Skip to main content

Like Netflix’s hit series 3 Body Problem? Then watch these three underrated sci-fi shows now

The cast of 3 Body Problem.
Netflix

It took the better part of four years for Netflix was able to bring Liu Cixin’s sci-fi novel The Three-Body Problem to life. The 3 Body Problem series was announced in September 2020 as the first post-Game of Thrones project for David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, who co-created the new show with Alexander Woo. Now that 3 Body Problem has finally arrived, it’s already near the top of the most popular shows on Netflix.

Anyone with the time to watch all eight episodes of 3 Body Problem doesn’t have to worry about spoilers. But for the benefit of those who haven’t yet, we’ll refrain from ruining the story for you. It’s enough to say that aliens are real in this world, and humanity has to deal with the implications of what that means for their collective future.

Recommended Videos

Once you’ve finished the first season of 3 Body Problem, we’ve picked out the next three sci-fi shows that you should watch. All three of our picks have some elements in common with 3 Body Problem, and the first show is also streaming exclusively on Netflix.

The Signal (2024)

Peri Baumeister in The Signal.
Netflix

There are a lot of similarities between 3 Body Problem and The Signal, which beat the former to Netflix by a few weeks. But unlike 3 Body Problem, The Signal is already a complete story. The show revolves around Sven (Florian David Fitz) and his daughter, Charlie (Yuna Bennett), both of whom are grieving over the apparent death of Seven’s wife and Charlie’s mother, Paula (Peri Baumeister).

Paula was an astronaut on the International Space Station who may have stumbled upon definitive proof of extraterrestrial life. To silence and discredit Paula, someone crashed her plane and blamed her for the incident. Before that happened, Paula sent a message to her family with clues to help them unravel the truth. However, Sven and Charlie soon become targets themselves as they try to discover what Paula really found in space.

Watch The Signal on Netflix.

Invasion (2021-present)

Sam Neill in Invasion.
Apple TV+

Invasion really takes its time to get going, putting the “slow” in “slow burn.” Even when binge-watching it, some viewers’ patience may be tested, but stick with it. The reason why this show works is that it takes the time to introduce the large ensemble cast of characters, including Aneesha Malik (Golshifteh Farahani), Trevante Cole (Shamier Anderson), Mitsuki Yamato (Shioli Kutsuna), and Caspar Morrow (Billy Barratt).

For the most part, the story is about the ordinary people who react to the unfolding invasion even before they fully realize what’s happening. By season 2, the world is in a full-blown battle for survival between the humans and aliens. And thankfully, a third season has already been confirmed.

Watch Invasion on Apple TV+.

Colony (2016-2018)

The cast of Colony.
Universal Cable Productions

Colony mixes things up by taking place after an alien invasion has already left humanity subjugated under the invaders’ rule. Lost‘s Josh Holloway and The Walking Dead‘s Sarah Wayne Callies co-star in the series as Will and Katie Bowman, the two characters at the heart of the show. Will is an FBI special agent who is blackmailed by the alien’s human collaborators into joining their forces in order to eliminate the remaining resistance fighters.

What Will doesn’t know is that his wife, Katie, is an important figure in the Resistance. In the occupied city of Los Angeles, Will and Katie will have to come to terms with their actions and work together to protect their family. Getting rid of the aliens is a larger problem, and it may prove to be a hopeless battle. But it’s a battle that has to be fought.

Watch Colony on The Roku Channel.

Blair Marnell
Blair Marnell has been an entertainment journalist for over 15 years. His bylines have appeared in Wizard Magazine, Geek…
Like Syfy’s The Ark? Then watch these 3 sci-fi shows right now
The cast of The Expanse.

In today's television climate, sci-fi is in a great place. There's more sci-fi programming than ever thanks to its inclusion on streaming services. Stranger Things is the most popular English-language television series on Netflix. Andor is arguably the best show on Disney+. Plus, The Last of Us set viewership records for HBO.

One of the more underrated television shows right now is The Ark. Appropriately airing on Syfy, The Ark is a space adventure about a crew forced to leave Earth in search of humanity's next planet. If you enjoy The Ark, then try these three sci-fi shows, including a hit Apple TV+ drama, a Game of Thrones-esque show in space, and an adaptation of a popular video game franchise.
Silo (2023-)

Read more
3 underrated shows on Netflix you need to watch in June 2024
Shane Gillis standing confused in a tire shop.

Bridgerton fans will be happy to know that the second part of season 3 is now on Netflix. Will it be a happy ending for Colin and Penelope? The new seasons of Perfect Match and Sweet Tooth will also premiere this month. At the end of the month, enjoy the debut of Supacell and the return of That '90s Show.

Many shows mentioned above, especially Bridgerton, will dominate Netflix's top 10. The beauty of Netflix is the streamer boasts hundreds of shows. This June, watch these three underrated shows, including a former NBC family drama, a cat-and-mouse thriller, and a new sitcom starring a red-hot comedian.
This Is Us (2016-2022)

Read more
Like Sweet Tooth season 3? Then watch these great Netflix shows right now
Five people stand in a field in Sweet Tooth season 3.

After three seasons, Netflix's Sweet Tooth has come to its end. The series, adapted from Jeff Lemire's much-acclaimed Vertigo comic book series, became a solid performer for Netflix following its first season, and has amassed a devoted, if small, following. The series tells the story of its titular character, a hybrid creature who is living in a postapocalyptic reality where much of the world has been devastated by a pandemic.

If you've finished Sweet Tooth and are looking for other dystopian series like it on Netflix, then you're in luck. We've pulled out three shows from the streaming service that will hopefully give you the same feeling you got while watching Sweet Tooth, even if they are set in slightly different dystopian futures.
3% (2016-2020)
3% | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix

Read more