5 New & Upcoming Sci-Fi Shows That Could Rival The Expanse

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Many science fiction shows have become classics on television. Last century, series like The Twilight Zone, Star Trek, and Doctor Who were particularly memorable. More recently, Battlestar Galactica and Lost gained a lot of attention. Now, while The Expanse is considered one of the best sci-fi shows available today, five new and upcoming series could potentially reach the same level of quality.

Considered one of the best science fiction shows available, The Expanse originally aired on Syfy and later moved to Prime Video. Based on six of the nine novels by James S.A. Corey, the series is celebrated for its detailed and believable universe, insightful social themes, realistic science, complex characters, and captivating political storylines.

It’s hard to compare to The Expanse, but several new shows have the potential to be just as good. Here are five that look most promising.

The Captive’s War

Among the many new science fiction shows in development, Prime Video’s The Captive’s War stands out as the most promising successor to The Expanse. Based on the book series of the same name by James S.A. Corey (a pseudonym for Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck), the show is set in the distant future and follows a group of prisoners plotting to overthrow the oppressive alien empire that rules them.

So far, only two parts of the five-book series—one novel and one novella—are available. But the released installments are excellent, filled with political maneuvering and intense conflict. The villainous Carryx Empire makes for a compelling and formidable opponent for the resistance.

The new Prime Video series is bringing back the talented team that made The Expanse so great. Naren Shankar, the showrunner, and Breck Eisner, a director from The Expanse, will both be involved creatively in The Captive’s War. Writers Abraham and Franck are also returning, and if anyone can create a show as good as The Expanse, it’s this group.

Pluribus

The first season of Pluribus concluded on Christmas Eve, and it was fantastic. The show centers around Carol, a cynical writer tasked with preventing an alien virus from turning everyone into a single, blissfully controlled collective.

Carol feels like a real person, with both strengths and weaknesses, making her easy to connect with. The story is beautifully written and makes you think. While it unfolds gradually, there’s a constant sense of suspense because the fate of humanity rests on the actions of people with immunity.

Despite a packed first season, Pluribus has only begun to tell its full story, with creator Vince Gilligan envisioning a four-season arc. If the show maintains its high standards for writing, character development, and visual style, it has the potential to reach the same level of success and quality as The Expanse.

Neuromancer

Apple TV+’s Neuromancer is a new sci-fi series with the potential to be as good as The Expanse. Based on a groundbreaking book that shaped the cyberpunk genre, the show follows Case, a talented data thief. He’s given a dangerous job with a huge reward: a cure for a condition that keeps him disconnected from the virtual world, known as the Matrix.

Neuromancer has a very large and dedicated fanbase, potentially even larger than The Expanse, due to its long-standing history and status as a foundational work of science fiction. This means attendance at events for Neuromancer could be as high as those for the Apple TV show based on The Expanse.

Apple TV focuses on creating high-quality shows, not just a large number of them. Because of this, they’re likely to invest significant effort and resources into making the Neuromancer adaptation the best it can be, ensuring it’s a polished and well-made production.

Consider Phlebas

Iain M. Banks’s Culture series, beginning with Consider Phlebas, offers everything you’d expect from a compelling space opera like The Expanse. It features a war across the galaxy between a highly advanced, utopian civilization and the Idran Empire, complete with political maneuvering, large-scale battles, vivid imagery, and exciting action.

The initial season of the new Amazon Prime series will be based on Consider Phlebas, the first book in the series. If it’s successful, there are nine more books that could be adapted into future seasons, potentially allowing the show to run for as long as, or even longer than, The Expanse.

A promising sign for the upcoming adaptation of Consider Phlebas is that Charles Yu, a science fiction writer himself, is both writing and executive producing. Sci-fi shows often struggle when created by those unfamiliar with the genre, but Yu’s background in science fiction should help ensure this adaptation stays true to its roots.

Star City

If you’re looking for a show comparable to The Expanse, keep an eye on Star City. It’s a spin-off of For All Mankind, and it tells the story from the Soviet Union’s perspective. For All Mankind is a sci-fi series that imagines a world where the US and Soviet Union continued competing in the space race indefinitely.

Like The Expanse, For All Mankind is rooted in realistic science, although it does explore fictional possibilities as the story progresses. The show is planned to run for a total of five seasons.

Considering how popular the original series was, it’s likely that Star City will be a hit as well. The new show will also focus more on political maneuvering and character development, which should especially appeal to fans of The Expanse.

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2025-12-26 02:29