Lee Pace and Laura Birn standing in a bright hallway in Foundation
The Expanse is widely regarded as one of the best sci-fi TV shows of all time, with its new approach to sci-fi staples and commitment to realism. While sci-fi TV shows are rarely realistic, The Expanse has been praised by astrophysicists for its use of science and physics to create a world that feels tangible and just within reach, which makes it stand out.
The show follows the crew of The Rocinante, combining film noir with hard sci-fi in a universe threatened by an alien bioweapon. It has been compared to"Game of Thrones in space" and is a true sci-fi masterpiece. That said, there are several sci-fi TV shows that are as good as The Expanse, and many more that are similar. 9 Altered Carbon Altered Carbon is a perfect cyberpunk show that shares The Expanse's film noir tone and aesthetic, also beginning with a small mystery that grows into a far greater conspiracy over time. Both shows feature a gritty and troubled detective character, and while Altered Carbon's Takeshi Kovacs is a trained super-fighter rather than a typical detective, both have troubled backstories and are formidable opponents. Both shows feature a world in which technological advances have led to extreme inequality, showing a harsh vision of a future in which this is not addressed. Altered Carbon's ultra-wealthy are virtually immortal, and their appetite for depravity at any cost is connected to the central mystery in much the same way as The Expanse's mystery is the story's anchor. 34 8.6/10 Altered Carbon 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed TV-MA Drama Crime Science Fiction Fantasy Release Date 2018 - 2020-00-00 Network Netflix Showrunner Anthony Mackie Directors Alex Graves, Ciaran Donnelly, M.J. Bassett, Nick Hurran, Peter Hoar, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Uta Briesewitz, Jeremy Webb, Andy Goddard, Miguel Sapochnik Writers Brian Nelson, Garrett Lerner, Russel Friend, Steve Blackman, Adam Lash, Laeta Kalogridis, Nevin Densham, Alison Schapker Cast See All Powered by Expand Collapse 8 Firefly With its single season and Western influences, Firefly might not be immediately comparable to a sci-fi epic like The Expanse. However, both shows share a character-driven approach, with many Firefly characters having an equivalent in The Expanse. Zoë and Naomi hold their crews together as the second-in-command, while Jayne and Amos are both mercenaries, even if Jayne's loyalty often depends on the price offered. Firefly may not have aged perfectly, but viewers who loved The Expanse and are looking for a short sci-fi TV show to binge should enjoy it for its similar themes and lighter tone. It is unfortunate that Firefly was canceled after just one season, as it introduced a galaxy-wide government conspiracy that looked set to rival other great sci-fi twists.Powered by Expand Collapse 7 Foundation Like The Expanse, Foundation is one of the most ambitious sci-fi TV shows to ever be made. The three-season series covers enormous time jumps and the fall of dynasties while still giving viewers memorable characters despite its vast scale. Foundation is about a mathematician who predicts the collapse of an empire and tries to preserve human knowledge. The two shows share a political theme and highlight the way in which individual actions can change the course of the future. They both portray space as a vast and fascinating place that is deeply affected by human flaws, and viewers who want to watch another sci-fi epic will be pleased to learn that Foundation is not ending anytime soon, as it has been renewed for a fourth season.Powered by Expand Collapse 6 For All Mankind Some have considered For All Mankind a spiritual prequel to The Expanse, as it regularly used accurate science and real history to tell its story. The show gives viewers an alternate history in which the Soviet Union beat the US to the moon, and this would set the scene for The Expanse to elaborate on later, though the two shows are not connected. As the seasons progress, For All Mankind sacrifices scientific realism in favor of spectacle. However, it is far from the only show to do this, and the underrated sci-fi TV series keeps getting better despite its change in approach. The science may not always be correct, but just as in The Expanse, For All Mankind's political tensions feel grounded in reality.Powered by Expand Collapse 5 Battlestar Galactica Battlestar Galactica is widely regarded as one of the great sci-fi TV series that defined the genre, and is likely the best match for The Expanse's tone. Both shows highlight moral ambiguity, with few characters fitting neatly into the hero or villain archetypes, and center on the fight for survival under extreme pressure, despite the characters facing different threats. The show brought viewers some of sci-fi's most iconic characters and a terrifying antagonist in the form of the Cylon force. However, not everything is as it seems, and the show's moral depth is equal to that of The Expanse. Both shows are an excellent commentary on human nature and the realities of war, including resource scarcity and hard-hitting space battles. Battlestar Galactica TV-14 Action & Adventure Drama Science Fiction War 27 9.2/10 Release Date 2003 - 2003-00-00 Powered by Expand Collapse 4 Farscape A sci-fi genre staple features mismatched people forced into the close quarters of a spaceship and pitted against a common enemy. Farscape takes this to the extreme, while adding a unique kind of quirky humor that was rare for sci-fi at the time the show aired. While tonally different from The Expanse, Farscape is similar in other ways. It explores the concept of identity in a similar way to many of the Belter-focused storylines in The Expanse, and both shows emphasize the importance of"found" family rather than outdated loyalty to blood ties. Like The Expanse, many Farscape episodes are considered masterpieces, and Farscape's Rotten Tomatoes audience score of 88% positive just beats The Expanse's 85%.Powered by Expand Collapse 3 Star Trek Star Trek is a true icon of sci-fi TV, and the franchise features some of the best sci-fi TV episodes of all time. The Expanse is an extremely ambitious TV show, but Star Trek's influence is even greater. Star Trek has inspired popular culture and real-world inventions, and acted as a trailblazer for diversity, giving the show an impressive legacy that continues today. Subscribe to the newsletter for curated sci-fi show picks Want more targeted sci-fi picks? Subscribe to the newsletter to receive curated recommendations, side-by-side comparisons, and handpicked series pairings that help you choose what to watch next in the genre. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. Both Star Trek and The Expanse explore the idea of humanity through space exploration and the relationships between characters from wildly different cultures. That said, while the two shows share a theme, their tones are different, and viewers who enjoy hard sci-fi but would like a longer franchise with a more optimistic tone to get invested in should begin Star Trek next. Expand Collapse 2 Babylon 5 Babylon 5 takes place on an immense spaceship that acts as the diplomatic center for people of many species. This leads to the uneasy partnerships and rivalries that come to define the show as a greater threat emerges. Both Babylon 5 and The Expanse make use of their politically fragile settings and treat diplomacy as a strategy that is as important as force and firepower. Both shows are extremely well-written, with plenty of foreshadowing and tiny details in the earlier seasons that become major plot points later on. While the visual effects in Babylon 5 have not always aged well, the emotional impact of the show is not affected, and Babylon 5 remains a sci-fi masterpiece with what is arguably the greatest quote in sci-fi history.Powered by Expand Collapse 1 Andor While a part of the Star Wars franchise, Andor feels spiritually close to The Expanse through its political commentary. The two-season and deeply antifascist show centers on the Rebel hero Cassian Andor, and the show tells a timely and optimistic story highlighting the ways in which the actions of everyday people can help to overturn a corrupt regime. Both Andor and The Expanse spotlight resistance movements, with the slow-building rebellion of the characters in Andor echoing the Belter cause, driven by the deep injustices that had been permitted and pursuing a fairer world. The two shows are just as good as each other, and Andor has a well-deserved 96% positive critics' rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while The Expanse has 95%. Andor TV-14 Action & Adventure Drama Thriller Sci-Fi 8/10 496 9.1/10 Release Date 2022 - 2025-00-00
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