A great cult movie is like a weird underground discovery, one that feels so strange and wonderful, you suspect that you’re the first person ever to appreciate it properly. It’s a little bit harder to define TV shows as cult classics, but certain series’ have acquired fame and influence to rival any new gems streaming services are now just churning out.
To make something a ‘cult classic’ it needs to have not really been successful – TV series’ that you know about through word of mouth, mostly because mates or even posts on message boards have suggested entering the shows’ realm will give you a quirky, offbeat, and niche cuddle. A lot of the TV shows on this list are successful… at least now… but we’d still classify them as cult.
With that out of the way, here are 12 essential cult TV shows that everybody ought to watch, at least once.
12 cult classic TV shows
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Buffy the Vampire Slayer first aired in 1997, and launched a pop culture phenomenon that still continues today, despite its seven seasons ending nearly two decades ago. Throughout the years, Buffy‘s audience watched Buffy and the gang grow and mature as they faced down vampires, ghosts, ghouls, and everything in between. But it wasn’t just monsters that Buffy and her friends faced – the show was never afraid to explore deeper issues like sex, dating, and the politics of power. Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Buffy became a symbol for teen girls everywhere, as she championed the power of women and femininity on modern TV. It’s since inspired so many genre hits, including The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural, and even Lost. Joss Whedon’s iconic monster-slaying series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is streaming on Disney+.
The X-Files
Why do we love The X-Files so much? Well, Scully and Mulder, of course. While a lot of the show’s success centred on how it investigated the strange, the on-screen chemistry between Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny sent every teen into a tailspin. As Vox so rightfully says, the X-Files took everything Twin Peaks had done and proved that other shows could do it too. It’s a popular TV show, yes, but it’s only in the cult realm that we really experience just how much of an impact The X-Files had on those growing up in the 90s. It also played into our attention spans, offering a ‘monster-of-the-week’ tale to allow the underlying storyline to continue on like we were co-workers merely watching on. Catch it on Disney+.
Twin Peaks
Can’t mention Twin Peaks in passing without mentioning Twin Peaks. It’s always a good time to revisit David Lynch and Mark Frost’s classic series. A man goes to sleep, and has a dream of a room shrouded in red. What does it mean? Who is this man, this eccentric detective, and how should we understand him and the world he operates in? The show famously leaves many of its odder moments open to interpretation, and if you’re not attuned to its wavelength you might find even its more straightforward character beats difficult to process. Watching David Lynch’s work if you haven’t done so before can feel a bit like being dropped into Dante’s vision of hell without a Virgil to guide you. But do it, you won’t regret it. It’s on Paramount+.
The IT Crowd
“Hello, IT, have you tried turning it off and on again?”. The IT Crowd follows two computer nerds in the department of IT for fictional company Reynholm Industries and the org’s new head of department, who knows nothing about computers, through the problems of work (and life). It’s relatable and quoted more often than you’d think, giving it a perfect slot our cult classic TV shows list. Fetch has three seasons of The IT Crowd, and so does Apple TV – but you’ll have to hand over some cash.
The Inbetweeners
The British coming-of-age comedy-teen-sitcom-drama, The Inbetweeners, was created and written by Damon Beesley and Iain Morris. It follows the misadventures of four suburban teenagers, as they try to navigate school, not caring about school, friendship, and adolescent sexuality. It only had a short shelf life, even sprouting a movie that we’d argue wasn’t as good at the TV shows, but it’s a classic piece of British work that transcends the boundaries of the UK. Stream The Inbetweeners on Prime Video, Binge, Foxtel Now, or Stan.
Charmed
“Three sisters discover their destiny, to battle against the forces of evil, using their witchcraft. They are the Charmed Ones.” That’s the official synopsis for the tale surrounding the Halliwell sisters. Like Buffy, Pru, Piper, and Phoebe (as well as Paige later on) became symbols for teen girls everywhere, as they championed the power of women and femininity on modern TV in a similar way. The relationship between the three sisters is what elevates the OG Charmed TV show above just another Charlie’s Angel’s spinoff and into the realm of cult. This absolutely does not continue for the remake, however. Paramount+ and Stan are both streaming Charmed.
Hannibal
Without a doubt, Hannibal is one of the best psychological horror series of all time. Hannibal is a truly terrifying show, filled with gruesome and disturbing imagery that will stay with you long after you’ve finished watching. But its stunning visual style blends the macabre with the beautiful, and the chemistry between Mads Mikkelsen (the iconic cannibalistic psychiatrist, Dr. Hannibal Lecter), and Hugh Dancy (FBI profiler Will Graham) results in a stunning, yet shocking TV show that’s nothing shy of a cult classic. Stan has all three seasons for you to stream.
Doctor Who
While Doctor Who is no doubt a popular TV show, it’s long-rooted in cult culture – and it hasn’t always been this big. This long-running British sci-fi series follows a time-travelling alien, The Doctor, as they explore the universe and help people in need. Unlike more traditional sci-fi series’, like Star Trek, Doctor Who lends itself to being more self-contained, given the doctor tends to solve problems across the universe on an episode-to-episode basis. Doctor Who’s 14th season is set to air sometime in 2024. Binge, Foxtel Now, and Stan each have 13 seasons, and Prime Video has six available to stream.
Firefly
Despite its sci-fi and western trappings, Firefly is ultimately a show about family, community, and the struggle for independence in the face of oppressive forces. Something else elevating Firefly to cult status is that the TV show was cancelled way too soon – it only got one season, leaving fans with a sense of longing for more. You can watch the entire first and only season of Firefly on Disney+.
The Venture Bros.
Heavily inspired by the cartoons and comics of the 1960s (especially Johnny Quest), The Venture Bros. is part satire and love letter to the losers and weirdos of nerdy pop culture. The series follows the titular Venture Brothers, Hank and Dean, the children of the former boy adventure-turned-super scientist, Dr. Thaddeus Venture and their murder machine/bodyguard, Brock Samson. While the boys follow their father’s footsteps as wannabe adventurers they are blissfully unaware that he’s a cynical failure, trapped in a colourful and bizarre world populated by butterfly-themed supervillains, Russian assassins and secret organisations. Three seasons are on Stan, all seven can be purchased on Apple TV.
Deadwood
The show’s production design, costuming, and cinematography are stunning – the attention to detail is impressive, and the show’s aesthetic is both gritty and beautiful. Deadwood is a character-driven show that explores the motivations, desires, and struggles of many (super relatable) and what has really elevated the TV show into cult status is its ability to create complex and multi-dimensional characters. All three seasons are on Paramount+.
Dexter
The show’s central concept is that of a serial killer who only kills other murderers. Like a modern-day Robin Hood. As the series progresses, we see Dexter struggle with his own moral code and his desire to fit in with society, which makes him a compelling and sympathetic anti-hero. Dexter works because it’s a complex and engaging TV show that combines elements of crime drama, psychological thriller, and black comedy into one giant cult-attracting ball of goodness. All eight seasons are on Paramount+.