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'Doctor Who' (1963-1989, 2005-present) -

The BBC's long-running sci-fi series about a mysterious time-traveling figure has earned one of the most obsessive fandoms spanning the most generations. There was a 16-year break and many bumps in the road of its popularity, but it continues to be a cult-favorite even as it reinvents itself with new Doctors and companions.

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'Firefly' (2002-2003) - Joss Whedon's sci-fi drama had something for everyone—deep space exploration, Nathan Fillion, and some of the scariest villains. But it ended with so many loose ends, as it was canceled before its first season had even finished airing. Luckily, they made a movie to sort some of them out.

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'Quantum Leap' (1989-1993) -

This futuristic, backward-traveling sci-fi series followed former scientist Sam Beckett as he leapt into the lives of people from the past, and something about the dream of going back to fix pieces of history, big or small, captured the hearts of dedicated fans.

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'The Ben Stiller Show' (1992–1995) -

Co-created with Judd Apatow, a 20-something Ben Stiller shone in the fresh-faced sketch comedy show that never hit big but became something of a cult-like obsession for comedy lovers.

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'Battlestar Galactica' (1978-1979, 2004-2009) -

The successful franchise of sequel series, novels, comics, games, and so forth can thank its fiercely loyal cult-following to the original series. Though it was canceled due to declining ratings and cost overruns, executive producer Ronald D. Moore banked on the fan base and the addition of a post-9/11 parable, and the show became one of the most critically-acclaimed series of the decade.

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'Arrested Development' (2003-2006, 2013-2019) -

Not many people know that this series suffered low ratings on Fox when it was airing, which is why it was canceled after the third season. That's largely because the legions of dedicated fans continued to sing its praises until it was rebooted. For many, the kooky, fraudulent, and cringey antics of the Bluth family make some of the best TV they've ever seen.

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'Lost' (2004-2010) -

Often cited as one of the first mainstream TV series to have a cult following, not even the people making 'Lost' had any idea of how popular the castaways of Oceanic Flight 815 would become. It was an endlessly unfolding sci-fi mystery on a deserted island that generated endless fan theories and became a divisive but enormous pop culture moment.

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'The X-Files' (1993- 2002, 2016, 2018) -

Though the series about two FBI agents investigating the paranormal became a pop culture smash that tapped into the increasing mistrust of governments, in the beginning the series was considered a cult series. It turned into a pop culture touchstone that tapped into public mistrust of governments and large institutions and embraced conspiracy theories and spirituality.

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'Veronica Mars' (2004–2007) -

Fans of the show call themselves Marshmallows, so that should do it if you weren't convinced of the cult status of this early 2000s SoCal detective series that only lasted three seasons. Audiences were so fervent with their admiration that years later it was made into a low-budget crowd-funded film, and then Hulu picked it back up more than 10 years later for a long-awaited fourth season.

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'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' (1997-2003) -

This show ran for seven seasons and wasn't exactly under-appreciated, but it certainly has a cult following and paved the way for so many other high school sci-fi successes.

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'Freaks and Geeks' (1999-2000) -

Running only for one season, Paul Feig and Judd Apatow's show has since become a treasured and hilarious snapshot of misfit high schoolers in the '80s, not to mention it launched the careers of stars like James Franco, Seth Rogen, Linda Cardellini, Jason Segel, Busy Philipps, and more.

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'Undeclared' (2001-2002) -

Judd Apatow has an even shorter-lived series than 'Freaks and Geeks,' which also makes the list of essential cult-favorite shows. But this one is about college freshmen and includes the likes of Jay Baruchel, Seth Rogen, and Charlie Hunnam.

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'The Comeback' (2005, 2014) -

This HBO series starred 'Friends' alum Lisa Kudrow as a washed-up '90s sitcom star in a mockumentary-type satire of the TV industry. The repeated humiliation of the delusional lead character was so cringey that the show was canceled after one season, despite its cult fandom. When cringe comedy took to the mainstream, however, the show was revived in 2014 for another season.

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'Suburgatory' (2011-2014) -

Underrated and underwatched, this brilliant series is about a single father and his daughter who move from New York City to a manicured set of suburbs, complete with a country club, perfect lawns, and Red Bull-sipping, overly done-up mothers. As the two adjust to their new life, they form bonds with their weird neighbors, fall in love with the last people they would've expected, and learn a lot about themselves.

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'The Young Ones' (1982-1984) -

This British sitcom about the adventures of four students and their landlord's family ran for two seasons, but played a heavy role in introducing alternative, anarchic, and surreal comedy to '80s TV. It made the leap to the US in 1985 and became a cult hit on MTV, and inspired the likes of Conan O'Brien.

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'Star Trek: The Original Series' (1966-1969) -

The now-widely known show following the adventures of the starship USS Enterprise was originally canceled after three seasons, but several years later the series became a hit in broadcast syndication, achieving cult-classic status among “Trekkies” and eventually spawning the massive franchise of various series, countless feature films, and numerous books, games, and toys.

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'The OA' (2016–2019) -

This mystery, sci-fi, fantastical show follows a woman who returns to society with new abilities after vanishing years ago, and it only gets weirder from there. The show had such a cult-following that when Netflix canceled it after just two seasons, fans took to the internet to stage a mass protest.

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'Fawlty Towers' (1975, 1979) -

John Cleese and Connie Booth's sitcom about a fictional hotel ran for one season of just six episodes in 1975, then another four years later, and still to this day people who watched the show can't stop singing its praises. Even in 2019 it was named the greatest ever British TV sitcom by a panel of comedy experts compiled by the Radio Times, and remains one of the best rewatchable series ever.

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'My So-Called Life' (1994-1995) -

Claire Danes and Jared Leto star in this cult-favorite series that worshipped teen angst of the '90s but in a way that was still far ahead of its time. 

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'The IT Crowd' (2006–2010) -

This British sitcom didn't make it big around the world, but its bouncy dialogue and heartfelt, goofy friendships created a loyal audience across its 24 episodes. Even though a fifth seasoned was commissioned, it wasn't produced, adding to its cult-like characteristics, and instead a one-off special tied a bow over the series in 2013.

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'The Wire' (2002-2008) -

The 60-episode US crime drama set in Baltimore stars British actor Dominic West in the lead role, which may have contributed to it becoming a cult-favorite in the UK, too. During its original run, the series only had average ratings and never won any major awards, but in later years it was heralded as one of the greatest pieces of TV ever made.

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'Pushing Daisies' (2007-2009) - This quirky, brightly-colored series follows Ned, a piemaker who can bring the dead back to life with one touch (and kill them again with the second touch). Along with his undead childhood crush, Ned uses his ability to solve murder cases. Utterly delightful and gone too soon… It would be great if Ned could use his magic touch to return this show to life.

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'Selfie' (2014) -

The poor choice of name for this show may have been its undoing. The romantic comedy, which starred Karen Gillan and the inimitable John Cho, followed the pair as Cho's character (Henry) tried to help Gillan's (Eliza) become a less shallow, social media-obsessed person. In the process, Henry finds himself improving too, and the pair experience some major sparks.

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'The Twilight Zone' (1959-1964) -

This American horror anthology series set the foundation for so many beloved horror and sci-fi shows of today, and its fan base remained so sturdy and passed it through the generations. In 2019 it was rebooted, though it had too-big shoes to fill.

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'Twin Peaks' (1990–1991) -

Everyone has a weird friend who loves 'Twin Peaks,' and many of those weirdos went on to make hit shows like 'Mad Men' and 'Breaking Bad.' David Lynch and Mark Frost created a detective series so strange and unnerving that it stirred admiration to the point that it spurred on a film in 1992 and a reboot season in 2017.

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'Futurama' (1999-2003, 2008-2013) -

The animated sitcom about an accidentally frozen pizza delivery guy waking up 1,000 years in the future was originally put on permanent hiatus after its initial 72-episode run. But fans of the show kept buying DVDs, which in turn led to the revival of the series in 2010 on Comedy Central following Adult Swim's expiration of the broadcast rights.

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'Mystery Science Theater 3000' (1988-1999) -

Two mad scientists trap a human janitor on the Satellite of Love space capsule and make him watch badly-made movies to monitor his reaction... Though its original run didn't earn high ratings, the show's popularity spread through its fans, known as "MSTies" or "Mysties,” and after a 2017 crowd-funded revival and another in 2021, it's safe to call this series one of the top cult television shows.

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'Party Down' (2009-2010) -

Paul Rudd is one of the talents responsible for this cult-favorite, short-lived show about six Hollywood wannabes who work as food caterers to the LA elite. Not only did it have incredible comedy actors—Adam Scott, Lizzy Caplan, Martin Starr, Jane Lynch, and Megan Mullally—but each episode was a new party filled with offbeat lines and endless opportunities.

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'Happy Endings' (2011-2013) -

This underrated sitcom found a home on Hulu, but it didn't last long. What at first appears to be a friends-hanging-out style show turns into a completely absurd, sharp, and hilarious show with a great deal of self-awareness. The cast has been popping up left and right on shows like 'New Girl' and 'The Mindy Project,' though 'Happy Endings' was where they each shone brightest.

Sources: (Thrillist) (Ranker) (IMDb) (Rolling Stone)

See also: The 30 most essential cult films of all time

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