RIP- Shows that Ended before Their Time
You know the old proverb; "All Good Things Come To An End"? Well, as sad and unfortunate as it may be, its true. In the media world we have seen a lot of one-hit-wonders come and go. Artists, projects, could-be-stars, TV and movie series.... I mean, whatever did happen to Toto? How many people have even heard of CrossGen Comics? Does anyone even remember that Battlestar Galactica online game that was on SciFi's website when the remade TV series was released? Or the Lego Mata Nui online game that showed so much promise, but was removed far too soon from Lego's website?
Last but not least, who remember's the wannabe Facebook days of the now music-sized site known as "MySpace"?
We have seen more passing fads in music, social media, movies and tv, video games books and comics that any of us can probably count. For now, though, I want to focus on TV shows that had amazing actors and premises, but all died despite their potential or fan following. Now, remember, this selection is in no particular order and is based simply on my personal findings. Just because I left something out is no reason to get all John Wick on me and make a scene.
1- Constantine (2014-2015, 13ep.)
Based on Marvel's "Hellblazer" comic book series, this show featured a representation much more faithful to the source material than the 2004 movie starring Keanu Reeves. British star Matt Ryan is kooky and quirky and perfect in the role of John Constantine; Exorcist, Demonologist, and Master of the Dark Arts.
2- Firefly/Serenity (2002-2003, 14ep.)
This show can best be summarized in the words of the lead character and Captain of the Serenity, Malcolm Reynolds;
"Here's how it is: (The) Earth got used up, so we (moved out, and) terraformed a whole new galaxy of Earths, some rich and flush with new technologies, some not so much. (The) Central Planets, them as formed the Alliance, waged war to bring everyone under their rule; a few idiots tried to fight it, among them myself. I'm Malcolm Reynolds, captain of Serenity. She's a transport ship, Firefly class. Got a good crew: fighters, pilot, mechanic. We even picked up a preacher for some reason, and a bona-fide companion. There's a doctor, too, took his genius sister from some Alliance camp, so they're keeping a low profile, (you understand). You got a job, we can do it, don't much care what it is."
3- Birds of Prey (2002-2003, 14ep.)
An early attempt by DC Comics to reboot their presence on the small screen, Birds of Prey told the story of Barbara Gordon, AKA: Oracle, Helena Kyle, AKA: The Huntress (daughter of Batman and Catwoman), and Dinah Redmond, metahuman and daughter of The Black Canary. Batman has essentially disappeared, and its up to these three to safeguard Gotham in his absence.
4- Farscape/The Peacekeeper Wars (1999-2003, 88ep.)
Before his appearance as Cameron Mitchel in Stargate: SG1, Ben Browder portrayed lost astronaut John Crichton. Rocketed through a wormhole while testing an experimental space shuttle, John finds himself in a universe like he never imagined. Over the course of 4 seasons and one 3hr miniseries, John and the misfit crew of Moya, the living ship he finds himself traveling on, manage to piss off 2 major galactic powers, destabilize both empires, save the galaxy, map out wormholes, and save the galaxy a few more times. Jim Henson Productions, the geniuses behind The Muppets and Labyrinth do the alien animatronics and like usual they excel with it. Claudia Black, who was destined to star alongside Ben Browder once again at a later date in Stargate, makes the perfect counter-character to his quirky and likeable Crighton.
5- Stargate: Atlantis (2004-2009, 99ep.)
A spin-off of the original series, Stargate: SG1, Atlantis finds humankind in a new galaxy and up against new races, along with a few variations of aliens already met in SG1. Through discoveries made during the course of SG1, the team at the SGC (Stargate Command) discovered the long lost City of the Ancients, Atlantis, that had been removed from our galaxy to another in order to protect and save it. An expedition is sent to explore and establish a presence, launching a story with just as many intriguing twists and turns as the original series, though perhaps with a tad bit more personality.
6- The Magnificent Seven (1998-2000, 22ep.)
Back in 1960, MGM developed what was essentially a remake of an earlier Japanese movie titled The Seven Samurai. Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen and Charles Bronson headed up the star-studded cast. A nasty bandit plaguing a small Mexican village forces the townspeople to turn to seven strangers to come and save them and their way of life. 38 years after the release of the well-received movie, the characters were resurrected by a new cast and crew for a television series that retold the original story and the events that transpired after the movie's end credits. Though well done and starring Michael Biehn and Ron Perlman, the show ended after two very short seasons.
7- The Tomorrow People (2013-2014, 22ep.)
A show about genetically altered humans trying to live and survive in a world that either wants to capture or kill them. Though their powers are not necessarily natural, the show still has a similar vibe as Heroes but with a more.... Vampire Diaries overall feel to the filming and acting.
8- Terra Nova (2011, 13ep.)
What would you do if the world was so corrupt and polluted that the only course of action was to pack up and portal you and your family into the prehistoric past? This show tries to answer that question through the lives of the Shannon family. Dinosaurs aren't the only danger, the humans who came along are sometimes just as bad.
9- Eureka (2006-2012, 77ep.)
A town in Oregon where the geniuses and kooks of our time come together under a government-funded and supervised environment. The fun part? US Marshal Jack Carter is responsible for keeping an eye on things. One this is for sure, madness and chaos with ensue with a healthy dose of chemistry.
10- Dead Like Me (2003-2004, 29ep.)
Poor Georgia Lass was a young failure who didn't care to make anything of herself. That is, until a toilet seat from the International Space Station falls from the sky, killing her and leaving her halfway in and out of death, existing as a Reaper, a Harbinger of Death. Now, the comical circumstances around her death aside, this show is actually very heartfelt and intuitive. Ellen Muth's excellent characterization as Georgia being taken into account, the true reason to watch this show is Mandy Patinkin's personification of Georgia's Reaper boss, Rube. Imagine Gideon from Criminal Minds but with a Supernatural twist and a Dexter level of introspection. All-in-all, a great TV show with great insight, great humor, and great death scenes.
11- The Dresden Files (2007, 13ep.)
Based on Jim Butcher's book series by the same name, The Dresden Files follows the misadventures of Chicago's one and only professional wizard and supernatural investigator.
12- Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008-2009, 31ep.)
Anyone who has seen the original Terminator movies know who Sarah Connor is. The legendary mother of John Connor, future leader of the Resistance against the machines and Skynet. This show follows Sarah and John before Skynet took over the world and before the need for John's Resistance. Per the usual, a Terminator is sent back in time to protect John and his mother from other Terminators sent back in time to kill them.
13- MythQuest (2001, 13ep.)
Their father having mysteriously disappeared while recording historical artifacts into his special computer database, Cleo and Matt Bellows are on a quest through historical legend to find him. All they have to do is call up an artifact on the computer and touch the screen, and they are transported into the story the artifact originated from. Little to they know that their father's disappearance is only the tip of the iceberg, and a demon called Gorgos is searching for a stone that can restore his powers and allow him to enter our realm. Once he manages that, he can conquer the world and all of history.
14- The Pretender (1996-2000, 86ep.)
Jared is a prodigy with no home, no family, and apparently no limit to his potential. Raised by a secret government think tank to be whatever was needed, hero, assassin, soldier, peacemaker, scientist, etc, Jared discovered he is being used and manipulated for less than honorable purposed and escapes. His new mission, discover who he is and who his parents where, all along trying to help people and keep himself from being recaptured.
15- Heroes (2006-2010, 79ep.)
Save the Cheerleader, Save the World. With just that to go by, a group of misfit superheroes with newfound power are lead on a wandering journey, all the while dodging government blackops, normal people, and an evil power-collecting super. Zachary Quinto provides and chilling performance as the super-villain Sylar, and Masi Oka's Hiro Nakamura is lovable and fun to see grow in his powers and as a person.
16- Star Trek: The Original Series (1966-1969, 80ep.)
The original cult classic starring William Shatner and Leonard Nemoy, Star Trek was not an instant hit. It was cancelled and renewed a number of times before achieving the fan-base it has today. In the end the show about the futuristic crew of the peacekeeping USS Enterprise was canceled due to controversy within the network.
17- Moonlight (2007-2008, 17ep.)
Before there was Vampire Diaries or True Blood, there was Moonlight. Mick St. John has been a vampire for over 50 years, and yet he still has issues with things like love and women. Add a touch of the supernatural world and he is in for more than his pointy eyeteeth have a taste for.
18- Dollhouse (2009-2010, 27ep.)
There is an organization that, for a price, will provide you anyone you want for any purpose you need. Want the perfect lover for a night? An assassin who will not fail? Is there a fantasy you want to live? And even you want to recreate? Call the Dollhouse and they will set you up with your fondest wish. Brainwashed volunteers there to escape their miserable lives, or to pay off debts to those more powerful than they, allow the Dollhouse to make them into anyone or anything a client requires. But what happens when the Dolls start to resent being controlled? Especially when they discover that the process by which they are made is both flawed and intended to be used to control the world. Its up to one Doll in particular, Echo, to stop the organization from enacting their mind-control plan. Joss Whedon excels yet again, and yet again one of his projects is shut down before its time.
19- Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994, 176ep.)
The spin-off of the Original Series, The Next Generation finds Captain Picard and the crew of the new USS Enterprise D and their never-ending mission to explore and bring peace and harmony to the Federation. This show had a long run and was the source for a number of movies starring the same cast, and was the launching platform for two spin-off TV shows, but it still was cancelled before its intended ending.
There are, of course, more shows out there that died premature deaths, but these are the ones I deemed to be the most worthy mentions. I may compile a second listing at a later date, or even take a poll on ones you would like me to cover on The Den.
But for now, I got my beautiful wife beside me and Constantine on the telly, so I think I'll sign off for now.
Night, ya'all!
~Josh Shipman
Last but not least, who remember's the wannabe Facebook days of the now music-sized site known as "MySpace"?
We have seen more passing fads in music, social media, movies and tv, video games books and comics that any of us can probably count. For now, though, I want to focus on TV shows that had amazing actors and premises, but all died despite their potential or fan following. Now, remember, this selection is in no particular order and is based simply on my personal findings. Just because I left something out is no reason to get all John Wick on me and make a scene.
1- Constantine (2014-2015, 13ep.)
Based on Marvel's "Hellblazer" comic book series, this show featured a representation much more faithful to the source material than the 2004 movie starring Keanu Reeves. British star Matt Ryan is kooky and quirky and perfect in the role of John Constantine; Exorcist, Demonologist, and Master of the Dark Arts.
2- Firefly/Serenity (2002-2003, 14ep.)
This show can best be summarized in the words of the lead character and Captain of the Serenity, Malcolm Reynolds;
"Here's how it is: (The) Earth got used up, so we (moved out, and) terraformed a whole new galaxy of Earths, some rich and flush with new technologies, some not so much. (The) Central Planets, them as formed the Alliance, waged war to bring everyone under their rule; a few idiots tried to fight it, among them myself. I'm Malcolm Reynolds, captain of Serenity. She's a transport ship, Firefly class. Got a good crew: fighters, pilot, mechanic. We even picked up a preacher for some reason, and a bona-fide companion. There's a doctor, too, took his genius sister from some Alliance camp, so they're keeping a low profile, (you understand). You got a job, we can do it, don't much care what it is."
3- Birds of Prey (2002-2003, 14ep.)
An early attempt by DC Comics to reboot their presence on the small screen, Birds of Prey told the story of Barbara Gordon, AKA: Oracle, Helena Kyle, AKA: The Huntress (daughter of Batman and Catwoman), and Dinah Redmond, metahuman and daughter of The Black Canary. Batman has essentially disappeared, and its up to these three to safeguard Gotham in his absence.
4- Farscape/The Peacekeeper Wars (1999-2003, 88ep.)
Before his appearance as Cameron Mitchel in Stargate: SG1, Ben Browder portrayed lost astronaut John Crichton. Rocketed through a wormhole while testing an experimental space shuttle, John finds himself in a universe like he never imagined. Over the course of 4 seasons and one 3hr miniseries, John and the misfit crew of Moya, the living ship he finds himself traveling on, manage to piss off 2 major galactic powers, destabilize both empires, save the galaxy, map out wormholes, and save the galaxy a few more times. Jim Henson Productions, the geniuses behind The Muppets and Labyrinth do the alien animatronics and like usual they excel with it. Claudia Black, who was destined to star alongside Ben Browder once again at a later date in Stargate, makes the perfect counter-character to his quirky and likeable Crighton.
5- Stargate: Atlantis (2004-2009, 99ep.)
A spin-off of the original series, Stargate: SG1, Atlantis finds humankind in a new galaxy and up against new races, along with a few variations of aliens already met in SG1. Through discoveries made during the course of SG1, the team at the SGC (Stargate Command) discovered the long lost City of the Ancients, Atlantis, that had been removed from our galaxy to another in order to protect and save it. An expedition is sent to explore and establish a presence, launching a story with just as many intriguing twists and turns as the original series, though perhaps with a tad bit more personality.
6- The Magnificent Seven (1998-2000, 22ep.)
Back in 1960, MGM developed what was essentially a remake of an earlier Japanese movie titled The Seven Samurai. Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen and Charles Bronson headed up the star-studded cast. A nasty bandit plaguing a small Mexican village forces the townspeople to turn to seven strangers to come and save them and their way of life. 38 years after the release of the well-received movie, the characters were resurrected by a new cast and crew for a television series that retold the original story and the events that transpired after the movie's end credits. Though well done and starring Michael Biehn and Ron Perlman, the show ended after two very short seasons.
7- The Tomorrow People (2013-2014, 22ep.)
A show about genetically altered humans trying to live and survive in a world that either wants to capture or kill them. Though their powers are not necessarily natural, the show still has a similar vibe as Heroes but with a more.... Vampire Diaries overall feel to the filming and acting.
8- Terra Nova (2011, 13ep.)
What would you do if the world was so corrupt and polluted that the only course of action was to pack up and portal you and your family into the prehistoric past? This show tries to answer that question through the lives of the Shannon family. Dinosaurs aren't the only danger, the humans who came along are sometimes just as bad.
9- Eureka (2006-2012, 77ep.)
A town in Oregon where the geniuses and kooks of our time come together under a government-funded and supervised environment. The fun part? US Marshal Jack Carter is responsible for keeping an eye on things. One this is for sure, madness and chaos with ensue with a healthy dose of chemistry.
10- Dead Like Me (2003-2004, 29ep.)
Poor Georgia Lass was a young failure who didn't care to make anything of herself. That is, until a toilet seat from the International Space Station falls from the sky, killing her and leaving her halfway in and out of death, existing as a Reaper, a Harbinger of Death. Now, the comical circumstances around her death aside, this show is actually very heartfelt and intuitive. Ellen Muth's excellent characterization as Georgia being taken into account, the true reason to watch this show is Mandy Patinkin's personification of Georgia's Reaper boss, Rube. Imagine Gideon from Criminal Minds but with a Supernatural twist and a Dexter level of introspection. All-in-all, a great TV show with great insight, great humor, and great death scenes.
11- The Dresden Files (2007, 13ep.)
Based on Jim Butcher's book series by the same name, The Dresden Files follows the misadventures of Chicago's one and only professional wizard and supernatural investigator.
12- Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008-2009, 31ep.)
Anyone who has seen the original Terminator movies know who Sarah Connor is. The legendary mother of John Connor, future leader of the Resistance against the machines and Skynet. This show follows Sarah and John before Skynet took over the world and before the need for John's Resistance. Per the usual, a Terminator is sent back in time to protect John and his mother from other Terminators sent back in time to kill them.
13- MythQuest (2001, 13ep.)
Their father having mysteriously disappeared while recording historical artifacts into his special computer database, Cleo and Matt Bellows are on a quest through historical legend to find him. All they have to do is call up an artifact on the computer and touch the screen, and they are transported into the story the artifact originated from. Little to they know that their father's disappearance is only the tip of the iceberg, and a demon called Gorgos is searching for a stone that can restore his powers and allow him to enter our realm. Once he manages that, he can conquer the world and all of history.
14- The Pretender (1996-2000, 86ep.)
Jared is a prodigy with no home, no family, and apparently no limit to his potential. Raised by a secret government think tank to be whatever was needed, hero, assassin, soldier, peacemaker, scientist, etc, Jared discovered he is being used and manipulated for less than honorable purposed and escapes. His new mission, discover who he is and who his parents where, all along trying to help people and keep himself from being recaptured.
15- Heroes (2006-2010, 79ep.)
Save the Cheerleader, Save the World. With just that to go by, a group of misfit superheroes with newfound power are lead on a wandering journey, all the while dodging government blackops, normal people, and an evil power-collecting super. Zachary Quinto provides and chilling performance as the super-villain Sylar, and Masi Oka's Hiro Nakamura is lovable and fun to see grow in his powers and as a person.
16- Star Trek: The Original Series (1966-1969, 80ep.)
The original cult classic starring William Shatner and Leonard Nemoy, Star Trek was not an instant hit. It was cancelled and renewed a number of times before achieving the fan-base it has today. In the end the show about the futuristic crew of the peacekeeping USS Enterprise was canceled due to controversy within the network.
17- Moonlight (2007-2008, 17ep.)
Before there was Vampire Diaries or True Blood, there was Moonlight. Mick St. John has been a vampire for over 50 years, and yet he still has issues with things like love and women. Add a touch of the supernatural world and he is in for more than his pointy eyeteeth have a taste for.
18- Dollhouse (2009-2010, 27ep.)
There is an organization that, for a price, will provide you anyone you want for any purpose you need. Want the perfect lover for a night? An assassin who will not fail? Is there a fantasy you want to live? And even you want to recreate? Call the Dollhouse and they will set you up with your fondest wish. Brainwashed volunteers there to escape their miserable lives, or to pay off debts to those more powerful than they, allow the Dollhouse to make them into anyone or anything a client requires. But what happens when the Dolls start to resent being controlled? Especially when they discover that the process by which they are made is both flawed and intended to be used to control the world. Its up to one Doll in particular, Echo, to stop the organization from enacting their mind-control plan. Joss Whedon excels yet again, and yet again one of his projects is shut down before its time.
19- Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994, 176ep.)
The spin-off of the Original Series, The Next Generation finds Captain Picard and the crew of the new USS Enterprise D and their never-ending mission to explore and bring peace and harmony to the Federation. This show had a long run and was the source for a number of movies starring the same cast, and was the launching platform for two spin-off TV shows, but it still was cancelled before its intended ending.
There are, of course, more shows out there that died premature deaths, but these are the ones I deemed to be the most worthy mentions. I may compile a second listing at a later date, or even take a poll on ones you would like me to cover on The Den.
But for now, I got my beautiful wife beside me and Constantine on the telly, so I think I'll sign off for now.
Night, ya'all!
~Josh Shipman
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