15 Best Shows Like Moonhaven You Need to Watch
There’s something special and unique about science fiction and expanding the limitations of humankind that makes great TV. One of the latest TV shows of that kind I’ve started watching is AMC+’s Moonhaven. And although the show is quite disappointing to me so far, it had some cool moments and ideas. It got me craving for more similar content.
That leads us to this list. If you are looking for shows similar to Moonhaven, I’m your guy. Here are 15 best shows like Moonhaven that you just need to watch. The list is unranked, and the shows vary, so I am sure that there is something for everybody here. Enjoy!
Another Life (2019-2021)
IMDb Rating: 5.2/10
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Mystery
Synopsis: “Set in the future, an anomaly from space appears in Earth’s orbit and plants a stalk-like object into the ground. Humans attempt to determine what it is, why it’s been placed there, and what’s going to happen next, but it’s taking too long to crack the code so they send a team into space to the source of the object to investigate further.”
Why it’s like Moonhaven: I’m starting off with something a bit weaker than what I anticipated – just like Moonhaven. Another Life is a story about a spaceship captain and her fleet trying to find the origins of a mysterious unidentified artifact that entered Earth’s orbit.
It could’ve been executed better, but Another Life has its moments – especially in the performance of the lead, Katee Sackhoff. Almost every episode ends in a cliffhanger, and despite bad reviews, I’m sad to hear that Season 3 is officially canceled by Netflix.
Watch the trailer here.
Intergalactic (2021)
IMDb Rating: 4.3/10
Genre: Sci-Fi, Drama
Synopsis: “It follows a crew of fierce female convicts who break free and go on the run.”
Why it’s like Moonhaven: I don’t know why the IMDb reviews are THAT bad, but I guess that’s the first thing that Intergalactic and Moonhaven have in common. It tackles the idea of what incarceration would look like in the future when humanity starts traveling through the galaxy.
I don’t want to be insulting, but the worst part about the show for me was the acting. Still, the narrative revolves around female characters (that are finally becoming more and more represented in the genre) and does a nice job of keeping the narrative entertaining. It’s not the best shop on this list, but certainly worth a watch.
Watch the trailer here.
The Man Who Fell To Earth (2022-)
IMDb Rating: 6.9/10
Genre: Sci-Fi, Drama
Synopsis: “An alien (Chiwetel Ejiofor) crashes deep into the oilfields of New Mexico with a mission: he must find the brilliant scientist Justin Falls (Naomie Harris), the one woman on earth who can help save his species. Even as he struggles to adapt to our world and to become more “human,” her faith in humanity couldn’t be lower.
An unlikely duo, together they discover that in order to save his world, they must first save ours. An inspired continuation of the novel by Walter Tevis and the iconic 1976 film starring David Bowie.”
Why it’s like Moonhaven: The Man Who Fell to Earth is an ongoing Showtime Original series with an impeccable cast and a well-known story for Sci-Fi fans, told in a completely original way. Like Moonhaven, it shows that humankind might hold itself as the “golden standard,” but we are so far from it.
Watch the trailer here.
Night Sky (2022)
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
Synopsis: “The series centers around Franklin and Irene York, a couple who years ago discovered a chamber buried in their backyard which inexplicably leads to a strange, deserted planet.
They’ve carefully guarded their secret ever since, but when an enigmatic young man enters their lives, the Yorks’ quiet existence is quickly upended, and the mysterious chamber they thought they knew so well turns out to be much more than they could ever have imagined.”
Why it’s like Moonhaven: The “sci-fi“ trouble in paradise” narrative is what connects Night Sky and Moonhaven, although I have to say that, so far, Night Sky executed their idea much better. Perhaps it’s because of the brilliant performances by Sissy Spacek and J.K. Simmons, but Night Sky is truly a short series that’s worth the time of every sci-fi fan.
Watch the trailer here.
Snowpiercer (2020-)
IMDb Rating: 6.9/10
Genre: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Synopsis: “Seven years after the world has become a frozen wasteland, the remnants of humanity inhabit a perpetually-moving train that circles the globe, where class warfare, social injustice, and the politics of survival play out.
Why it’s like Moonhaven: Just like Moonhaven, Snowpiercer sets a narrative of what would happen in the future when humanity is on the brink of complete collapse, and there’s only one safe haven where people can live and thrive.
The politics of the post-apocalyptic age are meticulously presented in Snowpiercer, albeit I preferred the movie led by Chris Evans that came out years before the show. Both are based on the 1980s graphic novel called Le Transperceneige.
Watch the trailer here.
Foundation (2021-)
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi
Synopsis: “Far in the future, The Empire is about to face a reckoning unlike anything else it’s faced before: several millennia of chaos have been predicted by the galaxy’s leading psycho-historian, Hari Seldon. But can The Empire offset the disaster before it begins?”
Why it’s like Moonhaven: I love Foundation, and I’m eagerly waiting for another season. I love the concept behind the Empire, which is, much like Moonhaven, a utopia that is far from the heaven it presents itself as. It’s based on Isaac Asimov’s short story series (later turned into a book trilogy) called Foundation in the 1940s.
Watch the trailer here.
Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009)
IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi
Synopsis: “When an old enemy, the Cylons, resurface and obliterate the 12 colonies, the crew of the aged Galactica protects a small civilian fleet – the last of humanity – as they journey toward the fabled 13th colony, Earth.”
Why it’s like Moonhaven: This awesome, classic sci-fi series battles similar topics as Moonhaven – the last remnants of humanity fighting for survival in space. Now, I chose the newer version of Battlestar Galactica for this list because I believe it’s overall better, but there are people who much prefer the original Battlestar Galactica series from the 1970s.
Watch the trailer here.
The Handmaid’s Tale (2017-)
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Synopsis: “A religion-based autocracy has taken over most of the United States, renaming the country Gilead. In this country, women are second-class citizens. Anyone trying to escape is punished.
One such person is June, who is captured while trying to escape with her husband and child and is sentenced to be a handmaid, bearing children for childless government officials. As a handmaid, June is renamed Offred. This is her story.”
Why it’s like Moonhaven: This entry is a bit different from the rest of the list but awesome nevertheless. There are no super high-tech space adventures here, but much like Moonhaven, The Handmaid’s Tale tackles the topic of a society that presents itself as the ultimate haven and humanity’s salvation when in reality, it couldn’t be further from the truth.
Elizabeth Moss is simply brilliant as the lead, and the worst part is that our society isn’t that far away from the horrific scenario presented in The Handmaid’s Tale. Sure, it’s exaggerated, but it’s not the first time that humankind has done awful things in the name of religion and salvation.
Watch the trailer here.
The Lazarus Project (2022-)
IMDb Rating: 7.0/10
Genre: Action, Drama, Fantasy, Thriller
Synopsis: “[The Lazarus Project] Is a top-secret organization dedicated to preventing mass extinction events and with the ability to make time go backward.”
Why it’s like Moonhaven: I believe some of the bad reviews The Lazarus Project has received are unjustified, as the first season of action wasn’t bad at all. Now, it doesn’t happen in space like Moonhaven, but the idea is somewhat similar – an organization that aims toward the salvation of humankind by applying drastic measures, including time-traveling.
The season finale had me on my heels, and although Sky hasn’t officially confirmed there would be a Season 2, fans are quite optimistic that it’ll come to fruition sooner rather than later.
Watch the trailer here.
Altered Carbon (2018-2020)
IMDb Rating: 7.9/10
Genre: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
Synopsis: “ALTERED CARBON is set in a future where consciousness is digitized and stored in cortical stacks implanted in the spine, allowing humans to survive physical death by having their memories and consciousness “re-sleeved” into new bodies.
The story follows specially trained “Envoy” soldier Takeshi Kovacs, who is downloaded from an off-world prison and into a combat-ready sleeve at the behest of Laurens Bancroft, a highly influential aristocrat.
Bancroft was killed, and the last automatic backup of his stack was made hours before his death, leaving him with no memory of who killed him and why. While police ruled it a suicide, Bancroft is convinced he was murdered and wants Kovacs to find out the truth.
Why it’s like Moonhaven: Although some fans believed the quality of the show downgraded as seasons moved forward, I enjoyed Altered Carbon quite a bit. Just like in Moonhaven, we get to see how far the human race is willing to go for their own survival and how far we take technology until it backfires.
Some say the biggest backfire of the show was the lead actor change, but I found the show to be cool overall. If you’re a sci-fi fan, I bet you’ll enjoy it, too.
Watch the trailer here.
Travelers (2016-2018)
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Synopsis: “Hundreds of years from now, the last surviving humans discover the means of sending consciousness back through time, directly into people in the 21st century. These Travelers assume the lives of seemingly random people, while secretly working as teams to perform missions in order to save humanity from a terrible future.
These travelers are: FBI Special Agent Grant MacLaren, the team’s leader; Marcy, a young, intellectually disabled woman in the care of her social worker, David; Trevor, a high school quarterback; Carly, a single mom in an abusive relationship; and Philip, a heroin-addicted college student.
Armed only with their knowledge of history and an archive of social media profiles, the travelers discover that 21st-century lives and relationships are as much a challenge as their high-stakes missions.”
Why it’s like Moonhaven: Like Moonhaven, Travelers include a lot of futuristic technology that can be useful but also quite dangerous. The Travelers try to go back in time (at least in their consciousness) to prevent the disasters humankind has done that led to its near extinction hundreds of years into the future.
It’s an awesome show – one of my favorite Netflix Original sci-fi series to date, and it’s absolutely worth every minute of your time.
Watch the trailer here.
The Expanse (2015-2022)
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Synopsis: “Two hundred years from now, the solar system’s been colonized, and police detective Josephus Miller’s given the assignment of finding a missing woman. Meanwhile, an officer of an ice freighter sees what appears to be an unprovoked attack upon the ship, by a craft from Mars.
As news of the attack spreads, the incident’s repercussions threaten to destabilize already tenuous relations between Earth, Mars, and the asteroid belt.
Why it’s like Moonhaven: Apart from the obvious space voyage and classic, futuristic sci-fi elements, Moonhaven, and The Expanse have another thing in common – presenting the delicate politics of a future society that now has to tread carefully with every step to prevent its almost-inevitable downfall.
There’s a reason why the Expanse has such high numbers and great reviews – it was an epic show, and although I came late to the party, I gobbled up the entire series in a three-day binge. I highly recommend it.
Watch the trailer here.
Electric Dreams (2017-2018)
IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi
Synopsis: “A sci-fi anthology series with stand-alone episodes based on the works of Philip K. Dick.”
Why it’s like Moonhaven: Like Moonhaven, Electric Dreams include heavy sci-fi elements, technology, space travel, etc. However, as an anthology series, every episode stands for itself and brings something unique to the table.
Admittedly, some episodes are better than the others, but overall, there are many great stories here and great actors as well, such as Bryan Cranston, Steve Buscemi, Terrence Howard, and others.
Watch the trailer here.
Tales From The Loop (2020-)
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi
Synopsis: “Beneath a small town exists The Loop, a scientific research facility. The townspeople end up experiencing an altered version of reality, where impossible things become possible. Each episode follows one townsperson, or a particular group of townspeople, and their experiences with The Loop.”
Why it’s like Moonhaven: This is another anthology series where every episode can stand on its own, although they are all loosely based around a small town and its people that are affected by The Loop. Much like Moonhaven, The Loop seems like a paradise that allows people to explore the universe.
However, trouble in paradise soon arises, and the townspeople quickly realize The Loop might hold secrets they cannot yet comprehend. I loved almost every episode, and for every Sci-Fi fan, Tales From The Loop will be a joy to watch.
Now, Season 2 hasn’t been officially announced yet, but nor was the show canceled, so there’s a lot of hope that the show will continue.
Watch the trailer here.
Undone (2019-)
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Animation
Synopsis: “A woman discovers she has a new relationship with time after surviving a car accident that almost killed her.”
Why it’s like Moonhaven: Last but not least, I couldn’t make this list without including Undone. The animation is absolutely mesmerizing, and the story incredibly interesting. In fact, it’s the first-ever non-short TV show to use rotoscoping animation in every episode.
It tackles the issue of meddling with time and destiny, as the lead character travels in the past to “undo” some things that should’ve been left alone. The second season was even better than the first, and I highly hope we’ll see season three very soon. The animation, the storyline, the casting – Undone is truly a unique sci-fi experience.
Watch the trailer here.