Television can be quite ruthless, to be fair. For every enormously successful show that pretty much dictates the whole pop culture (Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad), dozens don’t even get off the ground. Some are cut down before even having a chance to show an episode; others only manage to air one or two episodes before disappearing into thin air. Whether it’s fighting behind the scenes, production disasters, or just bad luck, the small screen is full of what-ifs and close calls. Here are ten such brief-lived TV shows that didn’t really make it, some of which even before the viewers had a chance to press the play button.
10. Next Caller (NBC)
NBC was banking on a lot of success with this black comedy series, which featured comedian Dane Cook in the role of a snarky radio host who is forced to share the microphone with a feminist co-host who is equally talkative. As a matter of fact, the premise sounded like great comedy, but the reality was far from it. The network decided to pull the plug on the show just after the production of four episodes because of “creative differences” with Cook, and no episode was ever aired, which made the show title more ironic than they could have ever imagined.
9. Coach (NBC Revival)
Regenerating old glory just didn’t work for NBC in their attempt to bring back the popular ’90s sitcom Coach. Craig T. Nelson came back as the gruff but lovable football coach. The network was so confident that they even gave the green light for the whole series without the need for a pilot; 13 episodes were to be shot. But after watching the pilot, the network head lost their enthusiasm, and the show was canceled. It never saw the light of day, a testament to the fact that you cannot catch lightning in a bottle twice.
8. Manchester Prep (Fox)
One of the craziest instances of a show that never materialized, Fox tried to make a prequel series out of Cruel Intentions titled Manchester Prep. The catch? It was too racy even for late ’90s television. The material pushed the envelope so hard that Fox wouldn’t air it at all. Instead, the old footage was spliced together into a direct-to-video film titled Cruel Intentions 2, featuring a young Amy Adams. It’s campy, disorganized, and an ideal artifact of its time.
7. Us and Them (Fox)
Previous to becoming a household name for The Late Late Show, James Corden co-created Us and Them, an American adaptation of the British romcom Gavin & Stacey. The US iteration featured Jason Ritter and Alexis Bledel, and Fox originally commissioned 13 episodes later reduced them to seven. But typical Fox practice was to cut it short; the network canceled before any of them aired. The whole show was put on hold, leaving viewers to speculate about what might have been.
6. Star Wars: Detours (Disney/Lucasfilm)
Picture a complete Star Wars animated comedy made by George Lucas and the Robot Chicken guys, and then picture it never being released. That’s what happened with Star Wars: Detrops. Thirty-nine episodes were produced, but when Disney bought Lucasfilm, the project was put on ice indefinitely so the studio could concentrate on more “serious” Star Wars projects. Somewhere in the world, those episodes are just sitting in a vault… waiting for their chance.
5. The Boondocks Reboot (HBO Max/Sony)
Fans were over the moon when the creator of The Boondocks, Aaron McGruder, revealed a reboot on HBO Max. Sadly, the return stalled against a wall of production delays and behind-the-scenes problems. Despite buzz and initial artwork popping up online, Sony ultimately canceled it. “It just took too long to make,” according to voice actor Gary Anthony Williams. The hope of getting Huey and Riley back on TV was over before it started.
4. Ultimate Slip ‘N Slide (NBC)
This one is a lesson in why you shouldn’t interfere with fate or water-borne microorganisms. The Ultimate Slip ‘N Slide of NBC was planned to be a fun summer games show filled with stunts, splashes, and laughs. However, production was abruptly stopped after a Giardia outbreak that infected the crew members with a bad stomach parasite. In the case of safety issues and people’s reputations, which were at risk, NBC discarded the entire project as if it never existed.
3. Swamp Thing (DC Universe)
Swamp Thing had it all: big production quality, good writing, and a loyal fan base. And then, after only one episode of it appearing on DC Universe, the show was suddenly canceled. Nobody’s ever really explained why rumors have circulated from creative differences to budget and tax woes, but fans were devastated. The show has since become a cult classic, a “what might’ve been” memory for what could have been one of DC’s greatest small-screen tales.
2. Emily’s Reasons Why Not (ABC)
ABC was very optimistic about “Emily’s Reasons Why Not,” a romantic comedy that centered around Heather Graham playing a lovable but slightly eccentric girl who was on a quest to find both love and life. The network was very eager to bring the show to the people, and thus, they spent a lot of money on advertising, with billboards featuring the face of Graham being put everywhere. However, the show was met with harsh criticism and a lack of viewership for its first episode; hence, ABC decided to end the show right away. This show, which only had one episode broadcast and then vanished, is now known as one of the most famous cases of TV’s one-and-done fiascos.
1. Osbournes Reloaded (Fox)
After the successful run of their MTV reality show, the Osbourne family tried to transfer their rough charm with Osbournes Reloaded, a variety show that was stuffed with sketches, stunts, and live music, to Fox. The first episode caused a lot of heat. Therefore, almost 15% of Fox affiliates did not broadcast the show because they were so against it. The show was terminated after only one episode, and the majority of the footage was never broadcast. In short, even television royalty cannot survive bad timing and negative response.
Television history is packed with shows that never had their opportunity, some were canceled too soon, and some probably deserved it. Differences between creatives, weird production hiccups, or corporate changes of mind – these are just a few of the reasons for which these ephemeral series remind us that nothing in Hollywood is guaranteed until the actual broadcast. In the television world, having a great idea is not enough; it is more about the luck of being around long enough for someone to actually watch.