Halo

Halo is a military science fiction multimedia franchise primarily based around a series of games, and IT’S AWESOME! The games follow the story of Master Chief Petty Officer John-117, a member of a group of highly classified super soldiers known as the Spartan-IIs, and Cortana, an Artificial Intelligence (AI), who serves the role of a companion.  It is set in the backdrop of interstellar war (though it’s more like a massacre when you do a deep dive into the lore).

So where to start? If you’re trying to get into the nitty gritty of the games I’d recommend Halo: The Fall of Reach by Eric Nylund. The book details the origins of the Master Chief and his fellow spartans, eventually leading into the events of Halo: Combat Evolved. Speaking of which, Halo: CE is a great starting point if you want to get into the main series, so I won’t spoil much.

Aliens

Sci-fi and horror, who knew they’d go so well together. This film follows Ellen Ripley and the crew of the Nostromo as they investigate a distress call but like any investigation of a distress call especially ones from a derelict (meaning of very poor condition) ship it goes horribly wrong.

This franchise made the list for how well it combined sci-fi and horror and the first movie is a must watch.

Starship Troopers

Starship Troopers began as a book by Robert A. Heinlein as a response to the end of nuclear testing by the USA. The book is an in-universe memoir of Juan “Johnny” Rico of the Terran Federation’s Mobile Infantry and his experiences in Boot Camp, fighting against the Pseudo-Archiands (think Human sized spiders with laser guns) and Officer School.

However it’s made this list for its impact on Military Science Fiction. The book popularized the idea of Powered Armor/Exoskeletons which has come to appear in Halo, Alien, Fallout, Iron Man, Metroid, and many, many more series. However fair warning the book is VERY political (but it’s not fascist as some bug apologists will tell you!).

Battlestar Galactica

Unlike other Television sci-fi series on this list, Battlestar Galactica is a fresh new addition to the genere. Humanity in BSG originated in the world of Kobol. However the planet has been long abandoned likely as a result of the never ending cycle of humanity making robots which go all terminator on them. Now on the 12 colonies of Kobol, a war between Humanity and the robots (known as cylons) has go on for thousands of years and humanity is almost extinct. Hope, however, remains as Battlestar Galactica– one of the last capital warships the colonies have left–escapes the Cylons.

Mobile Suit Gundam

You like giant robots? How about giant robots fighting each other in SPACE! Well Mobile Suit Gundam is just for you! This anime is action packed goodness and benefits from a good story.

Warhammer 40,000

PURGE THE XENOS! FOR THE EMPEROR! These are iconic phrases of the Imperium of Man’s ADEPTUS ASTARTES THE SPACE MARINES!

Warhammer 40K is set in the grim future of the 41st Millennium as humanity is fighting against countless factions of dirty Xenos such as Orcs, Eldar, and Taus. It’s the players’ sworn duty to the God Emperor of Man and the Imperium to slaughter all of the Xenos and any human who dares to betray their own species! WH40K is a miniature war game, so keep in mind the pieces can break and are expensive.

Firefly

Set in the year 2517, Humanity has long abandoned Earth and has since made “The ‘Verse”, a massive star cluster their new home. The show follows the crew of The Serenity, a Firefly class Transport Ship (name so due to its superficial similarities to insects) as they journey across The ‘Verse. The series was criminally cut short only lasting 14 episodes each 44 minutes long. However it did spark a movie and comic series both called Serenity. I definitely recommend checking this out.