Why must the good die young? Some of these shows have become cult classics, others have flown under the radar for years, some were absolute trainwrecks, and all of them are worth your time.
Firefly
Firefly is an American space western sci-fi drama (big mouthful right there) written and directed by Joss Whedon. Whedon has gone on to do bigger and better things, like directing the Avengers, but Firefly was stopped before it could really start.
Freaks and Geeks
Freaks and Geeks was an American teen-comedy-drama created by Paul Feig and Judd Apatow. For some reason, this show didn’t do so well on release, but after 20 years the show has picked up traction massively. I mean, just check out the star-studded cast.
Terra Nova
Terra Nova is an American sci-fi drama that just fell flat to television viewers. This show only lasted a few months on the air, but it started and concluded with two epic two-hour specials.
Almost Human
This was an American sci-fi drama that lasted about six months before it was canceled with no renewal. Developed by Bad Robot studios, this was assumed to be a surefire hit, but the advertising and subject matter caused it to fall flat in competition with everything else that was on at the time.
My So-Called Life
This show was a teen drama experience. Unfortunately, it couldn’t hang on the air due to the successes of other shows that were similar to it (Full House, the Fresh Prince, etc.). My So-Called Life ended on a momentous cliff hanger, that we will unfortunately never see concluded.
Forever
Forever was an American drama set in NYC. The main character is a man named Dr. Henry Morgan, a basic medical examiner that just so happens to be immortal. The second season of Forever was left on the cutting room floor, and some like it that way.
The Finder
The Finder was kind of doomed from the start. It had an excellent cast, interesting setting, and had all the backing of Bones, which this was a spinoff of. For some reason, psychological drama and tropical getaway scenery don’t blend that well in practice.
Kolchak: The Night Stalker
Ok so this one is a (deep breath) sci-fi supernatural crime-drama, focused around a Chicago newspaper reporter who investigated paranormal events. This show was axed probably because it was way ahead of its time!
Alcatraz
Produced by J.J. Abrams, this was a presumed long term hit. The subject matter was interesting and could have tied in a ton of different plot elements. However, with Fox being the way they are, Alcatraz got whacked before any of the characters could really get going.
No Ordinary Family
No Ordinary Family was an extraordinary flop. They had a prime-time slot and just didn’t get the viewership that they expected, this show went down after about eight months on the air. It was just another superhero family show, chock full of forced jokes and campy dialogue. If that’s your thing, give it a shot!
The Secret Circle
The Secret Circle was actually pretty cool, it came onto the scene as the Twilight craze was happening. A teen drama about witchcraft and the acquisition of powers the old fashioned way, wizard school. The first half is a killer mix of action and romance, like PG-rated Game of Thrones kinda, back half is politics, its all a pretty decent watch.
The Dresden Files
The modern fantasy drama, the Dresden Files picked up steam on the Sci-Fi channel and then promptly died off. Most likely because of a high budget CGI package that just wasn’t on par with the show’s ratings.
Flash Forward
The Disney Channel Original series never really picked up, but its a pleasant tale of 13 year-olds just trying to navigate life. Our cast will never make it past eighth grade, and in a way, that might be the best thing for this show.
Awake
Kind of a no-name detective show, but Awake sets itself apart showing the actual duality of the life of a detective. This show was cut because of declining ratings, even Kyle Killen, the series creator, admitted that writing the script for this show was very difficult.
Undeclared
This show was made by Judd Apatow, who also wrote and directed Freaks and Geeks. This show also lasted only one season, just like its predecessor. This one is a must watch, only after you finish watching Freaks and Geeks though.
Tru Calling
This show is an example of a show trying to be way too much. This is a supernatural, drama, romance, comedy, sci-fi amalgamation that fell flat on the air pretty much immediately. If this seems like your kind of thing, absolutely go for it.
Constantine
This show feels like a piggyback off of Supernatural. John Constantine is a DC Comics character that’s badass, he curses, drinks, smokes, and fights against some of the most threatening creatures of mythology. This version of Constantine makes him seem like a guy who wasn’t in the right place at the right time.
Limitless
A series adaptation to the cult hit “Limitless,” with a much more underwhelming protagonist and a not so important mission. This is an example of a continuation that just wasn’t necessary, however, if you really loved the original Limitless, this gives you some more plot gristle to chew on.
Wonderfalls
Tell you the truth, Wonderfalls doesn’t get enough credit. Led by main character Jaye Tyler, a badass youngster stuck in a dead-end job after getting a philosophy degree from Brown University. This one is worth a watch for the obscure philosophy jokes alone.
The Tomorrow People
Imagine Kyle XY, except there’s a bunch of him. This show follows a large group of badasses who possess psionic powers because they were farther ahead in evolution than the rest of us. Check it out, its a pretty conclusive one season thirst quencher.
The Adventures of Briscoe County Jr
Okay, this is technically only a one season show, but there are like a billion episodes so I’m not sure if it counts. Whatever, this show is one of the sickest ideas of the 90s, a cowboy-western meets supernatural investigator action fest.
Battlestar Galactica
You can draw the similarities between Star Wars and Star Trek with this one, and if you haven’t watched BG, you’re missing out on some really great space fiction ideas.
Alien Nation
We love alien shows! Especially ones where the aliens have inexplicably assimilated with society, despite their very distinctive head markings and strange behavior. This is like the Planet of the Apes, but half as many apes, and instead of monkeys its people.
Moonlight
Imagine diet Twilight, same puckered face, strong-jawed, sickly looking Anglo-Saxon looking dudes and clueless bimbo female leads. Its also about vampires and the vampires function like werewolves? This is a weird one, but it’s worth a watch if you dig cheesy romance like this.
The Tick
Considered by some as a colossal mistake, to others a golden goose egg among all of the other garbage tv shows out there. The Tick is like if aliens made a comedy show to appeal to humans.
666 Park Avenue
A young successful couple moves into an upscale apartment building in Manhattan, blah blah blah they experience some threatening supernatural stuff and THEY DON’T MOVE OUT. They suspect that demons are living in this high-rise, but don’t consider that greed might be the only demon here.
Police Squad
As a sucker for staged comedy cop shows, the cancellation of Police Squad really struck a nerve. If you like Airplane, please watch Police Squad right now.
The Black Donnellys
The name is a mouthful, but the subject matter is actually pretty cool. Despite the classic teen crime show tropes, this show pervades a lot of those negative ideas. Theres also some pretty cool action as well.
The Flash
The only reason I think this show was canceled was the HORRIBLY GROTESQUE COSTUME THAT LITERALLY MADE THE FLASH LOOK LIKE A DOZEN GARDEN HOSES TAPED TOGETHER. If anyone has the costume designer’s contact information, please send that my way.
Birds of Prey
This show was supposed to be modeled after the DC Comic series but ended up being more like a cross between Van Helsing and Charlie’s Angels. This show is pretty boring, but the imagery is super neat.
The Good Guys
This show is a boatload of fun. Stuffed with car chases, one-liners, huge mustaches, and even some controversial commentary about police in society, which might have been why this show got nixed so quick.
The Crazy Ones
A super interesting show cinematically, and it starred everyone’s favorite actor, Robin Williams. This show got axed probably because of the very normal scenery, they didn’t shake anything at all. Everyone knows that the real crazy ones don’t wear blue shirts and brown shoes on Wall St.
Life on Mars
After getting hit by a car in 2008, detective Sam Tyler wakes up unscathed in 1973. This show has some pretty interesting commentary on death, solid jokes, and definitely packs the rough streets, hardened cops narrative in nicely.
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
This show was made to depict the behind-the-scenes relationships of SNL actors, but it kind of fell flat to actual SNL. There are some interesting comparisons made, and some detailed analysis on comedic structure, but you’d be better off just watching the real show.
Eerie, Indiana
Dude, this show was so cool. It’s like if the x-files were made for kids, but still just as weird. Please give it a watch.
Pan Am
A cool comedy focused around the transient lives of flight attendants. This touching, witty, and cinematically entertaining show provides some important commentary about how women are treated in the service industry. Plus. Margot Robbie is in it, and she’s fantastic.
Clone High
This show is so cool, and it plays off of historical tropes that have been inflated over the years. Starring Abraham Lincoln, Cleopatra, Gandhi, JFK, and Joan of Arc, this show is part history lesson, part high school drama, part inflated personality countering exercise.
Star-Crossed
This show crushed it for 4 episodes and then immediately dropped off. Some say it was because of other good shows on at the same time slot, we say it’s because the scenery and characters got boring.
The Nine Lives of Chloe King
Cat lady discovers she’s really a cat, her friends still love her, blah blah she gets granted nine lives and becomes the “Uniter” which makes her a general in the war between Humans and Mai which are cat creatures from another planet because the humans have captured her father. Watch at least 10 minutes of this show and you’re going to wonder why they squeezed such a crazy complex subplot into this high school romance drama.
Hellcats
Pretty much just Fired-Up the movie but with weird competitive interpersonal issues. Critique aside, Ashley Tisdale crushes it as usual.
Go On
This show lasted a surprisingly long time for what it was. For reference, this is about a sports radio host navigating the death of his wife. After a year and a half on the air, he must have finally gotten over her, because this show got CANCELLED.
Enlisted
This show was critically acclaimed by its followers, but bombed in ratings. This show about three do-good soldiers in the army didn’t bode well with the current perception of the military in society, and it was replaced by Kitchen Nightmares.
American Gothic
Not gothic, nor very American. More of an attempt at ripping off the Shining and dropping the metaphorical ball.
John Doe
So this mysterious man wakes up naked on a beach near Seattle. He has no idea who he is or what he’s done with his life, but he does know EVERY SCHOLASTIC FACT EVER WRITTEN. This dude knows the population of Morocco, how many dimples are on a golf ball, how to synthesize non-Newtonian metals in a particle collider, literally everything. Do you know what they made him do? They made him a cop who solves petty crimes committed against rich people in Seattle.
Outsourced
This show was pretty okay despite the overtly racist undertone. Kind of like a precursor to Silicon Valley but more Islamophobia.
Trophy Wife
A young woman marries into a pre-established family and tries to make it work. This is kind of normal in modern society, but I guess they made a show out of it.
Space: Above and Beyond
Romantic drama in space! What more could one want? Maybe an actual cohesive plot that wasn’t centered around the 30-foot long space ship they all lived in.
Journeyman
A dorky dude suddenly learns how to time travel, reconnects with his super hot babe ex-fiance, which bothers his super hot babe wife, and somehow this is all illegal and some detective wants to arrest him for it.
The Grinder
A big-wig lawyer from NYC has to move back to his tiny hometown and starts practicing law with his clueless younger brother. Standard coming of age tale, learning experiences blah blah blah.
Harper’s Island
Kind of like Shutter Island, but with less existential crises and more paranormal stuff. This is actually worth a watch.
Wolverine and the X-Men
This show fell flat for a few different reasons. The X-Men were really popular, but it was mostly because of Wolverine. Nobody really knew about the other X-Men, and their stories weren’t explained very well.
The Bionic Woman
This show was canceled after one season and then resigned for two more after a long hiatus. This is loosely based off of the character Steve Austin from the novel Cyborg.
Gidget
This show is very simple, it’s about a father mourning the death of his wife while trying to reign in his teenage daughter who is coming of age. Give this a peek if you like surfing and personal turmoil.
The New Normal
A coming of age tale for many different generations, depicting a poly relationship that has a surrogate mother, all while raising kids and their parents trying to understand the dynamic.
Once Upon a Time in Wonderland
A modern twist on Alice in Wonderland, in which she’s an early 20s smoke show and she goes back out of the rabbit hole. The cast acts out their roles very well, the idea was just a little farfetched.
Terriers
This might be the coolest show on the list, probably because it was intended to end after one season. Please give Terriers a watch, you won’t regret it.
Backstrom
Everybody loves Rainn Wilson, who wouldn’t after he’s been cast as the lovable chaotic neutral dude. In this show he plays a cigar-loving cop, that’s honestly pretty much it. Similar antics to his other roles, but a bit more subdued.
The Oblongs
Now consistently airing on Adult Swim, the Oblongs was an absolute treasure and a very interesting depiction of mid-western America after a nuclear strike.
Jane by Design
A cutesy, feel-good drama about a budding fashion designer that just won’t quit. The writing is kind of cringey, but it’s still fun, kind of like the Devil Wears Prada with lower budget-writing and direction.
The Michael J. Fox Show
This show was canceled low-key. Believe it or not, Michael J. Fox didn’t sell that well.
The Event
Cookie cutter sci-fi crime show, not worth writing home about, but definitely worth checking out if you’re a huge fan of the genre.
Popular
Two popular girls that hate each other’s parents meet and get married. They struggle to get along and then strike a beautiful friendship.
The Prisoner
Released in 1968, this show combines sci-fi, space fantasy, and psychological drama to make a twilight zone lookalike. Still pretty cool.
The Red Band Society
A teen high school drama, but the high school was a hospital. This show focuses on several teens who are all in the hospital for chronic illnesses. The nurses act as the parental figures as they navigate coming of age.
10 Things I Hate About You
Dude, this one is a classic. Please watch this show as soon as possible, it shaped a lot of modern teen dramas.
The Gates
This show had the worst ratings of every show on this list. It’s a super high budget supernatural crime show that really can’t decide on a cohesive plot, nor can it make decisions about its characters.
The Muppets
No clue how this one went down because the ratings were so high, but the Muppets tried to reinvent themselves, it went well, then it got canceled.
The Lone Gunmen
This show was made by conspiracy theorists, for conspiracy theorists. If you like nerdy dramas about getting to the bottom of government coverups, whatever the cost, this one is for you.
That 80s Show
This could be Glenn Howerton’s best work to date. That was a joke. This show is awful. This is the worst kind of spinoff of a fantastic show, it makes perfect sense that it cracked like an egg.