I’m sure you’ve been in a similar situation to me. You start watching a new show on the streaming service of your choice. You binge-watch the first season for it to be left on a cliff-hanger. Not being able to wait, you search online only to discover that the show has been cancelled after one season. I’m sure like me, your remote has been flung in frustration across the room. Here are nine TV shows that definitely should have had at least a second season.

1. My So-Called Life

This was a show that gave me one of my first teenage crushes: the fabulous Clare Danes. The show itself followed a group of American teenagers through high school. It was known for tackling teen issues such as identity; relationships; drinking, and even guns in schools. They never made a second season, although season one did have a hefty nineteen episodes that aired between 1994 and 1995.

It was one of those great TV shows that never made a second season, which is a shame. I felt there were more subjects to explore. The show did set Claire Danes off on a successful career, though. And Wilson Cruz also did pretty well out of it, as he’s currently the doctor on Star Trek: Discovery.

2. Space: Above and Beyond

Keeping the 90s theme going is Space: Above and Beyond. It aired in 1994 and had a pretty interesting premise. It revolved around humans battling an alien species called ‘Chigs’ – I know, a terrible name. Looking back now, it does seem a bit dated. It certainly doesn’t have the cerebral edge that Star Trek has. But it does have a story to tell. It needed at least three or four seasons to say what it needed to. Sadly, it was cancelled after one season as viewers didn’t quite take to it. That’s a shame, as it showed a lot of promise for future seasons. Maybe it’ll get a remake one day.

3. Freaks and Geeks

This cult show is now twenty years old. The premise of the show was around the experiences of high school kids. Set in the ’80s, it aired between 1999 and 2000. It had a great cast and catapulted Seth Rogan and James Franco on their paths to fame. What made it popular was the fact it was relatable. Virtually every teenage kid has gone through what some of the cast encounter. There are relationship woes; pushy parents and mental health issues that are all dealt with.

But not only are the subjects serious, but it’s also dealt with by using humour. And it worked. Sadly, it was cancelled by NBC in the US before all the original seasons hadn’t even aired. Poor viewing figures were blamed, but the Saturday at 8pm slot has to be the culprit. How many teenagers are home at 8pm on a Saturday night? A second season was never made, but there was so much more to be explored.

4. Away

This Hilary Swank fronted sci-fi drama debuted on Netflix earlier this year. It showed it an awful lot of promise. A human story of exploration and abandonment as Hilary and her crew head towards Mars. If you haven’t seen it yet, then don’t worry; it doesn’t get left on a cliff-hanger. But Netflix did cancel it after the series aired.

We’re not quite sure why, but we do know it was one of the most expensive series Netflix had ever made. Each episode costing an estimated six million dollars. That could have been part of the issue, but the current filming restrictions because of the pandemic also couldn’t have helped. It’s a shame as it was a deeply humanist sci-fi story. Something that is more unusual in the genre. Who knows, maybe they will change their minds when things (finally) get back to some normality.

5. V Wars

This science-fiction horror was based on the comic book by Jonathan Maberry. The story follows a scientist and his friend as they follow a deadly outbreak that fractures society. The virus turns some people into vampires, which then starts a war between them and the humans. 2020 has been pretty mad so far, but let’s not hope this is a glimpse of what our 2021 could look like. It received mixed reviews from critics and was cancelled after one season. Maybe it was due to the fact we’ve seen that story many times before? Or it could be the fact that it just wasn’t very good. Either way, we’re unlikely to see a second season.

6. The Society

I found this the most frustrating as the show had a really cool idea behind it. It’s based around a fictional town in Connecticut, USA where a strange smell permeates around the town. After the high school students leave for a ten-day camping trip, they return the same day after the road is blocked. They return to find that the entire population of the town have disappeared. The students can only contact each other on their phones and they soon start to become tribal.

Season one was fantastic. It slowly showed how the group begins to pick leaders and how they cope with the power. It also explores the human psyche and how we deal with intense situations. Just when you think the group are getting close to discovering what’s happened to them, a real-life catastrophe hit. Netflix had initially announced a second season for this as one of their TV shows.

But, as Covid hit, it affected production schedules and the ability for filming to actually take place. This uncertainty and delay meant that ultimately the whole project was cancelled. Let’s hope a second season comes to fruition one day in the future.

7. Seven Seconds

This originally aired in early 2018. The story revolved around a white cop who accidentally hits and critically injures a black teenager. After rumours of a cover-up, the city explodes in racial tension. It’s a gripping story with some fine acting. And it certainly deserves a second season.

Sadly, it was cancelled after two months. It also received mixed reviews from critics. It’s a shame that channels pay so much attention to critic views. It’s all subjective after all. But I guess that translates into viewing figures, which in turn affects the bottom line. It’s sad, as often executives are too quick to cull a series without giving it a fair shot. I feel that Seven Seconds suffered this fate. Another series would have definitely tied up some loose ends. Interestingly, Regina King won an Emmy for her performance in Seven Seconds.

8. Chambers

Another recent Netflix offering of TV shows deserving a second season. Chambers is a supernatural horror series. It features a pretty stellar line-up, including Uma Thurman. The story revolves around a teenager who has a life-saving heart transplant. Sinister things start to happen once she starts exploring the sudden death of her donor. It’s a pretty creepy series that oozes atmosphere. There is some excellent acting and some genuinely tense moments. It also tackles an interesting concept; how we deal with death and trauma. It has a bit of a Paranormal Activity twist towards the end of the season, which isn’t a bad thing. Although, as a previous article of mine alluded to, not the last three movies.

The final scene does leave you with a load more questions than answers, which is a bad thing. Especially as it was cancelled soon after. Again, poor reviews and ratings were to blame, but the critics don’t always get it right. This one definitely had legs to go on for at least a second season.

9. Almost Human

Almost Human originally aired on the Fox network between 2013 and 2014. It was produced by the king of all things sci-fi, JJ Abrams.

The plot revolves around a police detective who works with an android with human emotions. It sounds a bit Star Trek esque, and in a way, it is. It’s set in the future – 2048 – and crime levels are at an all-time high. This is the reason that all detectives are paired with a synthetic partner. Karl Urban – of Star Trek fame – stars as the main detective who is reluctantly paired with a synthetic partner. The relationship between the two grows nicely throughout the season, and there are some genuinely funny moments. There is also plenty of action to keep adrenaline junkies happy.

Interesting to note that the series won an Emmy award for its outstanding visual effects. There was plenty of scope to grow the characters into a second season, but it was not to be. Fox cancelled it after one season, which caused fans to vent their fury on social media. The series received a cult following, and you can see why. Most things that JJ Abrams turns his hands to are great, and this is no exception.

And that’s our list of nine TV shows that should’ve had a second season. Do you agree with our list? Did we miss any out? Leave us a comment in the box below.

Have you seen the latest Doctor Who trailer yet? See it HERE

Read IMDB information about Almost Human HERE.