12 Best Shows Like Andor That Fans Should Check Out

The "Star Wars" series "Andor" provides audiences with a detailed look at the life of the titular character and how he became the jaded, morally gray character we first met in the film "Rogue One." Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) is a lonesome figure living on the fringes of society, regularly resorting to desperate measures in order to survive in a galaxy controlled by the evil Empire. This is a more grounded and gritty take on the "Star Wars" universe, with a colder tone and more ambiguity than fans are used to. That being said, it might just be the perfect entry point for those who aren't as into the swashbuckling side of the "Star Wars" franchise.

If you're more interested in how living under tyranny can drive regular people to embrace their darker side, then "Andor" is the show for you. And, if you're looking for something similar — shows where the storytellers dwell more on a character's psyche rather than their aptitude with a blaster — then the list below has you covered. Here are some awesome shows like "Andor" that fans should check out.

In the "Star Wars" galaxy, those who live on the outskirts live outside of the law to a certain extent. Whatever resources the Republic or the Empire has don't seem to make it to the outer rim of the galaxy, leaving citizens to resort to unsavory means of survival. With "Andor," we learn a lot about what life is like between the haves and have-nots in that mythical galaxy far, far away.

The short-lived and much beloved sci-fi Western "Firefly" deals with a similar social structure. After a civil war, the Alliance assumes rule over the galaxy. Anyone who isn't subservient to them dwells in the harsh edges of space, where work and resources are sparse. The crew of the ship Serenity (a firefly class ship) pull odd jobs to stay in the sky before getting pulled into a second war with the Alliance.

Not only is this series creatively similar to "Andor," it even features a "Rogue One" cast member. Remember K-2SO, Cassian's reprogrammed Imperial droid with a dry sense of humor? Well, he was played by the incredibly talented Alan Tudyk (thanks to some motion capture), who co-stars in "Firefly" as Hoban "Wash" Washburne, the hilarious and gifted pilot of Serenity.

At first glance, "Babylon 5" is more "Star Trek" than it is "Star Wars," especially when you consider the similarities between it and the "Star Trek" space station series "Deep Space Nine." However, when you look beyond superficial similarities, the show actually sits in the middle space between the lofty sci-fi of "Star Trek" and the emotional storytelling of "Star Wars."

Babylon 5 is an outpost on the edge of space where diplomats can live and work in neutral territory. The opening narration of the series describes the station like this: "It's a port of call, home away from home, for diplomats, hustlers, entrepreneurs, and wanderers." It's the kind of place a character like Andor would probably feel comfortable, because he can disappear if he needs to.

What many people don't realize is that "Babylon 5" helped pioneer long-form television storytelling. Creator J. Michael Strazynski has stated that he designed the show to work like a novel for television. It's an epic story dealing with interplanetary conflict and the rise and fall of empires, but it also examines human nature. If you like the mix of politics and spectacle that makes up "Andor," you will no doubt lose yourself (in a good way) in "Babylon 5."

Unlike Luke Skywalker, who learns he is a Jedi and goes on to have an incredible adventure in which he saves the galaxy from evil, there is no wish fulfillment in Cassian Andor's story. It is very unlikely that viewers watching the series will wish that they could be Andor: Wanted for murder, looking for a missing sister, drafted into a rebellion he wanted nothing to do with. The same could probably be said for anyone watching "The Expanse."

Instead of taking place far, far away, "The Expanse" is set in our solar system. With everything happening so close to home, the series is able to explore the power dynamics and foibles that come with living in a real galaxy sans ancient magic and archetypal heroes. The story begins with something very real and gritty — a murder. That brings us into the world, but the troubling truths uncovered take us across the stars.

This is a series more interested in moral ambiguity than classical heroism. That being said, the setting isn't just a backdrop for the drama to unfold in front of. How the world works is just as important and interesting as the characters inhabiting it, because it informs everything. You may find that there's a bit of a learning curve at the beginning, but it's absolutely worth the effort.

If Cassian Andor had his memory erased and he woke up on a mysterious ship with other amnesiacs who all find out they're actually criminals, it would look a lot like "Dark Matter." Originally published as a comic book created by Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie (both of whom went on to create the show), the highly addictive "Dark Matter" follows the lives of deadly mercenaries who lose their memory and have to piece their lives back together.

Since all of them were unsavory characters in their original lives, the past frequently comes back to haunt them, forcing them to live up to the consequences of actions they can't remember carrying out. The show doesn't have the same scope as most of the other titles on this list, but that doesn't stop it from being a gripping story with characters you can't help but root for (if not love). Like "Babylon 5," this is a series with a ship that one could easily see Andor encountering — though he probably wouldn't want to get involved with the people living on it.

Are you of the opinion that "Star Wars" takes itself too seriously? Perhaps all this talk about good and evil and the nature of the Force is just too self-important and indulgent for you. Maybe you like the darker aspects of "Andor," but you can't wrap your head around the fact that very few characters speak like real people and nobody seems interested in primal human urges like sex and acting like a real jerk from time to time. Well, in that case, you should definitely check out "Vagrant Queen."

The series sets the tone immediately with a chyron letting us know where the story takes place: "Another galaxy, not yours." It basically says, "Look, this is somewhere else, okay? Don't worry about it." It has similarities to "Star Wars" — there's royalty on the run, guns and unsavory characters, and a bit of a Western vibe — but if "Star Wars" is the product of an educated mind tirelessly creating mythology in an almost academic way, then "Vagrant Queen" is the product of an underground comic book artist chuckling as they draw exaggerated humans and aliens on the bathroom wall of a dive bar. That is to say, it's messy and hilarious, but also kind of brilliant.

There's a reason that certain science fiction stories blend so seamlessly with the Western genre: They both tend to focus on people making do in a practically lawless society. While some sci-fi takes place in built-up worlds far more advanced than our own, the best science fiction often focuses on the people that progress left behind. "Star Wars" tapped into this early on, with Han Solo serving as the classic gunslinger outlaw with his blaster strapped to his hip. The franchise evokes the Western genre unashamedly with "The Mandalorian," and "Andor" shares many of those vibes. If this aspect of "Star Wars" appeals to you, then you'll no doubt love "Defiance."

This post-apocalyptic sci-fi Western takes place in a world where Earth has changed dramatically and humans have to coexist with aliens and other strange creatures. It focuses on a human named Joshua (Grant Bowler) and his adopted alien daughter Irisa (Stephanie Leonidas), who are trying to make a life for themselves in this new world. This is an example of a place where Cassian Andor might find himself staying for a night or two before moving on to the next planet, but viewers will want to stick around for a lot longer.