Star Wars Andoris the best Star Wars TV series, and acts as a prequel to the best modern Star Wars movie—Rogue One. Yes, you can fight me on either of these points, and I have plenty of love forThe Mandalorian, but both critic and fans have voted with their wallets (and reviews) so clearly this take on the Star Wars universe is working.
Sadly, as I write this,Andorhas come to an end and it doesn’t look like there will be a third season. So if, like me, you’re feeling a little empty and want to fill the gap with something similar, I’ve put together a list of shows that have a similar vibe toAndorin some way.
2016
6
62
Status
Ended
We just don’t get enough “hard” sci-fi on TV if you ask me, soThe Expansewas a breath of fresh air, with its generally grounded and realistic take on a human society that’s spread throughout the solar system, but not beyond it. The show offers a complicated story of political intrigue and world-shattering events that go beyond human comprehension.
If you likedAndor’sfocus on rebelling against the power that be, the cost of freedom, corruption, all spiced up with plenty of realism and a dash of alien mystery, then the tone and style ofThe Expansewill be right up your alley.
The Expanse
A fantastic adaptation of one of the best hard sci-fi book series in modern literature.
2003
76
The 2003 re-imagining ofBattlestar Galacticais not only one of the best shows on this list, it’s one of the best sci-fi shows every made. Period. It hasn’t aged a day either, and shows likeThe Expanseowe a great deal to the gritty and grounded camera work that helps the world of Galactica feel like a real place with real people. I’d go as far as to say evenAndorowes quite a lot to this show and the shift in TV sci-fi it pioneered.
The tone is consistently bleak, with characters often making impossible choices under pressure. If you liked Andor’s focus on internal conflict and institutional failure, you will find Galactica’s crises of faith and power equally compelling.
Battlestar Galactica (2004)
This bold reimagining of the campy original is without a doubt one of the best sci-fi TV shows ever made, and it’s aged like fine wine.
2022
4
24
Ongoing
Andoris Star Wars by way of John le Carré, andSlow Horsesmight as well be the le Carré cinematic universe. It’s a darkly witty, low-glamour spy drama about bureaucratic burnouts and discarded agents. You’ll love it if you appreciated the tired cynicism and quiet competence of Andor’s Imperial and rebel operatives alike.
It’s also some of Gary Oldman’s best work, in case you’ve been wondering what he’s been getting up to the past few years. James Bond this ain’t, but if you like to root for the misfits, it’s the show for you.
Slow Horses
The misfit, ragtag, tense and dramatic spy drama we didn’t know we needed.
2017
2
20
Imagine Andor with a dash of Fringe-style sci-fi. Counterpart explores espionage between parallel realities, focusing on identity, betrayal, and duality. Its smart writing, tense tone, and spy-vs-spy mechanics offer the same flavor of intrigue you get in the ISB or Ferrix arcs of Andor.
I actually had no idea this show existed until recently, which is a pity because I’m a bit of a JK Simmons fan, and seeing him play multiple roles, along with an equally strong supporting cast, is a bit of a treat.
Counterpart
A heady mix of spy thriller and interdimensional sci-fi led by the brilliant JK Simmons.
2021
I’m a lifelong, hardcore fan of Isaac Asimov’s books, and so, of course, I have a soft spot for theFoundationnovels. Actually, it goes beyond that, because one of the reasons I became interested in studying psychology at university was reading about Hari Seldon’s Psychohistory in the books—a scientific way to predict human behavior on a massive scale.
The TV series is only very loosely based on the plot of the books, but given that (as much as I love his work) Asimov’s books are mainly talking heads discussing big ideas, it was inevitable that big changes would be needed for a TV adaptation. While more grandiose thanAndor,Foundationstill explores rebellion, empire, and fate. It’s a pretty cerebral show with political maneuvering, resistance movements, and questions about the cost of revolution. If you likedAndor’s intellectual tone and slow-burn structure, Foundation scratches that same itch.
Foundation
An epic adaptation of Isaac Asimov’s legendary series of novels strays far from the source material, but is its own glorious thing.
2019
40
This alternate history drama treats space exploration with Cold War urgency and moral complexity. It focuses on how institutions and individuals change under pressure, and how idealism collides withrealpolitik.
For All Mankindis also absolutely brilliant in the cinematography department, and even though this is all about alternate history, it’s properly grounded in the real Cold War and space race, at least up to the point where the histories really diverge. I don’t think people talk enought about this Apple TV+ show. Actually, peopledon’t talk enough about Apple TV+ showsin general!
For All Mankind
From the creator of the Battlestar Galactica reboot, For All Mankind asks what if the space race never ended?
2015
3
30
If Andor felt like a crime show set in a fascist regime, Narcos is its real-world cousin. It’s about systemic corruption, personal ambition, and how power really moves behind the scenes. The writing style—semi-biographical, voice-over-driven, and grounded in morally gray characters—will feel right at home.
Also, perhaps not coincidentally,Andor’sDiego Luna plays drug Kingpin Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo in the show, just in case you wanted to see him in a less savory role for a change!
Narcos
The dramatic story of the rise and fall of Colombian drug boss Pablo Escobar.
2011
5
103
Canceled
This show begins as a procedural but evolves into a dense, conspiratorial thriller about surveillance, control, and resistance. It has a philosophical streak and builds tension across seasons in a way that echoes Andor’s deliberate pacing and high-stakes storytelling.
It’s not that obvious at first, butPerson of Interestis actually a sci-fi show, but one with aBlack Mirror-style closeness to the present. In fact, you could argue that today the real world isn’t far off from the AI-driven surveillance state thatPerson of Interestshowed us all the way back in 2011.
45
An intimate look at a mentally fragile protagonist caught in a world of corporate control and revolution. Sound familiar? Mr. Robot shares Andor’s obsession with systems of power, the cost of rebellion, and protagonists who don’t fit the traditional hero mold. It’s stylish, subversive, and unafraid to take you deep into psychological territory.
The show makes a serious attempt at accurately showing what mental health disorders like schizophrenia and dissociative identity disorder are really like. Which is great, because the “Hollywood” versions of these issues have done more harm that good to public perception of them if you ask me. The show is also renowned for its accurate portrayal of hacking.
47
While somehow more overtly sci-fi, 12 Monkeys ends up being a deeply character-driven and surprisingly grounded show about time travel, fate, and revolution. It’s a story of personal sacrifice and impossible choices, much like Andor, but with more genre flair layered over the philosophical core.
As a fan of the 1995 movie starring Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt, I never really expected a TV adaptation, but I’m glad they did make it because it’s some of the best sci-fi and best character drama TV we’ve seen in a long time.
12 Monkeys (TV)
A thrilling serialized version of the story first brought to the screen by the 1996 cult-classic film of the same name.
Andoris over, but the spirit of the rebellion lives on in many other shows that have come before, and certainly in many shows that are yet to come. Also, if you’ve watchedAndor, but somehow haven’t watchedRogue Oneyet, you’re in for a treat! So do that first. It’s on Disney+
