Favorite quickly cancelled television series

No one has mentioned EZ Streets. Paul Haggis' show about the ambiguity of corruption in a decaying rust belt city.

 

ABC had a show called Traveler with a good premise - two college buddies realize their friend has set them up as terrorists and they have to unravel the conspiracy while dodging the feds.

Another one - John Doe with Linc from Prison Break as a guy who mysteriously knows everything, great cliffhanger at the end, he realizes one of the guys leading the conspiracy is his local bartender who communicates in sign language.

 

I remember that one. The premise seemed pretty good, but IIRC the acting sucked donkey balls and the conspiracy quickly got way too confusing. I think I was lost by the 30-minute mark of the pilot. And, also IIRC, it only lasted about three episodes.

 

It was in Major League.

 

lighten up, lisa....


we agree on the whole beane/moneyball premise. which is why sorkin's involvement is the only aspect that makes it an appealing curiousity. 'cause lord knows i'm a much bigger fan of sorkin's than i am of those who have bought into the notion that beane 'moneyball' philosophy has been some sort of incredible, implausible success tale.

 

Totally dug Journeyman, as well. So much so, that I pilfered the DVDs sent to our TV critic to view. Still have 'em.

 

On around the same time as Journeyman, too, was another decent one: Life, with Damien Lewis as a cop framed for murder, newly vindicated and restored to the force. It had some interesting character quirks, a nice conspiracy thread.

 

Until they kind of ditched the conspiracy. Good cast, probably would have been perfect for USA.

 

When a series peaks in its first five minutes, that's a problem. Studio 60 was a huge disappointment for me. I liked the acting fine, but couldn't get into hardly any of the stories. Just about every plot I found even remotely interesting was lifted directly out of the SNL oral history book. It's probably good Sorkin did Sports Night before the ESPN book came out.

 

Wiseguy, with Ken Wahl and Jonathan Banks (Mike, from Breaking Bad).

The story arc with Kevin Spacey and Joan Severance as an incestuous brother-sister crime team was most people's first glimpse at Spacey's acting chops. And Severance was easy on the eyes.

A bit of Spacey's Mel Profit:

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And here's a vote for Crime Story, with Dennis Farina and Tony Denison. Just two seasons. Nice supporting cast, including Bill Smitrovich, Stephen Lang and Billy Campbell.

Set in 1963 with Farina as a Chicago detective and Denison as an up-and-comer in organized crime.

 

Maybe we can track down the other 45 and start a club or something. I was pretty young when this show was on, but I remember loving it. It also taught me there's no silent K in pants.