TV.com Top 10: The Most Disappointing Cancellations of 2010-2011... by
TV.com Staff TV.com Staff Writer 05/18/11 05:24 PM
10. Detroit 1-8-7 Why we're sad it's gone: Cop shows are a dime a dozen, but what differentiates the good ones from the bad ones are the characters.
Detroit 1-8-7 underwent some changes early on, but one thing that didn't change was its diverse range of interesting cops. Plus, television is always worse when Michael Imperioli isn't on it.
What went wrong: Cop shows don't have the sizzle they used to. Nowadays, audiences flock to specialized police procedurals featuring mind readers and cadaver scrapers.
9. Lie to Me Why we're sad it's gone: While the show didn't exactly knock it out of the park on a weekly basis, it was interesting as far as procedurals are concerned. And Tim Roth was a joy to watch as Dr. Cal Lightman, a character who became more and more intriguing as the series progressed.
What went wrong: Fox didn't help things by throwing it around the schedule.
8. V Why we're sad it's gone: Just as it realized it wouldn't be coming back,
V really found its footing as a campy good time full of corny special effects. It was never meant to be serious science-fiction—it was just humans versus lizards. It's too bad the show embraced that idea too late.
What went wrong: There wasn't enough Queen Anna tail-stabbing action early on, and the show failed to build an audience.
7. Brothers & Sisters Why we're sad it's gone: We're going to miss the excellent cast, which included Calista Flockheart,
Sally Field, and
Rachel Griffiths. But really we wanted to see this show go out with a final season and the closure it deserved.
What went wrong: Though it enjoyed a happy life, it simply ran out of steam.
6. Human Target Why we're sad it's gone: The fights! The wisecracks!
Chi McBride!
What went wrong: We don't know!? Who doesn't love fights!?!? Who doesn't love wisecracks? Who doesn't love Chi McBride?
5. Traffic Light Why we're sad it's gone: Again, this wasn't an amazing show, but it did prove to be one of the standout "handful of friends" romantic-comedies we were bombarded with this season. Plus it had tons of potential.
What went wrong: Dudes don't like rom-coms. They're supposed to like fights! And wisecracks! And Chi McBride!
4. The Event Why we're sad it's gone: The Event had two types of fans: Those who loved the political intrigue and sci-fi elements, and those who viewed it as an enjoyable trainwreck. Despite coming at the show from different angles, both groups found it wildly entertaining. But the thing we'll miss the most? Finding out what this "Event" was.
What went wrong: It tried to be
Lost, it tried to be
24, but ended up looking lost and filling an hour with only 24 minutes of relevant story.
3. Lone Star Why we're sad it's gone: Imagine this: a challenging drama on network TV that isn't about cops, lawyers, or doctors. That was
Lone Star. Fox took a big chance on it, critics loved it, but ratings were so bad it only lasted two episodes. We're sad not just for the show, but for the genre. No network will try out cable-style drama ever again.
What went wrong: It was on network TV and not cable. (Alternate reason: People are idiots.)
2. Stargate Universe Why we're sad it's gone: It was one of the last true sci-fi shows on Syfy, and it was starting to get really good, but Syfy is trying to push out the nerds. Now there are cooking shows on Syfy. Cooking shows!
What went wrong: Network re-branding, dude. Nothing personal. It's just business.
1. Terriers Why we're sad it's gone: The characters felt real and believable, and the setting and details were within our reach. In a day where over-the-top is standard,
Terriers' subtlety created an air of intimacy that we sorely miss.
What went wrong: The name, the marketing, all that.
Terriers was a hard show to sell because it wasn't easily definable. Without flash and pizazz, viewers just didn't tune in.