10 Cult Classics Sci-Fi Shows That Bombed When They Came Out

Some sci-fi shows, like Battlestar Galactica, Lost, and The Boys, are popular from the very start. Others take a while to catch on. Even a juggernaut like the original Star Trek series struggled with ratings during its initial run and was only embraced years after it debuted. It’s far from the only one: many sci-fi shows have opened to weak ratings only to find greater success via home video, Firefly being the textbook example.

Indeed, a dearth of commercial appeal does not necessarily mean a lack of quality, and there are a ton of sci-fi series that are loved deeply, if not widely. Perhaps they were ahead of their time or were marketed incorrectly, causing them to be misunderstood and initially dismissed. Here are ten of the most enjoyable sci-fi TV shows that were not that successful at first but went on to become cult classics. They range from comedy to horror, satire to space Westerns, but share a common thread of creativity and wackiness.

10 ‘Dollhouse’ (2009 – 2010)

Starring: Eliza Dushku, Harry Lennix, Fran Kranz, Tahmoh Penikett

“All memory of you and your time together will be wiped clean.” Dollhouse explores a dystopian future where individuals, known as “Actives” or “Dolls,” can have their memories and personalities erased and replaced with new ones tailored to clients’ needs. The Actives are then used as anything from sexual partners to assassins. However, one Active named Echo (Eliza Dushku) starts to question her reality and the ethical implications of her existence.

The show is morally murky. It’s often difficult to know which characters to support, something that will either be compelling or confusing depending on the viewer. The bleak and unsettling tone may explain why Dollhouse was not widely popular, but this is also precisely what fans appreciate about it. It was canceled after two seasons due to low ratings but, like all of Joss Whedon’s TV shows, it has some die-hard admirers. Fans of dark and philosophical sci-fi should give it a try.

9 ‘Ultraviolet’ (1998)

Starring: Jack Davenport, Susannah Harker, Idris Elba, Stephen Moyer

“Our free range days are over.” Not to be confused with the Milla Jovovich action movie, Ultraviolet presents a unique take on vampire lore, shown through the eyes of Detective Michael Colefield (Jack Davenport). When his best friend goes missing, Michael is drawn into a secret government organization dedicated to fighting vampires. The organization uses advanced technology and scientific methods to track and combat the vampires, who are revealed to have their own complex society and long-term plans for humanity.

It’s a fun depiction of futuristic vampire hunting. The heroes use carbon bullets instead of wooden stakes, as well as gas grenades containing allicin, a chemical derived from garlic. Narrative-wise, the series is also well done, consisting of six compact episodes that neatly build on one another. Finally, solid performances, particularly from Idris Elba as a brutal vampire hunter, hold it all together. The main characters are reasonably complex, rather than cardboard cutouts. In particular, they are emotionally burdened by the knowledge of vampires’ existence and the fact that they have to keep their fight against the bloodsuckers secret.

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8 ‘The OA’ (2016 – 2019)

Starring: Brit Marling, Jason Isaacs, Emory Cohen, Alice Krige

“To exist is to survive unfair choices.” Prairie Johnson (Brit Marling) reappears after a seven-year disappearance, having been held captive by a sinister scientist. Her ordeal has gifted her with supernatural abilities and knowledge of interdimensional travel. With a newfound zeal, she assembles a team of five individuals to help her on her mission to free other captives across the multiverse.

The OA blends drama, mystery, science fiction, and metaphysics, resulting in a strange but fascinating mix. It’s structurally inventive and narratively perplexing, deliberately serving up mysteries and cryptic clues at every turn. Unfortunately, Netflix canceled the show after two seasons, leaving it with a cliffhanger ending that deeply frustrated fans. Since then, The OA’s fans have tried hard to get the show recommissioned, including putting together a Change.org petition, to no avail. Many critics have also warmed to the series since its demise, with it appearing on several publications’ lists of the best TV shows of the 2010s and of all time.

7 ‘Fringe’ (2008 – 2013)

Starring: Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble, Jasika Nicole

“The time we had together, we stole.” Co-created by J.J. Abrams, this police procedural slash sci-fi centers on FBI agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv), as she teams up with the brilliant but unstable scientist Dr. Walter Bishop (John Noble). Together, they investigate unexplained phenomena linked to a pattern of fringe science and technology. Their investigations reveal a deeper conspiracy involving parallel universes and a powerful corporation called Massive Dynamic.

Fringe is essentially a more serious riff on The X-Files, with some Law & Order and Twilight Zone thrown in for good measure. The show’s sprawling mythology, revealed piece by piece, as well as its ‘monster of the week’ structure, lent itself well to cult fandom if not broad commercial success. It quickly earned a small but devoted coterie of fans and has been ranked among the best cult TV shows of the 21st century. Most of all, Fringe was unafraid to experiment. For example, some episodes unfold in alternate realities or within characters’ dreams. There’s even one presented in an animated format thanks to a hefty dose of LSD.

6 ‘Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace’ (2004)

Starring: Matthew Holness, Richard Ayoade, Matt Berry, Alice Lowe

“I know writers who use subtext, and they’re all cowards.” Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace is a satirical homage to 1980s horror television. It’s presented as a “lost” show, with each of the episodes bookended by commentary from series creator Garth Marenghi (Matthew Holness), a bumbling wannabe Stephen King. The series is filled with intentionally poor production values, over-the-top acting, and absurd plotlines. The show’s brilliance lies in its deadpan delivery of all this shabbiness, as well as its loving parody of the genre’s clichés.

The actors are also fantastic. Holness is joined by a stellar cast of British talents, including Richard Ayoade (The IT Crowd) and Matt Berry (perhaps most famous for playing Laszlo in What We Do in the Shadows). Despite these strengths, Darkplace‘s ratings were never great, and it was axed after just one season. Nevertheless, it quickly became a cult show. It was inevitable, given how unique and anarchically entertaining it is.

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5 ‘The Prisoner’ (1967 – 1968)

Starring: Patrick McGoohan, Angelo Muscat, Peter Swanwick, George Markstein

“I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own.” This ’60s gem tells the story of Number Six (Patrick McGoohan), a former British secret agent who is abducted and held in a mysterious, picturesque village. The Village is governed by a series of administrators who use psychological manipulation, surveillance, and mind games to extract information from Number Six about his resignation.

The Prisoner starts strong, with a fast-paced first episode that effectively introduces viewers to this strange world (helped in no small part by the fantastic opening sequence). From there, the show unfolds as a surreal hybrid of an espionage thriller, dystopian sci-fi, and psychological drama. It continues to be held in high regard by both viewers and several subsequent filmmakers. For example, both Christopher Nolan and Ridley Scott have both been linked to possible feature remakes of the show, though nothing has yet come to fruition.

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4 ‘Utopia’ (2013)

Starring: Alexandra Roach, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Adeel Akhtar, Paul Higgins

“I’ve seen what people are capable of when they feel they’re losing everything.” In this one, a group of comic book fanatics comes into possession of the manuscript for a legendary graphic novel, “The Utopia Experiments,” rumored to predict catastrophic events. As they delve into its mysteries, they attract the attention of a ruthless organization known as The Network, which will stop at nothing to obtain the document.

Utopia effectively weaves real-world elements into this speculative premise, sharpened by a ton of no-holds-barred violence. These aspects of the series were controversial, but they’re justified by the story and are a key part of what makes Utopia work. It’s dark, visually impressive, narratively tense, and endlessly creative, overflowing with intriguing ideas. In particular, it has much to say about conspiracy theories and those who subscribe to them. Though canceled after just twelve episodes, the series developed an ardent cult following and is certainly worth checking out.

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3 ‘Lexx’ (1997)

Starring: Brian Downey, Michael McManus, Jeffrey Hirschfield, Xenia Seeberg

“I’ve killed the evil, the good, the intelligent, the weak, and the beautiful.” Lexx follows a motley crew aboard a living spaceship. They include the cowardly former security guard Stanley Tweedle (Brian Downey), the rebellious love slave Zev (Eva Habermann), undead assassin Kai (Michael McManus), and the amorous robot head 790 (voiced by Jeffrey Hirschfield). Together, they navigate a bizarre and often hostile universe, encountering strange worlds and dangerous enemies. In particular, the characters must deal with the fallout from a cataclysmic war between humanity and the Insect Civilization.

Rather than being high-concept and brainy, Lexx is straightforward and gory. The main attractions here are the dark humor, sexual undercurrents, and distinctly unheroic protagonists, elements which have led some to describe Lexx as “Star Trek‘s evil twin”.While it aired, the series was beloved neither by critics nor general audiences, but it developed a cult following in later years due to word-of-mouth.

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2 ‘Twin Peaks’ (1990 – 1991)

Starring: Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Ontkean, Mädchen Amick, Dana Ashbrook

“There’s a sort of evil out there.” No discussion of cult sci-fi shows is complete without David Lynch‘s offbeat magnum opus. Twin Peaks begins with the discovery of the body of Laura Palmer, the beloved homecoming queen, in the small, seemingly idyllic town of Twin Peaks. FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) arrives to investigate the murder, uncovering the town’s many secrets and eccentric inhabitants. As Cooper delves deeper into Laura’s life, he encounters a series of strange and supernatural events that blur the lines between reality and the otherworldly.

The show is renowned for its surreal narrative, quirky characters, and haunting score. These elements are used to explore themes of identity, corruption, and the hidden darkness within small-town life. Ratings were initially solid but fell off a cliff after the central mystery about Laura was revealed. The show was promptly dropped as a result. Despite this cancelation, Twin Peaks had an outsized cultural presence and developed a dedicated fan base, leading to a revival in 2017.

1 ‘Firefly’ (2002-2003)

Starring: Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin

“My days of taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle.” When it comes to sci-fi shows that initially flopped but later became cult classics, nothing can top Joss Whedon’s quirky space Western. Nathan Fillion leads the cast as Captain Malcolm “Mal” Reynolds, captain of the spaceship Serenity. The crew, a diverse group of outcasts and rebels, takes on various jobs, legal and illegal, to survive on the fringes of society while evading the oppressive Alliance.

Firefly successfully merges sci-fi elements with Western iconography, turning a distant galaxy into a lawless frontier. Its strongest feature, however, is its rich characterization; the viewer connects with these protagonists from the get-go. Despite these charms, the show struggled to reel in a large viewership and was canceled after just eleven episodes had aired. It went on to sell well when released on DVD, becoming a cult favorite and spawning a fantastic feature spinoff. It’s now often ranked among the finest sci-fi shows of the 21st century.

NEXT: The 10 Best Sci-Fi TV Shows of All Time, Ranked