It is well known that HBO is a network that routinely produces excellent original programming, including Game of Thrones, Succession, The Sopranos, and The White Lotus. The network must be extremely stringent with regard to its content and how constant it must be to match HBO's level of greatness in order to earn such a reputation.
Thus, numerous shows fail the test for multiple reasons while receiving positive reviews and high rankings on review-aggregation websites. Ranging from highly anticipated TV adaptations of best-selling novels and incisive coming-of-age dramas, HBO has spread the one-season plague fiercely.
10 ‘The Tim Traveler’s Wife’ (2022)
Based on the 2003 novel of the same name by Audrey Niffenegger, The Time Traveler’s Wife centers on Henry DeTamble (Theo James), a man with a genetic disease that causes him to occasionally travel across time for brief periods, and his relationship with his wife, Clare Abshire (Rose Leslie), whom he first met when she was just a child.
The leading couple is endearing, and The Time Traveler’s Wife benefits from their magnetism as it successfully mines its conceit for some light humor and contemplations on love and loss. However, once the plot is moving, the show struggles to know what to say and how which partly undermines the value it seeks to achieve and led to the show's cancellation after one season.
9 ‘Unscripted’ (2005)
Unscripted follows the misadventures of three aspiring actors who are enrolled in the same acting class in Los Angeles, California, as they navigate the auditions, rejections, personal struggles, and moments of fulfillment. The three actors play themselves in the show which combines fact and fiction.
While the show's execution is engaging and accessible with just the right amount of humor and sarcasm to make individuals who have experienced the same thing feel included, the plot may not be particularly original. However, Unscripted feels inconsistent despite its larger goal because some scenes are improvised and others are scripted.
8 ‘The Nevers’ (2021)
The Nevers centers on a group of largely female characters known as the Touched, who exhibit unusual talents all of a sudden. The group includes Amalia True (Laura Donnelly), a secretive and cunning widow, and her best friend and a brilliant inventor, Penance Adair (Ann Skelly).
Thanks to a sharp storyline, well-rounded characters, and a great ensemble that brings their characters to life, the show is a must-watch from Joss Whedon. Unfortunately, The Nevers is terminated after one season due to unfavorable reviews and a strange blend of steampunk and space.
7 ‘The Brink’ (2015)
Featuring an underrated performance from Jack Black, The Brink centers on a geopolitical catastrophe that binds three men, a US Secretary of State, a lowly Foreign Service Officer, and an ace Navy Fighter Pilot, together as they struggle to survive the mayhem around them in order to prevent a third world war.
If the events depicted in The Brink weren't so uncomfortably close to the dangerous reality of our world, it would be a sheer delight to watch. The show is hilarious, imaginative, and daring in what it has to say about geopolitics. Nevertheless, it was axed by the network after only one season due to multiple reasons.
6 ‘Tell Me You Love Me’ (2007)
Tell Me You Love Me centers on three different couples, and each of them struggles with intimacy in their relationship in distinctive ways. They all turn to May Foster (Jane Alexander), a therapist who struggles with her relationship with her partner, Arthur (David Selby).
Tell Me You Love Me is a refreshing departure from the often sleek, glistening, high-end aesthetic of HBO dramas that provides the viewers with sympathy and insights. However, flat characters and clichéd conversations are a few of the reasons why the show was discontinued by the network after one season.
5 ‘Vinyl’ (2016)
Set in the 1970s, Vinyl centers on the life of a record executive, Richie Finestra (Bobby Cannavale). The viewers will learn about his career beginnings, the formation of his business, its ups and downs, the victims of his advancement, and what rock music means to him.
Even though Vinyl doesn't maintain its pace throughout the show, with compelling narratives, a perfect soundtrack, and a wealth of historical knowledge, it commemorates the pioneers of rock music from the 1970s with aplomb. However, a certified fresh logo and a solid 74% rating on Rotten Tomatoes are insufficient to prevent the show's cancellation.
4 ‘Lovecraft Country’ (2020)
Lovecraft Country follows Atticus Freeman (Jonathan Majors) as he sets off on a road trip through Jim Crow-era 1950s America with his uncle George (Courtney B. Vance), friend Letitia (Jurnee Smollett), and other family members in a quest for his missing father.
In the end, Lovecraft Country is a collection of insightful concepts dispersed throughout a number of bizarre situations, anchored by the talented cast’s amazing performances, led by Jonathan Majors. The show also serves as a superb example of what can be accomplished when diversity is embraced and its limitless potential is realized. Yet, it was canceled by HBO after one season.
3 ‘Minx’ (2022)
Minx follows a young feminist (Ophelia Lovibond) from Los Angeles who teams up with a small-time publisher (Michael Angarano) in the 1970s to launch the first women's erotica publication. Through this improbable union, they find important connections in the most unexpected places.
With a certified fresh logo and a 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s surprising that Minx was cancelled by HBO after season 1. The show is interesting and provides an insightful look at a period of time that was unintentionally defined by the women's liberation movement. There are numerous reasons to watch Minx including the superb storyline and the lead actors’ incredible chemistry.
2 ‘Sally4Ever’ (2018)
Sally4Ever follows the titular character, played by Catherine Shepherd, who has led a boring suburban life for the past ten years with her boyfriend, David (Alex Macqueen). However, Sally has a crisis the night he proposes to her and begins an arduous relationship with Emma (Julia Davis), a sexy, charming, boho actor, singer, musician, poet, and author.
Sally4Ever might not be suitable for everyone, especially those who are unfamiliar with British comedy because it has so much of it. The entire cast is excellent, but Shepherd and Davis stand out for their charming performances. Unfortunately, their charisma and solid screenplay cannot save the show from being axed after a successful season.
1 ‘Gordita Chronicles’ (2022)
Gordita Chronicles follows Cucu Castelli (Olivia Goncalves), a reporter who recounts her childhood in the 1980s as a rebellious and stubborn "gordita” (meaning “chubby girl), whose family immigrates to Miami, Florida from the Dominican Republic.
Gordita Chronicles may deal with heavy subject matters such as hardships, prejudice, and discrimination, however, the show still manages to keep a morale-boosting and frequently uplifting attitude. Additionally, as the brash and aspiring Cucu Castelli, Goncalves gives an exceptional performance. However, the show was woefully canceled after one season.