In the last couple of years, Apple TV has delivered one sci-fi hit after another, gradually rising in the ranks to become the best streaming service for fans of the genre. Its sci-fi reign continued in 2026 with new shows like Pluribus and Murderbot and returning shows like Foundation season 3 and Severance season 2. Even in 2026, Apple TV is showing no signs of slowing down.
The ongoing year will not only mark the return of some of the most anticipated Apple TV sci-fi shows, like Sugar and Silo, but will also pave the way for one of its longest running sci-fi series to become a full-fledged franchise.
With Its Upcoming Spinoff, For All Mankind Is Only 1 Step Away From Becoming An Epic Sci-Fi Franchise
For All Mankind has had an incredible run on Apple TV so far. It has barely experienced any major dips in quality throughout its runtime and what started as an intriguing take on alternate history has slowly transitioned to a full-blown sci-fi saga. Even with its upcoming spin-off, Star City, it seems unlikely that the Apple TV sci-fi franchise will keep going strong.
For 4 seasons, so far, we, as viewers, have seen the Apple TV show portray the Soviet space program as more of an antagonistic figure. With Star City, though, For All Mankind is all set to expand its alternate history lore and pull the proverbial curtain back on the other side of the space race.
After For All Mankind, we already know that the Soviets “won” the space race against the US by landing on the moon first. With the upcoming spin-off, the franchise will take a closer look at the pressure, the secrecy, and the engineering desperation from the Roscosmos side. This will not only challenge the show’s long-standing us-vs-them dynamic, but also serve as a natural expansion of the franchise.
Most spin-off extensions of popular sci-fi shows feel forced and unnecessary. However, For All Mankind‘s new narrative direction with Star City feels like an organic evolution of its world-building.
If the rumors are true, Star City will also further lean into the paranoid, Cold War thriller vibes, which will allow it to etch its own identity as a bleaker extension of For All Mankind‘s relatively optimistic storyline. Also, by giving viewers a more 360-degree perspective of an alternate timeline instead of purely an American-centric one, the Apple TV franchise is also constructing a well-rounded “what if” narrative.
The more it progresses, the more it will become a plausible echo of a potential future that could have materialized if only history had tilted just slightly differently. Only a few sci-fi shows and franchises dare to explore alternate realities with this level of detail and long-form commitment.
For All Mankind’s Consistent Critical Success Spells Promise For Star City
Star City is an exciting addition to one of Apple TV’s most successful sci-fi franchises. However, its new narrative direction can also prove to be risky if it is not executed well. Considering For All Mankind‘s consistent success, though, it is hard not to believe Star City will be no less compelling than its parent series.
For All Mankind had a relatively slow start on Apple TV when its first season received more of a lukewarm response. After season 1, however, the show promised to get better with each installment, with its seasons 2, 3, and 4 consistently earning almost unanimous acclaim from viewers and critics. If all goes well for the franchise, even its upcoming spinoff will maintain its upward trajectory.
For All Mankind‘s spinoff, Star City, is scheduled to land on Apple TV on May 29, 2026, and it is hard not to hope that it will prove to be one small step for the franchise and one giant leap for Apple TV.
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For All Mankind
9/10
- Release Date
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November 1, 2019
- Network
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Apple TV
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Michael Dorman
Gordon ‘Gordo’ Stevens
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Star City
- Release Date
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May 29, 2026
- Network
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Apple TV
- Showrunner
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Ben Nedivi, Matt Wolpert
- Writers
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Megan McDonnell
Cast
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Anna Maxwell Martin
Lyudmilla
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