10 Great Comedy TV Shows That Were Canceled Too Soon

There’s nothing more frustrating than when a great TV show is canceled too soon, and plenty of great comedies have been cut short in recent years. Comedy shows often need more time than drama shows to find their audience, but this tests the patience of networks and streaming platforms. Unfortunately, if a comedy show doesn’t hit the ground running, it’s always at risk of cancelation.

These days, TV cancelations seem to be happening more frequently, and more unpredictably, than ever before. The streaming era has meant that there are more shows competing for people’s attention. Shows which don’t instantly rise to this competition can be canceled, even if they have dedicated cult followings. There are many great TV comedies which deserved one more chance.

Related

10 TV Show Cancelations After Just 1 Season That We Still Haven’t Forgiven

A few TV shows have been canceled prematurely after just 1 season, leaving fans upset and wondering what their future would’ve looked like.

10 Our Flag Means Death (2022-2023)

Taika Waititi’s star power was not enough to save this queer pirate comedy

Our Flag Means Death had the comedy pedigree of Flight of the Conchords star Rhys Darby and the multi-talented Taika Waititi in the two lead roles, but this couldn’t save it from cancelation. The pirate comedy only lasted for two seasons, and it left plenty of unanswered questions which fans wanted to see explored further in season 3. Our Flag Means Death‘s cancelation sparked a fan campaign to save the show, but this was unsuccessful.

Darby and Waititi may be the stars, but Our Flag Means Death‘s cast has many wonderful comedic actors, especially on board the Revenge. The story of a wealthy man trading his comfortable lifestyle for the adventure and danger of piracy may seem far-fetched, but this is based on the true story of Stede Bonnet. This real-world context makes the bizarre adventure even funnier, but Our Flag Means Death can get surprisingly emotional at times. Stede’s relationship with Blackbeard is genuinely heartwarming, even amid the silly plots and fast-paced humor.

9 Final Space (2018-2021)

Olan Rogers’ ambitious space opera was canceled before its final act

From its very first episode, Final Space proves that it’s more ambitious than most animated sci-fi comedies. The space opera doesn’t quite fit into the same category as Futurama or Rick and Morty, but it can still deliver plenty of laughs. The show follows the intergalactic adventures of Gary Goodspeed and his strange alien sidekick as they try to save the universe and uncover the mysteries of “Final Space” the only unexplored area in the cosmos.

Final Space has a fantastic ensemble cast, which includes David Tennant, Conan O’Brien and Fred Armisen. They manage to keep the show light and funny, even while it explores existential quandaries with jaw-dropping visuals. Despite its premature cancelation, Final Space is continuing in the form of a comic book from series creator and star Olan Rogers, so fans will get some closure to Gary’s story.

8 Garfunkel & Oates (2014)

The folk-comedy musicians only had eight episodes of their self-titled show

The musical comedy duo Garfunkel and Oates were popular before their show, and they have blossomed in the years since, but they definitely deserved more than one season of their self-titled sitcom. The show is a quasi-autobiographical look at the duo’s attempts to make it big in the entertainment industry. Garfunkel and Oates shows the band’s mastery of profane humor.

The dynamic between the outgoing Riki and the shy, immature Kate is the basis for many of their adventures, but a lot of the episodes are about the two of them teaming up against the world. The songs are dropped in beautifully, and they never slow the pace of the comedy or the plot. Garfunkel and Oates sits at the intersection between Flight of the Conchords and Broad City. It just never got the chance to be as big as either of these shows.

7 Whose Line Is It Anyway? (1998-2007)

The show which introduced improv to so many people went on a 10-year break

Whose Line is it Anyway platformed improv comedy like no other show. Many of the games that the cast play on Whose Line are fairly standard for anyone with any knowledge of improv, but the performers are so quick-witted and downright likable that the show always feels fresh. Some of the show’s most popular games include Party Quirks, in which one performer has to guess the characters being thrown at them, and Greatest Hits, which makes use of Wayne Brady’s incredible talent for improvising song lyrics.

Whose Line was canceled in 2003, although new episodes formed from previously unseen material aired until 2007. The show was thankfully revived, but by the time it started up again, it had been dormant for ten years. Aisha Tyler replaced Drew Carey in the hosting chair, but Wayne Brady, Colin Mochrie and Ryan Stiles all returned as performers. The revival series was a hit. It’s still a shame that fans missed out on a decade’s worth of Whose Line shows during the show’s hiatus.

6 The Last Man On Earth (2015-2018)

Will Forte’s post-apocalyptic comedy ended on a cliffhanger

The first episode of The Last Man on Earth provides a brilliant introduction to its main character. Phil travels across the country collecting treasures which have been rendered worthless, and he passes the time by talking to sports equipment. When he finally finds other surviving humans, he craves interaction, even though he quickly annoys everyone he comes into contact with.

The Last Man on Earth ended on a cliffhanger, with Phil and his small group of fellow survivors suddenly surrounded by dozens of other people who had been living underground. Season 5 looked like it could recapture the excitement of the show’s first two seasons with this tease, but it never got the chance. As more characters are introduced, The Last Man on Earth becomes a less unique sitcom, but the ensemble cast is always good value.

5 Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace (2004)

The hilarious horror spoof had much more room to run

Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace is a spoof of schlocky retro horror shows, but it’s also a brilliant send-up of bad fiction in general. Matthew Holness plays Garth Marenghi, a prolific horror writer who prides himself on the fact that he has written more books than he’s read. Darkplace uses interviews with Marenghi and other actors on his fictional show to break up the terrible plotlines.

Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace is one of the most underrated British sitcoms, and many of its stars have gone on to become the country’s leading comedic voices, including Matt Berry, Julian Barratt and Richard Ayoade. Matthew Holness has recently revived the character of Garth Marenghi with some books penned by his fictional author, riding the wave of the cult fandom that his short-lived show generated.

4 Arrested Development (2003-2019)

The Netlix revival came far too late

The first three seasons of Arrested Development are masterpieces of complicated comedy. Each episode weaves together several disparate plot threads, and the abundance of callbacks and running gags ensures that the comedy builds and builds as the seasons progress. Despite its dedicated cult following, Arrested Development may have been too alienating for casual viewers, and the show was canceled due to its poor viewing figures.

Arrested Development was eventually revived for two more seasons by Netflix, starting in 2013. By this time, the spark had vanished. Arrested Development‘s Bluth family is stacked with comedic talent, each of whom could easily lead their own sitcom. The fact that the Netflix seasons couldn’t always schedule the actors to be in the same room at the same time was just one of its many problems. It could have been much more successful if it had never been canceled to begin with.

3 Don’t Trust The B—- In Apartment 23 (2012-2013)

A great show with a dreadful title

Fans of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Curb Your Enthusiasm are sure to love the conniving, self-interested Chloe in Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23, but while the two former shows have been allowed to run on for as long as the creators see fit, the latter show was cut down in its prime. One thing working against the show may be its terrible name, but this merely conceals a wonderful sitcom.

Chloe is the titular B—-, and she more than lives up to this billing. She scrapes together her rent money with a handful of petty crimes, and her exploits are another one of the twisted ways she amuses herself. The show contrasts her with June, a naive young lamb in the big city who finds the worst possible roommate she could have hoped for. Their dynamic is endlessly watchable, but there are only two seasons of Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23 to enjoy.

2 GLOW (2017-2019)

GLOW got better and better before its cancelation

Netflix has had a patchy record with original comedy shows, but GLOW was one of the good ones. The show is a fictionalized retelling of the story behind the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, a 1980s TV show which put women in the ring. GLOW mines plenty of humor out of the dissonance between the hardships that the performers face and the ludicrous, over-the-top production of their wrestling show.

GLOW was meant to have a fourth season to finish the story, but this plan was nixed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The three seasons that did make it to air are still well worth watching. GLOW has buckets of retro style, but it draws parallels between the grim state of women’s sports and entertainment in the 1980s and the modern day. Alison Brie and Betty Gilpin are great fun, and they can also inject plenty of emotion when the show calls for it.

1 The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017-2023)

Amy Sherman-Palladino’s stylish 50s comedy drama was allowed to wrap up its story

As one can expect from Amy Sherman-Palladino, creator of Gilmore Girls, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is filled with snappy dialogue and oddball characters. The series follows an unfulfilled housewife who embarks on a career as a stand-up comedian in 1950s New York when her husband cheats on her. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is gorgeous to look at, with plenty of charming period touches and Midge’s extravagant wardrobe taking center stage.

Rachel Brosnahan stars as the titular comedian, and she is supported by a wonderful cast. Tony Shalhoub’s anxious father character and Alex Borstein’s tenacious talent manager are two particular standouts. Although it was canceled, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel‘s ending manages to provide satisfying send-offs for all its great characters in its final season. Amy Sherman-Palladino has hinted that Amazon Prime Video canceled the show to make room in the budget for the ludicrously expensive Rings of Power.