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MadMan
01-06-2012, 02:19 AM
http://wgtccdn.wegotthiscovered.netdn a-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/cancelled.gif

Or quite simply, Thirdmango and MadMan cover their favorite short lived TV shows. Bear in mind there are ones I haven't seen enough of or haven't seen but I wanted to included them (so don't be mad if you don't see Reaper or Better off Ted here-I'll get to them shortly). Besides, this really isn't a formal structure per say, and him and I can always use the thread to just highlight other short lived television that either chose to kill itself off, or was unjustly taken before its time. Besides the TV forum was getting a bit stale-not enough new threads.

Russ
01-06-2012, 02:23 AM
Andy Richter Controls This Thread.

MadMan
01-06-2012, 02:24 AM
1. Cowboy Bebop

http://i.cdn.turner.com/adultswim/shows/cowboy-bebop/img/show-image.jpg

Yes I am aware that this show was not canceled, but maybe you should just read the fine print and also acknowledge that I'm cheating. Regardless, there was only one season of the show and a movie, and that's all the creators want to give us. Personally if I run into any of them I would be rather torn: on one hand, I might beg them for more, but at the same time the way the show ends is practically perfect. Continuing this show on after how the finale went down would be the same thing as making Inception 2. Horrible idea.

Also I'm actually going in order this time, but hey I can do whatever the hell I want, and I felt like shaking up a list thread just a bit. Everytime this show airs on Cartoon Network I tune in, nevermind that I've viewed every episode at least numerous times and there's only one season so the episode pool is a bit limited. However I have only seen the movie once, and I watched it before I had finished the entire series, so I'm thinking that I go back and revisit the film so I can look at it through a different mindset.

Honestly, if you have not seen Cowboy Bebop stop reading this thread and go rent it any way you can. Seriously, go now. Don't stop, don't think, go, run, steal, beg, borrow, whatever. This is coming from someone who's not a huge anime fan, so just take my word for just this once.

MadMan
01-06-2012, 02:24 AM
Andy Richter Controls This Thread.GET OUT OF MY HEAD :pritch:

Thirdmango
01-06-2012, 02:24 AM
Ahoy, I'm glad MadMan said he was going to do this cause it got me to mix through my stuff to see what I wanted to put on this list. I ended up with 40 possible shows to put on this list but narrowed it down to 10. I did however want to include some shows which may have been forgotten at this point so I did want to take a second to mention five shows. First Firefly and Arrested Development would probably be number one and number two but since everyone can agree on those being high and I don't really feel like talking about them I've taken them out of the running. Terriers I would possibly also put on the list but I can't for the life of me remember anything about the show besides loving it. The other two shows which should be on the list but I won't put on for a mixture of they are expected and I don't remember them enough to talk about are Freaks and Geeks and Veronica Mars. And with that being said, we are off.

MadMan
01-06-2012, 02:27 AM
Ah Freaks and Geeks is one show I'm ashamed to admit I have not seen all of, yet I have viewed a couple of episodes and I must say its my kind of comedy.

Thirdmango
01-06-2012, 02:39 AM
10. Reaper

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/thirdmango/10%20cancelled/reaper_devilstrings.jpg

You don't have to be mad that MadMan doesn't have Reaper on his list because I do. At the time this had come out I had just watched the first season of Buffy and hated it. If you've read the Buffy thread you know that I've come around on Buffy, but what Reaper did was it took this monster of the week that was popular with shows like Buffy and it gave it to two nobodies with no super powers besides just the mission to defeat Satan's minions. The big fellow Sock, he actually looks like me, well not exactly, just more of a overweight kind of way, but in most of the shows that do something monster of the week you don't see overweight people kicking ass.

The other nice thing was just the whole parents selling your soul to Satan angle. It started the show off with this absolute bummer for the main character who was basically doomed to be screwed. Like many shows which were cancelled they didn't see it coming so the last episode does not give us any sort of closure which is too bad. (It is a reason I know many people haven't watched the show.) But even with that being said I still recommend it, Ray Wise is fantastic and it did have two seasons, and it also has Michael Ian Black and Ken Marino as gay next door neighbors.

Lucky
01-06-2012, 02:41 AM
At the rate Veronica's third season went, I'm glad it didn't continue. At least we'll have the first two seasons. I will admit I was curious to hear the rumor that it would continue with Veronica in the FBI, though. The series "reboot" might have worked wonders.

amberlita
01-06-2012, 02:51 AM
http://metadiary.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/mann-and-machine.jpg

MadMan
01-06-2012, 02:59 AM
Reaper is a show I started watching, and then I just quit due to it being taken off the air for a while, which killed the buzz for me. Its just stupid that CW canned a really promising show that had a decent amount of critical acclaim. At some point I will finish it on Netflix IV.


2. Veronica Mars

http://img2.ranker.com/list_img/175/54642/full/tv-shows-cancelled-before-their-time.jpg?version=1309905572000

Sure this is a cliche choice, but there are only a handful of shows that I have burned through rather quickly in a short amount of time like I did with Veronica Mars. At least seasons wise-I made it through all three of the show's seasons in less than a month. More like three weeks, I think, and that's only because I had to deal with work and school. Anyways, the character of Veronica Mars is great, and I love the rest of the cast, although Season 3 had some weak secondary characters. Yet, I do not completely disagree with it being canceled, because Lucky is right: the show was starting to go downhill a bit.

http://www.lonelyreviewer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/veronica1.jpg

However, a future down the road spinoff where Kristen Bell is clearly old enough to be in the FBI could possibly work. Now they couldn't have done it back then because she looked way too young. I would not mind a VM movie with her being some kind of FBI profiler, but at this point I doubt those involved with the show and Bell are really interested in doing one, and the audience probably is not there right now. Still we will always have Seasons 1 and 2, which were utterly amazing-Season 2 being utterly fantastic and the best of the bunch, and the merely good but still entertaining Season 3. Even though it features a bunch of really good looking people I still can't believe a show as smart and as savvy as Veronica Mars was on the CW/WB whatever you want to call it network.

Thirdmango
01-06-2012, 03:17 AM
9. Lucy Daughter of The Devil

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/thirdmango/10%20cancelled/lucydaughter.jpg

After the demise of Home Movies the co-creators of the show went on to make their own shows. Brendon Small did Metalocalypse and Loren Bouchard did this one season show Lucy Daughter of The Devil. It's amazing this show even got to have one season since the pilot was made in 2005 and the series wasn't picked up until 2007. The series was about Lucy voiced by Melissa Bardin Galsky who is the daughter of Satan voiced by Jon Benjamin. It's a toned down Satan, the kind of Satan that wears sweater vests and listens to Genesis. But Lucy is dating DJ Jesus voiced by Jon Glaser, the messiah that performs "nearacles", not quite miracles. Oh yeah and Eugene Mirman pops up once in a while.

It's funny with shows like this because you're happy they are cancelled for what is in their place. For instance I loved Frisky Dingo, but I'm glad it got cancelled so Archer could be on the air now. I like Bob's Burgers a lot, but I think selfishly I'd still like to have this show for myself. Bob's Burgers does work better for a larger audience I just have a special place in my heart for this little show. If I'm not mistaken you can still watch all the episodes on adultswim dot com or if you google it all of the episodes are on dailymotion or what not.

Finally, each episode had a different opening and this one was my favorite.

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MadMan
01-06-2012, 04:16 AM
Holy shit, I completely forgot about Lucy: Daughter of the Devil. Love that show, and every time that Cartoon Network airs it I tune in. Nice choice.

3. Firefly

http://www.goodtelevisionshows.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/fireflybanner.jpg

Really this is going to be one of the last cliche choices. I swear. Look I just go where TV magically takes me, although in this case it was more "Netflix Recommends You This, and You Should Watch It Because Netflix Says So." For the record, I'm not a Joss Wheldon fan, although I can see why people enjoy his work. Especially in this case, although I'm a fan of westerns and sci-fi so naturally I enjoyed this show, but really its also due to the witty snappy dialogue and the terrific cast.

Plus the fact that many of the episodes are fantastic, particularly "Shindig," "Jaynestown," and "Out of Gas." Just like Cowboy Bebop this series got its own movie, but that was more of Joss and company begging for a chance to send the show off on a proper final note, and the movie was really quite good, although I slightly prefer the show overall. Its a bit criminal that countless lesser sci-fi shows still exist while this one has been canceled, but hey sometimes life is not fair.

Thirdmango
01-06-2012, 07:23 AM
I don't think they're cliche, they're just well known. If I didn't exempt it Firefly would likely be my first place finisher. I think I've seen it through six times? Anyways.

8. Journeyman

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/thirdmango/10%20cancelled/Journeyman.jpg

In 2007 The show Journeyman aired, it was sort of a more serious version of Quantum Leap where the main character Dan would go back in time to random moments to help others. He would then come back to his own time and see the fruits of his labors whether good or bad for helping out that person. I simply love time travel, I'm pretty much addicted to anything which manipulates time so when I heard about this show I was on board from the starting bell.

All of the 13 episodes had been finished before very many episodes began to air and this was one of the shows which got stuck in the rut caused by the writers strike so the last episode though it doesn't give a clear concrete ending, it does give enough of an ending to feel a bit satisfied. One of the other plot points which was really cool was the main character Dan had an ex-girlfriend who he believed had been killed but it turns out she's a time traveler too and so when he goes back in time he runs into her multiple times.

One of the funny things about the cast of this show is three of the four main actors/actresses are people who are on another show on my list or almost on another show from my list. The main character Dan is played by Kevin McKidd who was Lucius Vorenus on Rome a show which just missed the top ten. Dan's brother Jack is played by Reed Diamond who played Dominick on Dollhouse. The third is Moon Bloodgood who I won't say what other show she's in as it comes up at number six. No cheating and looking it up.

MadMan
01-06-2012, 07:47 AM
I vaguely remember that show. I could have sworn someone else mentioned that show back when it was on the air-maybe number8 did back in 2007.

4. Life On Mars

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zrUBF8ePJD8/TQQNeeJ4FAI/AAAAAAAABR8/lVjPA9tg3JU/s1600/Life+on+Mars.jpg

Despite what people say about American TV ripping off the BBC, thanks to the remake I actually gave this BBC program a chance. Luckily this was available at my local library, just like Veronica Mars was, and since its rather short I quickly buzzed through all of the episodes. The funny thing is that I don't care at all for cop shows, but this one really grabbed me and didn't let go, partly due to the characters (all good or great shows have characters that you can relate to, care about, etc.) but also due to its particular style.

Namely that even the more cliched, standard episodes felt a bit fresh, as if the British had somehow tapped into the ability to grab your attention and make you care about what you were watching. The stale air of a typical boring cop show like CSI Miami or Law and Order was not present, and the time travel element-that the main character had gone back to the 1970s-quickly took a backseat to the main stories going on, although they did cut back to his efforts to return home every episode, of course. None of the episodes are boring, btw, and they have their fair share of both action and serious dramatic moments, some of them inter-cut with bits of comedy and humor, dry as per usual with the UK.

Really what's the most admirable about this show is that none of it is dragged out over multiple seasons, nor does the show drop at all in quality. Deciding to end Life On Mars after only two short series could not have been easy, yet thankfully because BBC TV is awesome the show has a fantastic sense of closure. American TV could really learn something from the British, especially in terms of not killing off shows too early or dragging them out too long, but everything over here is based on silly things such as ratings and money. Oh well.

Thirdmango
01-06-2012, 08:05 AM
Yeah, if you go to the last page of the tv section you can see number8 oozing love for it. I haven't yet watched Life on Mars but I wanna. Now for the show that first jumped into my mind when thinking of this idea. I'm so excited.

7. The Pirates of Dark Water

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/thirdmango/10%20cancelled/darkwater.jpg

I was roughly nine or ten when this show first came on the air and I was hooked from the first episode, a pirate show where the entire world is being devoured by Dark Water, a mucky ink substance which when it touches someone it eats them alive. It was so gritty for being a kid's cartoon. The main character Ren is the typical hero character who comes from nothing but is actually the son of the former king, he has to gather the 13 treasures of Rule which are all hidden in crazy locations. But these treasures seem to defeat the dark water and when all 13 are collected the dark water will disappear from Mer.

What was so sad about this one is I had never experienced a cancelled show until this one came along. The show ended when they had gotten 8 of the 13 treasures and had successfully brought half of the world of Mer back to it's former glory and then... nothing. No more episodes, I didn't know what to do, why weren't they showing more? Just 21 episodes. I thought maybe this show like many other kids shows wouldn't translate, and yes there were pretty awful episodes like where his pal Niddler a monkey bird becomes the king of the monkey birds, but overall the series held up. If I had anything to compare it to, I'd say it's a bit like Avatar the Last Airbender in that it was a kid's show that adults could really get behind.

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There's the intro in case someone remembers it based on that. Once I have a job again I'm going to buy the DVD, it's only available on the Warner Brothers website and when you order it they make it right then and then send it to you.

Mara
01-06-2012, 04:24 PM
1. Cowboy Bebop

This reminds me I meant to check it out when it did so well in the Opening Theme contest we had. I didn't realize it was such a short investment. Let me see if I can find it.

D_Davis
01-06-2012, 04:36 PM
The Pirates of Dark Water was great, and I'd love to see the series finished.

number8
01-06-2012, 05:24 PM
Yep, confirming that I was championing Journeyman when it was on. It got cancelled because no one was watching, and no one was watching because people kept making dumb criticisms like "IT'S A TIME TRAVEL SHOW AND HE ONLY TRAVELS 2 YEARS IN THE PAST? BOOORING!" I'm still fucking bitter.

Thirdmango
01-06-2012, 07:49 PM
This reminds me I meant to check it out when it did so well in the Opening Theme contest we had. I didn't realize it was such a short investment. Let me see if I can find it.

You haven't seen it Mara? You need to, it's my favorite tv show of all time. And just 26 half hour episodes.

Mara
01-06-2012, 07:52 PM
You haven't seen it Mara? You need to, it's my favorite tv show of all time. I can send you a link to a good place to watch it if you don't mind watching it online.

I'm finding it okay. I watched the first two episodes at lunch, and I think I'm still getting a feel for it. More thoughts as I progress.

Thirdmango
01-06-2012, 07:55 PM
I'm finding it okay. I watched the first two episodes at lunch, and I think I'm still getting a feel for it. More thoughts as I progress.

I have somewhat of a guarantee for people that if you make it through the fifth episode and don't like it then you can stop. Are you watching it in english or japanese with subtitles? Likewise the recommendation is that you watch at least through to the fifth episode.

Mara
01-06-2012, 08:03 PM
I have somewhat of a guarantee for people that if you make it through the fifth episode and don't like it then you can stop. Are you watching it in english or japanese with subtitles? Likewise the recommendation is that you watch at least through to the fifth episode.

I prefer subtitles, but so far I've found it in English. We'll see what happens.

MadMan
01-06-2012, 08:25 PM
This reminds me I meant to check it out when it did so well in the Opening Theme contest we had. I didn't realize it was such a short investment. Let me see if I can find it.I found half of the show on DVD at my local library, and then I just rented the rest of it from Netflix. Its a fantastic show, although I'll admit I watched it with English dubbing instead. I was just so used to it because that's how its aired on Adult Swim on Saturday's *shrug*

Pirates of Dark Water sounds really cool. I want to check that one out.


5. The Tick

http://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/tickcast.jpg

Really this show is why I came up with the idea for this thread, although Thirdmango of course takes half the credit, too. Previously I had only watched some of the episodes on FOX before it was canceled, so when The Tick popped up on Netflix Instant Viewing I immediately gave it a second shot. There is only sadly 9 episodes, so I made it through the whole show pretty quickly, and I heartily recommend others doing so because The Tick is funny. Really funny. Seriously just watch the first episode, which had me laughing so hard I almost cried.

That episode has Arthur, a former mild mannered accountant, quitting his job to become a superhero. He runs into The Tick, a large blue man who is incredibly strong but also rather dim-witted, although that's part of his charm. By the end of the episode they are forced to defend Jimmy Carter against a gigantic angry Russian killer robot, leading The Tick to remark at one point "Gravity is a harsh mistress." The show has quality one-liners such as that one, and even though a few episodes drag a bit overall its pretty great. I love all the cast members, and someone online described the show as "Seinfeld with superheroes," which is a pretty good outline of what the show is about.

Just simply tune in for the short lived adventures of Arthur, The Tick, Batmanuel, and Captain Liberty, and to also witness an episode that actually mentions WMDs way before we ever invaded Iraq. Had this show lasted longer, maybe it would have gone stale, but I think that would not have happened for another two, maybe three, seasons. My idea for a potential season finale for Season 1 would have been Arthur being forced to choose between paying the rent and being a superhero, but I'm sure the creators and writers would have come up with something even more awesome.

D_Davis
01-06-2012, 11:17 PM
Cowboy Bebop Cosby (http://cosbybebop.ytmnd.com/)

D_Davis
01-06-2012, 11:20 PM
I prefer subtitles, but so far I've found it in English. We'll see what happens.

The English dub is actually much better than the original Japanese dialog. I think the English actors are far more expressive, and they define their characters better. One of the only anime series I've seen in which this is the case.

Thirdmango
01-07-2012, 12:26 AM
I promised more Moon Bloodgood.

6. Day Break

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/thirdmango/10%20cancelled/daybreak.jpg

I actually watched this series just recently on Netflix. Another time travel show, this one is similar to Groundhog Day where the main character experiences the same day over and over again, but it has a little twist, in that if he is nice to someone the next go around they feel happier, if he's mean to someone they feel meaner and so on. So there's this great episode where he decides to cheat on his girlfriend and the next day he wakes up and she's like, "I feel like you're a lying cheating bastard."

This one aired in late 2006 and also starred Adam Baldwin having another show get cancelled. It only lasted 13 episodes but one of the nice things about it is the creator caught wind of the cancellation so he had enough time to pull together a really satisfying ending. Having the ending turns this show into an almost miniseries and it really flows well through it all.

Obviously as I've said before I love time travel and so this is no different but it's nice that they took the idea Groundhog day had and turned it into a TV show. I think it might still be on Netflix so check it out if you have a chance.

MadMan
01-07-2012, 12:42 AM
Heh they should just stop trying to make time travel shows. None of them since Quantum Leap have had any kind of success.

In the end I decided to leave Arrested Development off my list. It was easy mostly because I have only seen all of Season 1 and only some of Season 2, and besides its coming back anyways. Plus everyone knows about it regardless.

Hey we both hit #6. Wahoo.

6. Frisky Dingo

http://media.screened.com/uploads/1/13181/386615-455649545_7ac6d91700_o.png

Man oh man was this one twisted Adult Swim show, lasting two funny yet crazy seasons and being the creation of the same people that have given you other great shows such as SeaLab 2021 and the hilarious Archer on FX. Really its quite fitting that I have another show featuring superheroes on this list, and it seems that superhero shows don't last very long, either. The Cape and Wonder Woman both failing come to mind, and of course Heroes burned out completely and faded away too. When people wonder why I find regular superheroes such as Superman and Batman boring, I point to shows like this, The Tick and Watchmen (graphic novel and movie) as to why, because these are shows/movies/etc. that depict superheroes as having problems people can actually relate to.

Yes they fight crime, but in this instance the main superhero is actually an entertaining and humorous moron, and the evil villain as having to deal with his weird son and his own set of endless problems. Well they do dial things up to insane heights, but they can get away with that since in the end it is really about superheroes. Also none of them are whinny or annoying like Spiderman in the Rami movies, either. Say what you will but you will never convince me that dude isn't emo.

Also this is another prime example of the second season being way stronger than the first. Having Killface and Awesome X run against each other for president during an actual election year was a stroke of genius, and I loved the satire present there. They even have a black president on the show, and the way the series ended has to be actually seen to be believed. There was supposed to be a spin-off titled The Xtacles, but that show probably would have sucked and its good that it failed.

Thirdmango
01-07-2012, 01:24 AM
Two episodes actually aired of the Xtacles but they got rid of why the Xtacles were good and gave them different faces and different voices completely ruining the anonymity that was so funny with them in the show.

number8
01-07-2012, 01:47 AM
It only lasted 13 episodes but one of the nice things about it is the creator caught wind of the cancellation so he had enough time to pull together a really satisfying ending. Having the ending turns this show into an almost miniseries and it really flows well through it all.

Was it not always going to be that way? I remember reading somewhere that the idea if they got a second season was to have a completely new story and a completely new guy repeating the same day.

Watashi
01-07-2012, 04:20 AM
Kings better be on this list.

MadMan
01-07-2012, 04:43 AM
Kings better be on this list.I can lie to you and say that its on my list....

Derek
01-07-2012, 04:50 AM
6. Frisky Dingo

Nice pick. Love that show.

HB_IUtciAms

Thirdmango
01-07-2012, 08:49 AM
Was it not always going to be that way? I remember reading somewhere that the idea if they got a second season was to have a completely new story and a completely new guy repeating the same day.

Oh I haven't read that anywhere but if that is the case it would make sense. I am not as up to date on this show simply because I first watched it last year and didn't know it existed before I watched it.

Also in reply to Kings, I loved the first episode but didn't watch past it for no apparent reason. So no, it's not on here.

Thirdmango
01-07-2012, 11:12 AM
5. Mission Hill

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/thirdmango/10%20cancelled/Mission-Hill.jpg

In 1999 Mission Hill aired two episodes on the WB before going on hiatus. It returned the summer of 2000, aired four more episodes and was promptly canceled. The show was never able to see the light of day until after being cancelled appeared on Adult Swim where it did very well with the total of 13 episodes. It was yet another one of those immediate cancellations before the show had any time for anyone to watch it. I don't remember if I saw any of the episodes on the WB though it is possible, but I did watch all of the episodes when it reaired on Adult Swim and I fell in love.

It's a show about two brothers in an apartment together who also have a cool hippie chick roommate and a stoner fellow played by Brian Posehn. The show had a very interesting color scheme which almost over did it on the blues but they balanced it out by having some characters not fit the color scheme. It was a very odd choice but for the style of show it turned out to be it worked. What I mean by style of show is for a mainstream cartoon in 1999 it was actually decently edgy. They had next door neighbors who were a gay couple in their 60s, a Vietnam war vet and a film junkie, they were almost the odd couple as lovers.

It was quite a funny show and one I recently picked up on DVD. I remember in high school the character of Posey was one of my first cartoon crushes which does make sense since I crush hard on hippie chicks. Probably the most memorable episode was the spoof of MTV's The Real World in which the main character Andy becomes a part of the Real World until he realizes he's stuck and he needs to be freed from his torment.

Mara
01-07-2012, 12:30 PM
I'm kind of hoping to see Wonderfalls. It gets underloved on MC.

MadMan
01-07-2012, 10:42 PM
I'm kind of hoping to see Wonderfalls. It gets underloved on MC.You know people, there's a reason those shows got canceled and also a reason why this thread exists :lol:

Although as I said in my initial post this thread can always be updated, re-opened, etc. I'm already planning a "Favorite Modern Shows" thread, which will be a sort of quasi-sequel to my "Favorite Shows" list that I finished here about two, maybe three years ago.

I saw some of Mission Hill on Adult Swim, and I really still don't know what to think of it. Weird comes to mind, quirky maybe.


Nice pick. Love that show.Thanks. Love that Tribute to Boosh clip you posted. Hilarious.

MadMan
01-07-2012, 10:48 PM
7. The Drinky Crow Show

http://cache.thephoenix.com/secure/uploadedImages/The_Phoenix/Home_Entertainment/TV/Drinky_and_Gabby_Out.jpg

One of the strange things Adult Swim does is that they give shows a chance, and sometimes these shows only last one season for whatever reason or another. The Drinky Crow Show falls into that category, and actually I'll admit I never saw the last episode of the show's run, although I can't imagine it gave any type of closure or anything of the sort. Really though how the hell do you have closure with a show this twisted, random, and insane? You can't, so maybe that's the beauty of the whole thing, I guess. All I know is that the main two characters not only remind me of some folks I know who've had crazy misadventures (not as utterly outlandish as the ones on this show, mind you) but also of Dr. Gonzo and Raul Duke, those two misfits wrecking havoc upon the world.

Especially since Drinky Crow and his Uncle Gabby spend their entire time getting completely blitzed and then tearing ass around the countryside, doing who knows what and also doing other people. The animation on this show is incredibly unique, and I don't think I've really seen it elsewhere, although the show's tone and style are very much Aqua Teen Hunger Force, for example. Basically I'm highlighting this show instead of Arrested Development because Arrested Development is said to be coming back, and I think more people should check out this utterly magical, maniac journey into a fantasy land spawn from the dark nether regions of someone's twisted mind.

Thirdmango
01-08-2012, 12:04 PM
4. Better Off Ted

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/thirdmango/10%20cancelled/269.jpg

This one is a bit of a cliche choice as I'm sure everyone here is familiar with this show at this point. But it's gotta go this high on my list considering I've watched the show all the way through about 4 or 5 times since it was cancelled in May of 2010. The show has a very unique brand of humor especially with the idea that the company all of the characters work for is pure evil. It turns it into a bit of a dark comedy making you love characters that ultimately create things which are harmful.

So perhaps I'll hit you with a couple of things about Better Off Ted you may not know, like how the series was created by Victor Fresco who previously created Andy Richter Controls the Universe and was nominated for an Emmy from his work on Mad About You. Did you know that Ted is played by Jay Harrington who speaking of cancelled shows appeared as the lead character Steve on the US version of Coupling, which even though it was pretty bad it had three other actors who have gone onto things. The character of Jeff was played by Christopher Moynihan who is on the decently funny Man Up. The character of Sally was played by Sonya Walger who we know as Penelope from Lost, and finally the character of Patrick was played by Colin Ferguson who we know as being the main character of Eureka.

Anyways, If you are one of the few who haven't watched Better Off Ted, it's a quick watch and very funny. It's currently available on Netflix Instant.

number8
01-08-2012, 08:02 PM
I'm rewatching Journeyman again thanks to this thread. Man, I'd forgotten how much I loved the theme song.

viJqJqPZubA

Mara
01-08-2012, 09:40 PM
So I watched the first seven episodes of Cowboy Bebop and I think it may not be up my alley. There's nothing wrong with it, but I don't feel any emotional connection to the characters and don't feel any particular urge to keep watching. Probably a perfectly good show, just not for me.

That opening credit sequence is killer, though.

MadMan
01-08-2012, 10:32 PM
No love for Ballad of Fallen Angels? That episode is near perfection as far as I'm concerned.

Mara
01-08-2012, 10:54 PM
No love for Ballad of Fallen Angels? That episode is near perfection as far as I'm concerned.

I had a completely neutral reaction to it. I didn't dislike it. I just couldn't get involved.

D_Davis
01-08-2012, 11:55 PM
No love for Ballad of Fallen Angels? That episode is near perfection as far as I'm concerned.

Might be the best 30 minutes of television I've ever seen.

MadMan
01-09-2012, 05:58 AM
I had a completely neutral reaction to it. I didn't dislike it. I just couldn't get involved.No offense, but if that's the case then Cowboy Bebop just isn't your bag. Its okay, because in return for you at least giving it a shot I'm going to try and watch Better Off Ted since its on Netflix Instant Viewing and I feel guilty for reading your posts praising it all this time when I never gave it a chance.


Might be the best 30 minutes of television I've ever seen.Oh absolutely.

Mara
01-09-2012, 02:08 PM
Its okay, because in return for you at least giving it a shot I'm going to try and watch Better Off Ted since its on Netflix Instant Viewing and I feel guilty for reading your posts praising it all this time when I never gave it a chance.

It's not life-changing or anything, but it is very, very funny.

MadMan
01-09-2012, 08:59 PM
It's not life-changing or anything, but it is very, very funny.I like funny. Sounds good to me.

8. Andy Richter Controls The Universe

http://jamespatrickstuart.com/feature/20.jpg

Now I will admit I never saw the end of this show, although that could be due to Fox having completely given the show the shaft. In fact, until I did further research, I had completely forgotten that it had even lasted two seasons. Wow, Fox sure was generous :rolleyes: In doing this list, and also looking at Thirdmango's as well, I've noticed that CW and Fox have a lot of shows on this list for some odd reason they continue this odd tradition of giving unique and different from the norm style TV shows a chance, then axing them when they (of course) fail to score huge ratings or find a wide audience. But I digress: this show made me laugh a lot, and was pretty entertaining. Andy Richter has always been funny, and it was cool that he at least got a show after leaving Conan's side for a while.

The main plot of this show isn't truly important, and its kind of basic. What works is the jokes, Andy and the cast's fairly good timing, and the fact that the show in some ways reminds me a bit of the American Office. Maybe its because it happens in office settings, or due to the fact that its brand of humor, although more odd ball than The Office, was kind of based on madcap happenings to Andy and the rest of the cast. I vaguely remember some of the guest stars, but this show was a bit too out there to gather a large audience, which is too bad. Netflix should really feature more shows like this one on Instant Viewing, if only so I can once again revisit it. I'm also reminded that Andy Richter had one more short lived show on NBC, although I never watched that one.

transmogrifier
01-09-2012, 09:10 PM
4. Better Off Ted


Yes! This was great. Endlessly rewatchable.

D_Davis
01-09-2012, 10:29 PM
Hope there's some Sports Night love coming....

Ivan Drago
01-09-2012, 11:53 PM
7. The Drinky Crow Show


After I read a few of the comic strips this show was based on, I wanted to check out the show. But by the time I wanted to, it was cancelled. :frustrated:

Acapelli
01-10-2012, 05:26 AM
8. Andy Richter Controls The Universe
every fan of better off ted should watch this. i think it's just as good, if not better

Thirdmango
01-10-2012, 01:52 PM
3. Party Down

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/thirdmango/10%20cancelled/Party-Down.jpg

I had hoped to do this before everyone discussed this show yesterday in the TV discussion thread but alas sometimes you just can't get ahead of the natural flow of things. I recently marathoned this show again, probably for my third time through the series. I know the issue of showtime and nudity was brought up and I actually felt the best bits regarding nudity were the male nudity moments, Enrico Calentoni jumping into the pool naked to free himself from the shackles of suburbia, and Ken Marino becoming quite well endowed with ensuing hilarity.

Speaking of scenes I actually think the very last scene of the last episode is the best. That episode overall isn't near the top but the very last scene of hope after years of sarcasm and apathy was a nice touch for the story of Adam Scott's character. I didn't really know Megan Mullally before watching the show so when her character replaced Jane Lynch I wasn't very pleased, but perhaps it's now knowing her as an actress better or watching the overlaps this show has with Children's Hospital and Parks and Rec that made me like her a bit more.

I understand the reservations some might have on this show, but if you haven't watched it you simply need to.

Mara
01-10-2012, 01:56 PM
I understand the reservations some might have on this show, but if you haven't watched it you simply need to.

I wasn't an unmitigated fan of this show, but I agree with this statement. It's rare to find an American t.v. show that's really willing to ignore mainstream ideas of television and do its own thing.

number8
01-10-2012, 02:42 PM
I agree that that last scene is a perfect way to wrap up the series. It's for that reason that I'm wary about the movie. I like the ambiguity of Henry's fate too much.

MadMan
01-10-2012, 08:03 PM
every fan of better off ted should watch this. i think it's just as good, if not betterReally. Huh.


After I read a few of the comic strips this show was based on, I wanted to check out the show. But by the time I wanted to, it was cancelled. :frustrated:Bummer. Maybe Adult Swim will show it again in the future as reruns. I know that they have some episodes of it up on their website.


9. Pushing Daisies

http://static.tvfanatic.com/images/gallery/pushing-daisies-wallpaper.jpg

Had I actually finished this show, it would have probably ended up higher on my list, but I'm also picking it to highlight how unfair it is, that, according to what I've heard, ABC did not let the show have any type of closure. Weak. Usually I am not the type to enjoy something this quirky, although I do sometimes enjoy quirky humor-after all, I am a huge fan of Wes Anderson's movies. Still the cast here is excellent, and they sell the material so well, plus the show's premise was really surprisingly unique. After all, its not every day that you get a show about a man with the ability to bring people back from the dead, even if he is only able to do so for a short time.

Furthermore, this man is a talented baker, and he just so happens to violate that fundamental rule, which leads to someone else passing away while the love of his life can finally be by his side. Yet, the fact that if he touches her she will die forever means that they can only gaze longingly at one another. Luckily the show deals with this in touching, yet funny ways, instead of being a complete downer. There are also cases that the main character solve, which only makes the show even more entertaining, which is a good thing, really. At some point I will watch the rest of the episodes-I think I left off somewhere in Season 2, maybe. Too bad this show is not only Netflix Instant Viewing, although really it should be so that can find an even broader audience, despite having been canceled.

Acapelli
01-10-2012, 10:12 PM
Really. Huh.
only reason i say that is both shows have the same creator, and a similar sort of wackiness

Thirdmango
01-10-2012, 10:53 PM
2. Clerks: The Animated Series

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/thirdmango/10%20cancelled/clerks_animated_wallpaper.jpg

This is one of those shows which it's fortunate that they even had six episodes. The fourth episode was shown first, the second episode was show second and then the show was promptly cancelled back in 2000. Based on the movie Clerks by Kevin Smith, it starred all the same actors as the movie. As I said it only had six episodes and become more popular based on dvd sales and finally airing on comedy central two years later.

It may be a controversial choice to put this series so high considering there were only six episodes and I'm actually not a big fan of the original movie. The show pulled off some really funny moments and interesting ways in which to view tv as a whole. For instance the second episode is a clip show episode, a staple in long term tv shows which usually happens somewhere later in the series, but having it be the second episode is incredibly funny as they only had one episode to work from including one scene I think five times in the episode.

Probably my favorite episode is the court room episode which guest stars a bunch of NBA players at the time such as Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller and Patrick Ewing. The ending when it changes to being drawn by Korean Animators has one of my favorite moments in any television show. "Who's driving the car, Bear's driving the car, how can this be?"

I've probably watched those two episodes and two of the other four around 20 times, which is probably why it does score so high for me personally.

EyesWideOpen
01-11-2012, 02:11 AM
It's funny how the last three of Madman's entries he mentions he hasn't watched all the episodes of the show he's championing.

MadMan
01-11-2012, 02:38 AM
It's funny how the last three of Madman's entries he mentions he hasn't watched all the episodes of the show he's championing.It didn't stop me from posting my favorite shows list. Out of the shows on that list, some of the Top 5 featured shows that had episodes I had not seen. So I decided not to let it limit me here, either :)

Thirdmango
01-12-2012, 04:13 AM
Hope there's some Sports Night love coming....

1. Sports Night

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/thirdmango/10%20cancelled/sportsnightshow.jpg

This is one of the shows which I credit as getting me into television in the first place. It aired while I was in high school when I was just getting into the different forms of media. It started airing on ABC in 98 and was cancelled in 2000 after just two seasons. Of course being in high school I couldn't really watch all the episodes when it was airing but comedy central began airing it shortly after that and I was able to make use of taping the episodes on VHS during the night when they had marathons. I was actually surprised when I picked up the Complete Series DVD at how there were maybe 2 or 3 episodes I hadn't seen.

The show was particularly interesting to me because at the time in high school when it was airing I was making my own transition from being a sports guy into a media guy. I had always had video games but up to that point I had always participated in some sort of team sport so I was sort of juggling both types of lives and that's what this show did. It talked about sports (of course not real sports players at the time) and it mixed in the humor, the love, and everything in between. Many people talk about the "walk and talk" of the show which really became even more apparent as Sorkin has done more shows, but at the time that was my life was the "walk and talk", in between classes, on the way to lunch and to and from school you would walk and talk with your friends and that was one of the main forms of communication.

Jeremy was the character I most identified with, a bit more nerdy and someone who had a gigantic crush on Natalie who admittedly was one of my first celebrity crushes. Their relationship melded a lot with what I was looking for at the time, and watching it now I can still feel that nostalgia of high school crushes from it. I will admit however it was also a show which made me want to be in the booth of a tv show, a job I now know I would never be able to handle.

The show is really re-watchable, and was one of the first seasons of television I ever purchased so I've re-watched it quite a bit. It has been championed for quite a while so I'm sure everyone hear has heard of it. As an end note, I like it a lot more then The West Wing.

MadMan
01-12-2012, 05:35 AM
Wow I remember vaguely The Clerks animated series. And Sports Night is one of those shows that I should watch, but I keep putting it off.

Furthermore, I realized that I had completely forgotten about the fact that The Chappelle Show only lasted two seasons plus the handful of "Lost episodes." Still people have heard of it, so I decided to focus on a rather oddball comedy show that didn't last too long.

Oh and as previously noted, I've left this thread open to future reviews of short lived TV. I'm glad that this thread really took off, and it was an awesome idea. Many thanks to Thirdmango :cool:


10. Greg The Bunny

http://cinegeek.com/wp-content/images/dvd2008/greg_the_bunny/Greg%20the%20Bunny%20Pic%201.j pg

Interestingly enough this show aired right around the same time that Andy Richter Controls the Universe actually did. Slightly just as short lived as that other Fox show was, for some reason Fox had apparently decided to give as many crazy, wacky TV comedies a chance as possible, hoping that one of them would be successful. Clearly none of them really were, and the fact that Greg The Bunny had a really talented cast and was pretty funny in a zany sort of way means that its short time on network TV is sort of a shame. From my research the show was briefly picked up by IFC, who then only created some episodes before killing off the show for good. Those episodes are currently on Netflix Instant Viewing. The FOX version of the show, however, is sadly not.

Really though, this show had some now fairly famous people on it: Seth Green (from Austin Powers, and one of the creators of Robot Chicken), Fred Willard (who's been in numerous Christopher Guest movies and is regularly funny), and Sarah Silverman (well everyone knows who she is), the always hilarious Eugene Levy, and even the famous Tim Curry as voice of Cranky, and even Bob Gunton, who most people know from The Shawshank Redemption. Oh and apparently the show even had a spinoff on MTV, called Warren The Ape, which I have never heard of until now. I have no idea if that show is even remotely good or watchable, but that's not important in terms of discussing this show.

Honestly I wish I could go back and watch Greg the Bunny again, but until I have the funds for DVD Only plus Instant Viewing (I'm a bit broke and unemployed at the moment), that will have to wait. Originally Reaper was also supposed to take this spot, but most folks here have heard of that show, too. Really I guess in some ways this thread was indeed created to highlight lesser known shows, although I will admit that a decent portion of my list featured pretty famous ones.

Thirdmango
01-12-2012, 09:55 AM
I'm impressed that with the two of us not sharing our lists in the beginning we didn't have any overlap.

Lucky
01-12-2012, 04:32 PM
I'm impressed that with the two of us not sharing our lists in the beginning we didn't have any overlap.

I'm impressed by that as well. Thanks for the commitment, both of you. You've reignited my interest in Cowboy Bebop and Sports Night.

D_Davis
01-12-2012, 04:52 PM
1. Sports Night

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/thirdmango/10%20cancelled/sportsnightshow.jpg



Right on! Such a brilliant show. The only fault is the use of a laugh track - something that the studio forced upon the creators. It's so out of place, and doesn't really work with the rapid-fire dialog.

D_Davis
01-12-2012, 04:54 PM
"Who's driving the car, Bear's driving the car, how can this be?"


Probably one of the greatest lines ever uttered on television. That episode is better than all of the things Kevin Smith has done combined.

MadMan
01-12-2012, 09:32 PM
I'm impressed by that as well. Thanks for the commitment, both of you. You've reignited my interest in Cowboy Bebop and Sports Night.Sweetness.


I'm impressed that with the two of us not sharing our lists in the beginning we didn't have any overlap.Yeah so am I, really. Although I can imagine that had Community been canceled this year it would have been featured on both our lists. *Fingers crossed* that it gets a forth season.

Also this is the first time I've ever co-created a thread with someone else. Its pretty fun, actually.

MadMan
06-21-2012, 06:20 PM
Alright ladies and gentlemen, the good news (or maybe not so good news since Dan Harmon has left the show) is that Community will survive for another year. The bad news is that this thread has a new honorary entry, a show that brought me much joy and has been canceled after three seasons.

Blue Mountain State

http://wearemoviegeeks.com/wp-content/bluemountainstate3.jpg

Look, I know that there are people who think this show is really stupid, and they are kind of right. Plus Sports Illustrated hates this show, although I suspect its because when it comes right down to it, BMS strips away the long held idealized notion of the student athlete. Sure there are plenty of people who participate in athletics that also are there to get a degree, but BMS makes the good point that too many dumb jocks just go to college to party and get laid before jetting off to try their luck in the NFL or the NBA (although in this case its the NFL). I am the utter lack of Jack's Surprise at some folks not wanting people to remember that many colleges pay their coaches more than they pay teachers or the dean, for that matter.

No this show made me laugh and smile a lot. The characters are thinly developed and yet by the second season I had grown to love them almost as much as I love other characters. Alex, the main character, is a goofball who by Season 3 realizes that he can have responsibility while still partying his ass off, is a likable and endearing character who many people can relate to. His buddy Sammy is every sidekick we've ever known (and I hate to admit is the one I'm more close to resembling in real life), a true foil who is probably one of the better friends anyone could have. Thad is hilarious and the best character on the show because he is that idiot that everyone has known in their life, and when he gets his comeuppance you smile while at the same time almost feeling sorry for him. The show had other awesome characters, but it was that core group that kept me watching.

So really Spike TV, this is your loss. They could have kept the show going, damnit, and maybe its for the best that the show was canned since Season 3 wasn't as good as Season 2, although it was better than Season 1. Regardless I am going to miss another comedy that is currently available on Netflix Instant Viewing, one that my friends and I tuned into and loved on a regular basis. Hopefully the people involved in this show can find other gigs-after all, many famous actors have been involved in short lived shows. I doubt it for this bunch, but you never know.

PS: Here is my favorite moment from the show, featuring Season 2's best character Radon Randell-

WGTPVF_lsfo

DREAMS! :lol: :sad:

MadMan
09-28-2012, 02:40 AM
I know I shouldn't be bumping threads that concluded, but hey I said that this one can be open ended. I completely forgot to make an entry about another wonderful short lived show, one that I watched all of over the past year (and this post inspired by the TV Discussion thread and one EvilShoe):

Eerie, Indiana

http://cdn-1.nflximg.com/images/9132/69132.jpg

Easily one of Joe Dante's best creations, and was incredibly short lived-only one season-which is a damn shame, although I imagine it was due to the show being too smart for kids, and too aimed at kids for teens and adults to embrace. So many great jokes are in every episode, and none of them fail to be entertaining or engaging. Also I love the opening credits, which are deliciously odd and funny, and the cast was excellent, although some of their mid season additions didn't quite jive with the rest of the group.

Besides, where else can you find a show that managed to cover aliens, werewolves, conspiracy theories, secret lodges, ghosts, and way too intelligent dogs, not to mention brainwashing, and that was just one season? Only The X-Files comes to mind, although there might be a few others, but no other kids show matches that amount of weirdness. Easily living up to its name, and being rather delightful, I'm still bummed that a show capable of delivering four-five quality seasons was canceled. Another show on FOX that bit the dust. No wonder I don't watch that network for anything other than football these days.