What a TV season it’s been so far. The networks each debuted a number of new shows, many of them serial dramas, for the 2006-2007 season. They looked very promising and lots of viewers were hooked — more were not. From the beginning of the season, the networks have pulled shows off the air quicker than ever before, leaving viewers with the equivalent of television whiplash. Here are the casualties.
Smith – The Ray Liotta series was the first to go. Smith debuted on September 19th and was cancelled due to declining ratings. Only three episodes aired. The four remaining completed episodes, as well as future episode synopses, were released on the CBS website (subsequently removed), and on iTunes.
Kidnapped – NBC’s big serial drama under-performed network expectations and was cancelled after three episodes and pulled from the schedule after five. Luckily for viewers, NBC released the remaining seven episodes online.
Runaway – One of the new CW’s two new series. The drama about a family on the run starred Donnie Wahlberg and was pulled after just three episodes. Three other episodes were reportedly completed but have gone unaired.
Happy Hour – Fox debuted one of the few new sitcoms in primetime on September 7th. The network aired three episodes in September (before the World Series took over their schedule) and one episode in November. Fox has said that 13 episodes have been completed and may be released on DVD at some point.
The Rich List – This was a game show on Fox that has the dubious distinction of being cancelled after just one episode. The single episode aired on November 2nd and was cancelled along with Happy Hour.
Twenty Good Years – This sitcom starred series veterans John Lithgow and Jeffrey Tambor, was pulled from the NBC schedule after just four episodes. It’s doubtful that we’ll ever see it again.
Justice – Fox’s courtroom drama starring Alias’ Victor Garber was pulled from the schedule after five episodes because of the World Series. Justice returned in October and was pulled in November after three more episodes. The series returned in December for four episodes and has been pulled from the schedule once more. Twelve episodes of Justice have aired and its unlikely that we’ll ever see any more in primetime.
Vanished – FOX pulled their mystery serial drama after nine episodes. It was supposed to return in December but FOX opted instead to bring back Justice. Luckily (for U.S. fans with high-speed Internet access anyway) the network released the remaining four episodes online. Few viewers felt satisfied with the storyline’s rushed resolution.
Six Degrees – This was the first of ABC’s serial dramas to be pulled in the 2006-2007 season. Six episodes of the J.J. Abrams series have aired. At the time, it was said that Six Degrees would return in January but that doesn’t look very likely at this point.
The Nine – ABC then pulled another serial drama after just seven episodes. The Nine was a character drama that focused on a 52-hour bank robbery/hostage situation and its repercussions. ABC has said that it will air the remaining six episodes in 2007 but there are no firm plans to return the series as yet. Seven episodes are available on iTunes
3 lbs – The Stanley Tucci medical drama was moved up from a midseason replacement show to replace CBS’ cancelled Smith series. It lasted just three episodes before being cancelled itself. Those three episodes are available on iTunes while CBS has said it will release unaired episodes on their website.
Show Me the Money – The William Shatner game show seemed to be a success initially but its popularity declined at warp speed. Six additional episodes were ordered and then quickly cancelled. Five episodes have aired to date.
Help Me Help You – Ted Danson’s new sitcom about an egotistical therapist and his patients was recently cancelled after nine episodes. Four episodes are unaired. Help Me Help You was replaced by episodes of fellow sitcom Big Day but that show looks like it’s headed for cancellation as well.
Day Break – The Taye Diggs dramatic series was heavily hyped by ABC and brought in to take the place of Lost until it returned in February. Unfortunately, Day Break was pulled after six episodes. ABC planned to air the seven unaired episodes online but that was reportedly delayed due to music licensing issues. Now, it seems Day Break has been purged from the ABC website completely. We’ve started a petition. Will fans ever be able to see the resolution to the deja vu series? Time will tell so stay tuned!
I agree with all that is said here. Mostly with the one who stated that they watch their second best in the summer when it’s all re-runs. That worked for me. Two good shows clash at the same time, so you pick one and watch the other in summer. Now?!!! And to me there isn’t any good shows on Mondays and Fridays. This competing for time slots and days really messes you up. Bottom line they don’t care about the viewiers.
arrested development. Rest in peace.
i think this list only includes first year shows, which is why theres no mention of arrested development
This website is a disgrace. No mention of the greatest show ever made?
The more astute readers (definitely not the writer of this article) will realize I’m talking about Arrested Development.
Well, it took me a while to finally figure it out! Instead of watching new shows every fall on the networks. I’ll spend my evenings catching up on the hundreds of great old movies I’ve missed over the last 50 years. At least I’ll be able to enjoy a great story from beginning to end without it being yanked and I will not feel like a fool for totally wasting my time on mysteries, dramas and characters that will never have their stories told. I’ll wait until the best series come out on DVD and watch them after they are… Read more »
I have been watching less and less broadcast TV for exactly this reason. Say what you want about 2&1/2 men but its funny and if canceled you are not left hanging in a unfinished plot. I loved Dead Like Me but where is it now?
I’m really tired of the networks asking us to invest our time and interest in shows that they cancel without warning or fanfare. At some point we are going to find something else to entertain us that seems more stable.
Networks should sell ads at 25% of the price, air them after midnight in lieu of the paid advertising the local affiliates sell in 30 minute blocks, people would tivo them, sooner or later Nielsen can monitor that and they could literally have a pipeline of show data and decide what to bring into play again in the summer based on real numbers, just an idea.
how about heist? that was a really good show that got nixed too quick…
2 and Half Men? That is a top ratings getter.
How about According to Jim and basically anything on the CW?
HBO is just as bad with dumping Carnivale and Deadwood. Great, intense, complex writing.
” I stopped caring about most network shows. I can’t predict when my favored show is going to be on, or if it will be a new episode, and I am not going to search for it every night. ”
g-dog makes an excellent point. This is exactly why I download all my shows via bit torrent.
also i wanna say that … this seasons being divided it to segments and arcs are very frustrating …
dont have that kinda patience …
hehe …
Wow, with two shows called “Show me the Money” and “Help Me Help You”, I’m almost surprised there was no show called “You Had me at Hello” or “I’m Mister Black People”. Perhaps “Show Friends” would have infringed.
The office did poorly for quite awhile, pulling in rather dismal ratings for much of it’s first season. Luckily, the higher-ups at NBC had the patience to see it through.
Shouldn’t Arrested Development be on this list? 😉