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

[Irlandesa]

That's kind of... low. I mean unless Morales knew all along it was only a limited commitment.

I don't know what she knew but the job only became available because another actress couldn't do the show.  This kind of thing happens even in the regular world.  It's not always a fit.

 

Honestly, I like Natalie Morales but I did not like her White Collar character.  The creator does a poor job with developing new love interests and I think that's sort of the angle they were going with her in regards to Neal (Matt Bomer's character).  Marsha's character was part of the creator's original vision for the show and the character fit better...not the least because she was a lesbian and there was no romantic undercurrent. 

 

A lot of this is Jeff Eastin's fault and Natalie paid the price for it but in the beginning, I do think following his original vision was a smart quality move. 

[Kromm]

I don't know what she knew but the job only became available because another actress couldn't do the show.  This kind of thing happens even in the regular world.  It's not always a fit.

I don't see how her hiring was any different than any other actress who comes into a show.  Sure it's totally their right to fire an actress whenever they want to.  But it's got to be a pretty big blow to someone's pride (and possibly their career) to be ditched in trade for someone who backed out of a project.

 

I suppose Trophy Wife (and a few multi-episode guest starring roles in the few years before that) means her career got over it though.

 

Oh wait.  Didn't Trophy Wife get canceled?  Whoops!   Poor Natalie!

Edited July 9, 2014 by Kromm

[Irlandesa]

I don't know that Marsha backed out of White Collar.  I don't even think the character was initially supposed to be a regular so it was always in second position to whatever else she had going on. When her other job ended, she came back and was bumped up to a regular in the second season. 

 

While I have no doubt it was disappointing, this isn't the kind of thing that could kill a career.  They spoke well of her during and after her stint on the show.  She was kept as a regular through the first season.  The show clearly just opted to go in another direction through no fault of her own.  People get replaced on shows all the time.  Often times after the pilot so it gets reshot.  Heck, Lisa Kudrow was originally cast as Ros on Frasier but they didn't feel like she was giving them what they needed so they recast her.  It didn't kill her career.  She went on to play Phoebe on Friends.  It's just the nature of the Hollywood beast.

[ganesh]

Shows don't do that nearly enough. People don't stay in the same jobs on tv for years and years and years. Especially law enforcement. You transfer if you can move up. All of the hoops they jump through on WC to keep Peter in NYC when clearly any sensible person knows transferring to DC is a huge career boost is laughable. 

[jazzygem]

So many that others already mentioned...Homefront, Joan of Arcadia, Detroit 187, Dead Like Me, Dirty Sexy Money, Undeclared, and Fastlane.

 

I just have a few others to add - 

 

Sons and Daughters - a really funny family comedy on ABC.

 

Boomtown - great show with a great cast and a unique concept but was ruined by network interference.

 

Swingtown - I loved this show.I thought it was interesting, sexy and funny.

 

Best Friends Forever, Don't Trust the B in Apt.23, The New Normal, Go On, and G.C.B. are my most recent heartbreaks though.

[Ohwell]

Oops, I forgot about Go On.  I canceled HBO after the Deadwood/Rome fiasco, but HBO did a three-month promotional thing and I was getting it free.  I loved this show and all the characters, got hooked on it and was actually going to resubscribe when the freebie ended--and then they canceled it.

[Athena]

Early Edition for being just an easy going prime time show that introduced me to Kyle Chandler. It did get a fair shot with 90 episodes, but I wonder how it would have done now.

[shapeshifter]

Outcasts (see also http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outcasts_(TV_series)) was a space opera on another planet filmed in beautifully stark South African deserts. It had just one season in 2011.

One good thing about the shows on this thread is that you don't have to invest too much time to watch them in their entirety--but they do often leave you wondering what happened next.

The 4400, for example, had a pretty abrupt ending.

But that also leaves room for a remake, I suppose.

@maraleia , I was surprised The Hour got canceled when it did since it won an Emmy that year. At least it was at a good stopping point since they

frickin' killed off Freddie, the male lead, IMO

[ParadoxLost]

Early Edition for being just an easy going prime time show that introduced me to Kyle Chandler. It did get a fair shot with 90 episodes, but I wonder how it would have done now.

 

I liked this show but I don't think its the type that would ever make it past pilot season these days.

 

I started watching it because of another of Kyle Chandler's shows, Homefront.  I loved Homefront.  His on-screen sister, Jessica Steen got me to watch Earth 2.  And the first time I saw Mad Men's John Slattery in retro duds.

 

Another retro entry that I always liked was Remember WENN which is about a radio station in the late 40's.  It was one of the earlier attempts by cable at original programming.  AMC aired it a decade before Mad Men.  The whole thing had a radio play feel.

Edited July 13, 2014 by ParadoxLost

[maraleia]

Oh and Swingtown....I really miss this show. It had so much potential and was just finding its footing in the final episodes. Trina and Tom Decker and Janet Thompson were my favorite characters by the end of the shows run.

[blugirlami21]

Maybe October Road?  I thought it was a pretty solid show with an interesting premise.  Same thing with Men In Trees.  I know some people don't like Anne Heche but I thought she really shined on that show.

Edited July 13, 2014 by blugirlami21

[unworried well]

Did anybody watch The Fades? Not as good as some of the other shows mentioned (I will never get over the Terriers cancellation...)but interesting. And it was getting better.

[DittyDotDot]

I'd like to submit No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. I had totally forgotten about this little gem. Set and filmed in Botswana so was visually very sticking, a great cast, endearing characters and even though on HBO, wasn't trying to be edgy, sexy or violent just because it could.

[ABay]

@maraleia , I was surprised The Hour got canceled when it did since it won an Emmy that year. At least it was at a good stopping point since they...

@shapeshifter, if there had been a 3rd series, my bet is that

Freddie would've survived.

I wish BBCA would pick it up. It's by far the best import or original show they've run since Life on Mars. I'm enjoying The Musketeers but most of the line up is Top Gear, Gordon Ramsey, and ST:TNG.

Edited July 13, 2014 by ABay

[Athena]

I liked this show but I don't think its the type that would ever make it past pilot season these days.

 

My nagging thoughts would agree with you. It was very 90s and even in the late 90s, it had a big fan base but the show didn't do well once in became 2000. So maybe it's not really part of this topic. I missed Homefront when it was on, but it was a little gem. I miss the "quiet" kind of shows. I guess Chandler has made a career of those kind of roles too.

[selkie]

I'd like to submit No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. I had totally forgotten about this little gem. Set and filmed in Botswana so was visually very sticking, a great cast, endearing characters and even though on HBO, wasn't trying to be edgy, sexy or violent just because it could.

 

I get the impression that HBO was pretty happy with it, and I remember some discussion of plans for a few subsequent movies if they could get Jill Scott and Anika Noni Rose's schedules to align. But it was a co-production with a UK network, and ratings were apparently not great over there.

[ganesh]

I watched No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency and I really liked it. There was a lady on staff from Kenya at my work at the time and she was thrilled that I watched the show. 

 

I think Swingtown was just screwed because they were on the wrong network. The show was a better fit for cable. Really, now in 2014, it's a slam dunk netflix show.

[DittyDotDot]

I get the impression that HBO was pretty happy with it, and I remember some discussion of plans for a few subsequent movies if they could get Jill Scott and Anika Noni Rose's schedules to align. But it was a co-production with a UK network, and ratings were apparently not great over there.

 

I always assumed the untimely death of Anthony Minghella (producer, director and co-writer) was probably the demise of the show--I didn't know about the scheduling conflicts and didn't realize ratings were such an issue.

[JayKay]

Just remembered one from the days of yore. A Sci-Fi Channel (it's that old) show called The Chronicle. It was about a tabloid newspaper office similar to Weekly World News, and every episode was about another supernatural/extraterrestrial/just plain weird story being investigated. It starred three reporters, two guys - one actually a photographer I think, and Rena Sofer as a journalist who'd been abducted by aliens herself. All three of them had a great, fun chemistry from what I remember and it made the show. Unfortunately it was put on Friday nights, and was cancelled after a season. I've never met anyone irl who remembers this show.

[Babalu]

I always assumed the untimely death of Anthony Minghella (producer, director and co-writer) was probably the demise of the show--I didn't know about the scheduling conflicts and didn't realize ratings were such an issue.

That's what I always thought, too, DittyDotDot. Both Minghella's and Sydney Pollack's (executive producer) deaths at just about the time The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency was debuting meant that two of the biggest creative and influential powers were gone. Also, Jill Scott lost a lot of weight after that, so I'm not sure if she'd be the same traditionally built Mma Ramotswe we so fondly remember.

[ganesh]

I watched the Chronicle. There was a spate of shows on Sci Fi that had short runs over that time that were pretty good. G v E was in there too. 

[tribeca]

Nine about the nine hostages during a bank robbery.  Tim Daly, Scott Wolf and some other good actors.  I remember really loving that show and was so sad it was canceled.

Sports Night so enjoyed everything about this show and would still watch the reruns today.

[DearEvette]

So happy so many already mentioned Homefront.  I always think I am the only one who remembers that show!

 

One I haven't seen mentioned yet, that I lament is Wonderfalls.  Quirky and funny with a great cast.  And I always loved Tracie Thoms' character name on that show: Mahandra.  So pretty.

[ParadoxLost]

The Tick [live action] was too weird to funny to survive.  Every single line was a gem.  Patrick Warburton {Seinfeld's Puddy} running around in a blue body suit with antennae completely deadpan, without a brain in his head, and absolutely hilarious. He thinks he's from Earth, probably land.

 

And let's not forget Nestor Carbonell (Lost, Bates Motel) as lame lothario Batmanuel.

[Jeebus Cripes]

^^^ I will forever be amazed that the live action version was actually a thing. Wish it had lasted.

[DittyDotDot]

One I haven't seen mentioned yet, that I lament is Wonderfalls.  Quirky and funny with a great cast.  And I always loved Tracie Thoms' character name on that show: Mahandra.  So pretty.

 

Lots of tears back at the beginning of the thread. Other than Tracie Thomas, this was the show that introduced me to Lee Pace. It seems we can't have just a light-hearted fun quirky show anymore. Sigh.

 

The Tick [live action] was too weird to funny to survive.  Every single line was a gem.  Patrick Warburton {Seinfeld's Puddy} running around in a blue body suit with antennae completely deadpan, without a brain in his head, and absolutely hilarious. He thinks he's from Earth, probably land.

 

And let's not forget Nestor Carbonell (Lost, Bates Motel) as lame lothario Batmanuel.

 

Oh, yes...much like The Middleman, I knew it was doomed from the first episode. Far too cleaver and quirky to get enough people to watch it. Although, unlike The Middleman, I didn't discover it until after it was cancelled for something like 10 years.

[QTBlueMoon]

I agree wholeheartedly with Eli Stone, Pushing Daisies, and Deadwood.  But the all-time winner for me would have to be Twin Peaks.  I couldn't wait, from week to week, to see what Lynch was going to throw at us next.  I was heartbroken when it was cancelled.  Funny thing is, at the time, they "only had 9 million viewers."  Shows would kill for that now.

[Rick Kitchen]

"Black Tie Affair".  Bradley Whitford as a private eye investigating a shady businessman.  It was beautifully written, funny and smart, with outstanding characters, and I used to use tons of quotes from it as my email footer for years.  It also starred Kate Capshaw and Bruce McGill.

 

Can I add "Cop Rock"?  "Viva Laughlin"?  OK, I'll be over here in the corner by myself.

[Kromm]

Can I add "Cop Rock"?  "Viva Laughlin"?  OK, I'll be over here in the corner by myself.

I don't know about "Viva Laughlin", but I had a soft spot for Cop Rock.  Was it silly?  Sure.  But it wasn't any sillier than a lot of other stuff that came before, or since then.

[aradia22]

I was too young to watch Cop Rock when it aired but after that clip, I'm kind of into it. I think the issue is that it seems so dry at first. Go all out and make it flashy. I don't know why silly musical shows are so determined to be grounded in realism. Make it like Legally Blonde the Musical. Don't act like you're embarrassed when you start singing. I was not on board for Viva Laughlin but I'm glad we're in an age when Glee, Smash, and Nashville all had more than one season. And now we're getting Galavant. We're winning.

[Brandi Maxxxx]

Super Clyde was a pilot that didn't get picked up but was eventually released online, so it kind of counts. The main character (played by Rupert Grint) inherited a fortune and used it to secretly help people who deserved it. The show was created by Greg Garcia (My Name Is Earl, Raising Hope) and had a similar feel to his other shows. Really his mistake was thinking CBS would be interested. He did the pilot for The Millers at the same time and of course they went with the multi-camera show about the wacky family.

 

Oh, and did I mention Stephen Fry was in the cast? Yeah, we could have gotten Stephen friggin' Fry on a CBS sitcom.

[Wax Lion]

 

Swingtown - I loved this show.I thought it was interesting, sexy and funny.

 

I loved it too but considering how Mike Kelley's next show, Revenge, went sometimes I feel a little better Swingtown ended early and didn't get the chance to jump the shark.

[RubyWoo72]

American Gothic. Also Invasion. Both created by Shaun Cassidy, of all people, but both were very good with a slow-building eeriness.

The network killed American Gothic with scheduling and running episodes out of order, although I think it also suffered somewhat when Jake Weber's character was gone from the show.

Invasion, I think, just never found enough of an audience.

Indeed. I was coming on here to shout-out American Gothic, as well.

[Kromm]

I was too young to watch Cop Rock when it aired but after that clip, I'm kind of into it. I think the issue is that it seems so dry at first. Go all out and make it flashy.

Here's another clip/wacky cop musical number (the music starts around the 55 second mark)

 

 

Also it features a special guest star at the end (well, special if you know Bochco's other work--totally nobody if you don't I guess)

Edited July 19, 2014 by Kromm

[shapeshifter]

American Gothic. Also Invasion. Both created by Shaun Cassidy, of all people, but both were very good with a slow-building eeriness.

...Invasion, I think, just never found enough of an audience.

...And I'm still bitter about Invasion getting cancelled on a cliffhanger after one season. I loved the atmosphere of the show and it had a great cast. But the timing was just off for the series, and I admit it was slow paced.

After the chainsaw bit, I was okay with Invasion getting canceled. Of course, one viewer's "going off the rails" is another viewer's "just getting good," which is in part why this thread exists, right?

Ooo! Ooo! ETA one more fav canceled too soon:

Rubicon had so much potential and never even got a chance to go off the rails. LOL

There were some complaints about it being slow paced, but I thought it's "slowness" was more like breathing room that allowed the story to grow organically and not develop plot holes.

Edited July 19, 2014 by shapeshifter

[Rick Kitchen]

Another Cop Rock clip, this one starring Sheryl Crow, surprisingly.

 

 

Hugh Jackman in the opening clip from Viva Laughlin:

 

Edited July 19, 2014 by Rick Kitchen

[ABay]

I wanted to love Viva Laughlin because I love and adore Blackpool, but the translation to American from British was not done well. Even if it had been as brilliant as the original, it wouldn't have succeeded here because Cop Rock is the automatic American reference, and CR is a (undeserved though it may be) punch line.

[djc101790]

Back before the WB became the CW a show called Related (2005-2006) aired for one season 18 episodes. And I actually consider it my white whale because the show was just good even for a then WB show and every now and again I Google to see if it will ever be on dvd or streaming but to this day no luck. It starred Lizzy Caplan, Jennifer Esposito, and two others and they played sisters in New York. That premise may sound familiar because it was created by one of the writers from Sex and the City. That may cause you to look away from this show but I tell you the only thing Related and Sex and the City have in common are 4 women living in New York other than that completely different. Related was a funny, sweet, family drama/comedy that sadly was a casualty during the WB to CW transition. I will forever look out for this show in hope that one day the vault will open so I can see this show again.

Edited August 5, 2014 by djc101790

[djc101790]

.

Edited August 5, 2014 by djc101790

[ethalfrida]

Has anyone mentioned Open All Night? That show was so campy and subtle it was like trying to solve a hidden object mystery! Loved it.

One of my favorite lines was from the son hiding in the store freezer. When his father found him he said:

"What are you doing lying in the freezer?"

The kid goes:
"Alright, I admit it, I've told a few."

We still laugh about it.

On that show is the first time I heard "OH-HI-YO".

(still smiling...)

[TrininisaScorp]

I'll never forgive the WB for cancelling Everwood, especially because some genius decided to renew 7th Heaven that same season.  Everwood was brilliant, moving TV!  It took me until TVD and catching up via a friend's dvd collection with Supernatural to start watching that network again.  I'm so happy many of those actors doing pretty well for themselves (what up, Chris "StarLord" Pratt?!).  

 

Terriers was an interesting, twisted and dark show.  Michael Raymond-James and Donal Longe were fantastic!  I'm so sorry that one didn't get a following; I recall much talk about the name of the show doing it in b/c no one understood what it was about or something.  Speaking of Donal, Knights of Prosperity was a weird, funny show that ABC had no clue what to do with.  Maz Jobrani and Sofia Vergara were very funny.

 

I echo the sentiments around The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency:  I miss this show!  Jill Scott and Anika Rose were so lovely in those roles.  So many strong actors playing bit parts (including the delicious Idris Elba).  Too bad how it all worked out.

 

Wonderfalls gave me Lee Pace. I'll miss the quirky show and forever be grateful for the introduction.  

 

I'll add Common Law to the list.  It was a USA show starring the gorgeous Michael Ealy and pretty Warren Kole as cop partners with some dysfunction.  Typical USA summer fare, but it started getting its footing just as it finished its first season and the leads had excellent buddy chemistry.  I like Graceland, but miss the breezy nature of USA shows like Common Law.

[MizArk]

My number one sad would have to be The Dresden Files -- I so adored Terrence Mann as Bob. Jeff Goldblum had a short-lived series I liked, Raines (anyone remember it besides me?) He was a cop who talked to the victims (they weren't ghosts, exactly - or were they?) It was weird but drew me in and I was sorry it wasn't renewed. Firefly is a given, of course. (And I'm still bitter there weren't more seasons of WKRP.)

[BigDfromLA]

The Net appeared on USA Network I think in 1998, on Sunday nights. It was the TV version of the Sandra Bullock film with Brooke Langton playing Angela Bennett. I thought it was an excellent show and Joseph Bottoms was great as the villain, Trelawney. The Rock (Dwayne Johnson) appeared in one of the last episodes, making his acting debut. The show after it was Sins of the City, an interesting P.I. show set in Miami. Both were really good.

[GreekGeek]

Going through the "One Season Wonders of the 70's Theme Songs" videos on You Tube reminded me of a show I loved but which didn't last: The Associates. It was kind of a comedy L.A. Law. The creative forces behind it were the same ones who wrote The Paper Chase (which also was made into a TV series, but which I watched only once). The cast was superb: Wilfred Hyde-White (Pickering in the movie My Fair Lady), Martin Short, Alley Mills (Kevin's mom on The Wonder Years), and a pre-Murphy Brown Joe Regalbuto. John Houseman did a great guest shot in one episode.

[margol29]

I don't think anyone has mentioned Boss which stared Kelsey Grammer as the mayor of Chicago. It was on Starz so I guess it had a very limited audience. But it was great!! Grammer did his best performance since Frazier. It was a serious role and he nailed it.

 

I also loved Awake so there were a few of us out there.

 

TSCC was a favorite, too. The cast was great. I just lover Garret Dilahunt as Cromarti.

[Francesca007]

Kings- I loved the take on the biblical story and it ended as a cliffhanger

Detroit 187-Still bitter about this one. Did recently find it on Hulu.

Almost Human- Show had so much potential but TPTB didn't know what direction to go in.

Hex-Another cliffhanger but Michael Fassbender was in it.

Life As We Know It- Like Kings I think I was one of the few people watching it.

Golden Boy-I think CBS cast it aside too quickly.

[SparedTurkey]

 

Which brings us to... The Sarah Connor Chronicles.  A really really good show (in it's own way, better than even T2--at least in terms of worldbuilding and acting). I'm pretty sure it's ratings had already started to die earlier in Season 2, before Fox moved it to the Friday Night Death Slot, but the FNDS put the nails in the coffin.  And this one hurt far more than Dark Angel, because it was totally working.  Lena Headey, who we all know is brilliant from what she's done since, was brilliant on this show too.  I prefer her Sarah Connor to Linda Hamilton's by a factor of like... ten times.  Summer Glau, in my opinion, was never as at home with a role as she was with the one she did for this show. The other players around these two were strong too, even if these two were the heart.  This show deserved years and years that it didn't get.

I wanted to add T:SCC too. I admittedly came to it late, but it was never shown in my country. I don't know if it was the writer's strike or a friday night death slot but it is a great shame it never went to a season 3. I remember reading somewhere that the writers had planned a 3 season arc - and to leave it on a cliffhanger? Sucks. I like both Linda Hamilton and Lena Headey's Sarah Connor but It seemed like as a tv show, there was more time for nuance and world building than a movie. I think the show slightly suffered from a renewed focus on John in season 2 - it was the Sarah Connor Chronicles for a reason. I only wish someone knew what they were planning for season 3.

 

Also, I'd like to add Glee. But admittedly, that is more the fault of the showrunners. But I'd say it died before it's time around season 1/2. It could have been so great!

[DittyDotDot]

I don't think anyone has mentioned Boss which stared Kelsey Grammer as the mayor of Chicago. It was on Starz so I guess it had a very limited audience. But it was great!! Grammer did his best performance since Frazier. It was a serious role and he nailed it.

 

I also loved Awake so there were a few of us out there.

 

TSCC was a favorite, too. The cast was great. I just lover Garret Dilahunt as Cromarti.

 

As I recall, Kelsey Grammer was fantastic, but for some reason I only made it through (and barely at that) two episodes. I kept trying to watch it over and over (thinking it was just because I was sleep deprived) but kept falling asleep. Finally, I just gave up...now I wonder if I gave up too quickly and didn't give it a fair shake.

 

I was intrigued by Awake and but life kinda got in the way and got behind on it when it got cancelled, I don't think I ever finished watching the ones that aired...something to go find on Neflix, then.

 

Garret Dilahunt is always a pleasure, IMO.

[garnet]

  I still miss Detroit 1-8-7: I think it could have been the next great network TV cop show, and was sorry it didn't get a chance to move to cable, like Southland was able too. Also was a fan of Homefront, Sledge Hammer, Once & Again, and Now & Again.

Edited August 25, 2014 by garnet

[tribeca]

Outsourced

such a sweet quirky funny show.  I think people thought it was racists so did not give it chance.  I loved the cast so much and was so disappointed it was canceled.