Good TV Sitcoms that only lasted a few episodes

[Electronic Chaos]

In the Doper spirit of shameless ripping, what are some good sitcoms that for some reason got cancelled early in their running?

Clerks: The Animated Series only lasted for two episodes. I rented the DVD awhile back and saw all the episodes (ones that weren't aired), and enjoyed it alot.

Reno 911 sadly only lasted it's one season (or are they planning on bringing it back soon?)

Undeclared, a Fox show about Freshmen college students, looked to be very promising but, as most good Fox shows do, got cancelled.

[owlofcreamcheese]

undeclared sorta had a short lifespan inherent to it... I mean would it work to run it for 14 years?

[ZebraShaSha]

The Pitts. Man, something about it was great. But it was on Fox sooo...

[Mehitabel]

Actually, Reno 911! is making all-new episodes to start in June. The troupe did a 'Just Say No' skit at the Aspen Comedy Festival that was a big hit.

As for the OP, oh yeah, I've got a few.

It's Your Move
Action
The Tick
The Job
Working it Out, otherwise known as "the cute one with Stephen Collins Jane Curtin did between Kate and Allie and Third Rock"

[GingerOfTheNorth]

I loved "Greg the Bunny". I was sad when it went away.

[ColonelDax]

The "Slap" Maxwell Story, with a cast that included the excellent Dabney Coleman and babe-alicious Megan Gallagher, ran for just one season.

[Justin_Bailey]

Hell yeah, Action!

Columbia-Tristar is currently debating whether to release it on DVD, I'm crossing my fingers that they do. I never saw the appeal of Undeclared, but I know a lot of people loved it, not me though. And I take solace that The Job lasted as long as it did on ABC. I'm surprised we got two seasons.

But The Pitts? Sure the daughter was drop dead gorgeous, but the show was brutal.

But I'll add FreakyLinks to the list. Sure it was an X-Files ripoff. But it was a funny X-Files ripoff.

[Lisa-go-Blind]

Freaks and Geeks. I think the DVD with all the episodes just came out, but I don't have the money to buy it.

[Torgo]

I think I'm the only one on the planet who remembers these shows, but if there are any other Dopers who do, please show yourselves!

One of the Boys (1982), starring Mickey Rooney, Dana Carvey, Nathan Lane and Meg Ryan. No, I'm not kidding. I recall this show as being genuinely funny; it was gone after one season.

Open All Night (1981), a sharply written and witty show about life in a 24-hr. convenience store. A then-unknown David Letterman made a cameo (as himself) in the last episode. Again, gone after 1 season.

[Wumpus]

Police Squad!

[skin2skin]

Originally Posted by Wumpus

Police Squad!

YES!

• Police Squad
• The Dana Carvey Show

[Sampiro]

I loved a Norman Lear series called Powers That Be that aired in 1992. It starred John Forsythe as a Democratic senator but the supporting cast were all standouts: Holland Taylor (always wonderful when she has a bitchy character) as his ice-queen "Democrat's answer to Nancy Reagan" wife, Valerie Mahaffey (always wonderful when she has a just-inches-away-from-full-psychotic-meltdown character [most famously Eve from Northern Exposure) as their neurotic needy and evil daughter, David Hyde Pierce (always wonderful, period) as her husband (a suicidally depressed Jr. Congressman), Elizabeth Berridge (who works far too seldom) as their literally long-suffering maid Charlotte, and Peter MacNichol as Forsythe's slimy office manager. It also had a completely unnecessary sideplot about Forsythe's recently discovered illegitimate daughter (Robin Bartlett, best known as Paul Reiser's sister on MAD ABOUT YOU).

You knew this wasn't going to be the usual "yuk yuk" sitcom when the first line was Holland Taylor addressing her maid: "Charlotte, I was just in the guest bathroom and there were dustbunnies on the towel" followed by a huge SLAP! across her face. "I'm sorry for that, but it's the only way you seem to learn."

The show had several laugh-out-loud funny moments (Holland Taylor attempting to cover-up her son-in-law's accidental shooting of her husband in the butt by shooting him again in a "more advantageous place" before the press arrived [she was going to claim it was an assassination attempt, David Hyde Pierce's growing infatuation with the maid, etc.).

[Beauty Personified]

Now and Again

Excellent show! Only lasted 10 episodes. The premise was questionable - middle-aged man (John Goodman) dies; brain placed in a younger bio-engineered body (Eric Close) - but a great cast of characters. If there was only one cancelled show I wish had been saved, it would have been this one.

[Kamino Neko]

Originally Posted by GingerOfTheNorth

I loved "Greg the Bunny". I was sad when it went away.

That show kicked ass. I still randomly quote Count Blah...even though nobody ever gets it. ^o^

It occurs to me. The Simpsons and X-Files are the only good shows Fox has treated right in a looong time, and they both date back to when the station didn't can the best shows out of the gate.

[Little Nemo]

I may be the only fan this show had, but I liked Tom Arnold's first sit-com, The Jackie Thomas Show. Arnold played Thomas who was the self-centered star of a hit sitcom.

[DWMarch]

Definitely Flying Blind. Nothing compares to Tea Leoni in a different leather miniskirt every week. I really hope this show is released on DVD soon!

[Lissa]

Does anyone else remember The Family Dog? It was an animated series, which my foggy brain insists was made by Spielburg. I remember it as being hysterically funny, but this was years and years ago.

It had to have been during the late 80's. It only lasted for a few episodes, but my family still comments on it occasionally.

[Tremmie]

The Family dog was one of the stories on one of the Creepshow movies i believe.

[Little Nemo]

Family Dog was originally one of the episodes on Amazing Stories, an anthology show produced by Spielberg.

[Justin_Bailey]

But Family Dog was a real show as well. It lasted two maybe three episodes after the premiere was delayed for years.

[The Tooth]

On The Air, a David Lynch creation that aired after Twin Peaks went away. It lasted for six episodes, maybe seven.

[silenus]

As I pointed out in a previous, similar thread, Police Squad doesn't belong on the list because it was never canceled. It was designed from the beginning to be a limited-run show.

[Snooooopy]

"Double Trouble" was pretty terrible, but it had perky twins on it!

[spiralscratch]

Andy Richter Controls The Universe

I loved that show, as did most everyone I know. In typical fashion, Fox screwed it over with inept scheduling.

[Barber-surgeon]

Odyssey 5

[casdave]

Fawlty Towers - They only made 12 episodes.

[Barber-surgeon]

Sorry. Not a sitcom, but it was great.

[International Playboy]

Wonderfalls. Not a sitcom, but there have only been four episodes aired and the latest news is that it's been cancelled immediately.

[Mr. Blue Sky]

Originally Posted by Lissa

Does anyone else remember The Family Dog? It was an animated series, which my foggy brain insists was made by Spielburg. I remember it as being hysterically funny, but this was years and years ago.

It had to have been during the late 80's. It only lasted for a few episodes, but my family still comments on it occasionally.

FTR, there were 10 episodes. I have the laserdisc box set (although it does not include the pilot segment from Amazing Stories, but I have that on tape).

[RealityChuck]

Arrested Development. Watch it tonight; it's extremely likely that Fox will cancel it, despite the fact it's the best sitcom currently on TV. The most cleverly plotted show in a long time.

Arresting Behavior -- the original Reno 911, but Arresting Behavior did it better (so did Bakersfield PD, for that matter).

Wish You Were Here -- summer replacement comedy about an executive who quits his job and bums around Europe with his video camera. He sends a video home each week, and it's watched by a friend, member of the family, ex-girlfriend, etc. The recipient reacts to what's being shown in the tape. The episode where he traces his roots -- and discovers why the people spit on him when he tells them his name -- was great.

Frank's Place -- Tim Reid's superb comedy.

Buffalo Bill -- a fine comedy with a great cast: Dabney Coleman, Geena Davis (her first major role), Joanna Cassady, Max Wright, Charles Robinson, Meshach Taylor, and John Fiedler. Coleman played a daytime talk show host who was as nasty in real life as he was nice on the air. The two-part episode "Jo Jo's Problem" managed to wring more humor than anyone ever thought possible out of a serious situation.

The Duck Factory -- a great comedy about the doings of a small animation studio. Its founder had died and the business is run by his widow (Teresa Ganzel) who appoints a fresh young animator to head the studio (played by Jim Carrey -- yes, that Jim Carrey; for some reason, the show is never mentioned on his resume). Great cast included Jack Guilford, Don Messick (yes, you get to see his face), and Jay Tarses. Filled with cartoon in-jokes; in one episode, they have Bill Scott (the voice of Bullwinkle) singing theme songs from Jay Ward shows.

Bob -- the first season of this was a hilarious show about the making of comic books, with plenty of in-jokes for comic book fans (episodes were written by Mark Evanier, who worked in comics, notably with Groo the Wanderer, probably the last great funny comic.) Jon Cygan was hilarious channeling Harlan Ellison. The show actually did OK in the ratings, but CBS changed its time slot constantly, and ordered changes in the second season that killed it completely.

[Baldwin]

Did anybody see "The War Next Door"?

[Santos L Halper]

Originally Posted by Mr. Blue Sky

FTR, there were 10 episodes. I have the laserdisc box set (although it does not include the pilot segment from Amazing Stories, but I have that on tape).

Wor, were there really that many episodes of Family Dog? Maybe a bunch were never aired, because I would've sworn the show only lasted around three episodes - or maybe I'm mis-remembering. I watched two episodes and was really disappointed in the show after the great Amazing Stories episode.

After our last discussion I picked up the tape with the Amazing Stories version and it still has me rolling on the floor in fits of laughter, even after seeing it a bunch of times. "Maybe we don't neeeed a dog. Or maybe we need a new dog. Or maybe, we need a CAT!"

Anyway, other great sitcoms that died too young: Greg the Bunny, the Tick, Andy Richter, Undecalred, the Duck Factory.

And I'll throw in a non-sitcom that really loved that seems to have been pretty much forgotten: Call to Glory (1984). Craig T Nelson played an Air Force Pilot in 1963.

[Justin_Bailey]

The IMDB says it lasted 5 epsides.

And I remember "The War Next Door", it was a USA show that was partnered with another deserving entry for this list: "G vs E."

[Xander_Cane]

Originally Posted by GingerOfTheNorth

I loved "Greg the Bunny". I was sad when it went away.

I fookin' loved that show! Histarical and genious in my opinion. I would pick up the DVD in a second!

[Raygun99]

Bakersfield PD: Staring Ron Eldard, Giancarlo Esposito and Brian Doyle-Murray. Wacky police based comedy. More than a little like the movie Super Troopers.

Blue Skies: staring Richard Kind, Julia Campbell and leads you've never heard of. Based in a granola-ish sporting goods company that was gutted by Kind's embezzling accountant character.

Cupid: with Jeremy Piven and Paula Marshall. Piven played a character who may or may not have been insane/and or Cupid. Marshall was his therapist. Insanely clever dialogue. Not exactly a sitcom but humour was a definite part of the show.

[Santos L Halper]

How could I have forgotten the Adventures of Brisco County Jr.?! That was such a great, quirky show. Why the hell isn't it available on DVD...

[Odinoneeye]

Open All Night (1981), a sharply written and witty show about life in a 24-hr. convenience store. A then-unknown David Letterman made a cameo (as himself) in the last episode. Again, gone after 1 season.[/quote]

I remember this one. I remember trying to recognize the issues of the comic books in the rack.

[clayton_e]

God the Devil and Bob..

I liked that show.


(yay, post 3k)

[Carnac the Magnificent!]

Nobody remembers this one, but it was wickedly funny.

A 1989 summer filler called "Heartland," with Brian Keith and others. Basically, this comedy told the story of a Nebraska farm family fallen on tough times and having to take in their grandfather.

The show never caught on.

[NailBunny]

Andy Richter. A thousand times, Andy Richter. Luckily I managed to get one episode on tape, the one with a special appearance by Conan. "BEHOLD MY GLORY!!!!" Hee.

I also liked Freaky Links, though I might have gotten sick of it if it had been on any longer.

The Tick, of course, but I'm lucky enough to have the entire series on DVD, so I get to indulge my Tick craving frequently.

And Undeclared was a GREAT show. I was really enjoying it, even TWOP was recapping it. I was surprised when it went away.

[JerH]

Carnac, I remember Heartland. I thought it was pretty good - the only episode I remember, though, is when the grandfather took his granddaughter to NYC for a Julliard audition and then ended up staying at a skeezy rent-by-the-hour hotel.

I also liked Partners, a sort-of-ripoff of Friends with Tate Donovan and John Cryer.

[Sampiro]

Originally Posted by Torgo

I think I'm the only one on the planet who remembers these shows, but if there are any other Dopers who do, please show yourselves!

Open All Night (1981), a sharply written and witty show about life in a 24-hr. convenience store. A then-unknown David Letterman made a cameo (as himself) in the last episode. Again, gone after 1 season.

I liked this one too and am surprised it's remembered by anybody else. Susan Tyrrell played the wife on that- she went on to play some really memorable horrid women in Cry Baby and on Wings. (She recently had her legs amputated but is still acting.)

For some reason known only to the gods of the Pittsburgh mass transit system, the theme song for that actually stuck in my head to this day (along with the one for Best of the West):

This is the story of Gordon Feester
born in Cincinatti on the day before Easter
didn't go to college but he wasn't a fool...

Oh well, I've made my pointlessness.

[AndyPolley]

I liked "Partners" too...for some unknown reason. I don't really like "Friends"

Three cheers for "The Tick" & "Andy Richter", and I'll add "Sports Night" to the discussion.

[jeevwoman]

Originally Posted by Santos L Halper

And I'll throw in a non-sitcom that really loved that seems to have been pretty much forgotten: Call to Glory (1984). Craig T Nelson played an Air Force Pilot in 1963.

Oh my god, I LOVED that show! Faked illness to get out of dinner with my grandma so I could watch the ep where JFK was killed.

And Cupid was great, too!

[Lute Skywatcher]

TV Tome agrees with Mr. Blue Sky regarding Family Dog's number of episodes.

I see where the confusion is, one of the user comments at IMDb says there are indeed 10 eps. but only half were shown in the US.

[Lobelia Overhill]

I seem to remember one called Pig Sty that I think was made by UPN ...
Agree on Brisco County jnr, Now and Again and Bakersfield PD

[xizor]

Spencer was a funny show way back in the mid-eighties starring Chad Lowe. I only remember it lasting about 4 or 5 episodes.

And I'll second The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.

Does Futurama count? Or is 4 seasons not considered early in the running?

[Dr. Rieux]

How about The Thorns ?
A Reagan-era satire about a shamelesssly social-climbing family of New Yorkers.
The theme song include the classic lines: "We're upping our income/so why don't you up yours?"

[Sengkelat]

Brisco County Jr. was fun.

And, it figures, having just started watching TV again after a 2 year hiatus, I sort of liked Wonder Falls, and now it's cancelled. After 4 episodes? WTF? Oh well.