10 TV Shows Like Foundation That Are Worth Watching
Back in 1942, Isaac Asimov’s Foundation universe (which began as a series of short stories and was later published as a trilogy) offered a simple, clever premise built around the idea of “psychohistory,” which suggested that while the actions of individuals may be completely random, as a group we are completely predictable. And as one might predict, adapting this, shall we say, seminal work of genre literature seemed like a natural fit for the age of content-hungry streaming services.
While the Apple TV+ adaptation sometimes falls short of the source material, weaving in bits of mysticism here and there in its own language, it’s an impressively realized, centuries-spanning sci-fi epic centered on the lives of scientists and rebels who seek to destroy an empire in order to save it.
It’s one of the few shows that truly captures the feel and scope of golden-age science fiction, using ideas from Asimov’s other works beyond the Foundation series. But it’s not the only one. Here are 10 shows that boast the same scope and intelligence.
Dune: The Prophecy (2024 – )
This spin-off of a lucrative film franchise could have easily been a filler, but instead we got a thoughtful, pulpy space soap opera set 10,000 years before Denis Villeneuve’s films. There’s a lot going on, but overall the series centers on Valya and Thula Harkonnen (Emily Watson and Tula Williams), who struggle to create and maintain the Sisterhood, which we later learn is the Bene Gesserit, by any means necessary and in the face of an unstable Imperium — a far cry from the Foundation’s efforts in the face of the Empire in the other series. The ruling dynasty has a new weapon in the form of Desmond Hart (Travis Fimmel), a manipulative former soldier who seems immune to the Sisters’ persuasive abilities, thereby threatening their place at the Emperor’s side. This series echoes Foundation , but also feels a little like a star-studded Game of Thrones . Watch Dune: The Prophecy on HBO Max .
Andor (2022 – 2025)
Just when I thought I was done with Star Wars , along comes the prequel series Andor, the morally complex story of thief-turned-Rebel spy Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) and his radicalization on the way to becoming the heart and soul of the Rebellion. We see the slow march of the Empire as the galaxy’s citizens become accustomed to its growing fascism, and we witness conflict between the various Rebel factions: Genevieve O’Reilly’s Mon Mothma fights within the Galactic Senate, while Stellan Skarsgård’s Luten Rael, Andor’s handler, prefers dark deeds carried out under cover of night. Forest Whitaker’s So Gerrera would rather burn the galaxy to the ground than allow it to become what he hates. Not only is this good television, it’s the first time in a long time that Star Wars feels like it has something meaningful to say. Watch Andor on Disney+ .
For All Mankind (2019 – )
“For All Mankind” begins with an intriguing alternate history: What if Soviet space pioneer Sergei Korolev hadn’t died prematurely in 1966, but instead helped his country’s space program reach its full potential, prolonging the space race indefinitely? If America and the world had been forced to continue and expand the space program, our past (and present) would look very different, at least according to this series, which jumps through decades to imagine what it might have been like (in the style of “ Foundation’s ” time jumps, though far less dramatic in scope), revealing an alternate past (and future). A spinoff about the Soviet space program, “Star City ,” is in the works. Watch “For All Mankind” on Apple TV+ .
Space (2015–2022)
The Expanse (based on the book series by James S. A. Corey) is set in the near future, imagining a colonized solar system to which we’ve brought all our old familiar problems and more: Earth is at the historical and cultural center of things, while the Mars colonists, forced to survive in a harsh environment, have developed technological and military superiority, and the people living in “the Belt” have had to fight for survival. Greed, fear, and shortsightedness make conflict almost inevitable, even if the show isn’t as cynical as it first appears: James Holden and Naomi Nagata (Steven Strait and Dominique Tipper) lead the mixed crew of the freighter Rocinante , which ends up having a huge impact on events by being in the right place at the right time and crewed by people with good enough intentions. Shohreh Aghdashloo stars as Chrisjen Avasarala, a deeply cynical (and notoriously foul-mouthed) politician who is the driving force behind the series. Watch The Expanse on Prime Video .
Babylon 5 (1993–1998)
J. Michael Straczynski’s wildly ambitious sci-fi epic was way ahead of its time, pursuing a planned (more or less) five-season story arc set on the titular space station that’s reminiscent of the more planned prestige shows of our day. Babylon 5 is a remote outpost that becomes the last hope for peace as human and alien plans clash — especially after an ancient and very unexpected threat awakens. The threats from without expose the tensions within — how united we are in the face of common danger, and how we’re falling apart. With increasingly complex storylines that blend sci-fi, politics, and cosmic mysticism, it still holds up (despite its dated CGI effects). Watch Babylon 5 on Tubi .
Shogun (2024 –)
Not science fiction, but still a stunningly well-made series about the impending collapse of the old order and the rise of what follows. Set at the very end of Japan’s Warring States period, the series follows ambitious English sea pilot John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) as he is shipwrecked in Japan and falls under the control of warlord Lord Yoshii Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada). Each has something to offer the other. Acting as a reluctant translator between them is Toda Mariko (Anna Sawai), a woman deeply loyal to Toranaga but with a complicated past. The political and military intrigue feels timeless, as does the sense that this upheaval could lead to something new and better, or just as easily to the end of the world. Watch Shogun on Hulu .
Murderbot (2025–)
Don’t let the title fool you: While there’s certainly some dark comedy in here, this is one of the wittiest shows on TV based on Martha Wells’s Hugo Award-winning book series. The series stars Alexander Skarsgård as the hilariously deadpan Killerbot, a private “security construct” who’s managed to hack his own programming and gain free will, which he mostly uses to binge-watch his favorite streaming services. He can’t just run away for fear of drawing attention to himself, but the self-proclaimed Killerbot (known to everyone else as SecUnit) makes do with the bare essentials when he’s assigned to a team of inexperienced and naive researchers who see no need for a killer robot — at least until they get caught up in a complex capitalist conspiracy in which they’re all just cogs. Watch Killerbot on Apple TV+ .
Star Trek: Discovery (2017–2021)
While Discovery isn’t as serious as Foundation (this is Star Trek , after all), it goes even further into the dark than most of its peers. Sonequa Martin-Green plays Michael Burnham, an initially disgraced Starfleet officer who eventually becomes captain of the titular starship. Beginning as a prequel set during the conflict between the Federation and the Klingon Empire, the series covers the centuries following a mid-stream time jump that sends Discovery and its crew nearly 1,000 years into the future, where the Federation is hanging by a thread. It’s after this point that Discovery and Foundation have the most in common, namely, protagonists who have survived for centuries, fighting to preserve what they can from the system they believe in. Stream Star Trek: Discovery on Paramount+ .
Silo (2023 – )
The setting here is far from intergalactic, but the scope is no less ambitious despite the limited scope. All of the characters live in the 144-story bunker of the title, a sealed environment that supports (or imprisons?) the last vestiges of humanity on a devastated Earth. Social politics are mixed with elements of mystery (nothing in the bunker is quite what it seems) in an impressively conceived dystopia. Based on Hugh Howey’s book trilogy , the show has at least one other advantage in addition to its killer cast (including Rebecca Ferguson, Rashida Jones, David Oyelowo, Common, and Tim Robbins): unlike many prematurely canceled streaming series, it will reach its planned conclusion after being renewed for two more seasons. Stream Silo on Apple TV+ .
Battlestar Galactica (2003–2009)
While the original was a fun but often awkward mix of slick sci-fi and 1970s kitsch, the aughts reboot from Ronald D. Moore (who also co-wrote the aforementioned For All Mankind ) and company brought sci-fi fully into the age of prestige television. Created to be humanity’s robot slaves, the Cylons rebel and launch a sneak attack on human colonies, leading to an exodus into space. Humanity’s only hope is to reach the mythical world of Earth. The monotheistic Cylons view their crusade as almost holy, while the more rationalistic human refugees struggle to survive and find common purpose in an order that’s crumbling with each passing day. Edward James Olmos and Mary McDonnell lead an impressive cast. Buy Battlestar Galactica on Apple TV+ and Prime Video .