# Prematurely canceled shows
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prematurely-canceled-shows/318991
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [August 28, 2005, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prematurely-canceled-shows/318991 "2005-08-28T17:17:06Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@andrewdt85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewdt85)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2005, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prematurely-canceled-shows/318991/1 "2005-08-28T17:17:06Z")
I’m sure this has been posted before, but I couldn’t find it in a search. Must’ve used the wrong terms. Sorry.
There was a thread recently about Sitcom Rasputins. Now- Television James Deans: they just die too damn young. It’s just such a cold, hard and sucky racket when fresh, original, sweet, charming, intelligent, witty shows fall by the wayside like they do. :sad:
[list]
[li]Cupid[/li][li]Firefly[/li]
Okay, so I’m no television buff…
---
### Author:  [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2005, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prematurely-canceled-shows/318991/2 "2005-08-28T17:57:49Z")
_Freaks and Geeks_, most definitely.
---
### Author:  [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2005, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prematurely-canceled-shows/318991/3 "2005-08-28T18:13:34Z")
Bring back _Brimstone_!
---
### Author:  [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2005, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prematurely-canceled-shows/318991/4 "2005-08-28T18:21:23Z")
I miss HBO’s **Carnivàle**. Its abrupt ending was horribly unsatisfying.
---
### Author:  [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2005, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prematurely-canceled-shows/318991/5 "2005-08-28T18:22:01Z")
Farscape was cancelled prematurely, even though it was at the end of its fourth season.
---
### Author:  [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2005, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prematurely-canceled-shows/318991/6 "2005-08-28T18:27:07Z")
_Futurama_
☹
---
### Author:  [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2005, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prematurely-canceled-shows/318991/7 "2005-08-28T18:31:20Z")
Alien Nation ended with an unresolved cliffhanger. They followed it up with a few made-for-TV movies some years later.
---
### Author:  [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2005, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prematurely-canceled-shows/318991/8 "2005-08-28T18:40:42Z")
There probably ought to be a limit on how many seasons a show lasted to qualify for this thread. I mean, if a show reaches five seasons, there’s nothing “James Dean” about it – that was a pretty good run.
I nominate _Sports Night_ and _Joan of Arcadia_.
---
### Author:  [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2005, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prematurely-canceled-shows/318991/9 "2005-08-28T19:00:47Z")
The Tick. Both live action and animated. _Especially_ animated. It makes me so sad to know there’s half made shows out there. I _want_ them!
---
### Author:  [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2005, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prematurely-canceled-shows/318991/10 "2005-08-28T19:31:50Z")
Of course, I have to mention _Firefly_. When I think about it, though. . ._Farscape_, _Futurama_, _Family Guy_, _Freaks and Geeks_, _Firefly_. . .
Note to self: if I ever have an idea for a TV series, do _not_ have a title beginning with the letter F.
---
### Author:  [@dare\_devil007](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dare_devil007)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2005, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prematurely-canceled-shows/318991/11 "2005-08-28T19:38:03Z")
_Joan of Arcadia_ and _Dark Angel_
Sigh. ☹
---
### Author:  [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2005, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prematurely-canceled-shows/318991/12 "2005-08-28T19:52:13Z")
The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
---
### Author:  [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2005, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prematurely-canceled-shows/318991/13 "2005-08-28T19:56:10Z")
Firefly, obviously. I thought at the time John Doe would fit, but since finding out what his “secret” was, I am glad the show died before revealing it.
---
### Author:  [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2005, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prematurely-canceled-shows/318991/14 "2005-08-28T19:56:24Z")
> [@Jonathan Chance](#):
>
> The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
Ohhhh, yes! What a wonderful show. How I miss it. If I could reanimate any dead TV show, this would be the one.
---
### Author:  [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2005, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prematurely-canceled-shows/318991/15 "2005-08-28T20:05:14Z")
**Freaks and Geeks** has to be THE television James Dean. THe show was simply _perfect_.
---
### Author:  [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2005, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prematurely-canceled-shows/318991/16 "2005-08-28T20:09:45Z")
Max Headroom
Enterprise (the last season showed potential)
---
### Author:  [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2005, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prematurely-canceled-shows/318991/17 "2005-08-28T20:13:16Z")
I sure wish **Murder One** had stayed on the air. Preferably with Daniel Benzali, but Anthony LaPaglia was good, too.
---
### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2005, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prematurely-canceled-shows/318991/18 "2005-08-28T20:13:53Z")
I’ll say Futurama also as it was really only 4 seasons and Fox never stopped messing with it. I only saw about 30 shows in the first run, that god for the cartoon network. Show was great.
Showtime killed [Dead Like Me](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0348913/) after only 2 seasons.
[Police Squad](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083466/): Six of the funniest episodes ever and Dead.
[The Famous Teddy Z](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096580/): 1 season and dead, it had a lot of potential, good cast, funny episode and good production crews.
[Square Pegs](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083482/) was a funny and semi-realistic show about 1980’s high school. In a way the original Freeks & Geeks.
---
### Author:  [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2005, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prematurely-canceled-shows/318991/19 "2005-08-28T21:13:31Z")
Ultimately the answer to the question depends on which ox is getting gored. I enjoyed both Dead Like Me and Carnivale but I understand why they’re no longer in production. Both series were well supported by their respective networks but they just couldn’t find an audience. They had a fair shake but unfortunately neither series could find a big enough audience.
Marc
---
### Author:  [@Orual](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orual)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2005, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prematurely-canceled-shows/318991/20 "2005-08-28T21:19:18Z")
> [@RikWriter](#):
>
> I thought at the time John Doe would fit, but since finding out what his “secret” was, I am glad the show died before revealing it.
What was it?
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prematurely-canceled-shows/318991.md?page=2)