If you're still waiting for the eventual alien invasion, it's time to look back on some of the best alien invasion shows out there! These are the television equivalents to peak alien invasion films like Independence Day, War of the Worlds, and Mars Attacks! that often push science-fiction to the limit, with compelling characters, ahead of their time stories, and magnificent world building that keeps us on our toes.
While there are a lot of science-fiction series out there that involve interstellar travel, alien species, and space invasions (various Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate, and Battlestar Galactica series all come to mind), these are the best alien invasion series that our generation has to offer, and they're worth every minute!
Falling Skies (2011-2015)
If you're looking for the ultimate alien invasion series that echoes the American Revolution, then Falling Skies is the show for you. Led by The Librarian star Noah Wyle, Falling Skies takes place in Boston, Massachusetts just six months after a mysterious race called the Espheni invaded Earth. This Steven Spielberg-produced post-apocalyptic series is one of the best in the genre, covering everything from advanced alien technology and human-alien hybrids to interstellar travel and so much more. With a powerful ensemble cast that includes Moon Bloodgood, Will Patton, and Colin Cunningham, you won't want to stop watching this TNT drama.
What makes the series really work is Tom Mason (Wyle) and his relationship with his three sons, which always holds the narrative together. This is ultimately a story of fatherhood and family, which serves to unite unlikely allies and push the 2nd Mass straight into victory. After watching, you'll want to fight some "Skitters" yourself.
Invasion (2005-2006)
No, we're actually not talking about the AppleTV+ series of the same name. In fact, we're actually talking about the short-lived 2005 series also titled Invasion. Its short lifespan aside, Invasion was a compelling sci-fi drama that aired on ABC right after Lost, which was honestly a mistake since both shows were pretty mythology-heavy. The series followed the inhabitants of a small Florida town in the aftermath of a hurricane where alien creatures slowly began to take over people's bodies in traditional Invasion of the Body Snatchers fashion. As Sheriff Tom Underlay (William Fichtner) and park ranger Russell Varon (Eddie Cibrian) navigate the high strangeness of their small town, they discover that things are even weirder than they seem.
Unfortunately, Invasion was one of those shows that just aired at the wrong time. Hurricane Katrina had just devastated the southern states only weeks prior, and most of the series' initial marketing was centered around the cataclysmic event. Still, it's an excellent series that makes us a bit more cautious when we go near the water.
V (1983-1984, 2009-2011)
The plot of V is simple, alien Visitors arrive from space as "friends" who wish to help our planet, heal our children, and give us vast knowledge that we otherwise would have never known. The downside, these aliens are actually man-eating lizard monsters who want to eat us! The original 1983 miniseries, which was based on the events surrounding World War II and the Cold War, was an instant hit. This led to an immediate sequel miniseries the following year called V: The Final Battle, and not long after that, V: The Series was greenlit and aired for a season on NBC.
The franchise was eventually rebooted by ABC in 2009 with a short-lived "V-boot" that starred Elizabeth Mitchell and Morena Baccarin. The reboot series was pretty great though, heavily modernizing the V concept for contemporary audiences while creating compelling characters to root for. It's honestly just as good as the originals.
Colony (2015-2018)
Colony was a three-season USA Network series about a family fighting to stay together in the wake of an alien invasion that spawned a new world order. Based on historic Nazi-occupied France, the Los Angeles locals all live under a dystopian martial law led by the Transitional Authority, who in turn serve their alien overlords "the Hosts." What makes this show work is the husband-wife duo of Will (Josh Holloway) and Katie Bowman (Sarah Wayne Callies), who go from being on opposite sides of the conflict to working together, with lots more drama to come.
This one is truly thought-provoking, with lots of character drama to keep you invested through the end. The special effects are phenomenal, but more importantly, Will and Katie's journey makes you hope and pray that aliens never come. Sadly, Colony was canceled on a cliffhanger, but that doesn't make the series any less binge worthy.
Childhood's End (2015)
Based on the 1953 Arthur C. Clarke classic, Childhood's End was a three-part miniseries that asked what would happen if aliens invaded our world, cured our diseases, and stopped all wars? Well, like the original novel, the SyFy series does a fascinating job working through the answer. Using what has been described as a type of "supernaturalism," we quickly see how the world has sensationalized the Overlords, putting them on a higher pedestal than necessary, and being shocked beyond belief when they're officially revealed.
The use of practical effects for his character actually looks pretty good and makes Karellen (Charles Dance) a dangerous force to be reckoned with. While some fans have criticized the series for its updates to the source material, Childhood's End proves itself time and again to be the best live-action adaptation we could ask for.
Defiance (2013-2015)
This SyFy series was a sci-fi western that took place on a post-apocalyptic Earth that has been invaded by various alien species who have terraformed the world. Defiance is set in the city formerly known as St. Louis, the series follows lawkeeper Joshua Nolan (Grant Bowler), his adopted alien daughter Irisa (Stephanie Leonidas), and the town's new mayor Amanda Rosewater (Julie Benz) as they navigate their strange new world. This three-season series is not one to miss, with expert-level world building, an exciting mythology, and characters you can root for.
What initially set Defiance apart from other shows at the time was its companion video game, which continued past the series' third and final season. While the MMO shut down in 2021, Defiance has remained one of SyFy's best and is still to this day one of the best alien invasion shows out there.
BrainDead (2016)
A quirky alien invasion series unlike any other, BrainDead is actually a political satire that follows documentary filmmaker Laurel Healy (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) as she stumbles upon a conspiracy on Capitol Hill where alien bugs have actively infected members of Congress. This is an alien invasion series is kinda wack as the bugs slowly begin to take control over the country, resulting in things like a government shut down, serious torture, and plans for an eventual takeover. But as the bugs slowly eat the brains of the Republicans and Democrats they inhabit, Laurel and her friends fight to stop the alien bug Queen before her ultimate plans can hatch.
This comedic triumph actively uses music to propel the narrative, such as The Cars' song "You Might Think," which plays as a leitmotif for characters who are infected by the bugs, or singer-songwriter Jonathan Coulton who wrote a "previously on..." song for every episode and an epilogue for the finale.
People of Earth (2016-2017)
Speaking of strange alien invasion shows, People of Earth is a sci-fi comedy from TBS that follows journalist Ozzie Graham (Wyatt Cenac) as he joins a support group for people who have been abducted by aliens called "StarCrossed." As he hears the group's stories, he begins to recall lost memories of his own where he realizes he's also an alien abductee. Throughout the show, we learn that the greys, whites, and reptilians have formed the "Trinity Federation," an alliance where they will work together to conquer Earth.
People of Earth was a quirky little show that ran for two seasons before it was renewed for a third, only to be canceled after the series was written but before production. While we might never know what became of the "StarCrossed" groupies, we can still enjoy the oddball ride that sent us right back into the darkest depths of space.
Resident Alien (2021-Present)
Branded as a "sci-fi murder mystery doctor dramedy," Resident Alien is SyFy's latest gem, headlined by Alan Tudyk who plays an alien named Harry who accidentally crashed in small-town Colorado only to help the locals solve their own mysteries while trying to carry out his mission as a scout for an impending alien invasion. Based on a Dark Horse comic, Resident Alien pushes the boundaries of what an alien invasion series can be, showing that it's possible for the invasive species to maybe change their minds about taking over our blue little planet.
This is the only series on the list that's still ongoing, and the second season looks to be just as exciting as the last. This show might start out as a small-town alien mystery series, but it's quickly gearing up for a full-scale invasion as Harry must choose between his initial mission and those he's come to care for.
Taken (2002)
Another Spielberg production, Taken was a ten-part miniseries that aired on the Sci-Fi Channel (before it was rebranded as SyFy) in December 2002. The miniseries chronicled the experience of three different families from 1944 to 2002, all with a direct connection to the Roswell crash and the aliens involved. The Crawford family worked to cover up the crash, the Key family were composed of alien abductees, and the Clarkes sheltered one from the crash. Due to each episode jumping forward in time, the series had an incredibly large cast that included the likes of Dakota Fanning (who also narrates), Joel Gretsch, Eric Close, Heather Donahue, and others.
Taken is a compelling look at how the alien phenomena can shape the lives of those directly affected. While there might not be a full-scale invasion on display here, the possible looming threat hangs over our character's heads as members of Allie Key's (Fanning) family are abducted consistently.
Roswell (1999-2002, 2019-Present)
The original Roswell is a sci-fi classic that followed a group of young human/alien hybrids who work to keep themselves undiscovered in the town of Roswell, New Mexico. Now, you'd think that they would have moved from the "UFO capital of the world" to avoid attention, but alas... Roswell might not be as straightforward an alien invasion series compared to others, as aliens "invade" much more subtly here, but that breeds a different sort of exciting television. Plus, there's a lot of teenage romance that will make the heart throb for more.
While the original Roswell is in a league of its own and sort of paved the way for shows like Smallville or Kyle XY, the series was recently remade by the CW as Roswell, New Mexico, which follows a similar story (though the lead characters have been aged-upwards) but with some updated twists.
The X-Files (1993-2002, 2016-2018)
Okay, so The X-Files doesn't really feature an "alien invasion" proper (unless you count Mulder's dream in "The Sixth Extinction II: Amor Fati"), but one could argue that the Syndicate's vast multi-governmental alien conspiracy headlined by the Cigarette-Smoking Man (William B. Davis) is a form of invasion, just a more subtle and less violent. As FBI Agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) spend nearly nine seasons solving strange cases, they eventually learn of an impending invasion (seen in the original series finale "The Truth") and do their best to expose the alien-human hybrids trying to colonize Earth.
There's a lot to love about The X-Files, and even if it doesn't live up to all their alien invasion promises, and still hasn't (come on Chris Carter!), it's still a compelling ride that worked hard to "sophisticate" the science-fiction genre. Plus, Mulder and Scully are some of the best fictional characters that television has to offer.