No Longer Riding Solos
If you’ve finished watching this one and are looking for alternatives – fret not! We’ve combed through the archives and saved you the hassle with our top 10 picks for alternate viewing. To keep things simple for skim-readers we’ve added what similarities these have. Of course for all the shows we’ve reviewed, we’ve also added a handy link so you can check out our full thoughts on that series and see if it’s something you want to invest your time with. So without further ado, we present 10 TV shows that should whet the appetite when you’ve finished streaming Solos.
Calls
Similarities – Long-Form Storytelling & Slow Burn Reveals
Calls is unlike anything else you’ll watch this year. In fact, watch may actually be a bit of a stretch. Instead, this experimental series combines smart storytelling in an audio-transcribed format, complete with a gripping mystery and a really spooky atmosphere. Calls feels like a combination of Netflix series Dark, BAFTA winning videogame Everybody’s Gone To The Rapture and true crime docu-series The Confession Tapes. Each of these 12-20 minute episodes play out with a telephone conversation between two or more characters – and it’s absolutely gripping. Within these chapters, paranormal or unexplained phenomena occur which plays into a larger story encapsulating the whole show. No spoilers of course, but this series rewards you with a wonderful ending so it is worth binging through to the end. You can read our thoughts on Calls in our full season review here!
Black Mirror
Similarities – Sci-Fi & Morality Plays
Black Mirror is still the go-to for most people looking for a dark slice of sci-fi. While the later episodes do wane in quality, there’s no denying that some of the early episodes are absolutely fantastic. In its simplest form, this dark cautionary tale about technology comes straight from the mind of Charlie Brooker. From VR games gone wrong to the bizarre satirical world of political personalities, Black Mirror remains one of the best modern-day Twilight Zone replacements. With an uneasy dread clinging to a lot of the episodes and plenty of social commentary to boot, this one’s a solid choice and one you should absolutely check out if you haven’t already. You can read our thoughts on Black Mirror in our full season review here!
SF8
Similarities – Technology & Anthology Format
If there’s one thing Korean dramas do incredibly well – it’s tell a competent and driven story. Following in the footsteps of both Inside No. 9 and Black Mirror, Korea’s latest sci-fi anthology SF8 takes clear inspiration from both of those aforementioned Western titles. Only, it blends that in with an authentic Korean tone to make for a wholly unique experience. There are seven well-written and thought provoking tales to choose from and these cleverly branch out across a range of different genres too. One episode explores the possibility of AI companions. The tone is slightly comedic but there’s a larger message about self-driving cars and their possible faults. Elsewhere, Prayer (our personal favourite) looks at the bleak idea of hierarchical robot nurses. While it’s unlikely to hit the prolific heights of other anthology shows, this is easily one of 2020’s shining sci-fi jewels. You can read our thoughts on SF8 in our full season reviews here!
Brave New World
Similarities – Utopian World & Mystery
Based on the 1932 novel of the same name, Brave New World is a brave re-imagining of that book which will inevitably divide the fan-base between those who like and those who loathe this series. If you fall into the former then you’re sure to have a good time. The story takes place in a near-future dystopia known as New London. This city operates on a basic hierarchical level of command with the Director and Alphas in control while the Epsilon workers and Gamma serve those above. All of this operates flawlessly thanks to a constant stream of emotion-inhibiting pills called Soma. When an upper-Alpha member known as Bernard is called to a crime scene, he immediately starts to question everything around him. The series merges some interesting ideas alongside a compelling enough 9 episode first season. There’s something endearing about this world that keeps you watching through some of the slower moments, making it well worth sticking it out for the long haul. You can read our thoughts on Brave New World in our full season review here!
Love, Death & Robots
Similarities – Bite-sized Episodes & Sci-Fi
Love, Death & Robots is as artistic as it is well written. Showing off a wide range of animated influences across its 18 episodes, this profound anthology series is one of the more surprising offerings from Netflix. Each of the episodes explore a different style of animation with self-contained episodes. Some of these are comedic in tone, like one depicting yogurt taking over the world. Others really hone in on what makes Solos so enthralling; underlying commentary about technology and our ever-digitalized world. If you’re in the mood for something bite-sized and sci-fi orientated, this one offers a good variety of different tales worth checking out. You can read our thoughts on Love, Death & Robots in our full season review here!
Years & Years
Similarities – Cautionary Tale About Society’s Future
Years & Years is one of the more frightening family dramas to come out of 2019. Set in the near-future, Russel T. Davies returns to the small screen for a stand-alone mini-series that paints a concerning future for Britain. The set-up is simple, and spans multiple years as we follow a seemingly normal British family as their life is turned upside down by cataclysmic events happening in the world. From far-right extremists rising up and the threat of nuclear war, Years & Years does a wonderful job showcasing a chilling alt-future in our ever-digitalized world. It perfectly captures political and topical issues in a way that never feels preachy or overly condescending, delivering one heck of a rollercoaster ride along the way. You can read our thoughts on Years & Years in our full season review here!
Upload
Similarities – Family Set-Up & Future Tech
Selfish Nathan is our protagonist here, and we begin with him dying inside in his self-driving car. After, he finds his consciousness uploaded to Lakeview, courtesy of his overbearing and unfulfilling partner Ingrid. With her holding all the cards to his future destiny, Nathan is forced to try and acclimatize to this new existence while being guided by his “angel” Nora, who oversees his upload and progress in the digitalized after-life. While there is comedy here, it’s subtly placed rather than in-your-face. Some of the jokes don’t always land but the ones that do – like the recurring joke about Nathan’s misplaced hair in the first episode – make up for any shortfalls. This is a decent show with a unique premise well worth checking out. You can read our thoughts on Upload in our full season review here!
Inside No. 9
Similarities – Spooky Tone & Twists
The set-ups may be simple but don’t let that fool you – Inside No 9 is a fantastic anthology series and one of the must-watch sci-fi shows. This British show is split into 6-episode long series that tackle a unique situation that usually unfolds with a shocking or bizarre twist at the end. Unlike Black Mirror, Inside No. 9’s quality has only grown from strength to strength. In fact, season 5 could well be one of the best so far. The first episode of season 1 really sets the tone for what follows and there’s some definite horror vibes flowing through this one. A must watch for sure. You can read our thoughts on Inside No. 9 in our full season reviews here!
The Twilight Zone (1959)
Similarities – Horror & Anthology
The Crème de la crème of anthologies; The Twilight Zone is a classic in every sense of the word and a mainstay for any sci-fi or horror fan. Not to be confused for the lackluster 1980’s reboot or the forgettable re-reboot in 2020, the original Twilight Zone combines horror, thought provoking ideas and sci-fi to make this a wonderful show to watch. Even all these years later, The Twilight Zone holds its own. For that alone, this is a must-watch for sure.
Tales from the Loop
Similarities – Sci-Fi & Atmosphere
Based on a series of paintings by Simon Stålenhag, this sci-fi anthology uses this sci-fi as a backdrop for more human-driven drama that runs through the different episodes, following a tight-knit community living above “The Loop” where the impossible becomes possible. The strange organization simply known as The Underground is run by Russ Willard and serves as a looming, mysterious shadow we never really explore that much. Instead, the show plays out with a series of stories that play out as modern day fables. Aesthetically, Tales From The Loop looks fantastic. The backdrops are detailed, the effects are believable and there’s a gorgeous piano-driven score that runs under most of the drama. However, Tales from the Loop is also a bit of a mixed bag too. This one’s a bit more polarizing but if you’re sold after a few episodes, you should find enough to like here. You can read our thoughts on Tales from the Loop in our full season reviews here! What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!
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