If you want science fiction that respects its own premise, Samurai Jack is available in Australia on HBO Max, and in the US on YouTube TV and Spectrum On Demand right now. 5 seasons means there is plenty to get through without ever feeling padded. 904 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Phil LaMarr's performance is the anchor the more ambitious scenes need. Put it on tonight on HBO Max and see for yourself.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Samurai Jack is worth clearing space for. The world-building is meticulous, but it is the characters who carry Samurai Jack through its more ambitious moments. A great warrior is displaced to the distant future by the evil shape-shifting wizard Aku. The world has become a bleak place under the rule of Aku, segregated into fantastic tribes and ruled by Aku's evil robot warlords. Jack travels this foreign landscape in search of a time portal that can return him to his home time so he can "undo the future that is Aku!". Phil LaMarr and Greg Baldwin lead a cast that keeps the bigger ideas grounded in something human. Across 5 seasons (2001–2017), it never lost the thread that made it worth starting. What separates Samurai Jack from lesser genre entertainment is a willingness to let the concept cost the characters something. It rarely drops the ball, and when it does, it recovers fast.

Samurai Jack is satisfying on multiple levels — something to watch and something to think about after. Pacific Rim: The Black is the obvious comparison, but Samurai Jack earns its own place alongside it. Short enough to finish in a weekend, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Phil LaMarr grounds the bigger ideas in something human. Once you are in, you will want to talk about it.

Samurai Jack wrapped up in 2017, created by Genndy Tartakovsky — and 5 seasons are available to watch from start to finish. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.