Ten sci-fi/fantasy shows to binge while sheltered in place

Image: Amazon/The Expanse

9. The Expanse

I recently ranted at great length about how The Expanse is the best substitute for our dearly departed Game of Thrones…but will always take another opportunity to do so.

The Expanse is a space opera set in a solar system successfully colonized by humans…which just means that age-old human conflicts can play out on a wider scale. Like Game of Thrones, it follows an ever-evolving cast of main characters, but the core of the show is the crew of the small Martian starship the Rocinante. Led by the intrepid captain James Holden (pictured above), the crew of the Roci get into all sorts of messes as they try to contain the outbreak of a mysterious alien substance called the Protomolecule, which has lots of nasty ways of killing people. There’s also a strong political aspect to this show, as Earth, Mars, and the people of the asteroid belt (a.k.a. Belters) vie for power.

All that adds up to a show that is rife with complicated situations, supremely memorable characters, and a plot that keeps you guessing no matter how sure you are that you’ve figured out what’s coming next. If you’ve been missing GoT, this is the show you need in your life.

After running for three seasons on SyFy, The Expanse was cancelled and then given a second lease on life over at Amazon Studios. It goes to show how passionate the fandom is that the show has made such an incredible recovery, and is now going stronger than ever.

Nowadays, you can stream all four seasons of The Expanse on Amazon Prime.