Having evolved over many decades to remain consistently popular, the sci-fi genre is known for its adaptability. It has long featured stories with thought-provoking elements surrounding technological advancement, moral quandaries, and the intricacies of human nature. To this end, there have been countless sci-fi TV shows that have proven to be incredibly profound or otherwise memorable, as they regularly tap into social consciousness in a way that many other genres struggle to achieve. One of the most regular aspects of sci-fi TV shows is the plot twist, which is often used to jaw-dropping effect, delivering bombshells or forcing the audience to a stark revelation.
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Some plot twists are incredibly outlandish, while others are subtly seeded over the course of episodes or even entire seasons of a show. The nature of sci-fi often allows for incredibly creative storytelling, which regularly translates to plot twists so remarkable that they stand out as especially noteworthy. As is often the case with the most successful TV shows, keeping the audience guessing is an important part of engaging viewers, and the best sci-fi TV shows are able to do just that with huge plot twists. Naturally, spoilers follow.
1) Jupiter’s Legacy
Though it turned out to be unfairly short-lived due to its cancellation, Jupiter’s Legacy was still able to deliver an incredible twist. It follows the heroes of the team known as the Union of Justice, who are led by the Utopian, whose guiding ideals are criticised as becoming increasingly obsolete. The show’s story explores tension between its heroes, as well as a plot involving villains seemingly attempting to tear the team apart from within. However, it’s not until the eighth and final episode of Jupiter’s Legacy that its big twist is revealed.
In the show’s finale, it comes to light that Walter, also known as Brainwave, one of the world’s most prominent heroes, has been scheming to undermine his brother the Utopian. The reveal that Brainwave released the villain Skyfox is punctuated by Walter murdering his own daughter in cold blood after she learns his secret, setting him up as a major antagonist for a second season that was destined never to be. Though the twist was expected by those familiar with the comics, viewers who went into the show unaware of Brainwave’s true nature were completely stunned by the revelation.
2) Futurama
Since it first aired in 1999, Futurama has proven its longevity in the most unexpected of ways. Having been cancelled on two separate occasions, the show has continued to follow the exploits of 20th century boy Philip J. Fry after he awakens from cryogenic freezing in the year 3000. Though its primary focus is on light-hearted comedy and subtle animated satire of the sci-fi genre, Futurama once delivered an unexpected and remarkable twist that ultimately came to reframe the narrative of the entire show.
After various exploits in the far future, Fry unwittingly becomes his own grandfather upon briefly travelling into the past. This results in Fry lacking the Delta brainwave, which is revealed to be the real reason for his apparent cryogenic accident. In one of Futurama‘s best episodes, it is revealed that Leela’s pet, Nibbler, is a member of an ancient species known as the Niblonians, who forcibly pushes Fry into the cryogenic tube to enlist his help in the future. It’s a twist that frames Futurama‘s story as part of a causal loop, in which its protagonist was always destined to arrive in the future rather than the mishap it was originally presented to be.
3) Mr. Robot
With a star-studded cast led by Oscar-winner Rami Malek, Mr. Robot earned itself a reputation as one of the most thought-provoking sci-fi series ever made. It follows Elliot (Malek), a cybersecurity engineer and hacker, as he is engaged by a mysterious activist named Mr. Robot to help topple the financial conglomerate known as E Corp. The show’s focus on themes of anarchy and examination of various societal issues through the lens of cyber activists won it widespread praise, all of which helped build up to Mr. Robot‘s insane final plot twist.
The show’s final episodes reveal the mind-bending truth about the narrative of the entire series. It is explained that the show’s protagonist has been a facet of Elliot’s personality known as the Mastermind, and that he has been living with dissociative identity disorder as the result of an abusive childhood. Mr. Robot‘s two-part finale explores the depths of Elliot’s psyche, explaining that his motivations and actions throughout the entire show have been only a small part of his true story. It’s a twist that pulls the rug from under the audience, redefining Mr. Robot‘s entire narrative in a single narrative flourish.
4) The X-Files
It’s no secret that The X-Files is one of the most celebrated sci-fi TV shows of all time. Its success saw Agents Mulder and Scully become a part of pop culture iconography, with audiences hooked on its paranormal premise from early on, prompting The X-Files to continue running for a total of 218 episodes over 11 seasons. Its story saw a number of twists and turns, though none of its plot twists can be considered as insane as that of its finale, which is commonly regarded as one of the most controversial X-Files episodes of all time.
The reveal concerns the parentage of Dana Scully’s son, William. Previously established as the biological son of Fox Mulder, William is ultimately revealed to have been implanted in Scully by the mysterious Cigarette Smoking Man, who is also revealed to be Mulder’s father, explaining William’s DNA. The reveal that the Cigarette Smoking Man implanted William into Scully without her consent or knowledge was the cause of huge controversy, and the twist proved to be an unpopular one. Its unbelievable nature and ethical complications were never properly addressed by the show, making it one of The X-Files‘ most notorious moments.
5) Lost
Once considered one of the most promising shows on TV, Lost became infamous for its later narrative developments. The increasingly shocking developments of the show eventually tipped it over into becoming completely outlandish, with audiences largely disillusioned with Lost by the time its final season rolled around. However, regardless of how poorly they may have been received, Lost boasted some of the wildest twists in TV history. None of them proved quite as noteworthy as that of its finale, which has gone down in history as one of the most ridiculous twists of all time.
Lost‘s finale saw its characters reuniting in a church in a flashforward scene that brought the show’s entire narrative into question. The somewhat metaphysical explanation of the scene made it one of Lost‘s most unpopular twists, especially as the show had already made far better use of plot twists throughout its run. Though the final twist was a disappointing one, it marked the insane ending to a show that had come to be defined by its relentless twists and turns, for better or worse.
6) Westworld
Based on the 1973 Michael Crichton film of the same name, Westworld was immediately set up to intrigue audiences with its sci-fi premise. Concerning the eponymous amusement park populated by advanced androids known as Hosts, Westworld‘s story is a tense and thought-provoking affair that explores the broad themes of society, humanity, and sentience. As part of its wider narrative, Westworld made use of several major twists. Many of them proved to be incredibly memorable in their set-up and eventual execution, although one in particular stands out as especially mind-blowing.
Jeffrey Wright’s Bernard was introduced as the Head of Programming at Delos, the man who is responsible for overseeing the programs of all of Westworld’s android Hosts. However, it is revealed that Bernard is himself a Host created by Dr. Robert Ford, Westworld’s creator. The reveal is punctuated with Bernard being ordered to murder the investigating Theresa, which he does by brutally crushing her head against a wall. The moment is shocking in its implications and its violence, marking just one of Westworld‘s many memorable plot twists.
7) Fringe
Fringe‘s status as a cult show has endured long past its finale, as has its reputation for mind-bending twists. Following the exploits of FBI Agent Olivia Dunham and her work with the Fringe Division, where she engages in investigations into paranormal matters using fringe science, Fringe ran for 100 episodes over five seasons. The show boasted numerous plot twists across that run, making it especially noteworthy for its ability to take unexpected narrative turns thanks in part to the complex pseudo-science teased by its very premise.
Undoubtedly Fringe‘s most important twist came as part of its Season 1 finale. The episode pans out to reveal a shot of the intact World Trade Center, establishing that its story is taking place in a parallel universe. This paved the way for multiple other twists in Fringe‘s story, including the identity of various characters as stemming from the parallel universe. The complex nature of Fringe‘s over-arcing story makes its twists even richer, marking it as an especially rewarding watch even years after its conclusion, thanks in part to its many remarkable narrative developments.
8) Black Mirror
As an anthology series, the nature of most Black Mirror episodes means that the majority of its stories exist as standalone narratives. However, even the apparent limitations of a single-episode runtime haven’t held the show back from delivering a number of remarkable plot twists, many of which stand out as especially memorable. The show’s sci-fi premise typically centers on the ways that technology influences society, but one of Black Mirror‘s hallmarks is its ability to deliver deliciously dark and often unexpected twists. As such, there have been many great examples of plot twists across the show’s run.
Noteworthy examples include the episodes “White Bear” and “Shut Up and Dance,” which effectively trick the viewers into rooting for morally reprehensible characters as revealed in their final scenes. However, the likes of “Playtest” and “Loch Henry” also offer dark twists designed to keep audiences guessing at the directions of their stories. Despite lacking the ability to draw its plot twists out over longer narrative arcs, Black Mirror has developed a reputation for delivering punchy, memorable, and often shocking sci-fi plot twists.
