The cancelation of television shows is nothing new. Networks and studios have been doing it since the invention of television. There are many reasons behind why, many of which tend to only make sense to the executives in charge. However, sometimes these executives miss the mark. They certainly did with the FOX space western drama series Firefly, which had only aired 11 of its 14 episodes when it was canceled. This series was brilliant from top to bottom. The cast was impeccable, the plots kept you guessing, the comedy hit at the right moments, it simply had everything a fantasy space lover could want. While the network didn’t see that, the very vocal fan community did and that helped Firefly rise from the ashes to produce a film, comics, games and more.
With the plethora of options to watch these days, traditional ratings are not the best judge of a show’s success. Some series thrive on social media, others simply get lost in the shuffle and, with a stronger marketing push, may have risen above the noise, and many are just victims of the wrong place and/or wrong time. While there are several cancelations every year that sting, these are the ones that hurt the most.
10 ‘Houdini and Doyle’ (2016)
Created by David Hoselton and David N Titcher
There has been a lot of Sherlock Holmes programming over the years. However, there are rarely any works focused on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself. Doyle being the author behind all the Sherlock Holmes novels and short stories. That was, of course, until Houdini and Doyle came out. A historical supernatural mystery drama series loosely based on the real life friendship of Harry Houdini and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. A series that lasted only one season before being canceled by FOX. In a world that’s full of magic lovers and Sherlock diehards, it’s hard to believe this show didn’t have the means for longevity.
It was the dynamic pairing of two people, who sort of resemble Holmes and Watson themselves, exploring life through the lenses of a believer and a skeptic that really brought intrigue to Houdini and Doyle. Could these events really have occurred? How could these incidences, these cases, impact the pivotal moments of their well-known careers? The series had barely touched on the meat of their friendship, which was so fun to watch, and the opportunities that could’ve been explored with it when FOX pulled the plug. While the series did take over Lucifer‘s Monday night spot on FOX, imagine if the CW had aired this before or after Supernatural instead. It’s the classic story of a show that may have flourished on another network that knew how to position such a series.
Houdini & Doyle
- Release Date
- March 13, 2016
- Main Genre
- Drama
- Seasons
- 1
- Creator(s)
- David Hoselton , David N. Titcher
Watch On Apple TV
9 ‘High Fidelity’ (2020)
Created by Sarah Kucserka and Veronica West
When Hulu announced they had greenlit a reboot of the beloved novel and film High Fidelity, nobody understood why until Zoë Kravitz was announced to play the lead character, record store owner, Rob Brooks. Finally, someone was flipping the story on music. After too many decades of men feeling they have ownership of music, a woman was sitting in the driver’s seat. Better yet, a woman of color. It became one of Hulu’s most diverse shows, with women everywhere feeling represented on screen in a new way.
Sadly, High Fidelity was canceled after one season. Not a good look for a blossoming streaming service that, at the time, was severely lacking in programming featuring POCs in a lead role. Kravitz’ Rob brought something fresh to the story. A woman who could be dickish and vulnerable at the same time. An entirely flawed self-starter and successful female entrepreneur in music. A fully developed female character that could express the full range of humanity and geek out too. What a revelation! Hopefully, someone else out there can see the value this series brought to the world, and pump some life back into it.
High Fidelity
- Release Date
- February 14, 2020
- Creator
- Sarah Kucserka, Veronica West
- Main Genre
- Comedy
- Seasons
- 1
8 ‘The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance’ (2019)
Created by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews
For those who grew up in the ’80s, there was nothing scarier than the original film, The Dark Crystal. Then Netflix came along and thought, why not make a prequel series of that truly terrifying, and, well, dark film. And we’re so glad they did! The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance brought light into the darkness and healed the wounds many viewers held from their youth. For some, this healing of a previously traumatic movie turned their former foe, The Dark Crystal, into a treasured relic. More than that, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance expressed a world of unity, collaboration and people rising above their differences for the greater good. Continuing a tradition of storytelling that Jim Henson valued above all else.
The original film was a huge feat to accomplish, but thanks to new technologies, the new series, while still elaborate and costly, was much easier to produce. For example, it only took two puppeteers to operate a Gelfling, instead of the four it previously did. With such a rich story, the most incredible voice cast (including Taron Egerton, Sigourney Weaver, Mark Hamill, Anya Taylor-Joy, Caitríona Balfe, and more), a lack of puppet programming, a strong cult following, and even an Emmy win for outstanding children’s program, the cancelation was a devastating and surprising blow. For now, fans can take solace in the words of executive producer Lisa Henson, “We know fans are eager to learn how this chapter of ‘The Dark Crystal’ saga concludes, and we’ll look for ways to tell that story in the future.”
7 ‘A League of Their Own’ (2022)
Created by Will Graham and Abbi Jacobson
There have been cases when a series got canceled and picked up by another network, and even more rarely canceled and had the decision overturned. A League of Their Own, the series adaptation of the film of the same name, had a fate worse than death. After season one aired, viewers waited with bated breath for a renewal announcement. A decision that was delayed due to Amazon’s motivation to reduce the show’s cost by reducing the show’s licensing fee and then, renegotiate all talent contracts, as Amazon’s compromise was only to offer a shortened, four episode, second season to wrap up the story. Only to then reverse their decision, cancel the final four episodes, and blame the strikes for it. Claiming the delay in production would push this series release into an already full 2025 lineup.
This version of A League of Their Own was refreshingly queer and diverse. The series creators, Will Graham and Abbi Jacobson, recruited several members of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League as advisors, one of whom, Maybelle Blair, even came out as gay during the press tour for the show. Being able to share some of the hidden truths of that time, thoughtfully, is an exceptional thing that should’ve been celebrated and championed. With the strikes now resolved, and the final four episodes already written, hopefully Graham and Jacobson can find A League of Their Own a new field to play ball.
A League Of Their Own
- Release Date
- August 12, 2022
- Creator
- Will Graham, Abbi Jacobson
- Main Genre
- Comedy
- Seasons
- 1
Watch On Prime
6 ‘Julia’ (2022-2023)
Created by Daniel Goldfarb
Based on the life of Julia Child during the production of her legendary cooking show The French Chef, Julia was the best written Max original dramedy, with one of the best ensemble casts ever greenlit by the streaming service. It was the best performance David Hyde Pierce (who played Paul Child, and his twin brother Charles Child) has given on screen since Frasier. Pierce was even joined by another Frasier alum, Bebe Neuwirth. Sarah Lancaster‘s performance of Julia Child was just as awkwardly warm and inviting as Child herself. Every character was so well-developed that the series cancelation, after only two seasons, was an extra painful sting, leaving audiences with a countless list of questions.
The world could use more
Julia.
While it’s easy to look up what happened next in Julia Child’s life, it’s not as easy to find out what happened to the team at WGBH, or Child’s entire book publishing team, including her co-author Simone “Simca” Beck, or the friends and family closest to Child. It was the entire village around Child that made Julia so special, while also spotlighting how ahead of her time Child was as a woman entrepreneur and public figure in the 1960s. To make it even better, the series creators specifically used that position to address various social movements of that time in a subtle-yet-powerful way. The world could use more Julia, and this time with a network that understands what gem they hold in their hands.
Watch On Max
5 ‘Schmigadoon!’ (2021-2023)
Created by Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul
Musicals seem to have the hardest time finding a TV audience, or maybe, there’s just not enough executives out there who grew up in musical theater spaces who understand how to push such masterpieces. Schmigadoon!took everything theater patrons love about musicals, including some of today’s best stage talent, and made it fit beautifully into a television format. Season one centered on the story of Melissa (played by Cecily Strong) and Josh (played by Keegan-Michael Key), who are experiencing trouble in paradise when the couple find themselves trapped in a town called Schmigadoon until they can find true love. Season two finds the couple seeking out this mystical land after experiencing another hiccup in their relationship.
The beauty of Schmigadoon! was really a homage and parody to different eras of musical theater experienced within each season though. Season one was based on the Golden Age of musicals, the 1940s and 1950s shows like Oklahoma! and The Sound of Music. While Season two moved us into a grittier era for musicals, the 1960s and 1970s, effectively changing the town name to Schmicago. With the AppleTV+ series canceled after two seasons, viewers will never get to experience the genius that could’ve been born out of the 1980s to present-day musicals. Imagine Hamilton, Little Shop of Horrors, Rent and Six being included! The possibilities of what could’ve come from this highly underrated series were endless, but, at least, now there’s a stage show debuting in 2025 to look forward to.
Schmigadoon!
- Release Date
- 2021-00-00
- Creator
- Cinco Paul, Ken Daurio
4 ‘Minx’ (2022-2023)
Created by Ellen Rapoport
Possibly another series cancelation that could be blamed on the strikes is Minx. This 1970s series about a young feminist, Joyce Prigger (played by Ophelia Lovibond), who joins forces with an adult entertainment publisher, Doug Renetti (played by Jake Johnson), to create the first erotic women’s magazine was unnecessarily put through the wringer. Originally starting out as a Max original, the network canceled the series in a cost-cutting move as Minx was wrapping production on season two. Yikes! Starz quickly jumped in and saved the series, but the season two release hit a week after SAG-AFTRA officially went on strike. Severely limiting opportunities for series promotion.
Starz did not really give this series a chance though. They weren’t involved in the production of either season, and other than giving the series a platform to air on, they made no strides to cement its future. The cancelation also came after Starz canceled its only other comedy series, Shining Vale. Minx deserved better. The series highlighted social commentary in a humorous will-they-won’t-they battle of authenticity and compromise. Constantly pushing the envelope to showcase stories of liberation that are seemingly not so different from instances happening today. It’s an underdog story that deserves another chance to rise to the occasion, this time as the cover story.
Minx
- Release Date
- March 17, 2022
- Main Genre
- Comedy
- Seasons
- 2
- Story By
- Ellen Rapoport
- Writers
- Ellen Rapoport
- Network
- HBO Max , Starz
- Showrunner
- Ellen Rapoport
3 ‘Dollface’ (2019-2022)
Created by Jordan Weiss
Centered on female friendships, and the female millennial lifestyle, Dollface begins at the end of a long-term relationship where Jules Wiley (played by Kat Dennings) has been unexpectedly dumped, and after years of neglecting her female friendships, must re-enter the world of women. It’s a smart comedy that puts women front and center, that also isn’t afraid to highlight the not-so-great life choices these women make and silly trends of the times. While based in the real world, the series knew it couldn’t take itself too seriously and involved many surreal and fantastical elements, including a woman with a cat’s head driving a bus through Rebound Town, to resemble the voice of Jules’ own conscious.
The entertainment industry needs more women. We need more women in lead roles. We need more women writers that know how to write female dialogue. We need more women behind the camera in every role; directors, camera ops, grips, set dressers, you name it. Dollface had all of that, which makes it extra aggravating that this series was not only canceled but entirely erased from history when Hulu removed it from their streaming service altogether in May 2023. While Dennings, and some of her co-stars like Brenda Song, may be too busy these days for a revival, the least Hulu could do is allow new audiences to discover this female-powered show by including Dollface in their library.
Dollface
- Release Date
- November 15, 2019
- Main Genre
- Comedy
- Seasons
- 2
2 ‘Julie and the Phantoms’ (2020)
Created by Dan Cross and David Hoge
Life may be good on ‘the other side of Hollywood,’ but for Julie and the Phantoms fans, it’s more like shattering. This musical YA series was much more than meets the eye. With legendary filmmaker/choreographer Kenny Ortega at the helm, Julie and the Phantoms elevated Netflix YA programming from good to great. The series is about Julie Molina (played by Madison Reyes) who rediscovers her love for music, after losing her mom, by joining up with the band Sunset Curve, who have been dead for 25 years. The series’ supernatural elements are enchanting, instead of spooky. The season, because it only got one, plays out like a Disney Channel show that’s more mature and less cheesy.
From its launch on September 10, 2020, Julie and the Phantoms was a hit. However, even with a wildly popular first season, a very dedicated fanbase, and three Emmy wins, Netflix pulled the plug on the series just as production on season two was gearing up to start. Despite nonstop efforts from the show’s executives, creative team, and fans to save the show, the studios have yet to ‘wake up’ to the idea of another season or, even, a final film. The worst part of all is the jaw-dropping cliffhanger season one ended on. The unsolved mystery plagues audiences to this day. With catchy tunes, a breakthrough cast, and feel-good fun, Julie and the Phantoms deserves to be ‘finally free’ from the curse of cancelation. To quote the villain of the series, Caleb Covington (played by Cheyenne Jackson), “You got nothing to lose, boys.”
Julie and the Phantoms
- Release Date
- September 10, 2020
- Creator
- Dan Cross and David Hoge
- Main Genre
- Comedy
- Seasons
- 0
1 ‘Our Flag Means Death’ (2022-2023)
Created by David Jenkins
There has been no louder vocal disappointment than that of the cancelation of the very beloved pirate series Our Flag Means Death. This series provided comfort in a plethora of manners to a largely underserved audience of misfits, outcasts, and weirdos. The queer community especially championed this series with its extremely inclusive storylines around love that can occur in all shapes, sizes and colors, especially in a market that lacks such diverse representation.
The series creator, David Jenkins, had always intended for Our Flag Means Death to have three seasons, yet Max made the pirate crew walk the plank after only two. The swift execution left many unanswered questions and a sour taste behind. What happened to Buttons (Ewen Bremner)? Will Ed (Taika Waititi) and Stede (Rhys Darby) reunite with the Revenge Crew? What is Frenchie (Joel Fry) like as a captain? While fans may never get these answers, there is comfort in knowing that the deep-rooted community that was born out of this series will never fade away. And with such a large, dedicated crew, it’s an absolute shock another network or streaming service didn’t jump at the chance to give this series the final season it deserves.
