SyFy’s 5-Season Space Opera With Near-Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Score Is The Expanse Replacement Fans Need

It’s been three years since The Expanse finished its last season in 2022, and viewers are still feeling its absence. The show was unique in its blend of realistic science, compelling characters, and expansive world-building, and few programs have managed to replicate that combination. Fans thought the impact might fade sooner, but the loss is still keenly felt.

Since The Expanse first aired, many space operas have come and gone, but few have matched its consistently high quality. However, one series comes very close, offering the same appealing mix of rich backstory, exciting exploration, and complex characters caught in a galactic struggle.

Let me tell you about a show you absolutely need to check out: Killjoys. It’s a seriously good sci-fi series that, criminally, didn’t get nearly the attention it deserved when it was on. Despite boasting a fantastic 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes, it flew under the radar. If you’re like me and still mourning the end of The Expanse, trust me, Killjoys is the perfect next show to jump into – you won’t regret it.

What Is Killjoys About?

A Sharp, Stylish Space Opera That Blends High-Energy Action With Rich Sci-Fi World-Building

The Syfy series Killjoys centers around three bounty hunters who work for a neutral organization called the Reclamation Apprehension Coalition. Led by Dutch (Hannah John-Kamen) and joined by brothers John (Aaron Ashmore) and D’avin Jaqobis (Luke Macfarlane), the team takes on assignments throughout the Quad – a complicated region marked by social classes, powerful corporations, and growing unrest.

As a huge sci-fi fan, I always felt the heart of Killjoys was about the bonds between people – loyalty, figuring out who you are, and just trying to survive when everything around you is falling apart. It starts off seeming like a fun, case-of-the-week bounty hunter show, but it quickly becomes something much bigger. You start uncovering all these secrets about the characters’ pasts, dangerous biological weapons, and a massive war that could destroy everything. What really grabbed me was how Dutch’s own mysterious background was directly connected to all the chaos in the Quad, making the story feel really personal and raising the stakes with every season.

Killjoys is a unique space opera that balances fun and serious themes. It’s known for its confident style, which doesn’t detract from its heartfelt moments, and the witty interactions between the three main characters create a strong connection. The show features exciting action, a creative backstory, and a plot that evolves in unexpected ways while still keeping the focus on the characters and their relationships.

One of the show’s biggest strengths is how it creates its universe. Unlike shows like The Expanse that focus on realistic science, Killjoys uses a more exciting, old-fashioned sci-fi style to examine issues like the gap between rich and poor, the power of corporations, and the consequences of fighting back. This makes for a show that’s both entertaining and thought-provoking, with compelling characters and emotional stories set against the backdrop of a fast-paced space adventure.

Throughout its five seasons (2015-2019), Killjoys quietly established itself as a strong space opera. The show skillfully developed its overarching story while always keeping the focus on its core team of characters. This combination of ongoing plotlines, political intrigue, and personal character stories makes Killjoys stand out in the science fiction genre.

Why Killjoys Is Still So Underrated

A Critically Acclaimed Space Series That Never Reached Its Deserved Mainstream Spotlight

Even though Killjoys received great reviews and built a dedicated fanbase, it’s still a hidden gem among science fiction shows from the past ten years. It launched at a time when there was a lot of sci-fi on TV, and bigger, more well-known shows from major streaming services tended to get more attention than smaller-budget cable series like it.

Initially, the show was promoted as a simple, adventure-of-the-week series, and this may have caused some viewers to miss how complex the story would become. While the first few episodes of Killjoys focused on lighthearted bounty hunting, the plot soon developed into a much larger and more intricate story. A lot of people who didn’t watch assumed it remained a series of standalone episodes instead of becoming a grand, connected space adventure.

Looking back, one thing that really hurt SyFy’s original series was a reputation for inconsistency. A lot of shows just didn’t catch on – I remember The Expanse struggling before Amazon saved it, and that made viewers hesitant to invest in anything new. But Killjoys was a fantastic exception. It had a really smart, well-paced plot, characters you genuinely cared about, and the best part? It told a complete story over five seasons. It never felt rushed or like it was artificially extended, which is so rare these days.

Despite being a consistently well-made and high-quality sci-fi show, Killjoys never quite reached mainstream popularity like The Expanse. It deserves more recognition because it was one of the best shows of its kind from the last ten years, and it’s a shame it didn’t get the attention it earned.

The Expanse Fans Will Love Killjoys

A Character-Driven, Politically Charged Sci-Fi Adventure That Delivers The Same Addictive Appeal

If you enjoyed The Expanse and are searching for something similar, Killjoys is a great option. Both shows share common themes – complicated politics, groups with questionable motives, and characters struggling to balance their personal relationships with larger conflicts – but Killjoys offers its own unique style.

Like The Expanse, Killjoys centers on the strong bonds of a chosen family. The characters Dutch, John, and D’avin develop a close relationship as they face increasingly dangerous challenges. The emotional connection and growth between them are reminiscent of the crew of the Rocinante, offering a similar character-focused experience that fans will appreciate.

Like the complex relationships between Earth, Mars, and the Belt in The Expanse, Killjoys features political conflict and power struggles. The show’s story is fueled by corporate greed, uprisings, and constantly changing loyalties, creating a feeling of widespread chaos that viewers familiar with The Expanse will appreciate. The world of Killjoys is carefully built and richly detailed, offering rewarding reveals and satisfying conclusions for those who stick with it as the story unfolds.

Beyond the characters, Killjoys is engaging because of its exciting action and fast pace. While it has a more playful style, it offers the same impressive fight scenes, creative sci-fi ideas, and intense conflicts as The Expanse. The show skillfully mixes lighthearted moments with more serious emotional and political storylines, keeping viewers hooked for all five seasons.

While the two shows differ in some ways, it doesn’t make either one worse. The Expanse focuses on being realistic, while Killjoys goes for a more exciting, classic sci-fi feel. This difference provides a welcome change for viewers while still exploring interesting themes.

Killjoys is a smart and well-crafted show that trusts its viewers and creates a rich, detailed universe, concluding in a way that feels true to itself – something fans of The Expanse will especially appreciate. If you’re looking for a space adventure with compelling characters and a fully developed world, Killjoys is a great choice after finishing The Expanse.

2025-12-13 14:01