The 10 Best Short-Lived FOX Shows
From 'Firefly' to 'Wonderfalls' to 'Method & Red,' FOX has canceled some classics
The 10 Best Short-Lived FOX Shows
Over the years [25, to be exact, hence stories retrospectives like this], FOX has gained a reputation as the home for some of the riskiest and most adventurous programming on network TV. And when you swing big, sometimes you miss big, either in terms of quality or with audiences.
That has led to FOX's reputation as a network that cancels shows quickly. Often, this reputation is entirely undeserved. No other network would have given "Arrested Development" three seasons or "Fringe" four seasons or bothered to renew "Dollhouse" or "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles."
For this gallery of short-lived FOX favorites, I made a simple rule: One season or fewer. Period. If FOX renewed the show, it doesn't make the gallery, even if the total number of episodes falls under a standard 22-episode season.
That's why "Andy Richter Controls the Universe" isn't here. This gallery also doesn't include "Dollhouse," "The Loop," "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles," "Get a Life" and several other shows that were definitely short-lived, but had to be cut off due to the "one season" rule.
Feel free to disagree, but here's the list of my favorite 10 Short-Lived FOX Shows.
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupPrettok
April 22, 2012 at 1:49AM EST Reply to CommentYou mention 'Drive' twice but completely forget the classic 'Drexel's Class'?
dan Prettok - And somebody on Twitter asked why I didn't mention "Drive" at all. Somewhere in between "zero" and "two" mentions is the correct number. Fixed that... Thanks!
April 22, 2012 at 1:53AM ESTAs for "Drexel's Class"... Well, you can't have fond memories for everything!
-Daniel
Anon
April 22, 2012 at 2:06AM EST Reply to CommentGlad to see the mention of T:SCC -- even now, I miss that show.
Sareeta Yeah. That 2nd season/series finale was so full of possibilities, just thinking about it makes me mad all over again. Plus, who would have thought Brian Austin Green would be so awesome in a show like this?!
April 22, 2012 at 4:05PM ESTSmigglesby
April 22, 2012 at 2:10AM EST Reply to CommentI loved Pasadena, and constantly try to find the episodes...
dan SoapNet ran it at some point, I think? I wish I'd rewatched it, because I'm sure I'd like it more now than I did when it ran...
April 22, 2012 at 2:25AM EST-Daniel
That Werewolf Guy
April 22, 2012 at 3:42AM EST Reply to CommentI remember when PROFIT started in Germany, the channel held a poll. The show was so different, that viewers could actually vote if they want to see more of it or not.
(as far as I remember, they didn't like it and the show was burned off deep in the night during summer a few years later.)
Also I never got FIREFLY. I recently watched it and it's an okay show, pretty entertaining, but nothing more. Oh well...
Mulderism
April 22, 2012 at 3:57AM EST Reply to CommentA FOX show I think was cut down before it's time was VR5. It was one of the shows that tried to capitalize on the X-Files success.
I can see why people didn't respond to the show but it has it's fans and we would have like to seen it taken further. It was certainly different.
kasey VR.5 had its flaws but it held a lot of potential and in some ways was ahead of its time. It's also one of those shows I wish would finally be releases on DVd. I would take Hulu at this point.
April 28, 2012 at 2:58AM EST(Strange Luck is another I would like to see again)
Diane
April 22, 2012 at 4:16AM EST Reply to CommentThe Good Guys was a lot of fun....
anthony_c_reyes
April 22, 2012 at 7:13AM EST Reply to CommentOMG @ the casts of Firefly, Undeclared, Kitchen Confidential...
Paul C
April 22, 2012 at 9:17AM EST Reply to CommentThis gallery makes me sad.
Profit was randomly shown with us on a channel about 2 summers ago, and I thought it was terrific. It was frustrating as just as soon as it sucked you in, it was over. I also thought Pasdar was one of the stronger parts of Heroes, particularly when he was the politician guy, and I hope he gets a good gig again soon.
I just wonder that if The Chicago Code had of gotten the usual 22-episode order, it would probably still be around. There was still a lot of fleshing out of characters to be done but all the parts were there - actors, terrific location, serial arc running in the background - that it could have used those extra episodes for things to all click together.
And Firefly...sigh.
M
April 22, 2012 at 9:44AM EST Reply to CommentI think Andy Richter Controls the Universe at least deserves an honorable mention. So does Titus.
N Read his criteria. If the show went on more than a season, it doesn't get on the list.
April 22, 2012 at 11:54AM ESTM Oops. Yeah, I totally didn't read the first page. My bad.
April 22, 2012 at 3:41PM ESTStormshadow4life
April 22, 2012 at 11:12AM EST Reply to CommentWonderfalls, Firefly, and Kitchen Confidential for me. Didn't really care for the others all that much (including Undeclared).
LJA
April 22, 2012 at 11:15AM EST Reply to CommentKeen Eddie! Yes!
Popvulture
April 22, 2012 at 12:00PM EST Reply to CommentGood job! None of those shows would have made my @WhoGreenLitThat list. Especially "Action!" Lovedthat show
PETER JAMES
April 22, 2012 at 12:07PM EST Reply to CommentFrom the fall of 2000, "The $treet." Never aired all the episodes and it never went to DVD.
dan Peter - "The $treet" had one of the great casts ever and I watched it for a few weeks almost entirely for Jennifer Connelly. I, personally, never really warmed to it. But great cast.
April 22, 2012 at 1:26PM EST-Daniel
lizzardpisces77
April 22, 2012 at 12:09PM EST Reply to CommentI just discovered Undeclared due to your podcast and am really enjoying it. I had idea there was a show called "Kitchen Confidential"so I'll have to check that out too. Wish I had heard of some of these other shows when they were on!
GWM
April 22, 2012 at 12:34PM EST Reply to CommentI was glad to see Kitchen Confidential on this list. I've been slowly turning my friends onto the show on Hulu. It's fantastic. Plus, I always enjoy seeing how frequently the set they built for the street in front of Nolita (complete with restaurant name) shows up as the street in other FOX shows. I've seen at least 3 shows where characters were walking down the street and they walk in front of Nolita.
citizenmilton
April 22, 2012 at 2:46PM EST Reply to CommentGood list. Somewhat surprised that "Flying Blind" didn't make the cut... maybe I'm remembering it more fondly than it was truly was, haven't seen it since it originally aired.
sepinwall My memory is that the hype from critics at the time was built around 2 things: 1)they thought Tea Leoni was awesome (which she was), and 2)the punchlines (particularly anything delivered by Corey Parker) were so spectacularly long that you couldn't help but be impressed that anyone would have written them, let alone said them in a single breath.
April 22, 2012 at 2:55PM ESTEven with those two aspects, though, I'm not sure it was *good*, though, like you, I haven't seen it in 20 years.
Guest
April 22, 2012 at 3:34PM EST Reply to CommentYou missed 'The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.' I miss that show.
Mulderism See the last page. It got an 'honourable mention'.
April 23, 2012 at 1:05PM ESTJeff613
April 22, 2012 at 8:16PM EST Reply to CommentGood list, Dan. Jay Baruchel is awesome and a proud Canadian to boot! Undeclared altogether was just great, I was too unaware at the time to know it was Apatow but looking back it makes sense.
Jeff613 I guess N.Y Undercover doesn't count as short-lived, as I think it ran 4 yrs, but I thought that show was ahead of it's time and really defined the path for shows like The Wire and B.B.
April 22, 2012 at 8:20PM ESTDom
April 23, 2012 at 10:52AM EST Reply to Commentyou totally missed JOHN DOE that show was THE BEST
wormwoodsuncle
April 25, 2012 at 10:08AM EST Reply to CommentNobody has mentioned Space: Above and Beyond. I may be on my own, but I thought it was great and killed off way before its time. Still, it made for an entertaining finale.
Kasey Agreed -- SAAB was gone too soon & before it's time. I wish more people were aware of it. The episode 'stay with the dead' is still haunting. And the finale heartwrenching.
April 28, 2012 at 2:54AM ESTGeorge
May 8, 2012 at 10:45PM EST Reply to CommentIt's clear to me that none of networks on broadcast realize that their is a void for Complex Crime Drama on Broadcast. Cable fill the void with Justified, Southland and The Closer. Fox could of been filling it with The Chicago Code. Shawn Ryan even asked them to make the show a mid-season replacement. If all their shows had been successful fall and mid season. Then could of aired season 2 through summer like they did for Lie To Me. Fox has a weaker lineup then even last year. Core audience on all the networks are shrinking. Fox better get it's S@*T together or they will end up just like NBC.
Aisha
May 9, 2012 at 6:59PM EST Reply to CommentNo 'Freaks & Geeks'??
dan Aisha - "Freaks & Geeks" was NBC...
May 9, 2012 at 7:12PM EST-Daniel
Beth
June 6, 2012 at 11:30AM EST Reply to CommentOh, man, Brisco County Jr. was one of my favourite shows growing up. I LOVED watching it with my parents. Nice list!
MikeM
June 29, 2012 at 1:30PM EST Reply to CommentLoved it great show and I'm not usually a fan of Cop shows
Zach
July 7, 2012 at 11:16PM EST Reply to CommentYou forgot The Good Guys, Traffic Light deserves honorable mention, I would put Running Wilde but I seem to be the only one that liked it, and I hear Great Scott! was amazing. You also forgot Quintuplets (just kidding, that show was awful).
arcadian
December 9, 2012 at 4:57PM EST Reply to CommentJoan of Arcadia was a number one hit but was cancelled in the second season when God was written out of the show.
Isthisnecessary
January 20, 2013 at 11:20AM EST Reply to CommentFirefly was the only show here worth a damn.