Sometimes, good things don’t last. A lot of factors have to be taken into account when renewing or canceling a tv series – from budget to ratings to bigger studio decisions that viewers aren’t always privy to.
That doesn’t mean that a show is bad, necessarily – in fact, some of the most beloved shows in recent history left our screens far too soon.
Freaks and Geeks (1999 – 2000)
This show is a coming-of-age story about two siblings and their outcast friends, that has only been further cemented in pop culture history as time has gone on. Freaks and Geeks is well-known as the launch pad of multiple Hollywood heavyweights – created and written by director Paul Feig, written and produced by Judd Apatow, and with a cast including Seth Rogen, James Franco, Linda Cardellini, Busy Phillips, and Jason Segel.
Despite having only one season, fans still refer to the show as one of the best in its genre, due to the subversive casual tone of the stories in comparison to the melodramatic teen shows of its time. This show has earned a rating of 8.7 out of 10 on IMDB and remains popular.
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006-2007)
In between The West Wing and The Newsroom, Aaron Sorkin had a somewhat less successful venture in Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, a comedy series with a slightly meta tone as it revolved around the behind-the-scenes production of a fictional live sketch show.
Another short series with a big cast, Studio 60 starred previous Sorkin collaborator Bradley Whitford and Friends’ own comedy star Matthew Perry, alongside Sarah Paulson - who thanks Sorkin’s wife for the opportunity. Studio 60 has an 8.2 rating on IMDB, with its popularity staying firm on the website.
American Gothic (1995-1998)
While the episodes may have been staggered, American Gothic only lasted one season on CBS. Another Sarah Paulson starring show, long before American Horror Story, this horror-themed series was executive produced by icon of the genre Sam Raimi – but unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to stop the series from being axed.
The series starred Gary Cole of Office Space fame, alongside Lucas Black and Paige Turco, who portrays a small-town Sheriff with supernatural powers who has a heinous past himself. The show has an 8.1 rating on IMDB, with a lot of high praising reviews from viewers.
My So-Called Life (1994-1995)
One of the more well-known shows to only last a season, My So-Called Life is remembered as the series that introduced the world to Claire Danes in a major way. Co-starring with Danes was Jared Leto, who was cast as her love interest in this dramatic teen series.
My So-Called Life was highly praised, earning Danes a Golden Globe for her starring role, but was canceled in 1995 to the disappointment of many fans. It still holds an 8.3 rating on IMDB.
Profit (1996-1997)
This dark and edgy show aired on FOX and was ultimately canceled for being a bit too ahead of its time with the gritty themes the show presented.
The protagonist, aptly named Jim Profit (Adrian Pasdar) works for a money-making company and does anything and everything to make sure he is successful – regardless of the legality of his actions. While everyone else remains oblivious to this, Profit lies and cheats his way to the top, in a series that has a strong 8.7 rating on IMDB.
Vengeance Unlimited (1998-1999)
This series starred Michael Madsen, star of Reservoir Dogs among other iconic Tarantino roles, as a mysterious man getting vengeance for those who can’t get it themselves, and ran for 16 episodes on ABC.
This show, like Profit, was on the darker side of television and often involved vigilante-esque murder of criminals at the protagonist’s hands. While being a much less well-known series than others, Vengeance Unlimited still has a very high rating of 8.8 on IMDB.
Almost Human (2013-2014)
This short-lived series saw executive producer JJ Abrams team up with his Star Trek star Karl Urban, alongside Michael Ealy, Mika Kelly, and Mackenzie Crook.
Almost Human is a sci-fi series about a human cop and his hyper-realistic android partner, who work together to solve crime in the distant future. The Bad Robot series aired for 13 episodes on FOX, and despite being canceled before a second season could be renewed, the show is only growing in popularity on IMDB and has a nice round rating of 8.0.
Firefly (2002-2003)
Perhaps the most well-known and beloved one-season show of all time, Firefly is Joss Whedon’s western space adventure that follows the crew of the Serenity, as they traverse the unknown spaces in the universe. Despite being canceled 19 years ago, Firefly remains as popular as ever.
Unlike most series that lose their spot, this show was lucky enough to have one final adventure in the spin-off film Serenity, which acted as an ending of sorts and wrapped up the story for ravenous fans who still hadn’t had enough. The cast is iconic, with Nathan Fillion leading the crew, consisting of huge names such as Alan Tudyk, Gina Torres, Morena Baccarin, Adam Baldwin, and Jewel Staite. While Whedon himself has come under fire over the last few years, the series stays strong as a favorite among audiences, with a 9 out of 10 rating on IMDB.