Recommendation Challenge Day 3: Oh The Horror - 7 Shows Cancelled Too Soon

Let me start off by saying, I have been addicted to so many shows that were cancelled rather early. Now that either says something about my taste in television, or can be chalked up to bad luck on my part. Here's a run down of my top list of show that crushed my spirits as they were all cancelled too soon.

Firefly (11 originally aired episodes)

This is probably the first show that comes to mind when I think about shows that were cancelled before their time. Firefly was the brilliant brain-child of Joss Whedon. It was well-written and had a full universe to play with as its backdrop. The characters were the highlight of the show led by Nathon Fillion, Morena Baccarin, Adam Bladwin, Summer Glau, Jewel Staite and Alan Tudyk. We watched as this group traversed the universe as fugitives and rebels, seeking only to protect what is rightfully theirs.

Jericho (2 seasons)

Jericho was a well acted show that revolved around a group of characters living in a small town after a set of nuclear bombs are detonated across most of America. The stories told through the show from the small town interactions to the realistic view of how something like this may actually happen were interwoven beautifully. Jericho was originally cancelled after 1 season, but there was such an uproar from the fans, that it was brought back for a follow-up season before finally being cancelled completely.

Southland (1 season - 4 more seasons on a different network)

Southland was a gritty cop drama that focused on a rookie cop (Ben McKenzie from Gotham) and his training partner as they worked the streets of L.A. The show felt genuine and had real authenticity, often employing actual gang members to portray the gangsters of the show. Southland faced several of the standard tropes that you would find in police dramas, but it infused a new sense of gritty realism that was missing from the genre.

Dead Like Me (2 Seasons)

A show about Grim Reapers, how could you go wrong with this show? - It would have been easy to make Dead Like Me out to be dreary and depressing, but the show was rather light and quirky thanks to the fantastic cast including Mandy Patinkin, Callum Blue and Jasmine Guy. The main character is killed by being struck by a falling toilet seat from the Mir Space Station, and in turn she becomes the newest reaper to join the team headed by Patinkin's character.

Veronica Mars (3 seasons)

Kristen Bell portrayed a high-school private investigator who is adjusting to college in Veronica Mars. I was hooked at Kristen Bell. The show followed the generic television tropes of young detectives solving small crimes through the episodes while unraveling a larger mystery throughout the series.

Terra Nova (1 season)

A cross between Jurassic Park and Stargate is a fairly accurate description of Terra Nova. The show followed an family as they traveled back in time into a parallel universe to hopefully start their life over as a part of a colony of other survivors from the destroyed Earth of 2149.

Deadwood (3 seasons)

Based on an actual city in South Dakota, Deadwood chronicles the growth and development of that city filled with scary and sultry characters. The western vibe of the show was refreshing and the action in the show made it very lovable. Yet, the cast of actors is what sold the show, as it was filled with a collection of talent including Timothy Olyphant, Ian McShane, Jim Beaver, Molly Parker and Garret Dillahunt.

I was only supposed to choose one show that was cancelled too soon, but I really couldn't because there have been so many good shows that sadly ended abruptly.