James Cameron’s Only TV Series Is an Underrated Sci-fi Mystery

James Cameron is well-known to the masses for his involvement with beloved blockbuster films like The Terminator, True Lies, Titanic, and the Avatar franchise. Quiet as it’s kept, the celebrated filmmaker was also one of the driving forces behind a cult classic TV series. We’re talking about Dark Angel, of course. The show remains the only television program Cameron has created, to date, and ran for just two seasons, with a total of 43 episodes released. Despite its limited time on the air, the program developed a cult following and remains beloved by many to this day. Not to mention, Dark Angel featured a strong, capable female lead at a time when that wasn’t as commonplace on TV and launched future household name Jessica Alba into the public consciousness.

Even with the noteworthy talent attached and the show’s dedicated fanbase, the series remains underrated in the grand scheme of things. Let’s dig into why that is.

Why Is the James Cameron Co-Created Series Dark Angel Still So Underrated?

Many of those who managed to experience Dark Angel during its run on Fox have fond memories of the show. The series, which was co-created by Cameron and Charles H. Eglee, features compelling themes, serving up empowering storylines with a strong female lead at the core. Moreover, the show dared to feature a queer character in Original Cindy (Valarie Rae Miller). No one would bat an eye at that today, but it was groundbreaking in 2000.

Fans of the series connected with the program for a number of different reasons. Many devotees profess appreciation for the show’s striking visual aesthetic, frequent use of stylized action sequences, and perpetually engaging mythology. The show’s use of cyberpunk themes and bleak tonal elements work to pull viewers into the gritty world depicted within, making the series an immersive viewing experience.

Both critics and fans have taken care to praise the way the show blends breakneck action with sci-fi conventions. Additionally, the impressive writing, acting, and world-building are a huge part of why we’re still talking about this tale of genetically engineered characters struggling to survive in a post-apocalyptic landscape 25 years later.

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Despite getting a lot of things right, the show remains relatively underseen outside of the program’s core fanbase. The series, which follows genetically modified superhuman Max (Alba) as she navigates a post apocalyptic Seattle, started off with a certain promise. Dark Angel debuted with more than 17 million viewers tuning in thanks, in part, to the buzz generated by Cameron’s involvement. Over time, viewership stabilized at around 10 million per episode.

Fox eventually picked the show up for a second season, but the series made a number of changes with Season 2. For starters, the program added additional characters to the core lineup and tweaked pieces of a formula that seemed to work well in Season 1. As if the narrative tweaks weren’t enough, Fox additionally mixed things up by removing the show from its Tuesday night slot in Season 2 and instead began dropping new episodes in a less-coveted Friday night time slot. All of the aforementioned changes likely did little to positively impact ratings.

Not to mention, in the early ‘00s, news traveled a little slower and we consumed content in very different ways than we do in the 2020s. The Internet was still in its infancy at the turn of the century, and DVR services like TiVo were largely seen as a novelty. At that point, many people were still accustomed to planning their TV viewing based on broadcast schedules. A disruption like changing a show’s time slot or moving nights of the week was often the kiss of death for a network series.

While some shows grow their audience post-cancellation via syndication or availability on popular streaming services, that has not really been the case with Dark Angel. In fact, you could safely say that Dark Angel has grown increasingly difficult to watch since it went off the air.

Is Dark Angel Available to Watch Anywhere?

Dark Angel isn’t featured on any streaming platforms at present, nor is it available to rent online by the episode. As dedicated fans of the property know, physical media is currently your best bet for checking out this underrated relic from the early ‘00s.

Although it’s still sorely underrated, Dark Angel remains a standout effort ready for rediscovery by a new generation. Just keep in mind that you’ll have to look to physical media to experience the show. Perhaps that’s appropriate since TV on DVD was at its peak in the early ‘00s when Dark Angel was on the air.

Were you a fan of Dark Angel during its two-season run on Fox? If so, please make sure to let us know something you love (or don’t love) about the series in the comments section below.

As for whether or not we’ll ever see more from the Dark Angel universe, that remains to be seen. There are currently no formal plans in place to revisit the IP, however, lead actor Alba has previously expressed interest in returning to the role if Cameron is on board.