Noooo!!!! Why? - Shows that got cancelled way too early!

I've got loads of these but I'll start the ball rolling with a couple.

Action



Great comedy that never really found a good home on Fox and bombed

Dollhouse



Far from perfect but a really interesting idea, talent galore involved and should have been given more time

Jericho



A fantastic TV show with a reasonable worldwide following, I'll never understand why this ended up in the dumper!!  

I thought these were cut way too early:

Firefly
Dresden Files
Now and Again

Firefly for sure. Biggest upset in network history.

Harsh Realm. Chris Carter came up with this, a pre-Matrix story about, well, the matrix. I felt it was cutting edge for its time but they pulled the plug after nine episodes.

The Riches. A HUGE WTF moment when FX killed it off after 2 seasons--and it ended on a cliffhanger. I can't even comprehend the low ratings as it was a funny and intense show that really kept you watching, and hell it had Eddie Izzard. Who wouldn't watch a show with Eddie Izzard in it?

And Jericho was a big loss as well.

Anyone remember Space Rangers? That one went out on a cliffhanger, as well.

Odyssey 5.

Outstanding sci fi series starring Peter Weller. A group of astronauts are aboard the space shuttle when they see the earth destroyed. An alien being sends them back in time with their memories intact to determine what exactly happened. Showtime killed this series after one season and it went out on a cliffhanger. I bought the whole series on DVD last year and it's so frustrating to wonder where the series writers were heading with it.

Nowhere Man:



Very cool show that only lasted 1 season on UPN.

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Very cool show that only lasted 1 season on UPN.

Did UPN ever have a show that lasted more than one season?

"The Flash" (1990)


When Tim Burton's "Batman" movie made a ton of $$ in 1989 CBS hoped that viewers would tune in regularly to see a show about one of his Justice League teammates. The show had a big budget look, a theme song by Danny "Batman" Elfman, and scripts by several members of DC Comics' writing staff (incl. Howard Chaykin) but it didn't catch on. Also: Amanda Pays. Hot.

Fat Freddy wrote:

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Very cool show that only lasted 1 season on UPN.

Did UPN ever have a show that lasted more than one season?

 

I think Star Trek:Voyager and Enterprise where the only ones that lasted more than one season....

Of course, how could actually remember the "great" shows like Homeboys from outer space or Shasta McNasty......

Fat Freddy wrote:

"The Flash" (1990)


When Tim Burton's "Batman" movie made a ton of $$ in 1989 CBS hoped that viewers would tune in regularly to see a show about one of his Justice League teammates. The show had a big budget look, a theme song by Danny "Batman" Elfman, and scripts by several members of DC Comics' writing staff (incl. Howard Chaykin) but it didn't catch on. Also: Amanda Pays. Hot.

Could have been a UPN show......

I think I watched every episode when it originally aired

How'zabout "M.A.N.T.I.S." (1994)?



A wheelchair bound scientist creates a bio-mechanical suit that not only allows him to walk again, but also gives him super strength and other powers. TV Critics seemed to think this show represented some kind of huge step for diversity in television since it featured an African American superhero... which didn't make much difference, cuz the show was cancelled after only a couple of weeks.

I forget what the initials in "M.A.N.T.I.S." really stood for, but I remember reading a review that said it could be an acronym for "Most Audience Not Tuning In Show"

OK I am going show my age and expose my geekiness, but The Flash from the 1990's. It lasted one season and it was bit corny but fun.

Also Birds of Prey based on DC Comics Bat-Chics comic book series, was very cool series that died a quick death after only one season

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OK I am going show my age and expose my geekiness, but The Flash from the 1990's. It lasted one season and it was bit corny but fun.

I mentioned "The Flash" a couple of posts ago, Manfred!!

Fat Freddy wrote:

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OK I am going show my age and expose my geekiness, but The Flash from the 1990's. It lasted one season and it was bit corny but fun.

I mentioned "The Flash" a couple of posts ago, Manfred!!

I was still recovering from the fact you remember 'M.A.N.T.I.S.'

OK I used to love this show as a little kid, have not seen it since, Marvel Comics even adapted it to a short lived run, 'Man from Atlantis'

manny wrote:

Also Birds of Prey based on DC Comics Bat-Chics comic book series, was very cool series that died a quick death after only one season

I watched that show. Very enjoyable. If I remember correctly, the Joker appeared on the show played by some guy (no idea who) and voiced by none other than Mark Hamill.

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OK I used to love this show as a little kid, have not seen it since, Marvel Comics even adapted it to a short lived run, 'Man from Atlantis'

I had a couple of issues of Marvel's "Man from Atlantis" series in my old comic collection but to the best of my knowledge I never saw the show.

From the same time period as "Atlantis," does anyone remember the very short lived TV series version of "Logan's Run" starring Gregory Harrison as Logan and Heather Menzies (who'd played one of the Von Trapp kids in "Sound of Music" and would later end up in Joe Dante's "Piranha") as Jessica?

Fat Freddy wrote:

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OK I used to love this show as a little kid, have not seen it since, Marvel Comics even adapted it to a short lived run, 'Man from Atlantis'

I had a couple of issues of Marvel's "Man from Atlantis" series in my old comic collection but to the best of my knowledge I never saw the show.

From the same time period as "Atlantis," does anyone remember the very short lived TV series version of "Logan's Run" starring Gregory Harrison as Logan and Heather Menzies (who'd played one of the Von Trapp kids in "Sound of Music" and would later end up in Joe Dante's "Piranha") as Jessica?

Yeah man ! I watched that bad boy. Here's another from that era.Nothing better than a spy...who can turn invisible !

Oh snap, I remember "Gemini Man!"

corplhicks wrote:

Anyone remember Space Rangers? That one went out on a cliffhanger, as well.

With Wings Hauser? I caught the last couple of eps then it was gone. Good call

I'll add "Dirty Dozen- The Series" & the live action "Tick"

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the live action "Tick"

Y'know, I loved the "Tick" cartoon show but the live-action series never clicked with me. That style of surreal humor worked better in animated form.

Besides, if memory serves the live action "Tick" never said "SPOON!"...which is unforgivable.

That said, Patrick Warburton had the perfect voice for The Tick. Even before the show came along, whenever I read the comics I always imagined the Tick's voice sounding something like that.

Stark raving mad. A great sitcom back in the 90s. Don't think it lasted more than one season.

Human target (the recent one). I loved that show. While the second season wasn't quite as solid as the first, I think it deserved another chance.

Even though Scrubs didn't exactly end, the good era of Scrubs ended so I feel that this should be included. Futurama, also, but that will be back...it always comes back.

Also, I might be the only person in existence who liked it, but I wished they hadn't cancelled Alcatraz. I wanted the mystery solved, dang it!

MetallicSeminarian wrote:

Also, I might be the only person in existence who liked it, but I wished they hadn't cancelled Alcatraz. I wanted the mystery solved, dang it!

I didn't know they had cancelled it. They didn't resolve the show? That's f*cked up.

The Inside (2005). A short-lived summer replacement series in the "Criminal Minds" type vein, showrunner was Tim Minear who had just finished up work on Buffy & Angel. This was another one of those shows that Fox destroyed by airing the episodes out of sequence (and skipping a few) and then pulled the plug after only 7 episodes had been aired. The full 13-episode series was later broadcast in the UK and Canada.

Couldn't find a trailer, but here is the pilot episode (in fairly bad quality).

And how could forget: the original Star Trek!