"You can't take the sky from me." - Firefly intro song
Hey there people. I've been watching some old series lately and I thought it would be fun to list some of my favorite shows that were ended way too soon. These shows are all worth checking out even if they were cancelled by the networks. A little disclaimer before I begin...I have absolutely no right to be writing this article. I am part of the reason most of these shows were cancelled early because I did not watch them at the time they originally aired. I found out about them later through word of mouth. Maybe that's not my fault, maybe that's the network's fault for having shoddy advertisement and build up. But we're not pointing fingers here...or are we?
Hey there people. I've been watching some old series lately and I thought it would be fun to list some of my favorite shows that were ended way too soon. These shows are all worth checking out even if they were cancelled by the networks. A little disclaimer before I begin...I have absolutely no right to be writing this article. I am part of the reason most of these shows were cancelled early because I did not watch them at the time they originally aired. I found out about them later through word of mouth. Maybe that's not my fault, maybe that's the network's fault for having shoddy advertisement and build up. But we're not pointing fingers here...or are we?
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefly_(TV_series)
If a blogger ever makes a list of television shows that were cancelled way too early it is a safe bet that Firefly will be on that list. In fact the whole list might be a concoction just to write a little more about Firefly. That's not what this list is, however, I have been re-living Firefly lately and it is what prompted me to write this blog post. Anyways let's talk about the show.
If a blogger ever makes a list of television shows that were cancelled way too early it is a safe bet that Firefly will be on that list. In fact the whole list might be a concoction just to write a little more about Firefly. That's not what this list is, however, I have been re-living Firefly lately and it is what prompted me to write this blog post. Anyways let's talk about the show.
Firefly centers around the crew of the Firefly class vessel, Serenity. It is set in the future where humans started leaving Earth to find new planets to terraform. The governing body of human society is the Alliance and our heroes are actually criminals just trying to make their way. My favorite thing about this show is the character interaction and development. Every character is likable and has their moment to shine. Years later the creator, Joss Whedon, and the rest of the cast still talk fondly of Firefly. Even today you can find at least one Firefly dedicated booth at comic conventions such as WonderCon and ComicCon.
Some of my favorite episodes include: Objects in Space, Train Job, and my favorite: Out of Gas. Out of Gas was awesome because it told a brief story of how the crew of Serenity, and the vessel herself came together. There were also 2 different flashbacks going on to make one of the most well told and interesting stories of the season. Unlike most shows on this list Firefly was able to wrap up with a feature movie entitled Serenity. It's really sad because when I watch the series I can see the potential for some great stories. We'd get more insight on Zoe and Wash's relationship, we'd find out about Shepard Book's past, and we'd see a budding romance for Kaley and Simon...oh yes and we'd get more Saffron episodes. I miss this show. Browncoats forever!
Chappelle's Show (2 seasons)
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0353049/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chappelle%27s_Show
This was the biggest show when it aired and at one point Dave Chappelle was one of the most well-respected comedians in the US. People were talking about how he was going to be the next Eddie Murphy. And then he had some kind of breakdown and left for Africa. Leaving us with a few sketches for Season 3 and a whole lot of great memories. His sketches were ground-breaking, edgy, and just downright hilarious. Some of my favorite skits: Rick James, Mad Real World, Samuel Jackson's beer, Racial Draft, Black White Supremacist, and anything with crackhead Tyrone Biggums. I try to watch both seasons at least once a year. Most skits and jokes stand the test of time.
My Name is Earl (4 seasons)
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460091/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Name_Is_Earl
This is one of my favorite shows because it had such a good vibe. More often than not you were left with a good feeling after Earl completes a list item. A hilarious and original concept for a show: a man who has lived a very bad life, stealing, cheating, lying, and whatnot wins a lot of money playing a scratcher. But before he can enjoy it, as a matter of fact, right after he wins, he gets struck by a car. While in the hospital his wife reveals she is leaving him for a man who she has been cheating on him with. Just as he's wondering why bad things keep happening to him, he sees Carson Daley on television talking about karma. He decides to give it a chance and makes a list of bad things he's done and he intends to give himself a better life by making it up to the people on his list. The humor is hilarious and Jason Lee is one of the most underrated actors in the industry today. The ensemble for this show was so good with every one of the main characters playing great roles especially Ethan Suplee and Jamie Pressley.
I can't say this show didn't get its fair shake as it had 4 seasons under its belt, but it was cut short right as Earl found out one of his kids who he thought wasn't his kid turned out to be his child all along. That would have been interesting to see. Plus we all wanted to Earl to finish his list and get the payoff karma had in store for him.
Arrested Development (3 seasons)
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0367279/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrested_Development_(TV_series)
Here's a show that I knew about while it aired but had absolutely no interest in watching. The humor seemed really dry and it was filled with characters I didn't care about. I was finally talked into watching Arrested Development last year, and man do I love this show. The characters are so quirky and so wonderfully flawed that is just hilarious to watch. Another show that was way ahead of it's time. I think it would fit in with today's landscape of shows. Some fond memories I have watching this show: Michael Cera was just awesome, it sucks that it took me until watching Superbad to realize how great that dude is. Each family member had a chicken dance that was hilarious. The fact that nobody can remember or doesn't like George Michael's girlfriend Anne..."really? her?" Will Arnett is just fantastic, he made me program Final Countdown as one of my ringtones. "For British Eyes Only." There's been talks of a movie in the works, but I'll believe it when I see it.
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2 seasons)
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0851851/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminator:_The_Sarah_Connor_Chronicles
This cancellation hurt me a lot. I am a huge Terminator fan, and T2 holds a place somewhere in my top 100 movies. This show started off really well with Season 1. Season 2 started off a little slow, I even got bored for a bit, but then business started to pick up. A quarter of the way into Season 2 Terminator: TSCC was one of the better shows on television. Some of the cooler story arcs included the beginning of a Terminator learning to act more human, John Connor showing exactly how smart and calculating he really is, and a mystery involving why Cameron looks the way she does. The show ended with John being teleported to the future where he meets a human version of the Terminator named Cameron. Unfortunately, I think due to the slow Season 2 start, this show got put into the dreaded Friday night timeslot and eventually got cancelled. The thing that made this worse, for me, is that Dollhouse was renewed. Ugh, Dollhouse. Oh I forgot to mention, Lena Heady = win.
Freaks & Geeks (1 season)
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0193676/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freaks_and_Geeks
Another show I did not watch while it was on the air. I was in college and I didn't feel like watching a show about high school. Much like most shows on this list, Freaks & Geeks was way ahead of its time. Produced by Judd Apatow and starring most of his "boys" before they became huge stars. Seth Rogan, Jason Segel, and James Franco were all on Freaks & Geeks. It was a great show about two groups of high school students, you guessed it, Freaks & Geeks. Some standout episodes include the one where James Franco plays D&D with the Geeks and really loves it, and an episode where Seth Rogan finds out his girlfriend used to have both male and female genitalia and had the male parts removed. This show, much like Apatow's movies today, was full of true situations, hilarious jokes, and very touching moments. Oh and we can't forget the awesome use of "Bad Reputation" as the theme song. Go check it out.
Spaced (2 Seasons)
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/find?s=all&q=spaced
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaced
The first British show I've ever watched, and it was awesome. From the folks who brought us Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, in fact Spaced preceded both movies. Written and starring Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson, this show is about two 20 somethings both looking for a place to live. They decide to move in together and have to pretend to be a couple to get the place. The charm of this show comes from Tim and Daisy's relationship. They care about each other but I really couldn't tell if they were going to end up together or not. The other thing about this show was the amount of pop culture references it included, not only that, but pop culture references that I cared about...here...in the US! There was an awesome scene where he played Resident Evil 2...with real audio and everything, not generic Pac Man sounds over a 16-bit game. Some stand out episodes include the Rave episode, the Zombie episode (said to be the early seedlings of Shaun of the Dead), and of course the slow motion air pistol alley fight. I adore this show, it's a shame it only was on for 2 seasons.
Shows I'm afraid will be on this list soon:
Chuck (it seems like the fans have to constantly rally to save this show)
Fringe (currently in the dreaded Friday Night timeslot)
The Chicago Code (haven't heard anything, but this show is good and execs at Fox are idiots)
That's my list. I don't think any of these shows will see any other light, but we can all try to keep hope alive. Am I missing any shows? What'd you think of this list? Do you plan to watch any of these shows? Shoot me a comment.
Some of my favorite episodes include: Objects in Space, Train Job, and my favorite: Out of Gas. Out of Gas was awesome because it told a brief story of how the crew of Serenity, and the vessel herself came together. There were also 2 different flashbacks going on to make one of the most well told and interesting stories of the season. Unlike most shows on this list Firefly was able to wrap up with a feature movie entitled Serenity. It's really sad because when I watch the series I can see the potential for some great stories. We'd get more insight on Zoe and Wash's relationship, we'd find out about Shepard Book's past, and we'd see a budding romance for Kaley and Simon...oh yes and we'd get more Saffron episodes. I miss this show. Browncoats forever!
Chappelle's Show (2 seasons)
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0353049/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chappelle%27s_Show
This was the biggest show when it aired and at one point Dave Chappelle was one of the most well-respected comedians in the US. People were talking about how he was going to be the next Eddie Murphy. And then he had some kind of breakdown and left for Africa. Leaving us with a few sketches for Season 3 and a whole lot of great memories. His sketches were ground-breaking, edgy, and just downright hilarious. Some of my favorite skits: Rick James, Mad Real World, Samuel Jackson's beer, Racial Draft, Black White Supremacist, and anything with crackhead Tyrone Biggums. I try to watch both seasons at least once a year. Most skits and jokes stand the test of time.
My Name is Earl (4 seasons)
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460091/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Name_Is_Earl
This is one of my favorite shows because it had such a good vibe. More often than not you were left with a good feeling after Earl completes a list item. A hilarious and original concept for a show: a man who has lived a very bad life, stealing, cheating, lying, and whatnot wins a lot of money playing a scratcher. But before he can enjoy it, as a matter of fact, right after he wins, he gets struck by a car. While in the hospital his wife reveals she is leaving him for a man who she has been cheating on him with. Just as he's wondering why bad things keep happening to him, he sees Carson Daley on television talking about karma. He decides to give it a chance and makes a list of bad things he's done and he intends to give himself a better life by making it up to the people on his list. The humor is hilarious and Jason Lee is one of the most underrated actors in the industry today. The ensemble for this show was so good with every one of the main characters playing great roles especially Ethan Suplee and Jamie Pressley.
I can't say this show didn't get its fair shake as it had 4 seasons under its belt, but it was cut short right as Earl found out one of his kids who he thought wasn't his kid turned out to be his child all along. That would have been interesting to see. Plus we all wanted to Earl to finish his list and get the payoff karma had in store for him.
Arrested Development (3 seasons)
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0367279/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrested_Development_(TV_series)
Here's a show that I knew about while it aired but had absolutely no interest in watching. The humor seemed really dry and it was filled with characters I didn't care about. I was finally talked into watching Arrested Development last year, and man do I love this show. The characters are so quirky and so wonderfully flawed that is just hilarious to watch. Another show that was way ahead of it's time. I think it would fit in with today's landscape of shows. Some fond memories I have watching this show: Michael Cera was just awesome, it sucks that it took me until watching Superbad to realize how great that dude is. Each family member had a chicken dance that was hilarious. The fact that nobody can remember or doesn't like George Michael's girlfriend Anne..."really? her?" Will Arnett is just fantastic, he made me program Final Countdown as one of my ringtones. "For British Eyes Only." There's been talks of a movie in the works, but I'll believe it when I see it.
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2 seasons)
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0851851/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminator:_The_Sarah_Connor_Chronicles
This cancellation hurt me a lot. I am a huge Terminator fan, and T2 holds a place somewhere in my top 100 movies. This show started off really well with Season 1. Season 2 started off a little slow, I even got bored for a bit, but then business started to pick up. A quarter of the way into Season 2 Terminator: TSCC was one of the better shows on television. Some of the cooler story arcs included the beginning of a Terminator learning to act more human, John Connor showing exactly how smart and calculating he really is, and a mystery involving why Cameron looks the way she does. The show ended with John being teleported to the future where he meets a human version of the Terminator named Cameron. Unfortunately, I think due to the slow Season 2 start, this show got put into the dreaded Friday night timeslot and eventually got cancelled. The thing that made this worse, for me, is that Dollhouse was renewed. Ugh, Dollhouse. Oh I forgot to mention, Lena Heady = win.
Freaks & Geeks (1 season)
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0193676/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freaks_and_Geeks
Another show I did not watch while it was on the air. I was in college and I didn't feel like watching a show about high school. Much like most shows on this list, Freaks & Geeks was way ahead of its time. Produced by Judd Apatow and starring most of his "boys" before they became huge stars. Seth Rogan, Jason Segel, and James Franco were all on Freaks & Geeks. It was a great show about two groups of high school students, you guessed it, Freaks & Geeks. Some standout episodes include the one where James Franco plays D&D with the Geeks and really loves it, and an episode where Seth Rogan finds out his girlfriend used to have both male and female genitalia and had the male parts removed. This show, much like Apatow's movies today, was full of true situations, hilarious jokes, and very touching moments. Oh and we can't forget the awesome use of "Bad Reputation" as the theme song. Go check it out.
Spaced (2 Seasons)
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/find?s=all&q=spaced
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaced
The first British show I've ever watched, and it was awesome. From the folks who brought us Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, in fact Spaced preceded both movies. Written and starring Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson, this show is about two 20 somethings both looking for a place to live. They decide to move in together and have to pretend to be a couple to get the place. The charm of this show comes from Tim and Daisy's relationship. They care about each other but I really couldn't tell if they were going to end up together or not. The other thing about this show was the amount of pop culture references it included, not only that, but pop culture references that I cared about...here...in the US! There was an awesome scene where he played Resident Evil 2...with real audio and everything, not generic Pac Man sounds over a 16-bit game. Some stand out episodes include the Rave episode, the Zombie episode (said to be the early seedlings of Shaun of the Dead), and of course the slow motion air pistol alley fight. I adore this show, it's a shame it only was on for 2 seasons.
Shows I'm afraid will be on this list soon:
Chuck (it seems like the fans have to constantly rally to save this show)
Fringe (currently in the dreaded Friday Night timeslot)
The Chicago Code (haven't heard anything, but this show is good and execs at Fox are idiots)
That's my list. I don't think any of these shows will see any other light, but we can all try to keep hope alive. Am I missing any shows? What'd you think of this list? Do you plan to watch any of these shows? Shoot me a comment.
