For all that streamers and cable channels love to boast about how much everyone loves their brand-new shows, a lot of us just enjoy rewatching stuff we’ve seen before, or catching up on well-loved older shows we missed during their time. The streaming era has made it easier than ever for people to access older TV while also narrowing the list of what’s available— and by extension narrowing the range of what kinds of shows end up enduring in popularity long after their finales have aired. For every Sopranos or Twilight Zone there are tons of other shows that were just as popular at the time but never had as much lasting impact.
It’s not just streaming’s fault when a once-beloved show fades into obscurity. Some stuff is just too niche, or too dated, for modern audiences to gravitate towards. Stuff that was high-tech or socially progressive for its era can start to seem corny or backward once a few decades have passed. Whatever the reason, the history of television is littered with once-beloved series that are now all but forgotten.
But not by us, and that’s why, for this list, we’ve picked ten great shows from television’s past that, while iconic in their day, have faded from the popular consciousness; action shows starring strong female characters (who are half cyborg), or dramas about oil tycoons dirty dealing during gala parties. From Brooklyn, New York all the way to Alaska and the islands of the tropics, these are the shows everyone used to love, until we all forgot about them.
10 Once-Beloved TV Shows That Have Faded Away
The history of television is littered with once-beloved series that are now all but forgotten.
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