Thanks to a combo of niche appeal and high production costs, science fiction is easily the TV genre with the record for the most devastating cancellations. Even with devoted fanbases, networks and streaming services often struggle to justify the cost of these sci-fi shows due to the ambitious world-building and intricate action sequences. While occasionally, the risk pays off and we get a perfect story arc (like in Netflix’s Dark), more often than not, we sci-fi fans are left hanging without a proper conclusion.
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Even worse, some of these shows were (and still are) bona fide masterpieces. Despite their rocky resolutions, these shows remain beloved because of thier rich mythologies, characters, and universes. While some fan campaigns were so fervent they prompted second chances, ultimately, every single one of these brilliant sci-fi adventures ended before their time.
5) The OA
The OA was created by Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij for Netflix in 2016. It also stars Marling herself as Prairie Johnson, a blind woman who resurfaces after seven years with her sight restored. The series guided fans through an emotional and often baffling narrative complete with near-death experiences, parallel dimensions, interpretive dance sequences, abstract metaphysical concepts, and a refusal to spoon-feed audiences. What made it divisive also made it one of a kind.
Sadly, the series was cancelled after two seasons despite being planned in five parts. Netflix blamed metrics, and since The OA was a slow-burn that demanded patience from the audience, it was difficult to attract new viewers. Yet in Season 2’s expanded multiverse the show was just hitting its stride, and perhaps, given a full five seasons, might be considered a modern classic. Ending it early left major philosophical and narrative threads unresolved. While the existing seasons are masterpieces in and of themselves, it’s a travesty that we never got to see the bigger picture.
4) Jericho
Jericho, which aired on CBS in 2006, was set in a small town in Kansas, with residents struggling to survive after devastating nuclear attacks on major U.S. cities. Besides Skeet Ulrich as Jake Green, what made Jericho special was how directly and realistically it depicted American fears regarding terrorism, and how it speculated on the fallout and resource scarcity. As a grounded post-apocalyptic tale, the spectacle was on a smaller scale, but fans were no less devoted.
CBS cancelled Jericho after just one season. They then walked the decision back thanks to a campaign by angry fans that involved thousands of pounds of peanuts being mailed to executives (a reference to a line from the show). The revival resulted in a shortened second season, but the damage was already done. Storylines were rushed, the broader conflicts went unresolved, and the show was cancelled yet again. While the narrative continued in comic book form, Jericho deserved a full TV run.
3) Firefly
A western space opera, Joss Whedon’s fan-favorite Firefly followed the ragtag crew of the Serenity as they scraped by on the fringes of a post-civil war galaxy. Anchored by Nathan Fillion’s Malcolm Reynolds and an ensemble cast that included Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin, and Summer Glau, the characters and audience members found family among the Browncoats in equal measure.
Fox infamously aired episodes out of order and cancelled Firefly after just 14 episodes, never allowing the building serialized story to coalesce. The show’s cult following and fan campaigns led to the feature film Serenity, which provided some closure, but it couldn’t replace multiple seasons of complete character arcs. Like others on this list, Firefly’s cancellation wasn’t a consequence of creative failure, but rather blatant mishandling by the network. Fans are still enraged over twenty years later.
2) The Expanse
Based on the novels by duo James S.A. Corey, The Expanse began on Syfy as a dense, political sci-fi epic exploring a colonized solar system fractured between Earth, Mars, and the Belt. Created by Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby, the series earned near-universal acclaim for scientific realism, a nuanced approach to the tough choices facing the characters, and, of course, the characters themselves, including James Holden and Chrisjen Avasarala.
After being cancelled by Syfy after three seasons, The Expanse was famously rescued by Amazon, where it somehow got even better, with more resources and room to grow. However, the sci-fi masterpiece ended again after six seasons. Fans have since speculated it was cancelled due to rising production costs and a massive time jump in the source material. While the finale is widely considered a strong ending, it still leaves half of the book series unadapted. To this day, fans are holding out hope for a Season 7.
1) Farscape
A surrealist space opera, Farscape is one of the most unique series to ever air in the genre, partly because it featured amazing practical creature effects from Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, and partly because it didn’t pull punches in its wild storytelling. Starring Ben Browder as astronaut John Crichton and Claudia Black as Aeryn Sun, the show was full of chaos, romance, existential dread, and excellent character mythology. Unafraid to get whimsical and unafraid to get serious when necessary, Farscape is still a favorite of many sci-fi lovers, despite airing in 1999.
The series was unexpectedly cancelled after a brilliant four seasons, despite plans for a fifth, and fans were left fuming about the massive cliffhanger. Thankfully, this viewer outrage also led to a follow-up miniseries, The Peacekeeper Wars, which offered a somewhat satisfying conclusion, according to “Scapers.” Still, the cancellation was never fully rectified. Farscape was operating at its peak when it was cut short, and while it got more closure than most, it remains the ultimate example of a sci-fi show ending far too soon.
Which cancelled sci-fi show would you revive? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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