5 TV Series That Didn't Get Popular Until Later In The Run

The past few months have been a time of disappointment for many streaming viewers. Platforms, driven by pure mathematics like the spending-to-ratings ratio, have canceled many ongoing shows that had great potential.

Thus, fans of Hulu's The Great, Starz's Heels, Netflix's Shadow and Bone, FX's Kindred,

Max's Our Flag Means Death and other shows that were canceled early in their run were devastated that their beloved projects were not given the chance to reach a larger audience.

Fans are sure that not every series can be an overnight sensation, especially amidst the wave of content we see today. To prove the point, here's a list of shows that took a few seasons to hit it big.

Breaking Bad (2008-2013)

It's hard to believe now, but back in the day, the first few seasons of AMC's Breaking Bad were just good enough to keep the show from getting canceled. Of course, it didn't help that Season 1 was cut short due to the 2008 writers strike, but the real reason for the moderate early success seemed to be availability.

When the show went streaming on Netflix just before the season four premiere, its viewership exploded. By the time the finale aired, Breaking Bad had become one of the most-watched cable shows in the United States.

You (2018-present)

The plain title and original home almost played a cruel trick on the novel-based psychological thriller. 'You on Lifetime' just didn't sound compelling enough for viewers to tune in. Besides, the story of an obsessive serial killer is not a typical Lifetime project.

The move to Netflix gave the show the new life and popularity it deserved. The critical and viewer praise and award nominations started to come in and now everyone seems to be anticipating the final fifth season coming in 2024.

Family Guy (1999-2002, 2005-present)

Can you believe that Seth MacFarlane's animated sitcom was canceled by Fox after three seasons? We were almost left without the Griffins!

Luckily, in the years following the cancellation, Adult Swim reruns helped the show find its audience. DVD sales soared and Fox decided to revive the show, which has been going strong for nearly twenty years and shows no signs of stopping anytime soon.

Schitt's Creek (2015-2020)

When it comes to sleeper hits, Dan and Eugene Levy's Schitt's Creek is the best example. The hilarious sitcom about a rich family going broke aired its first three seasons on Canada's CBC Television, where it found a limited fan base.

But then the show got the so-called Netflix bump (became available on the streaming giant in some regions), and suddenly its name popped up in every TV discussion and social media threat, allowing more and more people to discover it.

Arrested Development (2003-2006, 2013-2019)

Mitchell Hurwitz's sitcom received low ratings and viewership during its initial three-season run on Fox, leading to its cancellation in 2006. But almost immediately after DVDs began circulating, the show became a hit sensation with a massive fan base.

This led Netflix to pick the show up nearly a decade later and give it two more seasons. Today, fans think that the big initial problem was how Fox handled the promotion of the sitcom. The commercials never reflected its uniqueness, and the episode airdates kept moving.