For all of Netflix’s high-budget originals and its vast collection of acquisitions, some of the platform’s most intriguing sci-fi gems often appear quietly — “The Lazarus Project” aptly exemplifies this. The British show, which first aired on Sky Max, is now available for streaming on Netflix and proudly holds a unique honor: a flawless 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. For sci-fi enthusiasts who believe they’ve experienced everything the service provides, this title warrants immediate attention.
The narrative revolves around George (portrayed by Paapa Essiedu), an unremarkable man who awakens one day to find that the world has reverted back in time by several months. Only a limited group of individuals remember the shift, all of them part of a clandestine organization called the Lazarus Project. Their goal: to avert extinction-level crises by reversing time and guiding history towards a viable future. George gets recruited, and the adventure truly kicks off.
What genuinely distinguishes the series is its grounded nature, despite its high-concept premise. Instead of relying on sci-fi clichés and excessive CGI, The Lazarus Project emphasizes the emotional stakes involved in manipulating time. Characters must confront their trauma, make impossible decisions, and deal with the realization that entire timelines — along with their inhabitants — could be wiped out in a blink.
In March 2024, the show was canceled after two seasons, with no updates regarding a revival. That said, if you have already seen all the top sci-fi series of 2025, The Lazarus Project is certainly worth exploring.
Here’s what the critics have to say:
As noted, The Lazarus Project maintains a flawless 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 14 reviews. Over at Metacritic, the series earned a score of 73 from 11 critic reviews. Writing for Empire, critic Jordan King remarked, “Affirming Joe Barton’s reputation as one of the finest screenwriters in the industry, The Lazarus Project is precisely the sort of mind-bending, thrilling television that you’ll find yourself wanting to revisit repeatedly.”
For those unfamiliar, Joe Barton served as the showrunner for The Lazarus Project, having also created and directed series like “Giri/Haji” and “Black Doves.”
Writing for The Times, Carol Midgley provides a more varied critique of the series, highlighting how abruptly its tone shifts: “The Lazarus Project” moves from domestic drama to peculiar time-travel sci-fi, then to a full-blown Mad Max–style car chase in under an hour…”
There’s an abundance of remarkable TV to explore on Netflix, but if you’re seeking intelligent storytelling that can genuinely compete with the prestigious sci-fi captivating Apple TV+, The Lazarus Project comes highly recommended. It’s intelligent, ambitious, and refreshingly self-assured in its concepts, providing high-concept science fiction without losing sight of the human elements at play.