WhenThe Expanseended, fans were not only left with a lot ofunanswered questions(which was to be expected) but also with a little sadness that it was finally over. Based on the novel series of the same name written byJames S.A Corey(joint pen name ofDaniel AbrahamandTy Franck), the series was developed byMark FergusandHawk Ostby. The highly acclaimed sci-fi series is considered to be one of the smartest sci-fi shows of recent times.
The Expanseis set hundreds of years in the future, where an unlikely group of people, including an interplanetary ship’s captain, his crew, and a detective, must attempt to thwart all conspiracies that threaten the entire system and save humanity from aliens and rival political groups. Despite limited fanfare initially,The Expanseeventually earned fame for its unique story, great cast and their performances, stunning visuals, and an interesting narrative weaving politics, futurism, science, and drama. The series has a generous dose of everything that you would expect in agreat sci-fi show– suspense, adventure, scientific theories, a lot of bureaucracy, and a dedicated team who protect the human race.
If you lovedThe Expanse, you are most likely looking for something similar now that the show is over. So, here are our best picks of some popular sci-fi series made in this millennium. While some of them are close toThe Expanse, others explore life in space with a whole new perspective.
Related:Steven Strait and Dominique Tipper on ‘The Expanse’ Season 6, the Series Finale, and Ending the Show on a Strong Note
Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009)
It would be unfair to call this show just a “show”.Battlestar Galacticais a modern sci-fi classic likeStar TrekorStar Warsbut of this millennium. And for all the right reasons. The Emmy-winning military science fiction series is a part of a huge franchise. Developed byRonald D. MooreofStar Trekfame,Battlestar Galacticawas a reimagining of the eponymous television series from 1978. The original series was created byGlen A. Larson. The 2004 series had a stellar cast includingKatee Sackhoff,Edward James Olmos,Mary McDonnell,Jamie Bamber,James Callis,Tricia Helfer, andGrace Park, among many others.
The story is about an interstellar civilization in the far future, called the colonies of Kobol. When a race of robots called Cylons attack the colonies, only a small group of humans manage to survive. The military fleet gathers the last standing humans on the starship Battlestar Galactica and sets out to search for the mythical colony called Earth, which is believed to have been lost eons ago. Packed with action, interstellar wars, and political drama,Battlestar Galacticais one of the most fascinating sci-fi shows made in the last two decades. The series ran for four seasons, from 2004 to 2009, followed by a prequel series calledCapricain 2010 and a spin-off series,Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome, in 2012.
Foundation (2021-Present)
Foundationis one of the latest sci-fi series that you could consider to be a good successor toThe Expanse. The show is loosely based on the classic novel series of the same name byIsaac Asimov.Foundationis a complex, 1000-year chronicle of humans, scattered throughout the galaxy, who all live under the common rule of the Galactic Empire. If you are thinkingStar Wars, it’s not.Foundationtreads on very different elements of interplanetary life and the evolution of the human race.
Themain character ofFoundationis Dr. Hari Seldon, a visionary who invents a new form of mathematics that predicts the downfall of the empire. The plot focuses on Seldon and his loyal followers who fight the system so they can preserve their legacy. In simpler words,Foundationis the story of the rise and fall of a giant galactic civilization. So, you can imagine all the politics, drama, and intensity that the show’s narrative carries.
Directed byDavid S. GoyerandJosh Friedman,FoundationstarsJared Harris,Lee Pace,Lou Llobell,Leah Harvey,Laura Birn,Terrence Mann, andCassian Biltonin lead roles. The series is critically acclaimed for its visual experience, production values, and impressive performances.Foundationpremiered on Apple TV+ in September 2021 and has been renewed for a second season.
Fringe (2008-2013)
If you want an all-in-all science fiction series, thenFringeis the show for you. Created byJ. J. Abrams,Alex Kurtzman, andRoberto Orci,Fringeis essentially a procedural but goes deeper into scientific theories and concepts.
The plot follows Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv), an FBI agent of the Fringe Division, who recruits a renowned, mad scientist, Walter Bishop (John Noble), and his estranged son, Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson) to solve inexplicable crimes. As the story progresses, the underlying theme becomes more prominent and the show explores more complex sci-fi concepts like parallel universes, time travel, and other elements of quantum physics. There’s also a romance angle between Olivia and Peter that spans multiverses and timelines.
Though it is not exactly likeThe Expanse,Fringeis agreat show to watch if you love sci-fi. The series is often underestimated in terms of popularity but across its four seasons, it managed to create a huge fan following and earned great critic reviews.
Related:Shohreh Aghdashloo on ‘The Expanse’ Season 6, How Chrisjen Avasarala Has Changed, and Being Part of ‘Arcane’
Lost in Space (2018-2021)
Another show with a long history, this sci-fi series is aNetflix original revivalof the 1965 television series of the same name, byIrwin Allen. The former show was further inspired by the 1812 novel,The Swiss Family RobinsonbyJohann David Wyss.
The epic adventure series follows the Robinson family, who are sent to another planet as a part of a colonization program. But en route, their ship goes off course, and they are stranded in the middle of nowhere, with dangerous cosmic events and alien lives that threaten their survival. The family must find the best way to survive all by themselves, even if it means befriending an alien artificial intelligence.
Lost in Spaceis quite similar toThe Expanse, in the sense that this story is also about survival against all odds and humans trying to find a home in the lonely corners of the deep, dark space. Developed byMatt SazamaandBurk Sharpless,Lost in SpacefeaturesMolly Parker,Toby Stephens,Maxwell Jenkins,Taylor Russell,Mina Sundwall,Ignacio Serricchio,Parker Posey, andBrian Steelein major roles.Lost in Spacepremiered in 2018 and ended with a third and final season, in 2021.
Altered Carbon (2018-2020)
This Netflix original is a dystopic, sci-fi, neo-noir thriller if there’s even a definition like that. But that’s the simplest way you can describeAltered Carbon. Based on the eponymous cyberpunk novel byRichard K. Morgan, the series was created byLaeta Kalogridis. The story is set 360 years in the future, in a world where human consciousness can be converted to digital storage and transferred to different bodies. A former soldier turned investigator is assigned a body to solve a murder.
Each of the two seasons ofAltered Carbonfollows a different story, withJoel Kinnamanfeaturing as Takeshi Kovacs in the first season, andAnthony Mackieplaying the new body of Takeshi in the second season. Despite having a sci-fi premise,Altered Carbonfocuses a lot on the future world of politics and involves quite a bit of investigative elements. So, if you are a fan of both crime thrillers and sci-fi, this series will round it all up for you.
Tales From the Loop (2020-Present)
It’s not often that we hear about a series inspired solely by artwork.Tales From the Loopis one of those rare stories, being based on the neo-futuristic paintings by Swedish artist,Simon Stålenhag. The plot follows events in the lives of a group of people, also called the Townspeople, who live above “The Loop”. The Loop is a mysterious machine that is believed to help understand the mysteries of the universe. But it also seems to be responsible for various mysterious occurrences around the town.
Similar to the original art, the series also features an abstract mix of machines, robots, aliens, artificial intelligence, and various other sci-fi elements from different times. Though every episode follows a new incident, like an anthology, it all comes together at the end in an unexpected way.Tales From the Loopis nothing likeThe Expansein its narrative or even treatment but it’s athought-provoking sci-fi showand addresses the same questions of existentialism and the future of human lives thatThe Expanseconcerns itself with. Created byNathaniel Halpern,Tales From the LoopstarsRebecca Hall,Paul Schneider,Duncan Joiner,Daniel Zolghadri, andJonathan Prycein main roles.
Travelers (2016-2018)
This sci-fi series is also about protecting the human race from possible extinction, just likeThe Expanse, but it’s also agreat time travel show. The plot is set in the future, hundreds of years from now, where there’s a handful of surviving humans who call themselves “travelers”. They discover a way of preserving humanity from a disastrous future, by sending their consciousness back to the 21st century, saving the world from different catastrophes. The team includes an FBI agent, a single mother, and a college student, who each find life in the 21st century as challenging as their mission to save the human race.
Created byBrad Wright,TravelersstarsEric McCormack,Mackenzie Porter,Jared Abrahamson,Nesta Cooper,Reilly Dolman, andPatrick Gilmorein major roles.Travelerspremiered in October 2016 and ended after the third season in 2018. Although the show got canceled, it was quite well-received among both fans and critics.
