# Cancelled, but Brilliant?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancelled-but-brilliant/145968>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [January 1, 2003, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancelled-but-brilliant/145968 "2003-01-01T00:10:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![LoN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cab0a1/32.png) [@LoN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LoN)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancelled-but-brilliant/145968/61 "2003-01-03T01:30:44Z")

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**The Wonder Years** lasted a while, but it was still canelled before its time… should have ended with Kevin going off to college

The new _Fantasy Island_, on after _Cupid_, will also be missed (though maybe only by me). Pretty cool writing, and Malcom McDowell was very creepy. I’ll agree that _Cupid_ was also great.

I was up until 3 last night because of _The Critic_ and _Undergrads_, two great cancelled shows that you can only find on Comedy Central late at night. _Duckman_ is up there too.

Cartoon Network rescues good cancelled shows on their Sunday **Adult Swim** block. My faves include _Mission Hill_, _The Oblongs_, and _Home Movies._

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**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancelled-but-brilliant/145968/62 "2003-01-03T03:26:29Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by FallenAngel \*  
> \*\ ***Key West** , which was killed by Fox after 12 episodes but had some of the best writing in the history of television.  
> \*\*

How could I forget Key West?!? I loved that show!!

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**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancelled-but-brilliant/145968/63 "2003-01-03T05:54:48Z")

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I’m surprised no one has mentioned **News Radio** yet. I’ve seen it mentioned in most of the other threads of this ilk.

Phil Hartman dying did bruise the show but it didn’t kill the show. Sad that both he and the show had to go ☹

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**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancelled-but-brilliant/145968/64 "2003-01-03T06:13:11Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by LoN \*  
> \*\ ***The Wonder Years** lasted a while, but it was still canelled before its time… should have ended with Kevin going off to college \*\*

Was it cancelled? They had a farewell episode.

Letter writing also saved Quantum Leap. NBC brought it back about halfway through its run and kept it on for another few seasons.  
So why did the producers on the TRIO documentary say letter writing and the like doesn’t work?

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