Sci-fi and fantasy shows tend to flourish on television, because the serial structure gives them plenty of space to include expansive world-building. However, the genre often costs a lot of money to put on screen, and studios tend to be hesitant to continue producing a series unless it's a sure success.
Because of that, there are a ton of amazing TV shows that never had the chance to really get off the ground. For every Supernatural and Doctor Who, there are dozens of series that only got a season or two. Even some that got several seasons were hit by unexpected cancellations that made for rushed endings or unfulfilling cliffhangers.
The classic example will always be Firefly, which is held up as the cult classic that could have changed television if it had just been given the chance. But there are many other examples that fans got hooked on, just to learn that they would never have their questions answered. Here are seven of the best sci-fi and fantasy series that were canceled way too soon.
Merlin (2008-2012)
While the BBC Merlin series was able to run for five seasons, it feels obvious when watching it that the writers were expecting to have more time. The series followed young adult versions of classic Arthurian figures, showing how they grew into their mythical counterparts. At the start, Merlin had little knowledge or control over his magic, Arthur was an arrogant jerk, Guinevere was a castle servant, and Morgana was kind, seeking only to help others.
Over time, the characters began to resemble the ones from literature, but there was a drastic shift between the last two seasons. Arthur had just started becoming the true King of Camelot, and then there was a three-year time jump. The final season tried to speed-run the traditional stories, leading up to the downfall of Albion, but audiences never really got to see the Golden Age that had been promised all along.
While the announcement of the show's conclusion claimed that it was always intended to be five seasons, it's hard to accept that as the truth. According to the show's creators, there had been plans to make movies set in that world, and there have been talks about a revival ever since it ended. Whether it was intentional or not, it certainly felt like Merlin needed another season to flesh out Camelot's Golden Age and show the characters at their height, rather than just jumping to their endings.
Dollhouse (2009-2010)
After the success of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Joss Whedon switched from supernatural fantasy to sci-fi with Dollhouse, a show about people who have their minds erased to be uploaded with new identities to suit the needs of the wealthy. The series followed Echo, played by Buffy alum Eliza Dushku, one of the "dolls" who retained memories from the different lives she was given.
While the first season was very concept-heavy, focusing primarily on Echo and her experience within the Dollhouse, it expanded drastically in season 2. There, the show focused in on various employees within the Dollhouse as they grappled with the morality of their jobs and their lack of information about who they were working for. This led up to a massive conspiracy that the show could never sufficiently address.
While fans learned about the cancellation before the final episodes aired, it was incredibly jarring to go from a fairly slow-burn style to the penultimate episode's cliffhangers and the final episode's time jumps. Dollhouse had a lot of potential, and while it's still worth starting, its cancellation makes it a confusing series to finish.
Galavant (2015-2016)
Galavant was a hard concept for audiences to wrap their heads around, mixing fantasy aesthetics with the musical comedy structure. Even so, it had a devoted fan base, which was heartbroken when it was canceled after only two seasons. The show began with a fairly trope-y collection of heroes, evil kings, and damsels in distress, but it flipped those tropes on their head as the first season ended and continued to explore the range of the characters in the second season.
While the final episode poked fun at how unlikely it was that the show would get another chance, it was still upsetting to see such a quirky, unique series end so soon. Many of the main plot lines were wrapped up, but it's hard to shake the feeling that they could have done so much more. After all, Galavant was created by the same man who wrote Tangled and created This is Us, Dan Fogelman. He undoubtedly had more ideas for where the series could go next.
Ultimately, Galavant ended with a much more satisfying conclusion than many of the others on this list. However, it deserved the time to get even better. There aren't many original ideas on network television, so it would have been nice to see such a unique idea flourish on ABC.
Raised by Wolves (2020-2022)
Raised by Wolves begins with the concept of androids tasked with raising human children, but it uses that idea to dive deep into questions of sentience and humanity. The show was incredibly unique, building up to a season 2 finale with multiple cliffhangers that needed answers. But it was canceled due to studio mergers, and the writers' plans had to be abandoned.
Since its cancellation, there has been a lot of debate over whether it was brilliant or ridiculous, and the lack of closure certainly lends credence to the latter argument. But while it was unable to resolve some of its plotlines, that doesn't mean that it wouldn't have if there had been more time. The production team had a clear plan they were trying to follow, and they simply didn't get to finish.
While it's really a personal choice whether you want to start this show, knowing it doesn't have a real ending, it's clear that it deserved at least enough time to wrap up the plot lines it had begun. Lead actor Abubakar Salim asked fans to show their support in the hopes that the series might be saved, and we can only hope that the studios see how many people loved it.
I Am Not Okay With This (2020)
I Am Not Okay With This is one of many Netflix shows that was canceled after just one season, leading to a lot of frustration from fans who were desperate to see where it went next. The story follows Sydney, a teenage girl whose world is falling apart, from her father's suicide to a series of conflicts with her best friend. But it's all a little bit more complicated, because she's also developing psychic and telekinetic powers.
There's definitely some major Carrie vibes going on, leading up to a disastrous school dance. But the show was about to completely change when Sydney met a man who seemed to have all the answers and be prepared to teach her about her abilities. Despite having begun work on a second season, though, Netflix canceled I Am Not Okay With This "due to circumstances created by COVID."
Years later, it's still frustrating to think about how it all ended. The first season was a lot of build-up, and while the homecoming confrontation could be called a climax, it's clear that it was also just the beginning of Sydney's story. A second season was necessary for all of that rising action to feel worthwhile.
1899 (2022)
1899 is a series that spent most of its time building mysteries for audiences to enjoy, but it was canceled before being able to solve all of them. The series follows a Transatlantic ship full of mysterious passengers. But what begins as a period mystery soon becomes more complicated, as the passengers all have secrets that cannot be fully explained in the real world.
By the end, the biggest mystery has been solved, helping to explain some of the passengers' oddities, but there are way bigger problems left unsolved. Some of the passengers' secrets are still unanswered, and the overall setting has a major shift that changes everything. The creators had planned for three seasons, and the lack of resolution makes it hard to recommend, despite its many strengths.
This is the kind of show that takes an incredible amount of commitment from its audience, including the use of multiple languages, intricate plotlines, and clues that simply don't make sense with the show ending so soon. The creators explained that each season was intended as part of the traditional three-act story structure, so canceling it after just one season was like turning off Jurassic Park before any of the dinosaurs escape.
My Lady Jane (2024)
My Lady Jane is one of the most recent examples of pseudo-historical shows with modern tones, but it had the added twist of several fantasy elements, including the ability for some humans to transform into animals. The main concept surrounds the idea of Jane Grey, England's "Nine Days' Queen," having more agency over her life and future.
Throughout the show, there are two main plot lines: who will hold the throne, and how can the Ethians (human-animal shape shifters) break free of oppression? The first season gives a relatively satisfying ending to these questions, but there was clearly more to be explored, both in terms of the truly chaotic historical period and the elements teased in the epilogue. Alas, Prime Video canceled it.
This is not the most egregious cancellation, but it was a disappointing one, given that the series had popular and critical acclaim. Even George R. R. Martin posted about his disappointment that it didn't have the chance to continue. Like so many other shows on this list, it ended before it had the chance to flesh out all of its ideas and make its mark on the media landscape.
Sadly, the general perspective from studios these days seems to be that a series must either be something that anybody could watch a few episodes of (like the bevy of medical and law enforcement shows out there) or something that has undeniable viewership (like Stranger Things). This has made it so that shows in the fantasy and science fiction genre rarely have the time they need to tell a compelling story.
There are just too many burdens on these genres, from the necessity for more world building to the fact that they are not built for a 'general audience.' But for those who love sci-fi and fantasy, those who want to see shows that do something different, these seven series are worth watching, even knowing that they lack the conclusions they deserved.