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 ...
Danger Will Robinson!
There was one about 10 years ago that seemed intriguing. It was about a space shuttle crew, while they were in space, the Earth was destroyed. They were rescued by aliens who sent them back in time three years to find out what caused the earth to blow up.
I think it only lasted 2-3 episodes.. .I wish I could remember the name of it.
The Event was one of the worst pilots I’ve ever seen. Disjointed, repetitive, slow-moving and ... could we just once not have a black president?
Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
I really liked Jason Ritter in Joan of Arcadia and hope the show gets better. I will definitely give it another chance.
i liked three of them: Journeyman, Kings and Life on Mars... hubby will be sad about Flashforward...
Funny, I generally like sci-fi. However, I had only heard of maybe 2 or 3 of these shows and never watched a single episode of any of them. Guess that’s why they were failures. If you can’t pull in an average guy like me who likes sci-fi...
Can’t these guys go back more than 10 years?! My favorite awful Sci-Fi TV Series was the 1970’s adaptation of Logan’s Run to TV. They resurrected Francis, found a new Jessica with Farrah hair, and threw in a “vehicle” that looked like a Mustang II with Paper Mache on top. I was 14, though, and loved it.
Flash Forward was pretty good — the biggest mistake they made was when they did a “24”-like hiatus for three or four months, or whatever it was, and then expected the audience to come back and catch up. No way was that gonna happen.
Anybody remember “Quark” from the late 70s or early 80s.
Yea FlashForward’s hiatus put me out. Shows like that can’t skip more than a week.
i think the networks are too quick to pull the plug these days...
Gee, how many “Persons Unknown” programs will we be subjected to this season. What a waste of time ... I have a strong feeling that the “Event” will end (not end) like the afore mentioned program.
Jekyll on BBC was great. Sadly, I don’t think it made it through even a full season.
Flashforward was cancelled??
Too bad, it was a really clever idea for a show.
I’m a Browncoat and surprised that some see Firefly as a failure.
Of course, having the disc and being able to watch the episodes actually in order with the pilot first helps a lot.
Knight Rider, I suppose, is science fiction. I saw it mostly as fantasy.
Their most memorable line: "We do not commit mindless violence" delivered wide-eyed in the usual lifeless monotone. Had me hoping for some mindful violence, thinking maybe they'd snap out of it.
Of course, I actually wanted the velociraptor to get that Screeching Girl in Jurassic Park so she'd just shut up, so I guess my opinion might not be mainstream, lol.
Absolutely loved it. Watched every episode (6).
Unfortunately I was not in a Nielsen family.
1978 or 9 I think (without checking)
I remember the twins.
They also missed Salvage One....
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