A lot of TV shows reach mainstream popularity to the point where they belong to everyone. No matter how much you might love Breaking Bad, there’s someone out there with just one more Walter White poster on their bedroom wall (yes, even the adults do this.) Friends is the comfort drama every Millenial puts on the screen when they’re down in the dumps on a rainy Saturday afternoon in February. These are some of the most famous series ever put on the small screen, often so popular it becomes nauseating.
We want to focus on the shows that are a little more niche, the ones that were popular amongst pockets of the TV populace but never reached the wide audiences of the shows mentioned above. We refer to these classics as cult TV shows, and they come in many shapes and sizes. Some cult TV series make you laugh with weird characters. Others are dramas in obscure categories like sci-fi or LGBTQ+ historical epics. These are the best cult TV shows you need to check out and join the rabid fandoms of.
Arrested Development (2003)
The world was not ready for Arrested Development when it came to FOX in the early 2000s. So much unique humor, a variety of unique storytelling formats, and camera work that hadn’t been experimented with in comedy up to this point all make the show brilliant yet also difficult to get into for first-time viewers. People who love Jason Bateman and Will Arnett in other projects are probably already familiar with their style and joke delivery from this series. Shoutout to other big names that appeared here such as Michael Cera and Tony Hale. The Bluth family remains lovably hateable two decades-plus after the pilot episode.
The X-Files (1993)
The X-Files may or may not qualify for this list. Writer discretion was used here, and this writer believes creator Chris Carter’s science fiction revolutionary remains a cult classic even though it amassed a large audience on FOX during the middle and later seasons of its run. The series follows two romantically-tinged detectives who uncover paranormal secrets about the world and apply their perfect chemistry to uncover the truth. Those who loved The X-Files with all their heart and soul helped to make sci-fi series like this a regular thing on TV in the future. Stranger Things probably wouldn’t exist without The X-Files. Fun fact: Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan worked on this show and even used Bryan Cranston in a cameo role in one episode. This helped Cranston win the role of Walter White on Breaking Bad.
Our Flag Means Death (2022)
LGBTQ+ TV fans helped make Our Flag Means Death a community-liked safe haven for those on the fringes of society during its two years on Max. Taika Waititi and Ewan Bremmer are excellent as loose depictions of pirates who come together and fight each other while providing plenty of laughs. Here’s to hoping the show will get picked up by another streamer or network at some point and revived. The set design and aesthetic of the series are also incredible and helped give it cult appeal.
Community (2009)
Firefly (2002)
Firefly is more known for its instant cancellation than it is for great storytelling in the 14 episodes it existed. Listen to any sci-fi geek talk about this series and they’ll claim they saw art of the highest caliber. Nathan Fillion stars and Joss Whedon cooks up incredible plot lines in this drama about an unconventional space crew navigating new human colonies hundreds of years in the future. If this show had premiered on a streaming service such as Netflix or Max two decades later it’s safe to say it would have been much more mainstream and a mega-hit.
Fringe (2008)
Fringe is another sci-fi show that was a little to sciencey for its time period and network of airing. The storylines follow scientists who use new types of science to solve puzzles and mysteries about the world and uncover truths about the extent of the universe and how far humankind can reach within it. The late Lance Reddick is one of the standout actors in the series.
Supernatural (2005)
Before Eric Kripke crafted the grossest, most-engrossing show on TV today with The Boys, he was the creator of the offbeat sci-fi series Supernatural. Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles are the stars of this one as brothers who solve mysteries and destroy alien monsters that stand in their way. Think of Scooby-Doo but a lot more mature.
