It’s not uncommon for a TV show of any genre to get canceledbefore the story reaches a satisfying conclusion, but this is especially true for science fiction. Due to the scope and scale of sci-fi projects, there have been many instances of well-crafted series ending before their time, even though there was a lot more story to explore. Thesci-fi show cancellations that don’t make sensehurt even more because viewers who have stuck with the show from the beginning don’t get the long-awaited payoffs and never discover the fates of beloved characters.
There are manygreat sci-fi TV shows canceled after one season, likeFireflyorCaprica. However, for experimental and fledgling series like this,it’s common for the projects to hedge their bets and provide an ending that could serve as a finale.This differs from shows that are unexpectedly cut short and don’t have the opportunity to reach their intended conclusions. While it’s still fun to get sucked into the narratives of these spellbinding projects, it’s unfair that they left off on an uncertain note. However, this allows audiences to hold out hope that they might be rebooted one day.
7Stargate Universe (2009–2011)
The Stargate Franchise Was Given New Life Thanks To This Show
Fans of the fantasy TV showOnce Upon a Timewill recognize the star ofStargate Universe, Robert Carlyle,who plays Nicholas Rush in the spinoff series. Part of the largerStargatefranchise,Stargate Universesaw its characters lost far away from their home galaxy, exploring the undiscovered corners of space and uncovering the mysteries of the solar system. Part of the allure of a show likeStargate Universewas the nuanced characters with whom the audience got to spend time. Everyone was flawed and was more interesting because of this.
Ending on a major cliffhanger,Stargate Universehas never found its way back to our screens,despite the success ofStargate SG-1. Despite this, it’s still incredibly interesting to see how this series expanded upon the existing lore of the show and used the sci-fi genre as a means to touch upon contemporary social issues. The show was a worthy successor toStargate SG-1and will be remembered as a show that was over too soon. The acting and writing particularly stand out, especially compared to contemporary additions to the genre.
70%
76%
6Altered Carbon (2018–2020)
After Anthony Mackie Joined Altered Carbon, It Found Its Footing
Netflix is notorious for producing top-tier sci-fi programming,but often cancels the projects before they have the chance to flourish. This was the case withAltered Carbon, which starred Joel Kinnaman in season 1 and Anthony Mackie in season 2 as Takeshi Kovacs, a well-trained soldier, mercenary, and political activist searching for his lost love. The series is based on the novel by Richard K. Morgan, and the show seamlessly blends social commentary with the thrilling cyberpunk aesthetic that distinguishedAltered Carbonfrom its competition.
Altered Carbonseason 2 started to find its footing, but by this point, the cost of the series didn’t match its level of popularity.
Altered Carbonseason 2 started to find its footing, but by this point, the cost of the series didn’t match its level of popularity. Unfortunately, the season 2 cancellation came on the heels of the reveal that Kovacs could be brought back in another body. Other than Kinnaman and Mackie,Altered Carbonalso stars a fantastic ensemble, including Dichen Lachman. The actress is a sci-fi genre standout who’s well-known for her performance inSeveranceand doesn’t just lend her talents toAltered Carbonbut another science fiction project on this list that was canceled too soon.
75%
64%
5Dollhouse (2009–2010)
Joss Whedon’s Lesser-Known Sci-Fi Project Is Still Worth Watching
While the unjust cancellation ofFireflyhas been widely discussed since 2003, series creator Joss Whedon crafted another strong addition to the genre in 2009. Alsostarring aBuffy The Vampire Slayeralum, Eliza Dushku,Dollhouseis an interesting blend ofWestworldand traditional detective stories. The series follows Echo (Dushku), a woman who signs a contract to be a doll, meaning she’s uploaded with different skills and personalities to be whatever clients of the mysterious company want. It’s a dark and interrogative series that only increases in stakes as the plot progresses.
While the show was on the air,Dollhousewas largely overlooked and was negatively compared to Whedon’s other work. However, it’s fun to revisitDollhousetoday and see how much of a precursor to contemporary projects it was. Unfortunately, whenDollhousewas canceled, it upended the plan and forced the series finale to jump forward in time without giving viewers the chance to get acquainted with the new world order. ThoughEcho finds a sense of self by the end ofDollhouse,there’s too much unresolved and left up to interpretation to be fully satisfying.
72%
84%
4Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency (2016–2017)
The American Version Of This Offbeat Series Has Become A Cult Classic
Since his breakout role inThe Lord of the Ringstrilogy, Elijah Wood has taken on many fun and out-there projects, andDirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agencyis one of them.Based on the books by Douglas Adams, the story was first adapted for the screen in 2010and was eventually reimagined in 2016. Wood plays Todd Brotzman, the straight man who works alongside the titular Dirk Gently, played by the charismatic Samuel Barnett. Balanced by plenty of humor alongside its otherworldly elements, the series came to an end after season 2.
As the show progressed,Dirk Gentlyleaned into the wild and weird sides of the story, making it unlike anything else on television.
As the show progressed,Dirk Gentlyleaned into the wild and weird sides of the story, making it unlike anything else on television. This is part of why it gained a significant following. The fan-created petition to keep the series on the air demonstrates the impact that the project had on audience members (viaThe Hollywood Reporter). The series finale does wrap up some loose ends and complete story arcs, but it still leaves the door open for potential follow-up narratives that would have been exciting to watch unfold.
85%
94%
3Westworld (2016–2022)
After Many False Starts, Westworld Was Robbed Of Its Well-Deserved Final Season
Westworldseason 1 is a fantastic season of television. The series introduces interesting characters, provides enough twists, and builds enough mystery to keep the audience on the edge of their seats. There have been many takes on the sci-fi-Western genre and plenty of projects that tackle the line between creation and consciousness in androids and artificial intelligence. Anchored by a lead performance by Evan Rachel Wood,Westworldhad many great ideas butfaced backlash after season 2 didn’t deliver on the promise of season 1.
However, this didn’t mean thatWestworldshould’ve ended on such an open-ended note, asit was abruptly canceled after plans had been laid for season 5.Of all thecanceled sci-fi TV shows that ended on cliffhangers,Westworldis particularly upsetting since the series had so many ups and downs throughout its run and worked so hard to come back from its middling second installment. There are many reasons why viewers are still waiting for the fifth season, as it had the potential to cementWestworldas a series to remember.
80%
2The OA (2016–2019)
This Boundary-Pushing Project Could’ve Gone On For A Long Time
The minds behindThe OA,Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij, crafted one of the best Netflix original seriesof the past decade, and it’s still sorely missed today. The fact that audiences and critics didn’t get the closure they deserved after following the OA/Prairie, played by Marling, on her mind-bending adventure, is incredibly disappointing. When the highly anticipated second season premiered in 2019, it seemed as if we were finally going to get the answers that the series had been teasing since season 1. However,The OAtook things one step further.
There’s no question thatThe OAisn’t for audiences who aren’t interested in meta-textual explorations of film and television, asthe series gets into the weeds of self-awareness and nuanced storytelling.The finale ofThe OAsaw Prairie on the verge of discovering that in her new reality, Hap (Jason Isaacs) is right there with her. IfThe OAhad been renewed for season 3, there’s no telling how much further the writers would’ve taken the story and how much more shock and awe they had in store for the dedicated fan base.
83%
1The Peripheral (2022)
Chloë Grace Moretz Leads This Mind-Bending Series
Based on the book by William Gibson,a heavyweight author within the sci-fi genre,The Peripheralwas an exciting blend of virtual reality and alternate universes. Chloë Grace Moretz led the cast as Flynne, the protagonist, who gets caught up in a complex plot that takes her to another world in the future through the use of a VR body called a peripheral. As Flynne gets entangled in the politics and dangerous adventures of the potential future, the audience becomes desperate to find out the truth behind the new reality that Flynne is experiencing.
This left Flynne’s future uncertain after she returned to London.
Many factors contributed to the cancellation ofThe Peripheral. The series was initially green-lit for season 2, but the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike delayed production, and the high cost of the first season might have made it too difficult for the project to pick back up. However, sinceThe Peripheralwas planning to extend its story beyond season 1, the finale leaves many unanswered questions for the audience to grapple with. This left Flynne’s future uncertain after she returned to London.
79%
