Sci-fi is one of the most expansive genres out there, with virtually limitless potential. That said, while there are some excellent shows for viewers of all ages, the genre can be geared towards adults.The best sci-fi TV shows of all timeoften feature violence, especially when the genre is combined with horror. Even classic sci-fi likeBabylon 5involves some alien romance scenes.
Aside from gore, violence, and sex scenes among species of all kinds, there is another aspect of sci-fi that can make it unsuitable for young viewers.Sci-fi TV shows can be uniquely complex, with mind-bending storylines that confuse people of all ages. While many sci-fi shows are masterpieces, viewers should not watch all of them when they are too young.
10The Strain (2014-2017)
Aside From The Gore, The Strain Has A Terrible Role Model
It is unlikely that many potential viewers would mistakeThe Strainfor a show that is suitable for kids.The Strainfeatures a main monster that resembles a cross between a vampire and a zombie, known as strigoi. This makes the show both gory and bloody, with regular jump scares and human villains that are as monstrous as the strigoi.
While the terrifying undead Nazi Eichhorst will likely frighten adults, too,The Strainhas also created the worst character on televisionin the form of Zach Goodweather.Zach is a petulant child villain similar toGame of Thrones' King Joffrey, and a terrible role model. If the blood and violence aren’t enough to put parents off showingThe Strainto children, Zach might be.
9The Boys (2019-Present)
This TV Show Is About Superheroes, But It Is Not Kid-Friendly
With the enduring popularity of the superhero genre, it may be easy to assume that a superhero-themed TV show could be great family viewing. However,The Boysis as far from family-friendly as it could get. The show is a brutal satire, taking down the culture of celebrity worship against the backdrop of a rising dictatorship presented as American patriotism.
The Boysis unsuitable for watching with children in just about every way imaginable, embodying the saying “never meet your heroes.” Many ofThe Boys' most WTF moments change the way we look at milk, octopuses, and tunnels. While the sex and violence are so exaggerated that many scenes become cartoonish, it is still both shocking and graphic.
8Black Mirror (2011-Present)
Even Adults Can Find This Disturbing Sci-Fi Show Hard To Watch
Black Mirroris arguably one of the most realistic sci-fi TV shows on this list, as the basic premise takes existing concepts to the extreme. These include social media popularity contests, using AI to bring back dead loved ones, and addictive computer games. While all of these issues are important discussion points today, the show is too disturbing to watch with children.
Black Mirrorhas won 29 awards, and been nominated for 99.
While the love story, “San Junipero,” is arguably one ofthe bestBlack Mirrorepisodesof all time, there are very few happy episodes of the show. Even if the violence and disturbing aspects of episodes like “Shut Up and Dance” could be toned down,Black Mirroris a harrowing look at our future, and this hopelessness shouldn’t be shown to younger audiences.
7Love, Death & Robots (2019-Present)
There Might Be Animals, But The TV Show Is Far From Cute
Some people make the mistake of treating animal-focused stories as being made for children. That said, the animal-led storylines inLove, Death & Robotsprove that this is far from accurate. One of the best episodes ofLove, Death, & Robotsseason 4, “Spider Rose,” shows this perfectly, with a lonely survivor befriending a cute pet with a sinister side.
Other episodes in the cyberpunk anthology series involve battling animals, which might feel similar toPokémon, but are much more graphic.Love, Death & Robotsmight have a couple of episodes that a child could watch, but most are violentor sexual. The earlier seasons also fall into one of the pitfalls of the cyberpunk genre, with women being oversexualized in each episode.
6Altered Carbon (2018-2020)
The Themes Are Complex, And The Most Disturbing Scene Is Nightmare Fuel For Parents
It is unlikely that a child would be interested in watching a show likeAltered Carbon, which is fortunate, because its most disturbing scene is a parent’s worst nightmare. When Kovacs and his team infiltrate the Head in the Clouds pleasure palace, Elliot is offered a child to harm. While the offer is not accepted and the palace crashes, the concept alone is horrifying.
Altered Carbonis extremely complex, with multiple characters pretending to be each otherand being resurrected after death. This alone would be difficult to explain to a child viewing the show, butAltered Carbonalso addresses deeper issues, like the way that religious people have reacted to resurrections. The show is a thoughtful masterpiece, but definitely for adults only.
5Sense8 (2015-2018)
The TV Show Is Genius, But There Are Several Sex Scenes
Sense8is an underrated sci-fi masterpiecefrom the Wachowski sisters, who also createdThe Matrix.It is one of the best modern sci-fi shows to exist, with an exciting plot, an extremely diverse cast, and different kinds of relationships depicted. That said, it is very sexually charged, with a group sex scene and explicit discussions of both bodies and relationships.
While open discussion about varying bodies and different kinds of life experiences is generally a good thing,Sense8is much too adult for a young child, and may even be too much for young teens. The show ends happily, but one of its most powerful moments depicts the trauma suffered by the characters, which includes both homophobic and racial slurs.
4Lovecraft Country (2020)
Cosmic Horror May Be Difficult To Explain To Young Children
Lovecraft Countrylooks at some of the darkest parts of American history through a sci-fi lens, including segregation and race riots. However, these are important subjects to learn, andLovecraft Countryis on this list for a different reason. H.P. Lovecraft’s cosmic horror themes are mind-bending enough for most adults, and would likely be incomprehensible for a young child.
H.P. Lovecraft’s works are largely in the public domain now, allowing creators to separate the best parts of his art from the writer and his racism. Many sci-fi TV shows would not exist without H.P. Lovecraft, and this includesLovecraft Country.Lovecraft Countryis a modern cosmic horror, following a young man’s search for his missing father while encountering monsters.
3The Stand (2020-2021)
The Stephen King Adaptation Is Extremely Gory And Violent
The Standis arguably one of thegreatest TV shows featuring Stephen King’s work, capturing the book’s bleak tone.King is widely regarded to be one of the best horror writers of all time, and regularly combined the horror genre with sci-fi.The Standis a great example, with its post-apocalyptic pandemic concept feeling disturbingly real in the post-COVID world.
Like many post-apocalyptic sci-fi shows,The Standcan be harrowing and violent. The show includes frequent and graphic images of rotting corpses, people dying in many different ways, devastating grief, and extreme gore. Very few of Stephen King’s works are suitable for a young audience, andThe Stand’s violence prevents it from being one of them.
2The X-Files (1993-2002, 2016-2018)
This ’90s Classic Sci-Fi Series Has Some Extremely Disturbing Episodes
The X-Filesmight have been a staple of ’90s sci-fi TV, but compared to other more recent shows, it could be considered relatively tame. That said, the show is more disturbing than many remember.The X-Files'“monster of the week” formula began with a terrifying human monster who eats livers, andone season 4X-Filesepisode is infamously horrific.
The controversial “Home” was such a disturbing episode that it was banned from re-airing. The episode sees Mulder and Scully investigating a murderous inbred family and a dead baby.“Home” has more in common with movies likeThe Hills Have Eyesthan with more typical situations inThe X-Files, though it is now regarded as one of the show’s best episodes.
1Rick And Morty (2013-Present)
Not All Cartoons Are Child-Friendly
Rick and Mortyis one of the more light-hearted entries on this list, but that does not make the show suitable for children, despite also being animated.The eight seasons ofRick and Mortyfollow the absurd adventures of the alcoholic and sociopathic inventor Rick, and his long-suffering nephew, Morty, as they travel through time and space.
The show contains a lot of animated violence and sexual scenes, and regularly makes extremely adult-focused references, which children are unlikely to understand. Manyepisodes ofRick and Mortycan be perfectly child-friendly for a while, before drastically changing gearsand becoming dark, disturbing, or sex-focused. Even without these, the show contains adult themes like depression and addiction.
