Science fiction has always had a complicated relationship with screen adaptations. The genre’s best novels tend to live or die on ideas (or on the logic of imagined systems), and translating that to television is genuinely hard. When it works, though, it works spectacularly. Here are the most notable sci-fi book-to-TV adaptations of the past decade, and whether or not they lived up to the source material.
The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu, based on Margaret Atwood‘s 1985 novel) Verdict: Surpassed expectations. Atwood’s story of a near-future theocracy that enslaves women as reproductive vessels was already one of the most acclaimed novels of the 20th century. The Hulu series, with Elizabeth Moss at its center, expanded the story beyond the book’s ending for six seasons and won numerous Emmys. It is, by a wide margin, the gold standard for adapting literary sci-fi.
The Expanse (Amazon Prime Video, based on James S.A. Corey‘s nine-novel series) Verdict: Matched the source. Saved from cancellation by Amazon after three seasons on Syfy, this hard-science space opera is the rare adaptation that fans of the books and new viewers alike consider a near-masterpiece. The chemistry between its ensemble cast maps almost perfectly onto the novels’ character dynamics. All six seasons remain on Prime.
Silo (Apple TV+, based on Hugh Howey‘s Wool trilogy) Verdict: Excellent. Howey self-published his first installment in 2011 as a short story. The Apple TV+ adaptation, led by Rebecca Ferguson, captures the claustrophobic paranoia of the books while expanding the world’s mythology. Season 3 is expected later in 2026.
Foundation (Apple TV+, based on Isaac Asimov’s classic novels) Verdict: A successful, loose reinterpretation. Asimov’s books were widely considered unfilmable due to their scale and unconventional narrative structure. The show takes significant creative liberties, adding character arcs and emotional throughlines largely absent from the source material. For purists, that’s a problem. For everyone else, it’s prestige sci-fi at a high level. Season 4 is confirmed.
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Dark Matter (Apple TV+, based on Blake Crouch‘s 2016 novel) Verdict: Creator-approved and better for it. Crouch himself wrote and executive produced the series, which follows a physicist whose life is violently swapped with an alternate-universe version of himself. Having the author run the adaptation kept the emotional core of the book intact while expanding certain storylines for the screen. Season 2 is confirmed.
Murderbot (Apple TV+, based on Martha Wells’ The Murderbot Diaries series) Verdict: The adaptation fans dreamed of. Wells’ sardonic, socially anxious security robot has one of the most devoted readerships in contemporary sci-fi. The Apple TV+ version, with Alexander Skarsgård perfectly cast in the lead, earned a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes and captured the books’ rare combination of deadpan humor and genuine emotional depth. Season 2 is in production.
3 Body Problem (Netflix, based on Liu Cixin’s Remembrance of Earth’s Past trilogy) Verdict: Ambitious but uneven. The first season took considerable creative liberties with one of the most celebrated works of Chinese science fiction, relocating much of the action from China to England and reordering events significantly. It generated debate, as Liu Cixin’s trilogy is beloved enough that changes resonated loudly. A second season is coming.
Which ones have you watched? Which ones are you going to explore?
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This story was originally published by Parade on May 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
