020-Present)
Created by Greg Daniels
Robbie Armell and Andy Allo in Upload
Image via Amazon Prime Video
The metaphysical concept of an afterlife - where a deceased being’s soul or consciousness exists independent of its physical form - has perplexed religious scholars, scientists, and philosophers for centuries. However, the Amazon Prime series Upload attempts to give this eternal question a satirical and technological twist as the main character, Nathan Brown’s (Robbie Armell) consciousness, is digitally uploaded into a virtual afterlife after a fatal car accident. The series follows Nathan as he learns to adjust to his new reality and reconcile with choices from his past life.
Unlike the other entries in this list, the tone for the series is light-hearted and satirical while having serious commentary on how technology affects society's perspective of mortality and consciousness. The concept of the afterlife being a utopian digital reality is a refreshing concept for today’s society that tends to shift toward a negative and dystopian outlook on humanity’s future. Overall, the series rated favorably on RT with an average of 88 percent but was most successful in its second season with a 100 percent RT approval rating. Earlier this year, in March, Amazon Studios renewed Upload for a fourth and final season. Showrunner Daniels expressed his joy in completing the show's full plotline as the show was a passion project he conceived many years ago.
Release Date
April 30, 2020
Seasons
4
7 'The Man in the High Castle' (2015-2019)
Created by Frank Spotnitz
John Smith as Rufus Sewell in The Man In The High Castle
Image via Amazon Prime Video
It would be a detriment if the speculative fiction genre were only limited to a hardcore fantasy or science fiction setting. Thankfully, writers don’t have to look far for inspiration because of ready-made story premises from history. Based on Philip K. Dick’s 1967 novel, The Man in The High Castle explores the alternative historical timeline in which the Axis Powers of the 1940s (Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, and Fascist Italy) win World War Ⅱ and take control of the world. Acclaimed director Ridley Scott and The X-Files showrunner Frank Spotnitz serve as executive producers.
After the pilot aired on January 5, 2015, the series became an instant hit as it was “Amazon's most-watched since the original series development program began." The series also received its highest praise from critics, earning a 95 percent rating on RT for its first season. While the majority of the scenes were filmed in Vancouver, Canada, the crew took the unique opportunity to film at the historical Bell Tower of the Berlin Olympic Stadium, which is where the Nazi regime hosted the 11th Summer Olympics in 1936.
Release Date
January 15, 2015
Seasons
4
6 'Doctor Who' (1963-Present)
Created by Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber, and Donald Wilson
Ncuti Gatwa and Bonnie Langford in Doctor Who
Image via Disney+
Since airing in the early 1960s, Doctor Who has followed a quirky and eccentric humanoid alien who travels throughout space and time in their spaceship, the TARDIS (which conveniently looks like a British phone booth), to save oppressed people. The mantle of the Doctor has shifted fourteen times, from David Tennant and House of the Dragon’s Matt Smith to Jodie Whitaker and, currently, Ncuti Gatwa.
Throughout its years of being aired, Doctor Who has developed from having a small cult following to a global fanbase. The series currently has a 96 rating on RT from critics. Along with the show’s massive viewership, Doctor Who has received countless awards and honors, including a 2006 BAFTA win for Best Drama Series. Additionally, in 2011, Matt Smith became the first doctor to receive a BAFTA nomination for Best Lead Actor in a Television Series.
Seasons
2
Main Genre
Sci-Fi
5 'Quantum Leap' (1989-1993)
Created by Donald P. Bellisario
Following the mega-blockbuster Back To The Future in 1985, the sci-fi genre, specifically sci-fi relating to time travel and alternate realities, gained popularity in Hollywood. One of the IPs that benefited from the genre revival was Quantum Leap. The series follows physicist Dr. Sam Beckett (Scott Bakula), who acquires government funding to build a time accelerator called Quantum Leap and is suddenly warped back in time. Beckett is then tasked by a hologram, Al Calavicci (Dean Stockwell), to repair a rouge artificial intelligent supercomputer.
While the series benefited from the popularity of the sci-fi genre, it was initially inspired by Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941) and Heaven Can Wait (1978). While the show was initially a slow burn with audiences at the time, it soon gained significant viewership, with 13 million viewers for the series finale in 1993. The series was revived on September 19, 2022, but was canceled after two seasons due to mixed audience reception and a 57 percent RT score from critics.
4 'Westworld' (2016-2022)
Created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy
Aaron Paul as Caleb Nichols in Westworld
Image via HBO
The advancement and proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) throughout global society has given rise to speculation about the role of AI in the future. Westworld presents a possible reality where AI becomes the norm. Set in the 2050s, Westworld is a theme park among many owned by Delos Inc. and is operated by androids called 'hosts' who cater to the public. The androids begin to gain sentience after a system update by theme park co-founder Dr. Robert Ford (Anthony Hopkins). Initially based on a 1973 film of the same name, the HBO series includes a star-studded cast with Evan Rachel Wood, Thandiwe Newton, Jeffrey Wright, Aaron Paul, and Ed Harris.
The complexities of artificial intelligence within Westworld’s writing make for an interesting commentary. We see the ever-growing exploration of AI tools via search engines, photography, vehicles, and more. During the research phase, co-creator Nolan took inspiration from other visual mediums like video games that featured alternative reality concepts such as BioShock Infinite, Skyrim, and Red Dead Redemption. Despite the series being abruptly canceled and falling out of favor with the public–dropping almost 81 percent in viewership for the last season–Westworld won and has been nominated for several awards, including one Emmy award for Newton’s performance. The first season also made history as HBO’s most-watched first season ever, with 12 million cumulative viewers, and earned an 87 percent rating on RT.
Release Date
October 2, 2016
Seasons
4
3 'Black Mirror' (2011-Present)
Created by Charlie Brooker
Annie Murphy in Black Mirror: Joan is Awful
Image via Netflix
Inspired by the speculative science fiction show The Twilight Zone, Black Mirror is a British anthology series that portrays dystopian scenarios in the future. Each episode features prominent actors like Jesse Plemmons and Bryce Dallas Howard, who must escape or overcome a technological problem.
Despite its thematic quirkiness and campy-ness, Black Mirror has managed to garner a large following worldwide due to its social commentary on how technology has the potential to negatively affect the perception of oneself and others. In 2023, Netflix reported that the sixth series acquired 60 million hours of viewership in the first week of release. Critics on RT gave the sixth series an initial 98 percent approval rating. Black Mirror also won seven Emmy Awards and ranked 6th on the Esquire list of Best Television Programmes of the 2010s. Creator and co-writer Brooker stated that the premise for each series is based on a “worst-case scenario” concept.
Release Date
December 4, 2011
Seasons
8
2 'Stranger Things' (2016-Present)
Created by The Duffer Brothers
Promotional image for Stranger Things with the whole cast
Image via Netflix
Set in rural 1980s Hawkins, Indiana, Stranger Things surrounds a group of children who must survive supernatural entities from an alternate dimension called the Upside Down, created by a U.S. government-funded laboratory that experiments on the paranormal and humans. Due to its global popularity, S_tranger Things_ has cultivated the careers of many young actors like Maya Hawke, Millie Bobby Brown, and Sadie Sink.
The Duffer Brothers drew inspiration from the creative works of John Carpenter, David Lynch, Steven Spielberg, and Stephen King. While the series has several influences, the combination of such influences makes it unique and fresh for audience members. Season four is the second most watched Netflix series behind Wednesday, with 140.7 million views. It currently stands at a 92 percent rating on RT from critics, with the first season having the highest rating at 97 percent. Additionally, the series holds a total of 12 wins from 57 Emmy nominations, as well as four Golden Globe Awards. The fifth and last season is expected to be released next year.
Release Date
July 15, 2016
Seasons
5
1 'The Twilight Zone' (1959-1964)
Created by Rod Serling
Maxine Stewart looking disillusioned in The Twilight Zone's Eye of the Beholder
Image via CBS
And finally, this list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the classic anthology series that popularized the alternate reality genre, The Twilight Zone. The series creator, Rod Serling, served as the head writer, host, executive producer, and narrator. Each episode follows a character placed into a bizarre scenario and then attempts to escape the following horrific events. Every ending is moralized and often involves an unexpected narrative twist that provides socio-political commentary.
The Twilight Zone is considered “one of the greatest television series of all time” by Rolling Stone Magazine and Variety. During its development, Serling was concerned with the American political climate, specifically during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Serling believed the alternate reality sci-fi component allowed him “more freedom and less interference in expressing controversial ideas.” In 2019, a revival series was developed by writer-director Jordan Peele but was met with mixed reception from critics. The Twilight Zone is a textbook example of real-life situations and relationships in a world similar yet unlike society today, arguably making its alternate reality concept so emotionally compelling.