The 1970s proved to be a highlight for television with several of its iconic shows, like Happy Days and All in the Family creating legacies that still last to this day.
But for every multi-season hit, there has to be the occasional drama that, no matter its quality, sadly falls by the wayside.
Some of these shows proved to be stepping stones for the stars that we know and love today, but how many of them can you actually remember?
Did you sit down for these one-season wonders, or did they completely pass you by during their limited run? Scroll down for the best ones…
© NBC via Getty ImagesThe sci-fi show was ahead of its time
Quark
Many TV historians now look fondly back on the short-lived Quark, which served as a parody of the popular genre, with the likes of Star Wars, Flash Gordon and Star Trek regularly in its sights. The show followed the misfit crew of a United Galaxy Sanitation Patrol Cruiser, assigned to clean up space junk.
Despite NBC pulling the plug on Quark after just eight episodes, it now has a cult following, and is praised for some of its progressive themes for a show that originated during the 1970s.
The cast was led by Richard Benjamin, Cyb and Patricia Barnstable, Tim Thomerson, Douglas V. Fowley and Richard Kelton.
© NBC via Getty ImagesThe crime series featured real magic
The Magician
If you like crime-fighting and magic, then you were in luck when it came to The Magician, with the NBC show combining the two with style. Despite only lasting for one season, aired between 1973 and 1974, the show still found time to axe most of its supporting cast and completely revamp the title character’s base of operations.
Starring Bill Bixby as Anthony Blake, the show employed Bill’s actual skills with magic, with each trick being completed by the star instead of just relying on good old-fashioned movie magic.
© Getty ImagesThe one-season show starred Rod Taylor
The Oregon Trail
The historic migration route known as the Oregon Trail has been adapted so many times, whether it’s with films or video games, and in 1977, NBC aired it as a short-lived TV show. Despite ordering 13 episodes, the show was canned after just six, although these episodes later aired on the BBC.
The Oregon Trail followed the Thorpe family as they undertook the historic route, with key characters being played by the likes of Rod Taylor, Andrew Stevens and Gina Marie Smika.
© Alamy Stock PhotoI, Claudius is fondly remembered
I, Claudius
Britain was also home to several one-season shows, including I, Claudius, a 1976 series that was based on the 1934 book of the same name. The BBC2 series followed the early Roman empire and all of the political drama that ensued, and it is widely regarded as one of the best British shows of the past century.
The show featured some of the best actors from Britain, including Derek Jacobi, Sian Phillips, Brian Blessed, George Baker and John Hurt.
© Alamy Stock PhotoUFO paved the way for other sci-fi hits
UFO
Sci-fi really took off as a genre in the 1970s thanks to hits like the Star Wars franchise and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and one of the earliest forays was British serial UFO.
The series follows a covert international defence organisation attempting to prevent an alien invasion following numerous abductions. UFO was broadcast between 1970 and 1971, airing 26 episodes in its single season, and just four years later, follow-up show Space: 1999 was broadcast. Despite impressive syndication figures, these started dropping off towards the end, leading to the show’s sudden cancellation.
The series starred veteran American actor Ed Bishop, Michael Billington, Gabrielle Drake and George Sewell, with Ed appearing in all 26 episodes of the serial and Michael in 21.
© Alamy Stock PhotoThis 70s series is perfect for people who loved The Crown
Edward & Mrs. Simpson
Almost like a precursor to The Crown, Edward & Mrs. Simpson aired back in 1978, with the series charting the love story of King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson. Told over just seven episodes, the show follows Edward at the start of his romantic journey, before ending with his abdication from the throne and marriage to Wallis.
While the event itself caused a great scandal, the series was likewise met with critical acclaim, although it earned the ire of the real-life Wallis Simpson, who was refused access to the scripts during filming.
Edward & Mrs. Simpson was led by Edward Fox and Cynthia Harris, with David Waller, Nigel Hawthorne and Dame Peggy Ashcroft all providing supporting roles.
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