Over ten years after Fringe stopped airing, the classic sci-fi TV show remains a favorite among fans of the speculative fiction genre. In recent years, sci-fi and fantasy TV series have been growing in popularity and carving out a significant niche. Fringe drew inspiration from classic science fiction television while it was airing, and, in turn, has become a jumping-off point for many modern series that deal with time travel, alternate universes, and investigation. The extensive lore and interconnected timelines on Fringe are some of the best parts of the show and similar series touch upon these topics.

The best episodes of Fringe combine the best of the crime procedural genre with that of sci-fi. As the seasons progressed, Fringe became more focused on season-long arcs and serialized storytelling and fully embraced the most outlandish and unexpected storylines. The ensemble cast of Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble, and Lance Reddick all commit themselves to the increasingly complicated storylines, and Fringe never overwhelms the audience with too much information, always balancing plot with character. Similarly, these sci-fi shows focus on the development of their characters while introducing thought-provoking speculative fiction elements.

10 Timeless (2016–2018)

One of the best time travel TV shows in recent years

Though Timeless only ran for two seasons, it made its mark on television as it leaned heavily into the historical aspects of the story's formula. Like Doctor Who, Timeless saw its characters travel to different moments in time and attempt to blend into their surroundings. However, Timeless had an overarching plot, as the central trio was being sent to foil the plans of a rogue agent with connections to a larger conspiracy. This made for a great conceit and allowed Timeless to play with form and history throughout its run.

In each episode, Timeless fully immerses the viewer in a new part of the past and grows the compelling plot.

Blending sci-fi with crime, Timeless was inspired by Fringe and the other shows that successfully blended genres that came before it. With plenty of action and conflicting personalities, Timeless leaned into its premise, allowing the actors to have fun with it and play with their dynamics. Timeless parallels Fringe with the tension between Lucy (Abigail Spencer) and Wyatt (Matt Lanter), with Rufus (Malcolm Barrett) providing a balance. In each episode, Timeless fully immerses the viewer in a new part of the past and grows the compelling plot.

9 Lost (2004–2010)

Lost hasn't diminished in its ability to compel the audience after many years

Twenty years after Lost first premiered with one of the best TV pilots in history, the show is still making waves and being discussed with just as much fervor. A large part of this is because of the many mysteries and unanswered questions that still plague audience to this day. Lost holds up well after two decades because the series writers and showrunners were skilled at setting up twists and subverting audience expectations many times over.

Fringe has been described as Lost's perfect sci-fi mystery show replacement, as the series premiered during the final few seasons of Lost and touched upon similar themes. The timeline flashbacks, forwards, and sideways are reminiscent of multiple realities, and the explanations for the time travel and physical movement of the island are attributed to scientific theories that could be found in Fringe. However, they're most comparable because both Lost and Fringe aren't afraid to leave the audience on a cliffhanger and slowly hint at the truth behind their mysterious plot points.

8 Flashforward (2009–2010)

After seeing into their futures, the characters in Flashforward have difficult choices to make

Based on the novel of the same name by Robert J. Sawyer, Flashforward is comparable not only to Fringe but also to recent shows like The Leftovers. Though Flashforward is science fiction, it primarily deals with the way people handle having insight into their destinies and the way this affects their lives and relationships. Canceled after one season, Flashforward is a TV series that might have been more successful today since its complex and dramatic narrative is equivalent to some of the most popular sci-fi shows airing today.

While it might seem desirable to know what will happen in six months, this unavoidable glimpse into the future that kicks off the show throws every character into a tailspin.

Like Fringe, Flashforward uses the work of FBI agents as a framing device for the investigative side of its story, with a group of agents looking into explanations about the titular flashforward. While it might seem desirable to know what will happen in six months, this unavoidable glimpse into the future that kicks off the show throws every character into a tailspin. Balancing the character development with the mystery at the heart of the show, Flashforward might be only one season, but it's undeniably memorable.

7 The X-Files (1993–2018)

One of the most timeless sci-fi series of all time

There are few shows as synonymous with crime and science fiction as The X-Files. Starring Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny as agents Scully and Mulder, The X-Files rose to prominence thanks to the dynamic between the lead characters and the equal time given to the fantastical side of belief and the skeptical side of science. The chemistry of Anderson and Duchovny and their characters' positions as foils made each episode of The X-Files feel fresh and new, which was a feat considering its mystery-of-the-week format.

The best episodes of The X-Files have inspired many of the most iconic pieces of sci-fi television since the series premiered, and The X-Files' influence on Fringe is evident. While it would be easy to say that Fringe simply copied The X-Files, this isn't the case. Fringe also used the FBI and had a compelling pair of leads with a will-they-won't-they dynamic, but it leaned much further into the outlandish than The X-Files. Fringe rarely questions the existence of its strange occurrences, while this uncertainty is what The X-Files is based on.

6 Travelers (2016–2018)

Travelers puts a new spin on time travel in this morally complex series

Travelers is a fun exercise in the concept of a double life, as the main characters in the TV series aren't exactly who they say they are. Sent from a post-apocalyptic future to try and prevent the collapse of society, the titular travelers have their consciousness put inside people from the past and must maintain their lives while carrying out their secret mission. This means the actors are playing extremely layered characters and have the tough job of subtly communicating to the audience which persona they're embodying.

Unsurprisingly, it doesn't take long for the travelers to start coming into conflict with their own internal morals and directives and their growing affection for the people in their host body's lives.

Unsurprisingly, it doesn't take long for the travelers to start coming into conflict with their own internal morals and directives and their growing affection for the people in their host body's lives. Just three seasons long, Travelers is easy to binge and develops into a much more complex series by the end of its run. The issue of what it means to be human in the face of such monumental technology is a large part of Travelers and is directly relatable to the discussions found in Fringe, which touches upon time travel as well.

5 The 100 (2014–2020)

A post-apocalyptic TV show that continued reinventing itself

Unlike Fringe, The 100 takes place many years in the future and grapples with the fallout of a post-apocalyptic world. However, the strong female lead of The 100, Clarke, played by Eliza Taylor, is similar to Fringe's Olivia in her determination to lead her team and make sure everyone is treated fairly. Both Olivia and Clarke lose a lot in their quest to make the world a better place and are kept in the dark in the wake of larger conspiracies, making them both relatable and aspirational to the audience.

Like Fringe, The 100 learned to adapt early on and was almost unrecognizable by the series conclusion in season 7. Though The 100 is set in the future, the central characters have to return to humanity's earliest forms of survival as they are resettling the world and discovering how their society will work after living in space for so many years. The 100 incorporates several time jumps, similar to Fringe, and uses these to explore new situations and conflicts for the characters.

4 Alias (2001–2006)

Jennifer Garner leads this spy thriller with sci-fi elements

Despite being best-known for rom-coms and tear-jerker dramas, one of Jennifer Garner's longest stints on television was playing the deadly CIA agent Sydney. Created by J.J. Abrams, Alias sees Sydney grapple with her identity as an agent while trying to balance her normal life. However, Alias doesn't stop there, as each season presents a new twist that leaves Sydney's life upended, as well as her perceptions of her loved ones. Though Alias leans into espionage with lighter sci-fi elements, it's just as thrilling as Fringe.

Family dynamics are a major part of Alias, as Sydney is part of a generational legacy of agents with the skills necessary to be the perfect spy.

Like Fringe, Alias became more serialized as the seasons progressed, especially after the soft reboot in season 3, which also included a time skip, like the final season of Fringe. Family dynamics are a major part of Alias, as Sydney is part of a generational legacy of agents with the skills necessary to be the perfect spy. In Fringe, the father-son relationship between Peter and Walter is a huge part of the story.

3 Orphan Black (2013–2017)

Tatiana Maslany anchors Orphan Black with her incredible performance

Recently brought back with the sequel series, Orphan Black: Echoes, the original Orphan Black is a brilliantly plotted and acted sci-fi series that is the perfect followup to Fringe. Long before she portrayed the protagonist of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Tatiana Maslany was playing Sarah Manning and her many clones. Each clone has distinct personalities, backgrounds, and desires. Without Maslany's work as the clones, Orphan Black wouldn't be half as successful as it became. Additionally, the existence of the clones was only the tip of the iceberg in the story.

Tackling issues of eugenics, conspiracies, and government corruption, Orphan Black dives headfirst into the ethics of the company that created the clones. Orphan Black is similar to the later seasons of Fringe, and the clones' attempts to distinguish their personhood while they clash with each other are reminiscent of the conflicts with the parallel realities in Fringe. Though its original premise was already rich and propelled the series forward for many seasons, Orphan Black continued to reinvent itself throughout the seasons.

2 Severance (2022–Present)

Apple TV's sci-fi thriller is one of the best shows of the decade

As Severance season 2 fast approaches, revisiting the initial season is a great way to all the twists and turns that made the show such a phenomenon. Though it's been a long time since season 1 premiered, this hasn't changed how highly anticipated the next season has been, especially since there are so many unanswered questions that viewers have been left waiting for. In Severance, the sci-fi element comes through in the serving of personalities, whereas in Fringe, the characters are chasing leads about these types of occurrences.

However, the investigation side of the story is made doubly difficult because the characters only have access to one part of themselves at a time and can't share information. The acting, direction, and careful plotting of the story have all received both critical and audience acclaim, and though expectations are high for season 2, it's likely they'll deliver. Touching upon corruption, greed, and grief, Severance uses its uncanny format to deal with such serious themes as Fringe does throughout the seasons.

1 Eureka (2006–2012)

Being a genius isn't always a good thing in this unique crime procedural

It's fun to imagine that there's a secret town full of innovative geniuses out there somewhere, but based on the events of Eureka, that town wouldn't be a very safe place to live. With almost every resident of Eureka dedicating themselves to scientific innovation, there are plenty of experiments gone wrong, and it's up to the less-than-genius sheriff, Jack Carter (Colin Ferguson), to clean up the messes. However, Jack quickly proves that while he might not have the same IQs as the other residents, he still has a lot to offer.

Though Eureka takes on a much more comedic tone than Fringe, that doesn't stop the show from getting serious at times. Due to their outsized abilities, the characters in Eureka are rarely content with letting tragedy and hardship ensure without taking matters into their own hands to change the past. It doesn't take long for their attempts to make the world better, or their secretly selfish plots, to embroil the town in chaos and unexpectedly change the fate of the world.