Collider has published a listicle highlighting ten space opera television series that critics regard as excellent but which have largely faded from public memory. The piece focuses on shows in the space opera tradition—epic, character-driven adventures set against interstellar conflict, rather than hard science fiction—arguing that despite the genre's popularity since Star Wars, many strong television entries have been overlooked.

Two of the featured shows illustrate the list's range: Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979–1981), a two-season NBC series following a 20th-century astronaut revived in the 25th century to defend Earth, praised for its pulpy, cinematic charm; and Dark Matter (2015–2017), based on Blake Crouch's novel, about a physicist (Joel Edgerton) navigating a multiverse of alternate lives to find his way home, noted here as a show many viewers never realised existed despite an upcoming second season.