It’s a major milestone for a TV pilot to get picked up for a full season order. Even still, very few programs that make it to that stage are successful enough to stay on the air long enough to leave a lasting impression. For every series that goes on to garner widespread recognition and acclaim, there are many more that fade into obscurity. In such an unpredictable landscape, it takes the perfect storm for a show to beat the odds. Accordingly, many series, by no real fault of their own, enjoy short-lived success with a small but dedicated fanbase, only to fall out of the collective consciousness at some point after cancellation.
Fortunately, almost all of these programs live on through streaming, syndication, or physical media, giving fans the chance to re-discover quality programming that slipped through the cracks. With that in mind, we are running down five forgotten sci-fi series ready for rediscovery.
1) Millennium
While Millennium features a strong setup and even comes from the brilliant mind of The X-Files series creator Chris Carter, the program struggled to sustain ratings, leading Fox to cancel the show after just three seasons.
This forgotten series follows ex-FBI Agent Frank Black (Lance Henriksen) in his endeavors as a freelance criminal profiler for a mysterious outfit called the Millennium Group. Many fans of the series connected with Henriksen’s impressive turn as Frank. The actor delivers a nuanced showing as the stoic lead, believably conveying a sense of inner turmoil that he doesn’t always have the words to express. Many also connected with the show for dealing with dark, heavy themes with a somber approach that reliably lacks the levity for which Carter’s The X-Files is known.
2) Travelers
The Netflix series Travelers sets itself apart by taking a decidedly different approach to time travel. Rather than depicting people sending their physical form back in time, the show focuses on characters from the distant future who send their consciousness back to the 21st century in an attempt to make the world a better place. Many fans posit that the program serves as a gripping and thoughtful meditation on the long-term ramifications of our actions.
The series produced three celebrated seasons before Netflix eventually pulled the plug. The silver lining is that all three seasons are incredibly well-rendered and the final season wraps things up in fairly satisfying fashion.
3) Almost Human
Though it only ran for a single season, fans who tuned in really connected with Almost Human. Many appreciate the show for its admittedly unorthodox take on the buddy cop sub-genre. The futuristic series sees lawman John Kennex (Karl Urban) attempting to overcome his misgivings about working with his android partner, Dorian (Michael Ealy). As we watch, John ultimately moves past his reservations in a touching and sometimes comical fashion.
The central relationship is surprisingly well-rendered and the show poses some interesting questions about how we define humanity. The program ultimately failed to deliver the kind of ratings Fox was after, therefore the network pulled the plug after just one season. Even still, this is a standout effort ready to be rediscovered.
4) Sliders
As fans will tell you, the first three seasons of this overlooked sci-fi series are essential viewing. Even the fourth and fifth seasons, which feature a largely different cast and mark a decline in overall quality, remain an enjoyable distraction.
The show follows the titular characters as they “slide” between parallel dimensions on a quest to return to the timeline from which they originated. Similar to Quantum Leap, the core characters are displaced from their point of origin and find themselves traveling between parallel dimensions in an attempt to get back home. With each slide, the characters are faced with unique challenges, sometimes allowing them the chance to explore alternate realities where history played out quite differently.
5) The Tomorrow People
A remake of the ‘70s television series of the same name, The Tomorrow People follows a group of young people who have evolved to develop superhuman abilities. Among their gifts are telepathy, telekinesis, and teleportation. The core characters must live in secrecy for fear of judgment and to evade detection by the shadowy organization Ultra, which has designs on regulating and dismantling those with special abilities.
This redux ran for a single season on The CW between 2013 and 2014. While it falls into some of the trappings common to the output of the teen-focused network, the show is fast-paced and features some compelling plot twists. Fans of the series additionally connected with Mark Pellegrino in his sinister turn as Ultra leader Dr. Jedikiah Price. Not to mention, the show features relatable messaging on the ways in which society demonizes that which we do not understand.
Have you seen any of these forgotten sci-fi shows? Make sure to let us know in the comments section below.
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