Not all greatsci-fishows get the chance to end on their own terms, as proven by some great examples of short-lived sagas that should definitely have run for far longer than they did. Many of thebest sci-fi TV shows of all timetend to hit the ground running, and even if they don’t, they quickly grow into what they were intended to be and enjoy a multi-season run. However,some sci-fi shows crash and burn for reasons beyond their control, despite being well-thought-out and brilliantly executed.
I know it’s unlikely that any of the shows on this list will ever get a second chance, but it doesn’t hurt to dream. The genre is experiencing something of a renaissance at the moment, with platforms likeApple TV+ boasting an impressive array of sci-fi projects. Like any genre,sci-fi falls in and out of fashion, and although I’m ecstatic we’re in the middle of a boom at the moment, the sheer number ofsci-fi shows emerging recentlymakes me mourn some of my favorite failures within the genre.
Altered Carbon (2018-2020)
Netflix’s cyberpunk epic deserved to continue
An adaptation of Richard K. Morgan’s Takeshi Kovacs trilogy,Altered Carbonstarted very strongly with a faithful translation of the source material for season 1.Joel Kinnaman led theAltered Carbonseason 1 cast as Takeshi Kovacs, telling the story of Morgan’s 2002 trilogy-starter of the same name. Season 2 admittedly strayed from the books quite severely, but it remained engaging as Anthony Mackie replaced Kinnaman as the show’s star.
Altered Carbon’s premise offered the potential for aDoctor Who-style run that constantly refreshed the cast for canonical reasons. Although it largely turned its back on Morgan’s work,I’m convincedAltered Carbonseason 3 would have workedwith a return to its roots of always keeping both eyes on the literary trilogy.I’d have loved to see more of Netflix’s take on Morgan’s sci-fi universe, and I’m still confused by the decision to end it so unceremoniously.
Constellation (2024)
Apple TV+ didn’t give Constellation the chance it deserved to truly flourish
I didn’t know what to expect when I first started watchingConstellation, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Beginning aboard a fictionalized (but realistic) version of the International Space Station, the Apple TV+ sci-fi thriller turned out to be a compelling take on the multiverse trope. Sure, alternate realities existed within the world of the show, but there were only two of them.
Constellationwas dense with mysteries and loose endsthat had only just started to be resolved by the season 1 finale. Sadly, Apple TV+ announced the show wouldn’t continue shortly after its last episode was released.Constellation’s dark approach to universe-hopping felt strangely groundedand led to circumstances that aren’t often witnessed in similar narratives. I’d love to see what was going to happen after the finale’s last-minute twist, and I’ll remain irritated that I’ll never find out. Showrunner Peter Harness obviously had exciting long-term plans for theConstellationcast.
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008-2009)
James Cameron’s 2 Terminator movies immediately precede this sequel show
Even now,theTerminatorfranchise is still struggling to find a worthy successor to James Cameron’s first two movies. The saga hasn’t been quite the same since he stepped away. TheTerminatortimelinehas been retconned so many times that it’s difficult to keep up with what’s part of the main canon and what isn’t.The Sarah Connor Chroniclesoffers a brilliant alternative to those who don’t vibe with any of the movies beyond 1991’sTerminator 2:Judgment Day.
Ignoring the events of 2003’sTerminator 3: Rise of the Machines,The Sarah Connor Chroniclesserved as a direct sequel toJudgment Day, and was a far better version of what happened after Cameron’s era. It lacked the budget for the same level of special effects as its feature-length competitors, but the quality of the scripts and restoration of Cameron’s original timeline made it easy to overlook any of the show’s visual shortcomings. Unfortunately,Sarah Connornever got a proper ending. Despite an overwhelmingly positive reception, it was deemed unworthy of continuation after season 2.
Firefly (2002)
Mal Reynolds and his crew are still lauded as sci-fi legends despite a short run on TV
Firefly’s confusing cancellation seems like an obvious topic to raise when discussing sci-fi shows ending before their time, but the fact that it has been over 20 years and everyone is still talking about it reinforces the fact that ending it was the wrong decision. A blend between sci-fi and Westerns,Fireflywas a tricky show to market, which led to it not getting the expected viewing figures when it aired in 2002. Hybrid shows like this are commonplace in the modern day, butFireflywas something of a trailblazer in this respect.
Of course,Fireflyhas the advantage of not ending on a cliffhanger. Although the show itself ended without a satisfying resolution, the devoted fan base ultimately persuaded the higher-ups to give Nathan Fillion’s Mal Reynolds and his crew the chance to say a proper farewell. In 2005,Serenitybriefly revisited theFireflyuniverse for a feature-length adventure. LikeFirefly,Serenity’s performance didn’t match its quality. However, it remains a great part of the saga, and could probably have kick-started aFireflyrevival with enough effort.
Star Wars: The Acolyte (2024)
The franchise’s live-action High Republic era was far better than disgruntled fans made it out to be
In trueStar Warsfashion,The Acolytefailed to hit home with its fan base despite boasting many of the elements that have proved successful in the past. An extension of theStar Wars: High Republicbook series,The Acolytewas an attempt to acknowledge the canonical source material while also making that era of theStar Warstimelineaccessible to newcomers.The Jedi-heavy storyline was slickly shot, and felt authentic to theStar Warsuniverse while also offering something fresh.
DespiteStar Wars: The Acolyteseason 1’s finaleteasing the live-action debut of Darth Plagueis, Disney+ folded to the pressure of those who claimed the show wasn’t up to scratch.I truly enjoyed tuning in each week to watchThe Acolyte, and it still has a respectable 78% onRotten Tomatoes. I don’t understand how other fans didn’t enjoy seeing how the High Republic era was starting to close the gap that separated it from theStar Warsprequel movies. A key Dark Side figure was on the cusp of entering the fray, but apparently, that wasn’t good enough.
Terra Nova (2011)
This mashup of Lost & Jurassic Park really felt like it was headed somewhere
Initially set in a dystopian 22nd century and executive produced by Steven Spielberg,Terra Novatells the story of a family fleeing an incredibly polluted Earthand heading back to the planet’s Cretaceous period to live in a human colony while dinosaurs roamed around. It sounds like an idyllic and creative solution to the death of the human homeworld, butTerra Nova’s lone season is full of unexpected twists and turns.
Spielberg’s input is evident inTerra Nova’s cinematic cameraworkand high-stakes storyline, while remaining fairly accessible to those who don’t often engage with sci-fi. I don’t think there has been another show likeTerra Novasince, which makes it all the more disappointing that it was canceled so quickly. Still, it ticks severalsci-fihallmarks and is still work checking out, even with an incomplete arc.
