When it comes to television, an easy way to keep audiences tuned in is to tell a story, or stories, from beginning to end, in a linear format that is easy to understand, yet still immersive and entertaining. This can still be hard to master, though, and is more of a general guideline than an outright rule. As such, some shows have decided not to follow said guideline, and create narratives that are intentionally mind-bending.
More often than not, this actually adds to the rewatch value, because it keeps viewers guessing and encourages them to really think about what they’re watching. It is definitely a successful formula, as many shows in the sci-fi genre have adopted this form of storytelling to create intricate worlds wherein nothing is as it seems. These are the most mind-bending sci-fi shows, which are intentionally complex so as to keep the viewer hooked.
10 ‘Dark’ (2017-2020)
Created by Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese
Dark is a German show that follows children living in a sleepy little town who begin to mysteriously vanish, one by one. As the town investigates these sinister disappearances, family secrets are revealed, unraveling a mystery that goes back for generations. This is more than the work of a serial killer–this is something much bigger. The show paves the way for wormholes, time travel, and parallel dimensions that show the town as being more than meets the eye.
Horror maestro Stephen King had nothing but positive things to say about the show, praising it for its complex narrative that will always leave its audiences guessing and scratching their heads in bewilderment. King noted that it is helpful to have a sort of recap or guide on hand to follow along, because it certainly isn’t easy to follow, otherwise.
- Release Date
- December 1, 2017
- Cast
- Louis Hofmann , Karoline Eichhorn , Maja Schöne , Jordis Triebel
- Seasons
- 3
9 ‘The OA’ (2016-2019)
Created by Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij
The OA follows Prairie Johnson (Brit Marling), a woman who has been believed missing for seven long years, finally returning to her hometown. But something is different about her. She prefers to be called “OA,” standing for “original anger,” and is covered in a series of scars that were not there before her disappearance. Even more confusing is that she was previously blind, but can now, miraculously, see everything perfectly.
Eventually, the story introduces alternate dimensions, explaining some of what happened to Prairie. But this revelation makes things far less comprehensible, opening the gates for a narrative that could befuddle anyone. Reviews were excellent, and the show’s premature cancellation was met with a massive response, mostly by fans who were upset with this decision. Even though the cancellation came too early, the show is still rewatchable due to how mind-bending it really is.
- Release Date
- December 16, 2016
- Seasons
- 2
8 ‘From’ (2022-)
Created by John Griffin
From stars Harold Perrineau as Boyd, a self-appointed sheriff of a remote town in the United States, who suddenly discovers that he, along with the other residents that look to him for protection, are trapped within the confines of the township, and are physically incapable of leaving due to the nocturnal nightmares that prowl the surrounding forests.
One of the best horror shows of all time, From is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, hidden beneath a huge enigma that audiences will likely struggle to crack on their own. Nothing is quite as it seems in this show, and even the most clever people will likely find themselves bewildered by all of the unanswered questions and potential answers that lead to nowhere.
- Release Date
- February 20, 2022
- Creator(s)
- John Griffin
- Cast
- Harold Perrineau , Catalina Sandino Moreno , Eion Bailey , David Alpay , Elizabeth Saunders , Shaun Majumder , Scott McCord , Ricky He , Chloe Van Landschoot , Pegah Ghafoori , Corteon Moore , Hannah Cheramy , Simon Webster , Avery Konrad , Paul Zinno
- Seasons
- 3
7 ‘Maniac’ (2018)
Created by Patrick Somerville
Maniac is a miniseries starring Emma Stone and Jonah Hill that is based on a Norwegian TV series of the same name. The two actors star as Annie and Owen, respectively, living in a dystopian version of New York that has capitalized just about anything that can be capitalized on. The two opt to take part in a grueling medical trial, which takes them on a journey through hallucinations resembling other worlds and strange timelines.
Stone was endlessly commended for her performance as Annie, and the show was praised for improving upon the original series and helping to bring it to a wider audience. There are a lot of dramatic and grimly comedic moments in the show, and its surrealism is strangely engrossing, which leaves viewers eager to see what will happen to the cast next, and what the purpose of this medical trial even is. Naturally, because of its surreal aspects, it is not one that can be kept on as background noise while cleaning the house, otherwise the viewer will never be able to understand it.
- Release Date
- September 21, 2018
- Seasons
- 1
6 ‘Doctor Who’ (1963-)
Created by Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber, and Donald Wilson
Doctor Who has tried a whole bunch of different concepts since its inception in the early 60s. Following the shape-shifting time lord known only as “The Doctor,” the show contains aspects of time travel, alternate dimensions, and extra-terrestrial life forms, weaving a complex narrative that could take days to fully decipher. The narrative is so large and intricate that fans keep coming back to it to find out how it will all connect, which allows the show to add even more to the story.
Doctor Who consistently gives the vibe that human beings aren’t necessarily meant to fully grasp the show because it occurs in a dimension beyond human cognitive capability. For example, people can only perceive time as going forward but can understand how it can go backward. In Doctor Who, however, time isn’t always linear, and can often move upwards, downwards, or even sideways, which is really hard to comprehend. Still, it is a show that is as consistently entertaining as it is mystifying, and there’s never really a dull moment.
- Release Date
- December 25, 2023
- Creator(s)
- Donald Wilson , Sydney Newman
- Cast
- Ncuti Gatwa , Millie Gibson , Susan Twist , Michelle Greenidge , Angela Wynter , Jemma Redgrave , Yasmin Finney , Anita Dobson
- Seasons
- 2
5 ‘Russian Doll’ (2019-2022)
Created by Natasha Lyonne, Leslye Headland, and Amy Poehler
If there’s one thing that never fails to confuse people, it’s a narrative based on time loops. Enter Russian Doll, a series about a woman named Nadia (Natasha Lyonne), who dies on her 36th birthday. She doesn’t stay that way for long, though, as she is repeatedly brought back from death, forced to relive her last day on Earth over and over and over again whilst trying to figure out how and why this is happening.
Things quickly go from straightforward to convoluted, as Nadia begins to encounter alternate versions of herself from the time loop, and meets a man who is having a similar experience without really knowing why, or how they might be interconnected. This show is highly rewatchable, mostly because of how easy it is for the viewer to lose their way, requiring them to go back and give it another go just to understand what’s happening.
- Release Date
- February 1, 2019
- Creator
- Leslye Headland, Natasha Lyonne, Amy Poehler
- Seasons
- 2
Watch on Netflix
4 ‘The Outer Limits’ (1963-1965)
Created by Leslie Stevens
The Outer Limits is an anthology TV show about aliens and government conspiracies that begins each episode with a fourth wall break about the government taking control of the viewer’s television to display the show to them on a weekly basis. Taking elements of horror and sci-fi, the show was heavily compared to other popular shows of the time, but the truth is, it is worlds apart from anything else that viewers have likely seen before.
As was becoming popular on TV at the time, the show liked to give insightful commentaries into oppressive and controlling governments, with many narratives taking multiple twists and turns to make more of an impact on the viewer. Sure, the practical effects for aliens or monsters are thoroughly unconvincing in the modern day, but the actual storyline is still bizarre and chilling in every way.
The Outer Limits
- Release Date
- March 26, 1995
- Cast
- Kevin Conway , Alex Diakun
- Seasons
- 7
3 ‘Black Mirror’ (2011-)
Created by Charlie Brooker
Black Mirror is a sci-fi thriller anthology series that commonly explores the bond between technological advancement and human society, with many episodes exploring the potential dangers that come with the overabundance of technology. Most episodes are speculative, revolving around a central “what if?” question that helps drive the plot forward, and which usually occurs in some sort of dystopian version of current reality.
Black Mirror is heavily critical of capitalism, consumerism, and government surveillance, exploring a multitude of potential futures in which technology has taken over more than it already has. These impactful narratives really provoke thought in the minds of the viewers, which are exacerbated by the multiple weaving narratives, many of them confusing. Black Mirror is a show that rings true in a lot of ways, but will also require the viewers’ full attention, and a lot of thinking.
- Release Date
- December 4, 2011
- Rating
- Seasons
- 5
2 ‘The Twilight Zone’ (1959-1964)
Created by Rod Serling
The Twilight Zone original series from the 50s and 60s is an anthology series that borrows elements of horror, sci-fi, and fantasy to deliver a series of twisted stories that will leave viewers questioning the very fabric of reality. Each episode follows ordinary people who find themselves in bizarre circumstances, which usually come with some sort of profound commentary about modern society.
With time jumps, aliens from beyond, alternate dimensions, and more, there’s really no limit to what the show will think up next. As such, many of its episodes don’t just strike a chord, but they also cause audiences to tie their brains into knots trying to figure out just what the heck is going on, and what all the cryptic symbolism and events really mean. Its endless potential for theories and debate is precisely the reason it has held up so well 60 years later.
The Twilight Zone (1959)
- Release Date
- October 2, 1959
- Creator
- Rod Serling
- Cast
- Rod Serling , Jack Klugman , Burgess Meredith , John Anderson
- Seasons
- 5
Watch on Pluto
1 ‘Twin Peaks’ (1990-1991)
Created by Mark Frost and David Lynch
Twin Peaks is the short-lived, yet iconic surrealist mystery series notorious for breaking viewers’ brains. Co-created by David Lynch, infamous for his mind-bending narratives, the show is very subtle in its supernatural and sci-fi elements, though they are still eventually made apparent. Set in the fictional town of the same name, Twin Peaks opens with a murder mystery that gradually spirals into elaborate plots and sinister secrets.
Twin Peaks is so confounding because of its style. The cinematography, editing, and set design are all intended to be uncanny, meaning that everything looks familiar, yet alien at the same time. There are lots of bizarre moments and sequences, making the whole show feel like one really bad acid trip. This has helped revolutionize it as a cult classic, one that is just as confusing now as it was 30 years ago. It continues to befuddle audiences without providing any real answers, which is what makes this one the most mind-bending sci-fi show ever made.
- Release Date
- April 8, 1990
- Creator
- Mark Frost and David Lynch
- Seasons
- 3
