May 28 2008
So long - we’ll miss you
As the TV season comes to an end, and we head into a summer season of reruns and ridiculous reality programs, it’s time to mourn the shows that won’t be coming back next season. So, which canned shows will you miss the most?
For me, there’s no question - it’s CBS’s Jericho.
Of course, we were lucky to get a second season of this brilliant show, even if it was a short season. Jericho was cancelled after season 1 ended on a cliff-hanger. Fans protested by sending bushels of peanuts to CBS headquarters, referring to the main character Jake’s line in the finale: “Nuts!” CBS decided to give the show one more shot, and brought it back for a short season in January. I guess the ratings didn’t go up like they hoped, because it ended up cancelled. At least they attempted to wrap things up this time. I keep hoping to hear that another network - maybe SciFi Channel - has picked it up, but nothing so far.
Every time I think about Jericho being cancelled, I can’t help but remember another classic show that got short shrift - this time by Fox: Firefly.
Firefly was a show that Kevin and I came to late, since it aired during a time when we didn’t have cable or satellite. We loved the Serenity film, and then our friends loaned us the complete Firefly series on DVD, and we devoured it - twice. Watching the special features, during which producer Joss Whedon talks about how Fox jerked him around by airing episodes out of order, weird time slots, etc. - makes me sad. It was a briilliant show and deserved a chance to gain an audience.
It sure seems like series get a much shorter chance to gain an audience than used to be the case. Watch the special features on the Seinfeld DVDs - they talk about the fact that the show didn’t really catch on until season 3, but NBC believed in it and gave it a shot - and look at what it turned into! It seems now that shows are given hardly any chance at all - sometimes only one or two episodes - and then they’re canned. What a waste of money, time, and talent.
Well, I’ve ranted for long enough, I guess. Feel free to comment and tell me which show’s cancellation made you the maddest.
Oh - I forgot about Joan of Arcadia - another show that was cancelled without a proper finale wrapping things up. Grrr.
Be sure and come back tomorrow - I’ll be blogging the Lost season finale.
[…] Which cancelled programs do you miss the most? That’s what I’m talking about here today. […]
Definitely Firefly. Great series.
Another Whedon series: Angel. Granted, it had 5 seasons, and they were given enough notice to wrap it up at the end of the season. But it needed at least one more season to really wrap it up the right way.
I can’t really think of any others off the top of my head that - didn’t watch much TV this “television season” (not that Firefly and Angel are from this TV season…). I miss Stargate SG:1, but it had 10 seasons, and the last two or three really weren’t that great. Oh, I remember another one: Witchblade, on TNT.
Great show the first season. Wasn’t too bad the second season. Really needed a 3rd season to bring some adequate resolution to the show - but, alas, the star had an alochol problem…
I’m sure if you gave me a list of canceled TV shows, or shows that weren’t given a chance past a first season (or part of a season), or even shows that weren’t given a chance to finish up their story lines, I could find some others…
Kev- I’ve thought about giving Angel a try on DVD, but I thought maybe we would be out of the loop since we didn’t watch Buffy. What do you think - does it stand on its own?
Moonlight.
I hope it does get picked up by another network.
I’m still mourning Veronica Mars from last year!
Andrea - I’ve never watched Moonlight, but it looks great! The wikipedia site says that no other network has picked it up - so far. (fingers crossed)
Alea - I think I would like to watch Veronica Mars on DVD, but I’m not sure it would interest my husband.
I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future.