The 220 Best Cult TV Shows
This is a list of the best cult TV shows ever, ranked by their loyal fans. TV series that develop cult followings are known for their magnetic characters, pithy dialogue, and complex plots that interweave of the course of several episodes or seasons. The best cult TV fan bases are passionate and may feel deeply attached to the cult characters, their lives, and their relationships. Many devoted fan communities take to online message boards, writing fan-fiction, and attending conventions dressed as their favorite characters.
Long-running mainstream series such as The Twilight Zone, Lost, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer easily attracted loyal fanbases, but even more impressive are those beloved shows that only lasted a season or two, like Freaks and Geeks and Firefly. Even after their favorite shows go off the air, fans of cult TV shows continue to collect memorabilia, replica props, and do cosplay at fan events. This subcultural phenomenon spans genres from sci-fi cult shows to fantasy, drama, and even comedy cult series. This list also includes cult classic TV shows and top cult TV series.Â
What are the best cult TV series? To vote on more of the best TV series, check out these lists of the best sci-fi shows of all time and the best shows cancelled too soon.
- 1Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn
- Premiered: January 20, 2008
- Network: AMC
- 2Rod Serling, Robert McCord, Jay Overholts
- Premiered: October 2, 1959
- Network: CBS
- 3Peter Dinklage, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Lena Headey
- Premiered: April 17, 2011
- Network: HBO
- 4Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk
- Premiered: September 20, 2002
- Network: FOX
- 5Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Andrew Scott
- Premiered: July 25, 2010
- Network: BBC One
- 6Gillian Anderson, David Duchovny, Mitch Pileggi
- Premiered: September 10, 1993
- Network: FOX
