The best sci-fi movies and TV shows on Paramount Plus in April

We've discovered all the best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Paramount Plus, so while it's still cold outside, sit back and go boldly where you've never gone before without getting off the sofa.

First and foremost, Paramount Plus is the home of 'Star Trek' as there's a ton of new (and old) favorites ready to stream from start to finish. Whether you want to watch new series like 'Star Trek: Discovery' or 'Picard' or take it way back (and into the future) and watch the original series from the beginning, here is the place to do it. 

It's also worth noting that 'Halo' is also on Paramount Plus. The television show is based on the iconic video game as we follow Master Chief during a time that Earth comes under threat from aliens.

We've split this guide up into categories, so navigation is made a lot easier. Outside of Star Trek and Halo, there's plenty of sci-fi blockbusters, heart-felt stories and binge worthy TV shows for you to stream. There's definitely something for everyone below, regardless of what you're looking for so make sure to have a good look at what the streaming platform has to offer. 

If you want to check out what great sci-fi content other platforms has to offer, then check out our guides for the best sci-fi movies and TV shows on Disney Plus, Netflix and Amazon Prime. However, for the best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Paramount Plus, read on below. 

Star Trek

1) 'Star Trek' Original Movies

• Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, (more)
• Directors: Robert Wise, Nicholas Meyer, Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner 
• Release: 1979-1991 

A huge reason for getting Paramount Plus is that it's the home of all things Star Trek and that's the case with the movies. All six original movies from The Motion Picture to The Undiscovered Country are available to stream.

With these movies you'll see the original crew of the USS Enterprise in all their glory as they set-off to save Earth, travel further afield and face new challenges and foes. The six movies are based off the original TV series, feature the same cast and span 12 years, from 1979 to 1991.  

2) 'Star Trek' The Next Generation Movies

• Cast: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Michael Dorn, Brent Spiner, (more)
• Directors: David Carson, Jonathan Frakes, Stuart Baird
• Release: 1994-2002

In 'The Next Generation' Patrick Stewart plays the role of Jean-Luc Picard and becomes an instant fan-favorite. The four instalments in this era of Star Trek movies sees the English actor play the iconic role as the next generation of Star Trek heroes attempt to save earth, bring peace in different parts of the universe and encounter new and troublesome foes. 

These four movies were generally well received, despite criticism for 'Nemesis' and if you're a fan of Star Trek, worth the watch. The Next Generation era featured four movies based on the television series spanning from 1994-2002.

3) 'Star Trek' Kelvin Timeline Movies

• Cast: Zachary Quinto, Chris Pine, Simon Pegg, John Cho, (more)
• Directors: J.J. Abrams, Justin Lin
• Release: 2009

This new era of Star Trek movies is referred to as the Kelvin timeline by many, named after the USS Kelvin, a space ship named after J.J Abrams' grandfather. This series of movies is still ongoing as the fourth instalment was set for a December 2023 release, however that is now delayed. 

These films are a revival of the originals and cast much younger actors than the originals with updated looks to costumes and the interior of the Enterprise. Critically, these movies were well received with the first instalment being arguably the best Star Trek movie to be made. 

4) 'Star Trek' The Original Series

• Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, (more)
• Seasons: Three
• First Release: 1969

This is where the (unquestionably) most Iconic sci-fi franchise in television history all began as the USS Enterprise takes the crew and the science fiction genre boldly where no man has gone before. 

79 episodes of action, adventure, good humor and compelling story telling are available to stream on Paramount Plus. Join Captain Kirk, Spock, Scotty, Sulu, Uhura, Chekov and others as they seek out new life and civilizations in space: the final frontier. 

5) 'Star Trek' The Next Generation

• Cast: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Michael Dorn, Brent Spiner, (more)
• Seasons: Seven
• First Release: 1987

Some will argue that The Next Generation is as iconic as the original series - it certainly helped the franchise stand the test of time. Here we have instantly recognizable characters including Jean-Luc Picard, Worf, Geordi La Forge, Data/Lore and more. 

The new crew go on their adventures about a hundred years after the events of the original series. More compelling story telling, good humor, action and adventure mean you get to sit back and enjoy more USS Enterprise action for more than 170 episodes. 

6) 'Star Trek' Deep Space Nine

• Cast: Avery Brooks, Rene Auberjonois, Cirroc Lofton, Colm Meaney, (more)
• Seasons: Seven
• First Release: 1993

One of the more, if not the most, underappreciated and underrated entries into the Star Trek universe. Deep Space Nine is set in the 24th century and unlike its predecessors, is set on a space station rather than a travelling ship. It's also the first Star Trek series to have an African American actor as the central character. 

Like The Next Generation, there's seven series for you to enjoy here and it's likely that you will as it was nominated for Emmy Awards in every year of its run. Throughout the series you'll see stories of adventure, war and conflict all tied in with the usual humor and good story telling. 

7) 'Star Trek' Voyager

• Cast: Kate Mulgrew, Robert Beltran, Roxann Dawson, Ethan Phillips, (more)
• Seasons: Seven
• First Release: 1995

Released to run at the same time as Deep Space Nine, Stark Trek Voyager also got seven seasons and took the franchise into the new millennium. The series was generally well received and was notable (along with its overall quality) for having a more gender-balanced cast. 

The adventures start as USS Voyager departs Deep Space Nine in search of a missing ship in the Badlands. From there, the ship is overrun by a powerful energy and the surviving crew are trapped tens of thousands of lightyears from Earth. 

8) 'Star Trek' Enterprise 

• Cast: Scott Bakula, John Billingsley, Jolene Blalock, Dominic Keating, (more)
• Seasons: Four
• First Release: 2001

Enterprise, as it was initially known, is set about 100 years before the events of the original series. It's a prequel that follows the adventures of Earth's first starship that can travel at warp five and its crew. 

The show received mixed reaction across its four seasons with a slump in season two before picking back up. The first two seasons showcase stand alone episodes while more plot-driven adventures are had in three and four. It can definitely be argued that the show was cancelled despite improvements and enjoyability. 

9) 'Star Trek' Discovery

• Cast: Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug James, Anthony Rapp, Emily Coutts, (more)
• Series: four (ongoing)
• First Release: 2017

And so, onto the new era of Star Trek television series, which has to be said, is pretty good. Star Trek Discovery is set on board the starship Discovery and takes place ten years before the events of the original series. Without giving away too much, the Discovery does travel to the 32nd century, which is the setting for proceeding series. 

Star Trek Discovery is notable for its widely diverse cast and genuinely good quality storytelling. It's been nominated for - and won - numerous Primetime Emmy Awards as well as receiving other accolades.  

10) 'Star Trek' Picard

• Cast: Patrick Stewart, Alisson Pill, Michelle Hurd, Santiago Cabrera, (more)
• Seasons: Three (ongoing)
• First Release: 2020

Patrick Stewart reprises his role as Jean-Luc Picard for a television series beginning 20 years after the events in Star Trek: Nemesis, with each season exploring different aspects of the character in his old age as he is deeply affected by the death of 'Data' and the destruction of 'Romulus.' 

It's another well received into the Star Trek universe, one we like a lot too, and the good news is that season three started up in February of 2023. 

11) 'Star Trek' Lower Decks

• Cast: Tawny Newsome, Jack Quaid, Noël Wells, Eugene Cordero, (more)
• Seasons: Three (ongoing)
• First Release: 2020

This animated entry into the Star Trek universe is a bit different but definitely refreshing. While most series center around senior officers or captains onboard a starship, 'Lower Decks' focuses on those who work below deck who carry out medial jobs. 

This series is set in the 24th century and focuses low ranking officials on board one of Starfleet's least important starships, the USS Cerritos. There is currently three seasons of this show with a fourth instalment on the way. 

12) 'Star Trek' Prodigy

• Cast: Rylee Alazraqui, Dee Bradley Baker, Brett Gray, Angus Imrie, (more)
• Seasons: One (ongoing)
• First release: 2021

This fun animated entry into the Star Trek universe tells the story of runaway teenagers who have escaped imprisonment and stumble across an abandoned ship, the USS Protostar. They must work together despite their differences in order to escape the planet they're imprisoned on and go on adventures of their own. 

13) 'Star Trek' Strange New Worlds

• Cast: Melissa Navia, Anson Mount, Ethan Peck, Jess Bush, (more)
• Seasons: One (ongoing)
• First Release: 2022

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is a prequel to the original series, set in the decade leading up to the adventures of Captain Kirk, Scotty, Sulu et al. As well as being a prequel, this series is also a spin-off from Star Trek: Discovery which sees some of the same characters explore new worlds onboard the USS Enterprise. 

Halo

1) 'Halo'

• Cast: Pablo Schreiber, Shabana Azmi, Natasha Culzac, Olive Gray, (more)
• Seasons: One 
• First Release: 2022

Okay so this section is a little short but worthy of it's own section nevertheless. Paramount Plus is where you can stream the brand new series based on the iconic video game that follows the adventures of Master Chief. This sci-fi action series already has a second season confirmed and will center around aliens threatening the existence of the human race. 

Transformers

1) 'Transformers' Revenge of the Fallen

• Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, (more)
• Director: Michael Bay
• Release: 2009

There's a good selection of the Transformers films available to stream on Paramount Plus and you can check them out here. The sequel to the first movie in this series, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen follows Sam Witwicky, who is seeking a normal life before cryptic symbols fill his head and he is dragged back into the Transformers' war. He is targeted by the Decepticons after he left the Autobots behind. 

2) 'Transformers' Dark of the Moon

• Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, (more)
• Director: Michael Bay
• Release: 2011

Following on from Revenge of the Fallen, Dark of the Moon continues the story of this saga as the Autobots learn of a mysterious spacecraft hidden on the moon and race against the Decepticons to reach it and learn its secrets. Just like the other films in the saga, you'll get plenty of sci-fi action in this story. 

3) 'Transformers' Age of Extinction

• Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Nicola Peltz Beckham, Jack Reynor, Stanley Tucci, (more)
• Director: Michael Bay
• Release: 2014

This instalment sees Mark Wahlberg play the lead role for the first time in the franchise as Age of Extinction offers up more action, more sci-fi cinematography and more transformers. 

Humanity turns to a bounty hunter to help with their pursuit of Optimus Prime, but when the Autobots learn of this, they turn to a mechanic and his family for help. 

Best sci-fi movies on Paramount Plus

1) 'A.I. Artificial Intelligence' 

• Cast: Hayley Joel Osment, Jude Law, Frances O'Conner, Sam Robards, (more)
• Director: Steven Spielberg
• Release: 2001

This heartfelt sci-fi drama was nominated for two Oscars and the story follows a highly advanced robotic boy who wants to become human in order to regain the love of his mother. 

This film is set in the 22nd century where climate change has raised sea levels, wiped out sea levels and reduced the human population. Humanoid robots are have been created and David, a prototype child capable of love, is given to Henry and Monica after their son contracted a rare disease. 

2) 'War of the Worlds'

• Cast: Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Tim Robbins, Maranda Otto, (more)
• Director: Steven Spielberg 
• Release: 2005

Another entry into our guide from director Steven Spielberg, this time nominated for three Oscars. This cinematic adaptation of the classic novel from H.G Wells tells the story of an Alien invasion on earth and the desperate fight for survival is told through the eyes of an American family. Alien war machines go around destroying neighborhoods and disintegrating humans following multiple flashes of lightning which cause an EMP, completely frying most electronic devices.

3) 'Event Horizon'

• Cast: Laurence Fishburne, Sam Neill, Jason Isaacs, Kathleen Quinlan, (more)
• Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
• Release: 1997

This sci-fi thriller features a well-known cast and tells the story of a crew onboard a spaceship that disappears down a black hole, but when it returns it has someone or something new onboard too. 

Set in 2047, a distress signal is received from the space ship Event Horizon and upon it's re-emergence around Neptune, a rescue vessel is sent to investigate it. However, the crew onboard the rescue vessel are greeted by a scene of a massacre when they reach the ship.

4) 'Apex'

• Cast: Bruce Willis, Neal McDonough, Corey Large, Alexia Fast, (more)
• Director: Edward Drake
• Release: 2021

A more recent entry here, starring Bruce Willis tells the story of six hunters who pay to hunt a man on a deserted island who find themselves becoming the hunted as the tables turn. This is set in the not-too-distant future where a former cop is sentenced to life for a crime he didn't commit but is offered his freedom if he wins a secret game that takes place on the aforementioned island. 

5) 'Night Raiders'

• Cast: Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, Brooklyn Letexier-Hart, Alex Tarrant, Amanda Plummer, (more)
• Director: Danis Goulet
• Release: 2021

Another recent entry here as this movie is set in the year 2043, in a dystopian future where children are property of the state and the military controls disenfranchised cities across North America. A desperate woman joins an underground group of vigilantes to infiltrate the state's academy to steal her child back. 

6) 'Occupation: Rainfall'

• Cast: Dan Ewing, Temuera Morrison, Daniel Gillies, Lawrence Makoare, (more)
• Director: Luke Sparke
• Release: 2020

It can be argued that it's refreshing to see an alien invasion take place where the aliens don't pick a major American city, or anywhere in America for that matter. Here survivors from Sydney, Australia fight a losing battle as casualties rise and rise just two years after the aliens initially land. 

Survivors of the human resistance in Sydney flee after they're attacked and learn of an artificial asteroid hidden under the 'Pine Gap' base that could hold high tech capabilities. The resistance aims to destroy the asteroid before the aliens can get a hold of it. 

Best sci-fi TV shows on Paramount Plus

1) 'La Brea'

• Cast: Eoin Macken, Chiké Okonkwo, Natalie Zea, Zyra Gorecki, (more)
• Seasons: Three
• First Release: 2021

A massive and mysterious sinkhole appears and opens up Los Angeles, splitting up a family in the process and placing them in an unexplainable primeval world, along with a number of strangers. The sinkhole provides a portal into the past, 10,000 BC to be precise, in the exact same location. Season three is ongoing and all are available to stream on Paramount Plus. 

2) 'The Astronauts' 

• Cast: Miya Cech, Bryce Gheisar, Keith L. Williams, Kayden Grace Swan, (more)
• Seasons: One
• First Release: 2020

The premise for this show is five teenagers are accidentally sent into outer space onboard a space craft that was supposed to intercept an asteroid. They must work together without any training or a fully functioning onboard AI, to achieve the unlikely goal of returning home safely. There are no plans for a new season of this show, so unfortunately this series is a one-off.

3) 'I am Frankie'

• Cast: Alex Hook, Kyson Facer, Sophia Forest, Nicole Alyse Nelson, (more)
• Seasons: Two 
• First Release: 2017

In this comedy drama, Frankie Gaines is a typical teenager, only, she isn't. She is an advanced experimental android trying to hide her identity to remain hidden from the evil tech company, EGG Labs. EGG Labs, more precisely Mr. Kingston who is the head of the company, is trying to use Frankie for a weaponized android research project. This only has two seasons so if this is your thing, you'll be able to binge it in relatively quick time.  

4) 'The Man Who Fell To Earth'

• Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Naomie Harris, Clarke Peters, Bill Nighy
• Seasons: one 
• First Release: 2022 

This one season show tells the closed story of an Alien who comes to earth at a pivotal moment in the planet's history to learn to become human and search for a woman to help him save his species. Together, they discover that in order to save his world, they must first save Earth. This show is based on the 1963 novel by the same name and a sequel to the 1976 movie starring David Bowie. 

5) 'The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius'

• Cast: Debi Derryberry, Jeffery Garcia, Rob Paulsen, Carolyn Lawrence, (more)
• Seasons: Four
• First Release: 2002

A young boy, who happens to be a genius, gets into all sorts of shenanigans and goes on adventures with his best friends, Sheen and Carl as well as family he has in the small town he lives in. Often inventing all kinds of contraptions, Jimmy Neutron is the title character in a fun animated series that's ideal for younger viewers. 

6) 'Planet Sheen'

• Cast: Fred Tatasciore, Bob Joles, Rob Paulsen, Thomas Lennon, (more)
• Seasons: Two
• First Release: 2010

This is a short spin-off from The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius that sees Jimmy's close friend, Sheen Estevez, gets himself sent to a planet trillions of light-years away from Earth. After accidentally blasting off in a rocket invented by Jimmy, Sheen lands on a planet and meets the emperor who believes he's a supernatural being that will bring joy.