If you were asked what your favoriteseriesthatwas canceled too soonis? Most of us would quickly think of a show. Theseprematurely canceled series weren’t “bad,”but they performed poorly in terms of viewership, cost too much for the network, and so on. As a result, our favorite shows were canceled way too soon by networks deeming them not good enough to have another season.
To their dismay, these series developed a cult following andhave become cult classicswith time. The2010swere full of these “bad” shows that were canceled but are now remembered as the victims of a network that didn’t truly value what they had.
10’Being Human UK' (2008–2013)
Rotten Tomatoes: 100% | IMDb: 7.8/10
What happens when you put a ghost, a werewolf, and a vampire into the same apartment? You get a massively popularBBCThree dramedy calledBeing Human. TheBritish fantasy TV showssomehow balanced apartment comedy (thinkThe Big Bang TheoryorFriends) with high-stakes supernatural horror drama. It sounds like a not-very-good potpourri, but somehow turned into a critically acclaimed series that managed to geta 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The series also impressively had a whole new cast, and critics actually praised the change and claimed it felt like it was the change the show needed. This is a rare feat for a television series.Being Humanwas remade in North America, but was not received well. Despite sounding like a “bad” idea for a show, the series was a success, and it was a huge shock that BBC Three decided to cancel the series just when it managed to give its show fuel with a new cast and more reasons to keep going.
Being Human
9’Don’t Trust the B— in Apartment 23' (2012–2013)
Rotten Tomatoes: 85% | IMDb: 7.3/10
While most may knowKrysten RitterfromBreaking BadorJessica Jones, she starred in the short-livedABCsitcomDon’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23. The series also featuredEric AndréandJames Van Der Beek playing fictionalized versionsof themselves. ABC’s cancellation of the series after only two seasons was very messy.
The first season had a 13-episode order, and then ABC renewed it for a second season with 13 episodes. However, only seven episodes from the first season aired. ABC randomly aired the six leftover episodes among the season two episodes,creating many continuity errors. While the show’s release schedule was a mess, the series gained a cult following that led to multiple petitions and efforts for the series to be continued, but to no avail.
Don’t Trust The B—- in Apartment 23
8’Terra Nova' (2011)
Rotten Tomatoes: 62% | IMDb: 6.7/10
Terra Novawas listed as one of the most exciting pilots of the 2011 TV season, but the series was only canceled after one season. WithSteven Spielbergas the executive producer of thesci-fi drama series,Terra Novashowed a lot of promise, and early critics felt the show had plenty of potential. However, the series couldn’t capture audiencesand was canceled prematurely. This likely resulted from the $4 million per episode price tag.
The series explored unique concepts about time travel and was one of thebest shows about dinosaurs. Once the series was canceled, multiple other networks and Netflix considered reviving the series, but the price tag was likely a large red flag for potential producers. Despite only running for one season,Terra Novahas developed a sizable cult following that appreciates the series' innovative concept.
Terra Nova
7’The Society' (2019)
Rotten Tomatoes: 86% | IMDb: 7.1/10
The Society’scancellation still hurts because it is a victim of COVID cuts. TheNetflix teen drama wasa major success onNetflix, but rising costs and scheduling conflicts led to the show being canceled. It was a “bad” business move for Netflix, but the series' premise captured a broad audience. WhileThe Societyseemslike a typical teen show, it explores complex themes like community and isolation. In some ways,The Societyis like a younger versionofYellowjackets.
More than five years afterThe Societywas canceled,Christopher Keyser, the show’s creator, still talks with his co-creator,Marc Webb, about bringing the series back. Unfortunately, nothing has arisen, andThe Societyis one of the few shows that were successful and loved but canceled due to bad circumstances.
The Society
6’Constantine' (2014–2015)
Rotten Tomatoes: 73% | IMDb: 7.5/10
Constantinejoins a long list ofbeloved comic book charactersthat were developed into well-loved projects but were canceled after one season. The series’fans were loud and petitionedall over social media to revive the series. Unfortunately,NBCcanceled the series after only thirteen episodes, and no other network picked it up.
While the showConstantinehas an unfortunate ending, the characterJohn Constantine(Matt Ryan) had a more positive future for fans. Constantine returned to television screens in theArrowverse’sArrow. He also appeared in two episodes ofLegends of Tomorrowbefore eventually joining the show as a series regular. While fans weren’t able to see him have his own show, they were able to see Constantine continue in other shows, thanks toMarc Guggenheim. Ryan also returned to the role in an animated series forThe CW Seed,Constantine: City of Demons.
Constantine
5’Happy Endings' (2011–2013)
Rotten Tomatoes: 76% | IMDb: 7.8/10
Happy Endingsis another series broadcast on ABC that was fumbled. While the series got three seasons, it is still universally believed to havebeen canceled too soon. The series is about a group of friends who live in the same city (cue the comparisons toFriends), but the sitcom did a great job differentiating itself. While shows likeFriendsmight have some weak links (cough Ross cough),Happy Endingsboasted a strong ensemble, each character providing a hilarious and important addition to the friend group.
Unfortunately, it seems that ABC didn’t thinkHappy Endingsdeserved better.ABC aired the episodes in a seemingly random order. After the pilot episode, they aired a random episode from season one. Later, an episode in season two was not aired and was stuck in season three. It felt like the ABC execs were blindfolded and picking whichever episode their hands landed on. Unsurprisingly, the confusing execution led to low viewership, and ABC canceled this “bad” show.
Happy Endings
4’Sense8' (2015–2018)
Rotten Tomatoes: 86% | IMDb: 8.2/10
Sense8is a global Netflix sci-fi seriescreated by the Wachowskis(Lana WachowskiandLily Wachowski), the brilliant minds behindThe Matrixfranchise, andJ. Michael Straczynski. This show only ran for two seasons on Netflix before being canceled for being too expensive to keep producing.Sense8was unique for multiple reasons — not only was it made almost entirely on location, but it also explored important topics like empathy, gender identity, and culture.
The Wachowskis’beautiful cinematography and poignant storytellingcan be witnessed throughout their two seasons.Sense8is one of a few instances where fans rallied successfully and got Netflix to produce atwo-hour finale special. The series received universal critical acclaim and garnered anEmmynomination for Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (One Hour). WhileSense8wasn’t worth it for Netflix to create a new season, the series lives on as a cult classic.
3’Agent Carter' (2015–2016)
Rotten Tomatoes: 91% | IMDb: 7.8/10
Agent Carterfollows Agent Margaret “Peggy” Carter (Hayley Atwell) as she serves in the Strategic Scientific Reserve (S.S.R.), which later became S.H.I.E.L.D. The series takes place following World War II and the events ofCaptain America: The First Avenger. Carter mourns the loss of Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) while trying to prove Howard Stark’s (Dominic Cooper) innocence. The series only consists of two seasons and 18 episodes.
Before we haveWandavisionand how it deals with grief,Agent Carterdoes the same by illustrating how Carter has to balance her grief while coping with her work. One of the fewfemale-led Marvel projects, Atwell led the series well. And when promotingAvengers: Endgame, screenwritersChristopher MarkusandStephen McFeelyspoketo theLA Timesaboutthe show having a dedicated fanbase, but it might be too expensive to bring back.
Agent Carter
2’Hannibal' (2013–2015)
Rotten Tomatoes: 86% | IMDb: 8.5/10
Primetime television networks were infamous for canceling series that felt like great stories. NBC did just that when itcanceled the psychological thrillerHannibal. The series ran for three seasonswhen NBC canceled it, but its fanbase has grown exponentially since its release. The now-cult classic did not achieve the viewing numbers NBC needed to keep airing it. However, throughout its run,Hannibalwas featured on multiple “Best show of the year” lists, including everyone from IGN to Vulture to Entertainment Weekly.
While this series is far from “bad,” its critical acclaim wasn’t strong enough to justify its continuation. The cannibalistic Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) has been adapted many times, but this is one of the best versions on screen and was developed byBryan Fuller. The gruesome series has grown a cult following and is considered one of the best series in the horror genre.
1’Terriers' (2010)
Rotten Tomatoes: 93% | IMDb: 8.3/10
There areso many crime showsthat it can be hard to keep track of all of them, but a few have stood out. One ofTV’s one-season wondersis a crime-comedy-noir calledTerriersthat has survived the test of time. Running onFXfor only one season, the show was able to develop a cult following quickly, but low viewership led to its cancellation. Despite its impressive93% score on Rotten Tomatoes, this is another series that was prematurely canceled and deserves a comeback.
Terriersfollows an ex-cop (Donal Logue)and his ex-criminal best friend (Michael Raymond-James) as they open an unlicensed private investigation agency. The series was lauded for its excellent blend of comedy and crime, but it wasn’t enough to gather a broad audience. Fifteen years after the series was canceled, it has developed and kept a passionate cult following that continues to advocate for its continuation.
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