Television: 2025 Was a Good Year for Sci-fi Space Shows

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): Some of the characters from Alien: Earth. (FXNetworks)

Before the year is over, I want to highlight five sci-fi space television series that kept me entertained. I cannot do the same with sci-fi space movies because 2025 lacked exciting, well-made films.

Here are my top five sci-fi space television shows in order of preference.

  1. Andor on Disney+
  2. Alien: Earth on FX/HULU
  3. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds on Paramount+
  4. Foundation on Apple TV
  5. Murderbot on Apple TV

While Andor saw its second and last season this year, the remaining four will be returning for another season. When combined with the other new shows to premiere in 2026, such as Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, then we are looking at another good year for sci-fi space television series (assuming we do not need to wait years for the returning seasons).

I wanted to rank Murderbot a little higher, but it still lacks the energy of the books and each episode is too short to leave you satisfied. That said, it has a lot of potential and it is still a solid series.

Overall, great television made up for so-so movies in 2025.

Let’s hope some great sci-fi space movies in 2026.

Happy New Year!

Note: Apple TV’s Pluribus was not considered for this list. While it involves a “virus” from a distant exoplanet, we never learn anything about the distant civilization. Moreover, it is basically an Earth-based drama not involving any travel away from our planet.

Podcast: A Discussion with the Creator of Andor

Posted on by onespaceman2000

You are in for a treat if you are interested in a deeper dive into the world of Andor. Reason magazine’s podcast The Reason Interview with Nick Gillespie has a eye-opening interview with Tony Gilroy, the creator, writer, and director of Andor. The series is without doubt the best of the Star Wars television series. The podcast discussion covers bureaucracy and the surveillance state as portrayed throughout the Andor series.

One of the questions discussed the lack of light sabers and the Force in the series, to which Mr. Gilroy noted:

One of my original questions to them, to the experts there, was, “In the galaxy—in this huge galaxy—how many people would have ever encountered a Jedi? How many people would ever know about the Force? How many people know about this family you keep rotating these movies on?” And the answer is: nobody, or almost nobody. If you’re living in the galaxy, if you’re a being in the galaxy, you’ve probably never had any encounter ever with Jedi or even know what it is, or the Force.

This type of thinking was made the series worth watching. The series did not need to be saved by Darth Vader or a Yoda plush toy anymore than a good Star Trek series should need to be saved by the Borg.

Andor also touches on something real happening just outside our windows rather than a galaxy far, far away. Mr. Gilroy notes it in this way:

The parallels to what’s happening in our world right now are even beyond moralistic…There is a giddy rush—you’ll see people cravenly move toward power because it’s gonna benefit them, or it’s warmer there, or they have no spine or moral commitment to really back up…People getting on board something—getting on board a train that’s on fire that they know is heading toward a cliff. It’s just amazing to watch the sort of giddy rush of people stripping off their clothes and jumping onto the fire here. It’s quite amazing.

Andor is the antithesis of getting along. It is about pushing back at the cost of everything so that others may someday have something worth holding. It is something we seem to have forgotten in our current situation even though we know the broken norms will not somehow reassert themselves via some outside Force. If we cannot see that we are the Force, then we are all truly lost.

Andor is possibly the one series that makes Star Wars relevant to a new generation. Gen Z does not need Jawas and Ewoks. It needs a new hope.

Mr. Gilroy understands this and shares all of his insights via the podcast. You will not be disappointed.

Movie: The Mandalorian and Grogu

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): Scene from the movie The Mandalorian and Grogu. (Lucasfilm, Ltd.)

While have waited long enough for a new season of The Mandalorian, it appears we will need to settle for a movie instead. The Mandalorian and Grogu will premiere in theaters on May 22, 2026.

The movie trailer dropped earlier this week. It is everything you might expect, but it almost has an Andor feel to it. Add to that the scene of a destroyed All Terrain Armored Transport, and you have everything you need to tie this into the best of Star Wars.

Here is the plot from Disney+:

The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his young apprentice Grogu.

That’s not too deep, which is perfect. We do not need trade wars and such – that is too close to the newspaper stories today. We need something fun in a galaxy far, far away.

And maybe, just maybe, this new film can re-energize the Star Wars films again. Cute and simple is probably the recipe for films over the next few years, if only to give everyone a safe harbor from reality.

Credit: Lucasfilm, Ltd.

Television: Star Trek’s Strange New Worlds Returns

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Credit: Paramount+

Season three of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds returns on July 17. It is the only remaining Star Trek series on television, so fans will not want to miss it. Fortunately, the series will be around for a little while now that it’s been approved for a total of six seasons, which should give the series plenty of time to wrap up the Captain Pike storyline.

So what is the plot of season three? Here is what Paramount+ is sharing:

In Season 3, when we reconnect with the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, still under the command of Captain Pike, they face the conclusion of Season 2’s harrowing encounter with the Gorn. But new life and civilizations await, including a villain that will test our characters’ grit and resolve. An exciting twist on classic Star Trek, Season 3 takes characters both new and beloved to new heights, and dives into thrilling adventures of faith, duty, romance, comedy, and mystery, with varying genres never before seen on any other Star Trek.

You can see the season three trailers here and here. While I did not observe any singing, it still appears that this season will have plenty of fun twists as well.

I am also looking forward to the upcoming Star Trek: Starfleet Academy television series starring Holly Hunter and Paul Giamatti, among many others. It is expected to premiere next year, thereby keeping the franchise alive and well with a whole new storyline.

So far, I have more faith in Star Trek‘s longevity on television than that of the Star Wars‘ television series. Of course, Star Trek already has a 10 year lead, but it has also been more consistent with the quality of its shows. This may be in part because it started on television, unlike Star Wars, so it did not need to reinvent itself. Whatever its secret, I hope it continues.

Television: What is Next for Star Wars?

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): Scene from The Mandalorian. (Disney+)

So, the long anticipated Andor is over. It was certainly worth the wait. But what is next?

Last I looked, this was the status of the many Star Wars live-action television series (chronologically):

  • The Mandalorian – three seasons and capped with a movie.
  • The Book of Boba Fett – one season and done.
  • Obi-Wan Kenobi – one season and done.
  • Andor – two seasons and done.
  • Ahsoka – one season and maybe a second season.
  • The Acolyte – one season and done.
  • Skeleton Crew – one season and done.

It seems the live-action television series have hit a wall. Ahsoka is said to be filming now, but you will be waiting until the summer of 2026 to see anything. I would have replaced Ahsoka with Skeleton Crew, which I thought was a better series with more energy that took itself a little less serious, but it appears the cast of Skeleton Crew is moving on to other projects.

So after all of this Disney hype, all we have left is a few crumbs and The Mandalorian and Grogu movie (maybe premiering in May 2026). While there is still some talk about a season four for The Mandaorian, the movie may be the last hurray.

There had also been talk about a Star Wars: Lando television series, but that then turned into a movie idea instead. I don’t have high hopes if it is a weak as the Star Wars: Solo movie.

Television may be dead for a while while a few other Star Wars movies are released, including Star Wars: Starfighter, starring Ryan Gosling.

Disney really dropped the ball with Andor by condensing it into only two seasons, and yet the delays between seasons was enough to frustrate fans. Given the current pace at Disney, it would have taken more than 10 years to see all five planned seasons.

We may need to look elsewhere for our inspiration in the future. Star Wars started back in the 1970s, and Star Trek back in the 1960s. I think we have plenty of talented writers and producers who can create that next television series to bring us into the next generation. And it is not Dune, first written in the 1960s, nor Foundation, based on stories starting in the 1940s (though both are terrific revivals and recreations).

Time for a whole new vision.