3 Best Space TV Shows To Watch While Artemis II Flies To The Moon, Ranked

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With the upcoming launch of Artemis II, it’s a great time to explore some fantastic space-themed TV shows. While there are plenty of science fiction options available, some feel particularly relevant right now. Many of the most beloved sci-fi shows take place in space, offering incredible creative freedom and a wide range of choices for viewers of all ages and interests.

Space-themed TV shows cover a wide range of genres, including comedies, dramas, westerns, and scary stories. However, not all of these would be appropriate viewing for the upcoming Artemis II mission. Scheduled to launch on April 1, 2026, Artemis II is a flight around the moon as part of the larger Artemis program. While the crew won’t land on the lunar surface, they will fly around the far side, giving us a fresh perspective of that hidden area.

With the Artemis II mission heading to the Moon, it’s natural to reminisce about great space-themed TV shows – and some of them are perfect viewing while the mission is underway.

3. Firefly (2002)

One Season

Firefly is a science fiction TV show with a Western feel, created by Joss Whedon. It’s set in the year 2517, after humanity has colonized a new star system. The main planets joined together to form the Alliance, but this led to a civil war against a group called the Independents. The Alliance ultimately won, leaving those who fought on the losing side to live on the fringes of the system.

The show Firefly centers on Captain Mal Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) and his first officer, Zoe Washburne (Gina Torres), who captain the ship Serenity. They and their crew scrape by on the edges of settled space, taking on any job they can find while trying to stay out of the Alliance’s reach. Their lives become even more complicated when they take in siblings Simon (Sean Maher) and River Tam (Summer Glau), who are fleeing the Alliance after River was subjected to secret experiments.

Though it was canceled after only 11 of its 14 episodes, Firefly has become a beloved and highly-regarded sci-fi show. Its early cancellation actually helped it gain a dedicated fanbase, and it’s a really enjoyable show to watch all at once. Fans got a satisfying conclusion with the 2005 film Serenity, and now there’s even an animated series in the works!

2. For All Mankind (2019-Present)

Five Seasons

For All Mankind is a science fiction TV series created by Ronald D. Moore, Matt Wolpert, and Ben Nedivi. It first aired on Apple TV in 2019 and presents a fascinating alternate history. The show imagines a 1969 where a Soviet cosmonaut, Alexei Leonov, was the first person to land on the moon, intensifying the competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union in the space race.

The Apple TV+ series For All Mankind jumps forward a decade with each season, beginning in the late 1960s and continuing through to the 2010s. The show’s alternate history of the space race doesn’t just feature incredible technological achievements—like establishing a colony on Mars—but also explores social progress, with women and minorities becoming astronauts much earlier than they did in reality.

Critics and viewers alike have praised For All Mankind. Currently, the show is gearing up for its sixth and final season, which is expected to premiere in 2027.

1. The Expanse (2015-2022)

Six Seasons

In recent years, The Expanse has become a highly praised science fiction show. Created by Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby, it’s based on the novel series of the same name by James S. A. Corey. The show takes place in the future, where humans have colonized the solar system – but, like many other sci-fi stories, this colonization isn’t peaceful.

As tensions rise between Earth, Mars, and the Outer Planets Alliance, a cold war erupts, with Earth and Mars dominating and mistreating those in the Outer Planets. The story of The Expanse centers on a detective, a spaceship captain, and a diplomat as they uncover a dangerous plot that could shatter the system’s delicate peace, complicated by the discovery of alien technology with potentially deadly biological effects.

As a huge sci-fi fan, I can honestly say The Expanse is something special. It’s a really layered and immersive show – the visuals are stunning, and I genuinely cared about the characters and their journeys. It’s quickly become one of my all-time favorites, and I’m so glad Prime Video stepped in to save it after Syfy cancelled it. It’s definitely one of their best shows, too!

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2026-04-01 22:41