Has your favorite TV show been cancelled or will it be back for the 2012–2013 TV season? If your favorite series is on the list below, you have our condolences.
This list encompasses shows that have ended or have been cancelled and won’t be back for the 2012-13 season. It covers those that have gotten the ax roughly between September 1, 2011 and August 31, 2012. In some cases, the last episodes of shows aired months earlier but the network didn’t get around to canceling the series until later. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, try the 2010–2011 listings, the 2009–2010 listings, or maybe you’ve gotten lucky!
This list used to include Breaking Bad but, since the last half of season five won’t air until 2012-13 we’re putting it on the 2012-13 list.
Because there have been so many cancellations, we’ve split this list up into three pages. This is the first. You can also check out page two and page three.
Most recent additions: The Buried Life, Dog Whisperer, How to Rock, and Teen Mom.
Now, let’s take a moment to bow our heads and remember these fallen TV series…
3 (CBS)
The network pulled the reality series after just two episodes aired. CBS may get around to releasing the remaining installments.
101 Ways to Leave a Game Show (ABC)
We’ll never find out what the rest of the “ways” were. The last episode of the competition series aired on July 26, 2011.
Against the Wall (Lifetime)
This family cop drama didn’t catch on with a large enough audience so it was canned after one season on the air. The last episode aired in September.
Alcatraz (FOX)
The ratings started off strong but faded over the course of the season. It’s been cancelled and all 13 episodes have aired.
All-American Muslim (TLC)
This docu-series follows the lives of five Lebanese American Muslim families who live in Dearborn, Michigan. The show started off with decent ratings and positive reviews. Viewership had declined significantly by the end of the eight episodes so it wasn’t renewed.
Allen Gregory (FOX)
Co-created by and starring Jonah Hill, this animated series aggravated lots of people but didn’t keep enough of them coming back week after week. FOX aired all seven episodes and there won’t be any more.
Are You There Chelsea? (NBC)
This sitcom started out okay but quickly lost steam over the course of 12 episodes.
The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes (Disney XD)
After two seasons, the animated series is coming to an end. It’ll be replaced by a new show, Avengers Assemble, in 2013.
Awake (NBC)
It started out strong and had good reviews but viewers tuned out over time. It won’t be back.
Bent (NBC)
Execs contended that they weren’t burning through the six episodes when they aired them in three weeks. Regardless, the sitcom won’t be back for a second season.
Best Friends Forever (NBC)
The peacock network pulled the plug on future airings of this sitcom due to low ratings.
Blue Mountain State (Spike TV)
There won’t be a fourth season of the football comedy as the cable channel has decided to focus on reality programming.
Bored to Death (HBO)
Starring Jason Schwartzman, Zach Galifianakis and Ted Danson, this show revolves around a man with writers block. The ratings dropped a lot in season three so HBO opted not to give it a fourth season.
Breaking In (FOX)
The sitcom was saved once from cancellation but won’t be rescued again.
Breakout Kings (A&E)
The show lasted for two seasons. The ratings started out strong enough but declined over the course of the 23 episodes.
Bucket & Skinner’s Epic Adventures (Nickelodeon)
This kids’ sitcom was cancelled after one season. Only 18 of the 26 episodes have aired to date.
Bud United Presents: The Big Time (ABC)
This reality competition ran for seven episodes at 3pm on Saturday afternoons.
The Buried Life (MTV)
The guys’ travels have come to an end — at least in this incarnation.
Buried Treasure (FOX)
Leigh and Leslie Kelso may continue travelling the country in search of rare antiques but they won’t be seen on FOX.
Camelot (Starz)
The ratings weren’t great and there would have been production challenges in making a second season so the cable channel pulled the plug. The drama lasted 10 episodes.
Cash Cab (Discovery)
The game show that gave taxi passengers a chance to win cash prizes has ended after seven years on the air.
CHAOS (CBS)
A comedic action series, this show was delayed until late in the season. When it finally debuted, few noticed. CBS burned off most of the episodes on Saturday nights.
Charlie’s Angels (ABC)
The original series was a big success for ABC but this one flopped. Production was shut down after eight episodes and the show was cancelled.
Chuck (NBC)
Has there ever been a time when this TV show wasn’t in danger of being cancelled? NBC decided to renew it for a fifth and final season of 13 episodes, giving the cast and crew ample time to craft a series finale.
The Closer (TNT)
Kyra Sedgwick supposedly made the decision to end this top-rated series after seven seasons on the air. Though Brenda Leigh Johnson will depart, some of the characters will continue in a spin-off called Major Crimes.
Combat Hospital (ABC)
This series was a disappointment for the network and they only aired 12 of the 13 episodes. They cancelled the show and Shaw Media, who produces the show, couldn’t find another American outlet to help pay for a second season.
Countdown with Keith Olbermann (Current TV)
Using the same name from his long-running MSNBC show, Olbermann lasted less than a year before parting ways with Current TV.
CSI: Miami (CBS)
After 10 seasons, David Caruso can give back the sunglasses. The show ended with 232 episodes total.
Damages (DirecTV)
The show was picked up for two seasons when FX dropped it. It turns out that season five, airing Summer 2012, will be the show’s last.
Desperate Housewives (ABC)
Rather than wait until the ratings dropped any further, the network agreed to close down Wisteria Lane after eight seasons on the air.
Dog Whisperer (A&E)
After more than 150 episodes and nine seasons, the Cesar Millan program is coming to a close. The series finale will air on September 15th.
Dog the Bounty Hunter (Nat Geo Wild)
A show that helped to put the cable channel on the map is ending after eight seasons.
Dragon Ball Z Kai (Nick)
This animated series ended after one season and 97 episodes. It’s being replaced Dragon Ball GT.
Ebert Presents: At the Movies (PBS)
Continuing the format of film criticism that was made popular by Ebert and Gene Siskel, this weekly program reviews a number of new and classic films. It didn’t find enough financial support and ended up being put on hiatus.
Escape Routes (NBC)
Sponsored by Ford, this competition series didn’t garner much interest on Saturday nights.
Eureka (Syfy)
Based on the ratings, this show was apparently too expensive to continue producing. The fifth and final season will air in mid-2012. After the cancellation announcement came down, the cable channel ordered an additional episode to allow Eureka some sort of proper finale.
Ev and Ocho (VH1)
Envisioned as a follow-up to Basketball Wives, this series follows Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson and Evelyn Lozada’s relationship. It was cancelled before any of the 11 episodes had aired.
Expedition Impossible (ABC)
This summer reality competition lasted 10 episodes and one season but the network apparently felt that a second season was, well, impossible.
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC)
Ty Pennington and his crew are getting a little rest. The network has cancelled the reality show but will still air it as occasional specials.
Fear Factor (NBC)
Joe Rogan won’t have to witness any more disgusting stunts. NBC has dropped the series again.
The Finder (FOX)
This Bones spin-off stumbled out of the gate and just never caught on. It’s been cancelled after 13 episodes.
The Firm (NBC)
This highly-promoted legal series was a ratings disappointment and NBC burned off the remaining episodes on Saturday nights.
Want more? Check out page two and page three.
Lists of cancelled or renewed TV shows by network: ABC | CBS | The CW | FOX | NBC
What do you think? Are you surprised that any of these shows have been cancelled? Which one(s) will you miss the most?
Reality shows suck, enough already. I can hardly stand to turn on the tv in the evenings; I am thinking of taking up bowling!!!!!!!!!!
I am getting to the point where I will no longer have cable and no longer watch TV! Seriously! I have been an avid viewer since forever but what is being offered and apparently popular I am not interested in. Cop shows, CSI shows, reality shows (really? really people?) There were interesting shows that were cancelled Terra Nova, The River…which looked at first like a horror show, but actually wasn’t, Awake…which got truly interesting mid way I would really have liked to continue watching that, the Finder which I really came to love!!! shows that I absolutely loved such as… Read more »
Please get rid of all these supposed reality shows. As it is out of all 200+ channels I have on my cable I watch maybe 10 if it wasn’t for the car and motorcycle racing shows I wouldn’t turn the tv on at all.
Seriously…… i am sick of all these ******** Reality T.V Shows that is on tv right now and they keep coming out with new ones . The few really good quality tv shows that is on and worth your while watching like THE FIRM, MISSING, UNFORGETTABLE to name a few are WHAT being cancelled….and they blame it on ratings.Well guess what they just lost another viewer for good.. ME
My husband and I are in the age graphic that you are looking at. We enjoy GCB ,The Finder and Harry’s Law, they all actually make us laugh. Which is alot better than watching all this reality stuff that is on these days. Why is that stuff on anyway it really just teaches our younger kids how to act rudely and badly. And it is really just an embarrassement to society. To see people act like asses to get on TV really? I refuse to watch garbage and so does alot of other people that I know. But we all… Read more »
Jersey Shore is on cable. The (just as crappy) shows you mentioned are all on the major networks. Complaining about MTV programming won’t bring back Harry’s Law, for example.
Looks like the only cancelled shows that I, personally watched are Harry’s Law, Unforgettable and Prime Suspect (which was cancelled earlier rather than just now). Hopefully, another network will pick these up, especially Harry’s Law in which some of the best acting on TV is exhibited. Sadly, most viewers seem to like the trite/inane comedies and “modern” approach to entertainment (stupid so-called reality shows), or the networks think they do and have dedicated most of their air time to these shows. Ho HUM!
Please reconsider cancelling CSI Miami and Unforgettable they were both great shows.
I’m always surprised at a few of the shows they are cancelling and this years disappointment goes to ….
House – Wish they would keep this one around.. One of my Favs!
Tera Nova – Not terribly surprised but was one worth watching with the family
The River – Total Disappointment!
I guess its I’ll have to order HBO in the Fall!
we ar going to miss unforgettable
Both my wife and I opt for Harry’s Law, Unforgettable & CSI Miami.
These are three excellent shows that should never have been canceled.
In fact we were shocked to hear Harry’s Law and Unforgettable were on the cancel list.
Hope they’ll reconsider.
It always amazes me when they say a show is canceled due to the younger viewers did not watch it. I am 55 and my husband and I enjoy watch TV. Also we are not coming and going all the time like the young ones, so I would think us older crowd would have a say so. Harry’s Law!! I am shocked and angry that it has been canceled as well as GCB!!!! People really???? I would love to find a way to fight to bring them back! If anyone know how post it please.. Thank
I will miss The Finder. Loved the characters and they just got more interesting each episode, maybe these “characters” should be moved over to the USA network where they would be appreciated.
You can NOT cancel “MISSING”!!!!!
We loved that show.
Ashley Judd’s acting was so intense I could not leave the room ’til it over over each week!!!!
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE DO NOT CANCEL!!!!!!
This is just insane to produce really good family shows and then end them just to leavr them hanging at the end… We have watched every singe show of ” The Nine Lives of Chole King” and “Kyle XY” Now we are left with no clue how the story goes on and what will be the end???? Is there at least a book made of the entire story?
My family and I really enjoyed sitting together watching ” The Nine Lives Of Chloe King” and “Kyle XY” and now we are left expecting to watch these shows as they go further into the stor…. SERIOUSLY!!!!What is going on? Why start realy good shows and then end them at a point where you can not figure out what is going to happen next or how it will end? So dissapointed!!