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20 of the most epic failures in network science fiction TV
Blastr.com ^ | 09/21/10

Posted on 09/21/2010 6:18:38 PM PDT by KevinDavis

The new TV season starts in earnest this week, and as usual it brings with it the promise of all kinds of new sci-fi, fantasy and horror treats for us to watch. And all too soon it will also bring with it an inevitable round of cancelations as shows that seemed like they were just getting going get cut short when the ratings take a sudden downturn (or maybe a slow decline).

Before we fall in love with too many new darlings only to lose them too soon, we thought it was a good time to look back over some of the most promising new network shows in the last 10 years that also seemed fresh and young ... only to flame out spectacularly.

The list could go well past 20 of course, but all of these stood out in some way during their brief time in the sun, either because so many viewers tuned in at first that cancelation seemed impossible, or because creatively they seemed a cut above the average TV fare.

(Excerpt) Read more at blastr.com ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: scifi
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To: KevinDavis

Somewhere I have the pilot episode I got off a torrent or newsgroup site ages back that was a digitized copy of an airtape or backup master. It had the slate and countdown and the person who posted it apparently lifted it off good old 3/4 U-Matic. Know that old format well. Quad looked way better as long as the heads didn’t clog. The days of the Ampex AVR 2 & 6 long gone.


61 posted on 09/21/2010 7:04:27 PM PDT by wally_bert (It's sheer elegance in its simplicity! - The Middleman)
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To: workerbee

Probably because the suits were told there is a ‘summer season’ and a ‘winter season.’ The poor guys could not think beyond that.


62 posted on 09/21/2010 7:04:37 PM PDT by I am Richard Brandon
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To: Controlling Legal Authority

One of the things I liked about “The Invaders” was they burned up when they were killed.

Roy Thinnes mentioned in one of his commentaries on the CD’s that the invaders were a little too easy to kill but people sort of accepted that since they were in a strange world in which they had to undergo constant rehabilitation in those chambers to stay alive and keep their human form.

Of course their ultimate plan was to change the earth’s atmosphere to match their own. There also was the occasional invader who did not approve of what they were doing.


63 posted on 09/21/2010 7:05:32 PM PDT by yarddog
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To: workerbee

Talk about hard to watch!


64 posted on 09/21/2010 7:05:36 PM PDT by wally_bert (It's sheer elegance in its simplicity! - The Middleman)
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To: netmilsmom

I like Quark and get the humor. My wife isn’t that big on it. As a rule, I have always liked Richard Benjamin.


65 posted on 09/21/2010 7:06:33 PM PDT by wally_bert (It's sheer elegance in its simplicity! - The Middleman)
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To: workerbee

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqB36FsglEE


66 posted on 09/21/2010 7:07:56 PM PDT by wally_bert (It's sheer elegance in its simplicity! - The Middleman)
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To: wally_bert

Yeah, the good ole days.... My kids can’t wrap their heads around the idea of ONLY have “kid shows” for a couple of hours on Sat. mornings. (”You mean you didn’t even have kid CHANNELS?”) rofl


67 posted on 09/21/2010 7:08:31 PM PDT by workerbee (FAIL, BABY, FAIL!)
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To: kidd
Flashforward was cancelled?? Too bad, it was a really clever idea for a show.

Maybe somebody should bring 'Hot Tub Time Machine' to TV.

68 posted on 09/21/2010 7:09:44 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: KevinDavis

surface is the one I miss most that got cancelled early.


69 posted on 09/21/2010 7:10:55 PM PDT by TexasFreeper2009 (Obama = Epic Fail)
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To: workerbee

I miss independent channels too. There was a really good one in upstate SC called WHNS and it had a great line up of old shows and movies. It became a FOX affiliate a few years later.


70 posted on 09/21/2010 7:11:33 PM PDT by wally_bert (It's sheer elegance in its simplicity! - The Middleman)
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To: workerbee

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtERZW63jF8&NR=1


71 posted on 09/21/2010 7:12:23 PM PDT by wally_bert (It's sheer elegance in its simplicity! - The Middleman)
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To: El Sordo

No on the first one and yes on the last two.


72 posted on 09/21/2010 7:12:50 PM PDT by Army Air Corps (Four fried chickens and a coke)
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To: workerbee

Sure, there was Bogart and Bacall, and more recently Hanks and Ryan, but for raw sexual tension, nothing could beat Nabors and Buzzi. A classic unremembered.


73 posted on 09/21/2010 7:15:05 PM PDT by Wallop the Cat
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To: wally_bert
LOL. Here's one for you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnSU2AalfKg
74 posted on 09/21/2010 7:16:32 PM PDT by workerbee (FAIL, BABY, FAIL!)
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To: KevinDavis

I don’t wanna look; I probably liked most of the worst shows. :^)


75 posted on 09/21/2010 7:18:03 PM PDT by dangus
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To: cripplecreek
Anybody remember “Quark” from the late 70s or early 80s.

Yup. I don't remember much about it, but I remember the show and wanting to watch it.

76 posted on 09/21/2010 7:18:38 PM PDT by IYAS9YAS (Liberalism can be summed up thusly: someone craps their pants and we all have to wear diapers)
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To: KevinDavis

The Star Ship Troopers series, I only saw one and that was too many. I didnt even make it through the whole thing.


77 posted on 09/21/2010 7:20:06 PM PDT by Husker24
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To: wally_bert
I miss independent channels too.

Same here! When I was a kid in Houston, there were three indy stations and they aired tons of classic TV shows and usually had theme movie blocs on weekends (one had "Kung Fu Theatre" another would air westerns, etc.).
78 posted on 09/21/2010 7:20:13 PM PDT by Army Air Corps (Four fried chickens and a coke)
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To: cripplecreek
Quark on DVD
79 posted on 09/21/2010 7:21:02 PM PDT by IYAS9YAS (Liberalism can be summed up thusly: someone craps their pants and we all have to wear diapers)
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To: KevinDavis

OK, turns out I didn’t like most of the shows they picked.... but I think I want to give “Kings” a try.


80 posted on 09/21/2010 7:21:31 PM PDT by dangus
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