30 Days of TV Meme -- Day 01

[jayes_musings]

And so to begin.

Day 01. A show that should have never been canceled.

This is actually a fairly difficult one for me, as with many shows that I like, I still find they end at the right time...before they get past their prime and/or jump the shark. So I don't get too upset when a favourite show is cancelled. Maybe it's being British when even the best shows are sometimes given a limited run.

That said, I do wish there had been more of Blake's 7, and I wish the production company for Robin of Sherwood had not gone bankrupt, and there would have been more episodes of that. While I was sad to see the last of Farscape, I do wonder how they might have pulled another full season out of it. Even my perennial favourite, Highlander, had IMO gone as far as it probably should have...and even then, maybe a little too far.

No, one of the only shows I can think of that shouldn't have been cancelled (or given the ending that it had) was Life on Mars (UK), and I'm not even in the fandom. While I do like Ashes to Ashes...I think LoM could have easily gone on for one more season before tying up Sam's loose ends.

Comments

[luscious-words.livejournal.com]

I think sometimes it's better to have a limited run than to ruin a show. There are many shows that wear out their welcome and storyline that are kept alive by hook or by crook so networks get their money's worth.

Thanks to the Welshman, I've discovered one of the shows that I think had a short run but was kept fresh and crisp because it was only 12 episodes. Fawlty Towers worked so well because it didn't have a chance to jump the shark or wear out its welcome.

[simplyjaye.livejournal.com]

When I wrote that, Fawlty Towers is what came to mind as the perfect example of going out while on top. *g* And even now (having just recently rewatched the whole series) it is still as fresh as ever. Another good example is The Office (UK) which is only twelve episodes and a special, I think...compared to how many seasons of the US version?

[luscious-words.livejournal.com]

Fawlty Towers is brill! I saw a few eps when I was visiting Wales all those years ago, and we've since bought the DVD set so we can watch it anytime we want here. I'm not sure what season The Office (US) is on since I don't watch it, but I think it's at least season 3.

[simplyjaye.livejournal.com]

We just showed it to my teenager, and he absolutely loved it! Admittedly, I don't watch the US The Office either (maybe caught 5mins of it total)...but I can't see how that can last for several(?) seasons with a far larger amount of eps per season. The 12 + special of the UK series was about right, more and the joke would have got old. *shrug*

[luscious-words.livejournal.com]

That's the point - they do get old. They become stale and lose the laugh factor. Whereas something that stays within the true story arc, instead of being stretched because the fans don't want to see it go, end up enduring through time. Ah well, it's a shame that it goes this way, but there you are. *whispers* I'm dreading seeing my f-list this morning and hearing what the Lost fans have to say. 0_0

[simplyjaye.livejournal.com]

Yes, they've seem to have forgotten the old adages of 'leave 'em wanting more' and 'go out on top'.

Good luck...it's all over my f-list, but I never watched Lost, so no big deal to me. *g*

[luscious-words.livejournal.com]

I haven't watched it either, but I know several folks who are die-hard fans. *g*

[beccadg.livejournal.com]

I've never watched Blake's 7, or wanted to. I would have loved for there to have been more of Robin of Sherwood and Farscape. Highlander though definitely jumped the shark with Ahriman for me. I like to pretend Highlander went from "Modern Prometheus" to "Indiscretions" with no episodes in between.

[simplyjaye.livejournal.com]

I'm with you on Highlander, it should never have had a season 6 (and "Indisretions" and "Unusual Suspects needed to end season 5.

:P I have no Highlander icons right now.