JamesG
10-20-2014, 12:29 PM
The 10 Best Half-Hour Comedies That Only Lasted One Season
by Cory Dudak
Oct 08, 2014
These days, the ability to watch an entire TV series through online streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon has become as easy as snapping your fingers. Of course, the real dilemma then lies in not only what shows to invest your time in, but finding the time to do so.
The following list of the 10 best comedy series to be cancelled after just one season is a start. What's better than short and sweet?
1. "The Tick" (2001)
Fox's live-action version of the satirical comic book superhero The Tick may have been, quite frankly, a little ahead of its time. After all, superheroes are all the rage these days, but they weren't so much back in the early 2000s, especially in television format.
In fact, "The Tick" seems to fit the current state of television so much better now that Amazon has decided to pick the series up for a potential reboot, ordering a pilot episode to be shot, with viewers then deciding where it goes from there.
We believe we hear a collective "SPOON!" on the horizon.
2. "Clerks: The Animated Series" (2000)
It doesn't get much shorter than "Clerks: The Animated Series", but if you're a fan of irreverent cartoon humor, it's a must. Containing only six episodes, the show didn't even get the opportunity to shine on television, with ABC airing only two before pulling the plug.
It certainly didn't help that they showed the episodes out of order, either, considering the second episode they aired called back heavily to a pilot episode which they didn't.
Nevertheless, the series found much more success on DVD, and has left us begging for more ever since.
3. "Sports Show with Norm Macdonald" (2011)
We'll never quite understand why "Sports Show with Norm Macdonald" never took off. After all, regular Comedy Central viewers seem to love a satirical take on the news, as evidenced by the immense popularity of "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" and "The Colbert Report".
Even if you aren't a fan of Norm Macdonald (which, why the hell not?) or sports, side sketches involving fictitious Nephew Kyle played by comedian Kyle Mooney were enough in and of themselves to warrant at least a Season 2.
4. "The Good Guys" (2010)
With the recent success of Fox's "Brooklyn Nine-Nine", which revolves around an immature police detective at odds with his by-the-books commanding officer, you'd think a similar series revolving around a washed-up detective at odds with his by-the-books partner would have seen similar success years ago.
Alas, it was cancelled after its first season despite the fact that it was actually given an extended first season run of 20 episodes. Call it the curse of Bradley Whitford, who seems to have comedy after comedy canceled in its first season despite being a tremendous comedic actor.
5. "Undeclared" (2001-02)
Since "Freaks and Geeks" was technically an hour-long dramedy canceled after its initial season, the honor of best half-hour comedy to be cancelled in one year goes to Judd Apatow's take on college life instead.
With the myriad of now massively famous talents such as Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel and Charlie Hunnam starring on "Undeclared", we reckon it was about the only time you would have been able to get them all together on one series.
Nevertheless, Fox and their infinite wisdom decided it best to end the show before it had even begun to fully blossom. Oh, what could have been.
6. "The Ben Stiller Show" (1992-93)
Not to be confused with Comedy Central's "The Ben Show" (which narrowly missed making this list, as well), there aren't many series out there that win Emmys for Outstanding Writing after being cancelled.
Another series co-created by Judd Apatow, it too featured an all-star cast of comedic actors who would go on to do great things (well, if you pretend Andy Dick hasn't starred in a movie or TV show in the past 10 years or so).
Sketch comedy is pretty hit-and miss, though, so you can't necessarily be shocked when even a great one gets the axe. If only there were a way around that, combining sketches with a half-hour narrative to go along with it ...
7. "Michael & Michael Have Issues" (2009)
Truly great sketch shows are hard to come by, as no matter how funny someone is, not every sketch they write can be a slam dunk. It's inevitable.
However, pepper in the fictional behind-the-scenes bickering of two sketch show writer/performers and your sketches suddenly don't have to hit it out of the park every time.
Such was the case with "Michael & Michael Have Issues", a more grounded Comedy Central sketch series from the guys who brought you the outlandish "Stella", another CC series that was cancelled way sooner than it should have been.
8. "Action" (1999-2000)
"Action" could be considered the "Entourage" before "Entourage". And, you know, minus the whole entourage aspect.
The show followed comedian Jay Mohr as former gay porn screenwriter turned big time Hollywood producer Peter Dragon through the trials and tribulations of getting his career back on track after putting out a huge box office bomb.
Critically acclaimed, the series was never able to build an audience despite the gimmick of being the first Fox series to receive a TV-MA rating. Perhaps trying to make it a network television series when it so clearly should have been on cable in the first place was this hilarious series' true downfall.
9. "Sit Down, Shut Up" (2009)
"Arrested Development" creator Mitch Hurwitz tried his hand at an animated series for the first time with "Sit Down, Shut Up", an adaptation of an Australian sitcom by the same name.
Every bit as whip-smart as you'd imagine, the show failed to resonate with audiences or critics alike, being pulled from the Sunday night Animation Domination lineup after just four episodes. The remainder of the 13-episode run were burned off after "The Wanda Sykes Show" on Saturday nights.
Considering the massive amount of voice talent behind the show, including many former cast members of both "Arrested Development" and "SNL", and it's very unique animation style (cartoon characters set to real life backgrounds), it's a mystery and a shame that no one bothered to even give this show much of a chance.
10. "Cavemen" (2007)
Right away, we know most people aren't going to agree with our final pick on this list, as just like in 2007, most write it off without even giving it a try. Most.
"Cavemen" was so much more than a 30-minute Geico commercial. In fact, the show was a comedic take on racial stereotyping if anything, with "comedic" being key. Nick Kroll absolutely killed it in one of his first television roles as Nick the caveman.
Unfortunately, no one will ever know it. The series was never even released on DVD after being cancelled only six episodes in. Luckily, they all aired in Australia and Kroll believed in the series enough to personally link to them on his website. We'd urge you to take advantage of his generous offer, as, like every entry on this list, what have you really got to lose?
http://www.mandatory.com/2014/10/08/the-10-best-half-hour-comedies-that-only-lasted-one-season/
by Cory Dudak
Oct 08, 2014
These days, the ability to watch an entire TV series through online streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon has become as easy as snapping your fingers. Of course, the real dilemma then lies in not only what shows to invest your time in, but finding the time to do so.
The following list of the 10 best comedy series to be cancelled after just one season is a start. What's better than short and sweet?
1. "The Tick" (2001)
Fox's live-action version of the satirical comic book superhero The Tick may have been, quite frankly, a little ahead of its time. After all, superheroes are all the rage these days, but they weren't so much back in the early 2000s, especially in television format.
In fact, "The Tick" seems to fit the current state of television so much better now that Amazon has decided to pick the series up for a potential reboot, ordering a pilot episode to be shot, with viewers then deciding where it goes from there.
We believe we hear a collective "SPOON!" on the horizon.
2. "Clerks: The Animated Series" (2000)
It doesn't get much shorter than "Clerks: The Animated Series", but if you're a fan of irreverent cartoon humor, it's a must. Containing only six episodes, the show didn't even get the opportunity to shine on television, with ABC airing only two before pulling the plug.
It certainly didn't help that they showed the episodes out of order, either, considering the second episode they aired called back heavily to a pilot episode which they didn't.
Nevertheless, the series found much more success on DVD, and has left us begging for more ever since.
3. "Sports Show with Norm Macdonald" (2011)
We'll never quite understand why "Sports Show with Norm Macdonald" never took off. After all, regular Comedy Central viewers seem to love a satirical take on the news, as evidenced by the immense popularity of "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" and "The Colbert Report".
Even if you aren't a fan of Norm Macdonald (which, why the hell not?) or sports, side sketches involving fictitious Nephew Kyle played by comedian Kyle Mooney were enough in and of themselves to warrant at least a Season 2.
4. "The Good Guys" (2010)
With the recent success of Fox's "Brooklyn Nine-Nine", which revolves around an immature police detective at odds with his by-the-books commanding officer, you'd think a similar series revolving around a washed-up detective at odds with his by-the-books partner would have seen similar success years ago.
Alas, it was cancelled after its first season despite the fact that it was actually given an extended first season run of 20 episodes. Call it the curse of Bradley Whitford, who seems to have comedy after comedy canceled in its first season despite being a tremendous comedic actor.
5. "Undeclared" (2001-02)
Since "Freaks and Geeks" was technically an hour-long dramedy canceled after its initial season, the honor of best half-hour comedy to be cancelled in one year goes to Judd Apatow's take on college life instead.
With the myriad of now massively famous talents such as Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel and Charlie Hunnam starring on "Undeclared", we reckon it was about the only time you would have been able to get them all together on one series.
Nevertheless, Fox and their infinite wisdom decided it best to end the show before it had even begun to fully blossom. Oh, what could have been.
6. "The Ben Stiller Show" (1992-93)
Not to be confused with Comedy Central's "The Ben Show" (which narrowly missed making this list, as well), there aren't many series out there that win Emmys for Outstanding Writing after being cancelled.
Another series co-created by Judd Apatow, it too featured an all-star cast of comedic actors who would go on to do great things (well, if you pretend Andy Dick hasn't starred in a movie or TV show in the past 10 years or so).
Sketch comedy is pretty hit-and miss, though, so you can't necessarily be shocked when even a great one gets the axe. If only there were a way around that, combining sketches with a half-hour narrative to go along with it ...
7. "Michael & Michael Have Issues" (2009)
Truly great sketch shows are hard to come by, as no matter how funny someone is, not every sketch they write can be a slam dunk. It's inevitable.
However, pepper in the fictional behind-the-scenes bickering of two sketch show writer/performers and your sketches suddenly don't have to hit it out of the park every time.
Such was the case with "Michael & Michael Have Issues", a more grounded Comedy Central sketch series from the guys who brought you the outlandish "Stella", another CC series that was cancelled way sooner than it should have been.
8. "Action" (1999-2000)
"Action" could be considered the "Entourage" before "Entourage". And, you know, minus the whole entourage aspect.
The show followed comedian Jay Mohr as former gay porn screenwriter turned big time Hollywood producer Peter Dragon through the trials and tribulations of getting his career back on track after putting out a huge box office bomb.
Critically acclaimed, the series was never able to build an audience despite the gimmick of being the first Fox series to receive a TV-MA rating. Perhaps trying to make it a network television series when it so clearly should have been on cable in the first place was this hilarious series' true downfall.
9. "Sit Down, Shut Up" (2009)
"Arrested Development" creator Mitch Hurwitz tried his hand at an animated series for the first time with "Sit Down, Shut Up", an adaptation of an Australian sitcom by the same name.
Every bit as whip-smart as you'd imagine, the show failed to resonate with audiences or critics alike, being pulled from the Sunday night Animation Domination lineup after just four episodes. The remainder of the 13-episode run were burned off after "The Wanda Sykes Show" on Saturday nights.
Considering the massive amount of voice talent behind the show, including many former cast members of both "Arrested Development" and "SNL", and it's very unique animation style (cartoon characters set to real life backgrounds), it's a mystery and a shame that no one bothered to even give this show much of a chance.
10. "Cavemen" (2007)
Right away, we know most people aren't going to agree with our final pick on this list, as just like in 2007, most write it off without even giving it a try. Most.
"Cavemen" was so much more than a 30-minute Geico commercial. In fact, the show was a comedic take on racial stereotyping if anything, with "comedic" being key. Nick Kroll absolutely killed it in one of his first television roles as Nick the caveman.
Unfortunately, no one will ever know it. The series was never even released on DVD after being cancelled only six episodes in. Luckily, they all aired in Australia and Kroll believed in the series enough to personally link to them on his website. We'd urge you to take advantage of his generous offer, as, like every entry on this list, what have you really got to lose?
http://www.mandatory.com/2014/10/08/the-10-best-half-hour-comedies-that-only-lasted-one-season/