10 Shows Like The Expanse You'll Flip (and Burn) For

This neo/tech noir based on the novel by Richard K. Morgan is perfect for fans of the seedy underbelly of Joe Miller’s storyline in the Expanse. 

Set in a future where humans can transfer their consciousness to different bodies, a former soldier is uploaded into a new body and tasked with investigating the murder of a wealthy industrialist. It’s an intriguing cyberpunk mystery.  

This constantly evolving sci-fi thriller is based on the 1973 film of the same name written and directed by Michael Crichton.  

It is a serpentine narrative set against the backdrop of a near future, in which an incredibly realistic Wild West themed amusement populated by life-like android “hosts” is the world’s preeminent source of recreation. 

However, things are not quite what they seem, and a conspiracy within the park has far-reaching implications for the world outside its gates. This one will keep you guessing. 

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With its shifting timelines and seemingly disparate narratives, Dark is one of the most complex – and ultimately rewarding – sci-fi experiences on TV. 

This Netflix Original by way of Germany centers itself around the mystery of missing children in the small community of Winden. 

As the series unfolds, family secrets, shocking revelations, and time travel create a bewildering mix that feels like a weird fiction version of Peyton Place by way of Stranger Things and Twin Peaks. 

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This post-apocalyptic thriller centers around a group of 100 delinquent teens jettisoned to a desolate Earth. They're part of a last-ditch effort to determine if the planet is habitable following a nuclear apocalypse ninety-seven years prior. 

The teens quickly discover that not only is Earth now habitable, but the descendants of previously unknown survivors of the apocalypse still call the planet home, and fight for survival on Earth's harsh landscape. 

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This beloved cult favorite from Joss Whedon follows a group of outlaws and smugglers trying to survive in a 'verse controlled by the fascist alliance.  

Deftly blending the well-hewn genre trope of both space opera and Westerns, Firefly was unfortunately cancelled after only 11 episodes. But in that short time it managed to build a wildly devoted fanbase, among which this author can be counted as a member. Just watch it, you can thank me later. 

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This reimagining of the original 1978 series sits alongside Star Trek: TNG and Voyager as a space faring TV drama that all others are measured against. 

The series centers around a contingent of humanity on the verge of annihilation, that finds itself on the run from an android race known as the Cylons. It’s a taut thriller that keeps viewers guessing at every turn. 

Although the ending featured a massive swerve that remains controversial with fans, it’s still a fantastic series filled with moral quandaries and big questions. 

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This J.J. Abrams-led series follows a clandestine team of investigators pulled to together to solve so-called fringe cases that are well-beyond the realm of normal. 

While it obviously took some cues from The X-Files, Fringe quickly separated itself with its mind-bending over-arching conspiracy, multidimensional conflicts, alternate timelines, and doomsday scenarios. It’s a heady take on the typical FBI/investigative procedural. 

This terrifying anthology series serves as a modern take on the Twilight Zone.

It features some of the most ambitious, nihilistic, and unnerving storytelling in sci-fi television. With each thought-provoking episode telling its own one-off story, Black Mirror is perfect bite sized storytelling while also remaining imminently binge-able. 

Full of horrifying dystopian realities not far removed from our current climate, Black Mirror is a timely and deeply unsettling slice of sci-fi horror. 

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It’s difficult to say too much about Fortitude and why fans of The Expanse will enjoy it, without giving away too much about the series. Suffice it to say that this seemingly standard crime drama is well worth a view. 

Set in the small Norwegian community of Fortitude, the series opens with a brutal murder. The investigation that follows leads down ever darker and twisting paths, to a shocking turn that ultimately redefines the series. 

This follow-up to Star Trek: The Next Generation focuses on an aged and long retired Admiral Jean-Luc Picard.  

Living a life of solitude on his ancestral chateau and haunted by a rescue mission gone terribly wrong, Picard is pulled into a grand conspiracy centering around a secretive Romulan sect and the re-emergence of synthetic life – a reemergence that could tie directly to one of Picard’s dearest friends. 

Patrick Stewart steps back into one of his most famous roles as if he were slipping on a pair of comfortable shoes and an eclectic cast – alongside some well done cameos appearances – makes this one a must watch for fans of both The Expanse and Star Trek.