Need a new sci-fi binge after ‘Foundation’? Start with these shows
Need a new sci-fi binge after ‘Foundation’? Start with these shows
If you loved the world-building and big ideas in ‘Foundation,’ these shows are right up your alley.
“Foundation” is about to drop its Season 3 finale on Friday, Sept. 12 on Apple TV+, thus closing out another chapter in Isaac Asimov’s epic story. I read the first novel last year, and the show does an unreal job of bringing it to life. It follows math genius Hari Seldon as he predicts the fall of a 12,000-year-old Galactic Empire using something called psychohistory. The Empire’s run by a trio of Cleon clones (Brother Day, Brother Dusk, and Brother Dawn), and Seldon’s crew sets up a Foundation way out on the planet Terminus to preserve human knowledge. Now, once the third season wraps, you’re going to be left with a galactic-sized hole in your evening. But fear not, these shows should help fill the vacuum. If you’re into “Foundation,” here’s what to stream next.
Foundation
Follow a band of exiles on their monumental journey to save humanity and rebuild civilization amid the fall of the Galactic Empire.
Loved ‘Foundation’? Watch: ‘Invasion’
If what hooked you about “Foundation” was the scale — the way it jumps between characters, locations, and big-picture stakes — “Invasion” taps into that same vibe, just grounded on Earth. In this Apple TV+ drama, aliens show up, and no one knows what’s going on. The twist? Instead of following presidents or generals, the show zooms in on regular people all over the world trying to make sense of the chaos. You’ll jump between an American soldier in the Middle East, a family in Long Island, a Japanese aerospace engineer, and a group of London school kids, all trying to survive this slow-burn invasion.
It might sound smaller compared to empires and clone rulers, but the energy is similar: quiet, tense, and full of big existential questions. Both shows juggle a bunch of storylines and dig into ideas like sacrifice and destiny. Just don’t expect space battles or psychohistory. This one’s all about human instinct in the face of the unknown.
Invasion
Earth is visited by an alien species that threatens humanity’s existence. Events unfold in real time through the eyes of five ordinary people across the globe as they struggle to make sense of the chaos unraveling around them.
Watch next: ‘Andor’
If all the political tension and power struggles in “Foundation” were your jam, “Andor” is gonna hit the same nerve, but with spies and rebels. This is the prequel to “Rogue One,” and it pulls you into the everyday workings of the Galactic Empire, showing how the seeds of rebellion take root as the Rebel Alliance starts coming together. The main guy is Cassian Andor (a thief and a cynic, just trying to survive) until things escalate and he ends up deep in the fight.
Like “Foundation,” it’s all about standing up to a controlling empire and watching scattered characters slowly become part of a bigger cause. But “Andor” skips the grand prophecies and goes full gritty: secret meetings, betrayal, spying, stealing — you name it. No fancy math, no centuries-long plans. Just raw rebellion and what I think is the top drama show on Disney+.
Andor
In an era filled with danger, deception and intrigue, Cassian Andor will discover the difference he can make in the struggle against the tyrannical Galactic Empire. He embarks on a path that is destined to turn him into a rebel hero.
Try out: ‘The Expanse’
Maybe it wasn’t the clone drama or philosophy that pulled you into “Foundation,” but the galaxy-spanning political mess. “The Expanse” has that in spades. It’s set in the future, after humans have spread across the solar system — Earth, Mars, and the Outer Planets Alliance are all locked in a high-stakes power struggle. Earth’s basically a corporate-run superpower, Mars is a serious military force, and the Belters (people who live out on the edges) get exploited by both.
Everything kicks off when an ice hauler crew and a jaded detective stumble on an alien biohazard that could blow everything up. Like “Foundation,” the show goes deep on politics, tech, and power, but “The Expanse” is more grounded. Space feels like space: cold, dangerous, and ruled by physics, not fate. The crew of the Rocinante isn’t elites or prophets — they’re just trying to survive while dodging corrupt governments, secret labs, and creepy alien stuff. If you want a space show that’s more about grit than grand visions (but still has huge stakes and rich world-building), this one’s for you.
The Expanse
A thriller set two hundred years in the future following the case of a missing young woman who brings a hardened detective and a rogue ship’s captain together in a race across the solar system to expose the greatest conspiracy in human history.
Last pick: ‘For All Mankind’
Okay, stay with me here. If you were into the big time jumps and alternate futures in “Foundation,” then “For All Mankind” might be your next favorite. It starts with a twist on 1969: what if the Soviets had landed on the Moon first? That loss lights a fire under NASA, and the space race never ends. The U.S. pushes harder, faster — and more inclusively — training women and people of color for spaceflight. The ripple effects are huge. By the time you’re a few seasons in, the world’s got early electric cars, fusion energy, and no climate crisis. And yeah, every season skips ahead about a decade, following the same group of characters as they age, evolve, and clash with history.
Just like “Foundation,” this one explores how history gets shaped from above… but with way more grounded layers. No psychohistory, no clones, just astronauts, scientists, and politicians making messy, emotional decisions in a world that almost happened. If you were fascinated by how the Cleon clones try to bend history to their will, you’ll love watching this show flip the script on who gets to lead the space race and why.
For All Mankind
Explore an aspirational world where NASA and the space program remained a priority and a focal point of our hopes and dreams as told through the lives of NASA astronauts, engineers, and their families.
More to watch after finishing ‘Foundation’:
‘Silo’ | Apple TV+
Silo
In a ruined and toxic future, thousands live in a giant silo deep underground. After its sheriff breaks a cardinal rule and residents die mysteriously, engineer Juliette starts to uncover shocking secrets and the truth about the silo.
‘Devs’ | Hulu
Devs
Young computer engineer Lily Chan investigates the secretive development division of her employer, a cutting-edge tech company based in San Francisco, which she believes is behind the murder of her boyfriend.
‘Altered Carbon’ | Netflix
Altered Carbon
After 250 years on ice, a prisoner returns to life in a new body with one chance to win his freedom: by solving a mind-bending murder.
‘The Three-Body Problem’ | Netflix
3 Body Problem
Across continents and decades, five brilliant friends make earth-shattering discoveries as the laws of science unravel and an existential threat emerges.