The sci-fi Western cross-genre thrills by blending traditional Western plots, tropes, and settings with science fiction elements such as futuristic technology or aliens. Even though it might seem like a recent idea, stories that mix frontiers and advanced tech can be traced back as far as the 19th century. Many cite the 1868 book The Steam Man of the Prairie, by Edward S. Ellis as the first ever mainstream sci-fi Western story. It features cowboys and a steam-powered man.
Over the years, several sci-fi Western movies and TV shows have been made. From The Valley of Gwangi to Timerider: The Adventures of Lyle Swann, cinema is full of these great tales. However, let’s focus on small-screen gems that offer the best of both genres. Despite having some of the weirdest plots, these shows are entertaining enough to impress all viewers. Most importantly, they benefit from superior production values.
‘Defiance’ (2013 – 2015)
Have you ever seen an alien race where family members bathe together? Defiance is full of surprises. Set in 2046, the underrated alien TV series is a sweet salad of political machinations, interspecies tensions, and violence. Events in this post-apocalyptic, alien-occupied world revolve around Joshua Nolan, his adopted alien daughter, and Mayor Amanda Rosewater, all living in the city-state of Defiance, built on the ruins of St. Louis.
With its fluid, game-like camera movements, sumptuous backdrop of terraformed topography, and decadent alien society, this tale of family, survival, and law enforcement is a feast for the eyes, ears, and heart. The leads play off each other brilliantly, exhibiting a smoldering, barely restrained bond. From a quick-draw archetypal Western hero to advanced weaponry, the show stays true to both genres, leaving no room for complaints.
‘The Wild Wild West’ (1965 – 1969)
Created at a time when the TV Western was getting whopped by the spy genre, The Wild Wild West was conceived as “James Bond on horseback.” Instead of the usual gunslingers as protagonists, it has Secret Service agents. Benefitting from the simplicity of a Victorian-era time-frame and the brilliance of Vernean technology, the show follows agents James West and Artemus Gordon as they stop villains who want to harm the President or take over the United States.
The Wild Wild West was remade into a Will Smith movie in the ‘90s. But don’t even look at that one. Fuggedaboudit! Watch the TV version instead, which was undoubtedly a pioneering influence on the steampunk genre. With a perceptive script and talented cast, including the great Michael Dunn as megalomaniacal villain, the series presents a crisis-crossing story of professionalism and politics that beats anything you’ve watched recently.
‘Killjoys’ (2015 – 2019)
Since good things come in threes, Killjoys doesn’t just gift Western fans with one skilled bounty hunter. There are three of them named Dutch, John, and D’avin. However, these heroes aren’t in the Old West. They operate within a four planet and moon system known as the Quad, working hard to apprehend criminals and repossess illegally acquired property.
“I don’t do ‘feelings.’ I do ‘tactical assessments’ that occasionally involve crying.” Killjoys has plenty of amazing quotes, and the chemistry between the heroes makes you look at your friends like they aren’t doing enough. A pretty, yet heartbreaking masterpiece, Killjoys is one of the more important shows of the 2010s, reinforcing the themes of brotherhood and morality. Hop in it, if you can.
‘The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.’ (1993 – 1994)
Bounty hunters from the Old West would have had an easier time dealing with outlaws if they had their hands on anachronistic technology. Luckily for Brisco from The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., he can access rockets, diving suits, and all that. The fun begins when wealthy industrialists hire him to track and capture a dangerous outlaw and his gang. From there, it’s all yee-haw.
The show wouldn’t be as good as it is without Bruce Campbell. The actor burst onto the scene a few years earlier with his provocative Evil Dead horror-comedy films. However, in The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., he truly joined the ranks of great all-round actors (who have starred in both TV shows and movies), flourishing in this extraordinarily sophisticated, often-comical tale of intertwining lives and endless adventure. Beyond that, the show’s endless menace is the fullest expression yet of the Indiana Jones roots of its creators.
‘Wynonna Earp’ (2016 – 2021)
Several Wyatt Earp movies have been made, and Tombstone isn’t even the best one. But that’s an argument for another day. In Wynonna Earp, the lawman’s great-great-granddaughter returns to her hometown of Purgatory, located near the Canadian Rockies, to battle revenants, the deadly reincarnated outlaws that Wyatt killed. Although the show is heavily rooted in the supernatural, it also incorporates advanced technology.
Based on the comic book series of the same name, this gripping gem was the breakthrough effort of showrunner Emily Andras, years after she was a member of different writers rooms. Combining documentary-like pictures of ragged plains, craggy cliffs, and sand, with a complicated story of family legacy lawlessness, Wynaonna Earp stands tall as one of the most deeply creative and moving Canadian productions of recent years.
‘Outer Range’ (2022 – 2024)
Like most neo-Westerns, Outer Range begins as a fight for land and the preservation of a family’s legacy. Royal Abbott, a Wyoming rancher hoping to hold on to what he’s got, discovers an inexplicable, seemingly bottomless hole on his land. Where could it lead? When he extends his hand into the hole, he starts receiving prophetic visions. What’s happening?
Sparse yet undoubtedly potent, Outer Range stands out thanks to its incredible performances, including Tom Pelphrey as the elder son of the Abbott family. Don’t miss the thrilling climactic sequence of the first season involving prehistoric Bison antiquus charging out of the hole. It’s quite a sight, and whoever thought of it deserves the biggest Hollywood contract. Note: Season 2 is 10 times better than the first, so stay on your horse.
‘Firefly’ (2002 – 2003)
A consolidation of Space Opera and Western tropes, Firefly impresses with both dialogue (with everything from college-type wisecracks to Mandarin curses) and character development. The series takes place in the year 2517 and follows the crew of Serenity, a “Firefly-class” spaceship trying to navigate a near reality where there are only two surviving superpowers, the United States and China.
In the age of geopolitical turmoil, Joss Whedon’s nervy, thoughtful show is even more relevant, tackling the divide between ordinary idealism and the yearning for the comforts of long-gone bourgeois complacency. The fusion of Western and Asian cultures also comes off as very refreshing and progressive. Most importantly, the spectacle never ends. In a fair world, this would have been the new Star Trek.
‘Westworld’ (2016 – 2022)
Based on the 1970s hit film of the same name, Westworld has a theme park of a unique sort. It’s technologically advanced, Wild West-themed, and populated by android “hosts” who cater to high-paying guests and their wildest fantasies. However, it’s only a matter of time before an ill-advised, spontaneous move unleashes a chain of events that forces everyone to re-evaluate their practices.
The show’s airtight plot, exploration of artificial intelligence, and marvelous visuals place it high above the rest. It’s no wonder that it was nominated for 54 Emmys. Anthony Hopkins is terrific as Dr. Robert Ford, a not-so-inhibited park cofounder whose radical beliefs are challenged by a few of those who get to know him. But he doesn’t shine alone. Other cast members, like Thandiwe Newton and Jesse Wright, will make you glad that you watched it.
‘The Mandalorian’ (2019 – 2023)
Only a few Star Wars TV shows can be enjoyed with a proper understanding of the entire lore, and The Mandalorian, the first live-action series in the franchise, is one of them. Here, bounty hunter Din Djarin’s desire to live quietly with the never-ending burden of guilt is disrupted when he is forced to protect the Force-sensitive child, Grogu (aka Baby Yoda), from nefarious Imperial forces.
Poising the action between cool, icy restraint and seething catharsis, the show feels like one large reflecting pool for galactic anarchy. There are so many great action scenes that it’s hard to pick a favorite, but that moment when Din and IG-11 first collaborate in a circular shootout will forever be memorable. It feels too short since it only has three seasons. Luckily, there is a sequel movie on the way.
‘Fallout’ (2024 – present)
It took too long for the Fallout role-playing video game, but it finally happened. And everyone’s happy. Set two centuries after a nuclear apocalypse destroyed the world and forced humanity into underground “Vaults,” the show follows Lucy MacLean, who ventures outside to find her kidnapped father. Things get a lot more interesting when she meets Cooper Howard aka, The Ghoul, a Hollywood actor and bounty hunter.
Though this engaging sci-fi psychodrama of courage and societal repression opens on an overheated and bombastic note, it soon cools to a perfect slow burn, as the bonds between like-minded people blossom tenuously. Later, the usual unexpected turns follow. Cast member Walton Goggins, an expert at playing joker-faced, emotionally distant protagonists, alternates between being sympathetic and hard to fathom. You’ll clap for the visual effects team, too.
Which sci-fi Western TV show do you love the most? Let us know in the comments!
