Science fiction, fantasy and [[ScienceFictionVersusFantasy everything in between]]. See WhatIf for categories of things that are speculated on. On television, series in this category traditionally have been destined for either cult status or a very short run, [[{{Stargate SG-1}} with a couple]] [[TheXFiles notable exceptions]].

The term 'SpeculativeFiction' was originally a "backronym" for the initials SF; at the time, some writers felt that science fiction, or 'sci-fi', now equated to flying saucers and rubber monsters, and wanted to distinguish themselves with a new genre label. The desire for a separate category became even greater when people began to apply the sci-fi label to horror films containing blatantly supernatural elements (such as various immortals) but few if any science-based elements whatsoever. Over time, however, the term 'SpeculativeFiction' grew to become a SuperTrope covering not only what self - described SpeculativeFiction authors wrote, but also the SciFi and Horror B-movies they were trying to distinguish themselves from.

Today SpeculativeFiction covers pretty much the entire fantastic end of the SlidingScaleOfRealisticVersusFantastic, including {{fantasy}}, {{science fiction}}, {{horror}}, and other, less well known genres. However, there are many speculative fiction stories that fall on the border between genres, and others that may be completely unclassifiable. Furthermore, many of these genres can be either used to [[NightmareFuelUnleaded terrify]] or PlayedForLaughs, with the latter producing such genres as comic SF and comedy - horror.
----
!!Subtropes

* ScienceFiction
[[index]]
** StandardSciFiSetting
** SpaceOpera
** CyberPunk
*** PostCyberPunk
*** PunkPunk
*** SteamPunk
** SpaceWestern
** PlanetaryRomance - science fiction with a fantasy feel.
** WagonTrainToTheStars - Primarily a TV genre.
** InsideAComputerSystem[[/index]] - TheMatrix, {{ExistenZ}}
[[index]]
** StandardSciFiFleet
* {{Fantasy}}
** HighFantasy[[/index]], epitomised by TheLordOfTheRings
[[index]]
** LowFantasy
** HeroicFantasy, also called Sword and Sorcery.
** HistoricalFantasy
** UrbanFantasy
* MundaneFantastic
** FantasticComedy
** MagicRealism
* {{Horror}}
** BodyHorror
** CosmicHorrorStory
** DefangedHorrors
** SurvivalHorror
* AlternateHistory
* NinetiesAdventureShow
* OntologicalMystery
** EpiphanicPrison
* SpeculativeDocumentary
* {{Xenofiction}}
[[/index]]

----
<<|LiteratureGenres|>>
<<|{{Media}}|>>
<<|ShowGenres|>>