# Popular TV shows that aren't anymore **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [December 22, 2024, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-tv-shows-that-arent-anymore/1012017 "2024-12-22T14:37:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SwissMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@SwissMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwissMan)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-tv-shows-that-arent-anymore/1012017/21 "2024-12-22T19:25:59Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > IIRC Susan (Brooke Shields) worked at a magazine. The actor who played the juvenile delinquent in The Breakfast Club played the boss. Yes, Judd Nelson. He left after the third season; the fourth (and final) season of Suddenly Susan saw the show get significantly retooled. The characters got a new boss played by Eric Idle. It’s somewhat difficult to judge the enduring popularity of TV shows, given that everything is now through streaming and not syndication. We know what shows still retain immense popularity (Seinfeld, Friends, The Big Bang Theory), but other shows are harder to judge. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-tv-shows-that-arent-anymore/1012017/22 "2024-12-24T15:09:59Z")
3 posts were split to a new topic: [Sodokufan’s other posts](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sodokufans-other-posts/1012115) ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-tv-shows-that-arent-anymore/1012017/23 "2024-12-22T20:17:32Z")
There was a one-season show about ten years ago called “Forever”, about an immortal guy working in the NYC medical examiner’s office. Whenever he died he’d respawn naked in the closest body of water. At least it was canceled early enough that they were able to put together a decent final episode, but I would have liked to see it run for four or five years. Not sure if anybody but me and my wife remember it. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-tv-shows-that-arent-anymore/1012017/24 "2024-12-22T20:24:19Z")
I remember _ **The Immortal** _ starring Christopher George of _ **Rat Patrol** _ fame. It was about a guy who had “some kind of special blood” that would allow him to live forever. He died in 13 weeks. Then there was _ **Run For Your Life** _ with Ben Gazarra, about a guy who had perhaps 18 months left to live. It ran for three years. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-tv-shows-that-arent-anymore/1012017/25 "2024-12-22T20:32:14Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > Kindred The Embraced… > > The other problem with the show was that the POV human was C Thomas Howell. I thought the token human was Kelly Rutherford. Which reminds me, I haven’t thought of **The Adventures of Briscoe County, Jr.** for ages. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-tv-shows-that-arent-anymore/1012017/26 "2024-12-22T20:34:53Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > **The Adventures of Briscoe County, Jr.** for ages. I loved that show. I knew from the first episode that it would not last long SPOILERS Billy Drago played a recurring villain, John Bligh. He turned out to be a criminal who traveled to the wild west from the future. John Astin showed up as an eccentric scientist and inventor who had knonw Briscoe for decades. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-tv-shows-that-arent-anymore/1012017/27 "2024-12-22T20:36:01Z")
When I was very young, I used to like Benson. It was only later that I learned that it was a spinoff of Soap. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-tv-shows-that-arent-anymore/1012017/28 "2024-12-22T20:37:08Z")
A few years back, I was happy to see that CHCH had a retro block every weekday afternoon. I looked forward to watching many of my favorite shows from past years while I worked at home. I stuck with it for a while, but finally quit watching because few of the shows were as good as I remembered them. I managed to get through every episode of _ **That Girl** _ and _ **Hogan’s Heroes** _, but haven’t watched them since. _ **Andy Griffith** _? _ **Danny Thomas** _? _ **My Three Sons** _? No way! Right now, I’m trying to get through the Tara King episodes of _ **The Avengers** _, but not even that is easy. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-tv-shows-that-arent-anymore/1012017/29 "2024-12-22T20:40:15Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > _ **Andy Griffith** _? A friend liked to watch Andy Griffith on MeTV. I discovered a trick that really works. Just pretend that Maybery is the Shire and all the characters are hobbits. The only thing that really needs changing is the modern technology, ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-tv-shows-that-arent-anymore/1012017/31 "2024-12-22T20:42:12Z")
Sadly, I’m not a Tolkien fan. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-tv-shows-that-arent-anymore/1012017/32 "2024-12-22T20:52:11Z")
> [@On another topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1012115/2): > > The Dukes of Hazzard. In the top 10 shows for several seasons and for a time 2nd only to Dallas. I never watched _ **The Dukes of Hazzard** _, but there was a stretch of about five years in the '80s when I never, ever missed an episode of _ **Dallas** _. I now have a boxed set of the first couple of years, which I’d only seen dubbed into Czech. The reboot a few years back (in which all the original cast members were old/dying/already dead) was disappointing, to say the least. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-tv-shows-that-arent-anymore/1012017/33 "2024-12-22T20:56:10Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > I remember watching Boston Common in college, a sitcom starring Anthony Clark as a country bumpkin working at a university in Boston. > > Steve Paymer is an underrated comic actor, and he guest starred. Traylor Howard was the love interest. > > And none of those names are known today. Traylor Howard did six seasons of _Monk_, so she hardly wallowed in obscurity. > [@terentii](#): > > Right now, I’m trying to get through the Tara King episodes of _ **The Avengers** _, but not even that is easy. I saw a few of her episodes not too long ago, and they were better than their reputation. There’s one where Steed and Miss King are following a briefcase as it gets passed from person to person, until it gets to the intended recipient. And the one with the clowns is worth it just for John Cleese in a small role. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-tv-shows-that-arent-anymore/1012017/34 "2024-12-22T20:59:53Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > There was a one-season show about ten years ago called “Forever”, about an immortal guy working in the NYC medical examiner’s office. Whenever he died he’d respawn naked in the closest body of water. At least it was canceled early enough that they were able to put together a decent final episode, but I would have liked to see it run for four or five years. Not sure if anybody but me and my wife remember it. My fave lost & forgotten 1 season wonder was _Brimstone_. The 3 leads were very compelling, as was the plot; dead cop has to track down 113 escaped sinners for him to gain his redemption. Alas the show got canceled right after the ep. which revealed the lady cop Ash to be the ringleader of the escapees from Hell. Usual Faux shenanigans and pre-emptions-they were notorious during this time (90’s) of not giving a series much of a chance of finding an audience. > [@On another topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1012115/2): > > The Dukes of Hazzard. In the top 10 shows for several seasons and for a time 2nd only to Dallas. The B&B inn I stay at in NJ has streaming content but I usually am too busy with trip and family activities to watch for very long. I loved the Rockford Files back in the day (the Dukes showed up in its time slot and slaughtered it in the ratings), but trying to watch it now (@ the B&B) is much too cringe-inducing: the clients are idiots and Jim always has to bail them out of trouble, there always is a pair of goons in a late-model sedan tailing either him or the client, the cops outside of Dennis always try to obstruct Jim’s case, the perp is just as dumb as the victims (and arrogant as fock), plot holes you could drive Jim’s trailer through, etc. The actors typically redeemed it to a certain extent tho, esp. those who played Angel, Rocky, and Beth if not Garner himself of course. But after close to 50 years of watching deeper better executed fare it doesn’t really hold up, for the most part. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-tv-shows-that-arent-anymore/1012017/35 "2024-12-22T21:02:23Z")
There are a few good episodes, but the quality of the show definitely suffered after Diana Rigg left. (Patrick Macnee actually went to his dressing room and cried when they finished filming “The Forget-Me-Knot.”) There was one last week (“Fog”) that I thought had great potential but failed to live up to it. On the other hand, nothing could redeem “Invasion of the Earthmen.” [Welcome to The Avengers Forever!](http://theavengers.tv/forever/) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-tv-shows-that-arent-anymore/1012017/36 "2024-12-22T21:19:08Z")
Nobody’s talking about _L.A. Law_ these days. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-tv-shows-that-arent-anymore/1012017/37 "2024-12-22T21:26:50Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > I remember _ **The Immortal** _ starring Christopher George of _ **Rat Patrol** _ fame. It was about a guy who had “some kind of special blood” that would allow him to live forever. > > He died in 13 weeks. New Amsterdam, with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau had a similar idea but also only lasted a season iirc > **[New Amsterdam (2008 TV series)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Amsterdam_(2008_TV_series))** > > New Amsterdam is an American television drama which aired for eight episodes in 2008 on Fox. The series starred Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as "John Amsterdam" (real name Johann van der Zee), an immortal Dutch man born in 1607, who has lived in New York City on and off since he was 14 years old, and who 'partners' with a female homicide detective in the present day. The series was nominated for an Emmy for Main Title Design. > John Amsterdam (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) is an NYPD homicide detective who is 4... We really enjoyed it. However, I guess it failed that OPs criterion- I dont think it was popular. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-tv-shows-that-arent-anymore/1012017/38 "2024-12-22T21:32:09Z")
I don’t really remember the cases or the storylines. I do remember some wonderful performances though. What’s his name (Robert G Durrant in Darkaman, Dr Giggles in Dr Giggles) was really great in a very convincing and sympathetic portrayal of Benny, a developmentally disabled man who gets a job as an assitant at the law firm. That bald guy with dark hair (Larry Finklestein- Dharma;s dad in Dharma And Greg) was really good as a complex and layered man. First, he is just an angry lawyer. Then, a wide variety of soap opera events happen and we get to see all his different sides. Corbin Bernsen was great too. I often wonder why he never made it big on tv or in films. He has been in a bunch of b-movies (The Dentist, The Dentist 2, The Killing Box, Tales From The Hood). He is very good in them. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-tv-shows-that-arent-anymore/1012017/39 "2024-12-22T21:36:16Z")
Some from the 90s: The Single Guy Veronica’s Closet Suddenly Susan Space Above And Beyond Seaquest DSV Lexx Highlander Some recent ones that probably wouldn’t be considered super popular, but while they ran there was an active fan base: Lie To Me Numb3rs Eureka Fringe Kyle XY Torchwood Primeval Misfits Merlin Falling Skies Persons Unknown ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-tv-shows-that-arent-anymore/1012017/40 "2024-12-22T21:44:44Z")
A few that popped into my head that I don’t think have been mentioned yet: Mork and Mindy My Sister Sam Heroes Murphy Brown mmm ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-tv-shows-that-arent-anymore/1012017/41 "2024-12-22T21:57:44Z")
Re: _L.A. Law_ > [@DocCathode](#): > > I don’t really remember the cases or the storylines. I remember Dann Florek in a recurring guest role as Dave Meyer, the king of direct-mail marketing. He was excruciatingly, and hysterically, boring. He was a client of the firm, and set about wooing Roxanne (Susan Ruttan). In the end, I think he married Roxanne, then embezzled a fortune from his comany and went on the run, leaving her holding the bag. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-tv-shows-that-arent-anymore/1012017.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-tv-shows-that-arent-anymore/1012017.md?page=3)