TV Shows

5 Cult Classic Sci-Fi Shows Nobody Talks About Enough

There have been many beloved entries into the sci-fi genre over the years, particularly on the small screen. While the likes of Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica are often cited as sci-fi shows that changed the world, not every great show gets the widespread recognition it deserves. Many shows instead have to settle for much smaller fan bases, seemingly doomed not to ever achieve the wider success that they easily could have enjoyed. In a genre that often runs the risk of becoming oversaturated with new stories and ideas, many sci-fi shows slip through the cracks, even when they deserve far better.

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While their respective fan bases might not be as monumental as those of other well-known franchises, they’re enough to qualify the following as cult sci-fi shows. Additionally, considering the relatively small size of their followings, they’re exceptional pieces of television history that are all too often criminally overlooked. Here are five cult classic sci-fi shows that don’t get talked about anywhere near enough.

5) Farscape

When it comes to unfairly forgotten sci-fi shows of the 1990s, Farscape is one of the most obvious examples. Farscapeโ€˜s story follows the crew of a biomechanical ship, and largely concerns their attempts to evade capture by a corrupt military organization known as the Peacekeepers. Its continued popularity has seen it given cult status, but Farscape never quite broke into the mainstream, which is perhaps one of the main reasons it doesn’t get talked about as much as it deserves.

4) Mystery Science Theater 3000

In comparison to the other shows on this list, Mystery Science Theater 3000 perhaps seems like a little more than a simple cult classic. Examining B-movies through a comedic sci-fi lens, the show secured a lasting fan base, but its format was perhaps just a little too niche to firmly cement it among sci-fi greats. While some of the best episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000 are more widely remembered, the show as a whole is all too often forgotten by the global community of sci-fi fans.

3) Earth 2

As one of the most underrated ’90s sci-fi shows out there, Earth 2 being so widely forgotten is actually pretty baffling. Despite a stellar cast and being nominated for various awards and accolades, Earth 2 was cancelled after just one season. This saw the incredibly promising sci-fi show relegated to never rise above the status of cult classic, leaving its dedicated fans incredibly frustrated. It definitely deserved far better, but instead, it’s hardly remembered at all by modern sci-fi audiences.

2) V (1984)

A still from the TV show V (1984)

Starting with two miniseries, V and V: The Final Battle, and continuing with V: The Series, this 1984 cult classic did earn a brief 2009 reboot, but otherwise, it has mostly been forgotten. Its story concerns the arrival of genocidal reptilian aliens disguised as humans attempting to infiltrate the Earth, and follows the human resistance against the invasion. Despite earning cult status, V is only rarely mentioned today outside of its dedicated fan base.

1) Lexx

A promotional image for the sci-fi show Lexx (1996)

Although Lexx is one of the most unique and entertaining sci-fi shows of its era, it’s barely remembered at all by modern audiences. It follows a group of individuals aboard an organic spaceship who travel through two distinct universes. Balancing hard sci-fi with comedy, adult ideas, and deep philosophical themes, Lexx carved a niche for itself that earned it a cult following. Sadly, it has since become an obscure sci-fi TV show that hardly anyone talks about, even though it was incredibly ahead of its time.

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