Here is my list of the Top 10 Science Fiction Shows Canceled Too Soon. I loved each of these series. Some of them as were never given a chance. Some were great in spite of the ratings. Some of these shows were just done plain wrong by the network they were on.
Please let me know what you think. What did I leave off? What was included and should not have been. Where do you think certain series should be ranked.
10) Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
The Sarah Connor Chronicles takes the history of the Terminator series and places it on its ear. It takes place after Terminator 2 and before Terminator 3. Another terminator, Cameron (Summer Glau) shows up to save John and Sarah Connor. This show only lasted 2 seasons with 31 episodes. It left us with a cliffhanger and it started finding its groove.
This series was on Fox. You will see a trend of shows canceled on Fox.
9) Dollhouse
Here is another causality of the Fox Network. Dollhouse is an agency where Dolls (or Actives) have no memories except what is temporarily imparted to them from computer to meet the needs of the rich and famous. When one of the dolls starts exhibiting memories, all chaos breaks out. There are lists of great characters and actors from this series
This is the first series on our list that was created by writer and director Joss Whedon but not the last.
7) The Adventures of Briscoe County Jr.
Another Fox series with a cool premise but wasn’t given a fair chance. Briscoe lasted one season of 27 Episodes.
Bruce Campbell starred as Briscoe County Jr. in this western with a Sci Fi and Steam Punk (before Steam Punk became big) twist. Briscoe was an Old West Bounty Hunter hunting down the criminals who killed his father. It had a great cast of characters including Lord Bowler- a fellow bounty hunter, Dixie Cousins- con artist and love interest, and Comet the Horse. The Orb was powerful and mysterious device that could save a life or be used a weapon. The evil villain Bly traveled back in time, killed County Sr., and tried to steal the Orbs to rule the future. Professor Albert Wickwire often used Steam Punk Technology to assist Briscoe in his missions.
6) SGU: Stargate Universe
This is the third Stargate series. The first one was iconic with a bunch of humor mixed in. The second Stargate series had a good mixture of humor and action. Stargate Universe struggled with its dark tone with the crew stuck on an Ancient ship “Destiny”. The ship Destiny makes jump to hyperspace and scheduled stops in Pegasus Galaxy. The crew attempts to figure out the mysterious Ancient ship. It took a long time to hit its groove and by the time it did, the series was canned by the SyFy network.
5) Battlestar Galactica (1978)
The original Battlestar Galactica was much more than just another Star Wars knock off. This series did have great space battles and kool ships. But it brought a whole new mythology and history of the 12 Colonies (and the 13th lost Colony) and the robotic Cylons. It had high storylines and fun characters. It was only given 1 season of 21 episodes (I am completely discounting the horrible Galactica 1980) but it left a huge impression on me. Just look to the success of the re-imaged series (2003-2009) to glimpse the potential of the original BSG.
Here is the sad thing. This show had great ratings. It was going against the big boys and more than hold its own. It was canceled purely because of the cost of making the series. Th
4) Space: Above and Beyond
This show was gritty space Marines taking on alien invasion of the colonies both in space and on the ground. It focused on a rookie team, The Wild Cards, who started out being green. They grew into legends by the final episode of the first season (only season). This show had great characters and a pseudo realistic plot. It was a war and Marine show first and used fantastic sci fi for great storytelling. “Sugar Dirt” was a tremendous episode. This season dealt with issues of race and artificial life with the Tanks.
This was another victim of the Fox Network’s quick trigger with only one season and a huge cliff hanger. It didn’t help that they changed the night and time numerous times.
I might just have to write some fan fiction to continue this show. I want to know what happened with the cliffhanger.
3) Dark Angel
James Cameron created, and written and directed some of the episode. Jessica Alba was wonderful and engrossing in this futuristic post-apocalyptic series. The company Manticore genetically enhanced children to make super-soldiers. A group of kids break out including the nine year old Max. The series is set 10 years later and the adventures of Max and her friends in an attempt to bring down Manticore and free all of the transgenics.
The second season was not nearly as good as the first but still not bad. It didn’t help that Fox moved the night and time of Dark Angel which had good rating the first season. The plotline for season three was KOOL but Fox killed Dark Angel before it had a chance to bounce back (and took away my weekly dose of Jessica Alba way too early).
2) Star Trek (TOS)
Everyone knows Star Trek- James T Kirk, Spock, and Bones on a ship with a 5 year mission. TOS lasted 3 seasons. It was canceled after all three seasons but the fans wrote letters and saved it twice. The third time NBC kept it canceled. This show could have gone on for another 3 or 4 seasons. This series transformed science fiction on television and made it appart of our culture.
1) Firefly
A mishmash crew with a rogue captain with a heart of gold, a gun happy mercenary, a companion (high priced call girl), a minister, a doctor and his sister who are running away from the law, a married pilot and his wife the first mate, and the ever candid ship’s mechanic.
This show built a great characters with tons of grey areas. It created intriguing history and an universe. It merged the sci fi and western elements because the majority of the planets were outer rim and low technology. I loved each episode but “Our Mrs Reynolds” and “Jaynestown” were my favorites.
Fox killed this Space Western (set in Space and not in the West) after only 10 episode aired of the thirteen. They showed them out of order. If they would have shown the show some love, people would have fallen in love with it while it was on the air (like I did) rather than 5 years later.
Joss Whedon still talks about this show and making more. The cast has agreed to do more. The fans are dying for it. But Fox would probably just kill it again.
Honorable Mentions:
Threshold, Buck Rogers of the 25th Century, “V”, Dark Skies, Max Headroom, Farscape, and Terra Nova.
