The Most Short Lived TV Series That You Liked

What is the most short lived television series that you watched and really liked?

Mine was a series called "Murder One."

A show that I thought was outstanding.

Daniel Benzali plays a defense attorney that takes on a case defending a young actor who is accused of murder right after another suspect is aquitted of the same cahrges for the same crime.....ironically defended by Daniel Benzali!

The trial lasted the entire season and the show really had some prominant actors in it and was very well written with plenty of twists and turns.

Then after the first season they let Benzali walk and replaced him with Anthony LaPaglia, who did a pretty good job, but for some reason he was not as interesting as Benzali's character.

After the second season the show was canceled.

Law And Order

I used to love watching repeats of a shows from the 70s i think called land of the giants i think they only made 2 seasons.

I was enjoying Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip until they cancelled it in the middle of its first season.

I used to love that show when I was a kid!

I liked the show "Brat camp". They only aired it for one season. Could be because kids who's parents may have wanted to send them there would already know what it's about. It'll be kind of hard to get them on that bus.

"The Super".

It was on for only one half season in the early 70's. It starred Richard Castellano ("Clemenza") as a building superintendent in a comedy role. Ardell Sheridan ("Clemenza's wife") portrayed his wife again and Bruno Kirby ("young Clemenza" in "Part II") played his son! Funny show!

Off the top of my head:

We really liked Whoopi Goldberg's sitcom of a couple of years ago, and never understood why it was cancelled so quickly. I think it was too far to the "left" for a lot of people to deal with.

There have been certain animated series that have been real gems, but have not lasted more than a season or two. Freakazoid and Histeria are prime examples. (Histeria's spoof of Ken Burns's Civil War series was classic.)

But for me, one of the most unfairly treated shows - that just happened to be animated - was God, The Devil, and Bob. Several episodes were filmed, but only four actually aired before NBC bowed to pressure from religious groups and pulled the show. If memory serves me right, God was voiced by James Garner (and resembled Jerry Garcia), the Devil was Tim Curry and Bob was French Stewart. I've heard that more episodes aired overseas and in rerun syndication, but not in the NY area (that I know of). There may have been a DVD release, too, if I'm not mistaken. But, as I said, only four episodes were shown in prime time by NBC before the axe fell. I have them somewhere, but have not viewed the tape in years.

It was a real shame about that show. It deserved better.

Signor V.

In the 1970's, I loved a show called Beacon Hill. It was basically about the Kennedy family (overbearing bootlegger father, war-hero son), but they changed a few things to avoid getting sued. I was very addicted, and then they canceled it. I may have been the only person that ever watched it.

Another favorite of mine that was cancelled too fast was "Brooklyn Bridge". It told the story of a young kid (about 13 years old) and his family in Brooklyn in the 1950's.

Obviously I was biased by the subject matter and theme (it was almost like they were telling MY story) but aside from that it was an elegantly written show and often very poignant. Marion Ross (the mother on "Happy Days") played the grandmother excellently. There were no other "big names" in it but the acting was top-notch as well.

It aired for only two seasons (in the 1990's) and I was very disappointed when it was cancelled (primarily due to poor ratings).

I'm not sure if this qualifies as short lived because there were 19 episodes (and should have been a lot more) was Andy Richter Controls the Universe. It seems like anything Richter is in is short lived. It's too bad, he is a very funny actor. I loved him on Conan Obrien.

I was a fan of Fox's Sunday night comedy "Get a Life" starring Chris Eliot. It may have lasted a couple of seasons, which would place beyond the scope of this thread, but I thought it was pulled too soon.

I remember that show Klydon! I remember the first episode where he gets stuck upside down on a roller coaster.

Im Alan partridge (steve coogan) was great its one of my favourites,its a shame he only made two seasons though

POLICE SQUAD!

and

KAREN SISCO

Kingpin

Show about a mexican crime family on NBC a few years back

Fawlty Towers!
John Cleese at his very best!

One you should know yogi the Young Ones . About 6 studants in the 80's only did 2 series,classic

Off the top of my head, and in the late 90's or so, I liked a show called "That's Life" about a Jersey Italian American family. I don't know who t he star of the show was. My daughters and I looked forward to seeing it every week. I think it only lasted a couple years.

Also, some years ago, I was disappointed when the cancelled Amazing Stories.


TIS

That was the show with Paul Sorvino as a restaurant owner, and Ellen Burstyn as his wife. Debi Mazar, from GOODFELLAS, played one of the daughters' friends. It was referenced on THE SOPRANOS once, Christopher called it an unbelievable Guinea-fest, totally unrealistic. But I don't agree with Christopher, I agree with TIS. I liked it, a lot.

Yes, that's the one PB. I can't say I remember Christopher's comment on it. I found it delightful and could relate to the storyline a number of times.


One line of Lydia's that stuck in my mind, "Every Italian household has a picture of the Pope on one wall and Frank Sinatra on the other.

TIS

C LASSIC

Oh, and I forgot Crime Story (I think it was called) about Las Vegas. It starred Dennis Farina. It was on in the mid 80's, if I remember correctly. It was an excellent show, but it just never took off.

Oh yea!! I loved Crime Story. I don't think it was on more than 2 seasons was it? Dennis Farina was great and the Vegas background great as well.

I remember visiting Vegas and seeing the big banner on Vegas World Casino saying "Crime Story Filmed Here." I kept hoping to see it being filmed but never did catch it when I was there.

TIS

No, it didn't last very long at all, TIS. It was the first time we had ever seen Dennis Farina, and have been fans ever since.

Who was the co-star. A good looking guy, but his name escapes me. He was Farina's partner I think. I've seen him even recently in various roles, but can't think of his name.

I loved the Del Shannon theme song in the beginning with the cast standing in the street (holding guns I think??)


TIS

NOTE: The co-star I was trying to think of was Anthony Dennison.

Crime Story actually aired over three seasons. It was an intelligent show, but it was decade too early. Today it would make it.

But more recently, "Smith" with Ray liotta.Also, how about "Wiseguy"?

Actually, The Young Ones aired in the NYC area on a now-defunct public television station in either the very late 1980's or the very early early 1990's (memory's a little hazy). I don't know how many other areas in the US got to see it. Signora V. and I watched it, but, alas, didn't record any of the episodes.

A true UK classic was Father Ted. It might have had a longer run if not for the untimely death of its star - though this has been disputed. Since it was a comedy about Catholic priests, many PBS stations here in the US wouldn't go near it. It did have a limited showing in the NY area several years ago. Now, that show was screamingly funny.

Signor V.

Father Ted is very funny,but you have to understand the humour

Yes of course an old bastard like me would remember this one mate

You maybe old but im sure your not a bastard.

Ha ha!
Right on both counts mate!

I hope......

One of my all time favorite shows! It only aired for two seasons. It seems that sticking a TV show into a 10:00 friday night timeslot is like sending it to siberia.

Great pictures DC! That group shot is the picture in my mind when I think of this series.

Is that David Caruso in a couple pictures? He wasn't in the show was he?

Thanks for finding them.

TIS

They should bring it back. As far as I know Farina isn't doing a tv show anymore (I know he did L & O, for a couple seasons, but not anymore); and Denison isn't around much these days. They never bring shows back though do they?

I loved that show too, TIS, but I wouldn't hold my breath on a "reunion." Farina quit L&O because he wanted to get back to making movies and Denison just struck gold as a regular on TNT's THE CLOSER.

How about The Montefuscos?

Fastlane. It lasted something like 22 episodes.

Is Lucky Louie officially done?

It was never picked up for a 2nd season despite the fact the DVD of season 1 sold real well, and HBO keeps making new Louis CK and Jimmy Norton comedy specials. The critics hated the show, and I think thats why HBO dropped it. It had slightly above average ratings.

6 shows spring to mind.









I'm also thinking of Profit which starred Adrian Pasdar, can't get a pic to show up though.


Another one that just sprang to mind was a show called Skin. Can't remember for the life of me who starred in it though.


One of the shows I'm thinking about is The Pretender, although since it ran for 4 seasons. Maybe it can't be considered short lived.

How long was Early Edition on TV?

Ed was pretty good too.

Sledge Hammer was one I was going to name - that was funny slapstick. I would add "Police Squad," which lead to the Naked Gun movies.

I remember watching american police series called i think "chips" it used to repeat on a sundays years ago and all i remember now is the name or am i imagining it..

"CHiPs" was a real show. It wasn't short lived though. It aired from the mid-late 70's, until the early-mid 80's.

Oh cool,thanks for that..

I loved CHiPs as a kid. I always watched it when I stayed home from school.

I don't remember much about the much just the open credits..

My favorite really brief series was "On the Air," produced by David Lynch, which lasted all of three episodes. This show was just riotously funny--like a Marx Bros. movie in pastel colors. Great cast, too: Miguel Ferrer, Sydney Buchanan, Marla Rubinoff and the one and only Marvin Kaplan.

I liked "Crime Story," but I saw it only in reruns. Excellent stuff. Farina had the good taste to drive a '58 Chrysler 300D, which sent me into envy-spasms everytime he drove it.

That's him TIS.

How many remember Jackie Gleason's "You're in the Picture" quiz show that lasted one episode?

Well, I guess I liked it, and I guess it's the most short-lived that I liked:

Mulholland Dr., whose pilot wasn't bought up by any TV networks.

Instead, Lynch expanded it into a masterpiece feature.

I love NBC's Freaks And Geeks the most. It lasted only one season of eighteen episodes. (Look how big the show's executive producer Judd Apatow has become!) I've never forgiven NBC for this.

Wonderfalls only lasted four episodes. LOL. I really like it, though. That show's creator is now running ABC's critical hit Pushing Daisies.

Recently, I enjoyed but they cancelled in the first season ... The Nine.

Does anybody remember V.

I remember watching this when i was a little kid.