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What would you do with infinite ability? That's a core question explored by the best sci-fi and fantasy stories. What if you were granted extraordinary powers? Perhaps discovered a revolutionary drug? What about each and every single person was wholly committed to your satisfaction? Could you wield such influence for the greater good, or would you give in to your own darker instincts?

The shows ranked herein each grapple with that very concept in various manners (with a single key exception). Outlined here is a countdown of the ten most outstanding installments of science fiction & fantasy television from the past year.

10. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man

Even after more than six decades of history, the web-slinger remains reinvented by new talent. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man presents a novel perspective at the hero's early days, cleverly merging essential source material elements with ideas from the broader Marvel universe to create something that feels simultaneously new and deeply compelling.

Instead of operating solo or Tony Stark as a guide, this iteration of the hero develops a evolving partnership with Norman Osborn, who here is still just the head of Oscorp. Through their dynamic, Peter becomes a true hero, internalizing the signature mantra of power and great responsibility.

9. Hazbin Hotel Season 2

Showrunner Vivienne Medrano's boldly transgressive mature musical series, which sprang from a fan-funded short, truly found its footing in its second season. Following the climactic events of the first season, the story broadens considerably, centering on the ambitious TV demon Vox who seizes control of the situation, igniting a series of ever-more explosive confrontations that inevitably culminate in elaborate musical numbers.

While it might not have a one viral song quite like the first season's "iconic tune," that's because everything in this season being increasingly complex. The fight sequences, character arcs, and above all the score and songs are collectively more sophisticated. The story moves the main storyline dramatically while providing no shortage of bizarre, unhinged, and ultimately entertaining fantasy.

8. Daredevil: Born Again

As a successor to the acclaimed Netflix series, this series had immense expectations. After significant production challenges, the final show demonstrates to be worth the effort. The plot follows Matt Murdock once his dual life as Daredevil is publicly revealed, leaving him a target to foes from his past and new threats in a refreshed take of his well-known setting.

The first episode is explosive, evoking the gritty feeling fans loved from the original incarnation. While the subsequent episodes venture into certain new narrative ground, the first season finishes powerfully, setting viewers eagerly awaiting a second season.

7. Common Side Effects

An surprising 2025 gem, this series could be described as an animated crime saga with the humor of a suburban satire. Created by an Adult Swim veteran alongside writer Steve Hely, it tells the saga of a mild-mannered mycologist who discovers a miraculous fungus and soon finds himself hunted by forces including ruthless pharmaceutical executives to federal agents.

Despite being a spoof, the show plays out with the serious atmosphere of a classic paranoia film. Enhanced by trippy visuals and an unnerving score, the plot delves into deeper mysteries about the mushroom's true effects. It's a intelligent, beautifully animated, and utterly gripping first season.

6. Fallout Season 2

This acclaimed series of the iconic gaming franchise came back with a second batch of stories that deepened its sprawling mystery and expanded its nuclear wasteland world. While it travels toward the legendary location of New Vegas, the season is far from a direct adaptation of that title; instead, it continues to examine ideas of authority and autonomy.

It skillfully juggles several storylines and perspectives, from Lucy's quest for answers to a knight's reckoning with the ideology of the Brotherhood of Steel. The result is a rich detailed and utterly absorbing addition to the expanding Fallout saga.

5. Invincible Season 3

The bloody and heartfelt animated show continues its winning streak in its third outing. Mark Grayson faces immense challenges on all side: training for a looming alien invasion, guiding his powered brother, and battling with the shadowy Global Defense Agency. The season also includes some of the most brutally brutal fight scenes the series has ever produced.

The protagonist's bodily and emotional endurance are constantly tested. He must grapple with opponents more powerful than himself, the consequences of his actions, and the moral weight of his choices. Standout arcs for key cast members like Cecil Stedman and Rex Splode complete a superb season.

4. Peacemaker Season 2

James Gunn's offbeat anti-hero show came back with increased significance within the revamped DC canon, and it executes on that fronts. Although it effectively lays groundwork for future cinematic universe stories, it primarily tells a powerful and focused {