Summary
The world of television has transformed immensely over the past several years. The rise of streaming services and an increased emphasis on supplying as much “content” as possible has led to the average life span of a TV show dwindling greatly. While shows being canned early isn’t a new trend, it’s far more commonplace than you might believe.
The number of excellent TV shows that had the plug pulled on them is far too high. It doesn’t matter how well received a show is, if it doesn’t pull in good viewership, it’s likely that the series will be cut short. These shows represent some of the most tragic and infuriating cases of amazing series ending way too soon.
10The Punisher
Cancelled After Two Seasons
It must be a sore point for Disney that the finest Marvel television shows were created forNetflix. Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and even the predominantly okay Iron Fist are well above the myriad of average to poor offerings that have been dropped on Disney Plus.
Punisher may not be as highly regarded as Daredevil, but it’s hard to deny that the show was something special. Between an absolutely sensational lead performance by Jon Bernthal and bone-crunching action sequences, The Punisher was a one of kind series, and even with Bernthal allegedly reprising his role in the MCU, it’s unlikely to top his first go around.
9Lovecraft Country
Cancelled After One Season
It’s rare for a series to be canceled for any reason that doesn’t relate to either critical reception or viewing numbers. Those are the primary two factors that are most vital to a show’s triumph or ruination. Yet, according to several writers, HBO Lovecraft Country is an exemption.
Season 2 of the HBO series based on Matt Ruff’s novel of the same name wasreportedly cancelled because of showrunner Misha Green creating an extremely virulent work climate. Despite solid reviews and ratings, this dark cloud proved to be a dagger to Lovecraft Country’s heart.
8The OA
It’s tough to dispute thatNetflix doesn’t hold the crown of streaming service with most cancelled shows. It seems like for every five quality series they put out, four get cancelled and the one that doesn’t isn’t likely to last over two seasons. Enter The OA.
Praised for its extraordinary visuals, acting, and direction, this sci-fi horror mystery blend was shockingly cancelled after two seasons despite strong reviews. Not only did this anger fans and filmmakers alike, but resulted in the show concluding on a cliffhanger that will probably never be resolved.
7The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance
1982’s The Dark Crystal was a fantasy classic. Directed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz, The Dark Crystal garnered a cult following due to its fantastic visuals and darker deviation from Henson’s previous works. So when Netflix announced they were making a prequel show, many were skeptical.
To the astonishment of many, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance was a masterpiece and reaped monumental praise. In what can only be hailed a tremendous calamity, Netflix didn’t green-light a season two. Even though there’s a slim chance for a comeback, it is expected that this superb series will stay one season long.
6Hannibal
Cancelled After Three Seasons
Hannibal Lecter is one of the most sinister and captivating characters in horror fiction. While most associate him with actor Anthony Hopkins, who won an Oscar for his portrayal in Silence of the Lambs, Hopkins isn’t the only talented actor to play this fiendish killer.
Mads Mikkelsen played the titular cannibal in the television series. Taking beats from Thomas Harris’ original novels, Hannibal was a critical darling and is viewed as one of the best TV horror shows of all time. Despite that, it ended after three seasons, robbing everyone of some more appetizing Hannibal tales.
51899
Dark is easily one of the most underrated gems on Netflix. The show was Netflix’s first German language original series and is often perceived as one of the platform’s strongest offerings. As such, it was not unanticipated when Netflix tapped Dark’s showrunners Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese to create another show.
Much like Dark, 1899 was a mind-bending and captivating sci-fi series that was as visually immaculate as it was expertly written. Despite all the love it got, 1899 was canceled. Following the announcement, Netflix was met with substantial backlash for their seeming lack of respect for quality television.
4Pushing Daisies
It’s hard to remember a time when the best TV shows were found on cable. Nowadays, when someone tells you about a great show, you’re probably not going to say “what channel is it on?”. Yet, cable channels did in fact boast some fantastic series.
Pushing Daisies was a comedy show with a special supernatural twist that instantly made it stand out among ABC’s other programs. Undeterred by the series being lauded for its outstanding acting, clever writing, unique directing, and idiosyncratic production design, the show only lasted two seasons.
3Freaks And Geeks
Reports of showrunners clashing with producers are hardly uncommon. Whether it be because of differing direction, financial conditions, or just overall bad blood, these skirmishes can prove quite lethal in killing a promising creation. Freaks and Geeks saw such a fate.
Canceled after twelve episodes, supposedly because ofconflicts between NBC and the showrunners, Freaks and Geeks is one of the more lamentable instances of a show not getting a chance. An exceptional coming of age teen comedy series, Freaks and Geeks gained a sizable following in the wake of its premature cancellation.
2Firefly
A TV show getting a movie can result from many things. Sometimes it’s capitalizing on the series’ popularity. Other times it might be used as “final season”. With the sci-fi show Firefly, it was given the latter in 2005 Serenity.
In spite of lasting just one season, Firefly is still talked about doing this as a prime example of masterful sci-fi television. Even though the tale of the Serenity crew was given a 2005 movie that wrapped many things up, many despise Fox for not realising what they had.
1Mindhunter
It’s fair to say that David Fincher is one of the greatest filmmakers of his era. Not only has he directed some of the best films of the past decades, but he has alsoillustrated how streaming services can be beneficialto the overall entertainment industry.
Mindhunter featured all the components that are fundamental for a series to achieve Magnum opus levels of brilliance. David Fincher’s name proved not enough to save Mindhunter from not being renewed for a third season. Unless Netflix reserves their choice, Mindhunter’s cancellation will stand as one of the most marvelous series to not reach the finish line.
