Post by Fenril on Jan 18, 2011 0:17:12 GMT -5
We all have tv shows that got cancelled too soon or that lasted beyond their prime. But what shows do you think lasted just the right time?
A lot of tv shows that I liked got cancelled early (my tastes rarely reflect the mainstream, I have long learned), but looking back this wasn't so bad, at least in the following cases:
- Dead like me. Really, the first season alone would have been enough for me, as it gave us character arcs for everyone and still left a few mysteries on the air. The second revealed a few things and, again, left a few questions (IMHO, unanswered questions isn't always a bad thing, it depends on the show). I even enjoyed the movie, flawed as it was.
- Dinosaurs. Yes, the ending was surpsingly dark for a (supposed) children's show and possibly even traumatic. But that's what I loved about it, that this show was ultimately much more cautionary than it seemed at first (and the ending didn't come out of nowhere; previous episodes had made a point that the show was going to deal with serious issues now and then). It's still good (sometimes dark) comedy.
- Drawn together. IMHO this and The simpsons (but only the first eight seasons) are about the only "adult" american cartoons that are actually outrageous and, you know, good. (Not that South Park, Father of the pride, etc., don't have their moments; anything produced by Seth MacFarlane, however...). Each season (heck, each episode, give or take) pretty much stood on its own, so the lack of a proper ending never bothered me. Haven't seen the movie yet.
- Daria. And this may be the only "teenage" american cartoon I can remember that was actually good and at least as smart as it pretended to be. Four humorous seasons, two slightly more serious last seasons and too good movies, seems a good deal to me.
- Surface. Yeah, lots of unanswered questions here, but a show about giant sea creatures went Apocalyptic in the last episodes, which I just love. Pretty underrated show, I'd say (more than a little cheesy at times, but also genuinely scary now and then).
- Kolchak, the night stalker. Two good movies, and a short season where every episode was pretty much another tv movie. I felt this was really quite good, and definitely ahead of its time in many respects. More episodes (and more continuity) would have been nice, but what's there is just fine. Never mind that failed remake from a couple years ago.
On the other side of the spectrum are shows that really did need at least a couple more episodes, including:
- Joan of Arcadia.
- Popular.
- Twin peaks. (On a second watch, the latter half of the second season wasn't really that bad, through definitely inferior. But the last episode is still too open. Love the prequel movie, however).
A lot of tv shows that I liked got cancelled early (my tastes rarely reflect the mainstream, I have long learned), but looking back this wasn't so bad, at least in the following cases:
- Dead like me. Really, the first season alone would have been enough for me, as it gave us character arcs for everyone and still left a few mysteries on the air. The second revealed a few things and, again, left a few questions (IMHO, unanswered questions isn't always a bad thing, it depends on the show). I even enjoyed the movie, flawed as it was.
- Dinosaurs. Yes, the ending was surpsingly dark for a (supposed) children's show and possibly even traumatic. But that's what I loved about it, that this show was ultimately much more cautionary than it seemed at first (and the ending didn't come out of nowhere; previous episodes had made a point that the show was going to deal with serious issues now and then). It's still good (sometimes dark) comedy.
- Drawn together. IMHO this and The simpsons (but only the first eight seasons) are about the only "adult" american cartoons that are actually outrageous and, you know, good. (Not that South Park, Father of the pride, etc., don't have their moments; anything produced by Seth MacFarlane, however...). Each season (heck, each episode, give or take) pretty much stood on its own, so the lack of a proper ending never bothered me. Haven't seen the movie yet.
- Daria. And this may be the only "teenage" american cartoon I can remember that was actually good and at least as smart as it pretended to be. Four humorous seasons, two slightly more serious last seasons and too good movies, seems a good deal to me.
- Surface. Yeah, lots of unanswered questions here, but a show about giant sea creatures went Apocalyptic in the last episodes, which I just love. Pretty underrated show, I'd say (more than a little cheesy at times, but also genuinely scary now and then).
- Kolchak, the night stalker. Two good movies, and a short season where every episode was pretty much another tv movie. I felt this was really quite good, and definitely ahead of its time in many respects. More episodes (and more continuity) would have been nice, but what's there is just fine. Never mind that failed remake from a couple years ago.
On the other side of the spectrum are shows that really did need at least a couple more episodes, including:
- Joan of Arcadia.
- Popular.
- Twin peaks. (On a second watch, the latter half of the second season wasn't really that bad, through definitely inferior. But the last episode is still too open. Love the prequel movie, however).
