The small screen industry is a tough world. For those who succeed, it can be very rewarding. Unfortunately, most do not. The road to TV stardom is a tough one. Most potential TV shows do not get studio approval to make a pilot. The shows that do get on the air must make sure they have good enough ratings and critical acclaim to stay on the air. Unfortunately, most new shows last one season or less. Like I said before, it's a brutal business. In this article, we'll look at ten shows that were cancelled too soon. Since the line-up for the fall was recently announced, we'll be emphasizing shows that were cancelled recently.
1. The Crazy Ones- This CBS comedy starring Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar was cancelled this month after just one season. The show had mixed reviews and decent ratings, but the cast was talented and it seemed as if the show was going somewhere. There is no word yet if another studio will pick it up, but it could happen.
2. Friends With Better Lives- Debuting at the end of March 2014, this show was cancelled after only six episodes. Originally seen as a potential replacement to the fan-favorite How I Met Your Mother, which ended the same day Friends With Better Lives first aired, the show received mixed ratings and wasn't a huge hit with fans. This is another show with a great cast, including Kevin Connolly and Brooklyn Decker. The show didn't look like it had long-term potential from the start, but at least two or three seasons would have been nice.
3. Blue Mountain State- The show about life at a college football powerhouse had three seasons from 2010-2011. Despite the limited run, the show developed a massive fan following. Rumors flew that there would be a fourth season, but it was announced in 2012 that the show would not have another season. A BMS movie was announced in April this year, but no word yet on when it will be released.
4. Trophy Wife- I'm sure most of you haven't heard of this show, but I can assure you, it was a good one. It's only season aired from 2013-2014 before ABC gave it the axe. Malin Ackerman starred as Kate Harrison, the third wife to a lawyer with three kids already. The show revolved around her transition from party girl to married woman, a story that could definitely have been squeezed a little more.
5. We Are Men- I personally guarantee that none of you watched more than two episodes of this show. Why? Because only two episodes aired, that's why. CBS pulled the plug on the show after low ratings and low reviews. Starring guys like Tony Shalhoub and Kal Penn, the show was envisioned as a possible heir to Two and a Half Men. Granted, the show wasn't too great, and the end was in sight almost immediately, but would two more episodes have been so bad?
6. Go On- Ever since Friends ended, Matthew Perry has had a little difficulty in the TV biz. There was Mr. Sunshine, which got cancelled after nine episodes, The End of Steve didn't even get a pilot, and then there was Go On. Perry played the role of Ryan King, a radio personality who just lost his wife. The show focuses on his healing process as well as his interactions with the members of his group therapy. After only one season, the show was axed. A group therapy show isn't going to get far, but it could at least go for two seasons.
7. Almost Human- This science-fiction show ran on Fox from November 2013 to March 2014. Not only did it have some critical acclaim, but the show generated a massive online fan following. It doesn't seem as if the work of the fans changed anything, but it was nice to see some support for the show. In the show, Karl Urban starred as a lone-wolf cop forced to pair with an android. From the very beginning, the future of the show was mapped out, and it would have been nice to see how it unfolded. There are rumors that another channel may pick up the show, but no official word.
8. Men at Work- This TBS comedy starring Danny Masterson got the axe this year after three seasons on the air. Masterson and the three other main cast members worked at a magazine. The show revolved around their work and personal lives. It's by no means an original recipe, but it worked out well. Throughout the three seasons, it continued to entertain and bring on new storylines. A fourth season was necessary just so everything could get tied up.
9. Awake- This NBC thriller was heralded with quite a bit of fanfare when it first aired. Jason Isaacs played a detective with LAPD who lives in two separate realities. The premise of the show is based on the two realities, and how they are connected yet different. The show did not have great ratings, but it had a lot of critical and popular acclaim. Fans created a "Save Awake" campaign, but it failed. The main reason this show deserved better: it's complex and convoluted plot. 13 episodes certainly did not do it justice.
10. Are You There, Chelsea?- Another NBC show that was cancelled in 2012, Are You There, Chelsea? was based on a book by Chelsea Handler 2008. The show wasn't incredibly popular, didn't receive great ratings, and wasn't loved by critics. So why did it deserve another season? Simple, the show had potential. With the right casting and storylines, it could have gone on to become a fan-favorite.
Know any other shows that got cancelled too early? Comment and let me know.
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