Science fiction is an interesting genre in which the biggest hits and best ideas can come completely out of nowhere. All one really needs to make compelling science fiction is an interesting core concept and solid execution. With that in mind, take a look ahead at a few of the new looks ahead that'll be dropping onto TV and streaming this year.
2022 was a very good year for science fiction. Classic franchises like Star Wars and Star Trek reinvented themselves. New voices made their marks with powerful statements. There's still plenty to catch up on, but a fascinating new sci-fi series seems to hit the screen every minute.
The Three-Body Problem
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Liu Cixin's 2008 science fiction novel became the first Asian novel to win a Hugo Award in the United States. It's a dense political polemic and a hardcore science-fiction epic. It follows Wang Miao, an astrophysicist who is asked by the Chinese government to infiltrate a dangerous group of scientists. Wang must also navigate a complex VR world, in which he's asked to help a group of primitive aliens understand the laws of nature on their hostile planet. Netflix will be adapting the novel into a series with none other than D. B. Weiss and David Benioff in the showrunner position. The duo behind Game of Thrones could inspire hope in some and dread in others, but it'll certainly draw eyes to this hotly anticipated adaptation.
Hello Tomorrow!
This Apple TV series follows a group of traveling salespeople who push the dubious prospect of timeshares on the moon. The show has a retro-futurist aesthetic, meaning that it kind of looks like it takes place in a 50s sci-fi film. Billy Crudup stars as Jack Billings, the unstoppable dreamer who seems to genuinely believe he's selling a better future for his customers. The Simpsons star Hank Azaria takes second billing. Behind the camera, the show will be directed by Jonathan Entwistle. Entwistle made a name for himself directing the 2017 Netflix series The End of the F***ing World. He then served as director and showrunner of the 2020 series I Am Not Okay With This, a compelling coming-of-age story about a girl with psychic powers. Not much is known about the plot of Hello Tomorrow!, but it'll run for 10 episodes, and its grand premiere comes to Apple TV+ on February 17, 2023.
The Ark
Most of the big sci-fi shows head straight to streaming, but the cable network named after the genre might as well have a decent entry or two. The Ark is set to premiere on SYFY this February. The titular Ark is a massive spaceship that carries the last hope for mankind through the unforgiving depths of space. 100 years into the future, Earth is a lost cause and brave explorers will have to set out to colonize other planets. The mission goes awry, swiftly throwing the fate of mankind onto the shoulders of a handful of desperate professionals. It's like The 100 by way of Passengers. The show has some mystery elements, so it's not clear exactly what threat the astronauts will be faced with. The show comes from Dean Devlin, who is best known for working with Roland Emmerich on films like Independence Day and his production work on shows like Leverage. It's clear that The Ark doesn't have a huge budget, but with well-executed tension and some committed performers, it can still turn into an engaging sci-fi thriller. The first season is set to run for 10 episodes, starting February 1st.
Gen V
Eric Kripke's adaptation of Garth Ennis's The Boys has been a smash hit throughout its three seasons. The first spin-off project of the still burgeoning franchise takes place at a Vought-owned university for superheroes. Teen participants in the program will be forced to face each other in combat and only the strong will survive. The spin-off is loosely adapted from the "We Gotta Go Now" arc from the original comic book series. It's a grim parody of the X-Men, and fans know the level of subversion they're in for. It's X-Men by way of The Hunger Games from the makers of The Boys. Who wouldn't be sold on that pitch?
Scavengers Reign
This animated series looks spectacular in its brief teasers. The animation comes to the screen from the excellent Titmouse, Inc. Their work on The Legend of Vox Machina was rightly celebrated, and this upcoming sci-fi series looks even more visually imaginative. The crew of a downed space freighter finds themselves stuck on an uncharted planet. Unfortunately, this series was set to premiere on HBO Max, so there's no way of knowing whether it'll ever actually be available. The streaming service has been less than respectful of animated projects recently. The last bit of news about the series came out last summer. If Scavengers Reign does come to the screen, on HBO Max or elsewhere, it'll undoubtedly be one of the most beautiful sci-fi series of the year.