Television shows exist to make money, and critical acclaim or devoted fan-bases are poor substitutes for advertising revenue. Number of viewers aside, here are five shows that didn’t deserve their cancellations. All of these selections ran for twenty episodes or less; while shows like Arrested Development or Deadwood might have had plenty left in the tank, they produced many more episodes than these five before the economics cut them short.
Terriers
Saddled with an incredibly vague title (and advertising to boot), this noir/comedy about two scruffy San Diego private detectives lasted just one season of 13 episodes. The good-natured chemistry of the two leads (Donal Logue and Michael Raymond-James) and their increasingly high-stakes misadventures drew in critics, but few viewers. In spite of its limited run-time, the show managed to hit its stride, produce some great episodes, and wrap things up nicely, something most one-season shows fail to accomplish.
Firefly
Perhaps the epitome of a show cancelled before its time, Firefly was a campy, exciting science-fiction show. Following the adventures of the crew of the spaceship Serenity, it had a good-natured sense of fun, knowing when and when not to take itself seriously. It struggled to find an audience, but nevertheless accumulated a devoted one: fan support following its cancellation was sufficient to cause the commissioning of a follow-up movie that provided some closure for fans.
Clone High
A bizarre, self-aware, animated sitcom, Clone High made the most of its ludicrous premise—a high school populated by the teenage clones of various historical figures—by being a pitch-perfect satire of teen dramas. Its 13 “very special” episodes are chock full of proms, life lessons, topical issues, and general inanity. To some, the cliffhanger ending might seem disappointing, but a ridiculously stupid twist was the perfect way for the show to end.
Party Down
Running for a scant 20 episodes over two seasons, Party Down chronicled the experiences of a group of down-on-their-luck caterers; failed actors and writers who alternated trying to make it in Hollywood with wondering when to give up. Despite being critically acclaimed, its weekly audience declined to mere tens of thousands by the end of its second season. Regardless of the dearth of viewers, the show provided significant career boosts to stars Adam Scott, Lizzy Caplan, and Jane Lynch.
Freaks and Geeks
Sometimes, cancellation can have a silver lining; many popular shows continue to produce episodes past the point of diminishing returns, an especially big risk in a high-school setting. While few would turn down more episodes of this gem, the quality and poignancy of its 18-episode run was never compromised. Ironically, this is one show that seems like it was never cancelled, given the career success many of its cast members and executive producer Judd Apatow have enjoyed.
