Streaming Finds: Ten Streaming Originals You May Not Know About – October Faction, Impulse, Missions, and More

Streaming Finds: Tracking down sci fi and fantasy shows of interest available on the streaming services.

The streaming services have burst into the scripted programming realm over the past few years and have delivered quite a number of big-name shows like Stranger Things (Netflix), The Boys (Amazon), The Mandalorian (Disney+), The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu), and more. But there are currently over a hundred sci fi and fantasy originals old and new available for streaming across all of the services (you can see a comprehensive list at this link). Many of these have arrived with little fanfare (especially the Netflix entries) but definitely have plenty to offer to sci fi fans, whether you are looking for science fiction, epic fantasy, supernatural drama, or just plain weird. Below is a list of ten genre shows that you may have missed but that you just may find worthy of checking out.

October Faction (Netflix)

Description: A husband and wife who are part of a secret international monster-hunting society return to their hometown in upstate New York with their family but find that their work may have followed them.

Comments: This show is based on the comic series of the same name by Steve Niles and Damien Worm and comes from Stargate and Sanctuary alum Damian Kindler. It didn’t get much promotion when it was released in January of this year, but fans of Supernatural and similar series might find something of interest in this one.

V-Wars (Netflix)

Description: A virus starts to spread across the world that turns people into blood-sucking beings, and a scientist finds himself at odds with his best friend as they fight for humanity’s future.

Comments: Ian Somerhalder (Vampire Diaries) finds himself on the other side of the vampire tale in this series based on the Jonathan Mayberry graphic novel of the same name that takes a more scientific approach to vampirism. The first season debuted in December 2019 and there has been no word on a renewal yet. But fans of shows like The Passage and The Strain may have an interest in checking this one out.

Missions (Shudder)

Description: An international mission to Mars financed by a private individual arrives on the Red Planet to find that an American crew beat them there, but only one person survived. However, his identity opens up a series of mysteries as well as questions about the origins of humanity.

Comments: This French-made series blends sci fi with horror and delivers an engaging genre entry. It is available in the U.S. on AMC’s Shudder streaming service and a second season is supposed to be on the way, but there has been no word on it for over a year. Still, this one is definitely worth a look.

Impulse (YouTube)

Description: A sixteen-year-old girl discovers that she has the ability to teleport and also to telekinetically move objects which are triggered after a sexual assault. She must learn how to control her abilities without allowing her emotions and fears to overcome her.

Description: This show arrived on YouTube back in June 2018 with little in the way of promotion yet has developed somewhat of a cult following. The streamer renewed it for a second season which debuted this past Fall and the story could continue beyond that.

Undone (Prime Video)

Description: After a woman is involved in a car accident, she finds herself unstuck in time and starts seeing her dead father who asks for help uncovering the truth of how he died. She must decide if this is real or if she is succumbing to a mental illness that is part of her family’s history.

Comments: Amazon tends to do a better job of promoting its original series, but this rotoscope animation entry arrived without much fanfare. It truly delivers a mind-bending story that is raised to the next level by strong performances from the cast, especially Rosa Salazar and Bob Odenkirk. It has been renewed for a second season which should be out later this year.

Black Summer (Netflix)

Description: In the early days of a zombie outbreak, a group of strangers must band together to survive in the chaos that has overtaken their world.

Comments: This show was originally billed as a prequel to Syfy’s Z Nation (which is also now streaming on Netflix), but it delivers a darker take on the zombie-pocalypse than that campier entry. Whether there is a connection or not, this one should be of interest to zombie fans and a second season is currently in the works.

Britannia (Prime Video)

Description: In 43AD, the Roman Imperial Army is sent on a mission of conquest to the British Isles. But the people who live there use their determination and Celtic magic to oppose the conquoring force.

Comments: This is a British production that Amazon partnered with in its first season and delivers a tale that should interest fans of epic fantasy. The Walking Dead‘s David Morrissey plays the Roman general and leads an excellent cast assembled for the series. It was renewed for a second season that aired in Britain last Fall, but unfortunately Amazon bowed out at that point. The first season is still available on Prime Video and worth a watch and producers are looking for a new U.S. distributor for the second and upcoming third season.

Slasher (Netflix)

Description: This season-long anthology series hearkens back to famous slasher films such as Halloween and Friday the 13th and focuses on a different killer each year.

Comments: Horror fans should have an interest in this show which originally debuted on the now-defunct Chiller network and then switched to Netflix in its second season. Its third season was released last Spring and there is currently no word on whether it will be back for a fourth year. But since it wraps up its story at the end of each season, it will not leave you hanging.

Dimension 404 (Hulu)

Description: This retro sci fi anthology hearkens back to some of the classics with a modern twist, its title referencing the 404 error code encountered when a webpage cannot be found.

Comments: The only show on this list that can’t promise more episodes as Hulu sadly did not order a second season of this series. But since it is an anthology it will not leave you hanging, though you will be wanting more. It draws heavily from iconic shows like The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits, offering a modern updating that proves to be quite a gem of a show.

The Order (Netflix)

Description: A college student joins a secret organization known as the Hermetic Order of the Blue Rose and finds himself caught up in a battle between werewolves and practitioners of dark magic.

Comments: Yet another supernatural drama and yet another Netflix show that arrived on that streamer’s lineup with little notice, this one has developed some buzz and is another show that fans of Supernatural might enjoy. It has been renewed for a second season that should arrive later this year.

Click on the following links for a comprehensive list of the Sci Fi TV Shows available on Netflix | Prime Video | Hulu | Other Services

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