15 TV Shows To Watch If You Like Blade Runner
By Sam StoneAug. 4, 2026 7:02 pm EST
Filmmaker Ridley Scott’s “Blade Runner” still stands as one of the most definitive depictions of cyberpunk, regardless of medium. This immersive dystopian perspective on the future is coming to television with “Blade Runner 2099” on Prime Video, a limited series set to premiere this November. A sequel to both of the films, the show revolves around the Replicants ruling over humanity in Los Angeles. The show ambitiously advances the post-human existential themes while bringing an intense undercover action narrative to this haunting world.
Cyberpunk has been a rich science fiction aesthetic for television to play in for decades, far from space operas or idealized visions of the future popularized by “Star Trek.” With that in mind, we’re highlighting series that align with the themes, tones, and sci-fi vision that permeate from “Blade Runner.” Be it animation, comedy, or anthology shows, there is no shortage of dystopian sci-fi to watch next. These are 15 TV shows to watch if you like “Blade Runner” and its wondrously dystopian view of the future.
Max Headroom
ABC
An early cyberpunk television debuting five years after “Blade Runner” is “Max Headroom,” spinning off from a 1985 British TV movie. The show’s title character is a digital television personality, based on journalist Ethan Carter, with both personas played by Matt Frewer. Carter’s news reports ruffle the feathers of society’s corporate overlords, but his ratings success keeps Max on the air. The satire runs sharply in these broadcasts, targeting everything from the burgeoning cable television market to the dismal state of modern healthcare.
Looking back, “Max Headroom” is a trippy ’80s sci-fi series that was way ahead of its time, with the show only running for two seasons. The show makes this list because of its coordinated takedown of society’s corporate-fueled ills, just as “Blade Runner” has megacorporate malfeasance inform its world. The clear difference is that “Max Headroom” veers into surrealism with its satire, though still prescient in its concepts of fake news and influencer personas. A cult classic in every sense of the word, “Max Headroom” eventually found its niche audience years after it wrapped.
Æon Flux
MTV
While MTV’s original animated programming is best known for its comedies like “Beavis & Butthead” and “Daria,” it did feature some daring series too. This includes the 1991 sci-fi animated series “Æon Flux,” which ran on MTV for three seasons. The show is named for a secret agent caught in the middle of a war between two city-states in a distant future. These warring factions are populated by everything from clones and lifelike androids to mutants, trying to survive in a technocratic surveillance state.
The most striking thing about “Æon Flux” is its singular art design, evoking German expressionism as it details its future dystopia. The show also benefits from its cable television platform, able to incorporate prominent elements of sexuality and violence as it explores themes about existence and dueling ideologies. The show is also surprisingly postmodern with its depiction, with episodes often lacking discernible dialogue as it weaves various vignettes stemming from its premise. A ’90s sci-fi show that deserves wider recognition today, there is nothing else like “Æon Flux” on television before or since.
Cowboy Bebop (1998)
Sunrise
The 1998 “Cowboy Bebop” is an essential anime series to watch if you’ve never seen an anime show before. The series is set in a future where humanity has colonized most of the solar system, though lawlessness runs rampant in the fringe territories. The story follows protagonist Spike Spiegel and his friends as they complete bounties tracking down notorious criminals around the cosmos. Powering the interplanetary hijinks is a jazzy score composed by Yoko Kanno, including one of the best anime opening title sequences in the history of the medium.
One of the great things about “Cowboy Bebop” is that the tone and genre elements vary between every episode while retaining that futuristic sci-fi baseline. Some episodes are deadly serious neo-noir or psychological horror, while others veer into screwball comedy and space western. But as much as the tone oscillates, the appeal remains constant, maintaining a well-earned swagger and arguably the best-looking anime visuals of the ’90s. Ignore the Netflix live-action “Cowboy Bebop” disowned by the anime director and stick with the fan-favorite original series instead.
Batman Beyond
Warner Bros. Animation
Of all the DC Comics superheroes, there’s just something about Batman that makes the Dark Knight well-suited for a cyberpunk setting. The 1999 DC Animated Universe series “Batman Beyond” recognizes that inherent potential as it reimagines Gotham City through the lens of “Akira.” The show puts Bruce Wayne (Kevin Conroy) in an older mentor role for teenage protege Terry McGinnis (Will Friedle) who dons a hi-tech Batman suit. Terry takes on repurposed versions of Bruce’s old enemies alongside his own supervillains often derived from experimental technology gone wrong.
“Batman Beyond” is one of the best Batman animated shows, completely rethinking what’s possible for the superhero property. Between all the flying cars and cybernetically and genetically enhanced supervillains, the core ethos of Batman remains apparent. This is supported by a voice cast at the top of their game and a genuinely exciting sci-fi revamped vision of Gotham and its colorful denizens. One of the best superhero cartoons of all time, “Batman Beyond” gave the DCAU its second wind with its boldest creative swing.
Dark Angel
Fox
Back in 2000, filmmaker James Cameron and Jessica Alba teamed up for “Dark Angel,” a sci-fi show that perfectly captured late ’90s and early 2000s sensibilities about the era. Set in the then-future of 2019, Alba stars as genetically enhanced supersoldier Max Guevara as the United States recovers from a devastating EMP attack. Max sets out to locate her long-lost siblings from the government program that made her while rooting out the corruption behind it. Backed by an industrial rock soundtrack, characters tending to wear primarily black clothing, and stylized cinematography, “Dark Angel” epitomizes the legacy of “The Matrix” on pop culture.
Presaging her silver screen work, Jessica Alba commands every scene that she appears in, even this early in her career. But for our purposes, “Dark Angel” makes this list because of its depiction of a dystopian sci-fi future with rampant systematic corruption. These are juxtaposed with plenty of choreographed action punctuated by slow-motion cinematography and moody lighting. A product of its time with a heck of a nostalgia factor, “Dark Angel” makes for an enjoyable rewatch
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
Production I.G.
After “Akira,” the anime that best encapsulates modern aesthetics surrounding the cyberpunk genre is “Ghost in the Shell.” Based on the manga by Masamune Shirow, the television series “Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex” followed a 1995 film adaptation. The show follows a team of cybernetically enhanced investigators investigating cyber-crime in the wake of two world wars. The 2002 series also boasts a score composed by Yoko Kanno, reflecting the darker and more morally ambiguous world than her previous work for “Cowboy Bebop.”
Visually sumptuous and boosted by political intrigue and twist-filled investigations into deep-seated conspiracies, “Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex” is one of the best anime of its era. The show’s themes also veer into the transhumanist concepts that “Blade Runner” is known for as the lines between humanity and cybertechnology become blurred. The anime series became a whole sub-franchise for “Ghost in the Shell,” even receiving its own sequel series with “Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045.” A sweeping cyberpunk look at a near-future that’s been richly realized, “Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex” is perfectly accessible to non-anime fans.
Black Mirror
Netflix
The 2011 British anthology series “Black Mirror” isn’t strictly a cyberpunk series, but it certainly revolves around the negative impact of futuristic technology. A more science fiction-oriented twist on “The Twilight Zone,” the series features its own biting commentary on humanity driven home by often dark plot twists. The best “Black Mirror” episodes highlight how modern society has a propensity making us more isolated and desperate for connection. The more incisive the themes, the more that the show excels, with technology just a backdrop for how it observes the human condition.
Every time a new “Black Mirror” season drops on Netflix, it feels like a big deal. That’s really a testament to how well-crafted the anthology series has become, skewering everything from toxic masculinity to social media superficiality. Some of the post-human stories and ideas of identity, like the second season premiere, closely align to the themes in “Blade Runner.” Hauntingly bleak at times, “Black Mirror” is one of those shows that’ll stick with you long after the credits roll
Psycho-Pass
Production I.G.
As the last cyberpunk anime series to be included here, “Psycho-Pass” takes place in a dystopian future vision of Japan. The 2012 series gets its title from a government computer program constantly monitoring the psychological patterns of citizens to determine likelihood for criminal behavior. This story follows a group of police detectives who track and apprehend suspects based on this authoritarian analysis. The show primarily unfolds from the perspective of rookie detective Akane Tsunemori who is pursuing a criminal mastermind who knows how to game this surveillance state’s system.
Yes, “Psycho-Pass” does sound like an anime riff on the 2002 sci-fi movie “Minority Report” on a superficial level, but it looks and feels differently. The series exists largely in the shadows, feeling like the dark counterpart to studio Production I.G.’s previous work with “Ghost in the Shell.” There is a bleak acceptance that permeates through the story, with the government-mandated loss of everyday privacy just a fact of life. Running for a tight two seasons, “Psycho-Pass” offers its own grim vision of a future more likely than we’d care to admit.
Almost Human
Fox
Just as 2017’s “Blade Runner 2049” features a replicant working for the police force, “Almost Human” offers a similar premise. The show is set in a near-future where advances in technology have fueled soaring crime rates nationwide. In response, police officers are assigned lifelike android partners to help them in the field, with the show taking place in New Pittsburgh. Police detective John Kennex (Karl Urban) is paired with synthetic partner Dorian (Michael Ealy), overcoming his misgivings about androids.
Lasting only a single season, “Almost Human” is a sci-fi show that was cancelled way too soon. Urban and Ealy quickly developed a strong on-screen rapport that elevated the show and served as its emotional core. The truncated run only hints at Dorian’s burgeoning sense of identity and rapidly evident empathy in a rare cry from most android depictions. Worth revisiting if you’re willing to buy the episodes digitally, “Almost Human” offered an intriguing premise that was worth delving into further.
Humans
Channel 4/AMC
“Blade Runner,” in all of its forms, has explored questions of what qualifies as being human or the implications of sentience. These themes, within the realm of lifelike androids, also heavily inform the 2015 British series “Humans.” The show follows a group of synthetic individuals in different elements of society linked to the Elster and Hawkins families. These synths have developed their own consciousness, which they initially conceal as they long for freedom from their servile roles
While not as action-packed or pronounced in sci-fi trappings as many of the other shows on this list, “Humans” closely lines up thematically with “Blade Runner.” The series takes a thoughtful approach to its existential questions and its multifaceted perspectives help explore those wider implications. That said, the suspense and conflict is still definitely there, though on more of a slow-burn as the synths advance their clandestine agenda. A more maturely developed take on androids and their burgeoning sense of agency and individuality, “Humans” is a solid three-season watch.
Mr. Robot
Elizabeth Fisher/USA Network
Offering a more grounded take on the genre, but with no less compelling stakes, “Mr. Robot” veers more into techno-thriller territory than outright cyberpunk. That said, the show contains similar themes and tones as stories like “Blade Runner” and its society mired in unchecked corruption. The show revolves around hacktivist Elliot Alderson (Rami Malek) who works with the mysterious online anarchist Mr. Robot (Christian Slater). The duo are part of a collective who expose malfeasance from various sinister institutions, most notably the financial firm E Corp.
While the techno-thriller elements of “Mr. Robot” are a highlight, the show’s really a showcase for its cast, especially Malek. With Alderson suffering from severe neurodivergent symptoms, we see this world of corporate intrigue and white-collar crime from a thoroughly unique perspective. This expands as the stakes escalate, particularly in the show’s final two seasons as the Aldersons take on someone just as cunning and calculating as them. “Mr. Robot” ran on the USA Network for four seasons, telling a satisfying story with cyberspace as its battlefield populated by online vigilantes.
Westworld
HBO
Along with “Humans,” “Westworld” has the premise and themes that most closely align to “Blade Runner” than any other show on this list. Like the 1973 movie it’s based on, “Westworld” revolves around elaborate theme parks populated by lifelike synthetic beings, known as hosts. Where the HBO series takes this premise to the next level is by placing the hosts as the protagonists. That means as the hosts gain self-awareness and agency, they lead an all-out revolution against their corporate human overseers.
Just like “Blade Runner” fans still debating if Harrison Ford’ Deckard is a replicant or not, so much of the early “Westworld” seasons revolve around which characters are actually hosts. This ties into themes over what constitutes humanity and sentience, often led by the revolutionary host Dolores Abernathy (Evan Rachel Wood). In that sense the show’s take on the source material subverts expectations every step of the way, using its premise as a springboard into deeper, more existential themes.
Altered Carbon
Netflix
In terms of cyberpunk aesthetics in live-action television, the show that most visibly resembles “Blade Runner” is “Altered Carbon.” The 2018 Netflix original series takes place in a distant future where individuals can digitally store their consciousness into implants transferred to host bodies, essentially making them immortal. This premise also allows the show to rotate lead actors between seasons, as detective and one-time revolutionary Takeshi Kovacs navigates this harsh future. Both seasons also revolve around a mystery, with the first involving Kovacs investigating a murder and the second following him as he searches for a former lover.
“Altered Carbon” is one of the best sci-fi shows streaming on Netflix, though it only lasted two seasons before being cancelled. Thematically, the show explores a world where the wealth divide and rampant corruption remains unchecked, something echoing the corporate malfeasance in “Blade Runner.” The series’ mystery overtones also lets it lean heavily into futuristic neo-noir, made all the more evocative by the cinematic production values. One of the most ambitiously staged Netflix original series, “Altered Carbon” puts its own twist on cyberpunk.
Love, Death & Robots
Netflix
One of the best sci-fi anthology TV shows ever made is “Love, Death & Robots,” which premiered on Netflix in 2019. Each episode features a different sci-fi tale, some ranging in tone from thrilling otherworldly action and slapstick comedy to cosmic horror and philosophical contemplation. For the purposes of this list, there are episodes that explore transhumanist themes, most notably “Zima Blue.” But even beyond stories involving androids and cybernetically enhanced individuals, the show does offer thought-provoking questions about the nature of sentience.
The best episodes of “Love, Death & Robots” feel like standalone short films that push the technical boundaries of modern animation. I’ll always have a soft spot for “Beyond the Aquila Rift” and its nightmarish twist, but the show brings the heat every season. Produced by Blur Studio, the series features some of the most gorgeous animation ever to grace television, elevating every story. An anthology series that leaves viewers hooked, “Love, Death & Robots” is the perfect binge-watch, while bringing interesting ideas to the table.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Netflix
The popular 2020 video game “Cyberpunk 2077” inspired the 2022 Netflix original anime series “Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.” Like the video game source material, the show is set in a sprawling metropolis known as Night City run by unscrupulous megacorporations. The story centers on David Martinez, a teenager whose life is derailed by random street violence. After having his body enhanced by advanced cybernetic implants, David falls in with a gang pulling off heists around the city. Fans of the game will recognize many elements in the series, including the adversary that proves to be formidable even for David’s futuristic enhancements.
There is a punk rock energy to “Cyberpunk: Edgerunners” in visible contrast to more polished modern anime series. The action sequences are colorfully chaotic and the lead characters are deeply flawed and messy in their respective ways. But Night City as a whole feels in line with the futuristic metropolises seen throughout “Blade Runner,” where megacorporations run amuck unchecked and human existence is merged with machinery. A must-watch Netflix series you can binge in one day, “Cyberpunk: Edgerunners” is one of the best anime shows in recent memory.
