There are some shows that don't get nearly enough love or attention. In many cases, it feels like shows that fall into the science fiction and fantasty categories struggle the most. Whether because of the niche or the topics covered, these shows can sometimes go overlooked.
As a fan of these two genres (often conflated under one umbrella), it can be disappointing when a show you love doesn't seem to get the attention it deserves. And while that feels like something we see often in this genre, there are some shows that truly don't (or didn't) get the love they should have.
While there are so many shows that could make this list, I am sticking with five shows that I think need more viewers. In some cases, I truly believe that if more people gave these shows the attention they deserved, we might still be getting brand new episodes.
5 Science Fiction and Fantasy shows that deserve to get more attention
1. The OA (Netflix)
The OA is primarily billed as a drama series with elements of science fiction and fantasy. However, I feel like this is truly a science fiction story with plenty of drama and mystery. We have a young woman who was missing for years, and when she returns to her life she is no longer blind and she has scars that tell a story about how her life has been since she went missing. That alone is enough to get us wondering exactly what she went through. Then we get these looks back at her lost years which lead us down a rabbit hole that leads to interdimensional travel!
This is definitely a science fiction series and it deserved to finish telling the story it started. The fact that The OA only received two seasons really is tragic.
2. SurrealEstate (SyFy)
I am not going to lie: SurrealEstate is a bit of a guilty pleasure. The third season is currently airing on SyFy, and it is once again giving us an epic fantasy adventure packed with weird hauntings and events that are causing issues for the real estate agents of The Roman/Ireland Agency.
While you might say this is a bit more on the paranormal side of things, SurrealEstate blends enough genres to be included under the sci-fi/fantasy umbrella. In fact, in the second season, we had the AI of a house trapping one of our leads in the walls of her house. In another episode, we meet a woman who doesn't want to leave her home because she has lived there for so long she's lost the ability die and doesn't want to risk that changing. The problem is that she doesn't own the building her home is in and the developers need her out.
There are so many unique stories in this unique, genre-bending series. This is the kind of show more people need to watch so that we can keep getting more seasons of SurrealEstate!
3. Travelers (Netflix)
Travelers is a very interesting show. It provides a fresh take on time travel: the idea is that the consciousnesses of people from the future travel back in time to try to make subtle changes that will save people in their time, after the population whittles down drastically.
I think the fact that this series was a bit more complex when it came to its storytelling is part of what kept people away. While the show does have a following, I believe that it deserved more love. The characters are compelling and the story intense, but it took a bit to really learn what was truly happening. I think the slow burn of the story might have also kept people from really connecting with Travelers, and that's a shame. But it's never too late to catch up.
4. Orphan Black (BBC America)
Orphan Black is the kind of show that really should have more of a following. Not only do we have clones and a giant conspiracy that revolves around the science of genetics, but we've got one actress — Tatiana Maslany — brilliantly playing all the different clones, a very impressive feat of acting.
Orphan Black isn't just a science fiction series, it’s also a dramatic thriller. It really does deliver when it comes to storytelling. I think the fact that it’s very fast-paced can cause issues for some viewers. In an age where more people are scrolling on their phones while watching TV, Orphan Black needs you to pay attention. The twists keeps coming, and it almost feels like if you blink, you might miss something.
I truly believe that not enough people are talking about this series. And that is truly a shame. But all five seasons of the original show are out there to enjoy, plus one season of a spinoff shows called Orphan Black: Echoes starring Krysten Ritter.
5. The Magicians (SyFy)
The Magicians is the kind of fantasy series that I feel like people slept on. It's based on a series of books by Lev Grossman, and sometimes TV shows based on novels can struggle. But The Magicians soared.
The Magicians is about people who discover they have magic abilities training to use them at a special university; think of it as Harry Potter Goes To College. Once they enroll in this university, they learn that the worlds that they have read about in fantasy books are not only real, but post a clear and present danger to them in their world.
Although this series was given five seasons, I don’t think that was enough. I think this show needed more time to fully explore these characters and these worlds. Some of my favorite scenes and one-liners of all time come from the show. I wish more people had talked about this series when it was on air, and I can only hope viewers find it now so that we can potentially revisit this story.
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