GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

Top 20 Shows Canceled by Fox Before Their Time

POSTED BY: SCHISM
UPDATED: Wednesday, August 19, 2009 03:59
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Thursday, August 13, 2009 11:23 AM

SCHISM

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Thursday, August 13, 2009 11:41 AM

TENTHCREWMEMBER

Could you please just make it stranger? Stranger. Odder. Could be weirder. More bizarre. How about uncanny?


The sad thing is that list could be more like top 30 or 50 shows...and canceling Terminator? Really?!?

Rutting FOXtards...

Also, while I don't think Dollhouse is Joss or Eliza's best work ever (though some of the actors, like the guy playing Topher, are awesome) I am hoping season 2 will prove to be a spectacular improvement (kind of the way Angel S2 was) and go on to season 3, but I won't hold my breath.

For the record, I only watch it on HULU. I will not tune my TV into FOX until they show they know how to run a network.

BWAH!
TCM


http://www.cafepress.com/10thcrew

*Download my Firefly Games for FREE at
http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.asp?b=13&t=36208&m=664612

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Thursday, August 13, 2009 11:48 AM

MANGOLO


I second that emotion.


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Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:27 PM

TRAVELER


Brisco County, Jr. and Wonderfalls are on my list of great viewing. Like Firefly I discovered Wonderfalls years after it had aired. Does FOX understand how to promote a show.


http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=28764731
Traveler

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Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:56 PM

RAHLMACLAREN

"Damn yokels, can't even tell a transport ship ain't got no guns on it." - Jayne Cobb


Quote:

Originally posted by traveler:
Brisco County, Jr. and Wonderfalls are on my list of great viewing. Like Firefly I discovered Wonderfalls years after it had aired. Does FOX understand how to promote a show.


I really need to watch those shows.

Here's my 10:
-Firefly (Duh!)
-John Doe (Why the hell is this NOT on DVD???!!! When FF was on I also watched this.)
-Drive (ditto about a DVD. The whole show could fit on just 2 discs, gorramit!)
-Titus (1 of the top 5 funniest shows of ALL time)
-Andy Richter Controls The Universe
-Arrested Development (Does this even count? Didn’t it get 3 seasons?)
-The Lone Gunman
-Dark Angel
-Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (I’ll appease the T:TSCC fans)
-Greg the Bunny (I might forgive this one)
BONUS: -The Inside

Damn FUX for NOT canceling the X-Files before Chris Carter killed off the Lone
Gunmen!


--------------------------------------------------
Find here the Serenity you seek. -Tara Maclay

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Thursday, August 13, 2009 2:30 PM

TUJIAOZUO


Great top 20s list (though there are more than a few you could add on).

FOX really is the devil. When pilot season roles around my friends and I tend to not really care in investing in anything FOX rolls out because it's just not worth the hassle of getting attached and having it torn away from you. The exception as of right now is Glee, but I really don't know or care of anything else they're coming out with.

Your Indian Pirate Lord,
Ash

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Friday, August 14, 2009 1:34 AM

JONGSSTRAW


I saw the GLEE pilot episode when they ran it a few months ago, and I thought it was terrific. I believe it will suffer the same fate as DRIVE and be off the air by Christmas.

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Friday, August 14, 2009 4:19 AM

ZEEK


I was sort of shocked that Keen Edie and Wonderfalls made the list. I liked both of those but didn't think many people got the chance to see them before the axe fell. Good list really.

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Friday, August 14, 2009 6:03 AM

GINOBIFFARONI


Harsh Realm....... I loved that one


They should have a channel that plays nothing but reruns of cancelled Fox shows...


I would watch that nearly all the time





" I don't believe in hypothetical situations - it's kinda like lying to your brain "

" They don't hate America, they hate Americans " Homer Simpson


Lets party like its 1939

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Friday, August 14, 2009 7:26 AM

JAKE7


Odd thing is, I could swear Keen Eddie was only shown as a summer show. I never expected it to get picked up. I had hoped, though.

I really thought I saw all the episodes on Fox before it went away?

I bought the DVDs and watch them on occasion. Loved that show!

I also could swear I saw Get A Life on DVD at one time, I didn't buy it because I couldn't afford it at the time. Maybe it was a dream... I do have some old VHS tapes of it that I got at Walmart. The SPEWEY episode has to be one of the funniest things I ever saw... "Special Person Entering the World -- Egg Yolks!"

--------------
MAL: Everybody's makin' a fuss.
***********
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Friday, August 14, 2009 8:30 AM

STORYMARK


As trendy as it is to bash on FOX, I would point out that these are all shows that the other networks would likely never have aired in the first place. Yeah, Fox is know for killing shows for low ratings - but we never would have had the chance to see tham at all otherwise.

We may hate 'em for cancelling Firefly... but would you really prefer never to have seen it at all?

"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."

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Friday, August 14, 2009 8:32 AM

RIPWASH


Quote:

Originally posted by RahlMaclaren:
-Arrested Development (Does this even count? Didn’t it get 3 seasons?)



It absolutely does. I mean there's an extra on Season 3, I think, were David Cross is ranting about how "you guys" (basically FOX) don't know how to promote a show that had a list of awards as long as his leg. It's pretty funny.
***EDITED TO ADD*** OH!! That's the clip they show!!! LOL

That show deserved much, much better treatment than what it got. For a show as critically acclaimed as that one was to be so poorly promoted, episode orders cut (referred to slyly in Season 2 as the original housing development order being decreased from 23 houses to 18), and eventually cancelled? Just poor management all around.

*********************************************

"It's okay! I'm a leaf on the wind!!!"
"What does that mean?!?!?!"

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Friday, August 14, 2009 8:33 AM

RIPWASH


Quote:

Originally posted by Jongsstraw:
I saw the GLEE pilot episode when they ran it a few months ago, and I thought it was terrific. I believe it will suffer the same fate as DRIVE and be off the air by Christmas.



I have the same fears, JS. Can't say they're NOT promoting it, though. At least they promoted the pilot out the wahzoo.

*********************************************

"It's okay! I'm a leaf on the wind!!!"
"What does that mean?!?!?!"

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Friday, August 14, 2009 8:39 AM

PHOENIXROSE

You think you know--what's to come, what you are. You haven't even begun.


Good list, though there's a whole lot of them I've never heard of and more of them I've never watched. Seeing as how, you know, they got canned before I could, and I don't tend to have spare money to browse the DVD section. There are probably more shows that were actually canceled in their first season, though. I know 'before their time' can mean a lot of things, but if something is thrown out halfway through its first or even second season, when a lot of stories start to really pick up momentum, I think that's the worst. Except shows that end on a forever-unresolved cliffhanger.

*waits for chrisisall to come in and squawk very loudly about the list's lack of Dark Angel*

[/sig]

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Friday, August 14, 2009 8:58 AM

RIPWASH


Quote:

Originally posted by Storymark:
As trendy as it is to bash on FOX, I would point out that these are all shows that the other networks would likely never have aired in the first place. Yeah, Fox is know for killing shows for low ratings - but we never would have had the chance to see tham at all otherwise.

We may hate 'em for cancelling Firefly... but would you really prefer never to have seen it at all?

"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."



I'd agree with you to a point there, Storymark, but the reality lies in the fact that people "bold" enough to actually air shows other networks may not have should have the cajones to stick with and promote those shows to the hilt. Especially in a competitive market like television. If you're going to place faith in a show enough to aire it, then give it a fighting chance and even more than that if it's getting awards and making "top 10" lists, or whatever. Find a good slot for it, or a good block for several good shows and push it like crazy. And for heaven's sake aire the episodes in order!!!! I got a little frustrated when the article said that Drive had good viewership but Fox cancelled it anyway. I liked that one a lot. Nathan was fantastic in it.

Heck, take a look at USA. They've gone the route of a dual season. A regular one and a "summer" one. They had enough faith in shows like Burn Notice, that they promoted it well, gave it a good time slot in a time of year when the regular networks were airing re-runs. Win-win-win! Same thing goes for Royal Pains. Another great show. I feel Fox would have mis-managed these into the ground early on - Pains would have been cancelled by now. It had a slow start, but right after Burn Notice, folks began to take notice.

I have to mention NBC's Friday Night Lights here. That show just will not die. Critics love it, but the ratings aren't even close to good (at least I don't think they are). NBC keeps it on. And on. And on. I don't know a single person myself who watches it.

*********************************************

"It's okay! I'm a leaf on the wind!!!"
"What does that mean?!?!?!"

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Friday, August 14, 2009 11:35 AM

WHOZIT


They can take "The Ben Stiller Show" off the list, that was awful.

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Friday, August 14, 2009 12:13 PM

PEACEKEEPER

Keeping order in every verse


I may be going a little off track here,but how are the ratings for Lie To Me over in the US.I know it has been green lit for S2 but is that in danger of going the same way?.I really love the show by the way.Big fan of Tim Roth.You guys should check out his first movie when he was a young man.Called Made In Britain

Peacekeeper---keeping order in every verse!!!

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Friday, August 14, 2009 12:22 PM

WHOZIT


Quote:

Originally posted by peacekeeper:
I may be going a little off track here,but how are the ratings for Lie To Me over in the US.I know it has been green lit for S2 but is that in danger of going the same way?.I really love the show by the way.Big fan of Tim Roth.You guys should check out his first movie when he was a young man.Called Made In Britain

Peacekeeper---keeping order in every verse!!!

When it returns, go to http://tvbythenumbers.com to keep track of it's U.S. ratings. Last I saw they were good.

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Saturday, August 15, 2009 9:32 AM

PATCHIST


Gawd Wonderfalls was such a good show. It had a lot of potential and was a well written show. Too bad it suffered the same fate as Firefly. I'm going to drown my sorrows in a Wonderfalls marathon now.

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Saturday, August 15, 2009 10:52 AM

TRAVELER


I just finished my marathon of Wonderfalls a few weeks ago. She drives a Studebaker. That is class.


http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=28764731
Traveler

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Tuesday, August 18, 2009 12:04 PM

STORYMARK


Quote:

Originally posted by RIPWash:
Quote:

Originally posted by Storymark:
As trendy as it is to bash on FOX, I would point out that these are all shows that the other networks would likely never have aired in the first place. Yeah, Fox is know for killing shows for low ratings - but we never would have had the chance to see tham at all otherwise.

We may hate 'em for cancelling Firefly... but would you really prefer never to have seen it at all?

"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."



I'd agree with you to a point there, Storymark, but the reality lies in the fact that people "bold" enough to actually air shows other networks may not have should have the cajones to stick with and promote those shows to the hilt. Especially in a competitive market like television. If you're going to place faith in a show enough to aire it, then give it a fighting chance and even more than that if it's getting awards and making "top 10" lists, or whatever. Find a good slot for it, or a good block for several good shows and push it like crazy. And for heaven's sake aire the episodes in order!!!! I got a little frustrated when the article said that Drive had good viewership but Fox cancelled it anyway. I liked that one a lot. Nathan was fantastic in it.

Heck, take a look at USA. They've gone the route of a dual season. A regular one and a "summer" one. They had enough faith in shows like Burn Notice, that they promoted it well, gave it a good time slot in a time of year when the regular networks were airing re-runs. Win-win-win! Same thing goes for Royal Pains. Another great show. I feel Fox would have mis-managed these into the ground early on - Pains would have been cancelled by now. It had a slow start, but right after Burn Notice, folks began to take notice.

I have to mention NBC's Friday Night Lights here. That show just will not die. Critics love it, but the ratings aren't even close to good (at least I don't think they are). NBC keeps it on. And on. And on. I don't know a single person myself who watches it.

*********************************************

"It's okay! I'm a leaf on the wind!!!"
"What does that mean?!?!?!"



I would note that your examples are a show that had high ratings (for a USA show) from the start, and one that is made very cheaply, and airs on a network teetering on bankruptcy - only after it airs on On-Demand first.

Like it or not, their job is not to cultivate great TV, or please the fervent fans of low-rated shows. Their job is to put shows on that get ratings, and draw advertiser dollars. No one is going to endanger their livlihoods just to show some fanboys their "cojones".

I'm as pissed as anyone that shows I loved got cancelled. But you have to be realistic. It's a medium that traffics in fantasies, but the realities behind the scenes are very unforgiving.

My point stands. Without Fox, we never would have gotten ANY Firefly.

And I'll ask again - would that be better?



"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."

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Wednesday, August 19, 2009 2:29 AM

RIPWASH


Quote:

Originally posted by Storymark:
I would note that your examples are a show that had high ratings (for a USA show) from the start, and one that is made very cheaply, and airs on a network teetering on bankruptcy - only after it airs on On-Demand first.


But again, because they aired it during the summer months, where competition was relatively low (reruns, banal reality shows, etc.). People were wanting something fresh and new, so that's what USA gave them. My whole point there was that Fox would probably have aired it up against some other major network powerhouse show, and given it little chance to survive.

Quote:


Like it or not, their job is not to cultivate great TV, or please the fervent fans of low-rated shows. Their job is to put shows on that get ratings, and draw advertiser dollars. No one is going to endanger their livlihoods just to show some fanboys their "cojones".


I agree, but I think my point stands as well. If you're going to be bold enough to put on shows that aren't "mainstream", shouldn't you also be smart enough to realize that said shows may take a little while longer to catch on than the standard faire?

Quote:


I'm as pissed as anyone that shows I loved got cancelled. But you have to be realistic. It's a medium that traffics in fantasies, but the realities behind the scenes are very unforgiving.


I suppose that's true. It's a numbers game, but if the numbers are flawed because of HOW a show is handled/managed, then the blame really does lie with the network.

Quote:


My point stands. Without Fox, we never would have gotten ANY Firefly.

Who's to say? I mean, at the time, Joss probably jumped for joy that Fox let him do the show of his dreams. I would have lept at the chance, as well. After the way they treated that dream, though, he should have stayed as far away from them as possible and really pushed his other projects with another network like USA (didn't know they were teetering on bankruptcy )

Quote:


And I'll ask again - would that be better?


Alas, no.




*********************************************

"It's okay! I'm a leaf on the wind!!!"
"What does that mean?!?!?!"

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Wednesday, August 19, 2009 3:59 AM

ZEEK


Quote:

Originally posted by jake7:
Odd thing is, I could swear Keen Eddie was only shown as a summer show. I never expected it to get picked up. I had hoped, though.

I really thought I saw all the episodes on Fox before it went away?

I bought the DVDs and watch them on occasion. Loved that show!


I know it was a summer show cause I watched it when I was an intern. So, that's true for sure. The only problem is I know that I downloaded anything and everything I liked back then. So, it's possible I got the impression everything aired just cause I got all the episodes online. So, I can't really be sure about that part. Still I think they should be kicking themselves. The show was witty and had Sienna Miller. Her name is getting big enough that she could have sustained a lot of ratings on her own I bet.

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