10 Failed TV Shows That Became Cult Classics

3. Carnivàle

HBO's Carnivàle was another rich addition to the network's growing cachet of sumptuous, premium drama shows in the early 2000s, taking place in America's Dust Bowl during the Great Depression and following the colourful roster of a travelling carnival.

Brilliantly melding the authentic bleakness of the era with more surreal mythological musings, Carnivale also benefited from a ludicrously talented ensemble cast, led by Nick Stahl and Clancy Brown.

Despite receiving 15 Emmy nominations over its two seasons, all in crafts categories (and winning five), the show consistently received tepid reviews from critics, many of whom took umbrage with its vague, ambiguous approach, while some compared it negatively to Twin Peaks.

But the show quickly won a dedicated fanbase, given that it was quite unlike anything else on TV at the time and boasted stonking production values, with a $4 million budget per episode.

For a comparison, Game of Thrones' first season boasted a $6 million-per-episode price tag, though also benefited from a huge built-in audience from its immensely popular source material.

Despite debuting to the strongest ratings for any new HBO series at the time, the show's viewership quickly dropped off to less than 1.5 million in some second season episodes, prompting the network to give it the chop after 24 episodes on the air.

Much like Deadwood, the show to which it's most often likened, Carnivàle concluded without a satisfying resolution to ongoing storylines, though unlike David Milch's masterful western series, there's not much hope for the show to be revived.