The Best Sci-Fi Shows Based On Books

Ranker TV
Updated September 1, 2024 24 items
Voting Rules

Vote for the best TV series based on science fiction novels or short stories.

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Over 100 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Sci-Fi Shows Based On Books

The best science fiction series based on books have a big hurdle to overcome: the fans. When other worlds have been living in full color in readers' heads for years, it can be hard to compete as a TV show. Even so, the best sci-fi shows based on books do more than just win over the biggest fans, they bring more folks to the fold who may never have even heard of the books before. Such is the power of the best sci-fi adaptations.

Some of the most popular science fiction shows adapted from books are based on book series, such as The 100, Wayward Pines, and both adaptations of the Roswell High book series. Altered Carbon and The Expanse are also both based on book series, but Altered Carbon mixes themes from all three Takeshi Kovacs novels while The Expanse more tightly weaves itself to the written inspiration by naming the final episode of each season after one of the books. The faithfulness of the adaptation to the original text may vary for each series but each one of these shows was born from a book.

Which of these shows based on sci-fi books is the best? Vote up the best science fiction shows below - whether because they nailed the adaptation or because they were top-notch, quality programming in their own right.