Shows That: Died Before Their Time, Never Got A Fair Shot, Or Were Ahead Of Their Time

[ratgirlagogo]

On 5/24/2019 at 8:35 AM, festivus said:

I was thinking about posting about Homefront so that was weird seeing the post. Homefront was a show that me, my mom and my two best friends all loved and we all have much different tastes in TV shows. We'd all call each other to discuss the show after every episode. No forum discussion back then at least not any I was aware of!

Oh and anybody from that show is now like there's so and so from Homefront, no matter what else they've been in. Oh, that's Kyle Chandler from Homefront. Oh, that's John Slattery from Homefront. lol. We were all so devastated when it was cancelled. We bitched about it for years.

I loved Homefront.  An unusually nuanced and sophisticated show about those times.  The episode about the lacemakers had me weeping.

Edited May 26, 2019 by ratgirlagogo

[Annber03]

Was watching episodes of this show on YouTube earlier, and I feel it's another one that can be added to the list: "Night Visions", a horror anthology series that was on Fox in 2001. I loved this show back in the day, but I think it came out at a time when anthology series were few and far between on TV. And reading up on the show on Wikipedia, it seems it was the victim of Fox meddling about, too:

Quote

Regarding Fox's involvement in the creative process, Brown said "They [Fox] said many conflicting things. We had a chance to option an incredible Dean Koontz short story that was just terrifying, and they nixed that because it was too scary. And yet they complained that other stories weren't scary enough.

Quote

The show was scheduled to debut during October 2000 at 8:00 p.m. on Fridays, but this never eventuated, with reality show Police Chase and Freakylinks airing in its place. It eventually aired on Fox from July 12 to September 6, 2001 as a summer filler. Billy Brown reflected "There was a changing of the guard at Fox between the time we filmed the pilot and the time the network was ready to order the series. The new regime wasn't convinced an anthology would work, yet everyone agreed that the pilot was good. I had the feeling the network didn't think the show was hip enough.

From here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_Visions_(TV_series)

Maybe if the show had come out in recent years it might've done better, since there's so many anthology series doing well on TV and online. I also wonder if a different host might've helped, as Henry Rollins is kind of an odd choice. 

Still, I liked the show and thought there were some genuinely creepy episodes in it, and it's a shame it didn't stick around a little longer. 

[SVNBob]

1 hour ago, Annber03 said:

I also wonder if a different host might've helped, as Henry Rollins is kind of an odd choice. 

Not really.  I mean, he was the front man of a couple of the heaviest hardcore punk bands, so he's got both intensity and charisma.  Add into that his spoken word performances, so he's incredibly articulate as well.  And just on looks alone;

he's a big, muscular, kinda scary looking dude.  Fitting for a horror anthology.

(Hell, he still looks like this now, except his hair has gone silver.)

He's also very funny and personable, as seen in his stand-up shows and his short-lived talk show on IFC (which might also qualify for this thread.)

[catlover79]

4 hours ago, ratgirlagogo said:

I loved Homefront.  An unusually nuanced and sophisticated show about those times.  The episode about the lacemakers had me weeping.

The fact that it was set in Northeast Ohio made it even more awesome. 😉

[Joe Hellandback]

Add Dark Skies to the list, essentially history retold from a UFO conspiracists viewpoint. 

[Luckylyn]

Kings on NBC wasn't marketed well and had so much potential.  Plus, Ian McShane is always fantastic to watch.  I think the modern take on David and Goliath would have had a better shot on HBO or Netflix.

[Raja]

1 hour ago, Luckylyn said:

Kings on NBC wasn't marketed well and had so much potential.  Plus, Ian McShane is always fantastic to watch.  I think the modern take on David and Goliath would have had a better shot on HBO or Netflix.

I wish the producers got a shot at another bible book. I don't think Christopher Egan is old enough to play an older King David yet, but there are plenty of stories to draw from.

[Trini]

10 hours ago, Luckylyn said:

Kings on NBC wasn't marketed well and had so much potential.  Plus, Ian McShane is always fantastic to watch.  I think the modern take on David and Goliath would have had a better shot on HBO or Netflix.

Agreed; but I think the show would have been hard to market in any case, and the ideal audience small.

But props to Kings for introducing me to the talented Sebastian Stan!

[ganesh]

Drive. Fox burned the last 4 episodes on the 4th of July. 

Actually just listing out Fox shows over the last 20 years would make the list

Breaking In, another. 

[Anela]

On 5/19/2019 at 4:44 PM, SimoneS said:

American Gothic (1995). I loved that show. It was too dark to attract a large audience. I think it would be still doomed if it aired today.

Loved this. I remember looking forward to it. 

On 5/20/2019 at 3:04 PM, ramble said:

Farscape. YES! Sorry to yell. I’m doing a rewatch (again) and last night watched “Crackers Don’t Matter.” When John dressed up to go fight I laughed so hard I was crying. I miss this show. 

I liked Limitless the tv show much more than the movie and thought it had potential.  I also thought The Finder had promise, but sadly it was not to be. 

Loved Limitless, too. I was so disappointed when it was cancelled. I need to see if that's still on netflix. 

On 5/21/2019 at 10:32 AM, Jaded said:

I'm not sure if anyone else remembers The Book of Daniel from 2006 which aired on NBC. Eight episodes were made but only four aired. The show's wiki explained how affiliates refuse to air it due to the content being controversial at the time. It was a really interesting and fun show which I think if it had aired in the last few years would have survived to the point of maybe even thrived. 

I remember this. I think this was the first thing I ever watched on the internet, when NBC put the episodes on their site every Saturday morning. How has it been thirteen years??? 

On 5/26/2019 at 3:13 AM, Joe Hellandback said:

Add Dark Skies to the list, essentially history retold from a UFO conspiracists viewpoint. 

This, too. I looked forward to it, and looked it up a few years ago, online. This, and American Gothic. 

I saw The Finder on Netflix, for the first time, and enjoyed that one. five years ago. Time is going too quickly. 

[Anela]

On 11/3/2014 at 9:43 PM, UYI said:

I haven't seen the whole thread yet, but this weird phenomenon has to be addressed:

In 1991, three different period shows premiered, one on each of the Big Three networks. All three were cancelled after two seasons in 1993. ABC had Homefront, CBS had Brooklyn Bridge.

But NBC had the one I watched: I'll Fly Away. I'm only old enough to watch the tapes my mom recorded back then, but what a BRILLIANT show. To this day, I think of Sam Waterston being on that show more than anything else.

I watched two of these, but don't remember much about them. I know it was the first time I saw Kyle Chandler in something (followed by the other one that I remember more about, where he got the newspaper a day early - Early Edition). 

On 5/26/2019 at 1:25 AM, catlover79 said:

The fact that it was set in Northeast Ohio made it even more awesome. 😉

I don't remember that. I'll have to look it up. I remember the show, but not much about it. Also remember I'll Fly Away. 

I was one of those obsessed with My So-Called Life. I used to watch the marathons on MTV. I also loved Homicide, but it was so depressing. 

[Blergh]

Here's one from 1979-1980 that I wished had lasted longer- Angie! This was the first prime-time series of Donna Pescow who had played Annette in Saturday Night Fever. Thankfully, the title  character had a better fate- the  waitress daughter of the overbearing  but sympathetic Theresa Falco (Doris Roberts) and the older sister of the insecure Marie  (Debralee Scott) who met and quickly married a pediatrician Bradley Benson (Robert Hays) who came from a wealthy family who didn't approve of Angie's working class background.   Oh, I should mention that Theresa had had to raise her daughters on her own for many years while running a news stand for their support due to Angie and Marie's father  having walked out on them- yet STILL set a place at the table for him at the dinner table.  These were all brilliant performers and even  the other  Bensons weren't entirely cardboard villains - and I think it would have been interesting had there been developments of what the characters would have done had Mr. Falco ever shown up or Angie and Brad had a little one. Alas, this was not to be. 

[slf]

I think Dead Like Me just wasn't appreciated amd supported enough by its network. I wish it had gone for maybe two more seasons. It was clever, witty, and had a lot of heart.

[biakbiak]

15 minutes ago, slf said:

I think Dead Like Me just wasn't appreciated amd supported enough by its network. I wish it had gone for maybe two more seasons. It was clever, witty, and had a lot of heart.

I thought it fell apart but I loved it so and would have gladly watched several more seasons!

[ganesh]

They did have a wrap up movie. 

[biakbiak]

9 hours ago, ganesh said:

They did have a wrap up movie. 

Which was garbage in my opinion.

[Bort]

9 minutes ago, biakbiak said:

Which was garbage in my opinion.

So was the second season. The cancellation of Dead Like Me was one of those where I feel like it was for the best. It was a mercy killing.

[Anela]

2 hours ago, kariyaki said:

So was the second season. The cancellation of Dead Like Me was one of those where I feel like it was for the best. It was a mercy killing.

I liked the second season. I loved it all, until that movie came along.

[catlover79]

17 hours ago, Blergh said:

Here's one from 1979-1980 that I wished had lasted longer- Angie! This was the first prime-time series of Donna Pescow who had played Annette in Saturday Night Fever. Thankfully, the title  character had a better fate- the  waitress daughter of the overbearing  but sympathetic Theresa Falco (Doris Roberts) and the older sister of the insecure Marie  (Debralee Scott) who met and quickly married a pediatrician Bradley Benson (Robert Hays) who came from a wealthy family who didn't approve of Angie's working class background.   Oh, I should mention that Theresa had had to raise her daughters on her own for many years while running a news stand for their support due to Angie and Marie's father  having walked out on them- yet STILL set a place at the table for him at the dinner table.  These were all brilliant performers and even  the other  Bensons weren't entirely cardboard villains - and I think it would have been interesting had there been developments of what the characters would have done had Mr. Falco ever shown up or Angie and Brad had a little one. Alas, this was not to be. 

I was born the year the show premiered and have never seen it. I did learn that the entire series got a DVD release, and I put a hold on it from my local library system (can't wait to see it!). Interesting fact - Robert Hays was still on Angie when he was filming Airplane. I believe he was filming the movie on the show's hiatus - and it went over, so he had to juggle the film with the beginning of the second season of Angie. 

If you've never seen it before - the cast was part of a TV All-Stars version of Family Feud in late 1979. Enjoy!!

[giovannif7]

Angie also included one of my favorite TV themes of the era - Different Worlds, performed by 70s movie theme queen Maureen McGovern, which was released as a single and hit #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart and the Top 20 of the pop singles chart in 1979:

[ganesh]

You just can't beat 70s era Richard Dawson. 

[catlover79]

12 hours ago, giovannif7 said:

Angie also included one of my favorite TV themes of the era - Different Worlds, performed by 70s movie theme queen Maureen McGovern, which was released as a single and hit #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart and the Top 20 of the pop singles chart in 1979:

Yup, and Maureen McGovern also played the singing nun in Airplane which starred Robert Hays, of course.

[Lugal]

Legend - a steampunk Western with Richard Dean Anderson and John de Lancie.  Unfortunately it came out in 1995 well before the Steampunk craze hit, and it was on UPN when it just started up so it was canceled after the first season.  It took almost 20 years, but I finally found it on DVD a few years ago.

[shang yiet]

The Quest,a Western that came out in the late 70s and lasted barely half a season. It starred a young Tim Matheson and a young Kurt Russell as brothers who love each other. If this show had come out 20 years layer, the fandom shipping and broyay buzz would have helped the show last 5 seasons at least.

[krankydoodle]

Some I don't think have been mentioned yet:

People of Earth: 2-season sci-fi sitcom that ended on a cliffhanger. Wyatt Cenac leaving the show was probably a factor in its cancellation, but the writers had a 3rd season mapped out and were initially given the go-ahead before TBS reversed the renewal.

Suburgatory: This sitcom did get 3 seasons, but should have run longer. I needed more Yakult!

Siberia: Filmed like a reality tv show that followed a group of contestants in Tunguska, this started a little weak but grew more compelling as spooky stuff started happening and the characters got fleshed out.

Murder Rooms: Mysteries of the Real Sherlock Holmes: This one still upsets me. The last episode suggested more to come, but it never happened.

ETA Babylon: I can't believe I forgot this one. It got some buzz when it first started in part because Danny Boyle was involved, but never got the attention I thought it deserved.

More shows gone too soon: EZ Streets, Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, LA to Vegas, Other Space, and Andy Barker, PI.

Edited June 23, 2019 by krankydoodle

[Jaded]

19 hours ago, krankydoodle said:

More shows gone too soon: EZ Streets, Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, LA to Vegas, Other Space, and Andy Barker, PI.

As much as Kim Matula annoyed me on The Bold & The Beautiful she was really good in LA to Vegas. I liked that show and was super bummed when it got cancelled. I wanted to give The Cool Kids a chance this season since it had a few older actors that I like in it but since it was on FOX I figured I'd wait to see if it got a 2nd season. I still may check it out though.

[Jacqs]

Lime Street, starred Robert Wagner, and child peace activist/media celebrity Samantha Reed Smith.

Here, from the Official Samantha Smith Website you tube channel is a clip from an episode of Lime Street. That blue satin dress Samantha is wearing towards the end of the footage? Let's just say my niece wonders how Sam could move her torso in it...

[jewel21]

Fastlane - Fox only gave this show one season and it ended on a cliffhanger. To this day I still want to know what happened to Billie. 

About A Boy  - I loved this show, the actors were great, and it could have gone on a few more years. 

Young Americans - I loved this show. It was a spin-off from Dawson's Creek and came at a time in my life where the show and its premise really resonated with me. 

Push - A show about gymnasts and other Olympic hopefuls training at California Southern University? And it featured Jason Behr? Count me in. According to Wikipedia: "It aired two episodes in April 1998 before being pulled from the air due to low ratings; a third episode aired on August 6, 1998. It was cancelled after 3 episodes, leaving 5 unaired[…]" I seem to recall the rest of the episodes airing in Canada during the middle of the night. I would get up to watch it.

Pensacola Wings of Gold - I loved this show. I started watching in the second season which was overhauled with new actors and fell in love with all of them. As a big fan of "Top Gun" this show was like a dream for me, heh. I will occasionally wonder what would have happened to Burner, Spoon and Ice has the show continued. And James Brolin was good looking for an older guy, heh.

Edited June 28, 2019 by jewel21

[Raja]

8 hours ago, jewel21 said:

started watching in the second season which was overhauled with new actors and fell in love with all of them. As a big fan of "Top Gun" this show was like a dream for me, heh. I will occasionally wonder what would have happened to Burner, Spoon and Ice has the show continued. And James Brolin was good looking for an older guy, heh.

I guess that falls under the "you only get one chance at a good first impression". I think I also saw the fighter pilot school season first, which was okay. Not Top Gun but TV. Then came the Sea Dragons and one of the goofier special operations teams around showed up on my screen. It was up there with the ones with Wings Hauser and the other with Dennis Rodman as a special operations helicopter pilot/spy/mercenary. Given the theme of the show I probably would have watched the third season if the local station keep buying the syndication package.

[jewel21]

50 minutes ago, Raja said:

I guess that falls under the "you only get one chance at a good first impression". I think I also saw the fighter pilot school season first, which was okay. Not Top Gun but TV. Then came the Sea Dragons and one of the goofier special operations teams around showed up on my screen. It was up there with the ones with Wings Hauser and the other with Dennis Rodman as a special operations helicopter pilot/spy/mercenary. Given the theme of the show I probably would have watched the third season if the local station keep buying the syndication package.

I watched the third season as well. Too bad your local station didn't buy the syndication package. I fell in love with Burner, haha. There was also a forum where the actress who played the bar owner would come in and interact with fans. I would love it. 

I just discovered yesterday the whole series is out on DVD. Last I checked, they only released the first season. I'm excited and thinking of buying them. They're super expensive, though.

ETA: I just thought of two more shows.

Cristela - I thought it was funny and I wanted to see more.

Tru Calling: The writers were really fleshing out the plot and it was getting super interesting. It ended unresolved which makes me mad. 

Edited June 28, 2019 by jewel21

[Archery]

Miracles, with Skeet Ulrich and "Robert the Bruce" from Braveheart.  I remember it came on Monday nights, and about halfway through the run, it kept getting pre-empted by Iraq War coverage and they never aired the last half of the season.  It was kind of X-Files spooky, with an underlying supernatural mystery ("GODISNOWHERE").  I never did see the rest of the season, but I heard that the storyline wasn't ever fully wrapped up.  That's pretty much why I stopped watching series week-to-week.  When DVR came along, I would record a whole season before I started watching. 

Star Trek: Enterprise -- hit its stride in Season Three, got cancelled during a great Season Four.

[Calvada]

I liked Lime Street too, but the tragic death of Samantha Smith could not be overcome.  

My list includes Buffalo Bill, Sports Night, and Karen Sisco.  I also put Veronica Mars in this category even though it got 3 seasons just because of how upset I was when it was canceled.

[andromeda331]

3 hours ago, Calvada said:

I liked Lime Street too, but the tragic death of Samantha Smith could not be overcome.  

My list includes Buffalo Bill, Sports Night, and Karen Sisco.  I also put Veronica Mars in this category even though it got 3 seasons just because of how upset I was when it was canceled.

I loved Sports Night.

[Inquisitionist]

I was really enjoying Six Degrees, with Campbell Scott, Bridget Moynahan, Hope Davis, and others, and then TPTB decided not to air the last few episodes that had been filmed.  I may buy the season at amazon.com just to see what happened!

Edited July 5, 2019 by Inquisitionist
Corrected typo: then, not when!

[Blergh]

There was a sitcom from April, 1978 to January, 1979 that only had seven episodes aired (and another held back) called Joe and Valerie starring the late Paul Regina and Char Fontaine playing this teen couple of an apprentice plumber and cosmetics salesperson living in Brooklyn who met at a disco and soon fell for each other despite the opposition of their very different sets of family and friends. Alas, this was very hard to spot when it would be on and evidently the disco craze was already dying so it soon got buried altogether despite the appealing characters and situations! 

[proserpina65]

On ‎05‎/‎14‎/‎2019 at 9:27 AM, Vixenstud said:

Men of a Certain Age – While I love Everybody Loves Raymond I never gave Ray Romano a second glance until this show….he was sexy, he was vulnerable and I was surprised by his great dramatic acting skills.  Add Scott Bakula and Andre Braugher in the mix and this show should have lasted 5 to 6 years, but fucking TNT cancelled it after 2 seasons!  To this day I’m still bitter.

That show was fantastic.  Like you, I came to a whole new appreciation of Ray Romano as a result.  And, I have to confess, I was not a fan of Andre Braugher prior to this show, but his performance had all the nuance I found missing on Homicide.

[Vixenstud]

9 minutes ago, proserpina65 said:

And, I have to confess, I was not a fan of Andre Braugher prior to this show,

Same here!  I found AB to be a bit of a blowhard so it was refreshing to find him vulnerable and funny in this role.

[Chaos Theory]

I am probably the only person who actually liked it but there was a drama  on Netflix called Gypsy that got cancelled the day it dropped.   Like the day it dropped.  

Edited July 3, 2019 by Chaos Theory

[Stats Queen]

1 hour ago, Chaos Theory said:

I am probably the only person who actually liked it but there was a drama  on Netflix called Gypsy that got cancelled the day it dropped.   Like the day it dropped.  

I liked the show also.

[ratgirlagogo]

20 hours ago, Inquisitionist said:

I was really enjoying Six Degrees, with Campbell Scott, Bridget Moynahan, Hope Davis, and others, and when TPTB decided not to air the last few episodes that had been filmed.

Me too!  I thought Mr Rat and I were the only ones who liked it.

[Scarlett45]

I loved Bomb Girls, a Canadian series, we got a wrap movie but it wasn’t the same. 

Also Spider Games a soap on MTV. It was really good and it ended mid season 1, pre-emoted by coverage of 9/11 and was never aired again. 

[Mountainair]

16 minutes ago, Scarlett45 said:

I loved Bomb Girls, a Canadian series, we got a wrap movie but it wasn’t the same. 

Also Spider Games a soap on MTV. It was really good and it ended mid season 1, pre-emoted by coverage of 9/11 and was never aired again. 

Count me in on the Bomb Girls love! I was so sad it ended but have enjoyed seeing it’s various stars pop up in other projects!

[Popples]

59 minutes ago, Scarlett45 said:

Also Spider Games a soap on MTV. It was really good and it ended mid season 1, pre-emoted by coverage of 9/11 and was never aired again.

God, I loved Spider Games so much and was so disappointed when it just never came back on the air. I'm also happy that someone else remembers it.

Edited July 5, 2019 by Popples

[Silver Raven]

On 6/28/2019 at 5:13 PM, Calvada said:

I liked Lime Street too, but the tragic death of Samantha Smith could not be overcome.  

My list includes Buffalo Bill, Sports Night, and Karen Sisco.  I also put Veronica Mars in this category even though it got 3 seasons just because of how upset I was when it was canceled.

OMG, I detested Buffalo Bill, and any show with Dabney Coleman in the lead.  I really hate shows where the lead is an idiotic  Piece of Crap.

[ratgirlagogo]

3 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

I loved Bomb Girls, a Canadian series, we got a wrap movie but it wasn’t the same. 

Bomb Girls! That's another show that  Mr Rat and I loved but couldn't convince anyone else to watch.  What's this about a wrap movie?  I don't remember that at all, would have loved to have seen it.

[SVNBob]

3 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

Also Spider Games a soap on MTV.

Speaking of scripted dramas on MTV, there was also Dead at 21.  This was a short-runner from the mid-90s.  It was about Ed Bellamy, a brilliant 20-year old college student, who got framed for murder.  It turned out that Ed and the murder victim were part of an experiment where people got microchips implanted in their brains as infants.  This made them super-intelligent, but also killed them when they turned 21.  The experiment was deemed a failure, and the "shadowy agency" that ran the experiment was cleaning up after themselves (hence the framing for murder).  But the main thrust of the series was Ed and his Action Girl companion Maria traveling the country trying to find a cure for him, all while evading the agent sent to apprehend him.

It ran for only 13 episodes, and ended on a sort of cliff-hanger.  Ed may have found a cure just before his 21st, involving some sort of mental connection with 2 other people like him, but the final shot of the series was him falling face-down on the floor.  We never actually found out if the cure worked or not.

[Blergh]

1 hour ago, Silver Raven said:

OMG, I detested Buffalo Bill, and any show with Dabney Coleman in the lead.  I really hate shows where the lead is an idiotic  Piece of Crap.

To each one's own re show and performer likings (and I truly have no beef with Mr. Coleman). However; I very much disliked the alleged sitcom Buffalo Bill inasmuch as the title character was completely vile to every single other regular character (including his own doormat daughter) yet never had consequences for said vileness!  Moreover, I do NOT consider it a show that' never got a fair chance' due to the network and quite a few prominent critics trying to shove it down the public's collective throats and then (especially the critics) bemoaning the low ratings getting it cancelled   claiming  that us viewers were 'too dim' and unsophisticated to 'get it'.  No, it stayed around LONGER than it deserved IMO and I resented being told how I was 'supposed' to like  it and find it funny.  I suppose, considering that shows with vile leads seem more commonplace now that one might  consider it 'ahead of its time' but I'd rather not see shows like that regardless of what era I'm in. Oh, and I hated how he was openly snotty to one of my fave character actors (John Fielder AKA Winnie the Pooh's Piglet and Bob Newhart Show's Mr. Peterson) and the latter character kept worshipping the title character  even when given the   chance to be free of him! UGH! 

[Scarlett45]

6 hours ago, ratgirlagogo said:

Bomb Girls! That's another show that  Mr Rat and I loved but couldn't convince anyone else to watch.  What's this about a wrap movie?  I don't remember that at all, would have loved to have seen it.

They did a 2hr movie to wrap things up after season 2. 

[ganesh]

13 hours ago, SVNBob said:

Speaking of scripted dramas on MTV, there was also Dead at 21. 

I watched that. It was really good. 

[SimoneS]

Sweet/Vicious: Great show. Too bad that cancelled by MTV after one season.