[TV] Great shows that lasted only one season

[rshetts2]

When I was a kid I really lamented the loss of Pirates of Dark Water.  I loved that it actually had A) a serial plot, and B) the moxy to actually kill off characters. 

Yeah but it A) lasted 3 seasons, and B) was a cartoon.    It doesnt really fit the focus of the post.    It will contend it was good though.

[wonderpug]

When I was a kid I really lamented the loss of Pirates of Dark Water.  I loved that it actually had A) a serial plot, and B) the moxy to actually kill off characters. 

Yeah but it A) lasted 3 seasons, and B) was a cartoon.    It doesnt really fit the focus of the post.    It will contend it was good though.

It had just 21 episodes and stopped mid-story.  The first thing you're calling a season was just the pilot, which was retooled into what you're calling the second season.  The thing you're calling a third season was a handful of extra episodes.   It is indeed a cartoon, which counts as a "show".  The focus of the post was "those short lived series that should have survived," which it is. 

The show had sporadic small batches of episodes released, so I guess you can call those seasons, but my god man, nothing is going to happen if we break the nonexistent rules of a thread.  Let's talk about tv shows.  Hell, someone already brought up Police Squad in this thread and that had like 12 seasons.

[CeeKay]

Clerks the Animated Series also comes to mind-  only 6 episodes, and only 2 were actually broadcast on ABC.

[rshetts2]

When I was a kid I really lamented the loss of Pirates of Dark Water.  I loved that it actually had A) a serial plot, and B) the moxy to actually kill off characters. 

Yeah but it A) lasted 3 seasons, and B) was a cartoon.    It doesnt really fit the focus of the post.    It will contend it was good though.

It had just 21 episodes and stopped mid-story.  The first thing you're calling a season was just the pilot, which was retooled into what you're calling the second season.  The thing you're calling a third season was a handful of extra episodes.   It is indeed a cartoon, which counts as a "show".  The focus of the post was "those short lived series that should have survived," which it is. 

The show had sporadic small batches of episodes released, so I guess you can call those seasons, but my god man, nothing is going to happen if we break the nonexistent rules of a thread.  Let's talk about tv shows.  Hell, someone already brought up Police Squad in this thread and that had like 12 seasons.

sorry, I was just poking a little fun at you.  Didnt mean to get your panties in a bunch!  ( yeah Im doing it again )

[Bullwinkle]

Clerks the Animated Series also comes to mind-  only 6 episodes, and only 2 were actually broadcast on ABC.

And out of order, at that.  Meaning the whole joke of the second episode clip show was completely lost.

[CeeKay]

When I was a kid I really lamented the loss of Pirates of Dark Water.  I loved that it actually had A) a serial plot, and B) the moxy to actually kill off characters. 

Yeah but it A) lasted 3 seasons, and B) was a cartoon.    It doesnt really fit the focus of the post.    It will contend it was good though.

It had just 21 episodes and stopped mid-story.  The first thing you're calling a season was just the pilot, which was retooled into what you're calling the second season.  The thing you're calling a third season was a handful of extra episodes.   It is indeed a cartoon, which counts as a "show".  The focus of the post was "those short lived series that should have survived," which it is. 

The show had sporadic small batches of episodes released, so I guess you can call those seasons, but my god man, nothing is going to happen if we break the nonexistent rules of a thread.  Let's talk about tv shows.  Hell, someone already brought up Police Squad in this thread and that had like 12 seasons.

sorry, I was just poking a little fun at you.  Didnt mean to get your panties in a bunch!  ( yeah Im doing it again )

hah!  the jokes on you!  wonderpug goes COMMANDO!

[metallicorphan]

did anybody see 'That 80's Show'?..obviously because of the success of 'That 70's Show' they made this,but i never saw it,and it only lasted one season,but had a few guest stars(Tiffany,Debbie Gibson)

the 80s was the first complete decade i lived,so i would of liked to of given this a try,it could of been fun

was it anygood to those who did see it? I am guessing it got cancelled

[Jumangi]

How could i forget Space: Above and Beyond   Another show Fox canceled to early

Awsome series. This was great, dark and gritty scifi before BSG ever came along. Strange how FOX has given shows like Space, Firefly, and Sarah Chronicles shots but always dropped them too soon IMO.

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[wonderpug]

The counterpoint I've heard about FOX is that they're the only ones that even consider giving these niche series a green light.  It's just that they're only willing to let them live long enough to see if they've struck gold with an instant megahit. 

[rshetts2]

The problem is that money talks and bullshit walks.  The Sarah Connor Chronicles, no matter how much you liked it was severely ratings challenged, it was surprising that Fox gave it two seasons.  The thing that truly amazes me though is how sci-fi and "genre" shows seem to fair so poorly on tv, especially considering that the biggest blockbuster movies of all time are almost all in the sci-fi/ fantasy genre.  Even the X-Files was doing terrible and came close to being whacked its first season.  Fox took a hit to renew it and the gamble paid off.  They have done a similar thing with Fringe, which has done decently buy doesnt garner the numbers to justify its cost.  Still theyve keep it alive longer than I expected and its beginning to look like they will continure to keep it alive for a final 15 episode season. 
 I have railed in the past about Fox's quick trigger finger but Wonderpug has it right, Fox gives opportunity to far more "out there" type shows than any other network.  We seen a lot of great tv that would have never aired on the big three networks, thanks to Fox.   That being said I still despise them for Firefly, oh and Briso County Jr. and for Strange Luck and Space: Above and Beyond and Harsh Realm, hell even for VR5!   DAMN YOU FOX!!!!!  DAMN YOU TO HELL!!!

[hepcat]

The thing that truly amazes me though is how sci-fi and "genre" shows seem to fair so poorly on tv, especially considering that the biggest blockbuster movies of all time are almost all in the sci-fi/ fantasy genre.

This.  I also find that odd.  Maybe it's because of the lower budget special effects?  People need Michael Bay it would seem if that's true...  

And I also have to wholeheartedly agree with 'pug too.  As much as I want to hate them for cancelling these shows, at least I had a chance to experience them at all.    As the bard once said, "'Tis better to have loved and lost than to have not had that friggin' great ending to Space Above and Beyond...PEW PEW PEW!"