15 Shows with One-Season Runs That Are Worth Your Time

Here are 15 series that may not have been given the chance for a sophomore season but still graduated with full honors in storytelling.

1. Harper's Island (2009)

Friends and family gather on an isolated island for a wedding, but oops – there's a killer on the loose. This show was basically "Agatha Christie meets Scream". Each episode counted down to the big day and, spoiler alert, not everyone makes it to the altar. Suspicion mounts and alliances shift, while Abby Mills, the bride's best friend, tries to solve the mystery tied to her own haunted past.

2. Threshold (2005-2006)

When an alien spacecraft lands in the Atlantic Ocean, it's up to a team of experts led by Dr. Molly Caffrey to deal with the extraterrestrial threat. The team has to work against the clock to halt an infection that alters human DNA into a potentially hostile form. Procedural elements and good old sci-fi spookiness ensue.

3. Keen Eddie (2003-2004)

Eddie Arlette is a New York cop who ends up working in London after botching a drug bust. Paired with a British partner, Monty Pippin, he has to navigate cultural differences while solving crimes in his own brash American style. It's comedy, it's crime-solving, it's a dash of Anglo-American culture clash.

4. Clone High (2002-2003)

An animated series where historical figures like Abraham Lincoln, Cleopatra, and Gandhi are cloned and put into high school. Created by comedy heavyweights Phil Lord and Chris Miller, this show puts a wacky spin on world history while tackling classic teenage dilemmas. Abe's torn between Cleopatra and his childhood friend Joan (of Arc), and yes, that's exactly as funny and awkward as it sounds.

5. Limitless (2015-2016)

Based on the 2011 movie, this show follows Brian Finch, who stumbles upon a mysterious drug called NZT-48 that unlocks his brain's full potential. Drafted by the FBI to solve complex cases, he's a regular guy turned super-genius. But there's a catch: side effects can be lethal, and there are shadowy figures who'd kill for that pill.

6. Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006-2007)

What goes on behind the scenes of a sketch comedy show? This drama pulls the curtain back on the high-stakes world of television production. It stars Bradley Whitford and Matthew Perry as showrunners of the fictional Studio 60. Amid dealing with network politics, they also juggle relationship drama and even a hostage crisis.

7. The Tick (2001-2002)

If you're tired of the grim-dark superhero shows or never-ending parade of cheap CGI in Disney+ and Marvel shows, The Tick is the palette cleanser you've been waiting for. The Tick is a virtually indestructible, albeit not-so-bright, superhero in a blue tick suit. He teams up with Arthur, an average guy in a moth costume, to fight crime and foil the evil plans of the Terror, a villain believed to be dead.

8. Wonderfalls (2004)

Jaye Tyler is a twenty-something underachiever working at a Niagara Falls gift shop. Life's pretty mundane until inanimate animal figures start talking to her. These little critters give her vague instructions that lead her into weird situations but ultimately help people around her. Jaye struggles to make sense of it all, wondering if she's going nuts or if destiny's just got a weird sense of humor.

9. Almost Human (2013-2014)

The year is 2048, and the police force includes highly advanced, human-like androids. Enter John Kennex, a cop recovering from a traumatic injury, and his outdated, "synthetic" partner, Dorian. They're an odd couple, but together they solve crimes that often blur the line between man and machine.

10. The Middleman (2008)

Wendy Watson starts off as a struggling artist but quickly gets recruited as a sidekick to the Middleman, a comic book-style hero fighting comic book-style villains. We're talking about aliens, mad scientists, and evil succubi. Wendy's just trying to make rent, but she ends up saving the world more times than she can count.

11. Firefly (2002)

Set in a space western universe, this series follows the crew of the ship Serenity, led by Captain Malcolm Reynolds. They take on various illegal jobs while dodging authorities and dangerous foes. It's Robin Hood meets Star Wars. Malcolm, once a soldier fighting against the oppressive Alliance, now champions the little guy.

12. Freaks and Geeks (1999-2000)

High school – or, to be more specific, the 1980s version of it. This one follows two siblings, Lindsay and Sam Weir, navigating the treacherous halls of adolescence. Lindsay ditches her mathlete life to hang with the "freaks", a group of burnout kids who are all about rock 'n' roll and rebellion. Sam, on the other hand, hangs with the "geeks", comic book-loving, Dungeons & Dragons-playing outcasts.

13. My So-Called Life (1994-1995)

Angela Chase, a 15-year-old, gives us a front-row seat to the emotional rollercoaster of teenage life. She dyes her hair red, crushes on the mysterious bad boy Jordan Catalano, and stumbles through the perils of friendship and family. Every episode is like a mini-melodrama exploring the tiny tragedies and triumphs of high school, from first loves to fights with parents.

14. FlashForward (2009-2010)

Everyone in the world blacks out for 137 seconds and gets a glimpse of their future. FBI agents Mark Benford and Demetri Noh try to uncover why this happened and what it means. From conspiracy theories to existential questions, the show is a mind-bending experience. Mark sees himself investigating the very event he's currently experiencing, creating a time loop that drives much of the story.

15. Terriers (2010)

Private investigator Hank Dolworth teams up with his best bud, Britt Pollack, in this buddy-crime-drama set in Ocean Beach, California. They take on small-time cases but stumble upon a massive conspiracy involving real estate fraud. Hank, an ex-cop with an ex-wife he's still in love with, wants to make things right but often makes them worse. Britt, his ex-thief pal, just wants a normal life but can't escape his past.