With so many new science fiction shows premiering each year, it's easy to overlook those that deserve more attention or winning prestigious prizes, such as the Emmy. There can only be a limited number of winners at the Emmy, just like at the Oscars, so it makes sense that some sci-fi shows that would deserve the win aren't that lucky.
The good news is that a sci-fi show can be enjoyable for the fans regardless of the fact whether it won an Emmy or not. On the other hand, if these sci-fi shows won an Emmy, it would boost their reputations and bring even more audience attention to them.
5 11.22.63
Stephen King adaptations are popular, but that doesn't mean each high-quality TV series gets the accolades it deserves. 11.22.63 is one of the more underappreciated pieces. James Franco stars as Jake, a teacher who gets the option to travel to 1960, and he decides to save President Kennedy in order to make the world better. Unfortunately for Jake, things don't go according to plan.
The miniseries has an excellent cast, such as Sarah Gadon or George McKay, a strong period atmosphere, an intelligent story, and a surprisingly bittersweet ending. It would have deserved to score an Emmy because even though it works with the time travel element, it's very civil and accessible even to viewers who don't normally like to watch the science fiction genre.
4 The Boys
The Amazon Prime superhero series The Boys won a Saturn Award, but an Emmy would suit the show as well. Before The Boys came, it looked like it was difficult to make a superhero story that would feel fresh and new. The Boys changed this by portraying most of the superheroes as less than heroic characters, most notably Homelander played by Antony Starr.
Even though Homelander is such a prominent character, the series functions as an ensemble story, and with so many excellent acting performances, it's surprising it didn't get an Emmy for any of the actors, if not for the story itself which is intelligent and often surprising. One possible explanation could be that the judges at Emmy weren't fond of the violence that The Boys offer much more than other superhero stories. However, the amount of violence fits the world the show is set in and the lack of morality of the characters.
3 Doctor Who
Considering the fact that Doctor Who is one of the longest-running and most popular science fiction of all time, it might come as a surprise to some that the show hasn't yet won an Emmy. The show likes to switch its mood, some episodes are cheerful, other more dramatic, making it difficult to fit it into a single genre. However, even if Doctor Who didn't win the best drama or comedy, it could have still scored in a different category, for example with an Emmy for one of the actors who portrayed the Doctor.
Doctor Who has influenced the culture in multiple ways and spawned several TV sequels as well as countless book adaptations, so its lack of Emmy comes across as a lost opportunity. What's more, the latest seasons aren't as well-rated by the audience as its predecessors, making it even more unlikely that Doctor Who will win an Emmy now.
2 Resident Alien
Unlike other shows that have already stopped airing, Resident Alien has yet the chance to win an Emmy. Its second season is currently airing, and the show is showing no signs of stopping down. Resident Alien would do well with a win for Alan Tudyk who plays the leading role as he portrays a character that's very different from a majority of heroes seen onscreen. Tudyk's Harry is undergoing a strong character transformation in the show and excels at both dramatic and funny moments.
One possible obstacle to the show's success is that it doesn't quite fit in with the rest of the production, meaning it could be difficult to categorize the show and decide what exactly it is and what it should win an Emmy for. Just like the result of Harry's mission in the show, Resident Alien's Emmy potential remains unknown, despite the high production qualities of the show.
1 Red Dwarf
Besides Doctor Who, one of the longest-running sci-fi shows is the British sitcom Red Dwarf. It's true that the show has been airing sporadically in recent years but back when it was experiencing its golden era, in the 1990s, it would have deserved an Emmy, or at the very least a nomination. The series managed to combine humor with unexpected plots, and became iconic.
A large part of its popularity is thanks to the main characters, a band of misfits, who are trapped in their ship, three billion years away from Earth, and have to find their way home. Red Dwarf might not have been serious enough to get a nod from the Emmy, even their international section, but that doesn't make it any less worth watching for all fans of the comedy sci-fi genre.