Looking to get hooked on a series? The Watch With Us team has a seriously addictive recommendation for you.
We’re talking about Extant, the 2014 science fiction mystery series that was just added to Netflix.
The show’s biggest draw is its star, Halle Berry, but she’s not the only thing that makes Extant special.
Read further to learn why this show about humanoid robots, alien hybrids and interstellar travel should be your next binge-watch on Netflix.
‘Extant’ Combines the Craziest Sci-Fi Tropes — Successfully
Two major plotlines form the core of Extant, both of which focus on parenting in very different ways. The main character, Molly Woods (Berry), is an astronaut who returns from a 13-month solo mission to find, shockingly, that she is pregnant. She has no idea how that happened, especially after years of infertility.
On Earth, Molly and her husband, Dr. John Woods (Goran Visnjic), have spent the past several years raising their son Ethan (Pierce Gagnon), who appears to be an ordinary human boy — but he’s not. He’s a Humanich, a humanoid robot designed by John as the prototype for a new project.
15 Must-Watch Hulu Sci-Fi Movies to Stream Right Now (July 2025)
Aliens and robots are two of the biggest sci-fi tropes, and they can often go disastrously wrong. But by framing both of these concepts in the context of parenthood — both biological and adoptive — Extant invites the viewer to think about them from new angles. What is Molly’s relationship and responsibility to her biological offspring — especially since she knows nothing of its origin or its purpose? And what about her adopted son, who many people don’t even view as a real person?
Extant is a show about what it means to be alive and what it means to be family — fascinating concepts that work really well against a sci-fi backdrop. (It probably helps that Steven Spielberg, one of the greatest sci-fi auteurs of our time, was an executive producer on the show.)
Halle Berry’s Character Is Multifaceted and Complex
An Academy Award winner for Monster’s Ball (starring alongside Billy Bob Thornton, the late Heath Ledger and — believe it or not — Diddy), Berry is undoubtedly a talented actress, but her projects over the last decade or so have had varying levels of success — from The Call to Dark Tide. In Extant, she shines as a complicated character facing unthinkable challenges. Molly is a mother, a scientist, a wife, an astronaut — and a woman at war with her own body.
Whether she’s carrying a mysterious pregnancy or her brain is being hijacked by alien spores, Molly is often unable to trust her own perceptions of reality. It’s a terrifying state of being, and Berry does a remarkable job of portraying all the nuances of her character’s emotional state over Extant’s two seasons.
It’s a Short Binge-Watch With a Satisfying Ending
While we wish Extant had gotten more than two seasons, its short run makes it kind of ideal for a Netflix binge. The two seasons are packed with action and dramatic twists that will keep you guessing the whole time — but it doesn’t end on a gut-wrenching cliffhanger. By the end of Extant, you’ll be left with some open-ended questions and a sense of mystery, but not that devastating feeling when your favorite show ends without any closure.
With two seasons, each made up of 13 episodes, you could easily watch all of Extant in a month — or even a week, if you’re really determined. And what a thrilling week it would be.
Netflix's Sexy New Thriller Show Is Sinfully Good — and Worth Bingeing This Weekend
Between Berry’s performance, the nuanced use of sci-fi concepts and the ideal length of the viewing experience, Extant could be the perfect show for you to stream next. Watch it on Netflix.