Prime Video Officially Finds Its Next Prestige Sci-Fi Series To Compete With The Expanse & Battlestar Galactica

Published Sep 28, 2026, 6:00 PM EDT Craig began contributing to Screen Rant in 2016 and has been ranting ever since, mostly to himself in a darkened room. After previously writing for various outlets, Craig's focus turned to TV and film, where a steady upbringing of science fiction and comic books finally became useful. Craig has previously been published by sites such as Den of Geek. Craig is an approved critic on Rotten Tomatoes. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-elvy-5b31a3381/ The 21st century has produced great sci-fi shows with the kind of precision and efficiency a Vulcan would be proud of, and gems can be found on either side of the cultural pivot from cable to streaming. Nevertheless, the two series that typically find themselves top of the heap when it comes to deciding the 21st century's best small screen sci-fi effort are Syfy's Battlestar Galactica from the 2000s, and The Expanse, which began on Syfy before switching to Prime Video halfway through. Those two esteemed frontrunners haven't ever been challenged in any serious way. Andor on Disney+ was excellent, but came as part of the wider Star Wars brand rather than a series in its own right. Apple TV boasts a host of popular sci-fi shows, from Dark Matter to Foundation, but none have quite reached the heights hit by Battlestar Galactica and The Expanse. And then you have those near-perfect series like Pluribus and Dark that incorporate elements of sci-fi, but feel like they belong in a different category altogether. Over the next few years, a number of fresh sci-fi shows are scheduled to premiere, with Apple TV's Neuromancer being the one to watch. Having said that, Prime Video has a space-faring project in the pipeline that could completely outshine its 21st century rivals in the sci-fi arena. Why Battlestar Galactica & The Expanse Have Been So Hard For Other Sci-Fi Shows To Beat MovieStillsDB Battlestar Galactica wasn't the first sci-fi release to warn us about the dangers of sentient robotic life, but it was the first to spend four entire seasons examining the topic from every possible angle: scientific, ethical, philosophical, spiritual. As if that wasn't impressive enough, Ronald D. Moore combined those lofty themes with the kind of crew camaraderie and galactic exploration typically seen in series bearing the Star Trek tag. Battlestar Galactica was an anomaly that wouldn't happen today (and probably shouldn't have happened back then). A 20ish-episode-per-season beast that doesn't feel bloated, even in the current era of lean streaming shows. An ambitious and cinematic showpiece with visual effects that still hold up two decades later. An ensemble cast containing some of the best characters in sci-fi history, from the scheming Gaius Baltar to the heroic, swashbuckling Starbuck. In many ways, The Expanse was Battlestar Galactica's spiritual successor. Both opted for a more grounded brand of futurism with plausible technology and science that passed the sniff test. Like Battlestar Galactica, The Expanse also did its damnedest to avoid alien species, even if, technically, non-human organic life forms can be found in both. The Expanse's premise, taken from the books by James S.A. Corey, is one of the most unique in sci-fi. It's a three-way arms race between political factions, as a split human species fights for control over an uncontrollable alien substance that presents the most significant discovery in human history. What follows is a story of war, social inequality, diplomacy, and good, old-fashioned space battles with sleek and stylish ships trying to blow each other up. It's a thrilling and detailed depiction of what our future could look like, but one that prioritizes character above all else. The chemistry between Rocinante crew members is up there with Firefly in terms of creating a sense of found family that the audience is invited to be part of. The Expanse offers all the warmth of a network family drama, and all the chilling horror of Ridley Scott's Alien, making it arguably the most well-rounded of any sci-fi series in recent memory. Captive's War Has A Realistic Chance Of Competing With Battlestar Galactica & The Expanse Image via Syfy In the wake of The Expanse's critical adoration, Prime Video has set about developing an adaptation of James S.A. Corey's latest sci-fi novel series, Captive's War. While still in the early stages of its creation, the signs are incredibly promising. For one thing, key creative minds from The Expanse are being brought back. Not only the original authors behind both book series (Ty Franck and Daniel Abraham), but also Naren Shankar, who oversaw The Expanse's transition from page to screen, and Breck Eisner, who directed a good portion of The Expanse's 62 episodes. In even better news, the two Captive's War books released thus far have each enjoyed positive reviews, broadly appealing to fans of The Expanse. That alone suggests Prime Video's Captive's War series will have a compelling story, appealing characters, attractive visuals, and the same high-quality attention to detail that made The Expanse so popular. But Captive's War wouldn't have come with strong credentials to compete alongside sci-fi's very best if it was just The Expanse 2.0, and, fortunately, it's very far from The Expanse 2.0. Whereas The Expanse began relatively contained before gradually opening up in scale, Captive's War is a larger beast from the off, taking place in a world populated by different alien species existing together, and centered around a villainous empire oppressing everyday citizens. If that premise takes Captive's War closer to traditional sci-fi, almost Star Wars-esque, territory, the books subvert such expectations by adopting a more meditative, slow-burn approach, putting increased focus on galaxy-building and biological science. Captive's War is, therefore, the best of both worlds: the same team as The Expanse making a sci-fi series that is, in many ways, the polar opposite of The Expanse. Battlestar Galactica and The Expanse both revolutionized sci-fi on TV, doing what no series had ever dared before. Captive's War, if it's successful, will represent another giant leap forward. The breadth of culture and biology on display, the mind-blowing literary descriptions of alien planets, and the relative lack of human influence compared to The Expanse will make for a highly ambitious and challenging adaptation, so much so, one of its own authors describes the series as "so freaking hard to adapt into a TV show" (via Polygon). With great risk comes great reward, however, and if Prime Video's Captive's War ends up doing justice to the books, then it'll almost certainly earn a place in sci-fi TV's hall of fame alongside the likes of Battlestar Galactica and The Expanse.