Despite the fact that the audience might think the opposite, sci-fi TV shows are still somewhat rare, at least in comparison to other genres. One of the reasons is that they’re often expensive to make because of all the special effects.
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Luckily, all fans of classical sci-fi literature have their pick of shows to choose from. Such as the newestFoundationinspired by Isaac Asimov’s work. The imaginative series is currently airing its first season. But while the excited audience waits for new episodes, they can take a look at other interesting sci-fi shows that might captivate them just likeFoundationdid.
9Doctor Who
As one of the longest-running TV shows of all time,Doctor Whois a must-watch for all sci-fi fans. It first aired in 1963 and is still going strong even these days. The series offers both more serious episodes similar toFoundationas well as light-hearted, funny ones.
It introduces a lot of alien species andworks with characters that are often impossible not to love, whether they appear regularly or just one time. However, the biggest emphasis lies on the Doctor, the eccentric Time Lord whose adventures make the show great to watch
8Futurama
Despite the fact that both series' titles start with the letter F,FoundationandFuturamaare very different. What they have in common is that they introduce a complex world that’s a joy to discover.Futuramais an animated sci-fi show by Matt Groening, the creator ofThe Simpsons.
Its main hero, a delivery boy Philip J. Fry, accidentally falls into a cryo chamber in 1999 and wakes up a thousand years later. He finds a new group of friends and starts flying around the galaxy as a delivery boy. The series introduces a lot of alien worlds and characters and even though its mood is different fromFoundation, the rich setting in both series has a lot to offer.
7Legends Of Tomorrow
Even though it’s a superhero show, unlikeFoundation, this series is as close to an epic sci-fi adventure as they come. The crew has a time-traveling ship that allows them to go back in time, as well as into the future, and meet various adversaries, aliens included.
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The series is mostly light-hearted and relaxed but also has some serious, dramatic moments likeFoundationdoes. Its best part then is the large cast of heroes that makes it easy to find someone the audience will like.
6Red Dwarf
As one of the few sci-fi sitcoms,Red Dwarfis a hilarious British series that’s been airing since 1988. It focuses on the last human, Dave Lister, who travels in a spaceship with a hologram of his dead colleague, a Catlike being, and a mechanoid.
The series has become iconic since its release and even though it chooses a different storytelling approach thanFoundation, it’s the ultimate space comedy that will keep a lot of viewers entertained. Especially those who are looking for some less serious watch afterFoundation.
5Star Trek
Star Trekcan’t be missing when it comes to listing influential sci-fi shows. Just likeFoundation, it’s a classic. The first show premiered in 1966 and multiple others followed:The Next Generation,Deep Space Nine,Voyager,Enterprise,Discovery, andPicard, as well as animated showsStar Trek: The Animated SeriesandLower Decks, and last not but least, the upcomingProdigy.
Those fans who like sci-fi shows that make the audience think, whichFoundationmanages as well, shouldn’t miss out on watchingStar Trek. Some episodes are hilarious, others more dramatic, butStar Trekis the quintessential sci-fi story and has all the attributes any fan could possibly want in this genre.
4Dune
LikeFoundation, the bookDuneis a classic. These days,the movie with Timothée Chalamet in the leading roleis taking the world by storm, but everyone who likes the story and wants to see more of it should also try out the 2000 series.
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BothDuneandFoundationbuild rich and complex worlds and have the power to make the audience consider what they’re seeing. Another plus is that the series only has three episodes so it’s possible to watch this adaptation ofDunefast. The visual aspect of the series isn’t as high-quality as other sci-fi shows but the story still works and is enough to make the audience captivated.
3Snowpiercer
It’s still somewhat unusual to first make a movie and then transform it into a series.Snowpierceris an exception to this rule. Many people might not realize, that just likeFoundation, it’s also based on a book - in this case, a graphic novel series.
The show tells the story of a train filled with people from various backgrounds and with a different level of influence who survive in a frozen wasteland. It’s not a very optimistic view of humanity’s future but it will make the audience think and it’s filled with excellent actors, such as Jennifer Connelly, to name just one.
2The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy
Some sci-fi shows based on an iconic book, likeFoundationis, mostly fly under the radar. That’s also the case of this 1981 adaptation of the Douglas Adams legendary humorous sci-fi series.
The more known adaptation is the 2005 filmwith Martin Freeman in the leading rolebut this show can also interest the audience, especially those familiar with the book series. In six episodes, the story has more space to play out than in the movie, the cast is solid and the show hilarious.
1War Of The Worlds
Isaac Asimov, the author ofFoundation, was one of the greatest names in the world of sci-fi literature. H.G. Wells is another. The story about an alien attackWar of the Worldshas multiple adaptations but this one is a 2019 three-part miniseries.
Once again, it’s possible to finish watching the series fast since it has less than three hours in total. It’s also a solid adaptation that keeps the audience intrigued and features well-known names, such as Robert Carlyle, Harry Melling, orThe Witcherstars Freya Allan and Joey Batey.
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