TV Shows That Should Have Been On-Air Longer

What television shows do you think didn't get their fair amount of time. I have to go with one of my favorite shows, Arrested Development. This show was complex, but it was a great show. Extremely funny and you go to know all the characters of the show. Hopefully they do a movie for it someday.

I really need to start watching Arrested Development, heard so many great things about it but have yet to watch anything about it. I'm going to do this based of show quality, as I can understand why shows are canceled due to poor ratings.. Anyways, here are a few shows I've came up with...

8 Simple Rules: Last three seasons and seventy-six episodes. Know that by heart. Anyways, I love this show, and it was a hit. At least during the first season or so. Unfortunately, near beginning of the second season, John Ritter tragically passed away, and the show had to adapt. They added James Garner and David Spade into the cast, and the show remained just a funny. Hell, a bunch of fans would argue the show even got better. Sadly, by the third season, the ratings dropped by three million viewers and the show was canceled.

Dilbert: Unlike 8 Simple Rules, I haven't actually watched a ton of episodes from Dilbert, but so far the show is hilarious. Maybe it goes downhill near the end, but I didn't hear anything about that. Having only thirty episodes is a shame, especially when looking at other animated sitcoms.

The Oblongs: When it comes animated sitcoms, this one was epic. I've seen probably half of all thirteen episodes (it lasted two seasons, horrible amount of episodes for a show that lasted two seasons) but every one is really awesome. Luckily, The Oblongs is apparently going to return with new episodes (without Will Ferrell most likely), but almost no news have been giving in quite some time.

Still Standing: This show wasn't a masterpiece. I'm less caring on this one but it was still a show that deserved to get to one hundred episodes. It was deserving of one more season in my opinion.

Gary Unmarried: In my opinion, one of the best shows on the CBS comedy block for both of it's two years. I loved this show, and a big reason for that is because of Jay Mohr. The big problem with this show was the switch between two and one. The cast was altered, and so was Gary's job (which is a big deal). The show was still funny, possibly funnier, so I wouldn't of mind. Honestly, the only canceled show recently that pissed me off.

That's about it for now.

*Edit*

Not to mention they ended Gary Unmarried on a freaking cliffhanger.

Freaks and Geeks: So many lovable characters. The show was set in an earlier generation so adults could watch it and reminisce about their childhood, yet it was a teen show. And unlike other teen shows the characters came off as genuine. To think this only got one season is lame.

Heroes: The real show was just getting started when Claire jumped in front of the news cameras. The network really should have given Heroes at least one more season or a movie.

Carnivale: Carnivale was a very slow moving show in terms of story development. A show like Carnivale needed at least five seasons IMO. Two was simply not enough.

Mr. Tambourine Man wrote:

Heroes: The real show was just getting started when Claire jumped in front of the news cameras. The network really should have given Heroes at least one more season or a movie.

This. What Claire did on the finale was pretty much the worry of every single character on the show: being exposed to the public. I would've loved to see the fallout of it.

I was a big fan of "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" and I was really angry when ABC dropped the show. The duo of Colin Mochrie and Ryan Stiles is epic and I haven't found any other duo that had the same chemistry on any show whatsoever afterwards. I'm happy to see that the concept will live again under a slightly different format and I hope that I'll be able to see it in Canada.

There was a show on FOX called "Wonderfalls" a couple of years ago that got cancelled 4 episodes in but I got to see the entire series in French and I thought it was very good. The lead actress, Caroline Dhavernas (now starring in the new ABC series "Off The Map"), is excellent as a sarcastic employee at a Niagara Falls gift shop and her relationship with the rest of her dysfunctional family is truly hilarious. I really wish that Wonderfalls didn't get the same treatment that FOX reserves to series struggling early. I honestly think FOX holds the record for cancelling series within a month of airing. I don't think that CBS, NBC or ABC are that fast to pull the trigger on ailing shows. They usually give them a chance, unless the ratings are really abysmal.

Oh this should be fun ...

Day Break ... /Thread. But in all seriousness.

Day Break:
What an amazing show this was. It only lasted one season and never technically finished but it was without a doubt some of the best 13 Episodes I have ever seen. With a great TV cast in Taye Diggs who played the main protagonist and other well known actors like Adam Baldwin, Victoria Platt and Mitch Pileggi.

The show was a crime version of Groundhog Day in a way. He will wake up and be accused for shooting the state attorney and he do the same thing the next morning. Each episode the show slowly progresses until he finds holes through the police force and other things which he has experienced in previous days. Seems far fetched, But it is an excellent watch if you have the time.

Arrested Development:
SOL already mentioned this but I felt it deserved a mention.
Arrested Development is one of those shows that gets funnier everytime you watch it [i.e. Scrubs]. You get to know all the characters extremely well whether it is the fugitive George Sr. played by Jeffrey Tambor or the awkward Teenager who has a crush on his cousin played by Michael Cera.

Every character in the show has the individual issues and it presented very well. I do think Season 3 was definitely the shows worst season and I do think this lead to the cancellation but with some better writers they could have got two or so more seasons out of the show.

btw SOL, They are currently writing a Script for the Arrested Development movie. I believe everybody is on board for the movie.

Firefly:
Similiar to Daybreak. Only went for one Season but was a great show with an epic cast. Another Joss Wheadon comes up with is always great and this show was no exception. interesting concept which was executed in a great way.

The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and My Wife and Kids.....ENOUGH Said!

Urgh, Fresh Prince ran for six season. Don't think that is valid for a TV Show that should have been on-air longer. I think most people are looking for shows which ran for 1-4 Seasons.

Sykesy wrote:

Urgh, Fresh Prince ran for six season. Don't think that is valid for a TV Show that should have been on-air longer. I think most people are looking for shows which ran for 1-4 Seasons.

Fresh Prince is his favorite show of all-time though (according to that thread that asks favorite shows), I don't think their is any reason why he wouldn't think it should continue. I know Scrubs would've been on my list if it was canned at season six.

Fresh Prince IS, WAS and WILL always be one of the best TV shows ever...I ould want it to be on longer, not cancel!