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11 Sci-Fi Shows to Binge If You Love ‘Star Trek’

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‘Dark Winds’ Season 2 Ending Explained: What Happens to the Team?

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There is no dearth of shows set in the world of Star Trek nowadays. Thanks to Paramount+ (previously known as CBS All Access), Trekkies can enjoy all kinds of fare, from darker serialized stories in Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Picard to old-school episodic style of storytelling in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds . We also have animated fare that appeals to adults, like Star Trek: Lower Decks, and Star Trek: Prodigy , that’s geared to younger generations.

But just because we live in an age of "All Trek All the Time", doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some excellent science-fiction adventures outside the United Federation of Planets. Shows set in space have been around forever, though some have been forgotten. The shows on this list have vastly different tones and production values, and every viewer will have their own favorites. If you love Star Trek, or episodic adventures in space, then you may want to catch up with these shows in between seasons.

RELATED: Star Trek Day Programming and Global Pop-Ups Revealed for Paramount+ Event

An astronaut from Earth finds himself aboard the living spaceship Moya as the ship and its crew fight to escape a fascist military operation known as the Peacekeepers. Farscape aired in the early noughties, in an attempt to capture audiences who were losing interest in Star Trek , but unlike Star Trek the central crew aren’t always upstanding citizens. The protagonist, John Crichton ( Ben Browder ), is a great audience stand-in, with his pop culture retorts and easy-going air about him keeping him relatable. His perfect match turns out to be Aeryn Sun, played by Claudia Black , a no-nonsense former soldier who thaws into a compassionate character by the end of the series. Their dynamic is a big appeal of the show , as are the visuals and animatronics that bring this sci-fi universe to life.

Set aboard the titular space station, the space opera Babylon 5 focuses on what happens when humans and aliens must work together to bring peace to a galaxy that's still learning diplomacy. Babylon 5 doesn’t hold back on the horrors of war and the toll that it takes, while the show even touches on humanity’s darker aspects with plot lines featuring Xenophobic groups as well as the impact of political and religious influences. Parts of the show echo the atmosphere of Deep Space Nine , not only with its space station setting (there was some controversy around how similar the settings were) but also by showcasing how large-scale galactic events can affect the most ordinary of individuals.

Stargate is a sprawling franchise of shows based on the Roland Emmerich film, beginning with Stargate SG-1 , which debuted in the late 1990s and remains a favorite among genre fans. Later shows added to the canon of the franchise — the main premise revolves around Earth's discovery of a "Stargate," which is a cosmic portal that can ferry humans across vast distances. Of course, human beings decide to exploit this discovery for potential resources, which results in humanity battling aliens, especially the snake-like Goa'uld. Stargate is heavy on lore for sci-fi fans to immerse themselves in, but more importantly the show serves as "comfort viewing," with a fun and likable cast of characters.

Dark Matter

In the future, six people wake up on a spaceship with no knowledge of who they are and how they got there. They have to work together to discover the truth, but how can they trust each other? Based on the comic series of the same name, one of the most comparable aspects of Dark Matter to Star Trek is the introduction of The Android ( Zoie Palmer ), a character who is the smartest person in the room but knows little about human interaction. Though the show was canceled after only three seasons, it did develop a loyal fanbase, thanks to its combination of humor and darkness, with a diverse cast and a seemingly omnipresent villain. Dark Matter was less about the epic part of sci-fi, and more about the dynamics between people — something Star Trek fans will enjoy, since that franchise also emphasizes eclectic partnerships and friendships.

Killjoys deserved a lot more love than it received. This underrated sci-fi adventure follows Dutch ( Hannah John-Kamen ), Johnny ( Aaron Ashmore ), and D'avin ( Luke Macfarlane ), three bounty hunters who bungle every mission they’re on and still survive to tell the tale. The three protagonists have great chemistry and riff off each other perfectly. There’s a lot of quips mixed in with the brawls and space-hopping. What especially works for this Canadian show is that it’s a little more LGBTQIA+ friendly than Star Trek used to be, making for welcome change within the space opera genre. The show began with more episodic storytelling like older Trek , before introducing season-long villains like Deep Space Nine and Enterprise had. Also, one theme that appealed to fans of Killjoys was the concept of a found family — a quintessential theme of all Trek properties.

The Mandalorian

Star Wars and Trek are sometimes pitted against each other as franchises, which has never made sense. Now that Star Wars has debuted its own live-action series on Disney+, the differences between the franchises have decreased even more. You want an adventure in space? The Mandalorian has that as our hero flies from system to system to protect his young charge. You want aliens, betrayal, new and unconventional bonds formed? All of that can be found aboard the Razor Crest. What about epic battles, duels, and scheming villains — it’s in there! The Mandalorian is its own show, with a unique visual style, but the seasons so far definitely fill the void whenever you’re craving more Star Trek content, and you don’t feel like re-watching your favorite installment yet again.

Battlestar Galactica

If you’re a Trekkie, Battlestar Galactica has most likely been on your watchlist for a while. The reboot of the 1970s show is set aboard the titular spaceship, which leads the fleet carrying the last remaining humans in the universe. Admiral Adama ( Edward James Olmos ) oversees a crew consisting of fan-favorite characters like Katee Sackhoff ’s Starbuck and Jamie Bamber ’s Apollo, among others, alongside the newly-appointed President Laura Roslin (two-time Oscar nominee Mary McDonnell) . Adama has a destination in mind, but his hopes may be dashed as the fleet battles an old enemy in new form. The Cylons are like the Borg, insidious and relentless. Worse, the Cylons in the reboot can look like humans, so trust is at a premium in the show. Some of the storylines and character arcs on the show were controversial up to and including the series finale, but Battlestar Galactica continues to be thought-provoking, and the characters will easily become some of your favorites.

Lost in Space

For fans of space and exploration, the 2018 reboot of Lost in Space (yes, another reboot!) will be right up your alley. The show follows the Robinson family, Molly ( Maureen Robinson ), John ( Toby Stephens ) and their three children, aspiring doctor Judy ( Taylor Russell ), budding writer Penny ( Mina Sundwall ), and science-enthusiast Will ( Maxwell Jenkins ), as they travel to outer space. The Robinsons face several obstacles in space — from the environment, alien species, robots, and even their fellow humans — but always find a way to power through. As long as this family are together, they can overcome anything. Although they do need more than a little help from their friendly, albeit, taciturn, robot. Who else will loudly proclaim ‘Danger, Will Robinson’ at the first signs of trouble?

The Expanse

Set in the 24th century (like several Star Trek shows), The Expanse is one of the more critically-acclaimed science-fiction shows of the new millennium. Based on a series of novels by Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck , the series follows several characters unwittingly intertwined in a giant conspiracy that threatens to destabilize the already teetering state of peace in the Solar System. The characters are distinct and compelling, but it’s the political storylines that keep you hooked. Shohreh Aghdashloo is particularly riveting as United Nations member Chrisjen Avasarala, as is Frankie Adams , who joined the show in the second season as gunnery sergeant Bobby Draper. The dynamics among the crew of the Rocinante ship are another reason you’ll continue to tune in. With The Expanse, come for the space adventure, stay for the political intrigue.

Quantum Leap

The original Quantum Leap and its 2022 sequel capture the core values of Star Trek —understanding, tolerance and a love of all people, irrespective of their differences. While the original show may feel a little dated nowadays (well, so does some of Star Trek ), through Sam Beckett ( Scott Bakula ) ‘leaping’ into other people, the show examined tough topics including racism and women’s rights. It helps that Bakula also starred as Captain Jonathan Archer on Enterprise . The sequel series stars a diverse cast including Raymond Lee, Caitlin Bassett, Mason Alexander Park, Nanrisa Lee and Ernie Hudson . The show is an absolute delight with heartwarming stories brought to life by Lee’s effortless performance and a deeper relationship between the lead characters than there was in the original . The stories are also more representative, and include an episode with an Indian immigrant family, as well as an episode about a trans teenager who just wants to play basketball. There’s an extra layer of mystery added in that will keep you tuning in for more.

The long-lasting British science-fiction show Doctor Who has the episodic, planet-hopping, and alien-encountering fun of Star Trek , but brings its own distinct flavor. Every era has its own appeal, and now that the show has broadened its horizons to cast more women, people of color, and trans actors as leads, Doctor Who is becoming more representative with every series. The show is quirky and silly, but can be scary (Weeping Angels, anyone?), thought-provoking, and somber ( just take a look at Donna Noble's tragic companion arc ). Everyone will have their own favorite Doctor, but there are a lot of companions to cheer for as well. There’s never a dull moment when the Time-Lord steps into their Tardis and decides which planet or year to fly off to. Every episode is an unforgettable adventure, and one never knows if the Doctor will meet a strange new alien, a historic figure from Earth’s past, or something else completely out of this world.

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• The Mandalorian (2019)

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The Best Sci-Fi TV Shows and Movies Inspired by Star Trek

From classic space adventures to parodies to stories about loving Star Trek, these are the best TV series and movies inspired by the Final Frontier.

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Star Trek is one of best and most well-known science fiction franchises of all time, so it’s no surprise that it’s had a huge influence on the rest of the genre. From other space-faring adventures to distant worlds to straight up parodies of the Enterprise and its crew, there are plenty of shows and movies that owe a bit to Gene Roddenberry ‘s creation.

This is not a list of every single show or film that has been inspired by Star Trek because that list would cover a pretty good proportion of sci-fi on screen since 1966. But if you want to watch something Star Trek -adjacent, we’ve picked out 10 of our favorite shows and movies that were, to a greater or lesser degree, inspired by Star Trek .

Back in 1998, BBC 2 ran a Red Dwarf Night featuring interviews with celebrity fans, one of whom was Patrick Stewart. Stewart talked about how he was channel hopping (remember that, fellow oldies?) one night around 1993 or 1994 and came across something that, to his own “horror and outrage”, appeared to be a “rip-off” of Star Trek: The Next Generation . He was reaching for the phone to call his lawyer, “when something happened that made me laugh – and it was something that certainly would not have happened on The Next Generation .” Stewart realized the show was a comedy, not a cheap rip-off, started laughing, and became a fan.

Red Dwarf actually started around the same time as Next Gen , both being developed from 1986, though Red Dwarf was delayed in getting to air until 1988 due to an electricians’ strike. Following the misadventures of the last human being alive as he embarks on a 3 million year journey to get back to Earth, the series combines elements of a few different space-set shows and films, including Silent Running and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy , but there is clearly a hefty dose of Star Trek: The Original Series in there. As time went on, more and more Next Generation crept in as well, especially with the addition of android crewmember Kryten as a full time cast member in Series 3.

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Stargate SG-1

Stargate SG-1 was spun off from the 1994 Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich film Stargate , and the basic premise comes directly from that film: a US Air Force team go through a mysterious gate found in Egypt to another planet – or, in the case of the TV show, lots of other planets. When the show was adapted for television, although it did not feature many spaceships until later seasons, it did start to draw on the well-established tropes of Planet of the Week style space opera that Star Trek helped to popularize. The tortured military hero gained a wise-cracking style to suit star Richard Dean Anderson that aligned him more with “always a joke at the end of the episode” Kirk, the typical 1990s-nerdy Egyptologist slowly became more of a respected expert who sneezed less often, and more importantly the team gained a woman who was not sold to the Egyptology nerd in marriage (yes that is really the plot of the movie and yes, she calls him out on it) and a stoic alien.

The addition of Teal’c is where we can really see the influence of Star Trek creeping in because Teal’c is basically the love child of Spock and Worf, in the best way. He is extremely calm and composed – he has very deep emotions, but he keeps them under the surface and meditates frequently. He is also quite fond of a raised eyebrow. The “scientist” position on the team was already taken by Carter, so Teal’c fulfills the “warrior” role. Standing out as a warrior in a military setting is quite the task, but like Worf, Teal’c’s “honorable warrior” approach and fondess for his own culture’s weapons marks him out as a warrior among warriors.

Futurama follows Philip J Fry, who accidentally falls into a cryogenic freezer on New Year’s Day in 2000 and wakes up on December 31, 2999 (and leaves his dog behind, in quite possibly the most traumatic episode of television ever made). Fry finds work with his distant nephew (an elderly man) at a delivery company called Planet Express. Being a science fiction comedy set in a future full of spaceships, there are of course references to Star Trek scattered throughout, and the short-skirted, egotistical, womanizing recurring character Captain Zapp Brannigan clearly has more than a bit of Kirk in him.

Futurama also incorporated Star Trek into its stories more directly on occasion. The show’s very first guest star was Leonard Nimoy as his own cryogenically preserved head, welcoming Fry to the Head Museum (a regular feature on the series). And later there was a whole episode dedicated to Star Trek itself, “Where No Fan Has Gone Before.” In this episode, Fry discovers that Star Trek inspired a whole religion, which led to the Star Trek Wars, which led to the show and everything associated with it being banned. But a powerful alien being has watched the whole show, and has given the preserved heads of most of the original actors new bodies so they can participate in an eternal Star Trek convention. It’s a loving, joyous send-up of the show and features all but one of the then-surviving original cast members plus, inevitably, Jonathan Frakes, because every spin-off of Star Trek in any form must feature Jonathan Frakes in some role. This is the Rule.

Battlestar Galactica (reboot)

Battlestar Galactica 2003/4 – 2009 is a reimagining of the original 1979 series Battlestar Galactica , so needless to say its main point of reference is that show (though the original has some connections with Star Trek as well, as we covered here ). But it was also developed, executive produced, and had many episodes written by Ronald D. Moore, who first earned his stripes as a writer on The Next Generation , Deep Space Nine , and briefly on Voyager before his working relationship with his writing partner Brannon Braga broke down and he left.

While in many ways Battlestar Galactica was deliberately the anti- Star Trek – featuring a somewhat grimmer world view and an even higher body count – it also had many similarities, inevitably, since they are both set on space ships and led by a ship’s Captain or Commander. But Moore also emphasized some of the most interesting themes of 1990s Star Trek in his noughties version of BSG . Having left Voyager after only a couple of episodes, he obviously felt he had more to say about a spaceship on a long journey to get to Earth. And he had done a lot of work on Deep Space Nine , at the time the grittiest Star Trek series (possibly overtaken by Discovery or Picard since then– argue that out in the comments!). DS9 ’s penchant for morally gray characters and storylines and for stories based around a mysterious alien religion is clearly reflected in the themes emphasized by Moore’s reimagining of Battlestar Galactica .

Firefly/Serenity

Firefly (and its follow-up movie Serenity ) is another show that, on the surface, seems to be deliberately doing something different to Star Trek . Set in the future and following the crew of a spaceship, it has a Western-inspired vibe. The ship has a courtesan and a mercenary on board, and the use of Chinese phrases scattered among the English seems to be a reaction against the perceived tendency of Star Trek and other series to make the future look very American (somewhat unfairly, and Uhura’s native language is very specifically established as Swahili in “The Changeling,” although she is admonished and told to speak English which is especially odd as they all have Universal Translators… but we digress).

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But actually, Firefly is very directly inspired by Star Trek , which was famously conceived by Gene Roddenberry as a “wagon train to the stars.” Its even more famous tag line describes space as “the final frontier,” clearly positioning the show as basically a Western in space. Firefly takes that basic idea but goes in a different direction with it. Instead of focusing on the exploration aspect of the movement of immigrants to America ever further west in the 19th century, Firefly picks up on other elements of Westerns and Western tropes – particularly the lawlessness in a frontier environment with minimal law enforcement. It is the yin to Star Trek ’s yang.

WALL-E ’s most obvious and immediate inspirations are the films Silent Running and 2001: A Space Odyssey , but if you look closely, there is a good bit of Star Trek in there as well. It is, of course, largely set on a spaceship and one of the main characters is the ship’s captain – so far, so superficial.

But there are deeper connections to Star Trek here. One of the things that is notable about WALL-E is just how good and well-intentioned all the future human characters are. The present-day human character played by Fred Willard, and by implication all the other present-day humans, are somewhat terrible, but all of the future humans we meet are good people who are open to new experiences when they are exposed to them. Their sedentary, passive lifestyles are simply what they have been taught and brought up with. The simplest and briefest exposure to the world around them, even just by being accidentally toppled out of their mobile chairs, sets them off on a journey of discovery, and the ship’s captain is thrilled and excited to learn more about Earth and about his own ship’s true mission. That attitude is pure Star Trek – a passion for discovery and exploration, even when it is one that ultimately leads back to Earth again.

The Orville

There was a point, around 2017-2019, when The Orville was famous for being more like Star Trek than Star Trek . This is not meant – by us anyway – as a criticism of Star Trek: Discovery , which is a great show. But in its first two seasons, Discovery deliberately leaned away from some of the Star Trek series that had come before, following a disgraced former mutineer instead of a Captain or Commander, featuring a morally dubious Captain who actually turned out to be “evil,” focusing on war and trauma, and using arc-based instead of episodic storytelling. It was pretty similar to Deep Space Nine in many ways, but for fans of the more upbeat, Planet of the Week, episodic storytelling of the Original Series , The Next Generation , or Voyager , it was a bit of a shock ( Star Trek: Enterprise , like Discovery , re-tooled itself somewhat halfway through).

The Orville , on the other hand, basically is Star Trek in the 1990s mold of Next Gen or Voyager . Seven episodes of the show were actually written by Brannon Braga with his new writing partner, former scientific consultant on Star Trek , André Bormanis. And yes, writers are of course capable of writing different things, but although The Orville started out as a Star Trek spoof, pretty much the only difference between the two by season 3 is that people on the Orville sometimes eat pot brownies.

The show also stars Deep Space Nine ’s Penny Johnson Jerald in a regular role as the ship’s doctor, and has guest-starred Next Gen ’s Marina Sirtis, Voyager’ s Robert Picardo and Tim Russ, and Enterprise ’s John Billingsley, and the show’s directors include Star Trek ’s Brannon Braga, Robert Duncan McNeill and, of course, Jonathan Frakes. So it must be Star Trek .

Avenue 5 is a sadly short-lived science fiction comedy that blends elements of Voyager , Red Dwarf , and WALL-E . It takes from Red Dwarf and Voyager the basic plot that a spaceship has ended up a long way from home, and an essential crew member has been killed and must somehow be replaced. It then adds a well-meaning Captain who was only ever intended to be a figurehead, and not to actually run the ship, from WALL-E . Hilarity – and some surprisingly shocking deaths – ensue.

Although the somewhat less than inspirational characters skew closer to Red Dwarf , Battlestar Galactica , or Firefly , Avenue 5 shows its Star Trek side pretty clearly in the hiring of Voyager ’s Ethan Phillips (Neelix) as former astronaut Spike Martin. It also features an entire plot line built around the ability to split the ship into two, a clear reference to one of the Enterprise -D’s most famous (and least used) features.

Avengers: Endgame

This one is probably the biggest surprise on this list. Granted, it does feature spaceships and space travel, but as a big budget superhero film, it does not obviously have much in common with space opera.

What connects the second-highest grossing film of all time with Star Trek is the importance of the ensemble and the relationship between a group and its leader. Kevin Feige has mentioned a couple of times (both times speaking to Entertainment Weekly ) that he loves The Next Generation and that he had its final episode “All Good Things” in mind when developing Avengers: Endgame . “All Good Things” (written by Brannon Braga and Ronald D. Moore) has some time-hopping going on that is not dissimilar to Endgame , but Feige talked specifically about the very last scene, when Picard finally sits down to play poker with his senior officers. That relationship between the Captain and his crew and them all coming together, just like the shawarma-based post-credits in the first Avengers film, is what Feige really wanted to take from Star Trek and incorporate into the MCU.

The film also takes its title from the final episode of Voyager and directly lifts its closing images featuring the autographs of the actors playing the six main characters from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country , the final film focusing on the original Star Trek crew played by their original actors, symbolizing its similar position as a grand ending to the earliest phase of a franchise.

Galaxy Quest

We’re finishing with a film and a show that are not just “inspired by” Star Trek – to all intents and purposes, they are Star Trek , or very nearly. The premise for 1999’s Galaxy Quest is that aliens have been watching a Star Trek -like show and mistaken it for “historical documents,” so when they find themselves facing an enemy they can’t defeat, they crash a convention to ask the “crew” of the NSEA Protector for help. With a cast led by Tim Allen (a perfect Shatner-a-like), Sigourney Weaver (of course), and Alan Rickman (whose sad passing is the reason a proposed TV show never got off the ground), the resulting story is hilarious, heart-warming, and heart-breaking in equal amounts.

Galaxy Quest is perfect. It just is. If you are a Star Trek fan and you haven’t seen it, why not? Go and watch it immediately! You will never be able to watch an episode of Star Trek without quoting a line from Galaxy Quest ever again (especially not the Original Series episode “Arena”). Hear yourself constantly saying, “I’m the guy that dies to show the situation is serious!” “Quick, let’s get out of here before one of those things kills Guy!” “Does the rolling help?” “I see you managed to get your shirt off,” “Whoever wrote this episode should die!” and of course, “That’s not right!” And I know I just spoiled several of the funniest lines, but go and watch it anyway, I promise it’s worth it.

Juliette Harrisson | @ClassicalJG

Juliette Harrisson is a writer and historian, and a lifelong Trekkie whose childhood heroes were JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis. She runs a YouTube channel called…

10 Best Sci-Fi TV Shows Like Star Trek

While Star Trek may be among the pioneers of sci-fi television, exploring the galaxy for over 50 years, it has also inspired countless other shows to boldly head in the same direction. There’s just something about space that ignites our collective imagination and fills us with awe, and watching TV shows that explore the endless possibilities that lay amidst the stars provides genuinely great escapism.

Star Trek has always been about more than space battles and alien planets though. At its core, it delivers a message about progress, about using science to better understand one another . Which is why the franchise has resonated so strongly and endured for so long. And for all its groundbreaking influences, Star Trek is not the only space-faring show that has delivered the exact same ideals and adventures.

Release Date September 8, 1966

Main Genre Action

Cast Majel Barrett, Nichelle Nichols, Walter Koenig, William Shatner, George Takei, Leonard Nimoy, Deforest Kelley, James Doohan

A bunch of other sci-fi series have carried on Star Trek's legacy of world-building . From faster-than-light space travel between solar systems to first encounters and battles with mysterious alien races, these 10 shows have proven that Star Trek left plenty of room behind for exploration, and with the right mix of characters, understanding future dilemmas can be stimulating and entertaining at the same time.

Red Dwarf (1988 Present)

Red dwarf (1988).

Release Date February 15, 1988

Main Genre Sci-Fi

Cast Chris Barrie, Danny John-Jules

Creating a unique balance of science fiction and comedy is this British sleeper hit from the 1990s. It centers around a low-ranking technician named Dave Lister who realizes that he is the last human alive on the titular mining ship. His only companions are a hologram version of his dead bunkmate, Arnold Rimmer, and a neurotic humanoid Cat who evolved over time. He’s also three million years into the future. With their ship adrift, the characters encounter mutant creatures, strange phenomena, and alternate versions of themselves.

A Sci-Fi Series Thats Also Hilarious

While most space comedies fade over time, Red Dwarf is among the select few that has endured for over 30 years thanks to its irreverent and downright silly take on the beloved genre. So far, twelve series and a feature-length special have aired in the franchise. Red Dwarf focuses more on the hilarity of its characters rather than special effects or technicalities. And yet, the long-running series has amazed fans with its ability to always amaze fans.

Space: 1999 (1975 1977)

Space: 1999.

Release Date October 17, 1975

Cast Tony Anholt, Catherine Schell, Barbara Bain, Martin Landau

Space: 1999 begins with a massive thermonuclear explosion caused by a “magnetic radiation” sending the Moon out of the Earth’s orbit, along with all the inhabitants of Moonbase Alpha, which is a scientific research facility located in the Moon's northern hemisphere.

The episodes that follow center around the adventures and the plights of the personnel on Moon, which is not considered a spacecraft. They travel from one end of the universe to another and deal with alien encounters, galactic dangers, and more.

Andersons Ambitious Storytelling in Space

Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, who first came into prominence after creating the classic British sci-fi series, Thunderbirds , which used electronic marionette puppetry, translated their skill into Space: 1999 a decade later.

With a controlled budget this time, this imaginative story involving speculative science and groundbreaking special effects also tackled mature themes as its Moonbase crew battled with abstract threats in vivid style. While the series lost its way in the second season, it developed a cult following over time.

Andromeda (2000 2005)

Release Date October 7, 2000

Cast Laura Bertram, Brandy Ledford, Lisa Ryder, Steve Bacic, Kevin Sorbo, Lexa Doig

Based on the unused concepts and material by Gene Roddenberry and produced after his death, Andromeda is an exceptional soap opera. Led by Captain Dylan Hunt and his crew, we follow the adventures of a Systems Commonwealth ship named Andromeda Ascendant.

The show is set in the years before a devastating intergalactic war reshaped history. Hunt’s mission was to restore order in the galaxies and build a peaceful civilization, but he had to mediate conflicts, explore new worlds, and battle unfamiliar threats in the process.

Combines Spectacle with Complex Arcs

With its swashbuckling space adventures and season-long storytelling, Andromeda immersed viewers in a sprawling space saga. The series has five seasons and an intricately woven narrative that combines fantasy, cyberpunk and post-apocalyptic themes.

Moreover, while its politically charged plot points always keep you engaged, the intergalactic battles and stunning alien worlds deliver epic action. Kevin Sorbo leads a talented cast of actors, who turn Andromeda into a pioneering sci-fi with their performances.

10 Lo-Fi Sci-Fi Movies That Define the Genre

Many film genres have their own subgenres that blend seamlessly. An emerging genre in the sci-fi world is called lo-fi.

Farscape (1999 2003)

Release Date March 19, 1999

Cast David Franklin, Melissa Jaffer, Raelee Hill, Tammy MacIntosh, Lani Tupu, Paul Goddard, Virginia Hey, Rebecca Riggs, Wayne Pygram, Gigi Edgley, Anthony Simcoe, Jonathan Hardy, Ben Browder, Claudia Black

Rating TV-14

Created for the sole purpose of capturing interests of audiences who loved Star Trek and were displeased with its cancelation in 1969, Farscape tried to distinguish itself from the beloved series. Its plot centered around astronaut John Crichton, who finds himself stranded on the other side of the universe and branded as a fugitive after his ship crashes somewhere it wasn’t supposed to. Now, he is facing threats from the fascist and militaristic Peacekeepers and must find a way to escape.

Groundbreaking Blend of Drama and Fun

Unlike the protagonists of Star Trek , Crichton was not a noble man. He was an impressive stand-in with a lot of things to say about pop culture and was accompanied by Claudia Black, whose character sees immense growth throughout the series .

Farscape was lightyears ahead of its time. Its sophisticated drama and wild imagination, dark humor and creativity, as well as bizarre aliens and fully-realized worlds were too much to take in at once. Also short-lived, it left an indelible mark on sci-fi TV.

Battlestar Galactica (2003 2009)

Battlestar galactica.

Release Date December 8, 2003

Cast Grace Park, Tricia Helfer, Katee Sackhoff, Edward James Olmos, Callum Keith Rennie, Mary McDonnell, Jamie Bamber, James Callis

Set in a distant solar system, the show first finds the few surviving humans of an interstellar war that broke out in the past with Cylons – a human-created race of robots that turned against their creators, launched a sneak attack on them, and lay waste to almost all civilization – working to rebuild society for themselves.

They are led by Commander William Adama and President Laura Roslin. As the crew faces a shortage of supplies and threat from the evolving Sylons, they look for a fabled lost planet called Earth.

Redefined Space Drama For a New Generation

Often imitated but never matched, Battlestar Galactica is a favorite among fans of Star Trek. The show created an epic modern mythology by combining complex political arcs and richly developed characters. Speaking of whom, it starred Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, Katee Sackhoff, and more as the main cast.

Their raw and emotional performances altered our expectations of the genre and influenced several TV shows . Overall, the narrative intrigue and stunning production values make Battlestar Galactica an enduring classic.

The Expanse (2015 2022)

The expanse.

Release Date December 14, 2015

Cast Wes Chatham, Steven Strait, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Cas Anvar

In the 24th century, humanity has colonized space and settled into the solar system. They have also divided themselves into three powerful factions – the United Nations of Earth and Luna, the Martian Congressional Republic on Mars, the station-dwellers of the Asteroid Belt known as Belters.

When tensions between them escalate and a conspiracy threatens an all-out war, Josephus Miller, an interstellar police detective, is tasked with finding a woman and he unwittingly gets embroiled in the high-stakes action.

One of the Best Hard Sci-Fi Series

The Expanse is adapted from the acclaimed series of novels written by James S. A. Corey. Much like Star Trek , it brings space-set stories down to a gritty, realistic, human scale and evokes feelings of intrigue and bewilderment. The series is also well-researched, resulting in narratives and missions that feel extremely accurate. Winning both critical praise and a loyal fanbase, the show balanced pulse-pounding adventure with complex themes and established itself as a modern classic.

Firefly (2002 2003)

Release Date September 20, 2002

Cast Summer Glau, Sean Maher, Gina Torres, Adam Baldwin, Nathan Fillion, Jewel Staite, Morena Baccarin, Alan Tudyk

Writer and director Joss Whedon pitched Firefly as a show about “nine people looking into the blackness of space and seeing nine different things.” Set five hundred years after a civil war destroyed everything and forced humans to travel to a new star system, it follows the ragtag crew of a transport ship, Serenity, trying to get by any way that can.

Whether respecting the law or bending it, under the swaggering Captain Mal Reynolds’ command, the crew lives job to job and often finds itself in unpredictable situations.

Short-Lived But Hugely Influential

Whedon’s show spawned an entire franchise, which included a 2005 movie titled Serenity , several comics and two tabletop role-playing games. The success came from its juxtaposition of familiar Western tropes with a dazzling sci-fi vision on colonized space. Bursting with memorable characters, clever dialogue, and decent production, the series built a devoted fandom. Especially after it was released on DVD. Firefly was canceled after just one season, but it became a cult sensation for reinventing space drama.

Babylon 5 (1993 1998)

Release Date January 26, 1994

Cast Peter Jurasik, Andreas Katsulas, Richard Biggs, Mira Furlan, Bruce Boxleitner, stephen furst, Jerry Doyle, Bill Mumy

The concept and original idea of Babylon 5 is very similar to Star Trek . It is set aboard the titular space station, which acts as a neutral ground for alien races to meet and resolve conflicts. Their world is still in the early stages of learning about diplomacy, which is why when sinister factions like the Centauri and the Narn threaten peace with warfare, new mysteries, ancient shadows, and technology emerge, climaxing with betrayal, sacrifice and large scale space battles.

Boundary Pushing Long-Form Sci-Fi

Created by J. Michael Straczynski, Babylon 5 was a true storytelling risk. But for those who were willing to stick around, the series delivered on all fronts. Its novel approach to unfolding decade-spanning stories and intricate character arcs broke otherwise rigid television molds and generated the kind of viewership few other sci-fi series had at the time.

More than just a show about grand-scale galactic battles, Babylon 5 developed intimate political theories and detailed alien cultures to inspire awe and offer a beautiful take on peacekeeping.

20 of the Best Science Fiction TV Shows of All Time, Ranked

Sci-fi has been on television since its earliest days, and the best science fiction TV shows span 60 years, from The Jetsons to Stranger Things.

The Orville (2017 Present)

The orville.

Release Date September 10, 2017

Main Genre Comedy

Cast Michaela McManus, Adrianne Palicki, Seth MacFarlane, Jessica Szohr, Scott Grimes

A genre-bending epic created by and starring the legendary Seth MacFarlane, The Orville takes us 400 years into the future and introduces us to the Planetary Union, a 25th-century alliance of Earth with several other planets. We follow the misadventures of the U.S.S. Orville crew as it operates under the command of Captain Edward Mercer and encounters comedic situations episode after episode.

Pays Lighthearted Homage to Star Trek

Instead of just telling an overarching story, The Orville explores various sci-fi concepts inspired by the early years of Star Trek and Next Generation (both are heavily parodied throughout the series). In addition, it fools viewers into thinking it’s merely a spoof but then, it reveals its true treasures.

The charismatic ensemble cast, laugh-out-loud dialogue, provocative stories, thoughtful comments on morality and unknown future, and a deft balance of gags and wonder make the show next-level fantastic.

Doctor Who (2005 Present)

Originally premiered in 1963, Doctor Who is a sci-fi series that follows a powerful being known as a Time Lord, referred to as the Doctor. Using an interdimensional time-traveling ship known as the TARDIS, the Doctor travels time and space with various companions as they solve multiple problems and help avert catastrophe as much as they almost cause it. Though the Doctor is always the same character, they experience regenerations, allowing them to be recast every few seasons as a unique immortal being with new personality traits.

Release Date December 25, 2023

Cast Angela Wynter, Michelle Greenidge, Susan Twist, Millie Gibson, Yasmin Finney, Anita Dobson, Ncuti Gatwa, Jemma Redgrave

In Doctor Wh o , the mysterious Time Lord known as the Doctor has the ability to transform aspects of their appearance and personality by regenerating and adapting new incarnations. They use a sentient time machine, the TARDIS, and routinely embark on long journeys to save civilizations from a variety of dangers across space and time. The Doctor rarely works solo; they are joined by human companions who unwittingly get caught up in ever-changing adventures.

An Icon Thats Been Reinventing Itself for 60 Years

Thriving not only because of its longevity but also because of its constantly evolving core elements, Doctor Who has established a legacy for itself that’s not very different from Star Trek .

It tells a living, breathing story complete with iconic sci-fi/fantasy tropes that engage both old and new audiences, with each new volume bringing fresh adventures, era-accurate plot lines, broader casting choices and more representation. The compelling new Doctors and their equally interesting human friends make sure the format stays enthralling every season and reinvents itself over and over again.

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Top 6 Sci-Fi TV Shows Like Star Trek

The original Star Trek series was undoubtedly the first of its kind, a show that dared to “ boldly go where no man has gone before. ” And the world instantly fell in love with Captain Kirk and his crew as they went from one adventure to another. Today, Star Trek has evolved into a franchise that has gone on for over 50 years, spanning over 900 episodes and 13 movies.  

But when you have a genre-defining show like Star Trek , it’s never enough. So if you’ve binged through all of it and still find yourself craving some more intergalactic adventures, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here are six sci-fi TV shows like Star Trek that will certainly help you scratch that itch:

1. The Orville

As Star Trek went on, it began to shift its focus, leaning more into the action and visual spectacle like Star Wars . That’s why, In 2017, Seth MacFarlane released The Orville as his love letter to the golden days of Star Trek . It’s a beautiful homage with loads of references to classic Star Trek to look out for. What sets The Orville apart is its crew — it’s a goofy set of characters with an edgier sense of humor that’s far from the prim and proper characters of Star Trek . Almost every cast member has a background in comedy, and it shines through in the show’s laid-back comedic backdrop.

Watch The Orville on Disney Plus

2. Babylon 5

Babylon 5 is a space opera that’s more focused on politics and diplomacy. It’s a bit like if the Enterprise had a permanent posting at Deep Space Nine. So, if you’re a Star Trek: Deep Space Nine fan, you’ll probably love Babylon 5 . The crew of Babylon 5 is also far from the perfect altruists we see in Star Trek . They’re flawed, imperfect, and they often butt heads. And the tech in Babylon 5 isn’t a magical fix-all solution like in Star Trek ; it’s more primitive, used as a tool as part of a larger solution rather than serving as the band-aid for every problem.

Watch Babylon 5 on Roku

If Star Trek was a Western, it would be Firefly . Directed by Joss Whedon , Firefly is set 500 years into the future, where, after a universal civil war, a bunch of ragtag misfits aboard a small spaceship will take any job as long as it puts food on the table. You can follow it up with Serenity , a movie set in the Firefly universe , which wraps up the plot points left hanging in the show. And because the story just spans a single season and a movie, Firefly is the perfect show if you’re looking to quickly binge a sci-fi TV show like Star Trek.

Watch Firefly on Hulu

4. DC’s Legends of Tomorrow

Set in the CW Arrowverse, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow takes characters that are part of a larger universe and puts them aboard the Waverider, the show’s very own version of the Enterprise. The difference is that while the Star Trek crew usually visits new planets, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow explores new timelines, with the heroes trying to fix history. The show finds fun ways of throwing references to iconic historical and pop culture moments. In Season 5, Episode 14, “The One Where We’re Trapped on TV,” the show even did a one-to-one parody of Star Trek , with its characters trapped in a fake sci-fi TV show called “ Star Trip .”

Watch DC’s Legends of Tomorrow on Max

5. Battlestar Galactica 

If you’re into Star Trek , you’ve probably heard of Battlestar Galactica . Both the original and the reboot are centered around a spaceship called Battlestar Galactica, leading the fleet carrying the last surviving humans in the universe. Unlike Star Trek , Battlestar Galactica isn’t about exploring space; it’s about surviving it. It’s gritty, intense, and all about making it through one day at a time. The big bad species of the show are called Cylons, reminiscent of the Borg from Star Trek , and they want to destroy humanity. They’re even scarier in the reboot because they can shapeshift into humans! 

Watch Battlestar Galactica on Prime Video

6. Farscape  

Farscape follows a NASA astronaut as he finds himself aboard a living spaceship called Moya. He finds a new home and friends on the spaceship as they fight to escape a fascist military organization called the Peacekeepers. What makes Farscape special is the side characters. Almost every character has an extremely well-fleshed-out storyline. In fact, it’s so good that it served as one of the biggest inspirations for James Gunn ’s  Guardians of the Galaxy .

Watch Farscape on Pluto TV

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Safwan Azeem is a musician and songwriter who loves to travel. He has a degree in software engineering, but chooses to write instead. He's contributed for blogs like Collider, Koimoi, American Songwriter, Sports Illustrated, Old House Journal, Let's Eat Cake, Diamond Lobby, and Garden Gate. If you can't reach him on a Saturday evening, it's probably because he's out playing an acoustic gig. Check out more of his work on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn @safwanazeem.

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Binge Guide

More like this: love star trek: picard here are 5 more series like it, star trek: picard may be over, but more binge options await. if you need more star trek , paramount+ has your fix. or if you just want more space-based drama, we've got a few other recommendations for you..

TAGGED AS: Paramount , Sci-Fi , science fiction , television , TV

Star Trek: Picard is a Certified Fresh hit once again with its third season at 98% on the Tomatometer. And if the series finale has you ready to engage in similar shows, we’ve got five more like this that you should check out next. Along with more Star Trek and other great sci-fi shows, this list will be your “number one” as we boldly go where — not gonna lie — some have probably gone before.

BRAND-NEW PICK:

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ,  a spin-off of the series Star Trek: Discovery , follows Captain Kirk’s predecessor on the Enterprise , Captain Christopher Pike, as he navigates the decade leading up to the original series.

With a 99% Certified Fresh first season under its belt, it’s clear critics are totally on board. And the consensus gives praise for “recapturing the sense of boundless discovery that defined the franchise’s roots.”

A second season of this Emmy-nominated show arrives June 15. In the meantime, you’ll need about 9 hours to check out the first season.

Where to Watch: by subscription on Paramount+ | buy season 1 on Vudu , Prime Video , or Apple TV

THROWBACK PICK:

Our throwback pick takes us back to the ’60s with the super-groovy original Star Trek series.

And sure, it’s a bit obvious but it’s also a must for this list — whether you’ve seen it already or not. Considered ahead of its time on many levels, it ran from ’66 to ’69 and gave us some pretty iconic characters, ultimately creating a franchise that has lived long and — done pretty well.

Star Trek has an overall Fresh score of 80% for the series with a Certified Fresh first season at 92%. And if you’re not sure about heading back this far for a show, the consensus form critics reminds us that it “may look dated, but its gadgetry and solid storytelling solidify its place as one of pop culture’s most enduring franchises.”

You’ll need about 66 hours to watch all three seasons.

Where to Watch: by subscription on Paramount+ | buy seasons 1-3 on Vudu , Prime Video , or Apple TV

AUDIENCE PICK: 

Battlestar Galactica  is a re-imagining of the ’70s show that ran from 2004 to 2009. It was created by Ronald D. Moore who had previously worked on three different Star Trek series and went on to create the Starz fantasy series Outlander — so he knows what’s up, in other words.

This Edward James Olmos–led show earned 19 Emmy nominations and three wins. And not only was it a hit with fans, but critics also loved it, calling it a “captivating combination of riveting political drama and science fiction.”

You can watch all 74 episodes in just over 54 hours.

Where to Watch: by subscription on Peacock | buy seasons 1-4 on Vudu , Prime Video , or Apple TV

EDITORS’ PICK:

This sci-fi dramedy was created by Seth MacFarlane and is set 400 years in the future on an exploratory ship, that is facing both intergalactic and everyday life problems.

The series has a strong cast led by MacFarlane along with Adrianne Palicki and carries Fresh 77% Tomatometer and 89% Audience scores for its three-season run. Critics call The Orville “fun, focused and surprisingly thoughtful.”

You’re looking at about 26 hours of binge time for this series.

Where to Watch: by subscription on Hulu and Disney+ | buy seasons 1-3 on Vudu , Prime Video , or Apple TV

CERTIFIED FRESH PICK:

And finally, our Certified Fresh pick this week is Prime Video’s The Expanse . This one is set in a not-so-distant future where humanity has colonized the solar system. And clearly fans couldn’t get enough, considering they campaigned to save the show after it was canceled by Syfy.

With six very Fresh seasons, critics like The Expanse because it “blends sci-fi elements and detective noir into a visually compelling whole.”

You’re going to need nearly 62 hours to get through this one. But if you take it one hour at a time, it will only take 62 hours. You’re welcome.

Where to Watch: by subscription on Prime Video | buy seasons 1-6 on Vudu or Apple TV

On an Apple device? Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Apple News.

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12 Best Shows Like Star Trek: Lower Decks That Fans Should Check Out

"Star Trek: Lower Decks" isn't the first animated "Star Trek" series, but it is the first straight-up comedy in the franchise's history. That's not to say there weren't funny episodes of the various shows or that the movies didn't have a sense of humor ("Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" is practically a comedy), but there has never been an entire series strictly devoted to making the audience laugh.

Even the premise is pretty hilarious. Instead of focusing on a respected Starfleet vessel, the series is set aboard the USS Cerritos, a second-rate ship that typically handles second contact missions, as opposed to first contact. And while most "Star Trek" shows choose to tell stories from the bridge crew's perspective, "Lower Decks" details the adventures of low-ranking officers who don't get the attention or respect they deserve. This means characters can comment on typical "Star Trek" tropes and make fun of them.

In other words, there's nothing else in the franchise like it. So what's a fan to do when they're all caught up on "Lower Decks" and need something else to scratch that specific itch? Well, if you enjoy big sci-fi adventures with irreverent jokes, then look below to find our recommendations for other shows that fit the bill.

Co-created by Matt Groening, "Futurama" has all the offbeat and wild humor of "The Simpsons" (also co-created by Groening), but the science fiction setting allows the creative minds behind the show to go even bigger with their ideas. 

Set in the 30th century, the show is about a pizza delivery guy named Philip J. Fry who falls into a cryogenic chamber in 1999 and wakes up on New Year's Eve in 2999. Living in a future with robots and all manner of strange technology, he forms a new life for himself as an employee of his descendant's delivery company, Planet Express Inc. He's best friends with a hard-drinking, smoking, and gambling robot named Bender. His love interest (who isn't interested in him most of the time) is a cyclops named Leela, with the rest of the employees — including a humanoid crustacean named Zoidberg – rounding out his oddball family.

The similarities between this show and "Lower Decks" are obvious. It's difficult not to compare any animated comedy aimed at adults to Groening's shows. Stylistically, there's a clear line from "The Simpsons" to "Futurama" to "Lower Decks." If you like any of those shows, you'll like the others as well.

Rick and Morty

Before creating "Star Trek: Lower Decks," Mike McMahan was a writer on Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland's animated show "Rick and Morty." Of all the series listed here, this is perhaps the most similar to "Lower Decks." The show tells the many twisted, horrific, and hysterical adventures of mad scientist Rick Sanchez and his grandson/unwilling assistant Morty Smith. While Morty's main concern is living the life of a normal teenager, his grandfather's unusual exploits keep him from achieving that goal.

It's an absolutely wild show with trips around the multiverse and all kinds of disturbing creatures being slaughtered in Rick's quest to satisfy any and every urge he has. At the same time, many of the episodes also feature subplots about shockingly mundane domestic issues that typically evolve into some kind of out-of-control crisis. This show explores the horrors of the human condition in a way that makes you laugh and feel deeply depressed at the same time.

Of course, while most older kids could probably handle the subject matter in "Lower Decks," you might want to wait until they're a bit older before showing them "Rick and Morty" — not only because it's significantly more violent, profane, and perverse, but some of the headier concepts might be a bit much for them to handle.

The Venture Bros.

Although "Star Trek: Lower Decks" takes place within the greater "Star Trek" canon, there is a parody element to the show. It isn't constantly making fun of its parent franchise, but it  does  good-naturedly poke fun at the tropes and cliches inherent in the "Star Trek" universe. Therefore, it serves as both a spoof and a legitimate piece of science fiction — kind of like the 2003 Adult Swim series from creator Christopher McCulloch, "The Venture Bros."

In the early days, this show was about a family of (mostly) incompetent adventurers. Scientist Dr. Thaddeus Venture and his boys, Hank and Dean, served primarily as a sendup of classic adventure cartoons. As everything progressed, however, it grew into its own piece of sci-fi adventure, with characters the audience could invest in and storylines that could make them laugh and tug on their heartstrings.

Like a few other titles listed here, it's a hair more adult than "Lower Decks," but that shouldn't be a problem for most viewers. As a work of imaginative storytelling, this is one of those shows that gets its hooks in you and never lets go — even if there are shockingly few seasons over a long period of time. Chances are, once you give it a watch, you'll want to keep going until the "Venture Bros." movie maybe comes out.

Harley Quinn

The DC superheroes have a long history of fantastic animation projects. Going back to the 1940s Max Fleischer "Superman" shorts to the incredible '90s shows like "Batman: The Animated Series" and "Superman: The Animated Series" and the fantastic DC Animated Universe movies they spawned, animation has been very kind to the DC heroes. What about the villains though? Not just the big ones like Doomsday or the Joker but the side characters mainstream audiences tend to forget?

That's where the hysterical series "Harley Quinn" comes in. Just like "Lower Decks," this isn't a show about the big hitters. Instead, the show focuses on less popular characters determined to prove they can go toe-to-toe with the heavies. After suffering an intense breakup with the Joker, Harley Quinn sets off to show the world she's more than just the Clown Prince of Crime's girlfriend by setting up her own crew (consisting of shape-shifting actor Clayface, friendly yet dangerous King Shark, little misogynist Dr. Psycho, and wheelchair-bound landlord Sy Borgman) with the reluctant help of Poison Ivy.

Aside from the carnival of violence, innuendoes, and onslaught of cursing, "Harley Quinn" is a very sweet show about found family and self-acceptance. The humor can get darker than anything on "Lower Decks", but it has the same underdog spirit.

Solar Opposites

Around the same time he was creating "Star Trek: Lower Decks," Mike McMahan was co-creating "Solar Opposites" with Justin Roiland. Similar in animation style and tone to "Rick and Morty" (thought not as nihilistic), it's not all that different from the "SNL" skit/movie "Coneheads." The premise involves a family of aliens from the planet Shlorp who plan on colonizing other planets. Unfortunately for them, they crash on Earth, and since their homeworld has been destroyed, they're now forced to make the best of it, which means finding strange ways of adapting to human culture. While the leader of the group hates his new home, the others seem okay with it, providing the main conflict of the series. Along the way, things go in much weirder directions with multiple storylines (one of which involves a shrunken human society) and extreme observations about Earth life that the aforementioned "Coneheads" couldn't have done.

Final Space

"Star Trek: Lower Decks" is about more than just taking a raucous journey across the galaxy. At its core, the show is about individuals working as a team to improve themselves. Yes, their lives are often in danger, and they have to save themselves and others from horrific sci-fi entities, but the idea of underappreciated characters excelling beyond everyone's expectations is what makes the series so relatable.

The same can be said of "Final Space," the 2018 animated series from TBS and Adult Swim. Created by Olan Rogers and featuring a great voice cast consisting of Tom Kenny ("Spongebob Squarepants"), Fred Armisen ("Saturday Night Live"), and David Tennant ("Doctor Who") , the show tells the story of an astronaut named Gary Goodspeed and his recently assembled crew trying to save the galaxy from a dangerous alien named Lord Commander. 

It's a show that, on the surface, appears to be just like any other animated series for adults. However, the characters and the world they inhabit become much richer and deeper over time, resulting in a sci-fi series that delivers on both the laughs and the well-developed characters.

Comedian, actor, and writer Patton Oswalt stunned the internet by letting his geek flag truly fly in a staggering improvised filibuster from the show " Parks and Recreation ." It's a pitch for "Star Wars Episode VII" that blends the galaxy far, far away with Marvel's mightiest heroes in what would've been a glorious disaster for fans everywhere. He then got the chance to indulge in his nerdy obsession with the 2021 stop-motion animation comedy series "M.O.D.O.K."

Co-created by Oswalt and based on a ridiculous Marvel Comics character whose name is an acronym of Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing, "M.O.D.O.K." is about what happens when a brilliant mind is too megalomaniacal for its own good. Picked on for his large head as a child, the title character (voiced by Oswalt) evolves into a massive floating being with tiny limbs — and who's hellbent on conquering the world. 

M.O.D.O.K. is so full of himself that he can't help but announce impending evil schemes and celebrate the tiniest of victories. He spends way too much money with very little return and ignores his family. He's a mess. Like "Star Trek: Lower Decks," this is definitely a spoof of the material while still having its own internal logic and worldbuilding, allowing it to stand on its own tiny legs.

Alien News Desk

The title "Alien News Desk" almost tells you everything you need to know about the series. It really is two aliens sitting at a desk reading the news. What perhaps doesn't come across in the title is the fact that these aliens are explaining Earth topics to their alien viewers. This means there's plenty of room for interesting, funny satire, in addition to fun little goofs on human obsessions.

"Saturday Night Live" cast members Heidi Gardner and Will Forte voice the two lead anchors, Tuva Van Void and Drexx Drudlarr. In a world where the news has become increasingly strange and confusing, we've seen a lot of late-night shows like "The Daily Show with Trevor Noah" make it all digestible by skewering topics of the day. "Alien News Desk" takes this a step further by discussing some topics we take for granted and pointing out just how silly some of them are.

Other than the fact that this is clearly a funny sci-fi series, it also feels like something you would see on "Star Trek: Lower Decks." There's no reason why there can't be an episode where our cast is watching a news broadcast from an alien civilization trying to make sense of Earth.

If you're a fan of "Lower Decks"  and  a fan of "Rick and Morty," then "Doomlands" is definitely the show for you. This series feels like a reality that exists within the "Ricky and Morty" multiverse. In other words, it's dingy, violent, perverted, and just plain bonkers. The show takes place in a post-apocalyptic landscape where pretty much everyone is trying to kill each other, and the only refuge (kind of) is a bar called the Oasis that moves through this hellish place.

It doesn't have the same heart or charm as "Lower Decks," but the tone and some of the concepts belong in a few of the more extreme corners of that galaxy. It was created by Josh O'Keefe, who's a relative newcomer to the television business ( going by his IMDb , anyway), and there aren't any major stars doing voices to pull in a massive audience either. The show is simply a no-holds-barred adult-oriented comedy that goes off the rails in the very first episode and never looks back.

Robot Chicken

"Star Trek: Lower Decks" is a show for fans made by fans. Creator Mike McMahan absolutely loves the franchise , as proven by all the references to "Trek" minutiae that most of us wouldn't remember right away. Even the characters in the show are fans of other characters from previous "Trek" series.

This is the entire ethos behind "Robot Chicken." After several seasons, the show manages to maintain a sense of pure and spontaneous creativity with a passion for all things pop culture. It's essentially an animated sketch show lampooning everything you can imagine. Yes, it's become well known for its excellent "Star Wars" parodies , but it goes far beyond that. Centering around a cyborg fowl watching bizarre shows, the series treats its fans to everything from a Barbie fight club to the Joker showing up in "The Shawshank Redemption."

Created by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich, the show has come a long way with its animation over the years, but it still has a delightfully homemade touch. This feels like friends sitting around with their augmented action figures creating their own hilarious scenes, only concerned with making themselves laugh. Again, it's fans making TV for fans.

Gravity Falls

Just because "Gravity Falls" is the only show on this list intended for a younger audience, that doesn't mean its standards for comedy, characterization, and worldbuilding are any less than the others. On the contrary, one could argue that this quirky mystery series from Disney has enough lore and depth of character to rival even the longest-running series included here.

The show is about brother and sister Dipper and Mabel Pines (voiced by Jason Ritter and Kristen Schaal) spending time in the fictitious town of Gravity Falls with their Grunkle Stan (Alex Hirsch). Immediately upon their arrival, they notice something isn't right about this place — we're talking psychics and sea monsters and haunted convenience stores. As a result, the two become detectives investigating strange phenomena, although their adventures never really go where you think they will.

What begins as an adorable show about unusual things becomes something even more special as the show grows denser and the tone gets a little darker (without becoming miserable). Even though it only aired for two seasons, it developed a very dedicated fanbase. The fans were so committed to their love for the show that creator Alex Hirsch launched an alternate reality game called "Cipher Hunt" in 2016 for those who still cared about the series.

Beavis and Butt-Head

At first, comparing "Beavis and Butt-Head" to "Star Trek: Lower Decks" doesn't make a whole lot of sense. While the crew of the USS Cerritos can be a bit absent-minded at times, they never reach the level of stupidity achieved by the titular Beavis and his buddy, Butt-Head. These are two goofs who spend most of their time watching music videos and getting into trouble, snickering the entire time.

The humor is pretty different too. A lot of the comedy in "Beavis and Butt-Head" comes from seeing two completely oblivious teenagers interact with the world around them and failing to grasp social norms. That being said, these two morons — whose only ambition in life is to lose their virginity at some point — have been on some impressive adventures.

You have to take the "Beavis and Butt-Head" franchise as a whole to see the similarities. In the film "Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe," they travel to space, get caught in a wormhole, and come out in the 21st century. This, for them, is the future. That holds up side by side with any adventure had by the Cerritos. Plus, these two characters are at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to being underdogs. They're such underachievers that the "Lower Decks" characters would feel sorry for them. They'd be wasting their time though. As far as Beavis and Butt-Head are concerned, they're the coolest guys around.

8 Best Non-Trek Shows For Star Trek Fans

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A New Star Trek Movie Could Take A Familiar Approach To The Next Generation

Lotr: it makes more sense for the rings of power's stranger to be saruman, pirates of the caribbean reboot gets new update from its producer, key takeaways.

• Star Trek is not the only space opera out there, with other shows like Battlestar Galactica , Babylon 5 , and The Orville catering to diverse sci-fi fans.
• Space: 1999 offers a captivating premise with excellent model work, making it ideal for Star Trek: Voyager fans.
• The Expanse is a must-watch for sci-fi fans, featuring a dense plot, political intrigue, strong performances, and a well-defined world.

Despite a failed pilot and a brush with cancelation, Star Trek has grown to become a juggernaut of science fiction storytelling. Across hundreds of episodes, movies, novels, and comics, the adventures of Starfleet's best and brightest have entertained legions of fans.

RELATED: Star Trek: Fastest Federation Starships, Ranked

Yet while Star Trek may be a tent-pole franchise (and a core part of Paramount's streaming strategy), it is only one space opera among many. The decades since The Original Series have seen projects run by Star Trek alumni, affectionate parodies, and takes on the genre from across the Atlantic. Star Trek 's fans are a diverse bunch, but the sci-fi canon caters to all.

8 Space: 1999 (1975–1977)

Gerry Anderson's pioneering marionette series Thunderbirds (1965–1966) made him a household name in the UK. When his alien invasion thriller UFO was canceled after one season, plans for further episodes were retooled into a new Moon-based series— Space: 1999 .

Space: 1999 sees Commander Koenig (Martin Landau) and the other inhabitants of Moonbase Alpha thrown into various alien encounters after the Moon is torn from its orbit by a massive explosion. Adrift in space, they must search for a new home among the stars. The voyage of discovery premise and episodic format make Space: 1999 ideal for fans of Star Trek: Voyager , while its excellent model work (honed by Anderson's prior experience with puppetry) still holds up today.

7 Andromeda (2000–2005)

The name Dylan Hunt crops up in several of Gene Roddenberry's failed pilots, including 1973's Genesis II , but would not see the light of day in a full series until some years after Roddenberry's death. In Andromeda , produced by Roddenberry's widow, Kevin Sorbo plays Dylan Hunt, captain of the titular starship.

RELATED: Star Trek Fans Should Check Out Gene Roddenberry's Other Sci-Fi Series

The series sees Hunt thrown 300 years into the future after a close encounter with a black hole . The Systems Commonwealth that Hunt served has collapsed, and it is now up to Andromeda 's motley crew to restore order to the galaxy. Andromeda is a series with a great premise and a mostly excellent cast, but behind-the-scenes power struggles resulted in a show that never quite fulfilled its potential. Nonetheless, it has its charms, and offers some campy sci-fi fun.

6 V: The Miniseries & V: The Final Battle (1983–1984)

Kenneth Johnson's V: The Miniseries depicts the arrival of the apparently friendly Visitors on Earth, humanoid aliens who offer to solve the planet's problems. However, the Visitors have a secret agenda (and a not-so-human appearance), and a group of human resistors, led by journalist Mike Donovan (Marc Singer) and scientist Juliet Parish (Faye Grant) soon uncover the terrible truth. V is one part soap opera and one part sci-fi thriller, making it perfect for fans of Deep Space Nine .

The following year's V: The Final Battle tied up some loose ends without Johnson's direct involvement. It is generally regarded as a lesser series but is not without its merits. Eighteen episodes of a further sequel were also produced. However, the shift to weekly episodes is accompanied by a noticeable drop in quality, and they are best avoided by casual fans.

5 Blake's 7 (1978–1981)

Star Trek 's Federation is a utopia, but Blake's 7 imagines a different future. The Federation in this classic BBC series (spearheaded by Dalek creator Terry Nation ) is a totalitarian regime that regularly murders or frames its rivals for heinous crimes. Overseen by the glamorous but icy Serverlan, it seeks to capture the Liberator , an advanced alien starship commandeered by a rebel crew. These rebels all have their own agendas: the idealistic Blake wants to overthrow the Federation, while the ruthless Avon is only out for himself.

Blake's 7 has aged poorly in terms of visuals, but Trek fans who can put up with The Original Series should have no trouble suspending their disbelief. What Blake's 7 lacks in polish it more than makes up for in its excellent characterization and cast—as well as an ending that cements the series as one of sci-fi's finest.

4 Battlestar Galactica (2003–2009)

Having honed his writing skills on Deep Space Nine and The Next Generation , showrunner Ronald D. Moore produced Battlestar Galactica , a gritty post-9/11 reboot of a campy 70's sci-fi show. Transforming vintage cheese into deeply serious political drama was a gamble, but the resulting Battlestar Galactica is a modern classic of the sci-fi genre.

RELATED: Battlestar Galactica: The Cylon War, Explained

Following a devastating attack by the robotic Cylons, humanity must embark on a dangerous voyage back to its mythical home of Earth. Battlestar Galactica is able to mine this premise for drama on both a personal and epic scale, with assistance from an excellent cast. The unrelenting grimness may remind viewers of Star Trek: Discovery 's freshman season, and can make the show a grueling watch, but it earns its place in the sci-fi canon.

3 The Expanse (2015–2022)

Based on a series of novels by the pseudonymous duo James S.A. Corey, The Expanse premiered in 2015. Despise receiving praise for its storytelling and visuals, it was canceled after three years on SyFy, although it found a home on Amazon Prime for a further three seasons, and even spawned a video game .

The series offers a densely plotted vision of the future, involving a power struggle between Earth, Mars, and the "Belters", occupants of far-flung space stations. The introduction of an alien molecule into this tense situation has predictably explosive consequences, as each faction seeks to gain the upper hand. The result is as much a political thriller as it is a sci-fi story, although there is an element of seeking out new life as the show develops. Strong performances and a well-defined world make The Expanse a must-watch show for sci-fi fans.

2 Babylon 5 (1993–1998)

The rivalry between Babylon 5 and Deep Space Nine is well-documented, but there is no reason why fans will not enjoy both of these space station-set epics. J. Michael Straczynski's five-season series may look cheap compared to Star Trek 's efforts, but it offers a great long-term arc for fans who are willing to cut it some slack.

RELATED: Babylon 5: The Earth Alliance, Explained

The eponymous Babylon 5 is a miles-long space station dedicated to galactic peace. It plays host to a variety of alien ambassadors hoping to further their civilizations' agendas but soon becomes key to saving the galaxy from the nefarious Shadows. Babylon 5 is a groundbreaking and sprawling series that is particularly rewarding to those rewatching. First-time viewers may struggle at first, but perseverance is bound to pay off. Nor is the series dead and buried— an animated feature film , Babylon 5: The Road Home , which came out August 15, 2023.

1 The Orville (2017–)

Sometimes the line between parody, homage, and copycat is a thin one. Having made his fortune as the creator of Family Guy and the iconic voices of Peter Griffin, Quagmire, and the many other cartoon characters on the show, Seth MacFarlane embarked on live-action with his film Ted . Soon after, he chose to produce and star in The Orville , a loving pastiche of The Next Generation . Whether the patchily amusing series represents a true alternative to Star Trek or merely a vanity project remains up for debate, but The Orville does offer a good balance of TNG sensibilities and scatological humor, particularly in its second season.

Macfarlane throws himself into the role of Captain Ed Mercer, a man who must work with his ex-wife aboard an exploratory starship. They are joined by Mercer's booze-loving pilot, Gordon Malloy, DS9 actress Penny Johnson Jerald as the ship's medical officer, and the surly alien Bortus. The Orville may be derivative, but imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

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What To Watch If You Love 'Star Trek: Picard'

Looking for more shows like Star Trek: Picard ? We’ve compiled this list of movies and TV shows similar to Star Trek: Picard , the 2020 sci-fi drama starring Patrick Stewart as the titular USS Enterprise captain post-retirement. 

With lots of options, including Star Trek: The Next Generation , a show with Patrick Stewart playing Jean-Luc Picard, and even movies like Star Wars: The Force Awakens , a film that finds a veteran pilot returning to his starship, deciding what to watch after Star Trek: Picard will really just depend on your mood.

Vote up the best movies and shows like Star Trek: Picard , so other fans know what to watch next. Thanks to streaming services, like Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney Plus, and Prime Video, you can start streaming these movies and shows right now.

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Live long, and prosper.

10 Best ‘Star Trek’ Movies and TV Shows of the Franchise (So Far)

By Clayton Davis

Clayton Davis

Senior Awards Editor

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Captain James T. Kirk, better known around these parts as William Shatner, turns 90 years old on March 22. The actor, director, producer and writer has had a seven decade careers, with a community of devoted fans that revere not just his place as a figure in the universe but the entire canon of “Star Trek” and its various entities in film and television.

We’ve seen multiple starship captains and leaders over the decades, including Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh), three Pikes (Jeffrey Hunter, Bruce Greenwood and Anson Mount), Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula), Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks), a rebooted James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) and the ultimate badass Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), arguably the best of them all.

The entire franchise has spawned seven spin-off television series, 13 feature films and two animated series. The original series ran from 1966 to 1969 on NBC and was canceled just after three seasons. After which, we moved to an animated series (1973-1974), “Star Trek: The Next Generation” (1987-1994), “Deep Space Nine” (1993-1999), “Voyager” (1995-2001). “Enterprise” (2001-2005), and the three still ongoing “Discovery” (2017), “Picard” (2020) and “Lower Decks” (2020).

In the film sector, the original series delivered six films — “The Motion Picture” (1979), “The Wrath of Khan” (1982), “The Search for Spock” (1984), “The Voyage Home” (1986), “The Final Frontier” (1989) and “The Undiscovered Country” (1991). “The Next Generation” provided four – “Generations” (1994), “First Contact” (1996), “Insurrection” (1998) and “Nemesis” (2002) while “The Kelvin Timeline” or rebooted version has given three “Star Trek” (2009), “Star Trek Into Darkness” (2013) and “Star Trek Beyond” (2016), with all three having the highest box-office grosses of any film in the whole franchise. The 2009 film is also the only one to win an Academy Award for best makeup (Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow), along with “The Voyage Home,” garnering the most nominations at four.

There are still more in development under Paramount Plus and on the studio side. “Star Trek: Prodigy,” an animated series co-written and created by Dan Hageman and Kevin Hageman that focuses on a group of teenagers who get onto an abandoned starship, is set to drop later in 2021. From creators Akiva Goldsman, Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet, “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” is a spin-off of “Discovery” and a prequel to the original series, following Captain Christopher Pike (Ansel Mount) and the crew of the USS Enterprise. Rebecca Romijn and Ethan Peck will also reprise their roles as Number One and Spock. Still yet to be confirmed, there is reportedly a Khan Noonien Singh limited series on the table, which explores the storyline from “The Wrath of Khan,” tentatively titled “Ceti Alpha V.”

Live long and prosper, Mr. Shatner.

Check out the full ranked list.

Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

Released : November 22, 1996 Written by : Brannon Braga, Ronald D. Moore (screenplay by and story by) and Rick Berman (story by)

Cast : Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden. Marina Sirtis, Alfre Woodard, James Cromwell, Alice Krige

Defining moments : “Jean-Luc blow up the damn ship” and Data saying “resistance is futile.”

“The Next Generation” struggled the most when translating from television to the big screen. Of the four features, “First Contact” was the most enjoyable, assembling interesting set pieces and a few memorable one-liners. Deservingly picking up an Oscar nomination for best makeup for Michael Westmore, Scott Wheeler and Jake Garber (losing to “The Nutty Professor”), it’s Jonathan Frakes’ (First Officer William T. Riker) first outing as a feature director. What makes the film a success is it abandons the notion that all roads have to involve James T. Kirk, which is one of the main reasons “Generations” really missteps.

Deep Space Nine (1993-1999)

Series run : January 1993 to June 1999 Created by : Rick Berman and Michael Piller

Cast : Avery Brooks, René Auberjonois, Terry Farrell, Cirroc Lofton, Colm Meaney, Armin Shimerman, Alexander Siddig, Nana Visitor, Michael Dorn, Nicole de Boer

Defining moments : Resistance with the Maquis, The Dominion War and The Mirror Universe

Commanding Officer and later Captain Benjamin Sisko (Brooks) was the best part of a series that wasn’t as consistently entertaining as its predecessors. Brooks is a grieving widower whose wife is killed by the Borg, an we follow him, along with his son Jake (Loft), and the rest of a fun crew that includes the Changeling Odo (Auberjonois), Medical Officer Julian Bashir (Siddig), Science Officer Jadzia Dax (Farrell), Operations Officer Miles O’Brien (Meaney) and a cult favorite Quark (Shimerman). The last two seasons of “The Next Generation” are set in the same years as the first two of “Deep Space Nine,” which then lines up with “Voyager” for the last five seasons.

Discovery (2019)

Series run : Premiered September 2017 (still running) Created by : Bryan Fuller and Alex Kurtzman

Cast : Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Shazad Latif, Anthony Rapp, Mary Wiseman, Jason Isaacs, Wilson Cruz, Anson Mount, David Ajala, Rachael Ancheril

Defining moments : The betrayal of Lieutenant Commander Michael Burnham

This series is still finding its footing and has lots to proud of thus far. It’s the first of the franchise to focus on a First Officer rather than the Captain, taking place about ten years before the original series. In the universe, we typically see someone going against orders for the “greater good.” Still, this series has taken that premise and expanded it with Commander Michael Burnham (Green), leading a mutiny against Captain Phillipa Georgiou (Yeoh) and starting a war against the Klingons, leading to the death of her captain. That alone creates a new type of storytelling for the franchise to explore and could help pull in more viewers of Paramount Plus’ show. It won a Primetime Emmy Award last year for outstanding prosthetic makeup for a series, limited series, movie or special, the first for the show thus far.

The Undiscovered Country (1991)

Released : December 6, 1991 Written by : Nicholas Meyer, Denny Martin Flinn (screenplay by), Leonard Nimoy, Lawrence Konner, Mark Rosenthal (story by)

Cast : William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Kim Cattrall, David Warner, Christopher Plummer

Defining moments : The final sign-off (“If I were Human, I believe my response would be, go to hell…if I were you human.”)

The original series saga’s final installment in feature-length form is enjoyable, showcasing a possible peace between the Klingon Empire and the Federation until a secret agenda is revealed that puts all our favorite heroes at risk. It also marks the final group appearance of the major cast members of the original series, with the late Christopher Plummer as the one-eyed Klingon General Chang, who is having the time of his life. We also have a cameo appearance by Christian Slater, whose mother, Mary Jo Slater, was the film’s casting director. The film was ultimately nominated for two Oscars (best sound effects editing and makeup) and, at the time, was the highest opener for the franchise. Before “Avengers: Endgame,” a reminder that the moving closing credit signature sequence was delivered in “The Undiscovered Country.”

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994)

Series run : September 1987 to May 1994 Created by : Gene Roddenberry

Cast : Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton. Denise Crosby, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, Brent Spiner, Wil Wheaton

Defining moments : Tasha Yar’s death in episode “Skin of Evil”

The evolution of “Star Trek” was helped immensely by “The Next Generation,” which delivers the classically trained Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard, with one of the entire franchise’s best crews. Sleeker, with more interesting characters (admittedly not as well explored as they could have been), the show also encompasses one of the most notable deaths of any of the television outings with Tasha Yar (played by Denise Crosby). In the 23rd episode of the first season, we’ve already grown a connection to the Enterprise-D crew. With a behind-the-scenes request by Crosby to be removed from her contract, the act gave us one of the most emotional episodes of the franchise. Also…the creature Armus is TERRIFYING.

The Search for Spock (1984)

Released : June 1, 1984 Written by : Harve Bennett

Cast : William Shatner, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, George Takei, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, Merritt Butrick, Christopher Lloyd

Defining moments : Spock’s “death.”

Let the great debate begin. Before #FilmTwitter quarreled about the merits of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (spoiler alert: it’s the second-best of the entire franchise), there was a discussion on the qualities of the third installment of the Kirk saga. It was a huge sequel weekend in June 1984, as it opened against the second weekend of “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” and the fourth week of “The Natural,” emerging victorious. It also marks the directorial debut of Leonard Nimoy, who was the first cast member ever to helm one of its films.  The visual effects are really where the movie comes alive, showcasing beautiful sequences developed by Industrial Light & Magic. What the film does is give heft and agency to the friendship between Kirk and Spock, and although the death of Kirk’s son is done haphazardly, the action sequences are pulse-pounding.

Voyager (1995-2001)

Series run : January 1995 to May 2001 Created by : Rick Berman, Michael Piller, Jeri Taylor

Cast : Kate Mulgrew, Robert Beltran, Roxann Dawson, Jennifer Lien, Robert Duncan McNeill, Ethan Phillips, Robert Picardo, Tim Russ, Garrett Wang, Jeri Ryan

Defining moments : “Same to you old friend” from “Year of Hell” episode with Janeway and Tuvok

Nostalgia and purists will say that the original “Star Trek” is the best because without that, we don’t have anything else that follows. While correct, in terms of quality, acting, and sheer audacity of the canon, “Voyager,” is behind-the-scenes, the best of them all. Kate Mulgrew’s Captain Janeway is vivacious, and she’s undoubtedly one of the best actresses to grace our screens (as also seen in Netflix’s “Orange Is the New Black”) and Tuvok (played brilliantly by Tim Russ) is simply amazing. Also, “Seven of Nine” was my everything in my childhood, leading into my teenage years.

Star Trek: The Original Series (1966-1969)

Series run : September 1966 to June 1969 Created by : Gene Roddenberry

Cast : William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley

Defining moments : “The Doomsday Machine”

You have to respect the origins of a franchise, and we should properly genuflect before the series that started it all. The entire cast goes for it, with little budget and strange scene constructions, but it has more highs than it does lows, featuring numerous memorable moments. Many will say that the defining episodes of the series fall somewhere between “City on the Edge Forever” (with the death of Edith Keeler) or the Kirk and Spock battle in “Amok Time” (thanks to “The Cable Guy” with Jim Carrey), but “The Doomsday Machine” has the most tension and an outstanding turn from guest star William Windom as Commodore Matt Decker.

The Wrath of Khan (1982)

Released : June 4, 1982 Written by : Jack B. Sowards (screenplay and story by) Harve Bennett (story by)

Cast : William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, George Takei, Nichelle Nichols, Bibi Besch, Merritt Butrick, Paul Winfield, Kirstie Alley, Ricardo Montalbán

Defining moments : Spock’s “death”

If “Skin of Evil” defines the emotions on television, then “The Wrath of Khan” represents the silver screen for the franchise property. Our favorite Vulcan’s self-sacrifice, paired with Kirk’s eulogizing friend, is a tough one to stomach. It obviously is undone with the next entries of the cinematic universe, but it holds up immensely as a moving tribute to a beloved character. Sadly, no major awards love came for the film, which in many circles stands as the best in the franchise. Add the bombastic score of James Horner, and you receive amazing results.

Star Trek (2009)

Released : May 8, 2009 Written by : Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman

Cast : John Cho, Ben Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Winona Ryder, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin, Eric Bana, Leonard Nimoy, Chris Hemsworth

Defining moments : The final battle (“Fire everything!”)

Let’s get this out of the way nice and early.

Star Trek” (2009) received four Oscar nominations – for sound mixing, sound editing, visual effects, and makeup, which it won – it’s the one film of the franchise that should have been nominated for best picture, especially in the first year of a guaranteed 10 films for the Academy’s top category. I would also put it on a ballot for adapted screenplay and film editing. You don’t get an action-packed film like this rebooted entry that focuses beautifully on the beloved characters’ origin stories, giving them alternate timelines that don’t feel forced and still capture the spirit of what makes the franchise so great. SAG Awards should have also jotted it down for best cast ensemble. While the sequels have never recaptured that early magic, J.J. Abrams has proven he knows how to set up a story arc properly (sticking the landing is still up for debate). I only hope as Paramount Plus progresses forward in the universe, they take plays from the Kevin Feige playbook and give themselves a long roadmap that will pay off to something truly extraordinary.

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Ranking All Star Trek TV Shows

11. Star Trek: Discovery

Discovery undermines the original Star Trek series with terrible writing and acting, and by Season 5 we just wanted it to be over. | © CBS Studios

10. Star Trek: The Animated Series

The Animated Series was significantly limited by the animation technologies of its time, but it had the original cast doing the voices and some interesting stories. Solid stuff for fans of animation. | © CBS Studios

9. Star Trek: Lower Decks

Lower Decks has to be the most hilarious entry on the list. And it has a great quartet at the center, with Boimler and Mariner performing particularly well. | © CBS Eye Animation Productions

8. Star Trek: Enterprise

Enterprise isn't as wonderful as previous installments in the series, but it was still able to capture moments of real greatness. It also allowed viewers to see the beginnings of the Federation. | © Paramount Network Television

7. Star Trek: Prodigy

Prodigy is a fun show that brings a new angle to the traditional Star Trek universe. The main cast is a gang of ragtag teenagers, which helps the series to appeal to wider audiences. | © Brothers Hageman Productions

6. Star Trek: Picard

Picard brings the next-gen crew to a traditional setting, with fairly successful results. This will certainly never be remembered as one of the great Star Trek shows, but at the same time, it's hard to imagine anyone really hating it. | © Escapist Fare

5. Star Trek: Voyager

Voyager has some problems with character development (or the lack thereof), but it's still a worthwhile show in other respects. The first season is a bit bumpy, but the series got a lot better with the introduction of the Borg and Seven. | © Paramount Network Television

4. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Deep Space Nine is a hidden gem that pushes the utopian ideals of the 24th Century to their limits and keeps improving the quality in every season. The show masterfully portrays the tension between maintaining ideals and confronting harsh realities. | © Paramount Domestic Television

3. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Strange New Worlds is a welcomed return to the hour-long episodes, with a terrific cast that combines old and new characters. If it keeps up the incredible quality, this could easily move up the list even further. | © H M R X Productions

2. Star Trek

The original Star Trek show has spawned a half-century-long franchise thanks to the incredible trio of Kirk, Spock, and Bones. It's hit-and-miss, but more hits than misses. | © Paramount Television

1. Star Trek: The Next Generation

The Next Generation is the most popular Star Trek show, and there are obvious reasons why it's people's favorite. It brings up the best things from previous installments and doubles them, producing more interesting and consistent episodes. | © Paramount Domestic Television

Here's our ranking of all Star Trek shows, folks! Please do give us your thoughts in the comments!

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Tv Shows Like Star Trek: The Original Series

TV Shows Like Star Trek: The Original Series

Star Trek: The Original Series is a classic science fiction television series that first aired in 1966. The show follows the adventures of the starship USS Enterprise and its crew as they explore new worlds and encounter strange alien species. The show was groundbreaking for its time, with its diverse cast and its optimistic vision of the future. If you’re a fan of Star Trek: The Original Series and are looking for similar TV shows to watch, look no further! Here are 13 TV shows like Star Trek: The Original Series, along with 13 song examples to set the mood for each show.

1. Star Trek: The Next Generation

– Song: “Star Trek: The Next Generation Theme” by Jerry Goldsmith

Star Trek: The Next Generation is a sequel to the original series and follows the crew of the USS Enterprise-D as they explore the galaxy and encounter new alien species. The show is known for its strong characters and thought-provoking storylines.

2. Babylon 5

– Song: “Babylon 5 Theme” by Christopher Franke

Babylon 5 is a space opera that follows the crew of the space station Babylon 5 as they navigate political intrigue and interstellar conflict. The show is known for its complex plotlines and rich world-building.

3. Battlestar Galactica (2004)

– Song: “Battlestar Galactica Theme” by Bear McCreary

Battlestar Galactica is a reimagining of the classic 1978 series and follows the last remnants of humanity as they flee from the robotic Cylons and search for a new home. The show is known for its dark tone and moral ambiguity.

– Song: “Firefly Theme” by Sonny Rhodes

Firefly follows the crew of the spaceship Serenity as they eke out a living on the fringes of society. The show is known for its blend of western and science fiction elements, as well as its witty dialogue.

5. Stargate SG-1

– Song: “Stargate SG-1 Theme” by Joel Goldsmith

Stargate SG-1 follows a team of military personnel and scientists as they travel through a network of ancient alien portals known as Stargates. The show is known for its mix of science fiction and mythology.

6. Doctor Who

– Song: “Doctor Who Theme” by Ron Grainer

Doctor Who follows the adventures of the Doctor, a time-traveling alien who travels through time and space in a ship known as the TARDIS. The show is known for its imaginative storytelling and iconic villains.

7. The Expanse

– Song: “The Expanse Theme” by Clinton Shorter

The Expanse is a space opera that follows the crew of the spaceship Rocinante as they navigate political intrigue and interstellar conflict in a future where humanity has colonized the solar system. The show is known for its realistic depiction of space travel and its diverse cast.

8. Farscape

– Song: “Farscape Theme” by SubVision

Farscape follows astronaut John Crichton as he is pulled through a wormhole and finds himself aboard a living spaceship populated by strange alien creatures. The show is known for its surreal visuals and complex character dynamics.

9. The Orville

– Song: “The Orville Theme” by Bruce Broughton

The Orville follows the crew of the starship Orville as they explore the galaxy and encounter new alien species. The show is known for its blend of humor and drama, as well as its homage to classic Star Trek.

10. Dark Matter

– Song: “Dark Matter Theme” by Benjamin Pinkerton

Dark Matter follows a group of amnesiacs who wake up on a spaceship with no memory of who they are or how they got there. The show is known for its mystery and suspense, as well as its diverse cast of characters.

11. Lost in Space (2018)

– Song: “Lost in Space Theme” by Christopher Lennertz

Lost in Space follows the Robinson family as they crash-land on a mysterious alien planet and must work together to survive and find a way home. The show is known for its family-friendly adventure and impressive special effects.

12. Star Trek: Discovery

– Song: “Star Trek: Discovery Theme” by Jeff Russo

Star Trek: Discovery is a prequel to the original series and follows the crew of the USS Discovery as they uncover a conspiracy that threatens the Federation. The show is known for its diverse cast and modern take on the Star Trek universe.

13. The Twilight Zone

– Song: “The Twilight Zone Theme” by Marius Constant

The Twilight Zone is a classic anthology series that explores themes of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Each episode tells a standalone story with a twist ending, making it a must-watch for fans of speculative fiction.

Common Questions:

1. What makes Star Trek: The Original Series so iconic?

– Star Trek: The Original Series is iconic for its diverse cast, optimistic vision of the future, and exploration of social issues through science fiction allegory.

2. Which TV show is considered a spiritual successor to Star Trek: The Original Series?

– Star Trek: The Next Generation is considered a spiritual successor to the original series, as it continues the legacy of exploration and discovery set forth by its predecessor.

3. What is the most famous episode of Star Trek: The Original Series?

– “The City on the Edge of Forever” is considered the most famous episode of Star Trek: The Original Series, as it explores themes of time travel and sacrifice.

4. How does Star Trek: The Original Series compare to modern science fiction shows?

– Star Trek: The Original Series paved the way for modern science fiction shows by setting a high standard for storytelling, character development, and social commentary.

5. Which TV show is known for its portrayal of strong female characters?

– Battlestar Galactica (2004) is known for its portrayal of strong female characters, including President Laura Roslin and fighter pilot Kara “Starbuck” Thrace.

6. What is the significance of the Doctor Who theme song?

– The Doctor Who theme song is iconic for its otherworldly sound and its association with the long-running series, which has become a cultural phenomenon.

7. How does The Expanse differ from other space operas?

– The Expanse differs from other space operas by its focus on political intrigue, realistic science, and diverse representation of humanity’s future in space.

8. What makes Farscape stand out from other science fiction shows?

– Farscape stands out from other science fiction shows for its surreal visuals, complex character dynamics, and unique blend of humor and drama.

9. Why is The Orville often compared to Star Trek?

– The Orville is often compared to Star Trek for its exploration of moral and ethical dilemmas, its ensemble cast, and its optimistic view of humanity’s future in space.

10. What sets Dark Matter apart from other mystery shows?

– Dark Matter sets itself apart from other mystery shows by its premise of amnesiacs waking up on a spaceship, its diverse cast of characters, and its blend of science fiction and suspense.

11. How does Lost in Space (2018) compare to the original series?

– Lost in Space (2018) updates the classic premise of the original series with modern special effects, character development, and family dynamics, while still paying homage to its roots.

12. What makes Star Trek: Discovery different from previous Star Trek series?

– Star Trek: Discovery is different from previous Star Trek series by its serialized storytelling, darker tone, and focus on character-driven drama.

13. Why is The Twilight Zone considered a timeless classic?

– The Twilight Zone is considered a timeless classic for its innovative storytelling, thought-provoking themes, and twist endings that continue to captivate audiences to this day.

In conclusion, there are many TV shows like Star Trek: The Original Series that explore the vast expanse of science fiction and push the boundaries of imagination. Whether you’re a fan of space exploration, political intrigue, time travel, or mystery, there’s a TV show out there for you. From the optimism of Star Trek to the dark morality of Battlestar Galactica, there’s a show for every taste and genre. So sit back, relax, and let these shows take you on a journey to the stars and beyond.

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Star Trek's Elias Toufexis Told Me Which WWE Stars Should Make Cameos On Future Shows, And His Choices Couldn't Be More Perfect

When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.

Star Trek and wrestling have always had a history that, admittedly, many might not have picked up on without being fans of the latter themselves. Picard and Sisko were both on the wrestling team at Starfleet Academy, but beyond that, the franchise has welcomed WWE superstars for minor roles in the past. I'm passionate about both, and fortunately for me, I found a kindred spirit in Discovery actor Elias Toufexis, who was willing to talk about his favorite superstars he'd love to see cameo in upcoming Star Trek shows .

We can always use our Paramount+ subscription to revisit the episode in which Paul Wight, a.k.a. "Big Show", lifted T'Pol like a rag doll, or when Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson squared off in an arena against Seven of Nine. However, it's been decades since we've seen a modern wrestling cameo, so I figured why not ask Star Trek 's latest villain who should be the next one while we celebrate the physical release of Discovery 's final season.

WWE Fan And Star Trek Star Elias Toufexis Had Some Great Ideas For WWE Superstar Cameos

When it comes to including WWE superstars in a television show, it can be tricky. They perform around the nation most of the calendar year, though it's not unheard of for them to be granted time off to do shows like The Masked Singer or a television appearance. The key word here is "appearance," so for those wondering if a wrestler could become a major character on a show, I highly doubt it. With that said, this franchise thrives on celebrity guest stars and actors, and when suggesting characters to CinemaBlend, Elias Toufexis kept that in mind:

You know who'd be like a great big bounty hunter or like a Klingon? Jade Cargill. She'd be badass on that. Rhea Ripley should be somewhere on there, right? She's already like a Star Trek character. Bring her in. She could be like an Orion. And then you gotta put JD McDonagh in because he already has such a giant forehead.

That's quite a jab to JD McDonagh at the end there, but considering Monday Night Raw 's commentary team points it out frequently enough, it's been said before. Surprisingly, Toufexis threw out three names I hadn't considered, but he's spot on with every single one of them. I need bounty hunter Jade Cargill ASAP, and I can't think of a more perfect Orion to appear on the show than Rhea Ripley. And yes, you throw some ridges on McDonagh's forehead, and he'd look like any run-of-the-mill alien we've seen in past Star Trek shows.

I'm Pulling For Star Trek Fan Cody Rhodes To Appear

While we proceeded to name about every current WWE superstar that could appear, I really have my heart set on current undisputed champion Cody Rhodes making an appearance. I love the idea of Rhodes appearing because I know he's also a Star Trek fan, and they tend to be really great when acting in the franchise. Case in point, Elias Toufexis' journey to his role began with growing up on the same street as William Shatner , which sparked his fandom.

In addition to being a fan, Cody Rhodes also has some acting experience in television shows. Readers might remember his Arrow cameo , which led to an in-ring match against star Stephen Amell . The match was solid, but I was even more impressed with Rhodes in the episode. I'd love to see him appear as the monarch of some nation or as a member of Starfleet. Hiding his signature neck tattoo might be a challenge without a collar though, so I'd have to consult the lore to see if "The American Nightmare" skull can be Star Trek canon. Chakotay's face tattoo didn't hurt his Starfleet career, so it's not out of the question!

Star Trek is in a bit of a lull right now with programming, so hopefully someone in charge is taking notes and on the horn with Triple H to get a WWE star a cameo on an upcoming season. Whoever gets the opportunity should it happen, I'll be excited to see them all the same. Hell, let's just have a character watch WrestleMania in a holodeck and bring everyone over!

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10 TV Shows Like The Vampire Diaries And How To Watch Them

Sink your teeth into these other series.

Around the time when Twilight was all the rage, fans of supernatural coming-of-age romance stories found a small screen answer to that worldwide phenomenon in The Vampire Diaries . Developed by Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson from a series of novels by L.J. Smith, the show follows teenage Elena Gilbert ( Nina Dobrev ), who finds herself in a love triangle with brothers Stefan ( Paul Wesley ) and Damon Salvatore ( Ian Somerhalder ), who also happen to be immortal creatures of the night.

One of the best horror TV shows on Max, the series lasted eight seasons on The CW and spawned two spin-offs ( The Originals and Legacies ) but we imagine that, if you are a fan, you have probably seen those shows already. If you are looking to expand your purview with some fresh blood , perhaps these other TV shows like The Vampire Diaries might quench your thirst.

A Discovery Of Witches (2018-2022)

A woman (played by Teresa Palmer ) who comes from a family with witchcraft in its history falls for a charismatic Englishman (played by Matthew Goode), who turns out to be a natural enemy of her kind.

Why it is a great show to watch if you are a fan of The Vampire Diaries: Another TV adaptation of a book series ( Deborah Harkness’ All Souls trilogy ) involving a complicated romance between a vampire and a woman (a witch, in this case) is the U.K.-based  A Discovery of Witches , which is also available with a Shudder subscription.

Stream A Discovery of Witches on Netflix . Stream A Discovery of Witches on AMC+ . Buy A Discovery of Witches on Amazon . Buy A Discovery of Witches on Blu-ray on Amazon .

First Kill (2022)

Teenagers Juliette (Sarah Catherine Hook) and Calliope (Imani Lewis) are immediately drawn to each other, only to discover they are natural enemies.

Why it is a great show to watch if you are a fan of The Vampire Diaries: V.E. Schwab adapts her own short story, First Kill , into this short-lived Netflix original series which is another coming-of-age story about a complicated romance between a vampire and a young woman, who is a vampire hunter in this case.

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Stream First Kill on Netflix .

Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)

Teenage Buffy Summers ( Sarah Michelle Gellar ) discovers that she is destined to defend the earth from all forms of otherworldly evil, with the help of friends and her school's librarian.

Why it is a great show to watch if you are a fan of The Vampire Diaries: The ultimate coming-of-age series about a young woman who has shared a romance with a bloodsucker (when she was not hunting one) is one of the best horror TV shows on Hulu , Buffy the Vampire Slayer , which also one of The CW's biggest supernatural hits when it was still called The WB.

Stream Buffy the Vampire Slayer on Hulu . Buy Buffy the Vampire Slayer on Amazon . Buy Buffy the Vampire Slayer on DVD on Amazon .

Roswell (1999-2002)

In a New Mexico town famous for being the site of a fabled UFO crash, three teens struggle to hide the fact that they are not from around here .

Why it is a great show to watch if you are a fan of The Vampire Diaries: Another romantic and bizarre coming-of-age WB hit is Roswell , in which Shiri Appleby stars as a young woman named Liz, who falls for a man who is not quite human (in this case an alien-human hybrid named Max, played by Jason Behr).

Stream Roswell on Hulu . Buy Roswell on Blu-ray on Amazon .

Supernatural (2005-2020)

Following in the footsteps of their parents, Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) search for things that go bump in the night so they can bump back.

Why it is a great show to watch if you are a fan of The Vampire Diaries: Creator Eric Kripke's mega-popular supernatural WB/CW hit is not particularly romantic but the alliances that Sam and Dean form with otherworldly beings in the Supernatural cast (especially Misha Collins' Castiel) are quite endearing.

Stream Supernatural on Netflix . Buy Supernatural on Amazon . Buy Supernatural on Blu-ray on Amazon .

Being Human (2011-2014)

A vampire (played by Sam Witwer), a werewolf (played by Sam Huntington), and a ghost (played by Meaghan Rath) try to blend in while sharing an apartment together. 

Why it is a great show to watch if you are a fan of The Vampire Diaries: In addition to its absorbing romantic plot points, Syfy's North American version of the British supernatural dramedy Being Human is also a great match to The Vampire Diaries for how it explores the struggles that come with being a creature of the night in the modern world.

Stream Being Human on Amazon Prime . Stream Being Human on Peacock . Buy Being Human on Blu-ray on Amazon .

Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina (2018-2020) 

Kiernan Shipka stars as an enchanted teen whose bid to share a normal life with her mortal friends is constantly interrupted by strange circumstances plaguing her town.

Why it is a great show to watch if you are a fan of The Vampire Diaries: Netflix's Chiling Adventures of Sabrina — a far darker interpretation of the popular Archie Comics character than the Melissa Joan Hart-led sitcom — is another coming-of-age drama about struggling to balance one's commitment to their human side with their supernatural side.

Stream Chilling Adventures of Sabrina on Netflix .

V-Wars (2019)

Melted ice caused by climate change suddenly unleashes an ancient virus that begins transforming the infected into blood-thirsty, nocturnal savages.

Why it is a great show to watch if you are a fan of The Vampire Diaries: Just a few years after saying goodbye to the Vampire Diaries cast , Ian Somerhalder returned to that world but in a human role on a series that explored the ugly side of vampirism called V-Wars , which only lasted one season on Netflix .

Stream V-Wars on Netflix .

The Summer I Turned Pretty (2022-Present)

After turning 16, Belly (Lola Tung) suddenly attracts newfound attention from childhood friends, and brothers, Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno) while spending the summer together.

Why it is a great show to watch if you are a fan of The Vampire Diaries: Not every show has to be supernatural to appeal to The Vampire Diaries fans, such as the coming-of-age Amazon Prime original TV show , The Summer I Turned Pretty , which also involves a captivating love triangle plot.

Stream The Summer I Turned Pretty on Amazon Prime .

Pretty Little Liars (2010-2017)

Following the disappearance of their friend, four young women fall prey to a mysterious enemy who threatens to reveal their most damning innermost secrets.

Why it is a great show to watch if you are a fan of The Vampire Diaries: While also not a supernatural drama (despite spawning a short-lived supernatural spin-off called Ravenswood ), Pretty Little Liars is chock-full of the same kind of high-stakes teen drama that makes The Vampire Diaries relatable and absorbing.

Stream Pretty Little Liars on Hulu . Stream Pretty Little Liars on Max . Buy Pretty Little Liars on Amazon . Buy Pretty Little Liars on Blu-ray on Amazon .

I understand if you can't get enough of using your Max subscription to watch The Vampire Diaries for the umpteenth time, but we hope you enjoy any of these alternatives.

Jason Wiese writes feature stories for CinemaBlend. His occupation results from years dreaming of a filmmaking career, settling on a "professional film fan" career, studying journalism at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, MO (where he served as Culture Editor for its student-run print and online publications), and a brief stint of reviewing movies for fun. He would later continue that side-hustle of film criticism on TikTok (@wiesewisdom), where he posts videos on a semi-weekly basis. Look for his name in almost any article about Batman.

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10 best shows like star trek: prodigy.

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AMC's True Detective-Esque Crime Series With 100% RT Score Becomes Netflix Global Hit

Star wars' best tv show will finally explain a death star question that's made no sense since a new hope, game of thrones' emilia clarke adds second upcoming tv role with new spy thriller.

The latest show in the Star Trek universe is an animated Paramount+ original. While Star Trek Prodigy is definitely not the first animated Star Trek show, it still is the first one to target younger audiences.

After watching the first season of Prodigy , viewers can also choose other kid-friendly options from the sci-fi and adventure genre. For instance, Star Wars boasts plenty of such animated options. As Prodigy 's protagonists are teenage rebels who embark on intergalactic adventures when they find an abandoned spaceship, some space exploration cult favorites such as Firefly and The Orville would also suit older audiences.

Star Wars Visions (2021-)

Stream on disney+.

From lightsaber duels inspired by the greatest samurai movies to a rock band's musical pursuits, Star Wars: Visions is an anthology series that is bound to impress both diehard Star Wars fanatics and new converts to the fandom. Incorporating different animation styles in each episode only makes the experience richer.

For decades, fans have fought whether Star Wars is better or Star Trek , with both classic franchises starting out in the live-action format. But looking at both franchises evolve with animated stories like Prodigy and Visions just shows how they are both diversifying in the new age. Further, Prodigy fans would also love this Disney+ original as its chapters also have no dearth of young protagonists like Dal R'El and his crew.

Final Space (2018-2021)

Stream on netflix.

Final Space finds a space convict serving a prison sentence in an empty spaceship, slowly drifting toward the nothingness of outer space. But when he meets an adorable yet powerful planet-destroying alien, the subsequent friendship can save the galaxy from imminent danger.

While more characters join in the later episodes, the initial storylines incorporate a light-hearted look at how lonely life can be in space. The charisma and curiosity of the protagonist Gary Godspeed would also seem reminiscent of the rebellious nature of the teens aboard the USS Protostar in Prodigy.

The Orville (2017-)

Stream on hulu.

Serving as both a parody and a tribute to classic Star Trek tropes , The Orville finds Seth MacFarlane playing a bumbling spaceship captain with an equally silly space crew as they explore the cosmos.

All the recurring gags and parodies aside, The Orville can also be surprisingly heartwarming in scenes, especially viewers witness the dysfunctional crew of the USS Orville turning into quite a memorable team. As Prodigy too joins the long list of sci-fi dramas based on space crews, The Orville makes for essential viewing.

Marvel's Guardians Of The Galaxy (2015-2019)

Star-Lord, Gamora, Rocket Raccoon, Drax, and Groot return in this animated take on Guardians of the Galaxy that is set in a different continuity than the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Instead, viewers get more time to understand each character's individual personalities and backstories while continuing their usual adventures around capturing space bounties and fighting intergalactic villains. The ragtag bunch of teens in Prodigy are similar to the Guardians in the sense that both teams don't know much about the dangers of space. Yet they just embark on arduous journeys for their own means, surviving in some way or the other.

The 100 (2014-2020)

In a dystopian future, the Earth is abandoned by most of its inhabitants in a gigantic spaceship. Years later, these survivors wonder if the planet is still livable, sending a hundred juvenile delinquents back to the surface to find the answer. The 100 covers the adventures of these teenagers who are left to their own wits in an uncertain, abandoned landscape.

Even though The 100 isn't set in outer space, its post-apocalyptic scenario is as unexplored for its young protagonist as the crew of USS Protostar in Prodigy . With the characters building new friendships on their quest for survival, The 100 would make for an edgier watch for fans of the Star Trek animated series.

Green Lantern: The Animated Series (2011-2013)

Stream on hbo max.

Even though it had a short run, Green Lantern: The Animated Series served as a good introduction for the ensemble of the best Green Lantern comic book storylines , incorporating not just the human Green Lanterns but also the numerous other creatures who wear the powerful green ring.

By bringing harmony to the galaxy and testing the limits of their own powers, the show's Green Lantern Corps also showcases good lessons in team-building that would resonate with the younger demographic of Star Trek: Prodigy . From colossal aliens to even rodents, every ring-holder is welcome in the Corps, celebrating their diverse skills and personalities, another familiar element among the USS Protostar crew that includes humans, aliens, robots, and even an energy-based lifeform.

Star Wars Rebels (2014-2018)

Taking place between the events of the prequel and the original trilogy of Star Wars, Rebels details the ongoing rebellion against the evil Galactic Empire as it hunts down the last of the Jedi. While introducing new characters and also retaining classic ones like Darth Vader and Ahsoka Tano, Rebels turned into an instant favorite among Star Wars fans.

While Rebels is one of the many Star Wars animations, it would connect the most with audiences of Prodigy for the youth and recklessness essayed by its protagonists. With teen characters like Ezra Bridger and Sabine Wren, the lead cast evokes a sense of impulsive rebellion to prove their own worth, a theme resonant with the teen leads of Prodigy . For them, going aboard a spaceship all on their own helps in attaining newfound freedom.

Firefly (2000-2003)

Stream on tubitv.

When it comes to the best TV shows with only one season , Firefly often tops the list. Set five centuries after a universal civil war, Firefly deals with a diverse bunch of crew-members of the titular ship. Instead of saving the day, their only priority is to just make ends meet with the space bounties they receive.

However, the Serenity crew turns into unlikely heroes with new challenges on unexplored frontiers, such as the flesh-eating creatures known as Reavers. Even the teens of Prodigy just wish to take USS Protostar on a harmless joyride only to become a part of a larger conspiracy later from which there is no coming back.

Buzz Lightyear Of Star Command (2000-2001)

An origin story of the man who says "Infinity and beyond," Buzz Lightyear of Star Command 's episodic arcs feature the titular Space Ranger leading a group of rookies to bring down the reign of the evil space emperor Zorg.

Lightyear's experience of solving crimes in science contrasts well with the inefficiency of his amateur crew, which leads to some hilarious adventures. Such a contrast can even be found between the young heroes of Prodigy as well as Protostar's former captain Chakotay and rogue freighter captain Thadiun Okona. The clash of ideals and the generation gap results in some amusing interactions between the two groups.

Dogs In Space (2021-)

The title is pretty self-explanatory, but Dogs in Space offers a fun-filled approach to space exploration from humans' best friend. The Netflix original finds a group of genetically-enhanced canines exploring life in the cosmos.

Even though the concept and animation might make one think it's a silly kid's show, Dogs in Space can have some unexpectedly thoughtful moments too. There are parts when even the dogs remark on what are the moral costs of exploring space or if their mission is for themselves or their human masters. New-age streaming cartoons like Dogs in Space and Star Trek: Prodigy are indeed striking a balance between naivety and introspection, delivering smart content for kids in the process.

NEXT: 10 Best Classic Star Trek Tropes In Strange New Worlds

• Star Trek: Prodigy

10 TV Shows Like The Frog You Must See

From director Mo Wan-il, ‘The Frog’ is a Korean mystery thriller that introduces us to Gu Sang-jun and Jeon Young-ha, men of different time periods who run motels in serene hilly landscapes surrounded by forests. Business is good, and the environment couldn’t be better; however, both begin to receive suspicious lodgers seemingly involved in criminal activity. As bizarre occurrences ramp up and eccentric personalities appear, their once peaceful paradise becomes a silent witness to a deadly game. Also known as ‘Amudo Eobsneun Supsokeseo,’ the Netflix series creates a heavy atmosphere with its slow-burn narrative, introducing an array of characters and their intersecting stories. With stellar performances and evocative cinematography, the episodes slowly immerse us in the winding tale and leave us wanting more binge-worthy shows.

10. The Watcher (2022-)

Created by Ian Brennan and Ryan Murphy, ‘ The Watcher ’ narrates a chilling story of a cheerful family moving into their dream home, only to be relentlessly threatened by an unknown stalker. The Netflix series centers on Dean (Bobby Cannavale) and Nora Brannock (Naomi Watts), who, together with their children, move into a peaceful neighborhood and a sizable home. Their celebrations are interrupted by an ominous letter signed by The Watcher, declaring that they would be continually observed and contacted.

The letters become increasingly threatening, and soon, the couple comes to realize that this is no prankster but someone with ties to the house. Much like in ‘The Frog,’ the protagonists’ perfect sanctuary is viciously attacked and becomes the center of a high-tension invasion. What makes the show even more terrifying is that it is based on a true story, essaying the family’s plight in harrowing detail with everyone in the neighborhood becoming suspect.

9. The Woman in the Wall (2023-2024)

With creator Joe Murtagh taking inspiration from actual events, ‘ The Woman in the Wall ’ follows the perplexing story of Lorna Brady, whose extreme sleepwalking and troubled past converge when she finds a corpse hidden within the walls of her house. Lorna’s child was taken from her at a young age as she had given birth out of wedlock. The visions still haunt her, and her episodes of sleepwalking become more and more elaborate. When she finds a woman’s body in her house, she must reach into her sorrowful past to solve the troubling mystery of the present. The Showtime series is highlighted by its powerful themes and atmosphere, which are accentuated by adept cinematography, like in ‘The Frog.’ The narrative ties together unsettling social history and an intriguing mystery to create a compelling gothic thriller.

8. Safe (2018)

Crafted by Harlan Coben in his signature enigmatic style, ‘Safe’ revolves around the disappearance of a surgeon’s teenage daughter. When Tom Delaney’s (Michael C. Hall) daughter does not return from a party, he begins to pick up the breadcrumbs, following in her footsteps. His search leads him to the doorstep of many in the neighborhood, creating suspicions in his mind about the true nature of his outwardly idyllic community. Much like ‘The Frog,’ ‘Safe’ slowly builds up its mysterious narrative and suspense to a boiling point before delivering an extremely satisfying climax underlined by intelligent storytelling. A whodunit to its core, the Netflix series is interspersed with dark comedy and can be commended for its excellent execution.

7. The Chalet (2017-2018)

Created by Alexis Lecaye, ‘The Chalet’ is a French mystery thriller set in a remote cottage in the Alps. Manu Laverne and her group of childhood friends head to a recently renovated chalet for their reunion. Their path to the nearby village is cut off by a landslide destroying the connecting bridge. Isolated and trapped, the stressful environment brings out secrets and grudges of the past, leading to a haunting spectacle of revenge.

At the same time, the show travels back in time to 1997, when a writer and his family living in the same chalet encounter unsettling realities. Those who liked the desolating environments and high-tension interactions in ‘The Frog’ will revel in the palpable suspense created by ‘The Chalet.’ Also known as ‘Le Chalet,’ the Netflix series narrates a creepy tale filled with twists, with deeply flawed characters and their multifaceted actions.

6. The Bequeathed (2024)

Written by Yeon Sang-ho, ‘ The Bequeathed ’ follows a family as they travel to the countryside to inherit mountaintop land from their estranged uncle after his death. However, at the funeral ceremony, a half-brother they weren’t aware of makes a disconcerting appearance, staking a claim to the property. As a legal struggle seems imminent, a murder rattles the quiet town, increasing the stakes. Known as ‘Seon-san’ in Korean, the Netflix mystery thriller presents a character study on human emotions and behavior, creating a discourse on the theme of nature versus nurture. Similar to ‘The Frog,’ the show excels at creating tension at a slow burn, taking us to a picturesque and atmospheric countryside setting like in the former.

5. Inside No. 9 (2014-2019)

From the creative minds of Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, ‘Inside No. 9’ is a darkly comedic anthology series, with each episode telling a thrilling story revolving around a mundane narrative that takes a chilling turn. The genre-bending stories take us from London’s West to a grand country house, creating refreshingly unique scenarios and scares. There are several episodes within the black comedy show that may resonate with fans of ‘The Frog,’ such as ‘The Harrowing,’ which takes place in isolation from the outside world and introduces intriguing character dynamics.

4. Ripley (2024)

Created by Steven Zaillian based on Patricia Highsmith’s eponymous novels, ‘ Ripley ’ centers on the titular fraudster who is sent on a mission to Italy but begins to see the opportunity of a lifetime. Millionaire Herbert Greenleaf considers Ripley (Andrew Scott) a confidant and sends him to Italy to bring his rebellious son, Dickie, back to New York. Ripley finds him living in excess, squandering his wealth on extravagance, and begins to concoct a devious plan.

Set in the 1960s and shot in black and white, the Netflix series renders a gritty and deglamorized portrayal of Highsmith’s work. Like ‘The Frog,’ its story treats us to puzzling, ill-intentioned plots and ploys, with plenty of twists and turns along the way. The show was nominated for 13 Emmys, and Scott’s brilliant and unsettling performance as the sociopathic Ripley leaves the conclusion burned into our minds.

3. Twin Peaks (2017)

Crafted by Mark Frost and David Lynch, Showtime’s ‘ Twin Peaks ’ continues the original show as its third season 25 years after the cliffhanger ending of the second. The narrative follows three concurrent storylines, with the 1989 murder of the homecoming queen coming into focus as the case is reopened. The surreal phenomenon and events take center stage in the installment, decreasing drama elements from the past and creating its unique sense of unease surrounding confounding events. The remote feel and the atmospheric tension contributed to by the wilderness in ‘Twin Peaks’ will likely appeal to fans of ‘The Frog’ alongside its enigmatic mysteries.

2. Hell Is Other People (2019)

Based on the webtoon series by Kim Yong-Ki and directed by Chang-hee Lee, ‘Hell Is Other People’ follows a hopeful crime fiction writer as he shifts into an apartment building with deeply unsettling neighbors. Moving out of his small hometown for the first time, Yoon Jong Woo settles into a cramped apartment building for his job in Seoul. As he enters his new home, he is immediately struck by a sense of eerie unpleasantness, which is heightened when he meets his suspicious neighbors.

Also known as ‘Taineun Jiokida,’ the series will appeal to fans of ‘The Frog’ through its steady pacing and dark suspense. The protagonists in both shows are beset by strange and disconcerting characters, forcing them to take desperate measures. ‘Hell Is Other People’ truly excels as an intense thriller with infallible cast performances and chilling sequences so potent that they invoke horror.

1. And Then There Were None (2015)

Directed by Craig Viveiros, ‘And Then There Were None’ takes place on the brink of World War II as ten strangers are invited onto the remote Soldier Island. The guests run the gamut from an army general and an aristocrat to a cook and a surgeon. As two caretakers greet them, they are informed that the hosts will not be able to make it. Startlingly, a recording is played that accuses each of them of murder. Shortly after, the guests begin to die one by one, the murderer covertly being one of them.

For those who liked the elaborate setup and striking climax of ‘The Frog,’ ‘And Then There Were None’ provides a classic mystery thriller storyline that set the benchmark for its genre. Based on Agatha Christie’s eponymous novel, which is the world’s best-selling mystery, ‘And Then There Were None’ captures the essence of the work with nail-biting suspense and stellar performances from its star-studded cast.

Read More: Best Korean Movies on Netflix

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