View Full Version : What sitcom had the potential to be a great one but was cancelled too quickly?


mstewart
03-09-2003, 11:01 PM
There are three in mind that I enjoyed but cancelled too quickly:

Bridget Loves Bernie - The first of its kind dealing with mixed marriages of the faith. Unfortunately, the time the show aired 72-73, the country was not ready to embrace a show of its nature. I think today it would have been better embraced. BLB was a good show and it was not a run of the mill silly sitcom.
Fay - The first TV show featuring a divorced woman as its lead. It was a very good show and Lee Grant is an excellent actress but was not given a chance. It paved the way later that season, 75-76, for One Day at A Time.
All Is Forgiven - This series was on during the 85-86 season. It starred Bess Armstrong, who was to be the next Mary Tyler Moore, and Terence Knox along with Carol Kane and David Alan Grier. The show had the feel of The Mary Tyler Moore Show where it dealt with the combination workplace/homelife setting. Very good show but was not given a chance.

James
03-09-2003, 11:19 PM
My list includes the following:

The Brady Brides
The Brady Bunch
The Bradys
Mayberry, R. F. D.
Our House
Perfect Strangers

None of them came even close to jumping the shark IMHO.

Chocoholic
03-09-2003, 11:46 PM
Andy Richter Controls the Universe
NewsRadio

APPLEI
03-10-2003, 12:03 AM
franks place
get a life
police squad
all is forgiven
buffalo bill

GoldenFamilyTies
03-10-2003, 12:13 AM
The Brady Brides

Adamantium
03-10-2003, 12:21 AM
The Tick (8 episodes)
DAG (16 episodes)
George & Leo (22 episodes)
Two of a Kind (22 episodes)
Get a Life (35 episodes)
Ned & Stacey (46 episodes)

I don't count "Andy Richter Controls the Universe", because even though it had a short run, it is great. And the thread says "had the potential to be". Although cancelled too quickly.

Sitcomwriter
03-10-2003, 12:35 AM
"Oh Baby" could have gotten SLIGHLY better if given another season (although it was still a great show.It just wasn't a laugh riot).I didn't like "Maggie" but it could have gotten better if it was given a 2nd season.Other shows like "Townies" and "Party Girl" were great and didn't need to make any improvements.

Unwanted Angel
03-10-2003, 06:53 AM
Ned and Stacy....
It was a great show and they never gave it a chance...

Chad22
03-10-2003, 08:04 AM
Anyone remember Teen Angel from ABC's TGIF 97-98 Lineup? That show was great.

*GoodMorningCalgary*
03-10-2003, 10:40 AM
In-Laws

*PinkLady*
03-10-2003, 04:22 PM
Originally posted by Chad Doody
Anyone remember Teen Angel from ABC's TGIF 97-98 Lineup? That show was great.

Teen Angel was hilarious!
I also think Square Pegs should have been given another couple of seasons.

dawsongirl
03-10-2003, 06:43 PM
Originally posted by Chad Doody
Anyone remember Teen Angel from ABC's TGIF 97-98 Lineup? That show was great.

What was the show that was on at the same time? Both got cancelled but were pretty funny.

Chocoholic
03-10-2003, 07:05 PM
I remember Teen Angel too. That show was great.

TJL
03-10-2003, 07:14 PM
Undeclared
Freaks and Geeks
The Tick
Greg The Bunny
Partners
Police Squad
Andy Richter Controls The Universe

Hmm. Quite a few FOX shows on my list. Am I sensing a trend here?

:mad:

Adamantium
03-10-2003, 07:19 PM
Originally posted by dawsongirl


What was the show that was on at the same time? Both got cancelled but were pretty funny.

I think it was "You Wish" about a genie.

And I too, remember Teen Angel. The actress who played Marcia Brady played the main character's mom.

David
03-10-2003, 07:32 PM
2 o f a k i n d

GoldenFamilyTies
03-10-2003, 08:59 PM
Originally posted by tvthemes88
Cheers (I know there was 11 seasons, i think, but theres always room for more)

The title of the thread says "cancelled too quickly"...

Chocoholic
03-10-2003, 09:01 PM
Originally posted by tvthemes88

Cheers (I know there was 11 seasons, i think, but theres always room for more)

I agree. I thought they could have done at least 2-3 more seasons. I think a bad Cheers episode is still a heck of a lot funnier than the crap that's on today.

Impressions
03-10-2003, 09:03 PM
Batman - The writers were open to another season, but the sets were already destroyed, so it was cancelled after a third season.

James
03-11-2003, 02:16 AM
Let me also include The Wonder Years since five years were not enough. We the fans did not get to see Kevin, Paul, and Winnie graduate from high school. :crying:

According to some sources State of Grace on the ABC Family Channel was cancelled last August. However, the set had not been disassembled, so there's hope for more than 38 episodes.

dlemond
03-11-2003, 12:55 PM
Originally posted by APPLEI
franks place
get a life
police squad


Yes, all of these.

Plus WKRP only had 4 seasons and was cancelled way too soon.

I liked Stark Raving Mad, which was axed before one season was finished. I think it had great potential.

SBTB Geek
03-11-2003, 01:21 PM
Franks Place
Titus
Undeclared
Freaks & Geeks
Two of a Kind
Saved By The Bell: The College Years
Andy Ritcher
Daria
Popular

TJL
03-11-2003, 05:26 PM
Originally posted by dlemond
I liked Stark Raving Mad, which was axed before one season was finished. I think it had great potential.

I agree. They really messed that one up.

ClassicTV4Ever
03-11-2003, 07:14 PM
Originally posted by GoldenFamilyTies
The Brady Brides

I agree :) That was a cute show.

Hope & Gloria was another show I really liked.

Czas na Zywiec
03-11-2003, 09:00 PM
It's not official yet, but FOX keeps screwing around with it's Sunday schedule and Futurama probably won't last much longer. Great show...

dawsongirl
03-11-2003, 09:44 PM
Originally posted by Original Prankster
It's not official yet, but FOX keeps screwing around with it's Sunday schedule and Futurama probably won't last much longer. Great show...

Much agreed. If I were Bender, I'd tell Fox to bite my shiny metal a$$. :p

Freakzilla
03-12-2003, 03:51 PM
Originally posted by dawsongirl


Much agreed. If I were Bender, I'd tell Fox to bite my shiny metal a$$. :p

I agree with both of you. Futurama was a great show and FOX screwed it up. But at least it's doing well in Adult Swim. And don't forget the first season DVD.

Sal
03-12-2003, 10:52 PM
There were 2 sitcoms that I remember from the 1970s that I found to be really funny but they each only lasted one year. One of them was "Best Of The West" starring the guy that played the father on "Silver Spoons". Some of the characters on that series were truly hilarious to watch. The other was "When Things Were Rotten" created by Mel Brooks which told the story of Robin Hood from a comic point of view. It had a great cast including Dick Gautier (Hymie the robot on "Get Smart") as Robin, Dick van Patten ("Eight Is Enough") as Friar Tuck, and the gorgeous Misty Rowe, who appeared in the first 2 seasons of "Happy Days", as Maid Marian.

ThomasE
03-13-2003, 12:57 AM
Thea
Where I Live
Joe's Life
Thunder Alley
Just the Ten of Us
Family Affair

RollerGirl
03-13-2003, 02:14 AM
Getting By (Cindy Williams & Telma Hopkins)
Good & Evil (Teri Garr)
Double Rush (Robert Pastorelli, Adam Goldberg)
The Single Guy (Jonathan Silverman)

I don't know if I'd use the word GREAT lol but they were entertaining enough and certainly no worse that some other shows that lasted 5 or 6 seasons.

dawsongirl
03-13-2003, 06:46 PM
Originally posted by Freakzilla
I agree with both of you. Futurama was a great show and FOX screwed it up. But at least it's doing well in Adult Swim. And don't forget the first season DVD.

Can't wait for the DVD to come out.

Crimson and Clover
03-14-2003, 08:52 PM
Freaks and Geeks
State or Grace

David
03-15-2003, 02:08 PM
Two of A kind!

Sitcomwriter
03-15-2003, 04:15 PM
What about "Sports Night"? That was a great show.It deserved a longer run.

nimrod_86
03-16-2003, 01:58 AM
Titus
Family Guy
Undeclared.

What really made me mad was that Titus and Family Guy got the highest ratings on FOX that season until the swiched time slots.

Czas na Zywiec
03-16-2003, 02:50 AM
Originally posted by dawsongirl


Can't wait for the DVD to come out.

*spits out water while reading this thread again* There's a DVD coming out?!?!?!?!?!? Ahhh, I had no idea. I need to get it..........as soon as I get a DVD player that is.......

Lynn
03-16-2003, 03:47 AM
Definately Freaks and Geeks.

TJL
03-16-2003, 06:07 AM
Originally posted by Sitcomwriter
What about "Sports Night"? That was a great show.It deserved a longer run.

Yes! Thanks for mentioning that great show.
Another ABC show that was canned before its time was the Denis Leary cop comedy "The Job." That show was amazing, but ABC was too afraid to promote it as their top comedy.

:mad:

tvfan 2
03-16-2003, 08:31 AM
Early Edition
Now & Aging
The Invisible Man
The Chronicle


Theses are some shows I remeber TV Stations took off The Air. I don't see why they didn't let Early Edition last longer.

dawsongirl
03-17-2003, 01:04 AM
Originally posted by Original Prankster
*spits out water while reading this thread again* There's a DVD coming out?!?!?!?!?!? Ahhh, I had no idea. I need to get it..........as soon as I get a DVD player that is.......

Yep. Check out amazon.com

See, the way you do it is, you buy the DVD first, then get tired of looking at it and go buy a DVD player. I did that. :D

Harry S. Anchan
03-17-2003, 04:38 PM
When Things Were Rotten
It's Your Move

David
03-18-2003, 06:10 PM
My Brother and Me (NICK)

Born2HaveOwnSitcom
03-19-2003, 10:33 AM
Freaks and Geeks
My So Called Life
Phenom
Zoe

David
03-19-2003, 07:32 PM
Freaks and Geeks

BLT
03-20-2003, 11:05 AM
Rewind (FOX) -- The 70s set Scott Baio buddy sitcom which was cancelled by Fox before it even aired!
Monty (FOX) -- The Fonz as Rush Limbaugh type)
(the new) Get Smart (FOX) -- Andy Dick was much better in Newsradio, but the concept of a GS revival was brilliant. Speaking of andy dick...
NewsRadio (NBC) -- This is a great series imo, but it should have made it past 100 episodes instead of just 97. I know the murder of Phil Hartman hurt the show greatly, but still I wish the show lasted longer than it did.
George & Leo (CBS) -- Bob Newhart & Judd Hirsch had great chemistry. Far superior to Bob.
A.U.S.A. (NBC) -- I have the feeling that this show will be cancelled, but it has great potential.
The Pursuit of Happiness (NBC) -- Producers of Frasier, aired right after Frasier. Featured larry Miller & brad Garret (Everybody Loves Raymond), the wife in the show was HOT!
Payne (NBC) -- 2nd U.S. version of Britain's "Fawlty Towers" with John Laroquette at his comedic best. The wife in this show was hot as well. Great Farce--like the one episode where the woman's hair was on fire.
The Trouble with Larrry (CBS) -- Because Bronson Pinchot's character was much more mean-spirited than Balki was--the character should have been toned down slightly. Also featured Courtney Cox (friends).
ALF (NBC) -- Considered a classic by many but should've went another year.
Raven / Martial Law (CBS) -- These were both good action shows, both far superior to "Walker, Texas Ranger."