MetaChat - Television show that you wish had been on for (at least) one more season?

Millenium. Goddamn Fox and their bitchassed cancellations.

posted by sperose 10 January | 11:18

Freaks and Geeks and Arrested Development for sure.

I just changed my ringtone to Final Countdown the other day.

posted by amro 10 January | 11:21

Veronica Mars

posted by maritacov 10 January | 11:21

Firefly, Freaks And Geeks are the two heavies. I kinda felt like veronica Mars had run its course.

There was a brief animated show on MTV (SHUT UP) like 12 years ago called Downtown that I remember really, really enjoying but got pulled after like 7 episodes.

I'm not confident enough to go and find clips online in case it actually did suck.

posted by The Whelk 10 January | 11:26

Twin. Peaks. But only under Lynch control.

posted by Eideteker 10 January | 11:27

FlashForward, it was pretty much cut off in mid-plot.

And that was a shame as it seemed like the plot and the fictional-science was unusually well-thought out originally.

posted by philipy 10 January | 11:38

Nowhwere Man. It was only on for a year, damn it.

posted by Trilby 10 January | 11:40

Wonderfalls and Instant Star. I need closure, dabnabbit!

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 10 January | 11:43

With Wonderfalls there was a little, but Instant Star ended with Jude breaking it off with Tommy (her forbidden love of so many seasons, since they had to wait for her to turn 18) and driving away in a cab (written because they assumed they had another season to patch things up). Terrible.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 10 January | 11:45

Sports Nite. And while I'm at it, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.

posted by punchtothehead 10 January | 11:46

Oh Wonderfalls! The pilot episode has one of my favorite exchanges ever.

(Talking to the statue) Are you God? Are you the devil? If you don't say anything I'll assume devil.

beat

beat

"Oh god.."

"...I'm a crazy person."

posted by The Whelk 10 January | 11:47

How did we get this far in without mentioning the best tv show ever? DEADWOOD? COME ON, PEOPLE. Deadwood was robbed of a chance to really get resolved, I think. Reading an article on the Onion's AV Club with W. Earl Brown reminded me of this recently.

Actually, thanks, 'cos I am always happy to bring up this old axe of mine, for the grinding purposes.

And yeah, I'd agree with some here - Studio 60 was a great show. And Arrested Development, for sure!

posted by richat 10 January | 11:57

Oh, Deadwood, of course.

I'd still rank Freaks and Geeks above it for wanting another season, but yeah, Deadwood would be on the list.

posted by gaspode 10 January | 12:03

My So-Called Life, but only if I could be 13 again.

posted by ufez 10 January | 12:23

Deadwood for sure. And Arrested Development. I loved Sports Nite, but didn't enjoy Studio 60. (It was the Harriet character. In fact, I disliked that character so intensely that it's made me dislike Kristin Chenoweth, on whom Harriet was based.)

I'd add Undeclared. It's rerunning on IFC and is every bit as funny as I remembered.

David Chase did a show called "Almost Grown" back in the late 80s that I loved. The music was fantastic.

posted by jrossi4r 10 January | 12:30

Deadwood, Rome, Arrested Development. These three shows comprise a good portion of my tv watching over the last five years.

posted by tortillathehun 10 January | 12:31

The original Star Trek in all its brightly colored glory.

posted by octothorpe 10 January | 12:56

Firefly, Deadwood, and The Tick (the non-animated one). All three are ones that when I'm down I'll go back and watch because I like them so much.

I need to give Freaks and Geeks another try - we watched the first disc of Season 1 and didn't get hooked but so many friends like it.

posted by Sil 10 January | 13:00

Firefly, Arrested Development, Veronica Mars. I can't think of anything else original.

As much as I loved Sports Night, I found the second season (even with William H. Macy) far weaker than the first.

posted by danf 10 January | 13:06

Firefly. Arrested Development. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Lost, because maybe with another season they could have come up with an ending that didn't completely suck.

posted by apoch 10 January | 13:16

Freaks and Geeks. Party Down. Get a Life.

posted by Atom Eyes 10 January | 13:35

Sports Night.
The Carol Burnett Show.

posted by JanetLand 10 January | 13:38

Just finished watching season three of Arrested Development this weekend, oh do I wish there was more of it.

posted by jessamyn 10 January | 14:08

Firefly
Sports Night
Profit

posted by deborah 10 January | 14:25

Ah, yes - Firefly. I also miss Tru Calling and Northern Exposure (shakey fist at Rob Morrow!)

posted by youngergirl44 10 January | 14:33

Oh dear gods, Survivors (2008 BBC TV series). It ends on such a high, it's terrible. And it's only 2 seasons of 6 eps each, something you can power through in a weekend (and hate that it's over). Then you see an episode or two of Hotel Babylon, and Tom isn't a surly bad-ass, and you feel sad for what he had been.

Though I haven't seen it all, Sons of Tuscon has been fun. I like Tyler Labine's character from Reaper, and that same mentality carries over into SoT.

I have the live-action version of The Tick in Netflix Instant Queue, but I'm hesitant to watch it again. The first time, I felt let down, because I wanted more of the animated series.

posted by filthy light thief 10 January | 14:39

filthy light thief, I wanted more animated The Tick, too. We watched it late night for years, and it was a fun ritual. Didn't care for the live-action version.

I wanted more Rome, too, but I can see how maybe it was best I was left wanting more.

Here is where I predictably trot out my broken record - Greg The Bunny. I could have watched that thing for years.

posted by rainbaby 10 January | 15:10

Pushing Daisies. It ran two half-seasons but never finished a storyline.

Oh, and a little show on the WB called Related. It probably would have gotten a second season if the network hadn't merged with that other one to become something nobody bothers watching.

posted by moonshine 10 January | 15:17

Soap

posted by Ardiril 10 January | 15:25

I had forgotten about Pushing Daisies. I loved that show! BRING IT BACK NOW!!!!

posted by youngergirl44 10 January | 15:26

YES to Soap!

Also, both threads are right about Twin Peaks. It should have either ended one season sooner, or had one more season to tie things up.

posted by BoringPostcards 10 January | 15:41

Ach! Can't believe it took me this long to remember "The Oblongs". Great animated show that only lasted two seasons.

posted by ufez 10 January | 15:51

Just remembered, Kings.

posted by apoch 10 January | 16:07

I'd like to see more Invader Zim.

posted by VeritableSaintOfBrevity 10 January | 16:08

Pushing Daises ENDED TOO SOON, and Dexter. Well Dexter, I love you so, but I am not sure I liked the season we just went through.

I'll just watch Dexter chase down a naked man running for his life while wrapped in plastic one more time, while I contemplate that. It was the highlight of the season. Might have made the whole season worth it. *reweind* ... aaaah, Dexter.

posted by dabitch 10 January | 17:12

dabitch: My favorite part of that episode was Masuka's gestures as he explained to everyone else 'what had happened' at the scene. It's during Dexter's voiceover, so you can't hear what Masuka is saying, and is definitely worth a rewind.

posted by youngergirl44 10 January | 17:31

Some shows that should have kept going end up having satisfying endings. I was paid to write about the Arrested Development finale (with lots of spoilery stuff) and closed saying:

Maybe it was time for the show to bow out, after all. Where would we go from here? How could Michael return to his family without turning from long-suffering and loyal to a simple glutton for punishment? And what would be funny about George Michael and Maeby in a normal teenage relationship? No, “Arrested Development” has developed as far as it can, and I can accept that, let go and look forward to new shows from the people responsible. Still, there’s a Pismo Beach motel called the Blue Seal I pass frequently, and it always makes me think “Ah yes, Lucille.”

The only thing I regret was the line about "look forward to new shows from the people responsible" after seeing "Running Wilde".

posted by oneswellfoop 10 January | 18:40

Deadwood, yes please
The Wire, too (that could go on forever)
The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd (where'd it go?)
The John Larroquette Show (the one with him at the bus station -- dark and funny)
Love, Sidney (with Tony Randall -- very sweet show)
Anything Star Trek (except Deep Space 9, though it had its moments)

(I watch a lot of tv)

posted by Pips 10 January | 19:17

I also LOVED Soap, ooh, and Love, American Style. I used to love that.

posted by Pips 10 January | 19:19

Here is where I predictably trot out my broken record - Greg The Bunny

I haven't seen it, but saw that Warren the Ape had his own show. One season, 12 eps. Maybe it'll help you ease off the lack of Greg the Bunny.

posted by filthy light thief 10 January | 20:15

Re: Nowhere Man, one of my ALL TIME FAVES. Bruce Greenwood had just been on St. Elsewhere as a nice guy doc who turns out to be a serial rapist and gets shot in the head and that show came on right after "Star Trek: Voyager" on the brand new UPN network and when the first season ended, they didn't know if there would be another season but it ended with a MASSIVE reveal (Greenwood again was not the hero he appeared to be - he discovered he'd been a black ops spy who was given extreme witness protection with a mind wipe of his old memories replacing them with a false identity) which would have made a second season a very very different show. But still one I would've loved to have seen.

As for the animated The Tick, I could always have used another season or several, and the live-action version was disappointing in many ways (I was lobbying for Andy Richter to play Arthur; that would have made the casting PERFECT) and I wish they hadn't changed a couple of the other super-characters (American Maid was beautifully satiric and then there was 'Deflatermouse' - as his name always sounded like - but then BatManuel was saved for me when the same actor showed up on "Lost".)

All I can say is SPOON!

posted by oneswellfoop 10 January | 20:50

West Wing. Why can't Bartlett be PretendPres forever?? I lurrrve Aaron Sorkin. I want him to write a show starring Sarah Palin so everyone's heads would totally asplode, and then we could start with fresh politics and political people.

You know what's amazing? I'm not drunk at all even though the preceding paragraph suggests otherwise. This is, however, a problem that can be remedied.

posted by theora55 10 January | 20:52

Yeah, you know. After I mentioned Arrested Development I started thinking that probably a 4th season wouldn't have been as good. It's often best to leave on a high note (see: many English comedies).

but damn, I just watched all three seasons, again, for about the 5th time and it's never not funny.

posted by gaspode 10 January | 20:57

The John Larroquette Show (the one with him at the bus station -- dark and funny)

I'd forgotten about that one, I watched it for a while but I mostly stopped watching TV in the mid-nineties for six or seven years and missed most of it.

posted by octothorpe 10 January | 21:21

Yeah I adore Arrested Development but it ended on such a high note that I'm worried they couldn't sustain that momentum. 3 seasons is a lot.

Okay fine, how about this Party Down? it was *just* getting really good.

posted by The Whelk 10 January | 23:17

I can't decide if Greg the Bunny would go on this list or the list of shows that lasted too long.

posted by martinxs bellbottoms 11 January | 00:16

Firefly, Millenium, Farscape, Home Movies, Angel, MacGyver. You can never have too much MacGyver. And yeah the Oblongs too, it was pretty amusing.

posted by weretable and the undead chairs 11 January | 06:21

Shows I loved, loved, loved and still miss, you mean? Because some of the shows in that group were through-written and ended gracefully. But I'd still like more of:

Original Star Trek
NYPD Blue
Law and Order with Jerry Orbach. Come back, please, Jerry.
Sopranos
Six Feet Under
The Wire
West Wing
And -- I admit it --- 24. Provided the President was always David Palmer.

posted by bearwife 11 January | 14:10

I wanted more of:

Arrested Development. Pushing Daisies. Sports Night (if they fixed the S2 errors). Profit. Nero Wolfe (on A&E before the E meant has-been celebrities).

posted by julen 11 January | 23:00

10 January 2011