The 2010s were a golden age for television, thanks to the rise of streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney Plus. With a treasure trove of shows to binge-watch, it became impossible to catch every hidden gem. Unfortunately, this meant that some truly amazing science-fiction series flew under the radar.
But let’s set the record straight – these shows were fantastic! They just didn’t have the massive fan base they deserved. Some were cut short after just a couple of seasons due to low viewership, while others gained a passionate following but didn’t quite make it big in popular culture.
One show that caused quite a stir was “The Last Man On Earth,” which graced our screens from 2015 to 2018.
1. Warehouse 13 (2009 – 2014)
Warehouse 13 is a TV series that revolves around a team of Secret Service agents who work at the titular facility. Their main mission is to retrieve historically significant artifacts that pose a threat. Some of these artifacts include Lewis Carroll’s mirror, with Alice’s spirit trapped inside, among other intriguing items. To protect themselves, the agents carry an electric gun called a “Tesla” and each agent also has a small television communicator, which was invented by Farnsworth, the same person who invented the TV.
The show faced the risk of being canceled prematurely, but luckily, SyFy decided to give it another chance. They renewed it for a fifth and final season, although it was shortened to only six episodes. This led to a rushed ending, but the series managed to wrap up the storyline in a satisfying way. Although the technical premiere was in 2009, the majority of the show, approximately 85%, aired between 2010 and 2014.
2. Defiance (2013 – 2015)
Defiance, a sci-fi series consisting of 3 seasons and 38 episodes, offers a unique take on Earth. In this altered version of our planet, aliens have colonized Earth, using their terraforming technology to reshape the landscape. This has resulted in the extinction of various plant and animal species, as well as the emergence of entirely new ones. Set in the year 2046, Defiance portrays a world where humans coexist with multiple alien races, each striving to find their place in society. This intriguing narrative unfolds in the backdrop of old-world St. Louis.
Unfortunately, the series was canceled by SyFy due to financial reasons. However, the story of Defiance continues to thrive in the form of a companion video game bearing the same name. Developed by Trion Worlds, the game is regularly updated and serves as a continuation of the series, effectively becoming its fourth season. While there are no plans for a sequel, fans can look forward to fresh content being introduced to the game.
3. Continuum (2012 – 2015)
Seasons & Episodes: 4 / 42
Here’s the scoop: In the year 2077, a bunch of extremists manage to figure out how to time travel to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, but oops, they end up in 2012, a few decades too early. Instead of throwing in the towel, they decide to stick around and carry out their ideological strikes in the past. Their main mission? To prevent corporations from taking over as world governments. However, things get interesting when a police officer unintentionally tags along and tries to foil their plan, all while keeping their futuristic origins under wraps.
Now, here’s the twist: The show got canceled right in the middle of the story after season three. But don’t despair! The network was kind enough to grant a shortened fourth season with just six episodes, giving die-hard fans the closure they were craving.
4. Travelers (2016 – 2018)
Seasons & Episodes: 3 / 34
Travelers is a Canadian-American sci-fi show with a unique premise. In this post-apocalyptic world, a stellar object triggers an ice age, and people from the future send their consciousness back in time to inhabit the bodies of individuals moments before their deaths. These time-traveling individuals, known as “Travelers,” have specific missions to prevent the events that lead to the planet’s demise. Along the way, they grapple with the challenges of their own memories, unfamiliar relationships with loved ones, and the consequences of their actions on the future and their past.
Unfortunately, just as Travelers was finding its footing, the network decided to cancel the series. Despite its potential for more seasons, the show managed to wrap up the story in a satisfying way, sparing fans from excessive disappointment over its cancellation.
5. Dark (2017 – 2020)
Seasons & Episodes: 3 / 26
Details: Dark is a gripping German sci-fi/thriller that takes place in the fictional town of Winden, Germany. It delves into the aftermath of a child’s disappearance and the intriguing connections between four estranged families. As they uncover a mind-bending conspiracy involving time travel, spanning three generations, the series raises thought-provoking questions about the essence of human nature and its potential vulnerability to the effects of time travel.
Dark captivated viewers with its intense storyline, consisting of a total of 26 episodes spread across three seasons. The highly anticipated final season premiered on Netflix in 2020.
6. Legion (2017 – 2019)
Seasons & Episodes: 3 / 27
Legion is a TV series that revolves around the life of David Haller, a mentally troubled mutant who also happens to be the nearly omnipotent son of Professor Charles Xavier. Although based on the Marvel Comics depicting Legion, the series takes a slightly different approach. It tells the story through David’s perspective, which is unreliable at times due to his dissociative identity disorder. Each of his personalities possesses mutant superpowers at the omega level.
Despite receiving support from the Marvel community of creators and fans, Legion did not manage to capture widespread attention. Unfortunately, this led to its cancellation by FX. However, the silver lining is that the series was allowed to wrap up with an eight-episode third season.
7. Colony (2016 – 2018)
Seasons & Episodes: 3 / 36
In Colony, the world is ruled by an alien race called the Hosts. Not much is known about them except for their sudden appearance on a day known as the “Arrival” in the recent past. They arrived in massive rectangular vessels, which acted as barriers around cities. These walls are incredibly thick and tall, creating a Colony made up of smaller blocks. Under the oppressive society, resistance fighters strive to restore humanity’s control over Earth while collaborators are targeted.
The series gained high praise from both fans and critics, but unfortunately, it was canceled after its third season. Even Stephen King, a well-known author and fan, expressed his admiration, calling Colony “something special” in a year of remarkable TV. He described it as smart, suspenseful, subversive, and thought-provoking.
8. Counterpart (2017 – 2019)
Seasons & Episodes: 2 / 20
Howard Silk has been working at the UN Office of Interchange (OI) in Berlin for a solid 30 years. However, despite his loyalty and dedication, he remains clueless about the true nature of his work. The OI is responsible for overseeing a crossing point between our reality and an alternate Earth reality that strikingly resembles our own. Everything takes a drastic turn when a scientist named Yanek hands over a cassette tape to his daughter in one reality, but not in the other. This seemingly innocent act sets off a chain of events, ultimately leading to a deadly viral outbreak. The constant struggle of navigating between these two worlds adds an exhilarating element to this gripping series.
Following its second season, Counterpart faced a heartbreaking fate as Starz decided to cancel the show. Despite attempts to find it a new home on different networks or streaming platforms, these efforts sadly fell through. Consequently, there will not be a third season for this highly acclaimed series.
9. 12 Monkeys (2015 – 2018)
Seasons & Episodes: 4 / 47
This show, 12 Monkeys, is loosely based on the 1995 film with the same title. It revolves around a man who goes back in time to uncover the source of a virus that nearly eradicates humanity, forcing the remaining survivors to live underground. The series follows the exciting journeys of James Cole and Dr. Cassandra “Cassie” Railly, who are brought together by fate to use time travel in their mission to thwart the destructive plans of an organization known as the “Army of the 12 Monkeys.”
Critics have highly praised 12 Monkeys, and it has garnered a decent fan base. Although it didn’t run for an extensive period, the show managed to wrap up its story in its fourth season, which consists of 11 episodes.
10. The Leftovers (2014 – 2017)
Seasons & Episodes: 3 / 28
Details: Three years after the “Sudden Departure,” a global event that caused 2% of the world population to vanish, folks are simply trying to make it through. The show revolves around Police Chief Kevin Garvey, his family, and a few others as they navigate life after the inexplicable loss of their loved ones.
The series has garnered widespread critical acclaim and has been compared to Lost in terms of its tone and depth. Although it received positive reviews, the show wrapped up with its third season. HBO gave it the green light to ensure a proper conclusion.
