When the current television season started off this past September, optimism rang throughout Hollywood as it does every year. Producers of new shows were hoping to hit it big in the ratings department, confident they had the latest “must-see-TV” on their hands.
But not every show on primetime has what it takes to be a hit. As the season draws to a close in the coming weeks, we realize that a large portion of the shows that were once so hyped never made it to their season finales. In fact, do you even remember them?
“My Generation” was slated to be a documentary-style series detailing the lives of nine people on the cusp of their 10-year high school reunion, focusing on how their lives differed from the aspirations of their senior year.
The series’ network, ABC, advertised its premiere mid-summer last year. It was even awarded the much-coveted time slot on Thursday nights ahead of one of the network’s biggest hits, “Grey’s Anatomy,” a sign of faith in the progression of the show. But not even the biggest, most shameless promotion could salvage this show; it was cancelled after only two episodes.
NBC’s “Undercovers” was the next brainchild of “Lost” creator J.J. Abrams. The much-anticipated series followed the life of a quiet married couple, who happen to be former CIA agents. Their lives are interrupted, however, when they are thrust back into the job.
The combination of critically-acclaimed writers and story lines revolving around secret spies and crime was a surefire formula for success, but Abrams’ newest series proved to be less popular than its predecessor. “Undercovers” was cancelled by November, never to be seen or heard from again.
Following the trend of famous people creating not-so-famous shows, “Chase” was the latest in the line of television dramas from the mind of Jerry Bruckheimer. Bruckheimer — who is responsible for the entire “CSI” franchise, “Without a Trace,” “Cold Case” and all of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies, among other things — could not strike ratings gold with his latest crime drama about a team of U.S. Marshals tracking down fugitives. NBC ran “Chase” off its schedule by February.
“Life Unexpected” was thought to be an instant star when it premiered on The CW as a mid-season replacement in January 2010. The critically acclaimed series returned for a full-length second season in the fall with high hopes, but the show, about a foster child reconnecting with her birth parents, failed to garner as much attention as other CW hits, like “Gossip Girl” and “The Vampire Diaries.” “Life Unexpected” turned out to be an unexpected flop and was cancelled after only 26 episodes.
“Lone Star” was another series that received terrible ratings despite praise from critics. FOX held high hopes for its series about a con-artist leading a double life, but was disappointed when it was not received well by fans. “Lone Star” was taken off the air after only two episodes, giving it the title of the first cancelled series of the 2010-11 television season.
While not all shows can be as big as “Friends” or “The O.C.,” it’s always a little disheartening when a show featuring our favorite writers or actors gets pulled before it even has a chance to develop.
Tell us, what show were you saddest about getting cancelled?