Doctor Who Meets Firefly In This 110-Episode Sci-Fi Series

Image via MovieStillsDB Published Aug 22, 2026, 7:45 PM EDT Dani Kessel Odom (they/them) is an autistic lead writer and TV critic who covers sci-fi shows like Doctor Who and Pluribus, fantasy shows like The Magicians and Percy Jackson, and horror of all kinds. They also cover Marvel and DC TV shows and movies, with a robust knowledge of comic books. Their TV reviews can be found on Rotten Tomatoes. Dani is also part of ScreenRant's books team, using their fiction writing and literature studies as the backbone for their book analyses. They have covered events, such as the Denver Fan Expo. Professionals in the field, such as Damien Leone and Lucy Hale, have shared their articles. Their review of Ponies was quoted in the show's TV trailer. In university, they majored in English Writing with a minor in psychology. They have always had a passion for analyzing TV and movies, even taking filmography and scriptwriting classes in university. They also studied and participated in onstage and onscreen acting extensively from the ages of 7 to 18. Aside from working at Screen Rant, Dani has worked as a freelance editor and writer over the past decade, often in a ghostwriting capacity. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Firefly and Doctor Who are two wildly popular sci-fi series, and a fantastic 110-episode show feels like the collision of them. The sci-fi genre is vast, and there is plenty of variation even within its subgenres. A prime example of this is space opera. Though definitions differ, the common traits across all are melodrama, a large scope, and space travel. It’s spectacle over scientific realism. Other traits are optional, though some elements like political intrigue are incredibly common. Plus, the space opera subgenre frequently blurs genre lines. Doctor Who and Firefly are two shows that combine space opera elements with other genres. They both have all three core traits, but that’s where they separate. Doctor Who writers mix space opera sci-fi with fantasy, historical fiction, and occasionally horror. Meanwhile, Firefly blends space opera sci-fi with westerns, hence the “space western” label. The storylines differ in their character dynamics and story arcs. Additionally, Doctor Who has existed for over 60 years, with only a 16-year break between Classic Who and Revival Who. Not counting the missing episodes of Classic Who, there are almost 800 episodes. Tragically, Firefly was canceled too soon. The show had 14 episodes plus the movie Serenity, but only 11 episodes aired on FOX. Legends of Tomorrow, a superhero sci-fi that has 110 episodes, is the perfect middle ground between these two TV shows. Although it was originally looked down upon by critics and viewers, Legends of Tomorrow turned things around, becoming the most fun series in the Arrowverse, and it’s a must-watch for Doctor Who and Firefly fans. MovieStillsDB The CW’s Legends of Tomorrow begins as a traditional superhero team-up with time-travel elements. A ragtag group of heroes and villains called the Legends board the Waverider to stop the tyrannical, immortal villain Vandal Savage from creating a global dictatorship on a future Earth. There are clear narrative elements similar to Doctor Who and Firefly. However, the tone changes in Legends of Tomorrow season 2, becoming more playful and adventurous. Like Doctor Who and Firefly, the TV show just becomes fun. Actor Arthur Darvill, who played Rory Williams in Doctor Who, plays Rip Hunter, a main character in Legends of Tomorrow seasons 1 and 2 and a recurring role in season 3. The TV show devotes more time to the zany, dysfunctional dynamics of the group, and the group develops a found-family feeling. There’s a good mix of criminals, anti-heroes, and heroes. Plus, they spend more time on the ship, with it becoming a home in between their misadventures. In this way, the Legends are similar to the passengers of the Serenity. As mentioned, the group takes trips through time. However, the storylines past season 1 are more campy. The Legends interact with historical events, much like the Doctor and their companions, and the effect of time travel is very similar in both series. Both Doctor Who and Legends of Tomorrow also have the rule that the time travelers shouldn’t interact with past versions of themselves, but the show breaks the rule in entertaining ways. Eventually, Legends of Tomorrow even incorporates extraterrestrials and space travel. Courtesy of MovieStillsDB The best similarity between Legends of Tomorrow and Doctor Who is that neither show ever becomes stagnant despite running for a long time. The individuals aboard the Waverider and TARDIS change over time, allowing for new character dynamics. Some characters get along better than others. However, they all get under each other’s skin after a long time of traveling together. There are also occasional romances, though they aren’t the primary focus, similar to Doctor Who. What’s more, the actual tone and style shift every season, even though they’re all connected. This is similar to the changes that Doctor Who makes when the Doctor regenerates or a new showrunner takes over. Plus, both shows combine serialized and episodic storytelling. By taking this approach, Legends of Tomorrow never becomes boring. The Arrowverse show instead remains engaging from start to finish, offering something entertaining in every new season. Release Date 2016 - 2022-00-00 Network The CW Showrunner Phil Klemmer Cast Boyd Ferguson Lieutenant Cadwalader Cameron Bancroft Mr. Blake Directors David Geddes, Dermott Downs, Alexandra La Roche, Gregory Smith, Ben Hernandez Bray, Glen Winter, Mairzee Almas, April Mullen, Nico Sachse, Ralph Hemecker, Andrew Kasch, Caity Lotz, Antonio Negret, Christopher Tammaro, Dean Choe, Rachel Talalay, Sudz Sutherland, Viet Nguyen, Alice Troughton, Kevin Tancharoen, Jes Macallan, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, Eric Dean Seaton, Kristin Windell Writers Tyron Carter, Sarah Nicole Jones, Jackie Canino Franchise(s) Arrowverse