Film & TV Prematurely Cancelled Shows

[Illuminattile]

What shows do you think got cancelled before they reached their potential?

For me, Joss Whedon's Firefly is the obvious one. Arrested Development deserved to go on for longer, but at least that got three seasons. Firefly got cancelled half way through the first.

If anyone remembers Grosse Pointe, I thought that was a really good show that also deserved better.

 

[Glockmatic]

Andy Richter Control's The Universe - Something about this show was just hilarious, maybe because I'm a big Conan fan and the show had the same humour as Conan.

 

[Devious]

man there are a lot of shows that fit into that category. one show i remember in particular was called Undeclared, a great show with intelligent writing that was cancelled after 15 episodes. the problem nowadays is that networks aren't willing to take a chance anymore. if the show isn't an immediate hit, it's gone before you even realize it. it's like they forgot that some of the most popular shows of all time weren't instant hits and had to earn their audience (Cheers and All In The Family stand out as examples of shows that didn't catch on until the second season). Arrested Development is the one show in recent memory where a network actually took a chance on a low rated show because they believed in it. it's a shame it didn't catch on until it was cancelled.

 

[Devious]

Andy Richter Control's The Universe - Something about this show was just hilarious, maybe because I'm a big Conan fan and the show had the same humour as Conan.

for some reason i hated this show, even though i do like Andy Richter. his guest appearances (him and all his "twin brothers") on Arrested Development were gold :thumb:

 

[PuffnScruff]

the winner. new show the past season and it was pretty funny. only on for like 4 episodes.

 

[Rukas]

I was more upset about and miss Angel more than Firefly.

 

[Casey]

Joey - fucking hilarious, I got both seasons on DVD. Too much pressure on the writers to repeat the success of "Friends", rather than letting the show breathe and develop over time.

That 80's show - see above. I don't think this show would have got cancelled had it had a different name entirely. Again, too much pressure simply because of the name of the show.

 

[2Pax]

Tru Calling - Really original show, a breath of fresh air and pretty addictive. Plus the main actress was hot.

 

[Tha_Wood]

what about brian, not sure if it is actualy cancelled but i read it was

 

[S. Fourteen]

the problem nowadays is that networks aren't willing to take a chance anymore.

That's right. TV shows are fillers between commercials and they are interested selling airtime. This has been the case since the days of Twenty-One and Geritol. It's not a nowadays problems.

 

[Devious]

That's right. TV shows are fillers between commercials and they are interested selling airtime. This has been the case since the days of Twenty-One and Geritol. It's not a nowadays problems.

but in the past, shows were given a chance to develop an audience, where as now if after a month the ratings are low, the show gets canceled. for example, Cheers finished close to dead last in the ratings it's first season. if that show had been created today, it would have been canceled before the first season even ended.

 

[Trump Tite]

Joey - fucking hilarious, I got both seasons on DVD. Too much pressure on the writers to repeat the success of "Friends", rather than letting the show breathe and develop over time.

That 80's show - see above. I don't think this show would have got cancelled had it had a different name entirely. Again, too much pressure simply because of the name of the show.

i see your taste in television is about as good as your taste in music.

 

[Rahim]

South Beach. that show was awsome...some of the girls were so fine

 

[Flipmo]

John Doe
Jack-Of-All-Trades
Fastlane (Best show ever, I wish they didn't cancel it )

 

[Snowman]

8 Simple Rules.. that show was top of the mountain until John Ritters untimely death. producers decide to see if the show could still run with Casting James Garner and David Spade. unfortunately ABC decides to pull the plug.

if John Ritter hadnt died this show would have still been on and succesful like everybody loves raymond, frasier, the king of queens.


Yes Dear.. a great show with actors you didnt know. the only 2 that were known. was Mike O Malley, and Jean Kelly as she was in Uncle Buck with John Candy. CBS kept it on the air for 5 seasons until they cancelled that show. the show was right after the King Of Queens. but people at CBS felt the show was only funny was because its was right on after KOQ. if the show was on a different day it would have been on for about 5 episodes. (I Loved Yes Dear and i am hoping they release it on DVD soon). that was a funny show.

 

[Illuminattile]

They really should have cancelled 8 Simple Rules straight after Ritter died. It's not that the show wasn't good afterwards - Spade and Garner did a great job - but it was just too emotional and schmaltzy. Shame, because Amy Davidson was awesome, and hot.

 

[Devious]

They really should have cancelled 8 Simple Rules straight after Ritter died. It's not that the show wasn't good afterwards - Spade and Garner did a great job - but it was just too emotional and schmaltzy. Shame, because Amy Davidson was awesome, and hot.

agreed. most of the time when the actor who plays the main character of a show leaves (or dies, in this case), it is virtually impossible for the show to continue to be successful. in most cases the actor is just irreplaceable no matter how funny the new material is. they should have just let the show go when he passed. but since when do the tv networks really know what they're doing?

 

[ChrisZimbo]

"nowhere man" ... if anyone remembers that shit

 

[_carmi]

agreed. most of the time when the actor who plays the main character of a show leaves (or dies, in this case), it is virtually impossible for the show to continue to be successful. in most cases the actor is just irreplaceable no matter how funny the new material is. they should have just let the show go when he passed. but since when do the tv networks really know what they're doing?

yup. it's like The OC. no matter how good it was, when they killed Marissa, the show went downhill. season 4 was good, but nobody realised that cause they were pissed that Marissa died.

 

[FroDawgg]

That 80's show - see above. I don't think this show would have got cancelled had it had a different name entirely. Again, too much pressure simply because of the name of the show.

that 80s show sucked, and not just because of the name.

i would say boston public if it was cancelled after the first or second season, but it started to suck after that so i guess it was right that it was cancelled during season four.