Swimming Through More Space Flicks
The Silent Sea is the latest sci-fi K-drama on Netflix. It’s a wild ride across 8 episodes, with obvious influences of Alien right the way through its run-time. This mystery/horror hybrid certainly has some good moments. If you’ve finished watching this and are looking for alternate shows, fret not! We’ve combed through the archives and saved you the hassle of having to try and find something similar 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 The Silent Sea.
Origin
Similarities – Space & Paranoia
Origin’s story begins with a spaceship full of passengers, who slowly awaken to find the rest of the ship abandoned. Chunks of it have been destroyed too, destroyed, including the satellite and radio. This unnerving set-up is all that’s needed to bring with it a gloomy atmosphere and a big mystery. With some decent tension early on, Origin does squander its potential somewhat around the middle portion of episodes. However, there’s an undeniable “one more episode” pull with this one, making it an enjoyable sci-fi romp regardless of its plot issues. You can read our thoughts on Origin in our full season review here!
Mars
Similarities – Melodrama
Aptly titled Mars, the premise here is certainly intriguing. Documentary and drama styles blend together to depict a fictional Mars colony being set up in the year 2033. The tricky weaving of both formats actually works reasonably well for the first episode but as the show goes on, Mars devolves into a constant struggle for power. Having said that though, if you’re a fan of The Silent Sea’s problems on the lunar base, this show should be right up your alley. You can read our thoughts on Mars in our full season reviews here!
Nightflyers
Similarities – Mystery & Trip Gone Wrong
2018’s sci-fi series Nightflyers revolves around a crew of scientists embarking on a mission to investigate a mysterious alien signal. However, this soon turns into a claustrophobic nightmare as those onboard start to turn on one another. Heavily influenced by The Thing, this series does require you to suspend your belief a fair amount. However, it should do the trick for those looking for a tantalizing mystery. The characters however, may leave you scratching your head a little at their illogical actions! For the mystery alone though, this show is worth watching.
Away
Similarities – Melodrama
The basic premise is pretty simple and revolves around five astronauts from different backgrounds coming together to embark on man’s greatest mission. Commander Emma Green teams up with a Russian named Misha, Chinese national Lu, newbie Kwesi and the second-in-command Indian, Ram. Together these five set off for the Moon before restocking, refueling and progressing on to Mars. Only, a big incident on the Moon-bound ship causes a rift to grow between the crew and jeopardizes the entire mission. To make matters worse, Emma learns her husband has had a stroke back home and wants to abandon the whole project. Melodramatic, tense and with lots of squabbling aboard the ship; Away is a soapy drama that some people will certainly take to. You can read our thoughts on Away in our full season review here!
Dark Matter
Similarities – Sci-Fi & Mystery
Syfy’s 3 season mystery hit was abruptly cancelled back in 2017 – because of course it was! It’s a real shame too because this sci-fi series does a wonderful job with its mystery and characters. There’s a constant sense of dread clinging to this one and plenty of twists and turns along the way. It’s best to go into this one blind but do be aware, the show does end without a clear resolution at the end of season 3. Despite that though, the ride there is undeniably entertaining. For that alone, this is a show that’s worth checking out if you’re looking for a similar mystery box.
The Expanse
Similarities – Epic sci-fi & Politics
When it comes to world-building, The Expanse is unrivaled. The show offers up a glimpse of a possible future where mankind has extended its reach beyond Earth to inhabit Mars and the surrounding asteroid belt. With the story jumping between Earth, Mars and the Belt, some clever editing and a good attention to detail keeps the tension ticking away between the different characters. When that tension spills over into action, it brings with it one heck of a seismic shift. To give much more away would be a disservice to this show but suffice to say The Expanse is one of the best sci-fi series out there and a must-watch. You can read our thoughts on The Expanse in our full season reviews here!
For All Mankind
Similarities – Space & Drama
One of AppleTV’s flagship series last year, For All Mankind is a show about a venture into space. The series builds off its character drama and impressive production design to deliver something that’s both wholly accessible and suitably melodramatic. The story takes place in an alternative version of 1969, with the Soviet Union beating the United States to the Moon. The space race continues on for decades, with much grander challenges and goals. Well written and lavishly produced, For All Mankind is arguably one of Apple’s best shows on the platform.
Salvation
Similarities – World-Ending Threat
Salvation’s premise plays out like the book Lucifer’s Hammer (if you haven’t read it, it’s fantastic!) The main premise revolves around an asteroid hurtling down to Earth and humanity’s hope resting with a group of scientists. The group have 6 months until impact and little time to come up with a solution. If you can look past some of the admittedly ridiculous dialogue and a couple of contrived scenarios, Salvation’s over-the-top drama may well be your ticket. You can read our thoughts on Salvation in our full season reviews here!
Planetes
Similarities – Epic sci-fi
Planetes is a little-known anime that will absolutely scratch that Foundation-sized itch for epic sci-fi. The year is 2075 and mankind as begun journeying between Earth, the moon and different space stations as part of daily life. However, this also has the knock-on effect of causing excess space debris which – if left unchecked – could cause massive damage to spacecrafts and equipment. Naturally, a Debris Collecting section arises, fronted by Hachirota Hoshino, who welcomes a newcomer to the group called Ai Tannabe. What starts as a simple adventure soon becomes much more involving as the group uncover secrets that could change everything they once knew. Beautifully presented and well-written, this one’s a must-watch.
Ascension
Similarities – Mystery & Sci-Fi
Ascension is a fascinating series that completely changes the game with a big twist at the end of its first episode. Playing out as a character-driven mystery, Ascension’s real strength lies with its ensemble cast. The story itself takes place on a spaceship, in the middle of a century-long mission to populate a new world. However, a young woman’s murder onboard changes everything, as the group begin to question everything – including their prime directive. I won’t spoil anything more but this one has some really solid murder mystery elements across its three episodes. Despite its short run-time, this one certainly entertains! So there we have it, our 10 TV show alternatives to watch when you’re finished with The Silent Sea on Netflix! 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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