17 Years Ago, This Surprising 3-Part Sci-Fi Sleeper Hit Forever Left Fans With a Devastating Cliffhanger

6 days ago 10

Published Apr 8, 2026, 8:24 AM EDT

Collier Jennings is an entertainment journalist with a substantial amount of experience under his belt. Collier, or "CJ" to his friends and family, is a dedicated fan of genre films - particularly science fiction, fantasy and comic book adaptations, not to mention all forms of animation animation. This stems from a close bond with his father, who introduced him to these genres via copies of X-Men comics and reruns of the original Ultraman series. Using his near-encyclopedic knowledge and bottomless love of genre, he's been able to tackle a wide variety of articles.

The early 2000's were arguably a gold mine for science fiction series on television. Smallville paved the way for a fleet of superhero shows with its unique take on the Superman mythos. Battlestar Galactica and Doctor Who stood as proof that you could bring a new spin to a long-running franchise and still keep what everyone loved about it. Firefly burned briefly but brightly, and sparked a cult following that lasts to this day. A truly unique sci-fi show flew under the radar, mainly because it aired on a network usually associated with teenage drama. That show is Kyle XY, which ran for three seasons on ABC Family and is currently available to stream on Hulu.

Kyle XY hits the ground running in its first episode, introducing Matt Dallas' titular character awakening on the outskirts of Seattle with no memory of how he got there. Taken in by the Trager family, Kyle discovers that he has superhuman abilities and uses them to investigate the mystery of his origins while also trying to adapt to normal human life. Throughout its run, Kyle XY expertly blended supernatural elements and teenage drama, making it one of ABC Family's biggest shows. All of that changed with the series finale, which ended on a major cliffhanger.

'Kyle XY' Wrapped Up Its Run on a Bittersweet Note

As Kyle XY progressed, it was revealed that Kyle was the result of experiments by the clandestine organization known as the Latnok Group, who sought to maximize human potential through cloning. He'd meet another clone named Jessi (Jaimie Alexander), and Season 3 saw him come into repeated conflict with the mysterious Michael Cassidy (Hal Ozsan). In the Season 3 finale, "Bringing Down The House," Kyle ends up choking Cassidy to death, but not before Cassidy reveals that he is Kyle's biological brother. Further complicating matters were the budding feelings between Kyle and Jessi, which drove a wedge between Kyle and his girlfriend Amanda (Kirsten Prout).

While Kyle XY ended before its time, the writing had long been on the wall. Its ratings were declining, as Season 3's premiere numbers were a far cry from the series' original start. There's also the fact that ABC Family was shifting its programming away from genre fare and leaning more into dramas, especially as shows like The Secret Life of the American Teenager and Pretty Little Liars became big hits. Unlike other shows that were cut down in their prime, Kyle XY would get a resolution to its cliffhangers, and that resolution came in the most unlikely form.

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The Creators of 'Kyle XY' Eventually Revealed How They Wanted The Series to End

Kyle XY fans would receive answers about the series not in the form of a revival series or a movie event, but in an interview with producer Julie Plec. Following the finale, Plec revealed the direction the series would have taken, including the fact that Cassidy wouldn't have died and continued to plague Kyle and his family. She also said that Kyle had a lonely future ahead of him, as he wouldn't be romantically attached to either Amanda or Jessi.

"Had this show run for five more years, Kyle would have likely ended up with neither, knowing that he couldn't fulfill his true destiny as a prophet by living a normal relationship life like everyone else. ...when all is said and done, Kyle would have embarked on his post-series journey alone, hopefully in a beautiful poetic way."

Though Kyle XY might have been short lived, its cast and crew went on to create other successful genre shows. Julie Plec eventually brought another successful mix of supernatural settings and teenage angst to life with The Vampire Diaries, while Jaimie Alexander found success playing Jane Doe in Blindspot, Similar to Kyle XY, Blindspot featured a protagonist with no memory and unique skills, though while Kyle was missing his belly button, Jane was covered in tattoos that served as a hint to her past. Kyle XY remains a unique science fiction show, despite its abrupt ending.