Seems like everything good gets cancellled. .

ghouck · November 29, 2008, 02:33:33 PM

Most of my favorite shows get canceled. I just don't understand how they can cancel Newsradio, Arrested Development, Firefly, Sealab 2021, Soap, and a few others while 'Rosanne', 'The Cosby Show' and a bunch of others last over a decade. Futurama is another that I feel got canceled way early, but, they've brought it back, and I have mixed emotions about WHAT they brought back. Generally positive though.

Also, I'm kinda peeved that a HUGE complaint about Beavis and Butthead was them doing the lighter/spraypaint/flamethrower thing. On South Park the other day they actually showed kids BURNING DOWN A STORE my that exact means, and I heard no outcry whatsoever. I do like South Park, , but It just kinda irks me how muck flak B&B got for that.

Mr. DS · November 29, 2008, 04:18:30 PM

I hate the fact that HBO allowed shows like the Sopranos and Sex and City to continue on way after they jumped the shark. Yet they cancelled Deadwood and Rome after two seasons. I loved the Sopranos all up until Ralphie died. They should have stopped after that seeing the writing tanked. This only lead to a lackluster ending of the series. As for Sexy And The City, talk about riding a one trick pony until it died.

As for Beavis and Butthead, I agree. They were kind of like the Lenny Bruce of adult animated shows. They opened the door, took the sh!t from special interest groups and pretty much everyone else walked through with a similar act after that.

AndyC · November 29, 2008, 06:53:27 PM

Seems to me that one of the things that separates a show that ends too soon from one that runs too long is its ability to develop a fan base.

Quite a few really good shows might never have become hits if they hadn't hung on long enough for viewers to take notice of them. Cheers and Seinfeld, for example.

On the other hand, a lot of hit shows take a sharp dive in quality at some point, but stay on the air for years after that because they built up enough fan loyalty early on. Happy Days, the Cosby Show and The Simpsons are among the many examples.

And it seems like the whims of network execs have a lot to do with whether the show gets a chance. Both Cheers and Seinfeld lasted because someone at the network stood behind them. On the other hand, Fox seemed to be working against Futurama from the beginning, moving it around and pre-empting it all the time. And shows have been cancelled in spite of good ratings, simply because of a new boss at the network with different ideas. Hogan's Heroes comes to mind.

Just the same, it continues to baffle me how some really mediocre shows manage to find lasting success with no difficulty at all.

HappyGilmore · November 29, 2008, 07:54:22 PM

Pushing Daisies gets cancelled, yet, According to Jim is still around?

How does this happen?

WingedSerpent · November 29, 2008, 08:09:59 PM

Quote from: HappyGilmore on November 29, 2008, 07:54:22 PM
Pushing Daisies gets cancelled,

In my best Darth Vader voice "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Yeah I heard about this and its a shame. One of the few really good shows that was irvesibly damaged by the writer strike. A truely unique show gone.

Then there are the shows that stay on the air for no discernable reason. Somehow America's Funnisest Home Videos survives despite the fact that it really only has 4 videos, (Man gets hit in Groin, Person's pants fall down, Baby does something cute, Animal does something cute) and you can see the same things on youtube any time. I think its because the head of the network's wife or something is a big fan.

Rattrap007 · November 29, 2008, 09:51:28 PM

Seems a lot of shows I like get the can. To name a few: Arrested Development, Tick, Tremors: The Series, Futurama, Wonderfalls, The Lone Gunmen, Armed and Famous (stupid reality show but I liked it), Eli Stone, Justice, Justice League, Harvey Birdman, Sealab 2021, etc. Good shows like these (well for most of them were) get canned yet crap like Dancing with the Stars stays on. Ugh...

Patient7 · November 30, 2008, 03:17:08 PM

I really liked John Doe, and it gets canned after the first season, sucks.

HappyGilmore · November 30, 2008, 09:11:04 PM

Quote from: WingedSerpent on November 29, 2008, 08:09:59 PM
Quote from: HappyGilmore on November 29, 2008, 07:54:22 PM
Pushing Daisies gets cancelled,

In my best Darth Vader voice "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Yeah I heard about this and its a shame. One of the few really good shows that was irvesibly damaged by the writer strike. A truely unique show gone.

From what I've heard, if all the episodes from this season air, it'll end on a cliffhanger. They ordered only 13 episodes, then cancelled it. So unless they hurry up and re-write it or get ABC to order one more to end the cliffhanger, it'll be a disappointment.

Kester Pelagius · November 30, 2008, 10:11:43 PM

You're going to hate me for this but. .

Quote from: Rattrap007 on November 29, 2008, 09:51:28 PM
Seems a lot of shows I like get the can. To name a few: <...> Tremors: The Series <...>

What! There was a SERIES?

Did I blink and miss it?

Actually I may vaguely recall hearing about this. Wasn't it on the Sci-Fi channel?

Speaking of the Great Beast (where series go to die slow torturous deaths). . .

Sliders getting cancelled was really more of a mercy killing. The idea of adding Kari Wurher was genius. Adding her to a series that has no nudity and airs on a censored commercial station was clueless stupid.

Quote from: WingedSerpentThen there are the shows that stay on the air for no discernable reason.

You mean like the Stargate series? This series had a great premise that got squandered by hacks. Would anyone disagree that they've needed to take this franchise out behind the wood shed and give it the Old Yeller treatment a long LONG time ago?

Raffine · November 30, 2008, 11:04:39 PM

...and Alice lasted almost ten years. It baffles science.

"Hey, y'all out there in TV Land! Kiss our grits!"

AndyC · December 01, 2008, 08:50:29 AM

Alice was another show that suffered from Happy Days Syndrome. It started out good, and people got into the habit of watching it. And it was profitable enough for the network to refuse to let go of it, tinkering around and sticking band-aids on it until it completely sucked. A worn-out hit can run for several seasons on momentum alone. Sadly, such is the fate of many a good TV show.

asimpson2006 · December 01, 2008, 09:01:37 AM

It seems like today that lots of sitcoms are being canceled to get replaced with a reality show that is worse than what it replaced. I don't like reality shows at all and think that they are a waste of cash.

So good sitcoms go and we are stuck with Dancing with the Stars which is just a waste of cash, then you have Extreme home make over which is in my opinion one of the worst shows in America.

Rattrap007 · December 01, 2008, 10:37:16 AM

Quote from: Kester Pelagius on November 30, 2008, 10:11:43 PM
You're going to hate me for this but. .

Quote from: Rattrap007 on November 29, 2008, 09:51:28 PM
Seems a lot of shows I like get the can. To name a few: <...> Tremors: The Series <...>

What! There was a SERIES?

Did I blink and miss it?

Actually I may vaguely recall hearing about this. Wasn't it on the Sci-Fi channel?

Yup. I think it came on in 2003. It lasted a season. Michael Gross returned as Burt Gummer. Lela Lee came back again as Jodi Chang. The guy who played Melvin showed up a few times. Nancy was back but played by a different actress.

Basically it was Perfection Nevada and the area around it is constantly having paranormal activity. Desert Jack left and sold the buisness to a new guy who is a main character. Since El Blanco from pt 3 is an Endangered Species they have to have a Federal Agent, Dept. Twitchell, oversee the valley. Also Miguel's daughter (?) took over his ranch.

Overall it was fun. Tounge in cheek humor. It was kinda like the movies. I loved all the movies and would love to see the series released on DVD. Try looking online for downloads of it.

Kester Pelagius · December 01, 2008, 10:54:42 AM

Quote from: asimpson2006 on December 01, 2008, 09:01:37 AM
It seems like today that lots of sitcoms are being canceled to get replaced with a reality show that is worse than what it replaced. I don't like reality shows at all and think that they are a waste of cash.

Actually it costs less to churn out these turds than it does a regular series. Remember actors HAVE to be paid, attention whores starving for 15 seconds of face time on network TV will make fools of themselves for FREE.

asimpson2006 · December 01, 2008, 10:56:15 AM

Quote from: Kester Pelagius on December 01, 2008, 10:54:42 AM
Quote from: asimpson2006 on December 01, 2008, 09:01:37 AM
It seems like today that lots of sitcoms are being canceled to get replaced with a reality show that is worse than what it replaced. I don't like reality shows at all and think that they are a waste of cash.

Actually it costs less to churn out these turds than it does a regular series. Remember actors HAVE to be paid, attention whores starving for 15 seconds of face time on network TV will make fools of themselves for FREE.

That's true that it would be cheaper to make it, but it's still a waste of money.