Six Very Short-Lived TV Shows

Television today is a lot different than television 20 years ago. If a series does not deliver decent ratings in its first few weeks on air, there is a high chance that it will be cancelled before it even able to find an audience. If that were the case years ago, series like Seinfeld would not have become the cult icons they are today. We looked over prime-time schedules over the last few years and found that there are a slew of television series that did not air even close to 13 episodes, which is how many episodes are generally ordered when a series is picked up during pilot season. We compiled a list of shows that got the axe after only appearing on TV for a very short period of time. Some of these series debuted to such low numbers, the plug got pulled after one showing. Here are six shows that were cancelled after only a few episodes. You may be surprised how many you do not even remember existed.

Emily’s Reasons Why Not (2006), ABC

There are about a million reasons why ABC never should have made this series that starred Heather Graham as the titular character, but not a single reason why it should have aired one episode. Emily’s Reasons Why Not was was about a woman named Emily that writes self-help books, but cannot seem to find her soul mate. The first episode dealt with Emily thinking her boyfriend was a homosexual because he would not sleep with her when it turned out he was waiting for marriage. The series premiere drew 6.2 million viewers, and ABC decided one airing was enough for this awful comedy. The main problem was that ABC agreed to the series without seeing a script. It is reported that ABC spent millions of dollars on advertising and entertainment magazines were discussing a show that had already been cancelled by the time they reached newsstands. A total of seven episodes were filmed and can be viewed on YouTube.

Lone Star (2010), FOX

Lone Star had everything you could ever want in a successful television series: a n interesting premise and a talented cast that included Friday Night Lights’ Adrianne Palicki and The Crazy Ones’ James Wolk. However, this series about a conman from Texas living two lives was axed from FOX’s lineup after two episodes. Critics raved about the pilot episode and thought it would be the best new television series of the 2010 season. Sadly, the premiere only drew in 4.1 million viewers. Statistics have proven that a series will see a significant decrease in viewers for the second episode. This was true for Lone Star. It was the first casualty of the 2010-2011 television season. A total of six  episodes were filmed; however, the remaining four were never broadcast.

Ironside (2013), NBC

You would think having Blair Underwood star on your TV show would save it from cancellation. However that was not the case for LAX, which aired for only 13 episodes in 2004, and it certainly was not the case for Ironside, which would only survive for four episodes on NBC in 2013. The series was a remake from the 1967 drama that lasted for eight seasons. Ironside sparked controversy early on because it cast Underwood in the role of a paraplegic instead of an actor who suffered from the disability. Ratings were dismal from the beginning with only 6.81 million viewers tuning in to watch. NBC cancelled the series on October 18, 2013, but still allowed one final episode to air that only attracted 3.85 million viewers. The rest of the four episodes that were filmed were never shown on television.

Cavemen (2007), ABC

Remember the Geico commercials that were about cavemen and not a gecko? Well, someone thought that that concept would make an excellent TV show in 2007. Joe Lawson was the man who created the commercials and then turned it into an atrocious comedy that would air on ABC for a total of seven episodes. The series would debut with Carpoolers, which would last only 13 episodes before experiencing the same fate as Cavemen. The sitcom received negative reviews from the beginning and was placed on hiatus during the Writer’s Strike. However, once the strike ended, the series never returned. Six additional episodes were produced but never shown on television.

Work It (2012), ABC

Bosom Buddies proved to be a somewhat successful TV show for ABC in the 1980’s, and it centered on two men who dress as women so they can live in a women’s only hotel. The alphabet network decided to bring the concept back in 2012. This time two men would pose as women because they felt the recession was easier on women, and it would be a breeze trying to find a job posing as a female. Critics believed the premise of the show was ridiculous, and LGBTQ advocacy groups thought it poked fun at a serious topic and picketed the network. The first episode drew in 6.1 million viewers. The second outing only brought in 4.9 million, so ABC pulled the plug on the comedy and did not air the 11 remaining episodes.

The Paul Reiser Show (2011), NBC

NBC had been struggling for a while trying to find a funny and successful TV show to air on Thursdays, a night that once aired popular series like The Cosby Show, Cheers, and Friends. The peacock network believed they had a winner with Paul Reiser, who was no stranger to NBC, having appeared on Mad About You from 1992 to 1999. The comedy was a spin on Reiser’s own life, as he starred as himself and was looking for his next big project after having been on a successful TV show several years prior. The comedy was replacing Perfect Couples, which was experiencing low ratings. The pilot episode of The Paul Reiser Show drew in even less viewers than Perfect Couples, only being watched by 3.3 million viewers. The second outing decreased in viewership by 1 million viewers so the series was pulled from the lineup, leaving five episodes unaired.

Do you remember a TV show that only lasted a handful of episode before being cancelled? Let us know which ones in the comments section below.

[Photo via NBC]