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