# Good TV shows that deserved a better fate **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 2, 2001, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-tv-shows-that-deserved-a-better-fate/84999 "2001-10-02T17:21:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-tv-shows-that-deserved-a-better-fate/84999/141 "2001-10-11T17:25:07Z")
IIRC, the “why” was not addressed. I would have preferred a full explanation, not a partial one. ---
**Author:** ![Ennui](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ennui/32/3396_2.png) [@Ennui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ennui)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-tv-shows-that-deserved-a-better-fate/84999/142 "2001-10-11T18:09:36Z")
**The Pretender** : It did get a tad formulaic toward the end, but it packed enough plot twists to stay interesting. \*\*Lone Gunman \*\*: Never really caught stride but was qwerky enough to amuse and I hoped it would have been given more time. In a way I’m not surprised neither of these shows were mentioned, they both sunk into oblivion without much notice. Their time slots, Saturday and Friday night respectively relegated them to VCR fare for me and the few others I knew who followed them. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-tv-shows-that-deserved-a-better-fate/84999/143 "2001-10-11T18:20:28Z")
I can’t believe no one has mentioned **The Single Guy**. That show was hilarious, too bad it only lasted two seasons. Put down another vote for **Gargoyles** , **Freaks and Geeks** , and **Sports Night** (on a side note, Comedy Central shows re-runs of **Sports Night** ) ---
**Author:** ![buddy1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@buddy1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddy1)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-tv-shows-that-deserved-a-better-fate/84999/144 "2001-10-11T20:59:52Z")
…a British-made sci-fi series with ultra-cheesey special effects.Absolutely unbeliveable (the moon gets wrested away from the earth by a dark star), but the british accents and big-titted women made it quite enjoyable to me! ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-tv-shows-that-deserved-a-better-fate/84999/145 "2001-10-11T21:36:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Enderw24 \* > \*\ ***Small Wonder** > **Misfits of Science** > It had, what? One season? It was great! \*\* I DID like this one. Wasn’t Courtney Cox the telekinetic? It was a great movie. The series never caught on. Much like a favorite of mine that no one has mentioned (I think), V: The Series. To great minis may have snuffed out most of the ideas, but the series was something I enjoyed. Yet another Friday Night Failure. ---
**Author:** ![Santos\_L\_Halper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/santos_l_halper/32/1_2.png) [@Santos\_L\_Halper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santos_L_Halper)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2001, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-tv-shows-that-deserved-a-better-fate/84999/146 "2001-10-12T06:26:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by buddy1 \* > **the moon gets wrested away from the earth by a dark star** The Earth had been dumping all their nuclear waste on the Moon and the waste explodes, shooting the Moon out of our solar system. Somehow, rather than blast it into a million tiny pieces, it propelled the Moon to such high speeds that it was able to pass an exciting new planet each week. Eric ---
**Author:** ![JubilationTCornpone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee59a6/32.png) [@JubilationTCornpone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JubilationTCornpone)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2001, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-tv-shows-that-deserved-a-better-fate/84999/147 "2001-10-12T06:49:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by OttoDaFe \* > \*\*_ **WKRP in Cincinnati** _. Didn’t always hit the mark, but when it did, it was _very_ good. > > (And having Jan Smithers didn’t hurt . . .) > \*\* Agreed. **WKRP** is the very first show that came to mind. Other shows that died too soon: **Dweebs** **Misfits of Science** and of course, the original **Star Trek**! Can’t believe nobody mentioned Trek sooner. ---
**Author:** ![JubilationTCornpone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee59a6/32.png) [@JubilationTCornpone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JubilationTCornpone)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2001, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-tv-shows-that-deserved-a-better-fate/84999/148 "2001-10-12T06:51:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Enderw24 \* > \*\* > **Misfits of Science** > It had, what? One season? It was great! \*\* Only 15 episodes, actually, and it was great. Innovative and funny beyond belief. Having a young Courteney Cox didn’t hurt, either. Sigh… young Courteney… ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2001, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-tv-shows-that-deserved-a-better-fate/84999/149 "2001-10-12T15:43:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Enore\_Tsotset \* > \*\* > > What about “Nearly Departed”? It aired in the early 90’s and starred Eric Idle as deceased owner of a house when a new family moves in. \*\* Thank you! I have been trying to think of the name of that show for YEARS! The only part of any episode I remember is Eric Idle helping the guy pass his driver’s test by standing on a filing cabinet and making the letters with his body. ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2001, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-tv-shows-that-deserved-a-better-fate/84999/150 "2001-10-12T18:46:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JubilationTCornpone \* > \*\* Sigh… young Courteney… \*\* Dancing in the Dark Young Courtney or Family Ties young Courtney? There is a difference! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2001, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-tv-shows-that-deserved-a-better-fate/84999/151 "2001-10-12T20:39:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by watsonwil \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by JubilationTCornpone \* > > \*\* Sigh… young Courteney… \*\* > > Dancing in the Dark Young Courtney or Family Ties young Courtney? There is a difference! 😉 \*\* _Misfits of Science_ young Courteney, who is somewhere between those two. BTW, don’t forget that Ms. Cox spells her name with an extra E, i.e. CourtEney. Young Courteney is the telekinetic _Misfits of Science_ gal. Young Courtney is the cute blonde from _Revenge of the Nerds II_. ---
**Author:** ![SterlingNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@SterlingNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SterlingNorth)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2001, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-tv-shows-that-deserved-a-better-fate/84999/152 "2001-10-13T06:16:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bouv \* > Put down another vote for **Gargoyles** , **Freaks and Geeks** , and **Sports Night** > > (on a side note, Comedy Central shows re-runs of **Sports Night** ) I’m glad someone mentioned **Gargoyles**. I know I forgot about it when I posted, but I’ve been a champion of the first two seasons of the show (I was sucessful in supressing the simply horrific post-Weisman **Golaith Chronicles** from my memory) for years. For that and your good taste in liking **Freaks and Geeks** and **Sports Night** , I’ll forgive your liking of **The Single Guy**. ---
**Author:** ![TheLadyLion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d78d45/32.png) [@TheLadyLion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLadyLion)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-tv-shows-that-deserved-a-better-fate/84999/153 "2002-04-16T18:41:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by watsonwil \* > \*\*The John Laroquette Show. It lasted a while due only to the network’s gratitude to JL. He did win four consecutive emmys… \*\* I couldn’t agree more. The first season was, without a doubt, one of funniest and most thought-provoking shows ever created. John Larroquette is one of the best. Network incompetence did a great job of damaging, dismembering, eventually eviscerating this comic masterpiece. ---
**Author:** ![JohnM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/848f3c/32.png) [@JohnM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnM)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-tv-shows-that-deserved-a-better-fate/84999/154 "2002-04-16T19:21:37Z")
Yet another vote for **Homicide: Life on the Streets**. Even in the latter, diminished days it was still TBDSOT (The Best Damned Show on Television). And any fan who hasn’t read the book on which the series was based, [Homicide : A Year on the Killing Streets](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0804109990/qid=1018984624/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_67_2/102-0351970-5442568), by David Simon, needs to go directly to the nearest library or bookstore immediately. **Frank’s Place** was another great show that died too soon, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-tv-shows-that-deserved-a-better-fate/84999/155 "2002-04-16T19:53:47Z")
Another vote for **Sports Night** and **Gideon’s Crossing** and to that, I’ll add a show with an extraordinary cast, great writing, a great and proven development team behind it that was just shut down before it ever got a chance to open up anything more than developmental storylines and build an audience – **The Court** , the Sally Field Supreme Court drama. ABC just yanked it after only 3 episodes. Apparently a show isn’t worth developing if it isn’t top twenty right away. Also, I have to mourn **UC: Undercover** which was similarly struck down right as it was setting itself up to have a multi-season story arc in the tradition of **Wiseguy**. This was another show which really wasn’t given time to develop an audience. The less-than-one-season cancellation thing really gets under my skin. If this Seinfeld ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-tv-shows-that-deserved-a-better-fate/84999/156 "2002-04-16T19:53:47Z")
Another vote for **Sports Night** and **Gideon’s Crossing** and to that, I’ll add a show with an extraordinary cast, great writing, a great and proven development team behind it that was just shut down before it ever got a chance to open up anything more than developmental storylines and build an audience – **The Court** , the Sally Field Supreme Court drama. ABC just yanked it after only 3 episodes. Apparently a show isn’t worth developing if it isn’t top twenty right away. Also, I have to mourn **UC: Undercover** which was similarly struck down right as it was setting itself up to have a multi-season story arc in the tradition of **Wiseguy**. This was another show which really wasn’t given time to develop an audience. The less-than-one-season cancellation thing really gets under my skin. If this Seinfeld ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-tv-shows-that-deserved-a-better-fate/84999/157 "2002-04-16T19:56:28Z")
Another vote for **Sports Night** and **Gideon’s Crossing** and to that, I’ll add a show with an extraordinary cast, great writing, a great and proven development team behind it that was just shut down before it ever got a chance to open up anything more than developmental storylines and build an audience – **The Court** , the Sally Field Supreme Court drama. ABC just yanked it after only 3 episodes. Apparently a show isn’t worth developing if it isn’t top twenty right away. Also, I have to mourn **UC: Undercover** which was similarly struck down right as it was setting itself up to have a multi-season story arc in the tradition of **Wiseguy**. This was another show which really wasn’t given time to develop an audience. The less-than-one-season cancellation thing really gets under my skin. If this quick plug-pulling was always in effect, we would’ve lost Dallas, Hill Street Blues, Seinfeld, St. Elsewhere and the list goes on and on. ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-tv-shows-that-deserved-a-better-fate/84999/158 "2002-04-16T19:57:45Z")
Hmm, that was weird. Mods, could you delete that first incomplete post (and this one?) ---
**Author:** ![Dagny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9f8e36/32.png) [@Dagny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dagny)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-tv-shows-that-deserved-a-better-fate/84999/159 "2002-04-16T20:27:09Z")
Another vote for Due South, Twin Peaks, The Pretender (the second movie TNT made was just bad), Good vs. Evil, The Lone Gunmen and the pre-Dr. Capra epsidoes of Nothern Exposure. I had some hope that TLG would wind up on FX. But I don’t think that’s going to happen now. There is no way the pilot is going to be repeated. The Chronicle and Manhattan, Az should be added to the list. ---
**Author:** ![auntie\_em](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@auntie\_em](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auntie_em)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-tv-shows-that-deserved-a-better-fate/84999/160 "2002-04-16T20:35:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Voorvie \* > \*\*My vote is “Freaks and Geeks”. I absolutely loved this show, have every episode on tape… \*\* ME TOO! 😃 Amazingly written, awesome actors… But tell me… do you have the “Fox Family” episodes on tape, or did you tape them off the network? I have the Fox Family version, where I swear some things were cut out… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-tv-shows-that-deserved-a-better-fate/84999.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-tv-shows-that-deserved-a-better-fate/84999.md?page=9)