Fans of the hip-hop epic The Get Down were let down last week when the series was cancelled after only one season, joining a decades-long list of shows that were axed too soon.
A Baz Luhrmann title, The Get Down became known as one of the most expensive shows ever made, costing an approximate $120 million (Dh440.6 million) for eleven episodes. It recreated the South Bronx in the late 1970s and told visually extravagant stories against a rambunctious soundtrack, but it fell prey to its own ambition and became the first original scripted drama to be cut by Netflix.
Then on Thursday, the streaming service announced it was axing sci-fi series Sense 8 after two seasons. The Emmy-nominated show, which followed eight people from various global backgrounds who gained a sudden ability to mentally communicate with one another, was praised for its diversity in casting.
We take a look at ten other television shows that we were sad to see go — from notorious ‘90s teen dramas to modern day comedies with a twist.
Undateable (2014-2016)
This NBC production was a glorious experiment in live comedy. It started out as a standard sitcom, pre-recorded and decently funny with Chris D’Elia and Brent Morin playing unlikely best friends Danny and Justin. But its season two finale, and all of season three, were filmed live in front of an audience. That means the characters broke, improvised and brought out the hilarious in each other. There were a plethora of famous cameos, too, from Ed Sheeran to the Backstreet Boys. We’re still holding onto hope for a miraculous season four.
Party Down (2009-2010)
Party Down centred around six aspiring Hollywood stars who, on their way to stardom, had to work for a small-time catering company and basically hated their lives. It starred Adam Scott, Jane Lynch, Martin Starr and Lizzy Caplan, and had Rob Thomas and Paul Rudd as writers and Fred Savage as a director. (Interestingly, Starr and Caplan were also in Freaks and Geeks, and Thomas created Veronica Mars, both of which appear on this list.) The show had all the ingredients for a good time — stellar cast, original concept and critic approval. But the Starz comedy survived a mere two seasons before it was killed due to low ratings.
Pushing Daisies (2007-2009)
A truly strange fantasy mystery that blended comedy with drama, Pushing Daisies enjoyed two seasons on air before it was pulled by ABC. It did manage to bag seven Emmy wins first, though. The show followed Ned, a pie-maker with the superhuman ability to reanimate dead people with his touch, on a set of bizarre adventures. There have been discussions of a comic book, a film and a Broadway musical since its cancellation, but nothing has materialised yet.
Jericho (2006-2008)
Post-apocalyptic action-drama Jericho wasn’t cancelled once, but twice. The show initially lasted one season, but its cult following took things into their own hands. They sent more than 20 tonnes of peanuts to the CBS headquarters, a reference to lead character Jake Green exclaiming “Nuts!” in the season one finale, and got the show back on air for one more season. It’s not the same but, for what it’s worth, Jericho continued on in comic book form for seasons three and four.
The Class (2006-2007)
The Class could have been the next Friends had it been given a chance. They even had co-creator David Crane in common. But the ensemble comedy was taken off the air after just one season. The story followed eight friends who were in the same third-grade class 20 years ago, and who found each other again at an engagement party gone wrong. It’s worth it to go back and watch the 19 episodes that aired, if only for the lead performances by Jason Ritter, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Jon Bernthal and Lizzy Caplan.
Veronica Mars (2004-2007)
Veronica Mars was possibly the most popular teen noir series of its time, known for launching Kristen Bell’s career in the mid-2000s. Bell played the titular protagonist — a high school (then college) student who moonlighted as a private detective. The show only lasted three seasons before producers pulled the plug. But creator Rob Thomas managed to break a Kickstarter record when he fundraised $5.7 million online for a Veronica Mars movie, and the film released in 2014 to rave reviews from critics.
Arrested Development (2003-2006)
Ron Howard’s Arrested Development shook the comedy world when it came out in 2003, and it went on to inspire several programmes, including 30 Rock. The series followed the dysfunctional Bluth family and starred heavyweights Jason Bateman, Portia de Rossi, Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Alia Shawkat, Jeffrey Tambor and Jessica Walter. It aired on Fox for three seasons (it got a fourth on Netflix in 2013) with low ratings, but won six Emmy awards and a Golden Globe before being axed in 2006.
Firefly (2002-2003)
Joss Whedon’s space western Firefly was on Fox for 14 episodes before it was taken off air, yet it still managed to bag an Emmy for special visual effects. The ensemble drama, set in 2517 and starring Nathan Fillion and Gina Torres, followed a rebel crew as they rode a small spaceship around an unknown galaxy. It gained so much popularity that the story was continued in the 2005 feature film Serenity.
Freaks and Geeks (1999-2000)
For just one season, Freaks and Geeks was the quintessential ‘90s stoner show, down to Joan Jett’s Bad Reputation as its theme song. It’s surreal to think of how many actors got their start here: James Franco, Jason Segel, Seth Rogan, Busy Philipps. Only 18 episodes aired, but the comedy-drama — set in an American high school where students were split into freaks and geeks — became a cult classic.
My So-Called Life (1994–1995)
My So-Called Life was a revelation in the mid ‘90s — a short-lived glance into the trials and tribulations of being an American teenager, particularly when you’re a girl. Claire Danes won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of protagonist Angela Chase, whose small social circle, including Jared Leto in his first significant acting role, was at the centre of the story. The show dissected the young adult experience in an honest and unflinching way when most writers were still glazing over it. Sadly, season one ended on a cliff hanger and season two never came.
