. Not the
holdings. Not even the
. The Fox television network.
Fox gets a lot of flack, and I tend to pile on as well, for filling the airwaves (although, technically not airwaves anymore) with mind-numbing sensationalist fare that capitalizes on our lesser selves.
From
Cops (my guilty pleasure that has provided a fun drinking game) to
syphilis island to its long running
karaoke contest based on building up the dreams of the untalented so that they can knock them down and name a new headliner for
Carnival Cruises to
TMZ, which if you look closely enough you can see that Satan actually gets an executive producer credit on to
game shows hosted by comedians who never quote learned the comedy part of their profession designed to not test one's knowledge, but instead to shame its contestants to all sorts of other shows where things
blow up or they exploit people's
pain and
weakness for entertainment and so on.
They also get a lot of flack for canceling great shows way too early. Let's just give it a short list for now, but for each of these there is a raging fan base furious at Fox and probably 5 others just like it:
FuturamaArrested DevelopmentWonderfallsFireflyDark AngelUndeclaredNew AmsterdamThe CriticGreg The BunnyKeen EddieThe TickActionAndy Richter Controls the UniverseAnd soon:
Terminator: The Sarah Connor ChroniclesDollhouseYou know its coming.
My point is that all the fans and critics (myself included) perhaps give Fox too hard of a time. I mean is Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader really worse that
Two and a Half Men or
Dancing with the Stars or
Howie Do It? I know
When Animals Attack was on Fox, but
Fear Factor was on
NBC.
And they definitely cancel good shows way too quickly (and in many cases sabotage them), but that's because they've had good shows to cancel. Somehow Fox manages to put some of the most creative and interesting programming on the air. Sure they cancel it quickly, but at least they give them a shot. We all love Arrested Development and it was awful it was canceled, but why did no one else pick them up? Who would give shows like The Tick a chance?
Not to mention, they aren't alone in canceling their best shows.
Freaks and Geeks and
Pushing Daisies were two of the best shows ever on television for pretty much opposite reasons, but both were done in far too early by NBC and
ABC respectively.
So Fox gets a bad rep, but I thank them for putting these shows on the air in the first place. If only they'd keep them on, there'd be no problem.
Do we all give Fox too hard a time?
What's your favorite Fox show that's been canceled too early? Whats the best show to ever be cancel too early?
Neil
Comments (31)
The shows that ended up getting cancelled that I watched are Dark Angel, Jericho and Firefly. I miss those so much :(
Firefly. :(
Undeclared! It was canceled after the first season..
ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, hands down!
I think Arrested Development got a pretty good run, all things considered. It was nice everything we got was pretty much gold. They really didn't give Firefly a chance, and Futurama was really starting to find its voice.
i misss Futurama
oh Firefly, why did the headsmen at Fox do away with you?
i think so..
They're canceling King of the Hill too early.
Both Knight Rider remakes (Team Knight Rider; Knight Rider (08)) got cancelled too early.
FOR BRITISH EYES ONLY!
@Romans_837@xanga - I don't know if you can say that. I love king of the hill. But isn't it in its 10th season? That seems like it had a good run. I don't think mike judge even wants to keep doing it.
ARRRESTEDDD farickin' DEVELOPMENT ,
yes, as does HBO
@nprospect - I just think it's the best show on Fox. Better than 24.
Firefly defnitely.. although it did get more attention and then we got the great movie Serenity out it.. But I think ABC screwed up when they canceled Eli Stone. It was a great uplifting show! This is why people don't watch network tv anymore. ( besides the endless stupidity of reality shows. ) Some one needs to explain to the network people what people actually want, not the mindless 'reality' shows they want to stuff down our throats.
i think all those shows suck except for futurama, arrested development, terminator, and maybe firefly
The real question is: Do _______ (insert American TV network) cancel shows too early?
Firefly, goddamnit. It was brilliant. <.< Why would they do that!
Also, sidenote, I can't believe ABC cancelled Pushing Daisies. That show made me so happy.
Like many other people said: Â FIREFLY.
OMG, Firefly, how I mourn your early demise.
@goldenj2384 - But that doesn't count, because as we all well know, that's not teevee, that's hbo. Completely different thing. Minor resemblances are completely accidental.
Arrested Development!!
of the list, i've actually only seen arrested development and futurama (which I am also sad was cancelled!!).
@antemeridian@xanga - I KNOW! it's so sad about Eli Stone :(. I also thought it was uplifting. and it was very different I thought, too. man, entries like these make me sad!!
FIREFLY! 1 season, are you kidding me?! That show had some serious potential. I love Futurama too, but it really ran it's course. I don't think Fox really expected another Simpsons.
I'd also like to give NBC some hell for cancelling Freaks and Geeks after just 1 season. Like, are you kidding me?
*sigh* we loved Firefly... and if they cancel Dollhouse they're gonna get a fucking rampage damnit!! SallyMae! start loading up th' shotgun y'hear!!
@nprospect - you picked some stud shows in there (how come not more love for the tick in these comments?). the counter question for me is: do some networks run shows TOO LONG. hell, i admit i used to watch one tree hill, but if you were going to tell me it'd still be on five years ago, i would not have wanted to believe you. either i have a short attention span or a lot of shows lose steam. thank god they've capped lost at next season.