Oftentimes, what makes a good TV show popular isn’t about how long it runs. It’s about the depth of its impact and its ability to embed itself in our brains… and that leads right to cult classic status. Over the years, there have been too many shows canceled way too soon, much to the dismay of loyal fanbases. Here, we’re looking at six short-lived TV shows that achieved cult classic status and that demand a reboot.
Topping our list is the best police procedural ever made, closely followed by a gnarly MMA series and a must-see Ryan Hurst series. Also included are two 1990s teen dramas and two sci-fi hits.
7
The OA
A paranormal, sci-fi head-scratcher
An intriguing blend of paranormal, sci-fi, and mystery elements, The OA is one of the most daring, mind-bending series to date. Brit Marling (Another Earth) serves as both the star and series co-creator.
After disappearing 7 years earlier, Prairie Johnson (Marling) miraculously reappears, and she’s no longer blind. Referring to herself as the “OA,” or Original Angel, she gathers a group of 5 locals and reveals her past, with claims she can travel between dimensions and save other missing people, but she needs their help to do so.
Despite warm critical reception and an original plan for a 5-season arc, Netflix abruptly canceled it, leaving viewers with a now-infamous cliffhanger. Fans were peeved and their response swift and emphatic, ensuring The OA’s cult classic status. During a June 2025 appearance on Live with Kelly and Mark, cast member Jason Isaacs hinted the show “was not over” yet.
The OA
- Release Date
-
2016 – 2019-00-00
- Network
-
Netflix
- Directors
-
Andrew Haigh
6
Firefly
Taking civil wars into deep space
A whimsical, fun-filled sci-fi space Western that ended too soon, Firefly hails from writer-director Joss Whedon (The Avengers). Led by Nathan Fillion, the series also features performances by Alan Tudyk (Resident Alien) and Gina Torres (Suits).
Set 500 years in the future after a universal civil war, our narrative follows the crew of the small transport ship Serenity as they face numerous challenges, like fighting flesh-eating mongrels who live on the fringes of the universe, as they fight to survive in the new space frontier.
Despite its largely positive critical reception, massive following, and an Emmy win for Outstanding Special Visual Effects, it was canceled after just one season. It then saw voracious popularity in home media sales and instantly became a cult classic, leading fans to launch numerous campaigns to get the show renewed. While that didn’t happen, Whedon did give us the film Serenity, and now, according to Fillion, a Firefly animated series is in development.
Firefly
- Release Date
-
2002 – 2003-00-00
- Network
-
FOX
- Showrunner
-
Joss Whedon
5
Freaks and Geeks
What high school was like for the rest of us
Freaks and Geeks is a teen dramedy that helped launch the careers of numerous young actors like Linda Cardellini, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, and Busy Phillips.
Set in a high school in 1980s suburban Detroit, Freaks and Geeks follows siblings Lindsey (Cardellini) and Sam Weir (Waiting‘s John Francis Daley), who head up the school’s two titular groups—the Freaks (i.e., stoners, rockers, hippies, and rebels) and the Geeks. This charming retro series is one of the most realistic portrayals of teenage life, delivering top-notch comedy and surprisingly poignant performances.
Despite widespread critical acclaim, NBC canceled the show after 12 episodes, reportedly due to a clashing between Feig and NBC execs. Regardless, successful home media distribution helped the show garner a cult following, making it one of television’s most beloved cult classics.
Freaks and Geeks
- Release Date
-
1999 – 2000-00-00
- Network
-
NBC
- Showrunner
-
Paul Feig
4
My So-Called Life
A gritty, unflinching teen angst drama series from the 90s, My So-Called Life features A-lister Claire Danes in her breakout leading role as a high school student growing up in suburban Pittsburgh.
Angela Chase (Danes) is a neurotic teen in constant turmoil over her exposure to friends, boys, sex, drugs, and her own self-discovery—the cornerstones of teenage trappings. The plot mostly revolves around her evolution, which stems from a mad crush on high school heartthrob Jordan Catalano (Jared Leto).
The cult classic aired for one season before being canceled by ABC and ticking off fans, who wasted no time in launching one of the first web campaigns to convince the network to extend the series. They did not. Recently, though, Danes, who won her first Golden Globe for her role on the show, expressed interest in a My So-Called Life reboot.
3
Outsiders
To trust or not to trust
A unique blend of gritty drama, Appalachian mythology, and, at times, outrageous storytelling, Outsiders is an explosive drama about Appalachian hill people fighting off the establishment for their patch of ancestral land. The new God of War, Ryan Hurst, stars along with David Morse (Treme) and Kyle Gallner (Dark Passengers).
Set on the rugged, mysterious Shay Mountain in fictional Crockett County, Kentucky, Outsiders tells the story of the isolationist Farrell clan, a renegade family living off the grid for 200 years. Aside from the external threats that initiate a battle for survival, the clan also faces a leadership crisis and internal tension when an estranged cousin returns.
Its fanbase was so dedicated and engaged that cable companies saw an increase in upgraded packages just to watch the show, which aired on WGN America. The same fans were outraged by its abrupt cancellation after just two seasons, despite the show being a top performer for the network, thus sealing its status as a cult classic.
Outsiders
- Release Date
-
2016 – 2017-00-00
- Network
-
WGN America
- Directors
-
Jon Amiel, Michael Trim, Adam Bernstein, Andrew Bernstein, Bill Johnson, David Rodriguez, Keith Boak, Peter Werner, Rosemary Rodriguez, J. Michael Muro
2
Kingdom
A gritty MMA drama series
Kingdom is a righteously gritty mixed martial arts series featuring Tulsa King’s Frank Grillo in his greatest, most defining performance to date. This isn’t just a show about MMA, though, which is why it fell deeply into cult classic status upon its cancellation.
Grillo stars as Alvey Kulina, a retired, legendary MMA fighter-turned-trainer running a Venice, California gym, training a new generation of fighters. The main story follows his struggle not just to keep his gym afloat, but also to manage his broken family and navigate complex, dysfunctional relationships with his addict ex-wife and their two troubled sons, Jay (Snowfall’s Jonathan Tucker) and Nate (Nick Jonas), who are also star fighters.
Despite high critical acclaim across three seasons, the series was canceled by the now-defunct DirecTV Audience Network before finding new life on Netflix, then being removed a short 10 months later and only being available for purchase from 2021… until now. Catch it now on Prime Video while you can!
Kingdom
- Release Date
-
2014 – 2017-00-00
- Network
-
NHK G, NHK BS Premium
- Directors
-
Taiji Kawanishi, Kiyomitsu Sato, Masahiro Takada, Ippei Ichii, Shintaro Itoga, Masato Tamagawa, Norihiko Nagahama, Natsumi Yasue, Harume Kosaka, Yoshinori Odaka, Riki Fukushima, Reiko Nozaki, Masayuki Iimura, Yasuhiro Geshi, Daisuke Tsukushi, Naoki Horiuchi, Shigeki Kawai, Kiyoshi Murayama, Shu Watanabe, Tohru Ishida
1
Southland
Not just another police procedural
A five-season run for a TV show is healthy, except in the case of Southland, which ended way too soon because of what I’ll just call weak stomachs. Its raw, hard-hitting, documentary-style realism amassed a huge following, and its unexpected cancellation landed it smack-dab in the middle of cult classic status, where it remains.
Showcasing the unglamorous lives of law enforcement, the gritty crime drama follows rookie officer Ben Sherman (The OC’s Ben McKenzie) as he trains under no-nonsense veteran cop John Cooper (The Walking Dead’s Michael Cudlitz), who’s secretly battling his own horrifying demons. As Sherman is exposed to the harsh realities of the real world, he must also digest the even harsher truth of what it means to be on the force. There’s also heavy emphasis on the psychological impact and emotional toll of the job. Shawn Hatosy (The Pitt) also stars.
Despite acclaim as one of TV’s most groundbreaking crime shows, NBC canceled it for being “too dark and gritty for broadcast TV.” It then gained a dedicated following on TNT, garnering 100% Rotten Tomatoes scores for seasons 4 and 5, before being canceled again for too much realism. Loyal fans are still demanding a reboot, especially in the wake of its newfound success on Netflix.
Southland
- Release Date
-
2009 – 2013-00-00
- Network
-
NBC, TNT
- Directors
-
Christopher Chulack, Nelson McCormick, Félix Enríquez Alcalá, Allison Anders
All of these TV shows are worthy of and deserve a reboot on a popular streaming service. The combination of loyal fanbases with entirely new ones would only bring a fresh wave of success and ensure that cult classics will continue to have a future.
