Shows Canned Too Soon

[grimley1968]

I'm dating myself, but here goes:

- WKRP in Cincinnati (this could have gone on for another 3 or 4 years, IMHO)
- Taxi (lasted a few seasons, but was cancelled early, then brought to another network but didn't really make it)
- St. Elsewhere (but it was starting a downhill slide, so maybe it was for the best)
- Northern Exposure (it was also starting a downhill slide, but could have lasted another season or two)

 

[luvmy2sams]

Once and Again...I still miss this show.

Commander in Chief

 

[Bob Slydell]

I second that! I recently watched the 2 seasons on DVD--what a great show. I wonder how many of them will end up on Sorkin's new show?

Joshua Malina's gotta be on the show! He seems to show up on all of Sorkin's projects somewhere along the way!

 

[wdw4us2]

1. Wonderfalls - Great show, FOX should have stayed with it longer. I'm glad I was able to get the entire series on DVD.

2. American Gothic - I can't believe no one else has mentioned this one. Gary Cole was great as the creepy sheriff and you never knew what to expect.

3. Tru Calling - I can't believe FOX ignored this show while devoting all their attention to Arrested Development. Eliza Dushku did a great job with the part coming after her success on Buffy the Vampire Slayer & Angel.

 

[ToriLammy]

2. American Gothic - I can't believe no one else has mentioned this one. Gary Cole was great as the creepy sheriff and you never knew what to expect.

I read all five pages looking for American Gothic and you mentioned it just as I was about to post.

 

[barbeml]

American Gothic - I can't believe no one else has mentioned this one. Gary Cole was great as the creepy sheriff and you never knew what to expect.

Forgot this gem.

Also "Profit" with Adrian Pasdar as the guy who slept naked in a box. So many reasons to hate FOX.

 

[cteddiesgirl]

InJustice was a good show and now it's gone too.

Yes. I started watching that just for the heck of it after Dancing with the Stars and really liked it. Now I miss it.

American Dreams was good too. My ex got me into watching it and all of a sudden it stopped presumedly because of Dick Clark's poor health.

Alien Nation. Super cast, I'm still not sure why they took that off.

Yes! I loved that show!

I can't think of any others off hand. Will let you know if I think of any.

 

[RadioNate]

Sports Night
Joan of Arcadia
Reunion
My So Called Life
American Dreams
Love Monkey
Dark Angel

Seems networks give up on shows too easily these days. If it isn't a hit right out of the gate it is done for. People always reference the first season of Friends and Cheers, how neither was a run away hit. MASH is another good example of a show that became legendary but was once on the brink of cancelation.

I know programming is more than just about numbers, you can have a low rated show that is making money succeed. There are things like cash flow and production costs to factor in. I think that is what killed Reunion, Love Monkey and American Dreams. Both has large casts, high music rights fees, big production costs all around. I'm hoping Lost doesn't end up being drastically changed for those reasons. The cast is huge, production costs are sky-high. Only a run away hit can sustain the cash flow and still meet budget expatations.

 

[hucifer]

Arrested Development, Futurama, Greg the Bunny, Undeclared - FOX, why do you torture me?

YES! Greg the Bunny!

I thought I was the only person on the planet who not only watched the show, but watched it faithfully every week. It was hilarious!

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

"Once and Again" with Sela Ward. You can still catch reruns on Lifetime.

It was so true-to-life and helped me when I was going through my divorce.

 

[BeNJeNWaFFLe]

And Angel ended just when it was getting good!

I completely agree! The show was really just picking up and the last season had some great episodes, then *Poof*.

I also miss Tru Calling and My So Called Life.

 

[barbeml]

YES! Greg the Bunny!

I thought I was the only person on the planet who not only watched the show, but watched it faithfully every week. It was hilarious!

I have the DVDs...there are several unaired episodes!

Do you like Robot Chicken?

 

[MUFFYCAT]

Once and Again...I still miss this show.

i was just about to post this one.

I like Sela Ward.

I used to Sisters years ago.

 

[ladycollector]

Invasion. That show was getting very good and they basically left it with no resolution. It had a lot of potential. It could have ran at least another season.

 

[hucifer]

I have the DVDs...there are several unaired episodes!

Do you like Robot Chicken?

Actually, I never heard of Robot Chicken.

I didn't realize Greg the Bunny was on DVD! I have to look into that.

 

[AuntieM03]

Firefly
Homefront
American Dreams

When I was a teenager I was crushed when Seven Brides for Seven Brothers was cancelled.

 

[wvrevy]

Can't believe I forgot to mention "Sports Night". I must be getting senile in my old age. Yet another incredible show by Aaron Sorkin. I also really liked "American Gothic", even if it was extremely strange. ("Someone's at the door" )

I can't say I was sorry to see The West Wing go, and I was a strongly devoted fan. While the last season did finally show some better writing, it was still a shell of what it used to be. Plus, it focused so much on recurring character and newer, tertiary characters that it almost felt misleading to call it The West Wing anymore. I was glad to see it go, but horrified at the paltry sendoff it got. How does Will & Grace get a 2hr finale (for a 30 min show) but The West Wing only get a regular episode and no fanfare. I'm seriously miffed about that.

It did transition to the new administration. But that was actually great, simply because that's what really happens after an election, so I certainly didn't have a problem with that. As to them getting shorted by only having an hour finale...there was supposed to be an hour retrospective on before the final episode, but (according to Entertainment Weekly) the actors and the network couldn't agree on payment for the retrospective, so the network just trashed the entire idea and aired the pilot episode in it's place.

I got more chills out of that show than any other television show I've ever seen. Just incredible writing back in the beginning (and I will never forget two of the season finale's: 1 - "WHO'S BEEN HIT?!? WHO'S BEEN HIT?!?" and 2 - Reporter: "Mr. President, can you tell us right now if you are going to run again?" Pause while he puts his hands in his pockets and starts to smile. Leo: "Watch this!"

Just incredible television, and I'm certainly sad that it's gone, even if it hadn't quite made it back to that level.

 

[Bob Slydell]

As to them getting shorted by only having an hour finale...there was supposed to be an hour retrospective on before the final episode, but (according to Entertainment Weekly) the actors and the network couldn't agree on payment for the retrospective, so the network just trashed the entire idea and aired the pilot episode in it's place.

Is THAT what happened?? I thought I was going senile, because I could have sworn that a few weeks before the finale, my DVR had that retrospective listed as being on before the finale. Whew, now I know I haven't lost my mind (well, on that subject )

I got more chills out of that show than any other television show I've ever seen. Just incredible writing back in the beginning (and I will never forget two of the season finale's: 1 - "WHO'S BEEN HIT?!? WHO'S BEEN HIT?!?" and 2 - Reporter: "Mr. President, can you tell us right now if you are going to run again?" Pause while he puts his hands in his pockets and starts to smile. Leo: "Watch this!"

Just incredible television, and I'm certainly sad that it's gone, even if it hadn't quite made it back to that level.

The music selections for a lot of those episode certainly added to the goosebumps, especially in episodes like the re-election announcment and the episode when they assassinated Sharif (sp?)

 

[Missy1961]

Can't believe I forgot to mention "Sports Night". I must be getting senile in my old age. Yet another incredible show by Aaron Sorkin. I also really liked "American Gothic", even if it was extremely strange. ("Someone's at the door" )



It did transition to the new administration. But that was actually great, simply because that's what really happens after an election, so I certainly didn't have a problem with that. As to them getting shorted by only having an hour finale...there was supposed to be an hour retrospective on before the final episode, but (according to Entertainment Weekly) the actors and the network couldn't agree on payment for the retrospective, so the network just trashed the entire idea and aired the pilot episode in it's place.

I got more chills out of that show than any other television show I've ever seen. Just incredible writing back in the beginning (and I will never forget two of the season finale's: 1 - "WHO'S BEEN HIT?!? WHO'S BEEN HIT?!?" and 2 - Reporter: "Mr. President, can you tell us right now if you are going to run again?" Pause while he puts his hands in his pockets and starts to smile. Leo: "Watch this!"

Just incredible television, and I'm certainly sad that it's gone, even if it hadn't quite made it back to that level.

I'm getting chills reading this post!

 

[wvrevy]

Is THAT what happened?? I thought I was going senile, because I could have sworn that a few weeks before the finale, my DVR had that retrospective listed as being on before the finale. Whew, now I know I haven't lost my mind (well, on that subject )

Yep. After all the critical praise and fan support the show received, we got shorted a decent goodbye because of the bean counters at NBC.

The music selections for a lot of those episode certainly added to the goosebumps, especially in episodes like the re-election announcment and the episode when they assassinated Sharif (sp?)

The cinematography in that re-election announcement - Bartlett in the foreground, dripping wet, while a storm rages outside and an American flag whips in the wind - was what always got me, but I couldn't agree more about the music and it's importance in the show. Just masterful television, all around (at least...it used to be).