Later this week (or right now, on 4oD), E4 will wave goodbye to the miscreants of Misfits after five series. Like a sci-fi Sugababes, the cast has changed entirely since the programme started in 2009. Viewers who gave up after the third series – which provided a neatly tied-off ending to the narratives of many of the original characters – will have missed out on the show's continuing quality, but it remained worth watching until the very end. Here are 10 reasons why I'll be mourning its passing.

1. The jokes are always on-point



Misfits has been a reliably hilarious adventure since day one. Humour has been key to the show's success, from the early days of Robert Sheehan's Irish wiseguy Nathan, to the sheer absurdity of an electrical storm gifting a group of kids doing community service with superpowers – and its characters are as naturalistic as they are whip-smart.

2. The show proved that it is bigger than its stars

After the second series, it became clear that the orange boiler suits were the stars of Misfits, not the actors filling them. Robert Sheehan, Iwan Rheon as Simon and Lauren Socha's Kelly all left huge gaps when they left, but they were capably filled by new additions such as Karla Crome as Jess and Matt Stokoe as handsome barman Alex.

3. Joe Gilgun steals the show



To many, Joe Gilgun will always be Woody from This Is England, but he has proven his versatility as Rudy, whose power is the ability to be two versions of himself. Essentially playing two characters, Gilgun gifted each one with a unique personality. His scenes are all crackling energy, quick one-liners and even the odd moment of tenderness. When Misfits underwent its transition from the first cast to its new, final line-up, it was Rudy who kept the show afloat.

4. It's one of the weirdest shows on TV



Misfits' creators have always had fun with the idea of superpowers. We've seen characters who could make drawings come true, make an enemy go bald instantly, swap genders, see life as a videogame and even a character who could persuade people to do whatever she suggested. Admittedly, some powers were useless (Kelly was briefly a rocket scientist) but the idea that a superpower could be a bit of a hassle seems, somehow, intrinsically British.

5. There's enough gore to satisfy horror fans

It gets away with it, thanks to the aforementioned humour, but on the sly, Misfits is one of the most violent shows on British TV. There are blood and guts everywhere, every week. In the last ever episode, there's a spectacularly gory mid-air death which has to be seen to be believed.

6. It is 'creative' with language



It's foul-mouthed, but it is always clever with it. Nathan was particularly good with a quip or a one-liner. He memorably suggested that Simon would "shag his own sister for a slice of cheese", with Simon replying that he doesn't even like cheese. "That makes it even worse, you sick bastard," he fired back, in one of his finest moments.

7. It was a sci-fi show for the mainstream



With E4 as its home and a tone that owes more to Skins than Marvel, Misfits managed to be a sci-fi show that attracted non-sci-fi fans. With its palatable premise, it allowed those who might balk at sitting down to a Battlestar Galactica marathon to become wrapped up in a world of superpowers, evil forces and bad guys, thus acting as an entry point to the genre.

8. It has always celebrated the odd couple



Finn and Greg are a more recent development in the pantheon of classic Misfits couples (see also Simon and Alisha). Their love may not be conventional, but there is no doubting their electric chemistry. Watch them singing The Power of Love together and tell me this is not the kind of sexual tension only a knife can cut.

9. It has influenced Hollywood



Misfits' take on the superhero – reluctant regular joes battling enemies with powers they don't fully understand – has become something of a trend in Hollywood, with Kick-Ass and Joe Cornish's Attack the Block sharing similarities with these community-centre heroes. In the age of intense, brooding figures like Batman and Henry Cavill's Superman, plus Marvel's recent foray into TV with Agents of SHIELD, Misfits' sense of humour and humanity feels more vital than ever. It's little surprise that a big-screen version is currently in development.

10. It gives British drama a good name



Howard Overman is currently in charge of BBC1's brilliantly silly Saturday night adventure Atlantis, but it's hard to think of any other British drama that had the gumption of his superhero creation. E4 is already attempting to fill the gap with more homegrown comedy-dramas, from Youngers to My Mad Fat Diary, but Misfits' sheer originality will make it a tough act to follow.