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Premature burial that causes you the most pain....

Stanley Doble

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,808
Location
Cobourg
There was a short lived series called The Rogues that lasted one season (1964 - 65) that I loved. Get this for a cast:

David Niven
Charles Boyer
Gig Young
Gladys Cooper
Robert Coote
Larry Hagman
John Williams
Barbara Bouchet

Can you beat that?

I don't know why it didn't last longer. Maybe it was too sophisticated. I know I got a kick out of it at the time.
 

C44Antelope

One of the Regulars
Messages
279
Location
just past the 7th tee
Technically "The Andy Griffith Show" was spun into "Mayberry RFD" when Andy wanted to leave the show. "Mayberry RFD" was cancelled, though. I like that "Crime Story" is listed already. There was a religious-focused history program called "Driving Through History" that I'm guessing was cancelled. It's not on TV anymore, that's for sure.
 
Messages
10,883
Location
Portage, Wis.
In my opinion, the show died when Don Knotts left (1965?)

Technically "The Andy Griffith Show" was spun into "Mayberry RFD" when Andy wanted to leave the show. "Mayberry RFD" was cancelled, though. I like that "Crime Story" is listed already. There was a religious-focused history program called "Driving Through History" that I'm guessing was cancelled. It's not on TV anymore, that's for sure.
 

Edward

Bartender
Messages
25,074
Location
London, UK
Kung Fu, Time Tunnel (although it was low-budget in many ways...), Life on Mars, Mr. Ed, Crime Story, to name a few.

I remember reading that the US version of Life on Mars was cancelled, and the writers were unexpectedly given just a few episodes to conclude it. I've long suspected that the reason they cursed it with such an appalling ending was as bit of an eff you to the broadcaster. It is at least a much more palatable notion than that they actually thought it was a good idea. I did see some of the US version and it simply didn't pull me in the way the original had, but at least I know the awful ending if I ever do get a chance to it down and give it a go, and know not to invest too much in it before being slapped in the face with such tripe.

Hi

They need to re-start "Married with Children" with a new family.

That was such a clever show the way they sent up the whole family-based sitcom genre. In many ways it was the Simpsons long before the Simpsons.

How could I have forgotten M*A*S*H!

Does it qualify as having been cancelled? I was under the impression that the whole team involved simply decided they had taken it as far as they could, and it was time to draw it to a natural end rather than it being a decision imposed on them.

Dark Skies, I realy enjoyed that show. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Skies

That was great fun - ludicrosly takcy and I remember it featuring the worst Beatles impersonators ver - but it was great fun. Reminded me a lot of older series like The Invaders.

Invader Zim, which was definitely cancelled.
Fawlty Towers, although I'm fairly certain that was NOT cancelled.

Fawlty Towers was not cancelled, you are correct. They made the first series of six episodes (quite common a series length at a time in the UK), then a couple of years later they went back and did a second series. No more were made because Cleese and his then-wife Connie Booth decided they didn't want to write any more, it was not cancelled by the BBC. It became the model for sitcoms on this side of the Atlantic - stop while you're still good. A very high number of sitcoms here are planned to have a limited run from the off. I much prefer that over keeping them going while the ratings are still high as that almost inevitably leads to a tailing off of quality as they run out of ideas.

Dark Shadows, the original one, not the 90's remake.
Eventually I'll get through all 1221(?) episodes.

There was a 90s remake? I'm inclined to dabble in the original series after greatly enjoying the Burton / Depp film (contrary to the critics, I considered it to far surpass his overrated earlier hit, Beetlejuice). I know the series was not comedic, of course. There was a DVD out over here, a double disc thing, I think - so that was not a complete set? It ran forever?
 

J.W.

A-List Customer
Messages
312
Location
Southern tip of northern Germany
I'm a Cannell-fan:
Riptide
Stingray
Hardcastle & McCormick
Apart from that:
MacGyver
Lou Grant - That wasn't aired in Germany since the mid 80ies, I believe ...
And through my partner, I've developed a liking for Remington Steele.
 

Undertow

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,126
Location
Des Moines, IA, US
...It became the model for sitcoms on this side of the Atlantic - stop while you're still good. A very high number of sitcoms here are planned to have a limited run from the off. I much prefer that over keeping them going while the ratings are still high as that almost inevitably leads to a tailing off of quality as they run out of ideas.

I appreciate this very much about UK television, actually. The new incarnations of Sherlock and Upstairs Downstairs were excellently written, well shot and entertaining to say the least and yet they didn't drag on over years with poorly written "adventures" and leather bound water skiers jumping sharks.

At one point I was worried they would finally kill off Dr. Who, especially when the series had become exhausted and miserable. I'm happy with the reinvention, although one must still worry. Nothing against Moffat, but one hopes he keeps things interesting.
 

Worf

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,206
Location
Troy, New York, USA
Star Trek (TOS)
Firefly
The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.
Night Stalker
Mission Impossible

A few other shows that I was sad to see come to an end but believe ended at the right place in their story arc:

The Lost Room
Babylon5

I'm with you on all of the above EXCEPT M.I. I watched that series from start to finish and by the end I feel they'd mined that puppy as far as they could go. The rest of 'em were killed off far too young. I'd also add the shortlived "Q.E.D" to that list mebbe "The Invaders". Certainly NOT "Cop Rock".

Worf
 

m0nk

One Too Many
Messages
1,004
Location
Camp Hill, Pa
I appreciate this very much about UK television, actually. The new incarnations of Sherlock and Upstairs Downstairs were excellently written, well shot and entertaining to say the least and yet they didn't drag on over years with poorly written "adventures" and leather bound water skiers jumping sharks.

At one point I was worried they would finally kill off Dr. Who, especially when the series had become exhausted and miserable. I'm happy with the reinvention, although one must still worry. Nothing against Moffat, but one hopes he keeps things interesting.
I've been fairly happy with Doctor Who until the recent season. It's almost starting to feel forced... that said, I'm excitedly awaiting the introduction of the new companion hoping that it will re-invigorate the series. David Tennant was the best of the three doctors since the 2005 relaunch, though.
 

1961MJS

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,370
Location
Norman Oklahoma
Hi Edward

I was a little impressed that MASH was allowed to be ended. Married with Children was cancelled after shooting was ended so no "last episode" was filmed. That was sort of a pity in a way. I'm not sure, but I think MASH may have actually lasted two or three times as long as the Korean War (well the fighting anyway) did.

The MASH episode where Henry Blake died in the helicopter (airplane?) accident was well done, in general more people die in war by accident and disease than on purpose. I thought it was good that was brought out.

The one thing that upset my Dad during WW2 was the pilot who ignored direction to find an alternate landing base because of a storm, he didn't, and hit a mountain in the clouds. Dad always felt bad for the other two guys in the B-25 and he didn't even know them.

later
 

Gregg Axley

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,125
Location
Tennessee
Absolutely! I'm trying too. :)

The wife and I watched it up to episode 600 or so, and then things got busy and we never got back to it.
A few months ago, because of the movie, she wanted to watch it again by starting over.
Uh no...One time around is okay but not twice. The second time around the Blue Whale just isn't the same. :D
BTW we met Kathryn Leigh Scott at a comic book convention in Nashville a few years ago. She was really nice and we enjoyed talking to her.
 

Otter

One Too Many
Messages
1,445
Location
Directly above the center of the Earth.
Here's one more for us all....

"The Prisoner"

That mini-series remake was the worst drivel I've ever seen.

Worf

100% with you on that. I loved the original series, I owned a Caterham 7 (Lotus 7) for a while in British Racing Green but with the Lotus racing colours on it. I even visited Portmerion where it was filmed. The mini series; well I tried to watch the first episode and it just left me cold.
 

I Adore Film Noir

A-List Customer
Messages
480
Location
U.S.A.
Amazing Stories
Call To Glory
Concrete Cowboys
Hizzoner
Bring Em' Back Alive
Delta House
It's A Living
Salvage 1
The Charmings
Tour of Duty

Tour of Duty! Boy, we loved that show.

Was there an episode when they were overrun by VC
and brought the base down on their own heads?
Was there a tag line "See you in hell?"
 
Messages
13,460
Location
Orange County, CA
I remember one of the episodes of Call To Glory which is supposed to be set in the early '60s where the characters are walking by a building that says "Video Arcade" on it. lol And another show I remember was Drexel's Class which starred Dabney Coleman.
 

DNO

One Too Many
Messages
1,815
Location
Toronto, Canada
I'll second Dark Skies. There's also The Lone Gunmen, Freakylinks, Firefly, Human Target, The Finder, and a ton of other Fox based shows that got the ax before they had a chance...

They did the same thing to Wonderfalls...cancelled after 2 or 3 episodes. Ended up picking up the DVD of this very well written whimsical series. Not everyone's cup of tea, certainly, but it deserved better treatment than that.
 

Kirk H.

One Too Many
Messages
1,196
Location
Charlotte NC
Amazing Stories
Call To Glory
Concrete Cowboys
Hizzoner
Bring Em' Back Alive
Delta House
It's A Living
Salvage 1
The Charmings
Tour of Duty

I loved "Bring Em Back Alive" and the "Tales of the Gold Monkey". I know both shows came out after Raiders and were riding on the coat tails so to speak, but both were good shows. I know Gold Monkey is on DVD, not sure about Bring em' Back Alive.
 

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