The Greatest Sci Fi/Fantasy TV Shows: Considering the case for the sci fi and fantasy television shows that should be counted among the greatest of all time.
What Is It?
Howard Silk has worked as an Interface employee for the Office of Interchange, a United Nations agency stationed in Berlin, taking cryptic messages for thirty years. He does not fully understand the function of this agency or the messages until he comes face to face with his own counterpart—a Howard Silk from an alternate Earth who works as an espionage agent. The Howard from our world learns that a parallel universe was created or discovered decades ago and that the timelines for both sides have diverged significantly since then. He soon finds himself drawn into a conspiracy that could lead to a war between both worlds.
Starring: Starz, 2017-19, 2 Seasons Totaling 20 Episodes
Starring: J. K. Simmons, Olivia Williams, Harry Lloyd, Nazanin Boniadi, James Cromwell
Created By: Justin Marks
Argument to Count It as One of the Greatest Sci Fi TV Shows:
This show appeared on the Starz schedule with very little promotion but quietly became a critical darling. It is definitely a slow-burn series that at first glance seems like just a spy-fi show with a parallel worlds twist. But for those who stick with it, the story delivers more than just spy adventures, exploring the implications of people encountering their own counterparts and struggling to decide who will prove to be the better person. The moral quandaries present themselves as the show takes plenty of twists and turns with its complex yet insightful storytelling.
Most important to this show is its excellent cast, led by J.K. Simmons in a dual role as the two Howard Silks. We’ve seen Simmons in quite a number of roles—from the curmudgeonly J. Jonah Jameson in the Spider-Man movies to the white supremacist baddie Vernon Schillinger in Oz, to the affable Farmers Insurance spokesperson—but Counterpart truly gives him a chance to show his acting chops. From the rather meek Howard of one universe to the more sinister version in the other, Simmons displays the nuances of the characters and fully fleshes them out as the series progresses. And he is supported by a first-rate cast that includes Harry Lloyd (Game of Thrones), Olivia Williams (The Sixth Sense), Nazanin Boniadi (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power), and James Cromwell (everything).
Counterpart could have been just another spy thriller, but it adds in science fiction elements and takes the story to the next level, also giving us an interesting character study with moral and psychological implications. Though it was cut short at two seasons, it did wrap up the main storyline without leaving viewers hanging. And this one is definitely worth a look as a top example of a show that deserves to be counted among the best the genre has to offer.
Argument Against:
Counterpart is far too convoluted to count as one of the greatest sci-fi and fantasy shows. It explores some interesting concepts and has an excellent cast leading the drama, but it starts slow and loses its way at several points across its short, twenty-episode run–at times just getting confusing. It simultaneously feels like it has too much story and not enough. It delves heavily into character studies—almost to the point that you start to dislike the main cast—yet it never fully explores the parallel worlds and their implications, pushing the best sci-fi elements to the background in favor of dramatic storylines that begin to feel like filler. In addition, this one was canceled before it could finish telling its tale. While it wrapped up some storylines, it also teased a whole new chapter that was never explored. Counterpart has its moments and definitely gives J.K. Simmons the chance to shine, but it doesn’t quite measure up to the top-tier candidates of sci-fi and fantasy television.
Johnny Jay’s Take:
Counterpart is one of those rare sci-fi TV gems that manages to exceed expectations and unlock the full potential of its premise. This one gets off to a slow start, and when I first watched it, I almost bailed after the third or fourth episode. But I kept going, and the rather dense storyline started to unfold into a well-crafted tale. It delivered some pretty heady material for Prime Time, exploring how people face the various paths their lives could have taken, and J.K. Simmons was probably one of the best choices they could have made for the lead role. The show is a tour de force for him, and it does what sci-fi TV does best: explore fascinating science fiction concepts while factoring in the human element and also challenging the audience. I would have loved a third season and more from this one, but the two seasons it delivered gave us a mostly complete tale that stands as a sleeper genre entry. And this show certainly compares favorably to some of the best-of-the-best from sci-fi TV.
Where Can You Watch It?
The series has been released on DVD and Blu-ray, and it is also available to purchase VOD. It is not currently streaming on any of the major services.
Do you consider the original Counterpart to be one of the greatest sci fi/fantasy shows of all time or is it too convoluted and confusing? Chime in with your thoughts below or at our discussion thread at r/SciFiTV.
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