Some of the most iconic and beloved TV shows can’t be streamed anywhere in the United States. Many brilliant classic TV series have unfortunately been forgotten to time, and their omission from the streaming services of the modern day has exacerbated this problem. While classic shows including Friends, Seinfeld, The Andy Griffith Show, The Twilight Zone, and more can be watched on streaming platforms, others can’t be found anywhere, but deserve to be introduced to new audiences.
Some of these shows would benefit from being brought back into the public eye. The reception to all these series was very positive, spurring some of them to have proposed spinoffs, reboots, and reimaginings, though nothing has yet come to fruition. While these shows might have become lost to the digital age, it would be fantastic to see interest in their stories, characters, and concepts revitalized, and bringing them onto streaming services across the US would be the perfect way to bring back their reputations.
7) Ed (2000-2004)
Released over four seasons between 2000 and 2004, Ed starred Tom Cavanagh (The Flash, Scrubs) as Ed Stevens, a New York lawyer who returns to his hometown of Stuckeyville, Ohio, after losing his job and breaking up with his wife. He reunites with friends, buys a bowling alley, and starts his own law firm, contributing to some fun and entertaining narratives and running gags. Ed is sweet and heartfelt while also being truly funny. Originally aired on NBC, it’s a shame that Ed can’t be found on any modern streaming platform.
6) Police Squad! (1982)
Only four of Police Squad!’s six episodes were aired before ABC cancelled the crime parody series, despite the show receiving critical acclaim. This series, inspired by 1957’s M Squad, introduced Leslie Nielsen as Detective Frank Drebin, a role that he reprised in The Naked Gun film series, which proved just how successful Police Squad! could have been. Described as being ahead of its time, Police Squad! was perhaps too big a concept for TV, but The Naked Gun movies really took advantage of the big screen, and will again in the upcoming 2025 reboot starring Liam Neeson.
5) Tales from the Crypt (1989-1996)
HBO’s horror anthology series, Tales from the Crypt, based on the EC Comics series of the same name, saw wisecracking corpse, the Cryptkeeper (voiced by John Kassir), introduce self-contained horror stories over seven seasons between 1989 and 1996. The success of the series led to the development of spinoff movies, an animated cartoon, a game show, and a radio series. A number of reboot attempts have been made – though none featured the Cryptkeeper as host – but all fell through. Despite its popularity and longevity, Tales from the Crypt can’t be seen anywhere, which is truly surprising.
4) Boston Public (2000-2004)
Boston Public put several well-known actors on the map, including the likes of Jessalyn Gilsig and Rashida Jones. The series explored the work and private lives of the staff and students of Winslow High School, a fictional school in Boston. The drama series ran for four seasons and received a huge number of accolades, yet Boston Public is still not available to watch on any streaming platform. Boston Public crossed over with The Practice, Boston Legal, and the long-running legal comedy Ally McBeal, giving it an important place in TV history.
3) Early Edition (1996-2000)
Such a unique concept deserves to get a lot more recognition, but Early Edition has unfortunately been forgotten to time. Kyle Chandler (Manchester by the Sea, Bloodlines, Lanterns) starred as Gary Hobson, a man who mysteriously receives the Chicago Sun-Times paper every day, a day before it’s intended to be published. He uses this foreknowledge to prevent possible tragedies, presenting many moral dilemmas. Early Edition was cancelled after four seasons in 2000, and plans for a modern-day reboot as CBS were shelved, leaving the fantasy drama series forgotten and under-appreciated.
2) Second City Television (1976-1984)
Originally airing exclusively in Canada before moving to NBC in 1981, Second City Television (SCTV) was a sketch comedy series about a fictional television station in the fictional town of Melonville, each sketch being a different show on the channel. SCTV was an offshoot of Toronto’s Second City troupe. While Martin Scorsese was to direct a comedy special exploring SCTV’s legacy which would have aired in Canada and on Netflix, the special hasn’t been produced, given Scorsese’s schedule. Even though this special was to be produced by Netflix, SCTV itself still isn’t available on the platform, nor any other streamer.
1) Millennium (1996-1999)
Released over three seasons, Millennium was a dark mystery series that starred Lance Henriksen (Aliens, The Terminator, The Blacklist) as Frank Black, a former FBI agent with the ability to see inside the minds of criminals, who works for the mysterious Millennium Group. Millennium was revived in an episode of The X-Files in November 1999, but, despite being retroactively considered one of the greatest sci-fi TV shows ever, Millennium can’t be seen on any modern streaming platform. Henriksen has repeatedly lobbied for a continuation or reboot of the series, so there might still be hope for the sci-fi show.
What are your favorite TV shows that can’t be seen on any streaming platform? Let us know in the comments!