8 Best Sci-Fi Shows Based On Iconic '80s Movies

Published Oct 3, 2026, 9:45 AM EDT Adrienne Tyler is a movies & TV features writer, with a focus on horror. She has written for Netflix, FanSided, & more. She was a regular guest on the Netfreaks podcast and was a YouTuber at some point. Guillermo del Toro said “hi” to her once. The 1980s were a key decade for the sci-fi genre, especially on the big screen, with the release of some of the best sci-fi movies of all time. The impact and legacy of many of them is such that they spawned franchises, some of which branched out to TV at some point, delivering some great sci-fi shows as well. The sci-fi genre is one of the most creative ones, giving artists plenty of freedom to create complex and unique worlds with advanced technology, alternate worlds, and more. Some of the best sci-fi movies of the 1980s that are now some of the most influential films of all time are The Terminator, Blade Runner, Alien, Back to the Future, and RoboCop, all of them making way for franchises that, in some cases, are still active. Of course, there are also franchises like Star Wars and Mad Max that, even though they started in the 1970s, had their peak the following decade, and for this list, it’s all about movies and thus franchises that started in 1979 (and continued through the next decade) or the 1980s. Some of the franchises started by sci-fi movies from the 1980s have expanded so much that they have more than one TV show, some even having both live-action and animated shows. Others are part of the continuity of the movie/movies, while others opted for separate timelines or alternate stories. In any case, these TV shows are as good as or even better than their movies, and some deserve a lot more praise than they have received. Alien Nation Based on 1988’s Alien Nation Alien Nation is a sci-fi police procedural TV series and an adaptation of the 1988 movie of the same name. Alien Nation is set in 1990, when a flying saucer carrying extraterrestrials known as the Tenctonese crashes in the Mojave Desert. These beings are humanoid but with some anatomical differences and greater intelligence, and so they are accepted in the US as immigrants, with the show exploring the struggles, ups, and downs of their integration into human society. Alien Nation aired on Fox from 1989 to 1990 for one season of 22 episodes, and it’s now widely regarded as a great TV show that was canceled too soon. Despite being one of the few hits of the network at the time, Fox’s financial struggles led to the cancellation of many TV shows, including Alien Nation. However, what would have been the show’s season 2 premiere episode was released as a comic book, making way for a novel series and later five TV movies. RoboCop (1994) Based on 1987's RoboCop The RoboCop franchise has different TV shows, and for this list, the chosen one is the 1994 one. The RoboCop TV show was aimed at young teenagers and children, and as such, it got rid of the graphic violence of the movies, but that didn’t take its greatness away. RoboCop, then, is set around five years after the original movie and follows Officer Alex Murphy/RoboCop (Richard Eden) as he teams up with Detective Lisa Madigan (Yvette Nipar) to fight crime. RoboCop aired in 1994 for just one season of 22 episodes (counting the pilot episode), and though it didn’t appeal to fans of the movies due to its different tone, it’s a fun and interesting approach to the characters and lore of RoboCop. The show is campy and doesn’t follow the movie’s continuity, but it offers more character depth than the movie. Terminator Zero Based on The Terminator Movie Series The latest addition to the Terminator franchise is Terminator Zero, an anime series created by Mattson Tomlin. Set in 1997 Tokyo, Terminator Zero follows Malcolm Lee, who is developing an AI system named Kokoro that is intended to compete with Skynet. However, the day before Judgement Day, Malcolm and his children are targeted by a robot assassin – but luckily for them, a mysterious soldier from 2022 is sent to protect them. Terminator Zero was released on Netflix in 2024 but only stayed for one season, as it was prematurely canceled. Despite being well-received by critics, Terminator Zero didn't get enough viewership numbers to justify a second season. Back To The Future: The Animated Series Based on the Back to the Future Trilogy The Back to the Future franchise got an animated TV series in 1991, simply titled Back to the Future. The show is set in 1991, after the events of Back to the Future Part III, with Doc Brown moving to a farm with his wife and two kids, but that isn't the end of his and Marty's adventures. The DeLorean was rebuilt at some point and has new features, allowing Doc and Marty to go on different, more exotic, and comedic adventures. Back to the Future aired on CBS from 1991 to 1992 for two seasons, for a total of 26 episodes. Back to the Future is a lot goofier and, while Doc and Marty are main characters, there was a greater focus on Doc’s family, particularly his two sons, Jules and Verne. It’s certainly different from the movies, but that’s a big part of its charm. Highlander: The Series Based on 1986’s Highlander Highlander: The Series is a sci-fi fantasy adventure TV show that serves as an alternative sequel to the 1986 Highlander movie. In the timeline of Highlander: The Series, Connor MacLeod hasn’t won “the Prize”, so the show focuses on Duncan MacLeod (Adrian Paul), another Immortal from his same clan. Throughout the show, Duncan does his best to live a normal life while also fighting rogue Immortals. Highlander: The Series was a success, receiving much better reviews than the movie sequels, and it aired from 1992 to 1998 for six seasons. Highlander: The Series was key to the expansion of the Highlander franchise, with a spinoff show and two movies (one released in theaters and the other a TV film), and it’s a must-watch for sci-fi fantasy fans. The Real Ghostbusters Based on 1984’s Ghostbusters MovieStillsDB The Ghostbusters franchise is one of the most popular and beloved ones in the world of sci-fi, and in 1986 it branched out to TV with the animated show The Real Ghostbusters. The series is a continuation of the original movie, and thus follows the original Ghostbusters team (Venkman, Spengler, Stantz, and Zeddemore) along with Janine, Tully, and their mascot Slimer. The team goes on different missions to capture rogue ghosts, spectres, and more, not only in New York City but in other parts of the world, too. In season 4, the show’s name was changed to Slimer! and the Real Ghostbusters, and the format went through slight changes. The Real Ghostbusters aired on ABC from 1986 to 1991 for seven seasons, and it was a hit with critics and general audiences. Like other examples on this list, The Real Ghostbusters was more aimed at a younger audience, but it kept its core essence, making it appealing to fans of the movies, even if it got rid of their more mature elements. Alien: Earth Based on 1979’s Alien Alien: Earth is a sci-fi horror TV series and the first show in the Alien franchise. Set two years before the events of the original movie, Alien: Earth centers on humanity’s pursuit of immortality through three paths: cyborgs, who are humans enhanced with bio-mechatronic body parts; synthetics, who are artificial beings with intelligence; and hybrids, who are synthetic bodies with a transferred human consciousness. When a mysterious vessel from space crashes on Earth, Wendy (Sydney Chandler), a young hybrid woman, and a group of tactical soldiers make a disturbing discovery. Alien: Earth debuted on FX/Hulu in 2025 and was a big success, with critics praising its visuals, approach to horror, and expansion of the world of Alien. At the time of writing, Alien: Earth is preparing for its second season, but it doesn’t have a projected release date yet. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Based on The Terminator Movie Series Fox Another great Terminator TV show is Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, which aired on Fox from 2008 to 2009, for just two seasons and 31 episodes. The Sarah Connor Chronicles is a spinoff of the Terminator movies, taking place shortly after Terminator 2: Judgment Day and completely ignoring the events of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. The Sarah Connor Chronicles follows Sarah Connor (Lena Headey) and her son, John (Thomas Dekker), and their efforts to stop the creation of Skynet. Despite a positive reception from critics and viewers, The Sarah Connor Chronicles failed to get high viewership numbers, and the show was canceled after two seasons. The Sarah Connor Chronicles is now one of the most beloved sci-fi shows of the 2000s, as well as one of those that were unfairly canceled too soon. Release Date 2008 - 2009-00-00 Network FOX Showrunner Josh Friedman Directors David Nutter Writers David Nutter, Josh Friedman Franchise(s) Terminator