Science fiction is great but even better when set in space, whether on spaceships or faraway planets. Several great Sci-Fi TV Shows set in the final frontier have aired over the last few decades. This is an introduction to 12 of them. I'm not going to include Star Trek or The Mandalorian because they are so well known.
Warning: There will be spoilers
The Expanse is set in the future when the Earth has colonized the solar system. There are three main groups: Earthers, Martians, and Belters (people who live in the asteroid belt). For decades, tension has been rising between these three groups.
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| The Expanse main cast (source Prime Video) |
The first season involves a mystery about what happened to Julie Mao and Miller's attempt to find her. By the end of season 1, that mystery will mostly make sense. Viewers have to get through ten episodes for everything to come together. Most people who push through those early episodes are hooked by the end of season one or the beginning of season 2 when the Martian marines make their big debut.
For now, The Expanse has six seasons. However, there may be more to come. The show is based on a series of nine books. So far only six have been adapted. Many people involved in the show have hinted at the possibility of more to come.
Babylon 5 is another show that can be hard to get into. I had to force myself through the first season. I only stuck with it because of all the good things I heard. Season one is focused on worldbuilding and introducing the characters. Initially, the episodes are episodic. By season 2, stories begin to span multiple episodes. And this is when an alien race called the Centauri finally defeats another race called the Narn. When this storyline starts, the show truly becomes worthy of praise. The human characters on Babylon 5 become hugely important when Earth descends into totalitarianism.
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| Babylon 5 cast |
The show first aired in 1994. The writer and producer of the original Babylon 5, J. Michael Straczynski, has announced a reboot for the CW network, which is currently on hold.
Where to Watch: HBO Max
Farscape is another show that can be hard for new viewers to get into. One reason is that it has puppets. The series was created by Rockne S. O'Bannon and produced by The Jim Henson Company.
It started life as an extended advertisement for what the Jim Henson company could do. They were responsible for the make-up of various alien characters. This includes two central characters, the animatronic puppets Rygel and Pilot. The puppetry and make-up in this show are superb. Don't get turned off by the word puppetry and think this is a kid's show. It isn't. The great thing about the puppets is that they allowed the actors to physically interact with the characters in a way that's not possible using CGI.
And there's another reason it's hard for some people to get into early on. The early episodes are episodic and vary in quality. However, by the end of season 1, story arcs begin to span multiple episodes. And this is when the show becomes truly great.
Farscape originally aired on the SyFy network. SyFy renewed it for a fourth and fifth season. On the last day of shooting for season 4, a season that ended on a significant cliffhanger, SyFy changed their minds and canceled the show. The premature cancellation led to a Save Farscape campaign and the creation of a two-part miniseries called The Peacekeeper Wars that tied up loose ends. The Peacekeeper Wars is available as the last two episodes in season four.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video (free for Amazon Prime subscribers)
The Orville is the creation of Seth McFarlane, best known for Family Guy, which may lead some people to believe the show is Family Guy set in space. But it's more accurately described as Star Trek with humor. It's sometimes called a parody of Star Trek, but parody isn't the best way to describe it because the word is so often associated with ridicule. The show deals with some of the same kinds of ethical dilemmas faced on Star Trek, but while there's humor, there's also a lot of sincerity.
Unlike some shows on this list, which can be hard to get into, Battlestar Galactica hooks viewers from the fantastic first episode titled 33. The series started as a two-part miniseries and then ran for four seasons.
The original Battlestar Galactica ran from 1978 to 1979. There were only 24 episodes. Richard Hatch from the original had a role in the new series. The Reimagined Battlestar Galactica is much different than the original. It's sometimes called a Post 9/11 parable, and the influence of that terrible event is evident in some episodes.
The Stargate franchise began life as a movie based on the concept of an alien Einstein–Rosen bridge device (the Stargate) that enables almost instantaneous travel through space. The franchise began with the film Stargate, released in 1994.
The plot revolves around the Stargate, an ancient ring-shaped device that creates a wormhole enabling travel through similar devices throughout the universe. SG-1 is one of several Air Force special operations teams that travel through the Stargates to defend against alien threats. They come into contact with a variety of human cultures. The great thing about this show is that it ran for a decade. There are 214 episodes, so if you want a show to keep you busy for a while, this is it.
Where to Watch: Netflix and Pluto TV (free)
Red Dwarf has had a 12-season run with 74 episodes. This zany British comedy begins in the late 21st century onboard the ship the Red Dwarf. A radiation leak kills the crew except for a low-ranked technician named Dave Lister. He survives because he's in suspended animation. And why is he in suspended animation? He smuggled a cat onboard the ship, and this was his punishment. The ship's computer Holly keeps Lister in suspended animation until the radiation threat passes—which takes three million years. When Lister wakes up, he's the last human in the universe.
Some seasons have enjoyed high ratings from fans and critics. Others haven't been so well received. The series has an overall 8.4 out of 10 IMDb score with almost 33,000 ratings. So, if you love space sagas and comedy, this is a good show to get into, even if you have to wade through some not-so-great episodes.
Where to Watch: Britbox
Other Space created by Paul Feig ran on a streaming service called Yahoo Screen. Unfortunately, when Yahoo Screen bit the dust, so did Other Space. The one-season series aired in 2015, but Feig said in a 2020 interview that he's trying to bring it back.
The show, set in the 22nd century, follows the dysfunctional crew of an exploratory spaceship who become trapped in an unknown universe. To give you an example of how dysfunctional this crew is, they leave for a long space voyage without bringing a supply of fresh food. The only edible food they have is fudge. When they try to turn around to get food, they are sucked into a wormhole, becoming trapped in an unexplored universe.
The show ran for only one season with a measly eight episodes, but it was well-received by critics.
Where to Watch: Dust, including the Dust channel on Youtube (free)
Firefly is a show that's part western, part space adventure. From Wikipedia:
"The series is set in the year 2517, after the arrival of humans in a new star system, and follows the adventures of the renegade crew of Serenity, a Firefly-class spaceship. The ensemble cast portrays the nine characters who live on Serenity."
Unfortunately, the show only lasted one season. Fox canceled Firefly without airing the entire 14 episodes. The three unaired episodes were later released on DVD. There was also a 2-hour pilot that never aired. There were hopes another network would pick it up, but that didn't happen. Despite its short lifespan, Firefly won an Emmy. It has since developed a cult following.
Mars is a show that's part fiction, part documentary. The fictional portion tells the story of the first human settlement on Mars. The first settlement is a colony focused on scientific research. When a corporation sets up a mining colony, there is tension between the two groups.
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| The cast of Farscape |
And there's another reason it's hard for some people to get into early on. The early episodes are episodic and vary in quality. However, by the end of season 1, story arcs begin to span multiple episodes. And this is when the show becomes truly great.
Farscape originally aired on the SyFy network. SyFy renewed it for a fourth and fifth season. On the last day of shooting for season 4, a season that ended on a significant cliffhanger, SyFy changed their minds and canceled the show. The premature cancellation led to a Save Farscape campaign and the creation of a two-part miniseries called The Peacekeeper Wars that tied up loose ends. The Peacekeeper Wars is available as the last two episodes in season four.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video (free for Amazon Prime subscribers)
The Orville is the creation of Seth McFarlane, best known for Family Guy, which may lead some people to believe the show is Family Guy set in space. But it's more accurately described as Star Trek with humor. It's sometimes called a parody of Star Trek, but parody isn't the best way to describe it because the word is so often associated with ridicule. The show deals with some of the same kinds of ethical dilemmas faced on Star Trek, but while there's humor, there's also a lot of sincerity.
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| The cast of The Orville |
I was astonished when I saw a 30 percent rating for The Orville on Rotten Tomatoes. After reading some of the criticisms, I get it even if I don't share the same concerns. Some complaints are related to the show copying/ripping off Star Trek. The Star Trek influence is in the costumes, the music, and the storylines. There are always risks to copying, being inspired by, or remaking shows that many people hold dear. The writer of the article ‘The Orville’ should be retitled ‘Star Trek: Rip-off’ complains that "there's no attempt at all to mask that The Orville is mimicking Star Trek."
Unlike some shows on this list, which can be hard to get into, Battlestar Galactica hooks viewers from the fantastic first episode titled 33. The series started as a two-part miniseries and then ran for four seasons.
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| Apollo and Starbuck |
While Battlestar Galactica starts strong with an excellent first three seasons, many fans were disappointed by the final season. It's included in my list of Popular Television Shows with Hated Finales. Still, the first three seasons are so good that it's worth being let down at the end.
Where to Watch: Peacock (free)
The Stargate franchise began life as a movie based on the concept of an alien Einstein–Rosen bridge device (the Stargate) that enables almost instantaneous travel through space. The franchise began with the film Stargate, released in 1994.
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| Stargate SG-1 main cast |
Where to Watch: Netflix and Pluto TV (free)
Red Dwarf has had a 12-season run with 74 episodes. This zany British comedy begins in the late 21st century onboard the ship the Red Dwarf. A radiation leak kills the crew except for a low-ranked technician named Dave Lister. He survives because he's in suspended animation. And why is he in suspended animation? He smuggled a cat onboard the ship, and this was his punishment. The ship's computer Holly keeps Lister in suspended animation until the radiation threat passes—which takes three million years. When Lister wakes up, he's the last human in the universe.
Some seasons have enjoyed high ratings from fans and critics. Others haven't been so well received. The series has an overall 8.4 out of 10 IMDb score with almost 33,000 ratings. So, if you love space sagas and comedy, this is a good show to get into, even if you have to wade through some not-so-great episodes.
Where to Watch: Britbox
Other Space created by Paul Feig ran on a streaming service called Yahoo Screen. Unfortunately, when Yahoo Screen bit the dust, so did Other Space. The one-season series aired in 2015, but Feig said in a 2020 interview that he's trying to bring it back.
|
| The cast of Other Space |
The show ran for only one season with a measly eight episodes, but it was well-received by critics.
Where to Watch: Dust, including the Dust channel on Youtube (free)
Firefly is a show that's part western, part space adventure. From Wikipedia:
"The series is set in the year 2517, after the arrival of humans in a new star system, and follows the adventures of the renegade crew of Serenity, a Firefly-class spaceship. The ensemble cast portrays the nine characters who live on Serenity."
Unfortunately, the show only lasted one season. Fox canceled Firefly without airing the entire 14 episodes. The three unaired episodes were later released on DVD. There was also a 2-hour pilot that never aired. There were hopes another network would pick it up, but that didn't happen. Despite its short lifespan, Firefly won an Emmy. It has since developed a cult following.
If 14 episodes aren't enough, you will be happy to hear Firefly creator Joss Whedon made a movie called Serenity that takes place after the events of the series. There are also Firefly books.
Dark Matter
Dark Matter is a Canadian show about the members of an intergalactic crew who wake up on a derelict spaceship with no memory of who they are or how they got there. When they find out, they are displeased. The big question is whether you want to invest your time in this series because it ends with a major cliffhanger. Dark Matter is another show SyFy pulled the plug on before it got a conclusion. So be warned if you start watching it. You won't get any closure.
Dark Matter ran for three seasons before that premature cancellation. There are 39 episodes in all. The show is based on a comic book series written by the show's creators. From what I can tell, the comics cover the early shows and don't provide any conclusion for what happens after season 3.
Where to Watch: Netflix
Mars is a show that's part fiction, part documentary. The fictional portion tells the story of the first human settlement on Mars. The first settlement is a colony focused on scientific research. When a corporation sets up a mining colony, there is tension between the two groups.
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| The cast of Natgeo's Mars |
Where to Watch: Natgeo TV
Raised by Wolves is an allegory in which the harsh and barren Kepler 22b is the Garden of Eden. The story centers around a war between a religious group called the Mithraic, worshippers of a deity called Sol, and another group called the Atheists. Two androids, Mother and Father, escape war-torn Earth and arrive on Kepler-22b with 12 embryos. Their mission is to save humanity.
Only one of the children, a boy named Campion, survives. When a group of Mithraic escaping the war on Earth arrives in a spaceship called the Ark, Mother destroys it. She brings some of the surviving children to live with them. Mother and Father have raised Campion as an Atheist. When the Mithraic children influence him, the androids discourage his desire to pray.
The bleak landscapes and visuals in the show are amazing. The storyline is a little hard to follow at times. That might explain the score of 73 for season one and the near agreement of critics and ordinary mortals. There is a companion podcast from HBO Max and iHeartRadio that can make this confusing allegory a little easier to follow.
Where to Watch: HBO Max
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