This list will show you some of the best TV series that were sadly canceled too soon, and where you can watch them right now.
For various reasons, sometimes great shows get canceled too soon. While exact circumstances are rarely ever clear, there’s some usual culprits that kill off shows too soon, including budgets that are too high, marketing campaigns that don’t stir up enough interest, and sometimes monumental events like strikes and recessions can kill a show for good. But what are some of the best shows that ended way before they should have? Read on to find out.
Shining Vale (2022-2023)
Shining Vale has become a hit on Max, but did you know the show originally premiered on Starz from 2022-2023? The series sees Courteney Cox play a mother, wife, and writer who finds herself becoming possessed by a demon. But society and her family don’t believe her, causing her to question her sanity. The show blends horror, humor, and societal critiques, making it a fantastically fun watch.
Lady Dynamite (2016-2017)
Comedian Maria Bamford made a sorta-autobiographical series on Netflix called Lady Dynamite that chronicles her stand-up career, her brief spokesperson partnership with Target, and her spectacular crash back to the bottom because of her severe mental illness. As traumatic as that might sound, the show is absolutely bonkers, surrealist, and hilarious. There’s a reason it holds a lofty 97% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Pushing Daisies (2007-2009)
In Pushing Daisies, Lee Pace stars as a man who can bring things back from the dead. The catch is that, to bring someone back…something else has to die. While the concept may be grim, Pushing Daisies is actually a fairytale-esque, pastel-blasted rom-com. The show was hailed by critics and earned itself Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. Sadly, the series was never able to recover after the 2007 Writers Strike.
Dead Like Me (2003-2004)
In Dead Like Me, eighteen-year-old Georgia Lass is killed by chance after a rogue toilet seat falling from the deorbiting MIR space station reaches terminal velocity and completely obliterates her. As if dying wasn't traumatic enough, she’s then told that her time on Earth isn’t over yet and that she’s now tasked with being a grim reaper. The show was well-received and had a great cast including Mandy Patinkin, Jasmine Guy, and Laura Harris.
My So-Called Life (1994-1995)
Despite only airing for one season, My So-Called Life was a cultural phenomenon, being one of the first teen dramas to really show what life was like for young people in a modernizing world. Plus, its cast is absolutely stacked, with Claire Danes, Jared Leto, and Wilson Cruz all gaining fame from the series. My So-Called Life scored four Emmy nominations and even earned Danes a Golden Globe win. To this day, many say it’s the pinnacle of shows canceled too soon.
Sense8 (2015-2018)
Initially premiering to rave reviews, Sense8 was a Netflix series created by the Wachowskis (famous for the Matrix films) and follows a group of random people around the world who suddenly discover they’re all connected. The show had an incredibly devout fanbase, but with its huge cast and globe-spanning filming locations, the production cost was just too high to make the show feasible.
Deadwood (2004-2006)
The HBO series Deadwood follows the creation of the real-life Deadwood mining camp in South Dakota and its rise into the prosperous and lawless gold rush town it became. The series was a hit with critics and audiences, but with the large budget required to recreate the town of Deadwood, it never quite had the viewership needed to justify its production costs. However, fans were so ravenous for more that in 2019 HBO premiered Deadwood: The Movie to give audiences more of the story they craved.
So Weird (1999-2001)
So Weird was like Disney Channel’s answer to The X-Files and followed rockstar Molly Phillips and her family as they traveled around the country on their tour bus and encountered strange, mysterious, and paranormal occurrences wherever they went. No official reason was ever given for the show’s cancellation, but many fans say it was simply too good, spooky, and dark for the Disney Channel, which has since turned into a cult classic.
Mindhunter (2017-2019)
Based on the book of the same name, Mindhunter takes inspiration from the very real Behavioral Science Unit within the FBI, which helps profile and predict serial killer behaviors and patterns. The show is historical fiction and episodes see the detectives working on cases involving real killers like the BTK Killer, Charles Manson, and Richard Speck, among others. Creator David Fincher told Variety the show had a dedicated audience, but was just too expensive to make.
Constellation (2024)
Noomi Rapace starred in the sci-fi thriller Constellation, about an astronaut who returns to Earth from the ISS. But something isn’t right when she returns. The world isn’t exactly as she remembers, and the small differences begin to tear her apart. The series was loaded with great mystery and it received mostly positive reviews. However, low ratings forced Apple TV+ to cancel the show after one season. But fans of a good thriller should certainly check it out.
BONUS: Wonderfalls (2004)
Sadly, Wonderfalls isn’t currently streaming anywhere, but the show is good enough to be hunted down on DVD and has luckily (and unofficially) been uploaded to YouTube. In the series, a young woman who works at a Niagara Falls gift shop begins speaking to a higher power…who talks to her through the gift shop’s stuffed animals. The show was created by Bryan Fuller (who appears on this list twice with Dead Like Me and Pushing Daisies – and honestly could have appeared a third time because Hannibal was also canceled too soon) and it’s lots of fun, and surprisingly smart.
Where to Watch the Best Shows Cancelled Too Soon Streaming Online
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