For a TV show to even make it on the air is basically winning the lottery. For it to then go past one season is to belong to a surprisingly small club, especially on network television. The following series in our list of TV's Best One-Season Wonders (of the modern era) sadly never got that chance — they either were cancelled during or directly after their inaugural runs. And while many mediocre or terrible series rightfully deserve their cancellation, these little gems definitely left us too soon.
We mourn the losses of such great and short-lived TV below. (Special thanks to my Collider cohorts Dave Trumbore, Adam Chitwood, and Chris Cabin, who added a few shows to the list that I regrettably haven’t seen, but deserved to be included). It’s also worth noting that the “low” ratings for a lot of these series are numbers that the networks (cable and broadcast) would kill for today. Alas.
Our list is unranked, but let us know your favorites in the comments, as well as any we missed. Keep in mind that this list is for shows that were able to complete their inaugural seasons -- there are many other great series cancelled before they were even given that chance!
My So-Called Life
Network: ABC
Year: 1994
What it was about: A teen drama set in a high school outside of Pittsburgh that followed the life and trials of Angela Chase (Claire Danes) and her friends Rickie (Wilson Cruz) and Rayanne (A.J. Langer).
Why it was great: No big deal, just perhaps the most seminal teen drama of a generation (or two). It’s hard to believe Winnie Holzman’s incredible series only lasted one season given the cultural impact it’s had since. Angela felt like a real teenager, and the show didn’t succumb to hokey “lessons” or forced heart-warming moments. The series subverted a lot of TV norms (like having Angela’s mother be the breadwinner of the family), and also featured a lot of tough teen issues without treating them like after-school special topics. But most importantly, it gave us Jordan Catalano (Jared Leto).
Why it was cancelled: The series ended on a cliffhanger, expecting to be picked up for a second season. Its ratings weren’t exceptionally low, but it couldn’t compete against the hit series of the time. There were also rumors that star Claire Danes didn’t want to continue with the show for a second season, which led ABC (which was on the fence) to go ahead and cancel it. The show also marked the first time fan campaigns took place online to try and save a series.
The Grinder
Network: Fox
Year: 2015
What it was about: The single camera comedy focuses on TV star Dean Sanderson, Jr (Rob Lowe) who returns to his hometown of Boise, Idaho after his hit series "The Grinder" ends. Having played a lawyer on television, Dean is eager to join his family’s law firm, and clashes with his younger brother Stewart (Fred Savage), who is an actual lawyer.
Why it was great: Savage and Lowe had impeccable comedic timing and delivery, and were only aided by an excellent supporting cast that included Mary Elizabeth Ellis, William Devane, Steve Little, and Natalie Morales. The show always leaned hard into its meta humor, not only regarding Dean’s TV series and his celebrity impact on those around him (some of the best scenes were the cold opens featuring satirical clips from episodes of "The Grinder"), but also in the real show’s own place in the television landscape. It also found inventive ways to keep its central premise from turning the show into a procedural or anything expected. The Grinder was consistently funny, never saccharine, and relied on its clever writing and subtle acting rather than outrageous plots and over-the-top performances.
Why it was cancelled: Ratings were fair to middling, but never outright terrible. Still, Fox is not known for letting series linger if they aren’t performing the way they want them too, and with a slew of reboots and new series headed to its fall schedule, they likely wanted to just clear out space. The Grinder is exactly the kind of sly, subversive comedy that would have thrived on cable or streaming, but did admirably seem to (mostly) stick to its original vision even given the constraints of broadcast. The Grinder rests, but it shouldn’t have had to.
Clone High
Network: MTV
Year: 2002
What it was about: An MTV co-production with Canadian television, the series (created by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Bill Lawrence) depicted the high school lives of the clones of famous historical figures, including Abraham Lincoln, Joan of Arc, Mahatma Gandhi, John F. Kennedy, and Cleopatra.
Why it was great: Clone High was a teen drama satire, dressed up in an incredibly weird government clone program premise, and somehow it worked. At least, for a little while. The lone animated series of our list was filled with jokes and references not only to the historical figures it portrayed, but also to standard teen dramas like Dawson’s Creek (every episode began with a note that it was “a very special episode,” teen TV code meaning a heavy topic would be depicted and worked through).
Why it was cancelled: The show was hilariously irreverent, but it didn’t catch fire with audiences to produce great ratings. Further, after some controversy from India over its irreverent depiction of Gandhi, it was cancelled.
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Network: NBC
Year: 2006
What it was about: The one-hour drama from Aaron Sorkin took place behind the scenes of a live sketch comedy show in the vein of SNL. After a brief sojourn into features, head writer Matt Albie (Matthew Perry) and director/executive producer Danny Tripp (Bradley Whitford) return to Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip with the aim of revamping the series and returning it to its glory days, all the while tackling hot-button topics and pissing off the network.
Why it was great: Studio 60 was Sorkin's much-hyped follow-up to the utterly brilliant The West Wing, and it was the show of the Fall 2006 season. Hilariously, in hindsight, 30 Rock was the "behind-the-scenes of a sketch comedy show" series that was expected to fail, but Sorkin's drama was the one that would come tumbling down. Admittedly, Sorkin tried and failed to make the stakes of a live comedy series as dire as those of White House politics, and though Studio 60 kind of nose-dives creatively towards the middle of its run, the show still gets plenty right. It remains one of the best pilots I've ever seen, and the chemistry between Perry and Whitford -- both comedic and emotional -- is absolutely dynamite, with supporting players like Amanda Peet and Steven Weber really nailing that Sorkin dialogue. It's a true shame the series didn't get a second season to try and course-correct some of its issues, but the 22-episode first season is an enjoyable, and at times a truly terrific watch. – Adam Chitwood
Why it was cancelled: Sorkin’s only TV series to not run for more than a single season, Studio 60’s sinking ratings led to its cancellation, as its limited but upscale viewership couldn't outweigh the cost of its cast (Perry was just coming off Friends, one of the most popular shows of all time, and carried a significant salary). Although it notably did pretty well in Live+7 numbers, which take into account reruns and DV-R viewings.
Almost Human
Network: Fox
Year: 2013
What it was about: The J.J. Abrams-produced series took place in 2048, where police have been paired with life-like (but emotionless) combat androids. The show revolved around Detective Kennex (Karl Urban) and his android, DNR-0167 or “Dorian,” (Michael Ealy), as the two fought against the ultra-violent “Syndicate,” and Kennex attempts to piece together his lost memory after a coma.
Why it was great: On the surface, Almost Human seemed like little more than a buddy cop procedural drama set against a sci-fi backdrop, but the show’s humor, and the connection between its leads, made it great. Sadly, the first season had only just started to reveal some of the show’s interesting mythology and world-building when it was cancelled, but what we did get to see in full was the ever-evolving relationship between Kennex and Dorian (along with some great supporting characters, like Mackenzie Crook’s lab tech Rudy).
Why it was cancelled: Almost Human had a great blend of action and humor, but Fox doesn’t give its shows much lead time to become hits before it pulls the plug. Though Almost Human’s ratings weren’t terrible, it was cancelled anyway because of high production costs and an already full fall slate.
Undeclared
Network: Fox
Year: 2001
What it was about: The series (a follow-up to Judd Apatow and Paul Feig’s Freaks and Geeks) starred Jay Baruchel, Carla Gallo, Charlie Hunnam, Monica Keena, Seth Rogan, Timm Sharp and Christina Payano as college freshmen at a fictional university.
Why it was great: Like Freaks and Geeks (and My So-Called Life), Undeclared wonderfully captured the complicated lives of teenagers being awkward, weird, and making mistakes in completely relatable ways. It starred a lot of actors who would become a regular part of Apatow’s coterie, and tapped into a realistic and earnest uncertainty that isn’t commonly depicted in most early/late teen series, much less comedies.
Why it was cancelled: Bizarrely, Fox aired the episodes out of order when the show was broadcast (making the plots completely nonsensical). And that, naturally, helped lead to its lack of popularity and untimely cancellation.
Enlisted
Network: Fox
Year: 2014
What it was about: Kevin Biegel’s critically adored comedy starred Geoff Stults, Chris Lowell, and Parker Young as three very different brothers who are all assigned to the same (fictional) Infantry Division at Fort McGee, Florida. The brothers fight, bond, and work together as they serve in the rear detachment (i.e. the soldiers left behind to take care of the bases). Keith David also starred as their Command Sergeant, along with Angelique Cabral as a Staff Sergeant.
Why it was great: Though it took a few episodes to find its footing, Enlisted was a genuinely sweet comedy that found a way to depict military life in a way that stayed neutral politically —though that never stopped the series from making some amazingly well-timed jokes on the subject. It was easy to get wrapped up in the stories of the brothers, as well as their work lives and love lives, and the character arcs deepened and became more dramatically complex as the series went on (a rare move for a comedy).
Why it was cancelled: Like Undeclared, Fox ran Enlisted’s episodes out of order, messing with its narrative continuity. Eventually, it was taken off the air due to low ratings, and Fox burned off the remaining episodes later that year.
Terriers
Network: FX
Year: 2010
What it was about: Donal Logue’s Hank Dolworth, an ex-cop recovering from an addiction to the bottle, teams up with his ex-con bestie, Britt (Michael Raymond James), to start an unlicensed private investigation service. The series was largely episodic but there were certain looming arcs, such as Hank’s relationship to the San Diego Police Department, specifically in his home in Ocean Beach.
Why it was great: The narrative is broad and shaggy in tone, which is a perfect stage for Logue’s distinct onscreen persona. It has aided several of his productions, but only carried one – the indie-comedy gem The Tao of Steve. Here, he proved capable of creating a nuanced, regret-ridden character that never felt too overtly cynical or ahead of the curve, surrounded by the nicely detailed environs of Ocean Beach and other San Diego locales. This quickly-involving and very funny show also featured an excellent supporting cast, led by James and including Kimberly Quinn, Michael Gaston, Jamie Denbo, Laura Allen, and Karina Logue, sister to Donald, playing Hank’s tough-as-nails sister Steph. — Chris Cabin
Why it was cancelled: It’s unusual for a cable series to be cancelled after a single season, but despite its critical accolades, Terriers’ ratings were so low that FX President John Landgraf has since said he felt his hand was forced.
Trophy Wife
Network: ABC
Year: 2013
What it was about: Emily Halpern and Sarah Haskins’ series revolved around a young wife (Malin Ackerman) who must content with her middle-aged husband Pete’s (Bradley Whitford) two ex-wives (Marcia Gay Harden, Michaela Watkins) and their children, who all still play an active role in Pete’s life.
Why it was great: For those who missed Big Love, Trophy Wife was the next best thing. The cast is what made this show fantastic, with Marcia Gay Harden as a particular standout as the uptight perfectionist Diana. But the younger cast was great as well, especially Ryan Lee as Pete’s adopted Asian son Bert. The show’s take on family dynamics was refreshingly different, and its large cast provided an opportunity to never become formulaic. The show was cute, funny, and occasionally very odd, and it definitely deserved more attention than it got.
Why it was cancelled: Ultimately, it was another casualty of the ABC tendency to have great sitcoms with terrible names that it doesn’t know how to market (see Happy Endings, Don’t Trust the B— in Apt 23, Cougar Town, Selfie), which led to the show’s low ratings and cancellation.
Freaks and Geeks
Network: NBC
Year: 1999
What it was about: Paul Feig and Judd Apatow’s exceptional series focused on a high schooler named Lindsay (Linda Cardellini) and her younger brother Sam (John Francis Daley) and their respective groups — the “freaks” (James Franco, Seth Rogan, Busy Philipps), and the “geeks” (Martin Starr, Samm Levine) — as they navigated the teenage social strata of the 1980s.
Why it was great: Of all the series on this list, Freaks and Geeks is probably my favorite. I remember railing against its cancellation, finding it to be the only honest portrayal of teenaged life I’d ever seen on TV (aside from My So-Called Life, but I felt a particular connection to Lindsay’s character in F&G). The series had a wonderful authenticity to it that mixed humor and a killer soundtrack to create a funny and true portrait of high school life. It was also a launch pad not only for its creators, but for most of its cast.
Why it was cancelled: Because life isn’t fair. NBC cancelled the series and took it off the air even before it had finished out its first season because of low ratings, but after a fan campaign begged for the episodes to be released, it deigned to air the final episodes.
Terra Nova
Network: Fox
Year: 2011
What it was about: In the year A.D. 2149, overpopulation and poor air quality force mankind to travel through a temporal rift and establish a colony in a parallel time that resembles Earth's Cretaceous Period. The series followed the Shannon family and their interactions within the colony, culminating in an all-out defense against the invading industrialist army, "The Phoenix Group."
Why it was great: This series had a lot of hype going into its debut: $14 million for the pilot alone, with a $4 million per episode price tag, huge practical and post-production commitments, time-traveling story elements, and frickin' dinosaurs! (If Jurassic World's success is any indication, people still love dinosaurs -- just not every week on TV, I suppose.) The money was well-spent, with plenty of practical sets for the cast to play around in, and it brought big-screen-worthy dinos to the small screen. The cast was another strength, anchored by Jason O'Mara, with the delightful Allison Miller, and Stephen Lang, who was relatively fresh off his performance in Avatar. While Terra Nova's script was admittedly weak beyond its central conceit and the mid-season lagged terribly, the energy picked back up with the season finale. – Dave Trumbore
Why it was cancelled: Unfortunately, the price tag proved too expensive for a second season, so Terra Nova went prematurely extinct.
The Black Donnellys
Network: NBC
Year: 2007
What it was about: Set in contemporary New York City's Hell's Kitchen, the series (created by Paul Haggis and Robert Moresco) focused on four Irish-American brothers and their ties to organized crime. A somewhat unreliable narrator took viewers through the ongoing conflicts between the Irish and Italian families, the relationships of the brothers, and the gentrification of their neighborhood.
Why it was great: In 2007, the television landscape was littered with law enforcement-centered series with acronyms for titles (not much has changed), so a broadcast series that was wholly about the criminal element had a refreshing effect. Stand-out cast members include Kate Mulgrew as the tough, widowed mother of the Donnellys; Jonathan Tucker as Tommy, who is the heart of the series and the second-oldest (and easily the wisest) brother; Olivia Wilde as Jenny, the object of Tommy's affection with a complicated past; and James Badge Dale as Jenny‘s obsessed suitor. The character drama aspect was strong enough to make The Black Donnellys a show worth watching, and since it was set within the rich environment of the criminal underground, that element set the stakes that much higher. – Dave Trumbore
Why it was cancelled: Ratings, although it's a testament to the appeal of The Black Donnellys that it enjoyed popularity on NBC's streaming site well after its broadcast run was cancelled.
Firefly
Network: Fox
Year: 2002
What it was about: Joss Whedon’s space western followed the crew of the Serenity, a “Firefly-class” spaceship in the year 2517, as they make their living on the fringe of society. The series starred Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin, Adam Baldwin, Jewel Staite, Summer Glau, and Ron Glass.
Why it was great: Firefly has become the flag-bearer of “shows gone too soon,” and probably has the biggest cult fandom among the One-Season Wonder series. It was a character-rich series with an incredibly oddball premise featuring the signature quirky style that dominates all of Whedon’s project. It also boasted an incredible cast led by Fillion, who embodied the series’ perfect blend of action, humor, and independent spirit.
Why it was cancelled: As is the case with so many of these series, Fox aired the episodes out of order, creating narrative confusion, and also promoted the series as an action-comedy instead of a drama. That led, of course, to low ratings and cancellation. But the show did at least get a movie to wrap it up (one of the few times a promised movie actually materialized), and the Browncoats live on!
Life As We Know It
Network: ABC
Year: 2004
What it was about: Based on the British novel Doing It, the series followed a group of high school students (Sean Faris, Missy Perrym, Jessica Lucas, Jon Foster, Chris Lowell, and Kelly Osbourne) as they experience the typical friendships, relationships, school problems, parent issues, and everything else that dominates teen life.
Why it was great: Not quite as cynical as some of the other teen dramas on the list, Life As We Know It was surprisingly sweet and full of engaging drama, while also still feeling authentic regarding teenager’s lives and issues (Kelly Osbourne was a bit of a strange casting choice, but her story arc ended up being one of the best). It was also show that was far more grounded than The O.C. ever was (although I’ll always adore the first season of that show). It truly (sadly) had the potential to be one of the all-time great teen dramas.
Why it was cancelled: Though the series received good ratings in reruns that aired on (its spiritual home of) MTV, ABC cancelled it anyway.
[This is a repost of an older feature for your reading pleasure over this holiday weekend.]