HBO’s 12-Part Sci-Fi Hidden Gem Is ‘The Expanse Meets Primal’

Alien environments are a sci-fi genre staple, but it is surprising that even the best sci-fi TV shows of all time tend to use their environments in very limited ways. Even series like Star Trek and Doctor Who generally present alien planets as a setting for the action, occasionally highlighting something strange or beautiful, but never dwelling on the setting for longer. The few creative projects that fully explore alien environments often become visual masterpieces, like the Avatar movies, and the fictional sci-fi documentary, Alien Worlds.

While the best live-action movie that embraces its disconcertingly gorgeous setting is Alex Garland’s sci-fi horror, Annihilation, an overlooked hidden gem from HBO explores its alien world in much the same way. The animated 12-episode sci-fi series Scavengers Reign follows the survivors of the cargo ship Demeter 227, who are stranded on the alien planet Vesta. Rather than merely using the occasional odd plant as a backdrop, Scavengers Reign treats the planet as a character in its own right, full of danger and mystery.

The show is as detail-oriented as the sci-fi masterpiece The Expanse, blending hard sci-fi with a fantastical setting. This combination of themes and approaches has led fans of Scavengers Reign to also compare the series to the brutal Primal. These are both highly-regarded works of sci-fi, and, while underrated, Scavengers Reign is just as good, earning a place among the best sci-fi shows ever made.

Scavengers Reign Is One Of The Best Sci-Fi Animated Shows Ever Made

Azi sitting down and looking at plant life

Scavengers Reign has a perfect 100% positive critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, with an impressive 96% positive audience score. These are well deserved, as the show is a masterclass in storytelling, worldbuilding, and sound design. The three stories told within the series are cleverly woven together, exploring different aspects of both humanity and the ecosystem on Vesta. Though Scavengers Reign features typical sci-fi genre staples like robots, these aspects are treated very differently than expected, with the story focusing on the characters connecting with the biosphere in different ways, much the same as in Annihilation.

Animation has often been mistakenly seen as a visual style associated with children and young viewers, but Scavengers Reign is a dark animated TV show that kids should not be watching. While beautiful to watch, the series has some terrifying moments and scenes involving body horror that may disturb even adult viewers. One of its core messages concerns human selfishness, which is an important theme, but heavy for very young viewers, who can get the same message from the less violent Ferngully: The Last Rainforest.

It is surprising that Scavengers Reign did not get the attention that it deserved, as the HBO masterpiece is the best sci-fi series you haven’t watched. The worldbuilding is unique, presenting a well-thought-out ecosystem that is unlike anything we have on Earth, and, like Primal, the show raises questions about the will to survive at all costs that will make you think long after the end credits. Unfortunately, despite the potential for a second season, Scavengers Reign was canceled after its first and only season, which had one brief moment of hope, which was never realized.

Why Scavengers Reign Only Lasted One Season

Two characters exploring an alien planet

Scavengers Reign premiered in 2023 but was canceled by HBO in 2024, with no reason given. At the time, streaming was undergoing an upheaval, with HBO moving away from sci-fi, and while the show was critically acclaimed, it was reportedly not attracting a high enough viewership for continued investment. There was a brief possibility of renewal for Scavengers Reign when Netflix acquired the show, as the streaming platform has resurrected other canceled series like Lucifer and Cobra Kai, but while there are few other TV shows like Scavengers Reign, this has not sparked confirmation of a season 2.

Scavengers Reign won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation for its background design.

The ending of Scavengers Reign shows the surviving crew members of the Demeter 227 meeting different fates on Vesta, including self-sacrifice in the name of the greater good, adapting to life on Vesta, and meeting new characters at the last moment. While the ending is satisfying, there was so much more that could be done. The creators told ComicBook that while season 1 told a completed story, they have some “big ideas” and we only saw a little of the planet, which means that season 2 of Scavengers Reign could, and should, be made.

Source: ComicBook