24 Shows That Were Surprisingly Good But Never Popular

"It deserved at least a cult following."

Do you ever think about those TV shows that were actually pretty good but never gained the recognition they deserved?

Well, Reddit user u/BluePinky asked the question, "What is a great TV show that never became popular?" The thread has thousands of responses from people talking about shows that got canceled too soon or ones that would have become popular if only they were on today's streaming services.

Here are some of the responses:

1. Travelers

Netflix / Via Everett Collection

"Great characters, just the right mix of clever but not too serious/heavy, and the whole premise is, of course, extremely fucking relevant." —u/KidneyBeams

2. Party Down

Starz / Via giphy.com

"Such a stellar cast, great premise, but got kneecapped when their eventual stars all got bigger gigs. Jane Lynch went on to do Glee, Adam Scott landed his gig on Parks and Recreation. and the show ended after two seasons. Still one of my favorite comedy shows." —u/comeupoutdawatah

3. Happy Endings

Richard Cartwright / ABC / Via Everett Collection

"Happy Endings. A great little comedy that deserved better." —u/ErraticVole

4. Reaper

Jack Rowand / ABC/Touchstone Television / Via Everett Collection

"Reaper was great but was canceled too early, unfortunately!" —u/CosmicMothness

5. Don’t Trust the B---- in Apartment 23

Kelsey McNeal / © ABC / Courtesy Everett Collection

"I loved that show. The cast was great, and it was actually funny. I still rewatch now and again; don’t know why it was never popular. It’s also a show that I think could be genuinely rebooted without it being forced." —u/politetemper

6. Generation Kill

HBO / Via giphy.com

"Generation Kill. Great show on HBO. Don't know too many people who've ever seen it, but they all say it's great, including me." —u/Beaver21Beaver

7. Dead Like Me

James Dittiger / Showtime, © Showtime / Via Everett Collection

"It's a dark comedy that is profoundly deep at times. It also stars Mandy Patinkin in a supporting role. It was a great show." —u/Krishnath_Dragon

8. Counterpart

Michael Moriatis / Starz / Via Everett Collection

"Amazing sci-fi/espionage series that lasted two seasons on Showtime a few years ago. J.K. Simmons plays a meek, gentle paper pusher at a mysterious company in Berlin who finds out that his organization is actually in charge of communicating with a twin organization in an alternate universe. He then meets HIS own twin, who is an amoral, cynical, calculating assassin." —u/PhillipLlerenas

9. Pushing Daisies

ABC / Via giphy.com

"Got canceled during the 2007 writers strike. It's kinda old at this point but remains one of my all-time favorite shows in all its unfinished glory." —u/electricdeathrats

10. Eureka

Eike Schroter / Syfy / Via Everett Collection

"It was a travesty that it got stuck on Sci-Fi/Syfy. If it had been put on the right channel and slot so people knew it existed, I sincerely think it would have been HUGE." —u/SeattleTrashPanda

11. Carnivale

HBO / Via giphy.com

"A wonderful and strange Depression-era story about the forces of good and evil as a bunch of carnies make their way through the dust bowl. It was tragically canceled after two seasons but is an absolute must-watch." —u/OneHundredChickens

12. Home Movies

@homemoviesofficial / Via instagram.com

"It was pure gold, but I guess didn't have the same draw as Family Guy and whatever else was huge at the time." —u/nuages44

13. Awake

Jordin Althaus / NBC / Via Everett Collection

"It was a show starring Jason Isaacs where he simultaneously lived in two separate timelines. He was in a car accident with his wife and son. So in one timeline, his son dies and he still has his wife. But in the other timeline, it’s his wife who dies, while his son is still alive." —u/APartyInMyPants

14. Jericho

© Acorn TV / Via Everett Collection

"Loved Jericho so much. I'm glad they had a heads-up that it was getting canceled and cobbled together somewhat of a conclusion in the second half of Season 2. That hasty conclusion made me really want to see what they could have done with more time because, although rushed, it was an interesting world they built." —u/RibMusic

15. Suburgatory

ABC / Via giphy.com

"Suburgatory was great, and I agree with Dead Like Me too." —u/eve_713

16. News Radio

Mike Ansell / Brillstein-Grey Entertainment / Via Everett Collection

"News Radio was a critical darling but didn't have a big following, but goddamn, that show was funny." —u/tickle_mittens

17. Patriot

Jessica Forde / © Amazon / Via Everett Collection

"Fantastic slow-burn dark comedy spy show. Available on Amazon Prime, and a podcast just started to give some ancillary fun." —u/willostree

18. Limitless

CBS / Via giphy.com

"Only got one season for some reason; plus, CBS wanted more room for other stuff." —u/fandomgirl33

19. Galavant

Nick Ray / ABC / Via Everett Collection

"It was one of my favorite shows during its run. It was this light, quirky fantasy musical on network TV. It was a miracle it got two seasons. It felt like Mel Brooks got tabbed to remix Princess Bride and Monty Python." —u/Bargeinthelane

20. Hell on Wheels

AMC / Via giphy.com

"Hell on Wheels is a seriously slept-on show. It was on AMC at the same time as Breaking Bad and when The Walking Dead was at its peak, so it got shoved under the rug." —u/THExBEARxJEW

21. I Am Not Okay With This

Netflix / Via giphy.com

"Good vibes, nice songs, cool style, quite good cast. I liked the ending of the first season, but Netflix has just canceled the whole show (due to COVID, they said)." —u/zoltanson666

22. Trial & Error

NBC / Via giphy.com

"It came out in 2017 and was canceled in 2019. It's essentially a true crime mockumentary sitcom. The first season was good but not great, but then the second season was absolutely fantastic. This show is for anyone who loves shows like Documentary Now and Parks and Rec." —u/ihateworking20

23. Deadwood

HBO / Via giphy.com

"It's a damn shame they canceled that masterpiece. Could've had a great ending if not for that." —u/Mortemulous

24. Man Seeking Woman

FXX / Via giphy.com

"Such a hilarious show; it deserved at least a cult following." —u/HandLion

What shows do you feel are underrated? Let us know in the comments!

Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.