If you’re an avid TV watcher, then you probably know the pain that comes with a favorite show being canceled. Though that crushing feeling is even greater when the program has only been on the air for a single season. This happens quite often and, while you can argue that it’s warranted in many situations, there are plenty of excellent series that shouldn’t have been canned after just one season. With that, we’re going to discuss a handful of them.
Battlestar Galactica
Decades before the 2004-2009 reboot of Battlestar Galactica with Edward James Olmos, self-proclaimed “frakin weirdo” Katee Sackhoff and more debuted, the original show premiered in 1978 on ABC. Glen A. Larson’s intriguing sci-fi series focused on a group of humans – including Captain Apollo and Lt. Starbuck – hurtling through space in the eponymous starship, searching for a new place to call home and dodging the villainous Cylons. It was a ratings hit, but it was ultimately axed in 1979, with execs chalking it up to high production costs.
Pitch
Pitch, which launched in 2016, should’ve been a home run. Centered around a young pitcher who became the first woman to play baseball in the Major Leagues, it featured a strong cast and producing team. (The latter included eventual This is Us creator Dan Fogelman.) Alas, despite strong reviews, it sustained low ratings and was canceled by Fox after 10 episodes. Despite that, a small-screen offering like this deserved more time to show its stuff.
Stumptown
Few shows are as charming as Stumptown – a crime drama that saw Cobie Smulders playing a military vet-turned-private eye struggling with PTSD and financial hardships. The comic book adaptation earned solid ratings after its debut on ABC in the fall of 2019, which is why it was greenlit for Season 2 in the spring of 2020. However, the renewal was reserved due to COVID-related delays. I still believe another network should’ve given it a shot at new life.
The Flash (1990)
You can’t talk about entertaining DC Comics adaptations without mentioning the ‘90s-era classic that is The Flash. John Wesley Shipp famously played the titular Scarlet Speedster taking on the likes of The Trickster and Mirror Master in Central City. After premiering on CBS in the fall of 1990, the superhero series shifted between time slots before it was canceled in the spring of 1991. While fans still enjoy it today and Shipp even reprised his role for Arrowverse crossovers years later, another season of the show would’ve been great.
Emerald City
There have been more than a few Wizard of Oz offshoots over the years, and Emerald City is arguably one of the more entertaining ones. NBC’s 2017 fantasy series about Dorothy Gale’s epic adventures in Oz just couldn’t draw a crowd, leading to its demise after only 10 episodes. It’s not a perfect show, even upon a rewatch, but it arguably could’ve improved with time.
My So-Called Life
My So-Called Life was ahead of its time, as it provided a realistic look at adolescence, using the character of Angela Chase (Claire Danes) as the conduit through which to present such growing pains. The teen drama didn’t earn massive ratings during its sole season on ABC during the 1994-1995 broadcast season but did amass a strong fanbase. But not even an online fan campaign (amid the early years of the Internet) could save the cultural touchstone from the chopping block.
The Rookie: Feds
When it comes to procedurals, it’s not unusual for a hit TV show to spawn a spinoff. That was the case when ABC’s The Rookie spawned The Rookie: Feds, which premiered in 2022. The incomparable Niecy Nash-Betts led the proceedings as Simone Clark, a former school counselor who fulfilled her dream of becoming an FBI special agent. There was a lot of promise with this production, though it was unfortunately axed in November 2023, with the SAG-AFTRA and WGA writers' strikes reportedly playing roles in its demise.
I Am Not Okay with This
Netflix has had a lot of great one-season shows, and I’d count 2020’s I Am Not Okay with This among them. An adaptation of Charles Forsman’s graphic novel of the same name, it told the story of awkward teenager Sydney Novak, who grappled with the discovery of her telekinetic abilities. An entertaining superhero-esque dramedy, it was canceled after only seven episodes due to the COVID pandemic. What’s worse is that it ended on a cliffhanger and, if you haven’t guessed yet, I am not okay with this.
Swamp Thing (2019)
Although there have been a few TV shows to bear the title of Swamp Thing, the 2019 iteration that aired on the DC Universe streaming platform may be the best. The Protector of the Green was brought to stunning life (via an excellent practical costume) for the thrillingly scary series. Sadly, the faithful comic book adaptation was axed with only 10 episodes under its belt due to creative issues between the producers and execs.
Freaks And Geeks
Few one-season shows manage to become cult classics like Freaks and Geeks, which aired on NBC from 1999 to 2000. The Paul Feig-created and Judd Apatow-produced ensemble teen dramedy focused on eclectic teens navigating various facets of the social scene in 1980s Michigan. It famously launched the careers of Seth Rogen, Linda Cardellini, Jason Segel, and more and provided a nuanced look at the high school experience. While it’s been widely appreciated since its demise decades ago, it’s sad that it didn’t get to live longer than it did.
The Get Down
The ‘70s-set coming-of-age drama The Get Down provided a burst of nostalgia and compelling storytelling when it grooved onto Netflix in 2016. This two-part, single season was about the exploits of an aspiring musician who sought to make a name for himself in New York alongside his buddy and girlfriend. It was announced in 2017 that the Baz Luhrmann-co-produced show had reached its end, with its high budget being cited as a reason for the decision.
Firefly
With Firefly, Joss Whedon spun a space western yarn about the rogues that make up the crew of the Serenity starship and their exploits in the year 2517. Critics mostly shared positive sentiments about the program ahead of its demise after 14 episodes in 2002. After Fox decided to cancel Firefly, it spawned comic books, novels, and even a follow-up movie. Despite all of that, many still lament the fact that additional seasons didn’t happen.
Wolverine And The X-Men
After X-Men: Evolution in 2003, Nicktoons delivered the stellar Wolverine and the X-Men in 2009. The show saw Wolvie reuniting his former colleagues after an accident caused the disappearances of Jean Grey and Professor X. A second season was ordered but ultimately scrapped amid The Walt Disney Company’s purchase of Marvel. And, to add insult to injury, scripts, and concept art were already completed at the time.
Lovecraft Country
Bringing the scares and drama in 2020 was Lovecraft Country, which earned critical acclaim for HBO upon its debut. The 10-episode show saw a young Black man travel across the 1950s Jim Crow south with his friend and uncle to locate his father. And, along the way, they encountered monsters inspired by H.P. Lovecraft’s work and the horrors of racism. This one had a lot of potential and could’ve branched out in some intriguing ways had it not been canceled.
Good Morning, Miss Bliss
It was in 1988 that Good Morning, Miss Bliss debuted on the Disney Channel. Hayley Mills played the eponymous school teacher, who taught an impressionable group of youngsters at an Indiana-based junior high school. Only 13 episodes were produced before the network pulled the plug. Another season would’ve been great but, at the very least, the characters of Zack Morris, Lisa Turtle, Samuel “Screech” Powers, and Mr. Belding moved to Saved by the Bell in the fall of 1989.
No Ordinary Family
Just ahead of the glut of superhero shows that filled the mid-2010s, No Ordinary Family soared onto ABC in 2010. It was co-created by future Arrowverse godfather Greg Berlanti and tracked the Powell family – a seemingly normal brood that gained superhuman abilities after a plane crash. Light on its feet and filled with endearing characters, the series started with strong viewership and earned solid reviews but ultimately hit the chopping block in 2011.
Gidget
Before she headlined The Flying Nun, the iconic Sally Field was tapped to play the lead role on Gidget in 1965. Not to be confused with the 1959 movie of the same name, the sitcom followed the adventures of Fields’ fourth wall-breaking character, who had a strong bond with her widowed father. The studio canned the show after 32 episodes in 1966, just as it was starting to resonate with younger audiences.
The Chicago Code
One could definitely argue that The Chicago Code is an underrated gem. Developed by The Shield's Shawn Ryan, this Fox crime drama chronicled the exploits of the officers of the Chicago Police Department, as they sought to prevent crime in their town. The well-reviewed show only aired 13 episodes in 2011 before the network shut it down.
Constantine
DC Comics and NBC gave fans a nice dose of horror in 2014 with Constantine, which saw Matt Ryan play the fan-favorite demon hunter. Sadly, despite good reviews and Ryan’s winning performance as John Constantine, the series was axed after one 13-episode season. At the very least, it was retroactively added to the Arrowverse and Ryan reprised his role in that continuity.
FlashForward
Based on Robert J. Sawyer’s 1999 novel of the same name, FlashForward focused on individuals in the aftermath of an event that caused everyone on Earth to lose consciousness for a fixed period of time. The show, which debuted in 2009 on ABC, earned mostly positive reviews but was cleared out in 2010 due to dwindling ratings.
Saved By The Bell: The College Years
The cast of teens from Bayside High graduated to Saved by the Bell: The College Years in the fall of 1993 on NBC. This spinoff/sequel series didn’t have all the charm of its predecessor, though it was still a hoot to see Zack, Kelly, Screech, and co. navigate college. After it ended it was sacked in 1994, and the TV movie Wedding in Las Vegas wrapped its storylines up, yet more seasons would’ve been nice.
Willow
Premiering in 2022, Disney+’s magical and epic Willow effectively expanded upon the world established in Ron Howard’s 1988 fantasy flick Despite strong reviews and a passionate group of fans, the streamer canceled it in 2023 and, even worse, it was dropped from the platform entirely in 2023 as part of cost-cutting measures. Warwick Davis and the cast deserved way better.
Undeclared
After working on Freaks and Geeks, Judd Apatow created Undeclared, a comedy about a group of college freshmen balancing academia and their social lives at a California-based university. It was critically acclaimed after debuting in 2001 but met its end in 2002 after just 17 installments. While it's been gone for a while, it maintains a heavy cult status.
Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation
1997’s Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation didn’t reach the heights of the live-action TMNT movies, but it was still plenty of fun. It saw the totally tubular turtles – along with new ally Venus de Milo – battling Shredder and the Foot along with various other baddies. They even teamed up with the Power Rangers at one point. Ultimately though, Fox Kids scraped it from its schedule in 1998.
1899
It’s sad to say that 1899 was canceled by Netflix after a sole season that streamed in 2022, and that batch of eight episodes was truly intriguing. The show depicted a group of European immigrants making their way to the United States at the turn of the 20th century. However, there’s more to the situation than meets the eye, and a key twist in the finale set the stage for what might’ve been a wild second season.
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Aaron Sorkin’s Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip shed light on the behind-the-scenes personalities that helped keep a fictional sketch comedy show running. Marked by Sorkin’s signature writing style and led by the late Matthew Perry, the dramedy was a fun piece of work from NBC, which ultimately axed it after its run during the 2006-2007 TV season.
Terra Nova
Fox’s 2011 sci-fi drama Terra Nova has also gained a cult following since it was canceled in 2012. Set in 2149 at which point the Earth is dying, the Steven Spielberg-produced series followed the Shannon family and their attempts to live life in a Cretaceous “time stream.” Dinosaurs and family drama were in ample supply.
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance
It still boggles the mind that The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance – a prequel to Jim Henson and Frank Oz’s 1982 dark fantasy film – was shuttered at Netflix after only one go-around in 2019. Considering the compelling story, stellar cast, and high production values, the loss of this Emmy-winning show still stings.
Forever
The notion of Ioan Gruffudd playing an immortal medical examiner who solved crimes and sought to become mortal may sound wild. However, that’s what Forever offered on ABC during the 2014-2015 TV season. While conventional in several respects, this was a fun show that had plenty more to say.
The Grinder
In 2015, Rob Lowe took on the role of an actor-turned-lawyer working for his family’s law firm on The Grinder. The Fox legal comedy earned strong reviews, and Lowe put on a strong show along with the rest of the cast. Despite that though, the show was dismissed in 2016 due to low ratings.
M.O.D.O.K.
It’s likely that even Marvel fans didn’t expect Hulu’s M.O.D.O.K. to be a stop-motion series, but the Patton Oswalt-led family romp proved to be a breath of fresh air when it dropped in 2021. The comedy ended far too soon and left a void as big as the main character’s head.
Drive
Drive came and went faster than the cars it featured when it premiered on Fox in 2007. Starring Nathan Fillion, an up-and-coming Emma Stone, and more, it focused on the competitors of an illegal cross-country race. It only aired four episodes before it was sent to the scrapyard, but it left an impression on a portion of viewers.
Fans will likely continue to miss these TV shows and more as time goes on. Although they ended prematurely, I suppose it’s better to have had them than to have never had them at all.
