Fans of any television show form a bond with the characters they watch on screen on a weekly basis. There is nothing worse than their favorite shows being cancelled. It is even more frustrating when the show is cancelled too soon. Here is a look at five TV shows that deserved a longer run on the air.
1) Freaks And Geeks: Freaks And Geeks was an hour-long comedy produced by Judd Apatow. It starred several big name actors, such as Seth Rogen, James Franco and Jason Segal. The show followed teenagers in Michigan and even though it was set in the 80’s the show is timeless. It originally aired during the 1999-2000 season for NBC, but was cancelled after 12 episodes. Freaks And Geeks is now one of the biggest cult-hits and thought to be one of the best TV shows of all-time. It can now be seen on IFC and the complete series is also out on DVD.
2) The Black Donnellys: This hour-long drama was centered on an Irish mob family and their relationship in their neighborhood as well as with Italian mobsters. Paul Haggis created the show and it starred Jonathan Tucker and Olivia Wilde. The show was a more toned down version of The Sopranos as it aired on network television, but it still had its darker moments. NBC cancelled the show after airing four episodes in 2007. They certainly made a mistake as it garnered the highest views online behind Heroes after its cancellation. The complete 13 episode series can be purchased on DVD.
3) Undeclared: Undeclared is another Apatow produced comedy that had a short life on air. This half-hour comedy aired on Fox in the 2001-2002 season and focused on a group of college students. The show starred Jay Baruchel and also a smaller role for Seth Rogen. Throughout the show’s limited run, many actors from Freaks And Geeks appeared. The cancellation also pushed Apatow into making movies. The show can now be seen on IFC as well as picked up on DVD.
4) My So-Called Life: My So-Called Life was an hour-long drama and aired on ABC during the network’s 1994-1995 season. The show followed several aware teenagers and their life as high school students. The show starred Claire Danes and Jared Leto. It also showcased teenage angst and didn’t have simple resolutions at the end of each episode. However, the first season ended on a cliffhanger and the show was never renewed. Claire Danes didn’t want to return to the show and the network most likely used it as an excuse to cancel the series. After its cancellation the show developed a cult following as well as being thought of as one of the best shows of all time. All 19 episodes created can be found on DVD.
5) Keen Eddie: Keen Eddie was an action, comedy-drama that aired on Fox in 2003. The show followed Detective Eddie Arlette as he transitioned from a New York City cop to working with Scotland Yard. The show starred Mark Valley and Sienna Miller and was cancelled after six episodes. It had a brief run on Bravo, which aired all 13 episodes. It can now be purchased on DVD.