Guide Last Updated: February 6th, 2020
Are you searching for TV shows to stream? Do you enjoy watching short-lived and/or forgotten television? If so, this guide is for you. Below you’ll find more than 100 TV shows you’ve either never heard of or you forgot existed, all streaming and ready to watch. Most of these shows were on the air for a single season or less. I’ve also included some shows that ran for two seasons or more, particularly if one or both of those seasons were short.
Not surprisingly, most the TV shows included in this guide originally aired during the last two decades. But you can stream a handful of forgotten TV shows dating back to the 1950s.
Currently, the guide covers the following streaming services:
- ABC (Free)
- Amazon Prime Video (Subscription)
- CBS All Access (Subscription)
- CW Seed (Free/Ad-Supported)
- Disney+ (Subscription)
- Hulu (Subscription)
- NBC (Free)
- Netflix (Subscription)
- Shout! Factory TV (Free/Ad-Supported)
- Sony Crackle (Free/Ad-Supported)
There’s some overlap, with certain TV shows available on multiple streaming services. Also, TV shows disappear from streaming services all the time, often without warning. Before sighing up for any of the subscription services, be sure to double check to make sure the show(s) you want to watch are still available.
I’ll be updating this guide periodically but I can’t possibly keep track of all the TV shows coming and going on all of these streaming services. I’ll be relying on contributions from readers to keep this guide up-to-date.
ABC (Free)
(ABC offers a selection of “Throwback” shows on its website, apps, and streaming devices like Roku, Apple TV, or Amazon Fire TV. You may need a “participating TV provider account” to watch some of these shows or episodes. See the ABC.com FAQ for more information.)
The Astronaut Wives Club (ABC, 2015) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Betrayal (ABC, 2013-2014) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Dirty Sexy Money (ABC, 2007-2009) – 2 seasons, 23 episodes
Eli Stone (ABC, 2008-2009) – 2 seasons, 26 episodes
Family Tools (ABC, 2013) – 1 season, 10 episodes
FlashForward (ABC, 2009-2010) – 1 season, 22 episodes
GCB (ABC, 2012) – 1 season, 10 episodes
Happy Town (ABC, 2010) – 1 season, 8 episodes
Killer Women (ABC, 2014) – 1 season, 12 episodes
Lucky 7 (ABC, 2013) – 1 season, 8 episodes
Malibu Country (ABC, 2012-2013) – 1 season, 18 episodes
Man Up (ABC, 2011) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Manhattan Love Story (ABC, 2014) – 1 season, 11 episodes
Mixology (ABC, 2014) – 1 season, 13 episodes
My So-Called Life (ABC, 1994-1995) – 1 season, 19 episodes
Night Stalker (ABC, 2005) – 1 season, 10 episodes
No Ordinary Family (ABC, 2010-2011) – 1 season, 20 episodes
October Road (ABC, 2007-2008) – 2 seasons, 19 episodes
Off the Map (ABC, 2011) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (ABC, 2013-2014) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Reaper (The CW, 2007-2009) – 2 seasons, 31 episodes
Red Band Society (FOX, 2014-2015) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Red Widow (ABC, 2013) – 1 season, 8 episodes
The River (ABC, 2012) – 1 season, 8 episodes
Samantha Who? (ABC, 2007-2009) – 2 seasons, 35 episodes
Scoundrels (ABC, 2010) – 1 season, 10 episodes
Trophy Wife (ABC, 2013-2014) – 1 season, 22 episodes
Zero Hour (ABC, 2013) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Amazon Prime Video (Subscription)
Adventure, Inc. (syndicated, 2002-2003) – 1 season, 22 episodes
The Adventures of Jim Bowie (ABC, 1956-1958) – 2 seasons, 76 episodes
The Adventures of Kit Carson (syndicated, 1951-1955) – 4 season, 103 episodes [40 streaming]
The Adventures of Sir Lancelot (NBC, 1956-1957) – 1 season, 30 episodes
The Adventures of Swiss Family Robinson (PAX, 1998) – 1 season, 30 episodes
American Gothic (CBS, 2016) – 1 season, 13 episodes
The Barbara Stanwyck Show (NBC, 1960-1961) – 1 season, 36 episodes [27 streaming]
Booker (FOX, 1989-1990) – 1 season, 22 episodes
BrainDead (CBS, 2016) – 1 season, 13 episodes
>Colonel March of Scotland Yard (Syndicated, 1956) – 1 season, 26 episodes
Dark Shadows: The Revival (NBC, 1991) – 1 season, 12 episodes
Decoy (syndicated, 1957-1958) – 1 season, 39 episodes
Good Morning World (CBS, 1967-1968) – 1 season, 26 episodes
Harts of the West (CBS, 1993-1994) – 1 season, 15 episodes
Judge Roy Bean (syndicated, 1958) – 1 season, 39 episodes [15 streaming]
Love and Marriage (NBC, 1959-1960) – 1 season, 26 episodes [12 streaming]
The Magnificent Seven (CBS, 1998-2000) – 2 seasons, 22 episodes
Man in a Suitcase (ABC, 1968) – 1 season, 30 episodes
Mike Hammer, Private Eye (Syndicated, 1997-1998) – 1 season, 26 episodes
Mr. Lucky (CBS, 1959-1960) – 1 season, 34 episodes
Mr. and Mrs. North (CBS/NBC, 1952-1954) – 2 seasons, 57 episodes [50 streaming]
The Mothers-in-Law (NBC, 1967-1969) – 2 seasons, 56 episodes
Movin’ On (NBC, 1974-1976) – 2 seasons, 44 episodes
My Living Doll (CBS, 1964-1965) – 1 season, 26 episodes [10 streaming]
One Step Beyond (ABC, 1959-1961) – 3 seasons, 96 episodes [70 streaming]
Pat Paulsen’s Half a Comedy Hour (ABC, 1970) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Private Secretary (CBS, 1953-1957) – 5 seasons, 104 episodes [18 streaming]
Railroad Detective (aka Stories of the Century) (Syndicated, 1954-1955) – 1 season, 39 episodes [3 streaming]
The Rebel (ABC, 1959-1961) – 2 seasons, 76 episodes
Robert Montgomery Presents (NBC, 1950-1957) – 8 seasons, 276 episodes [2 streaming]
Space Precinct (syndicated, 1994-1995) – 1 season, 24 episodes
Stanley (NBC, 1956-1957) – 1 season, 19 episodes
Stringray (NBC, 1986-1987) – 2 seasons, 24 episodes
The Veil (1958) – 1 season, 10 episodes
Women of the House (CBS/Lifetime, 1995) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Yancy Derringer (CBS, 1958-1959) – 1 season, 34 episodes
CBS All Access (Subscription)
(CBS All Access doesn’t have a separate website. You can access the service through the official CBS website.)
Angel from Hell (CBS, 2016) – 1 season, 13 episodes
BrainDead (CBS, 2016) – 1 season, 13 episodes
The Code (CBS, 2019) – 1 season, 12 episodes
Happy Together (CBS, 2018-2019) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Jericho (CBS, 2006-2008) – 2 seasons, 30 episodes
Life Unexpected (The CW, 2010-2011) – 2 seasons, 26 episodes
Limitless (CBS, 2015-2016) – 1 season, 22 episodes
Salvation (CBS, 2017-2018) – 2 seasons, 26 episodes)
Star Trek: The Animated Series (NBC, 1973-1974) – 2 seasons, 22 episodes
CW Seed (Free/Ad Supported)
Alcatraz (FOX, 2012) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Birds of Prey (The WB, 2002-2003) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Constantine (NBC, 2014-2015) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Forever (ABC, 2014-2015) – 1 season, 22 episodes
Hellcats (The CW, 2010-2011) – 1 season, 22 episodes
The L.A. Complex (CW, 2012) – 2 seasons, 19 episodes
Moonlight (CBS, 2007-2008) – 1 season, 16 episodes
Privileged (The CW, 2008-2009) – 1 season, 18 episodes
Pushing Daisies (ABC, 2007-2009) – 2 seasons, 22 episodes
Ringer (The CW, 2011-2012) – 1 season, 22 episodes
The Secret Circle (The CW, 2011-2012) – 1 season, 22 episodes
Significant Mother (The CW, 2016) – 1 season, 9 episodes
Time After Time (ABC, 2017) – 1 season, 12 episodes
The Tomorrow People (The CW, 2013-2014) – 1 season, 22 episodes
Disney+ (Subscription)
The Muppets (ABC, 2015-2016) – 1 season, 16 episodes
Hulu (Subscription)
Better Off Ted (ABC, 2009-2010) – 2 seasons, 26 episodes
BH90210 (FOX, 2019) – 1 season, 6 episodes
Bordertown (FOX, 2016) – 1 season, 13 episodes
The Dana Carvey Show (ABC, 1996) – 1 season, 8 episodes
Dollhouse (FOX, 2009-2010) – 2 seasons, 26 episodes
Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23 (ABC, 2012-2013) – 2 seasons, 26 episodes
Firefly (FOX, 2002) – 1 season, 14 episodes
The Firm (NBC, 2012) – 1 season, 22 episodes
The Loop (FOX, 2006-2007) – 2 seasons, 17 episodes
Napoleon Dynamite (FOX, 2012) – 1 season, 6 episodes
Second Chance (FOX, 2016) – 1 season, 11 episodes
Son of Zorn (FOX, 2016-2017) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Stacked (FOX, 2005-2006) – 2 seasons, 18 episodes
Sunnyside (NBC, 2019) – 1 season, 11 episodes
Touch (FOX, 2012-2013) – 2 seasons, 26 episodes
Wayward Pines (FOX, 2015-2016) – 2 seasons, 20 episodes
NBC (Free)
(NBC offers a variety of TV shows through its website, app, and on streaming devices like Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV. You may need to link to a ” TV service provider” to watch certain shows or episodes. See the official NBC.com FAQ for more information.)
Allegiance (NBC, 2015) – 1 season, 13 episodes
American Gothic (CBS, 1995-1996) – 1 season, 22 episodes
Battlestar Galactica (ABC, 1978-1979) – 1 season, 24 episodes
Bent (NBC, 2012) – 1 season, 6 episodes
The Black Donnellys (NBC, 2007) – 1 season, 13 episodes
The Cape (NBC, 2011) – 1 season, 10 episodes
Darkroom (ABC, 1981-1982) – 1 season, 7 episodes
Dracula (NBC, 2013-2014) – 1 season, 10 episodes
Emerald City (NBC, 2017) – 1 season, 10 episodes
The Event (NBC, 2010-2011) – 1 season, 22 episodes
Go On (NBC, 2012-2013) – 1 season, 22 episodes
Guys With Kids (NBC, 2012-2013) – 1 season 17 episodes
Heroes Reborn (NBC, 2015-2016) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Kings (NBC, 2009) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Knight Rider (NBC, 2008) – 1 season, 17 episodes
Kolchak: The Night Stalker (ABC, 1974-1975) – 1 season, 20 episodes
Life (NBC, 2007-2009) – 2 seasons, 32 episodes
Lipstick Jungle (NBC, 2008-2009) – 2 seasons, 20 episodes
Outsourced (NBC, 2010-2011) – 1 season, 22 episodes
Prime Suspect (NBC, 2011-2012) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Raines (NBC, 2007) – 1 season, 7 episodes
Smash (NBC, 2012-2013) – 2 seasons, 32 episodes
State of Affairs (NBC, 2014-2015) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Sunnyside (NBC, 2019) – 1 season, 11 episodes
Up All Night (NBC, 2011-2012) – 2 seasons, 35 episodes
Voyagers! (NBC, 1982-1983) – 1 season, 20 episodes
Whitney (NBC, 2011-2013) – 2 seasons, 38 episodes
Netflix (Subscription)
American Odyssey (NBC, 2015) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Battle Creek (CBS, 2015) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Champions (NBC, 2018) – 1 season, 10 episodes
Containment (The CW, 2016) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Frequency (The CW, 2016-2017) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Galavant (ABC, 2015-2016) – 2 seasons, 20 episodes
Great News (NBC, 2017-2018) – 2 seasons, 23 episodes
Jericho (CBS, 2006-2008) – 2 seasons, 29 episodes
Life Sentence (The CW, 2018) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Limitless (CBS, 2015-2016) – 1 season, 22 episodes
No Tomorrow (The CW, 2016-2017) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Star-Crossed (The CW, 2014) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Shout! Factory TV (Free/Ad-Supported)
Fridays (ABC, 1980-1982) – 3 seasons, 58 episodes [select episodes streaming]
The Goldbergs (CBS/NBC/DuMont/Syndication, 1949-1955) [71 episodes streaming]
The Goode Family (ABC, 2009) – 1 season, 13 episodes
The Rebel (ABC, 1959-1961) – 2 seasons, 76 episodes
Swan’s Crossing (Syndicated, 1992) – 1 season, 65 episodes
Sony Crackle (Free/Ad-Supported)
Bad Teacher (CBS, 2014) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Between Brothers (FOX/UPN, 1997-1999) – 2 seasons, 17 episodes
Big Day (ABC, 2006-2007) – 1 season, 13 episodes
The Blacklist: Redemption (NBC, 2017) – 1 season, 8 episodes
Breaking In (FOX, 2011-2012) – 2 seasons, 20 episodes
Brothers (FOX, 2009) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Charlie’s Angels (ABC, 2011) – 1 season, 8 episodes
The Dana Carvey Show (ABC, 1996) – 1 season, 8 episodes
Dilbert (UPN, 1999-2000) – 2 seasons, 30 episodes
Enlisted (FOX, 2014) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Houdini & Doyle (FOX, 2016) – 1 season, 10 episodes
Kidnapped (NBC, 2006-2007) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Last Resort (ABC, 2012-2013) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Marry Me (NBC, 2014-2015) – 1 season, 18 episodes
The McCarthys (CBS, 2014-2015) – 1 season, 15 episodes
The Michael J. Fox Show (NBC, 2013-2014) – 1 season, 22 episodes
The Mob Doctor (FOX, 2012-2013) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Mr. Sunshine (ABC, 2011) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Pan Am (ABC, 2011-2012) – 1 season, 14 episodes
The Player (NBC, 2015) – 1 season, 9 episodes
Rake (FOX, 2014) – 1 season, 13 episodes
Sanford (NBC, 1980-1981) – 2 seasons, 26 episodes [10 streaming]
Sheena (Syndicated, 2000-2002) – 2 seasons, 35 episodes
The Tick (FOX, 2001-2001) – 1 season, 9 episodes
The Unusuals (ABC, 2009) – 1 season, 10 episodes
Us & Them (FOX, Unaired) – 1 season, 7 episodes
Welcome to the Family (NBC, 2013) 1 season, 9 episodes
If I’ve missed any short-lived or forgotten TV shows streaming on any of these services, please let me know by leaving a comment or sending me an e-mail. Also, if you think I should include additional streaming services in this guide, I’m open to suggestions.
All 6 seasons of THE CISCO KID is available on Amazon Prime. Plus THE PRISONER and all seasons of NYPD BLUE
Sadly, no VR.5.
On Hulu, I’d add Saved by the Bell: The College Years. And if 2 seasons qualifies: Land of the Giants and Car 54, Where Are You?
NBC and ABC also have a “throwback” selection of shows on their sites — and ad supported. They are largely populated by short-lived in-house programs like The Cape, Outsourced, L&O: LA, Up All Night, and Smash on NBC; and Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, FlashForward, Reaper, Manhattan Love Story, Trophy Wife, and The Muppets on ABC. The one classic short-lived throwback is the original BSG on NBC’s site.
Thank you for this. I have watched quite a few of the shows that are available via Amazon Prime.
Unfortunately, most of these are US only services. Netflix in other countries has some different programming so availability varies.
love it! so I can stream for free?
Other short-lived shows: Hank, No Time For Sergeants, F Troop, My Mother the Car, Knight Rider. Also short-lived but immensely popular and well- remembered was Gilligan’s Island!
The one and done Melrose Place revival is available via Prime. This list is cool.
Amazon Prime also has Dilbert and recently added Gidget as well.
Amazon Prime just added Booker, the 21 Jump Street spin-off.
With new streamers popping up, it won’t be long before every lost series is up for download!
Amazon Prime has 20 episodes of “Strike It Rich” (Syndication, 1986-1987; 1 season, ~195 episodes) available for streaming thanks to Buzzr. The show was pretty obscure and scarce prior to them being added back in January.
Love and Marriage on Amazon starts off with four early episodes. The next eight in their ‘season one’ are actually the eight episodes that NBC never aired. In these shows one of the two daughters is mysteriously absent from the opening titles and the show itself, and is never mentioned. Perhaps her disappearance was explained in one of the episodes Amazon skipped over.
THE ROKU CHANNEL also streams some short-run TV series, such as TATE, 26 MEN. THE ADVENTURES OF JIM BOWIE, GIDGET & GOOD MORNING WORLD.
Canada’s top TV network CTV has a free streaming area on their site called CTV Throwback which offers many of the shows that are on the Sony/Crackle streaming service — including Bad Teacher and Rake, which are both awful — but they also offer the following short-lived series which aren’t on your list:
‘Til Death
10 Items Or Less
Hawthorne
Joan Of Arcadia
Justified
Muddling Through
My Boys
My Two Dads
Necessary Roughness
Ned and Stacey
Parker Lewis Can’t Lose
Sanford Arms (6 episodes)
Square Pegs
Tabitha
The Naked Truth
Where could I watch shows like my three sons Marcus welbey old soap operas old sit coms
As far as I can tell, the greatest shows ever produced, ” I Love Lucy, ” ” The Lucy Show,” and ” Here’s Lucy” were not mentioned. Thankfully, they are alive and well on HULU!