When it comes to the best space TV shows, the competition is really fierce. There have been numerous shows that involved space and science fiction in their themes so we had difficulties filtering the ones that focused solely on space travel and revolving topics. Surely, one might argue that Stranger Things is a show that explores the topics of space and multiverses – but in this list, we focused primarily on shows about space exploration and have most of their plot happening in outer space. Without further ado, check out our list of best space TV shows.
Avenue 5 [2020-2022]
Photo credits: HBO
This is probably one of the best space TV Shows that was partially ruined by COVID-19 is Avenue 5. The show had such a great start and the crew was amazing as well as the jokes. If you want to watch a cool satire set in a luxurious space cruise ship this is the one. The main star of the show is Hugh Laurie as Captain Ryan Clark and he’s somewhat a parody of many of many famous “space captains” that we know of. The show is overall exciting and has dark humor but also deals with a lot of important issues; as we all know the hardest truths can be told through a joke. Since in Alien, no one can hear you scream, here no one can hear you laugh. Give it a bing shot, it’s not that long and the fanbase went berserk after it was canceled after just two amazing seasons.
Raised by Wolves [2020-2022]
Photo credits: HBO Max
Yet, another TV show that suffocated from the deadly virus is Raised by the Wolves. The show was something else and it had that X factor added to it. A remarkable space drama set on a distant planet on Keplar- 22b after Earth was destroyed by a religious war. The story is centered around two androids, Mother and Father, who are raising human children. Now all this AI hype as well as all know androids want to control human behavior and to teach us morality. Since the age of Terminator, we know that this concept didn’t age well. The show is pretty solid overall and it deserves your attention. In a way it kinda resembles some aspects of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, don’t get me wrong it’s not the same thing, but you’ll get the gist of it.
Red Dwarf [1988-2020]
Photo credits: Baby Cow Productions Limited
This cult classic which originally ran from 1988 until 1999 got back in 2009 and finally finished with the pandemic in 2020. Probably one of the best space TV shows from Britain, that conquered the sci-fi comedy world after Monty Pythons and Only Fools and Horses. The story is set 3 000 000 years into the future and it’s all happening on Red Dwarf (not a star) a mining spaceship. The show was separated into 2 parts but we’d recommend you watch all of it. The humor from older seasons will probably seem cringy and sexist and maybe even brutal by today’s standards, but that’s just how the world was. This one has 12 seasons so buckle up it’s time to go deep into space.
Babylon 5 [1993-1998]
Photo credits: Warner Bros. Television
Set in the 23rd century Babylon 5 is one of a kind space opera. It was ahead of its time and it brought many new and interesting ideas to the genre. First of all, it was more like a novel for television, which was new for the audience. The story was preplanned for 5 seasons a total of 110 episodes and 6 TV films. Babylon 5 resembles that sci-fi space diplomacy UN type of TV show. It’s probably the best space series or the best “clone” of Star Trek. That’s why the fans of Star Trek are either going to hate it or love it. The story is based on a neutral space diplomacy hub called Babylon 5 where all the different alien races can meet and talk. Characters are quite memorable and it was directed by J. Michael Straczynski. For those of you who don’t know Straczynski was the key writer for Marvel’s Thor, Walker, Texas Ranger, The Twilight Zoned He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, etc.
For All Mankind [2019-present]
Photo credits: Apple TV+
Probably the best hard sci-fi space series ever made. The hard sci-fi subgenre is more focused on accuracy and logic. For All Mankind is set in an alternative reality where the Soviet Union won in the space race. After they landed on the Moon first, the US government and NASA kept pushing the race further. It was more about who could colonize it, set the base, etc. The race was on with more money. Everything in the show is super expensive and sci and space scenes are some of the best that you’ll ever see. Apple TV+ poured a lot of money into this and it deserves your attention. Another geeky fact is that For All Mankind was created by Ronald D. Moore, Matt Wolpert, and Ben Nediv. You all probably know Ronald D. from Star Trek TNG and DS9, Battlestar Galactica, and Outlander.
Foundation [2021-present]
Photo credits: Apple TV+
This show can be described in just two words Isaac Asimov. If you want to see Game of Thrones meets Space Track meets Terminator set in space then Foundation is the one. Once again Apple TV+ poured a lot of money into this and the results are astonishing. Great cast featuring Jared Harris, Lee Pace, Lou Llobell, Leah Harvey, and many more. If you read any of Asimov’s books you’ll love the show as it has a brilliant plot, the characters are well-developed, and the overall story is simply great. Set in the distant future with the focus on the rise and fall of civilizations and empires. Isaac tackled philosophical, psychological, technological, and sociological factors and thus created great works such as Foundation. Destiny, power, royalty, love, everything is at hand in one of the best space TV shows of all time.
Space Force [2018-2021]
Photo credits: Netflix
Are you looking for a funny TV show about space? Or a TV show in space with The Office vibes? Look no further, Space Force’s got your back. People think that best space TV shows and comedy are a bad mix, but why? Okay, there aren’t many of them but if you’re into the matter Space Force is a no-brainer. It is a remake of a 1965 TV show of the same name. The remake in my humble opinion is better since it stars Steve Carell, John Malkovich, Ben Schwartz, Diana Silvers, Tawny Newsome, Jimmy O. Yang, and a weird Friend Lisa Kudrow; this is just to name a few. The show is more of a kinda of workplace sci-fi comedy which is set in the sixth branch of the US Air Force called Space Force. Unfortunately, just like Futurama, it was canceled after only 2 seasons and we hope that it’ll come back.
Lost in Space [2018-2021]
Photo credits: Netflix
I remember watching it as a kid in the 90s it was probably the best space TV show on VHS. I’m talking about the original show, that was filmed back in 1965 and it ran until 1968. In 2018 Netflix decided that it was time for a reboot. In all versions we’re following the Robinsons family who need to colonize Alpha Centauri’s planetary system. The story is set in 2046 (not-so-distant anymore) and as in most sci-fi TV shows something goes wrong. As nothing is going according to plan the family must survive on an interstellar spaceship Unlike the original show the new Netflix adaption sets a darker tone to the series. The cast is great as the main stars include Molly Parker, Toby Stephens, Maxwell Jenkins, Taylor Russell, Mina Sundwall, and Ignacio Serricchio.
Space: Above and Beyond [1995-1996]
Photo credits: Fox
A Space TV show that defined an era is what is defined for Space: Above and Beyond. An era when the American Military was more present in TV shows and movies than in other countries’ territories. Unfortunately, it had just one season, they could’ve made it at least two. The show follows members of “Wildcats” a US Marine Corps that’s fighting extraterrestrials. The show is set between 2063–2064, as the a colony gets annihilated by aliens on another planet. Then as usual the marines are sent to the rescue, that’s long story short. Even IGN called it a show that was ahead of its time. If you’re a fan of the Marine Colonization-Alien meets Terminator space TV series, then you’ve hit a jackpot.
Futurama [1999-present]
Photo credits: 20th Century Fox Television Animation
I don’t remember a show that was canceled as many times as Futurama was. It started as Matt Groening’s second project after The Simpsons but it never got the hype that it deserved. Futurama is the best space TV show in the animated genre for sure. It’s not like Star Wars: Clone Wars which is just a spinoff. Futurama is an original series that parodies many of the stereotypical space adventures, books, TV shows, comics, and movies. Just like South Park (before 2016) it also asked and answered many of the life questions. Probably the best joke was when Fry (the main character) discovered that he was his own grandpa. If you were born after the 80s or in the 90s you must’ve watched it at least once. For newer generations, it’s just imagine it as Rick and Morty for Millenials.
Firefly [2002-2003]
Photo credits: Fox
If your year of birth starts with 19 we are sure that you remember this classic. Firefly had a short history as only one season aired back in 2003 before Fox canceled the show. Many netizens agree that this was the worst mistake Fox has ever made – Firefly didn’t have a single bad episode and the cast was absolutely amazing. Not many shows in history have such a dedicated fan base after only one season and without any kind of book or comic source material. The only reason Firefly is not our number one on this list is that it is so short – only 14 episodes. If you still haven’t seen it, although it was canceled, watching this classic is a fun way to spend a weekend as this is surely one of the best space TV shows of all time.
Killjoys [2015-2019]
Photo credits: CTV Sci-Fi Channel
If you are not a deep sci-fi fan or are simply looking for something a bit more lightweight and action-focused, Killjoys is a good choice when it comes to space TV Shows. The overall impression is that this is a lighthearted, and generally speaking enjoyable, exposition-driven series in which Hannah John Kamen shines in her lead role. The show focuses on the advantures of space mercenaries and most of the episodes can be watched as stand-alone ones. So yeah, you can sit back and enjoy the action – but it is also notable that the main plot intensifies and develops as the show progresses. Killjoys has a total of 50 episodes spanning all 5 seasons.
The 100 [2014-2020]
Photo credits: The CW
This is one of the shows that was initially produced for younger audiences and most of the actors are in their early twenties but due to the popularity it gained, it became so much more. Although the first few episodes started strong, the quality of the script somewhat deteriorates in “filler” seasons but comes back strong again in the final. Some parts of this space TV show might be a bit cheesy and cosplay is kinda of strange but overall, it was a fun ride – especially since the ending was delivered nicely. Elisa Taylor, Bob Morley, and Marie Avgeropoulos are the leads and their performance was decent in the first season but also progressively better as the show moved forward.
Mandalorian [2019-present]
Photo credits: Disney +
Well you know, it’s baby Yoda and Pedro Pascal in a Star Wars setting – what’s there not to like? No seriously, Mandalorian is one of the (few) good shows that Disney delivered lately – the visual effects are stunning, the main plotline is interesting, the characters are well-developed, and is a fun watch. No point in describing the plot – just by looking at the screenshot above you can get a pretty good picture of what this space TV show is about. So far, 24 episodes have been released across 3 seasons – and more are to come.
Orville [2017-present]
Photo credits: Fox
We wrote about Orville in our list of Best Fantasy TV Shows of all time – and we still think that this show is highly under-ranked. It has it all; that true Star Trek vibe that Star Trak reboots miss so much; the overall chill style of humor throughout the show; quirky dialogs and generally well-written characters. Almost all the episodes are stand-alone so there’s no need to binge-watch this – unless you get hooked on it. We enjoyed the first 3 seasons and we are positive that you will as well.
Farscape [1999-2003]
Photo credits: Sci-Fi
If you thought that Firefly was a blast from the past, take a look at this jewel of the science fiction world. Farscape was, and still is, one of the best space TV series for a reason – its unique plot, 90’s fantasy vibe, great cosplay and fantastic choice of actors are what turned so many viewers into fans of this classic. We know that the show is old but it is worth your time. Even if you watched it before it’s still a good candidate for a re-watch as, unlike so many other space TV series, this one really stood the test of time.
Expanse [2015-2022]
Photo credits: Amazon Prime
The Expanse has been one of the most recent successes of Amazon – or better said, Amazon and SyFy. Based on James Corey’s novel as the show’s source material, SyFy ran Expanse for three seasons until canceling it in 2018. The decision was baffling as this was, and still is, one of the best shows they created judged by both, the audience and the critics. Whatever the reason was, Amazon Prime saw the opportunity and picked up the show, prolonging it for 3 more seasons. The first three seasons were more sci-fi oriented as the final three leaned more toward exploring space politics – but it all came down nicely in the series finale.
Stargate SG-1 [1997-2007]
Photo credits: Sci-fi
For all the 90’s kids, this is a well-known classic. SG-1 is simply good all-around – the plot, the acting, the costumes, everything except the action which is kind of outdated now when you watch it. However, keep in mind that this show was filmed more than 25 years ago – and as such it surely deserves a place on our list of best space sci-fi series. We won’t get too much into the plot – basically, there are Stargates all around the galaxy and we discover one on Earth. You get a pretty good idea of what happens next – enjoy watching this show and reminiscing about sci-fi shows of the old.
Star Trek: Next Generation [1987-1994]
Photo credits: Paramount
Star Trek is a well-known franchise to all science fiction fans – and there’s no need to describe any plot from this show as it’s one of the most well-known franchises around the world. We just wanted to give this series a well-deserved second spot on our list – and if you haven’t seen it in a long time, it’s time for a re-watch. We guarantee that it’s going to be a much more immersive experience than watching new remakes.
Battlestar Galactica [2004-2009]
Photo credits: Sci-Fi
So, it all comes to this. This is, in our opinion, the best space TV show of all time. Sure, some other shows had a longer run, and visual effects are better in modern ones – but when it comes to delivering an original story, and producing a true science fiction experience, nothing can come even close to Battlestar Galactica. The show is good for many reasons but the most obvious one is that it covers so many topics and provides an immersive experience for a viewer. It’s also a very long story, a very long journey that came to a satisfying (depending on who you ask) ending. If you haven’t seen it, forget what we wrote about the other shows on our list – watch this one first.
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