Shows that shouldn't have been cancelled...

[ChoralScholar]

My friend and I have become somewhat "Armchair Television Anthropologists" and we've made a hobby out of seeing which shows make it, and why. Conversely, we are also interested in those shows that were cancelled, and why. We've gone back to many old shows and watched them, trying to figure out what makes shows successful or not. (We're unemployed right now, so there's not much else to do)

So.... what shows do YOU lament the premature cancellation of? I'll use your responses for ideas of shows to go back and analyze.

[Mojambo]

1. Little known show on ABC family called the Middleman

Not a day goes by that I don't feel sad about losing that show after just one season.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Middleman_%28TV_series%29

[SoxFan]

41. Javi Grillo Marxuach

He's an all-around good guy. My wife knows him through "Lost" fangirl circles; Javi was one of the lead writers in seasons 1 and 2. He actually created quite a bit of the "mythology" that Lindeloff and Cuse later ignored.

[Yavin4]

134. "They Kill Bunnies"

I was hooked forever.

[Inchworm]

2. Pushing Daisies comes to mind

Among others. I'v about given up on TV

:hi:

[ChoralScholar]

15. It seems that about 90% of new shows are cancelled.

It's been that way for some time. That seems to be an awful lot of money wasted, to toss a show aside.

In the journey to capture lightning in a bottle, so to speak, everyone these days seems content to copycat a successful show rather than try something new.

[gvstn]

49. Absolutely

They make about 4 episodes throw them on 4 different nights and cancel the show wondering why it didn't gain a loyal following. WTF?

If a show actually makes it then it must immediately go on hiatus while the call the actors back in to make some new episodes. Pathetic.

[Kat45]

60. Some of the most successful shows ever would not have made it today

They took a bit of time to build an audience, but once they did, look out! Sadly, today the networks don't give a show a chance to build an audience. If they don't get killer ratings from the start, they're gone. Kind of like today's job market: if you don't come out with your guns blazing, excelling at every aspect of the job from day one, you're gone!

[sarge43]

131. Both MASH and Cheers had terrible ratings their first year.

The networks gave them a chance and some time and the rest is history.

[bikebloke]

75. Deadwood

Firefly
Survivors (BBC - the new one)

[msanthrope]

89. Deadwood was fantastic. SO, of course, HBO killed it. n/t

[BlueJazz]

90. Aside from being a great show, the Language was entertaining.

Town Drunk: "As far as my Philosophy on the subject matter goes, I dare say I'm totally inept to explain the consequences of such a review."

[ThomasQED]

118. +1 (nt)

[Lifelong Protester]

3. The Black Donnellys on NBC

Only lasted a couple of months. It was pretty gritty, but well done.

[Kat45]

58. I liked that show a lot. Sadly, it went just as quickly as it came. n/t

[Seneca]

4. Homefront

[femmocrat]

39. I absolutely loved that show.

I would even watch it in re-runs.

[Seneca]

98. You have to accentuate the positive

Eliminate the negative!

[SeattleGirl]

5. NUMB3RS

I'm still pissed that they canceled it.

[ChoralScholar]

14. I've heard a lot of people say that -

I personally never watched it (only so many hours in the day, ya know) but I heard good things.

A buddy of mine always called it numb-THREE-ers....

[csziggy]

17. Frankly, though I liked that show, I think the writers ran out of ideas

It's being re-run at odd times on USA and the later seasons are just not as good as the early ones. Plus they ended up with a lot of soap opera type stuff going on.

[quakerboy]

6. Firefly

Babylon 5.

[ChoralScholar]

9. I've read lots of articles on the subject, and nearly every one

mentions 'Firefly', and 'Freaks and Geeks'

I guess I'll have to watch me some Firefly - see what it's all about!

[cemaphonic]

23. It's a bit overrated IMO

It's still pretty good, but doesn't really live up to the hype and internet fandom left in its wake.

[quakerboy]

28. I would agree with that, I think

But I believe it was worth continuing past where it was canceled.

[brendan120678]

37. Those would be my two choices.

Of course, Freaks and Geeks would have run its course by now, but Firefly could still be going strong.

[YankeyMCC]

93. self del - wrong spot for reply

[keroro gunsou]

67. b5 wasn't really cancelled

it was scheduled to run a 5 year arc. when it was done. it was done. having it move to tnt kind of... sucked, but at least they got to finish the story....

[quakerboy]

106. Yeah, but I had no cable

and thus no way to watch it. So it might as well have been canceled.

Plus, if star trek can go for umpteen years in umpteen sequel series, B5 deserves more than 5.

[Iggo]

7. Mine are kinda famous, but it's early in the thread, so...

1. My So Called Life.
2. Freaks And Geeks.
3. Pushing Daisies.

[ChoralScholar]

I watched 'My So-Called Life'

I loved that show, and Clare Danes set off a love for redheads that I have to this day.

Nearly every article I've read mentions 'Freaks and Geeks'. In fact, some magazine had rated it the #13 show of the last 25 years.

[jobycom]

8. My choices are old because I don't watch TV much anymore, but "Frank's Place," "The Adventures of

Briscoe County, Jr," and MTV's first series, "Austin Stories."

Funny thing about Austin Stories, it was very successful. One rumor was that MTV cancelled it because they anticipated the cast asking for big raises, and didn't want to give them the chance.

[csziggy]

19. I could have watched years more seasons of Briscoe County!

That show was so much fun. It reminded me of the campy seasons of Wild, Wild West!

How about Jack of All Trades - another Bruce Campbell fun fest? That was a show that should have had a full hour instead of only a half hour. I think the worst problem with it is that the writers and the cast had more fun than the audience.

[Joe Fields]

65. Thoroughly loved the Adventures of Briscoe County Jr.

So many anachronisms and so much irony in that show. Loved it, loved it, loved it!!!!

[annabanana]

43. I really think Frank's Place wasn't given a decent chance.. .n/t

[joeybee12]

45. Frank's Place...and, believe it or not...Gidget....

...not too bad for its time, IMHO.

[msu2ba]

107. Briscoe County Jr. is an ATF! n/t

[gvstn]

10. Raising the Bar (TNT)

Is the most recent show I can think of which should have been given a longer chance. Good actors, good writing and a bit more time could of found its voice.

Homicide was the finest police drama on teevee. Why it was always relegated to Friday nights at 10:00 escapes me. While it was airing it was always one of the few must see shows for me. I still miss it!

Going way back a show called Profit had potential and was abruptly canceled. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115323/

[ChoralScholar]

12. Aaaah... Homicide: Life on the Street

the beginnings of Richard Belzer as John Munch, and the Baltimore he always talked about.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

25. Oh, they cancelled that?

I really didn't think USA or TNT actually cancelled those shows, they just kind of float back in and out of the schedule from time to time.

[InternalDialogue]

11. Arrested Development

The best part of its end, if there is a best part, is that the writers were keenly aware they would be canceled and wrote self-referential plotlines into the third season.

[ChoralScholar]

13. I've never seen a single episode - that's one I'll be watching. EOM

[Mojambo]

29. I envy you getting to experience AD for the first time. It won't be your last

That show rewards multiple viewings.

[Common Sense Party]

61. You will love it. I think hulu still has one season up.

I'm watching the whole series again on Netflix streaming.

[applegrove]

101. I saw the whole series on DvD long after it was cancelled. It was a week

long festival at my house. I really enjoyed it.

[grace0418]

31. Arrested Development, Arrested Development and, let me think, Arrested Development

The bad part about its end is that it was a little disjointed because they felt like they had to wrap a lot of stuff up at the end.

I still can't believe that show got canceled. Although in some ways I'm glad it didn't go into 8 seasons and get really lame. American shows never know when to end properly. British shows always know to end while it's still really good.

[wickerwoman]

33. Thirded.

Won six emmys and a golden globe. Cancelled because.... Fox are assholes?

[Lucian]

62. I never found that show funny.

I was glad to see it go. I'm waiting for "The Office" to go as well. I don't understand the appeal of Steve Carell. He's not funny at all.

[rucky]

69. Freaks & Geeks

Posted in wrong place, but second to AD.

[InternalDialogue]

128. F&G seconded, as well, though.

[csziggy]

16. Probe - concept by Isaac Asimov

A scientist uses logic to solve mysteries. I think it might have made it but for two problems - the casting (Parker Stevenson as a scientist?), and it made the viewers use their minds. It only ran seven episodes.

An odd sitcom called Best of the West. Great ensemble of characters and fantastic casting, wonderful writing. At least it got a full twenty two episode season, but that was it. I would imagine most people that watch regular TV did not get a lot of the humor.

[Kat45]

18. Journeyman

It was a time travel show, which is a genre I like. I really liked the show, but the network didn't give it much time. I think the show was on in 2007.

[csziggy]

20. It was intriguing, but it required too much from the audience

You really had to pay attention to the details and know some recent history. I don't think they did as good a job as Quantum Leap did on giving the viewers the background while engaging them in the action.

[Kat45]

56. Sad, isn't it, that shows can't require much from the audience.

Quantum Leap was a good show, and it lasted longer than many scifi shows on network television.

[csziggy]

120. But TV is supposed to be the opiate for the masses!

Or was that religion.

While there are times I just want something mindless on the tube, I do like television that is more than that most of the time. And television shows, like most stuff is 90% crap. So we just have to be grateful for those few things that are worth watching.

Quantum Leap was one of those. I was always impressed with the writing, the direction and the acting. And I was glad that it ran as many seasons as it did. It is the only TV series we own on DVD.

[msanthrope]

88. I really liked that show. n/t

[Shine]

97. LOVED that show! Was so pissed when they cancelled it.

:grr:

[petronius]

21. Law and Order: Los Angeles

When it's canceled it shouldn't have been, because it shouldn't have existed in the first place...

[cemaphonic]

22. Carnivale

That show was chock full of the sort of things I like, and was beautifully produced and well-acted too, and was only 2 seasons out of a projected 6 season run, which left tons of things hanging.

Not hard to see why it was axed though. It was hugely expensive, and the viewership dropped of quite a bit into the second season (and even more so than most HBO shows, if you missed a few episodes, you were gonna be totally lost)

[BlueJazz]

91. Ohhh....I forgot about that one. I loved the show!

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

24. Anything with Eliza Dushku

"Tru Calling" and "Dollhouse" were two very solid shows that got the axe way too soon from FOX.

[ChoralScholar]

26. Did anyone here watch 'Mental' on Fox?

I really thought it would be picked up for another season...

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

27. I had never heard of it

Sounds interesting. Maybe people got it confused with "The Mentalist"

FOX has a problem with greenlighting very high concept television that costs mucho money with special effects, then putting it on Friday nights where it is certain to die a quick ratings death because every other night is reality crap and cheap cartoons.

[Rhiannon12866]

30. Crazy Like a Fox with Jack Warden - CBS

They decided to show movies from 9-11 on Sunday nights, so they sacrificed this well-rated show by moving it all over the map until viewers could no longer find it... :(

[proteus_lives]

32. Farscape.

[annabanana]

44. LOVEd Farscape.

Especially liked the "ship"

[sarge43]

34. Frank's Place n/t

[deutsey]

38. That's what I was thinking

Great show...too good for network TV, apparently.

[sarge43]

53. Well, the African-Americans weren't portrayed as braying jackasses

probably helped kill it, too.

[zanana1]

70. You hit the nail on the head.

I hate, hate, hate the way African-Americans are portrayed on television. Slapstick comedies, juvenile and definitely not funny; just insulting. I'd love to watch a program about a typical African-American family; not just one made up of clowns and criminals.

[XemaSab]

85. A show like teh Cosby show?

:hide:

[zanana1]

92. The Cosby family was far from normal.

I hated that show, too. Imagine constantly telling your children that you don't have a right to live in your own home, that it isn't your home, it's his? What kind of sick dialogue is that?

[ChoralScholar]

124. It was all based on his stand-up schtick

"The reason why we have five children, is that we did not want SIX. And those we have, we want to get out of the house, before we DIE."

And apparently he didn't mean it anyway, because they all came back - he even took on two other girls in the last couple of seasons...

[sarge43]

130. The Cosby Show had about as much reality base as Father Knows Best or

The Donna Reed Show; in fact it was Father Knows Best. The Cosby Clan were Yuppie jackasses.

Still remember the one F'sP episode when Frank was looking forward to joining an exclusive A-A club. His employees tell him he probably won't pass the Bag Test.

[kedrys]

35. Enterprise

...and before everybody starts raining rotten cabbage on me, the last season was chock-full of social commentary, even if the writing was sometimes uneven and the acting, well, uneven. But if you managed to look past that, there was a ton of subtext that was, IMHO, totally relevant to the times.

They totally borked the series finale, I'll give you that, but only because they were rushed in trying to wrap things up.

ON EDIT: I was just getting into Defying Gravity when they pulled that one off the air. It was grossly mis-advertised, which is why I didn't pay any attention to it (Gray's Anatomy in space, my ass!) - by the time I finally watched one episode, it had already been canceled. :grr: I've since seen the whole series twice on Space, and I really want to know how it ends.

[GreenPartyVoter]

46. And "Quantum Leap." I wasn't done with it yet. And "Freaks an Geeks" and "Pushing Daisies" too.

[laylah]

36. Jericho nt

[uncommon]

40. FIREFLY

Forgive my all-caps burst.

[annabanana]

42. Life

I found that show really really interesting. The writing was smart, and it had enough surprises to keep it interesting.

[MilesColtrane]

47. The Lone Gunmen - a Chris Carter spin off from the X Files that used to be onFox

Action - another Fox offering starring Jay Mohr about an asshole Hollywood producer. It was a little too edgy for most everyone.

Carnivale

Deadwood

And, another series by the creator of Deadwood that was really out there, but was really getting good when it got the axe, John From Cincinnati. It also had some of the best acting by Ed O'Neill I've ever seen.

[kedrys]

54. The pilot of which features a remote-controlled highjacking of a commercial plane

Said plane proceeds to almost crash into the World Trade Center in New York City. Not that anyone could have imagined *that*. :sarcasm: :eyes:

[MilesColtrane]

59. Certainly not Ana-Condaleeza.

[rurallib]

48. A quirky little show called "Eerie, Indiana"

two young boys who lived in a strange little town that included Elvis on the paper route.
It was show for tweeners, but we loved watching it with our kids.
Knowing the knife was coming, the last show was a show about a show being cancelled.

Oh - and "Ellery Queen." with Timothy Hutton I think. I understand that this sort of morphed into "Murder, She Wrote".

[Biker13]

76. "Eerie" was Excellent!

I'd forgotten all about it!

Now I'm going to have to look for the DVD!

I'm with you on "Ellery Queen" too, we must be close to the same age!

Biker's Old Lady

[rurallib]

103. We bought the DVD several years ago. Only copy I have ever seen.

Oh - I am sure amazon has it. I don't do online much.

[gratuitous]

50. Joan of Arcadia

Ended after the second season, just as the big battle between Joan (who may or may not talk directly to God in several manifestations) and an evil character who might or might not be Satan incarnate was brewing up.

They could have run Briscoe County for about, oh, 20 more years, too.

[MicaelS]

51. Nowhere Man

Starring Bruce Greenwood. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nowhere_Man_%28TV_series%29

[deutsey]

55. I loved the first season

The second season, however, seemed to abandon the psychological thriller aspects of the first season and became a shoot-em-up action/adventure show. That's what I recall, anyway.

[MicaelS]

66. I believe you're confusing NM with another series...

NM only had 1 season of 25 episodes - Aug 1995 until May 1996.

[deutsey]

68. Yeah, I am wrong about it having two seasons, but I am talking about NM

As it struggled for ratings, I seem to recall the show abandoning the psychological stuff that I found intriguing and began focusing on Veil getting violent revenge on those who put him in his situation. I lost interest in it at that point.

[Kat45]

57. Yes. That was an unusual show but it intrigued me.

That type of show rarely lasts long on commercial TV.

[KamaAina]

52. Square Pegs

well, at least Sarah Jessica landed on her feet -- or should I say her Manolos?

[mzteris]

79. only thing I ever really liked her in. n/t

[Joe Fields]

63. Picket Fences, as well as Call to Glory

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

74. I was a HUGE Fences fan, but the final season was weak

Once David E. Kelley got bored and moved on to other stuff, it lost the magic.

[Lucian]

64. "Angel"

Ended way too soon. The ending was too rushed, but I understand they had to rush it.

[elleng]

71. Brooklyn Bridge

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooklyn_Bridge_(TV_series)

[elleng]

72. The West Wing

[ChoralScholar]

114. agreed

[flvegan]

73. Brothers, Get a Life

[stray cat]

77. Petrocelli

[mzteris]

78. Cracker

and I hate they cancelled Numbers without wrapping it up. I liked the premise, though. I think they could've used some fresh writers/ideas, though.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

80. The PJs.

Produced by Ron Howard and Eddie Murphy on FOX.

The Claymation adventures of the Super (maintenance guy) in the Projects, Thurgood Orenthal Stubbs, his wife Muriel, resident crackhead Smokey, assorted kids and other characters.

It was like the best of the Simpsons -- you had to watch and listen closely to catch everything. And the people were not goody goodies like on The Cosby Show.

It probably got canceled because it showed things like a black crackhead (wearing a button that said 'Lose Weight Now, Ask Me How') :rofl: and the reluctance of black people in the projects to call the cops -- because they knew they wouldn't come.

I knew that "Thurgood" referred to Thurgood Marshall, "Orenthal" to O.J. Simpson, but it took me a while to figure out that "Stubbs" was Levi Stubbs, lead singer for The Four Tops.

In one episode, Thurgood, or Goody, would make exclamations with the names of famous black people in them. The ones I remember were "Whitney Houston, we have a problem" and "Holy Moses Malone".

:rofl:

Great show. Wish it was still on. Guess it wasn't PC enough.

[pokerfan]

81. Freaks and Geeks, Sports Night, Pushing Daisies

[BeachBaby]

87. +1 for Freaks and Geeks

[ChoralScholar]

126. I went ahead and downloaded all the episodes

I never got to watch it before now.

[LostinVA]

82. Homefront, Angel, China Beach, Year in the Life

[MajorChode]

83. The Red Green Show

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fh5XVPSx9Dk

[InternalDialogue]

115. I'm kind of fond of Red myself...

but does anything really get "canceled" on PBS?

It's like they kind of spawn from the ether and eventually reabsorb.

[LostinVA]

84. American Dreams -- I forgot that one

[XemaSab]

86. American Gothic

Good show, but they bounced it around too much, and there were some casting issues, and they showed it out of order.

It lives on on Hulu though. :D

[YankeyMCC]

94. Firefly, Farscape, FlashForward

now onto the G's :) Just kidding.

I'll mention B5 I think this was brought to an end 1 season earlier than planned and it certainly felt rushed.

Enterprise maybe should have been canceled because it didn't live up to its potential but it really could've been a wonderful show and at times you got a glimpse of what it could have been.

[WinkyDink]

95. Tour of Duty; American Dreams; Get A Life; And the WINNER: L&O in NYC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Broken_Hero]

96. Justice League Unlimited

it was just hitting a damn fine stride before it got canned.

[JTG of the PRB]

99. Arrested Development, My Name is Earl, Firefly, Andy Richter Controls the Universe...

...Justice League Unlimited, X-Men Evolution, FlashForward, Enterprise (at least the Season 4 version of the show)...

Just to name a few.

[InternalDialogue]

116. Andy Richter's show was fun.

I saw the first three or four episodes, but then it was like their scheduling got wonky. I couldn't reconnect and next thing you know, it's done.

But they had some good ideas, and the inserted scenes/dream sequences thing worked great.

[ThomasQED]

119. I miss My Name is Earl

and I can't believe FlashForward got the axe but the new V didn't.

[applegrove]

100. "The Days & Nights of Molly Dodd". It was cancelled around 1990. It was

most like Sex & the City.

[Sabriel]

102. Touching Evil

The American remake of the British series starred Jeffrey Donovan (of Burn Notice). It's an offbeat, X-Files-ish show with really good acting.

[Glassunion]

104. Family Guy

But it was uncancelled. So I guess it was not? Gigity.

[Kaleva]

105. Gunsmoke

[MiddleFingerMom]

111. Go to www.otr.net ...

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...and listen to the HUNDREDS of Gunsmoke radio shows they have on file.
.
.
.
If you liked the TV show, you should LOVE the radio series.
.

[Initech]

108. Titus

I loved that show, it was like a really fucked-up version of Home Improvement.

[ElmStreetPlaza]

109. Brimstone

One of my favorite shows was Brimstone and it shouldn't have been canceled. Also, the remake of Dark Shadows.

[Rob H.]

110. Better Off Ted & Andy Richter Controls the Universe

both of which were created by Victor Fresco. Funny, quirky stuff doesn't last, but we get eight seasons of dreck like According to Jim? Bleh.

[ThomasQED]

117. Better Off Ted was really great. (nt)

[ChoralScholar]

125. Agreed - and not just because Andrea Anders is gorgeous....

I wish it had stayed on the air.

[MiddleFingerMom]

112. Deadwood... Dead Like Me... Frank's Place... Key West (m-m-m Jennifer Tilly). n/t

[kath]

113. Veronica Mars. Even though it's been a few years, I'm not over being pissed that they cancelled it.

Kick-ass female protagonist, great dialogue, echoes of film noir. A bazillion times more intelligent than the dreck shows that continue on for years and years and years.

[JCMach1]

121. Sledgehammer!

Loved that show.

[JCMach1]

122. LEXX

Another awesomely weird show...

[JCMach1]

123. Star Trek (Original Series)

Imagine if it had lasted as long as say... The Next Generation...

[Dinger]

127. I Miss Prison Break

I was addicted to that show, bad!

[6000eliot]

129. FlashForward!

[HEyHEY]

132. I think it was "the war at home" the one with Michael Rappaport... it was funny.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

133. Legend.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legend_(TV_Series)
"Legend was a science fiction Western television show that ran on UPN from April 18, 1995 until August 22, 1995, with one final re-airing of the pilot on July 3, 1996. It was Richard Dean Anderson's first major role after the successful MacGyver series, and also starred John de Lancie, best known for his role as "Q" in Star Trek: The Next Generation."

[Jamastiene]

135. Ghost Whisperer n/t