Best TV shows cancelled by the networks

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Best TV shows cancelled by the networks (Page 1 of 3)

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:21:31 AM EDT

Hadn't seen a thread on this topic yet. If it's a dupe, I don't much care. I don't watch a lot of TV, mostly because every time I turn it on, there's nothing worth watching. It seems every once in a while they get a gem, and then cancel it, or wreck it. Perfect example was Firefly. Another good example, from 1999 was Freaks and Geeks (show about the early 80s that even won an Emmy). I remember the hot older babysitter when I was a kid loved Square Pegs. Another example, one I didn't like, was Family Guy. They tank it, then it sells a gillion DVD copies, so they bring it back.

I am not as interested in shows that ran for 4-5 seasons and petered out, but ones that you got a taste of, that had potential, and got killed young.

So, what are the best shows, or at least shows you liked and had promise, that the networks had and cancelled?

Firefly
Freaks and Geeks
Square Pegs
Family Guy
Nowhere Man (I think I got the name right - kind of a tinfoil hat show about a guy who gets his identity erased from the mid-90s - only saw a few shows but they were good)

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:23:02 AM EDT

[#1]

All of the shows you mentioned with the exception of Family Guy sucked, and deserved to be cancelled. For the children.

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:23:23 AM EDT

[#2]

Tour of Duty

ETA: Space: Above and Beyond

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:23:51 AM EDT

[#3]

ST: Enterprise

Chappelles Show

Beavis and Butthead (cant remember if it was cancelled or just ended, but that show MADE mtv IMO)

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:24:28 AM EDT

[#4]

Space: Above and Beyond

I'm a Sci-Fi guy... My one vice, I can't help it.
~Dg84

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:24:57 AM EDT

[#5]

Firefly
Karen Sisco

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:25:49 AM EDT

[#6]

Starved on FX I thought that show was great.
Futurama
Family guy

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:26:03 AM EDT

[#7]

Firefly

Freaks and Geeks

Space: Above and Beyond

Simon & Simon

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:27:47 AM EDT

[#8]

Firefly.

Salvage 1

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:28:49 AM EDT

[#9]

+1 to Firefly and Futurama (best cartoon ever)

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:28:55 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
ST: Enterprise

Chappelles Show

Beavis and Butthead (cant remember if it was cancelled or just ended, but that show MADE mtv IMO)

I read an interview with Mike Judge right after Beavis and Butthead stopped. He pretty much said he was burned out with it and wanted to pursue other projects and the show had run it's course at that time but that B & B may be back at some future point.

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:29:12 AM EDT

[#11]

Firefly
John Doe
Jake 2.0
Space: Above and Beyond
Millenium

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:29:12 AM EDT

[#12]

Futurama

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:29:12 AM EDT

[#13]

Earth 2

and

SeaQuest DSV

also come to mind.

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:29:58 AM EDT

[#14]

Firefly

John Doe

Millenium

The 5th Corner

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:30:43 AM EDT

[#15]

fear factor, my kids loved it.

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:31:46 AM EDT

[#16]

Futurama
Family Guy (but it's back, yeah!)
Aeon Flux
Spawn (the HBO animated series)
Police Squad

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:34:16 AM EDT

[#17]

Lots of FOX shows, firefly, spave, above and beyond, john doe....

I also miss Now and Again with president palmer

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:34:26 AM EDT

[#18]

Tough Crowd

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:37:49 AM EDT

[#19]

The lone Gunman, Special Unit 2

and Most of all

FARSCAPE

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:38:18 AM EDT

[#20]

Firefly
My So Called Life

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:38:38 AM EDT

[#21]

The Prisoner.....

1968?

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:38:57 AM EDT

[#22]

Firefly... just finished my friend's DVDs of them and I am just plain dismayed that there will never be more.

- BG

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:42:09 AM EDT

[#23]

I'm in agreement with a few of the above suggestions, but I'll also add Farscape. I was just starting to REALLY get into it when it got cancelled. I also can't figure out why in the hell UPN 86'd Enterprise. That was a fantastic show.

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:42:34 AM EDT

[#24]

I'll go with Titus on this one. That show was funny as hell. I think it lasted 3 seasons maybe? MJD

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:43:16 AM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:

Futurama

Big +1

That was one of the best shows on TV ever - and the stale old Simpson's went on forever!

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:43:31 AM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:
Firefly... just finished my friend's DVDs of them and I am just plain dismayed that there will never be more.

- BG

Well, in the Serenity DVD, the director talks about making more movies. There still might be hope.

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:43:36 AM EDT

[#27]

+1 for Titus
Brimstone

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:43:36 AM EDT

[#28]

The original 1966 Star Trek

To boldly go where no man has gone before

With William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, George Takei, and Nichelle Nichols.

NBC made a terrible mistake because the exec believed that the show was too techie.

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:44:03 AM EDT

[#29]

I know a lot of you guys didn't like it, but I enjoyed Over There.

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:46:00 AM EDT

[#30]

Futurama

FireFly

Space Above and Beyond

Earth 2

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:49:37 AM EDT

[#31]

Quoted:
... I also miss Now and Again with president palmer

How could I forget that one?!?!? I loved that show and ranted like a lunatic when CBS cancelled it...

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:52:18 AM EDT

[#32]

Third Watch

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:53:48 AM EDT

[#33]

Arrested Development

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:55:46 AM EDT

[#34]

Police Squad

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:57:31 AM EDT

[#35]

Firefly
Futurama
Family Guy (yes, I know it's back)
Space: Above and Beyond

[Geez, I guess we shouldn't start to like any show that starts with "F"]

Many of the shows mentioned in this thread would NOT qualify, as they had 3-4 seasons, which is above average. This thread is about shows cancelled after only one or, at most, 2 seasons.

-Troy

Posted: 3/20/2006 9:58:07 AM EDT

[#36]

Quoted:
Arrested Development

+1...Funniest show nobody watched.

Posted: 3/20/2006 10:00:09 AM EDT

[#37]

NightStalker w/ Darren McGavin

Posted: 3/20/2006 10:00:33 AM EDT

[#38]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Firefly... just finished my friend's DVDs of them and I am just plain dismayed that there will never be more.

- BG

Well, in the Serenity DVD, the director talks about making more movies. There still might be hope.

Serenity needed to make 85 million, but only made about 35 million. It didn't have a simple-enough plot to work for many people who hadn't seen Firefly, and not nearly enough people knew about Firefly at all. Less than 20% of all households get SciFi, and few people remember a TV show that was cancelled 4-5 years ago (when it debuted on Fox).

Firefly was fantastic, but it worked far better as a TV show, when there was time to explore each character, than as a 2 hour movie.

-Troy

Posted: 3/20/2006 10:04:40 AM EDT

[#39]

Greed.

The one where Jay Mohr was the Hollywood movie exec. That show was funny as hell.

Posted: 3/20/2006 10:04:43 AM EDT

[#40]

FIREFLY

Posted: 3/20/2006 10:05:21 AM EDT

[#41]

Brimstone

If you don't know it ask

Posted: 3/20/2006 10:05:56 AM EDT

[#42]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Firefly... just finished my friend's DVDs of them and I am just plain dismayed that there will never be more.

- BG

Well, in the Serenity DVD, the director talks about making more movies. There still might be hope.

Serenity needed to make 85 million, but only made about 35 million. It didn't have a simple-enough plot to work for many people who hadn't seen Firefly, and not nearly enough people knew about Firefly at all. Less than 20% of all households get SciFi, and few people remember a TV show that was cancelled 4-5 years ago (when it debuted on Fox).

Firefly was fantastic, but it worked far better as a TV show, when there was time to explore each character, than as a 2 hour movie.

-Troy

+1