Of course there are many, many, more, but I STILL mourn the loss of Popular. Every time I heard about Missy and Tami, I wonder what havoc Tami might have wrecked after her drunken car crash.
It also made me sad that the lovely Sara Rue was stuck in a sit com, but at least she had Eric Roberts.

What about Joan of Arcadia? Man, that show was 'almost' close to perfection, and they also shut it down... It is really a pity, but the problem is, networks do need to make money, so the problem is people not watching the shows... which is the real pity, because the shows that are cancelled, are really good ones, and those that survive, get really, really bad over time...

Joan of Arcadia is at the top of my list, too.

Joan of Arcadia is the one I still mourn the most, way more than sunset strip and even the brilliant wonderfalls. the Girardi family was one to treasure.

What about Carnivale? That one really upset me. Even now, when I hear the voice of Brother Justin in commercials, I know I could never buy what he's advertising.

i think moonlight should have been on this list! theres a show that didn't even get a chance stupid cbs.

dead like me too, at least the fans faught back and we're getting a movie.

i agree with everwood and veronica mars.

I agree with Freaks and Geeks and Veronica Mars. Man, the very first ep of Freaks and Geeks, I knew James Franco would be a movie star soon. It was like seeing Winona Ryder in Lucas.

Also on my list: Black Sash, Once and Again, Pasadena, and Life as We Know It. And, if they don't renew it, Swingtown.

I agree with Popular. But the first show I thought of was Pasadena -- that was a delicious soap. Such a great cast, so many mysteries. It could have and should have run for years!

What about Jericho?! That was "Nuts!"

Action? With Jay Mohr and the sorely-missed Buddy Hackett? Anyone remember that one? That was TV ahead of its time.

I'm one of the few TWoPpers who didn't care for Arrested Development. Far from brilliant, I thought it was slow, dumb and painful.

Now, swap it for Joan of Arcadia, which at its worst -- and it got pretty bad at times -- was miles ahead of anything else on TV. The friendship (and budding romance) between Grace (Becky Wahlstrom) and Luke (Michael Welch) was unlike anything I'd ever seen. Totally awesome.

How you could have a list like this without "Sports Night" is beyond me.

Drop Studio 60, and replace it with this true gem of a show.

Freaks and Geeks, I still miss that show.

Great list! 4 of my faves are on here...Veronica Mars, Firefly, My So-called Life and Freeks and Geeks (I still wonder what would have happened between Lindsay and Nick! haha). I guess the TV I like just isn't popular.

Honorable mentions not on the list: Undeclared (another Judd Apatow great!) and Rome

oh my god, i forgot about "keen eddie"! *man* was that a great show!

I agree with Beth. I watch all of Sports Night at least once a year, and cry every single time Dan appologizes to his brother. While I wish "60" had gotten a chance to maybe find redemption, "Sports Night" deserves the spot more. I still firmly believe that if it had aired a few years later, it would have worked, but it was just ahead of its time.

"Once and Again" also deserves to be on this list. Anyone know why all 3 seasons aren't on DVD yet?

And finally, the loss of "Firefly" still makes me physically angry. Ditto to "Dead Like Me".

Wow, I had completely blocked Joan of Arcadia from my mind - probably for reasons of self-preservation, because I don't think I've ever been so bummed to see a show get cancelled. Thanks a lot whoever mentioned Grace and Luke because now I will be regretting the loss of their awesomeness all day long. Boo.

I can accept the demise of Pushing Daises. It was too weird to be long for this world. Just give us an ending!! Who are these people who cruelly deprive us of endings?! You wouldn't just walk up to someone on the beach and rip a book out of their hands, and throw it in the ocean, would you? NO! Who does that? So just cause TV isn't as classy, that makes it totally OK? It's wrong, I tell you.

Grosse Pointe and Andy Richter Controls the Universe.

A lot of people talk about Freaks and Geeks, which was a great show, but I liked Undeclared just as much, that show was totally underappreciated, I think it's the best "college" show ever made.

I'll be really sad to see FNL on this list next year.

Ugh My-so-called life I will never ever understand. Never. I will never get why they would cancel such a great groundbreaking, honest show. I still have liver issues over that.

Popular got so freaking retarded, it needed to be cancelled.

I think MSCL and maybe VM and Pushing Daisies are the only shows that I'm sad got cancelled.

The second season of "Joan of Arcadia" was uneven, but I thought the show had the potential to get better with the introduction of Wentworth Miller's character. Similarly, season 1 of "Veronica Mars" was absolutely incredible. Unfortunately, the show got steadily worse after that. By season 3, I was almost completely uninterested.

On my list are "Everwood," "Wonderfalls," "Firefly," "My So-Called Life," "Pushing Daisies," "Freaks and Geeks," "Titus," and a show that everone forgets, "Lucky," with "Wonderfalls" and "My So-Called Life" topping the list.

What's funny to me is I never watched any of the shows listed. Some for no reason other than there was no time (Freeks and Geeks), even though I heard good things about them. And some because I did try, based on the buzz or recommendations and just couldn't get into them (Arrested Development, Firefly).

I do agree with Sports Night - it should be on the list. I would also like to add Earth: Above and Beyond and Earth 2. I'm still left with questions about those shows.

Ed. How can anyone forget Ed? I loved that show and I know it may never come out on DVD, but god, I wish it would. It still feels like watching old family films.

I watched Everwood and was so upset when programming director of CW (who used to be the head of UPN before the merger) decided to cancel it. 7th Heaven was supposed to be in it's last season and was going in that direction but when it was brought back it was terrible with such a lame ending. After that I did not watch CW at all.

It would be better if seasons 2-4 of Everwood would be released on DVD but I thought I heard that the network or something wouldn't do it (correct me if I'm wrong).

Hated Sports night! I never understood the love for it.

I'll second the vote for Carnivale. It's slow paced weirdness was better than 99% of the crap on TV (and the acting and set design was AMAZING).

Boomtown--the first season incarnation of it. NBC frakked it up too bad when it aired for like three episodes in its second season.

Grosse Pointe or The Tick (FOX's series not the animated one) deserve honorable mentions here.

Tru Calling! I still want to know what the heck Jason Priestly's character was going to do next, and what the heck Tru's father had to do with the whole thing....grrr....

Jake 2.0. Awesome show, and we never even got a full season!

Bakersfield PD, Bakersfield PD, Bakersfield PD, Bakersfield PD. And they STILL won't at least put it out on DVD!

As a Canadian I would like to put in my two cents regarding Intellegence. From the same gut who created DaVinci's Inquest it was all about a Vancouver drug kingpin and the CSIS agents trying to both take him down AND keep him in business to use him for intel for "bigger fish". One of the smartest shows I have EVER seen and a taut crime drama in its own right. The cast was top notch, especially Ian Tracey, one of the cops from DaVinci, as the drug lord. Here's to hoping Chris Haddock gets another shot at creating something else. I'm sure it will be just as good as Intellegence or DaVinci.

Shannon's Deal (Jamey Sheridan, Elisabeth Pena, and Jenny Lewis)

Brimstone (Peter Horton, Teri Polo)

Grosse Pointe

Shannon's Deal (Jamey Sheridan, Elisabeth Pena, and Jenny Lewis)

Brimstone (Peter Horton, Teri Polo)

Grosse Pointe

Ah, MSCL....loved the show and was so devastated when it was cancelled.

Some other shows which I have been genuinely disappointed when they were cancelled.

The Dead Zone and 4400 on USA. One, I thought they were great and two, it's freakin' USA that cancelled them. I was left wondering what the final end game for both series was. It would be like cancelling Lost now and never knowing the answers to all those questions.

October Road on ABC. Loved that show and of course, I want to know for sure who the kid's dad is. Hmmpf!

I thought Angel got the axe too soon. Particularly since it wasn't picked up because they bought the John Wells relaunch of Dark Shadows which never went to series. Whereas Buffy came to a much needed end and peaked in the TV medium at about the end of season 3, I thought Angel got better every season. The characters continued to grow and change, as opposed to the scoobies who got stuck somewhere in season 4.

how can "dead like me " not be in this list?

Arrested Development and Firefly were both shows I got into after they aired, on DVD, and while they are among my absolute all-time favourites, I have to say I don't think it's a tragedy when shows have a short run. The person above who mentioned the British TV model is thinking like I think. Ricky Gervais's "Office" and "Extras" are absolutely perfect series, 12 episodes and a finale each, a complete storyline. Sure I would have enjoyed another season or two of Firefly, and I can't wait for an Arrested Development movie if it happens, but I can think of a lot more shows I used to love (Friends, West Wing, and now it's starting to happen to my beloved House) that were destroyed by being on the air TOO LONG till they got old and sick and tired. Far better to have a short and perfect show you can enjoy over and over again on DVD rather than tune in week after week to watch with a kind of fascinated horror as a show slides downhill and you think, "I used to find this FUNNY? Why?"

my noms:
Freaks and Geeks (I liked it better than My So-Called Life, less whiney)
Tru Calling
Firefly
Veronica Mars
Miracles
Jericho
Mysterious Ways
Joan of Arcadia (word to Wentworth adding some much needed depth to season 2)
American Gothic (like Firefly, aired out of order)
Dark Shadows (1990)
I liked Arrested Development, but I thought the problem with it was the unnecessarily repetative voice-over and recapping.

So many others but does anyone remember "Relativity"?

I was just going to mention that. Terrific show from the mid-90s that just disappeared one week never to return. I keep hoping the dozen or so episodes that aired will pop up on DVD someday.

Oh, my heart will always hurt when someone mentions Veronica Mars. I loved it so much. Every now and then, EW mentions something about it coming back and I want to believe it but I just know that life is not fair and I'm not sure the magic could be re-created.

Obviously, Freaks and Geeks was fantasic and I'm officially a fan of anything Judd Apatow does.

Farscape. Fans were left with the most horrifying cliffhanger because SciFi agreed to another season and then changed their minds. Too late.

What about American Dreams on NBC? I still wonder if Meg ever came back to Philly after she rode away on the back of a boy's motorcycle.

Kitchen Confidential and FreakyLinks....

Does nobody remember Joan of Arcadia? Cancelled just as the plot was really getting going, ending on a terrific cliffhanger then never to be seen again???

I'm still devastated about Arrested Development and Veronica Mars, and am gutted over Pushing Daisies.

I think Rome should be on the list. That show was awesome. Atia remains my second favorite character in TV history (behind only VMars).

you forgot undeclared

I agree with most of the shows. I also loved Life as We Know It and guiltily this sitcom that aired on FOX for 6 weeks called Happy Hour. It was awful and terrific at the same time. TV sometimes gives crushing blows

I almost forgot Dark Angel. I secretly loved that show and was saddened when it was canceled because so many things were left unresolved. One of my pet peeves is unresolved cliffhangers which is probably the reason why Heroes and Lost have been getting on my nerves recently. I just think every show should get a fair chance and a good majority don't. How is it that shows that are crimes against humanity manage to stay on the air but good shows with original ideas and stellar casts seem to get thrown into the garbage about as often as apple releases a new product. Its an abomination and I might just have to start my own channel so that all the great shows can be resurrected and given the finales they deserve.

Duckman!

Jericho and . . . Jericho!

Except for maybe Lost, all other TV is just *meh* to me now. I miss hanging out with the citizens of that crazy Kansas town (and their mutant apocalyptic zombie friends -- I mean, Ravenwood) every week. Long live 'Jake & The Black Man'!

Journeyman.

I loved Firefly!! I never watched it on tv, I don't even remember it coming on, but I watched the dvd and loved it, the movie too! :)

Popular and Joan of Arcadia for sure are on the top of my list. Probably Roswell, too. It should have gotten a little more life than just the three seasons it got!

"Medium" and "Studio 60" are sorely missed at our house. I really enjoyed "Dead Like Me", but I think two seasons was a good run. I am still annoyed that "Wonderfalls" and "Firefly" were pulled so soon, when dreck like "How I Met Your Mother" (which *should* have died after four episodes) blathers on.

Anyone remember "Nowhere Man"? It probably wasn't that great, but left a lot of unexplained conspiracies after its single season...

PROFIT. Brilliant show, gone far too soon.

The image of Jim Profit sleeping in the cardboard box with the TV shining through...I really regret not getting to know the full depths of Profit's madness.

The plan for Rome was originally... well, I'll quote Bruno Heller here.

"I discovered halfway through writing the second season the show was going to end," Heller said. "The second was going to end with death of Brutus. Third and fourth season would be set in Egypt. Fifth was going to be the rise of the messiah in Palestine. But because we got the heads-up that the second season would be it, I telescoped the third and fourth season into the second one, which accounts for the blazing speed we go through history near the end. There's certainly more than enough history to go around."

Source.

In closing: fuck you, HBO, for doing that!

I'm still devastated that Pushing Daisies got the axe. It's so bright, interesting, and full of witty banter. It's such a well made show.

Twin Peaks is another that should have been on the list. The way they left Special Agent Dale Cooper still haunts me. If anything needed a resolution, it was that. Such a dark place to leave a brilliant character.

American Gothic
Invasion
Threshold
Firefly
4400

Great list! I also agree with the person who mentioned Kitchen Confidential, and I was a fan of Gross Pointe back in its day. Loved Undeclared as well.

Twin Peaks was a truly brilliant show at first, but completely jumped the shark (intentionally) when Lynch found out it would be cancelled, and therefore doesn't deserve to be on the list. They had a chance to wrap it up and chose to screw the fans instead. I'm still mad.

I completely agree with Veronica Mars and Pushing Daisies. And I think the other choices make sense. But the shows you're really missing from the list are MOONLIGHT, ELI STONE and JERICHO. Now losing those shows is just plain unjust when so much crap stays on television!

Oh, and I almost forgot to add that besides Moonlight, Jericho and Eli Stone, they shouldn't have canceled Dark Angel, Jack and Bobby, The 4400 and Roswell.

I have but one nominee and that is Dead Like Me. I can watch it over and over and be absorbed by the writing, the acting and the look of the show as if I didn't know parts of it word for word.

American Dreams. NBC killed it by putting it in a crappy timeslot and not airing reruns in the off season. Great acting, great storylines and some awesome performances by 21st century playing 60's acts on American Bandstand.

Seeing that I'm still a youngster, I was still watching teen shows or in diapers when most were on. Still, I wholeheartedly agree with Firefly (I might have seen an episode when I was in elementary school... it seems so enthrallingly familiar) and Pushing Daisies. I also have seen clips of Wonderfalls and have realized Bryan Fuller is an ignored genius. And Lee Pace is so adorable it kills me.

However, my first sting of a cancelled show was The Class. I still wonder whether Ethan and Kat ever will get together. Screw Duncan and Nicole, it was all about Ethan and Kat.

When I clicked on this link I was like, "no way will they get Wonderfalls," because although I watch the DVD set with a mania bordering on religious fervor, I know it was only around for four episodes in the tv-verse. How gratifying to find that, as always, TWoP does not disappoint, and there are other fans out there who also clutch these thirteen episodes close to their chests.

"The Charmings." "When Things Were Rotten." :)

What about American Dreams and Grosse Pointe? Those were two brilliant shows cancelled WAY before their time.

Okay, this one will seem wierd to a lot of people but Invader Zim. It was the smartest, funniest and most dark and adult show Nickelodeon had on the air in the last ten years and it only got 1 and a half seasons.

I can think of a couple of great ones that didn't make the list.

1.)American Gothic (An amazing and wierd show)
2.)Brimstone (few watched this and few remember it but it was a brilliant concept with an amazing cast and great writing)
3.)Joan of Arcadia (most would think they would hate this show, I wanted to not like this show, but dammit it if this wasn't one of the most well acted ensemble dramas out there)
4.) Angel (not mentioned probably because the series finale was one of TV's best but I think Angel could have had at least two more good seasons. I know its sacrilege to say but I think taken as a whole it was Joss's most consistently great series. Firefly was too short and Buffy had the his best material but also some damn atrocious episodes)
5.)Space Above and Beyond (that this show didn't make the list and that it was hardly mentioned in the talkback is fucking criminal. This is one of THE best scifi series ever written. Thats making a bold statement but people need to understand that they took risks with the TV format that were never recognized. Ya know that much lauded episode of Buffy "Hush?" yea Space: Above and Beyond did it first and did it with even less dialogue in an even more amazing way. The final episode was a cruel twist of the knife for everyone who loved this show and like other great scifi shows (Babylon 5, Firefly) it got off to a slow start but after about the third episode this was an amazing show to watch.)
6.) Murder One (A unique and awesome concept that was basically destroyed by the network trying to fuck around with the format by making it more "user friendly")
7.) Homicide: Life on the Street (whats that you say? the last season was atrocious? Yes, yes it was. But everything this once searingly great show became was because of a idiot network trying to make it more like Law and Order. Adding sexy female detectives, self contained stories. Yes this show would have suffered regardless with losing Andre Braugher (what show wouldn't?) but the real reason the last season was so bad was because of the constant pressure they were being put under.)
8.) Farscape (What scifi did to this show was really stupid, this was a ground breaking show and still a favorite of mine. Like other great shows it weakened over time but it never completely collapsed under the weight of its mythology like Heroes has or Lost nearly did.)
8.) GvsE (Come on, you know you loved this show, it was hilarious and had the great Richard Brooks.)
9.) Over There (This was pretty sad, but not unexpected. No one wanted to see this war story. Generation Kill succeeded because it was a miniseries, but there was more to be told here and this was an amazingly done show.)
9.) Thief (This was so good it was scary, because of its short season format, this ended decisively. Told in a way similar to The Wire with absolutely OUTSTANDING performances by a young girl who's name I can't remember and the amazing Andre Brauger. This was a smart show with alot of attention to detail that asked alot of viewers. Its a shame no one seemed to care.)
10.) Threshold (This one barely made the list cause the writing was kinda wacky, but the cast was brilliant and the core concept was cool, I wanted to know more about this one, but never got the chance but I loved the characters and the actors.)

Out of all the ones that I think should have made this list and got screwed this worst, I think Space: Above and Beyond takes the prize. FOX should be fucking ashamed of themselves for that.

Oh, and I just remembered Odyssey 5. Another show that was canceled on a cliffhanger. TPTB are killing me with this!

Thank you SO much for including Wonderfalls on your list. I often wonder if it could have at least made it to episode 5 if it was on the air now.

I watched the first season of Pushing Daisies and loved it at first. But as the season wore one, I liked it less and less. It was like gorging on cotton candy. Fantastic at first, but then you're left with rotting teeth and a stomach ache. I passed on season two.

Veronica Mars? Please! The first season was brilliant, the second confusing, but still having that spark, but the third was a train wreck.

As for my beloved Arrested Development, I would argue that it had as many episodes as it needed. Except for one bad episode (the Martin Short one), every episode was perfection and the series finale perfectly wrapped everything up. There's a part of me that hopes they don't make a movie because I don't want there to be a chance of ruining that last, great episode.

I agree that no cancellation has ever hit me as hard as "Joan of Arcadia" did, but some of my mourning has lessened after seeing the mess Hart Hanson made of "Bones." It still stings, but at least that show died before it got a Gormagon arc.

The only shows on this list I can say I really still miss are "Veronica Mars" and "Deadwood". I got over missing MSCL a while ago. "Arrested" was really good, but was never must see TV for me (I preferred Scrubs, actually). And I just never got what all the fuss about "Pushing Daisies" was, so don't really care that it's gone one way or the other, to be honest.

Bring back FireFly!!!

Roswell was a show that I never expected an "older" person like myself would fall in love with. But I did. It was because of that show that I learned to use a computer, because of that show that I made such good on-line friends that I vacation with them once a year to this day, and because of that show that I still follow the careers of a whole cast of wonderful actors.

Models Inc, y'all? That show was bonkers.

Joan of Arcadia
The Ponderosa
The Black Donnellys

Joan of Arcadia! What a disappointed ending - they introduced this interesting new story line, but never wrapped anything up. Plus, Luke and Grace are by far one of my favorite tv couples. Adorable.

I honestly don't even start watching shows if I think they're going to be good simply because I'm positive they'll be gone in less than a season.

It seems like shows used to almost always get a full season to find their footing before getting the axe. Now, maybe 3 episodes, and if they haven't caught on, the cancellation talks start and they're gone by 10 eps. I feel like I can't even give good ones a chance anymore because it'll just be too heartbreaking.

The exception lately is Chuck and I'm really, really scared that they'll be on this list next year. I don't know if I can take it.

I know that we're exceptionally lucky that Dead Like Me got a two year run, and that is a pretty good run for a quirky show these days. However, it kills me that the plot lines that were in place at the end of season 2 may never, ever be resolved (and no, I don't think the movie will help that much, especially without Rube). What's up with George and re relationship with the gravelings? Was there a reason they didn't kill her in the pool? Why does Reggie "see" George, and how will that play out? What about Daisy and Mason and the mess they caused? AUGH.

i agree with a lot of these shows especially my so called life--
Does anybody remember Jack and Jill with amanda peet

Mine are easy...all came to mind before I even clicked on the link to view the list:

--EZ Streets (tied for my favorite show of all time)
--Sports Night (the other favorite show of all time)
--Jericho (I really honestly thought it'd go longer)
--Popular (just so much love for this show)
--Farscape (even though I enjoyed the first two seasons more than the last two)
--The Black Donnellys (so much promise!)
--WKRP (one of the best comedies ever only had four seasons...much less than some lesser ones you see these days that have gone on forever)
--Veronica Mars (two words: Michael. Muhney.)

Glad to see I'm not the only one who watched (and liked) The Black Donellys, it had so much potential they should've at least aired a full season...

Deadwood and Firefly were truly brilliant so they'd top my list for sure.

And in the past couple years: Jericho (sorely missed!), Journeyman, Pushing Daisies, Eli Stone, Veronica Mars... even Traveler was fun to watch.

Which leaves hardly any shows I find interesting still on network TV... sad indeed!

AD, VM & PD are definitively great picks TWoP. I can't tell you how many times I have watched the DVDs of AD & VM short 3 seasons, but they are awesome everytime.
Another show I liked, but was not on nearly long enough -Eyes. With Tim Daly. Does anyone remember that show?

I agree with EVERYTHING on this list, although I also think that Twin Peaks should make an appearance. I agree with someone above that it got pretty hokey by mid-second season, but I maintain that it was because they knew they were getting canceled, and they had to fit everything in. I MISS COOP.

Oh, thank God somebody agrees with me that Pushing Daisies is utter crap. All twee style, absolutely no substance, and except for Chi McBride, an infinitely overrated cast of nobodies I'd be overjoyed to see fulfill their potential fast food drive-thru window workers. Pushing Daisies should have been cancelled before it aired a single episode.

I would add Miss Guided. It got better each week.

Farscape Farscape Frascape!!! Unrecognized by most but one of the best SciFi shows out there. Sure they gave us the movie but everyone agrees there were loose ends not tied up. As for Firefly- it is the reason I simply don't watch new TV shows anymore and wait for DVD's. It's cancellation broken my heart in a way that has not yet healed.

The shows on the list that I watched were: My So-Called Life, Arrested Development and Deadwood. All were so brilliant in different ways! At least AD was given the time for a good ending. It should be a crime to end on a cliffhanger or be fed lies by TPTB who claim there is a movie or miniseries coming and then there isn't (Deadwood).

As for what is not on the list, for me, I would add Sliders (what happened with Rembrandt when he slid back to the homeworld?), Lois and Clark (what happened with that baby?), and Cavemen (I wasn't expecting this to last but it still hurt. That was a funny show that didn't get enough marketing.)

I liked Tru Calling. It was there and next think you know it was gone. There are a lot of shows that I think were cancelled too fast. But have to say, won't miss Pushing Daisies, never got into it, but sorry for you fans.

I still have to carry a torch for Reunion who FOX treated like yesterday's garbage. All I wanted was 7 more episodes to wrap up the story, was that too much to ask for? And then to add insult to injury FOX refused to show the last 4 shot episodes but felt the need to let other countries play them. A missed opportunity on DVD sales of the entire series was lost as well. This is the reason why FOX will forever suck.

Veronica Mars still hurts.

The 4400. Hands down the worst cancellation ever. Ruined my summer!

Agree with most of this list particulary Arrested Development, Veronica Mars and Pushing Daisies.

Also agree with the other echoing JoA. But also have to add my two guilty pleasures Moonlight & Tru Calling to the list.

Tru Calling wasn't the best but it had me hooked, Fox should have either cancelled it after season 1 or let it run a full season throughout season 2 instead of being chopped off mid-season without any resolution. Atleast most of the shows above, even though they were felled in their primne, they finished a full season. I bet they do the samed with Eliza Dukshu's next vehicle - Dollhouse (it's on Fox and is made by Joss and stars Eliza - it's jinxed).

Angel should be on that list

Why do I feel like the only person on the planet who genuinely liked Studio 60?

I mean, yes, it wasn't nearly as un-self-conscious as Sports Night, or as spot-on social commentary as West Wing, but it wasn't nearly as terrible as what was eventually said about it. I recently sat down and watched the entire season again without the hype-and-hyperbole that surrounded it's launch and subsequent tailspin, and I have to say that it's actually pretty good. It might not have had ten seasons in it (or five, or maybe even three), but I think that if it had been the freshman or sophomore effort of a creator who wasn't Aaron Sorkin, it would have been pretty well received. Instead, you had a bidding war, Sorkin's own elevated sense of self-importance, a number of too-public issues and bloated expectations, and there was very little chance for it to escape unscathed.

Even so, I think there was a pretty compelling story that was being told, and that an actual end to the season - as opposed to the tacked on, out-of-left-field, let's give the two main characters some hippy-dippy happy ending bullcrap - would have made a much more compelling argument for another season with those characters. I, for one, miss that show, and not for the "Sorkinfreude".

i miss third watch, i know it had a good run, but it got yanked before its time, and i can't find it anywhere on DVD. also the 4400. but veronica mars really does top the list. that was a gem of show.

As much as I loved Sliders, Veronica Mars and Arrested Development in their prime, these shows had a good run and were starting to get bad (and arguably have even jumped the shark) by the time they were axed.

Dead Like Me and Carnivale left me wondering about a bunch of stuff, but at least they got a chance to come to a semi-satisfying semi-conclusion.

The ones I mourn are the ones that ended in their infancy, just as their plots were getting more interesting, and they were just unceremoniously yanked in the middle of a cliffhanger, shows like:
Jake 2.0, Dark Skies, Now and Again (not to be confused with Once and Again).

I vaguely remember Space: Above and Beyond. Did it get cancelled? That's one of those shows from before I had the internets to keep me informed on when to watch what, so I only caught bits and pieces, but that's still enough to stay with me.

Anyone remember Harsh Realm? Axed by FOX after three episodes.

Ooh, and Strange Luck from way back. That's from before I even knew what a TV season or cancellation was.

My BFF and I really got into John Woo's Once A Thief when it was on. Such a weird show, yet so oddly addictive. This is also from before I had the internets to give me cancellation news, so the ending was a huge WTF for the both of us at the time.

Veronica, how i miss thou!

I'm delighted to hear that someone besides me remembers "Wonderfalls" and "Keen Eddie." Great shows! I also liked "Joan of Arcadia." And, I don't remember the name of it, but Josh Brolin was in a show about an independent Senator that I thought had a lot of potential.

What about Reunion? That was a great mystery and it was set up so that it could play out over one season. But FOX jumped the gun and canceled it halfway through. That show deserved at least one full season.

Oh. Veronica Mars. I miss so much. Because of Jason Dohring I started to watch Moonlight - which I actually liked, but mostly just his stuff, didn'r realy care for Beth. And Arrested Development. It was just so awesome.

These show regulary pass my dvdplayer. I need my fix..!

And I curse the fact that I can't get Everwood on dvd in my country.

You know what they say; the good ones die young.

I agree. I really liked Traveler and was very upset to see it get yanked off the airwaves.

Another recent upset was Journeyman, which I really enjoyed.

I agree wholeheartedly with "Veronica Mars" and "My So Called Life" being on this list. Those cancellations still haunt me.

Word to whoever wanted "Farscape" to be added to this list. However, being a sci-fi junkie, I have to add two more shows that (surprisingly, at least to me), no one has mentioned yet. That would be the brilliance that was "Alien Nation", and "V". Am I just getting too old that no one else remembers these shows?

ITA w/Ronathan about Alien Nation & V. I'm not much of a sci-fi person, but I loved those shows. More recently, I still miss 4400,Dead Like Me,Arrested Development, Pasadena, Keen Eddie(Mark Valley is so underrated), and Drive. Oh, and does anyone remember Flying Blind & Get A Life?

The Black Donnellys was an amazing show that -to me- was an homage to The Godfather and regardless of fan-base, should have been continued, if nothing else, for spreading culture through this dull pop-based time we live in.

Kidnapped was a terrific show which never caught on. I would have loved to have seen how Delroy Lindo would have fared after he joined the team.

Completely agree with Everwood, Joan of Arcadia, Once and Again, Arrested Development.

I'll add Birds of Prey, which finally started to get its writing together in time for the last episode.

A show that I miss was New Amsterdam, a show that to me had great promise.
Also enjoyed Wonderfalls and Firefly, sorry to hear about Pushing Daisies

Steven, I couldn't let you think you were all alone in your goodwill towards Studio 60. I agree with everything you said about it regarding the reasons it was doomed to fail before it even began. It was not nearly as bad as most like to remember, and it had some very clever and poignant moments during its short run.

Also, count me in with the masses who lament the early demise of Firefly, Pushing Daisies, and Dead to Me, among so many others. I'll never understand what some network execs are thinking when they pull the plug before a good, quality show has had a chance to find its footing.

Blah, you wonder why My So-Called Life was cancelled? I'll tell you why. It premiered in the same exact year in the same exact time slot as a raitings juggernaut called Friends. So while you and I were sighing over Angela Chase and Jordan Catalano, the rest of America was learning what Ugly Naked guy was up to. It sucks, but sadly shows sometimes die when they have competition like that. Personally, I would rather be friends with Angela than anyone on that other show.

My sister loved American Dreams, too, and is still bitter that it was canceled. *nods*

Studio 60 blows 30 Rock out of the water in my humble opinion. If I want realism, I can watch the news. Maybe it is a blessing that the series wasn't continued. They would have only ruined it with the constant make up / break up crap, which seems to be a staple of almost every US drama and comedy series.

I totally agree re: Sports Night, not Studio 60. But I would love to mention a show that was cancelled LITERALLY before it's time, which was Reunion. Yes, it was a terrible, horrible, dumb show. I admit it! But I also started watching it, and was led to believe that 20 episodes existed and that at the end of the 20 episodes, we'd learn who the murderer and the victim were. But it was cancelled to soon, and now I'll never know? Not that I probably would have cared an hour later, but come on. I thought the episdoes might be released on DVD, but I haven't found them. Oh well. It's a futile thing to be annoyed about, but I am still a little miffed.

I'm still mourning the loss of Lee Pace on my TV every week. But Freaks and Geeks? I loved that show, and miss it. One of the best shows ever.

I loved Cupid - have loved Jeremy Pivan ever since. It was the first time a show I really liked was canceled and it scarred me for life.

every time a show I like starts, there is always at the back of my mind, a little voice going "it isn't going to last, it is too ___" [fill in your own description]

Harry Dresden on Sci Fi was like that - I thought it was a great show but it got no love from the network and even though it was one of the highest rated on Sci Fi, they yanked it. I hate Sci Fi channel too now!

I do that too! I'll never tire of that show -- I love all things Sorkin, but Sports Night will always be special.

Veronica Mars for me is irreplaceable

Sorkinfruede... yeah! Just for that i won't ban TVWOP from my browser forever for mentioning that show in any list with Wonderfalls! Gosh I miss that show.... Gosh, Studio 60 was horrrrrrrrrrible.... *sigh*

I still miss Relativity. I'm even hoping it'll be released on DVD someday. Ditto Veronica Mars, Studio 60, and Firefly. I'd even add Angel in there, too, because it's my understanding that it was supposed to last another season.

Two words: "Frank's Place".
Also, the controversial (but great) "Nothing Sacred", and the "West Wing" spinoff "Mister Sterling", starring Josh Brolin.

I also agree with those who picked "Joan of Arcadia" (this and "Nothing Sacred" were both shows about people finding faith on the edge, as opposed the oversimplicity of the long-running "Touched By An Angel"), Murder One, Space: Above and Beyond, and Alien Nation.

Theo! You're so right!

How could I have forgotten Frank's Place? I've never been to New Orleans, but the sense of place and character in that show was just wonderful. Check out the thread here at TWoP for the sad tale of the show's demise, and hope for a possible DVD release, spearheaded by Tim Reid and co.

This is going old school, but what about The Naked Gun?!!

I remember Cupid fondly.

This one goes way back, but my first true cancellation hurt was an amazing show called Homefront. If you want to see Friday Night Lights Kyle Chandler be a delightful and quirky love interest set in a thoughtful, provocative and fun drama, go check it out.

I just want to add a big fat WORD to Veronica Mars, MSCL, and Pushing Daisies. RIP, shows :(

This list is pure perfection, but maybe next time consider a list of creators that got screwed. Greg Berlanti (Everwood as well as Jack and Bobby) and Aaron Sorkin (S60 and Sports Night) would for sure be at the top of my list.

It's funny to look at all those shows and see one of the biggest things they all have in common - spot on writing. I guess with NBC giving Leno the 10p slot five nights a week, that list is going to get a little longer.

When I talk about favorites I always include Freaks and Geeks, Deadwood, Everwood and Sports Night...but I also list a few where only the first 3 seasons were memorable (Ballykissangel, Northern Exposure, Homicide, St. Elsewhere). It's a fine line between cancelled too soon and shark jumping, but personally I'd rather see them setting up the ski ramp than wonder....

My Own Worst Enemy should be on this list, I stopped watching Heroes but I still watch MOWE even though I know I'll never see how far they were willing to go.

I agree with quite a few that everyone has been listing.

Deadwood, Joan of Arcadia and MSCL are especially painful. All just gone, with all those questions still out there. My brother will not even watch Joan on DVD he is so upset that it got cancelled.

I would definately add Keen Eddie (why can't Mark Valley find a good show to be on?? They just had to kill him on Fringe), Once and Again (the cast was crazy talented!), Freaks and Geeks, and the Black Donnelly's.

Though I was never a huge fan of Jericho (that's nuts! :-) I liked it better than what is passing as Heroes this season.

And can I just add a rant about why shows do not come out on DVD. Sisters anyone?? Once and again Season 3?

I would like to add to the Sports Night bandwagon.I miss Dan and Casey! And I miss Josh Malina's character!
The second show is one that almost NO ONE saw and the world is a worse place for it. It was a little vampire show called Blood Ties. The Lifetime network really screwed themselves out of a great thing when they canceled this wonderful show. And given the recent box office success of Twilight, and the popularity of True Blood on HBO, I hope that the Lifetime execs that canceled Blood Ties are grinding their teeth into nubs at their own stupidity.

I am weird so the shows I miss are diffrent like "Cop Rock and "Alf". And there was one with Miguel Ferrer, a cop show with a talking dummy. Forgot the name.

I am still waiting for Angel Season 6! It was so obvious from the storyline that Whedon and co. believed they were getting another season. They did everything the WB asked of them (including higher ratings) and were still canceled. Do I feel bad that the WB, now the CW is in the toilet? Not one feaking bit

I agree with many of the other series on the list and in the comments. Rome should have had 3 seasons, Deadwood at least one more to clean things up.

Miracles, Profit, Dead Like Me, Farscape, Firefly, Wonderfalls, and Moonlight were all canceled prematurely.

Terrible pity about Eli Stone and Daisies, although I thought the latter took too long to get going story wise and has only hit it's stride in the last few episodes.

And one that I don't think anyone has mentioned yet. The Adventures of Briscoe County Jr. staring Bruce Campbell definitely needed more seasons!

Tru Calling. I still wonder what would have happened. Joan of Arcadia, I loved and was extremely pissed when they canceled it and put Ghost Whisperer on. I still refuse to watch this show and am sooo glad I don't. Stupid. Freaks and Geeks was awesome and I'm getting the DVDs to have my two teens watch. The cancellation of Pushing Daisies still has me upset and my son as well. The first season he refused to watch thinking it looked stupid. Then he watched one of the first eps of this season and is hooked and was mad when I told him they were canceling it. Face it, if a show has a modicum of intelligence and is not full of sex and bodily humor jokes or teens having sex and drug issues, then it's not going to be popular. People want dumbed down. I loved Carnivale and Dead Like Me (yeah for the movie..boo no Mandy! Or Laura Harris). Crap like Super Nanny and Trading Spouses or whatever one that is that is still on, will keep being made people because do not like to make the effort to think.

I second 'Drive', 'Jericho', and although I'm a dude, what about 'Gilmore Girls' just ending all the sudden?

My girlfriend and I were all set to record Drive on the DVR, and then left with nothing after four episodes. What a good show! Jericho was the same. Coupla seasons, and then nothing. They could have gone with that show forever.

Yay! Pushing Daisies is back!

Definitely:
The Black Donnellys!! on NBC

Life as we Know It on ABC I think...

Related on the WB

Reunion on FOX

Jacko & Bobby!! on the WB

Over There on FX

Studio 60 on NBC

All amazing shows gone wayy too soon.
Come back!

The most devastating cancellations for me were Firefly, Wonderfalls, and Freaks and Geeks. All three were clever, well-acted, generally amazing, and all were canceled in their first season (Wonderfalls after after 3 episodes).
I was a big fan of Joan of Arcadia, but I feel like it probably would have gone down hill if it had stayed on longer. Also, Will's blue-shaded police parts annoyed me, so I was glad to see those go, even at the expense of the rest.
I loved Carnivale, but feel it was too convoluted, and lost a lot of its mysterious air when we started getting answers in the second season.
Veronica Mars was amazing, but the two final seasons never quite lived up to the first.
I know it's sacrilegious, but I never really liked My So-Called Life, and didn't mourn its loss.

The Loop on Fox. The first season, anyway. Fox got antsy and decided to change the formula, which was still a good show but not the same. Seriously, bring The Loop back now!

My list of shows I could have seen more of, in no particular order:

Jake 2.0
John Doe
Firefly (One Of the Best shows EVER!)
Dead Like Me
VR 5
Joan Of Arcadia
Stargate Atlantis (Even though it had a good run)
Star Trek: Enterprise
Earth: Final Conflict (with the first season cast)

I was pissed when Kindred the Embraced (Dramatic Vampire show) on Fox got canceled, and it seemed like everyone else in the world was pissed too, but it was because the leading man died unfortunately, still he died in the last episode they could have kept it going, it was hugely popular at the time and the much less entertaining Buffy the vampire slayer took off after that and was very successful

Oh I LOVE My So Called Life... I bought the dvds about a month ago as I heard it was good. Too bad if they continue it now they're all waayy too old. Damn I hate whoever cancelled this show.

& Veronica Mars? Seriously! How could they cancel that show. it was a freakin amazing perfect show and they cancelled it. 3 seasons was great... but veronica as an FBI agent would have ROCKED!

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As I went down your list, all I could think of was "Agreed. Agreed. Agreed."

Pushing Daisies..Studio 60..Wonderfalls.. Firefly..Arrested Development..Freaks and Geeks..EVERYTHING. I want it back. And yes, Bryan Fuller is an under-appreciated genius.

Loved Now and Again. What a great cast! Eric Close (HOT), Dennis Haysbert, Margaret Colin and the actress who played the daughter (her name escapes me).
Shannon's Deal was another show with a great ensemble cast - Jamey Sheridan, Elizabeth Pena, Richard Edson. I am distraught over my 2 favorite shows - Eli Stone and Pushing Daisies :(
And crap like According to Jim has been on for like 10 years!!

I will also never forget Ed - an adorable, funny, genuine show! - but I'm just grateful we got almost four full seasons of it, and a proper ending. In this day and age, it probably would've been cancelled in half a season.

I am absolutely in denial about the cancellation of the wonderful Pushing Daisies, and have nothing more to say about that.

The other shows on my "Gone before their time" list...

- Studio 60
- Cupid
- Relativity
- Wonderfalls
- Everwood (though again, I am grateful we got four full seasons and a proper ending)

1. Mutant X - was supposed to go to another season and then was supposed to go to a movie to wrap up all the loose endings but never did...

2. John Woo's Once A Thief... impossible to find on dvd anywhere... Genius... don't know why it ended just stopped airing completely... but oh so incredible...

3. Tru Calling! Why did that end after 2 seasons? Who did not love Harrison and Tru?

4. Angel - Good run, nice but sad ending... But we now have David B in Bones which I love so it's not as bad!

5. Wonderfalls for sure that show was hilarious

6. Gilmore Girls - it had a good run but seriously whose idea was it to cancel gilmore girls? how was that not making a shit ton of money? Did they all just retire and figure well we've made enough money for life? Cause I've only seen Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel in not great roles... Not impressed by SOT series... and none of the rest of the cast in anything! Was it the stupid merge of CW or what?

7. 4400 ooooooommmmmgggggggg i am still in denial that that is cancelled... I was like sheesh when is it coming back? NEVERRR! aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!! why it was phenomenal!!!

8. ALIAS aka THE BEST SHOW IN THE WORLD! I can't believe Jennifer Garner wanted to have a family and a life grrrr haha but I was so ridiculously obsessed with that show! unbelievably so! let's have it make a come back!

ps I have never seen Firefly but I saw Serenity like 3-4 years ago? and I loooooved it... It's now def one of my favorites!

Wow! Those are exactly the 2 shows that I was going to add! Both were appointment TV for me, & both were gone too damn soon!

I'm glad to see a bunch of people are as upset as I was about The Class being axed. I was fully expecting it to be on this list. Maybe it would've made the Top 20.

oh yeah and Homefront!

Agreed on most of the f/sf shows, they never seemed to get the chance to develop they deserved. Add "Nowhere Man" to that list.

Love Monkey! Great cast, great music, interesting storylines. I discovered it and they cancelled it immediately afterward.

The no particular order thing:

1. 60
2. Now and Again
3. Gideon's Crossing
4. Millennium
5. Vengeance Unlimited
6. Murder One
7. Threshold
8. Jericho
9. Wonderland
10. Oz

Popular...I still love you.
Thank you KittyQ, I'd forgotten all about Grosse Pointe. I need that series back in my life. Veronica Mars and the rest. I need an Amazon wish list fast.

Let's face it. This is the problem with commercial television. Creativity takes a back seat to the almighty dollar. And it seems even more so over the past decade or two. Shows are now given three or four episodes to "produce" the ratings while in past years they may have been given half a season to get established with the viewers. Now with the preeminence of reality shows and their lower production costs; I think television is at its lowest point in its history.

Sports Night is by far and away my favourite. To those asking about if it was cancelled or not. This is the reason behind the line "Those who can't make money off of Sports Night should get out of the money-making business." That was Sorkin looking the network in the eye and staying it straight.

This, Joan, Pushing Daisies, Jack & Bobby and Eli Stone...I shall deeply miss.

I think Dead Like Me should have been included. I cry for that show :'(

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How about Crusade - TNT never gave it a chance -

COP ROCKS BY STEVE BOCCHO (SIC?) WAS WAY AHEAD OF ITS TIME.

I'm still watching Buffy and Angel re-runs. Bring them back with new and original actors.

Arrested Development, Pushing Daisies and Dead Like Me all tried too hard to be quirky.

Wonderfalls was wonder full but probably didn't have much more than a single series in it.

Action was fantastic but also complete.

Studio 60 was spinning out of control and deserved to be put down.

The only two series mentioned here that it was undoubtably criminal to cut short are Freaks and Geeks and Firefly.

Another not mentioned here, and probably way before most readers time and from Britain was Turtles Progress.

i miss veronica mars *sniff sniff

i miss veronica mars *sniff sniff

Moonlight has to be at the top of my list, as although it was flawed, I loved that show and it had such promise.
Eli Stone
Journeyman
Pushing Daisies
Dark Angel
Vernoica Mars

I will miss and do miss all of the above shows.

Veronica Mars, Eli Stone, Pushing Daisies, Wonderfalls, Joan of Arcadia. All great shows. I really like New Amsterdam last year too. Such a good concept. Remember when the networks would actually keep shows on for a whole season (sometimes 2) before axing them? The original 90210 was a the bottom of the ratings the first year and didn't find a following until they started summer episodes. God forbid a network try that nowadays.

I agree with the list about Pushing Daisies, Studio 60, and Freaks and Geeks. But there are many others that I mourn the loss of. Although many of these have been said I think that these shows were axed too soon.

1. Dark Angel (Who didn't want to see Max and Alec get together? And to find out what was up with Ames White and his crew?

2. Sports Night (Just a generally awesome show)

3. Las Vegas (Although it went seriously downhill when James Caan left it just needed one more episode to clear up what the heck happened.)

4. Life As We Know It. (Gotta love Sean Faris)

5. Tru Calling (It was original and addictive and should have at least been able to finish a full second season)

6. Reunion (Just wanted to figure out the killer)

7. The O.C. (Okay I admit it got bad, but I miss Seth Cohen)

8. October Road (The folks of Knights Ridge were wonderfully quirky and Nick was so cute)

1. October Road (ABC)
2. Ed (NBC)
3. Head Cases (Fox) - TWO EPISODES? SERIOUSLY??

HBO need their collective arse's reamed for canceling a show like Carnivale! What in all tha is Holy were they thinking? Why does Krap TV stick around and great TV go away? I canceled my cable as it is a waste of $$$ anymore.

"G vs E" rocked. Firefly and Drive were good while they lasted. Dark Skies and "Now and Again" both had some pretty intersting plot developments. But Brimstone is the king of the cancelled pack.

It's really sad to think that a network who picked up all the good but cancelled early series would have a complete primetime line-up!

What about ROSWELL