TV Shows Tragically Canceled vs. Crap That Lingered

[Scarpia]

I agree with that, it was rightfully canceled.  The first season was great, and then it went quickly downhill.  I watched it all anyway + the movie.

There was a movie?   Was Mandy Patinkin in it?

[Szykneij]

Is it eltist of me, do you suppose, that even from childhood I preferred The Addams Family (my first awareness of the stock market, I suppose) to The Munsters?

Batman or Lost in Space?

[knight66]

We have along running soap in the UK called Coronation St. It is 50 years old this year. Do you have such long running soaps in the US?

Mike

[Scarpia]

We have along running soap in the UK called Coronation St. It is 50 years old this year. Do you have such long running soaps in the US?

There was a show called "Guiding Light" which recently went off the air after 72 years (the first 15 years on radio).  Other shows of comparable vintage are still broadcast.

[Sergeant Rock]

Batman or Lost in Space?

Tough choice. I watched Lost in Space primarily because I was in love with the tragically under-utilized Penny (a non-perverted lust, I hasten to add...I wasn't much older than Angela Cartwright). On the other hand, Batman had the Catwoman of Julie Newmar and Yvonne Craig's Batgirl.  Decisions, decisions...

Conclusion: I liked both shows....and I need a harem 

Sarge

[DavidW]

Well, I thought the first season of 24 was awesome, and the second a big step down. 

Each season was worse than the previous one.  The problem is that they did not have any good ideas for what they could do differently, and so it became more and more preposterous and yet more derivative of the first season.  If instead of sticking to the realtime gimmick, they just chucked it and developed a smart Vince Flynn-esque political thriller without that device it would have been a great show.  Ah well.

[DavidW]

There was a movie?   Was Mandy Patinkin in it?

Yup, but straight to video, and sadly no Mandy Patinkin.

[Scarpia]

Yup, but straight to video, and sadly no Mandy Patinkin.

That's what I feared.  I remember there was talk of a movie but that Patinkin wasn't on board.  He's like the Carlos Kleiber of acting, everything he does is great, but he does so little. 

[Teresa]

I loved The Lone Gunmen a spinoff from the X-Files, The Lone Gunmen were my favorite guest characters on the X-Files and I was thrilled when they got their own show.  It only lasted 13 episodes, I don't believe it was allowed to generate a following.  The series was left hanging and was actually concluded on an episode of the X-files.

I am also very unhappy with the recent cancelastions of Happy Town and  Flash Forward.  It seems if I like a TV show it is lucky to last even one season.  However if I hate it completely it will go on for 30 seasons.  Why do BAD shows last so long and good ones are not even given a fair chance?   

[karlhenning]

Tough choice. I watched Lost in Space primarily because I was in love with the tragically under-utilized Penny (a non-perverted lust, I hasten to add...)

Rings true with me, as well;  a kind of Renaissance purity in Penny's charm.

I should remember the name of the actor who played Dr Smith, because the same fellow played the hotel manager in a pre-Get Smart sitcom in which Don Adams played the hotel's house detective.

I remember a couple of Lost in Space episodes which (Penny aside) inspired feelings of something near poetry.  And yet, the polished camp of Batman . . . .

Truly, Tony posed a tough question, with a vast potential for downside ; )

[Szykneij]

Tough choice. I watched Lost in Space primarily because I was in love with the tragically under-utilized Penny (a non-perverted lust, I hasten to add...I wasn't much older than Angela Cartwright). On the other hand, Batman had the Catwoman of Julie Newmar and Yvonne Craig's Batgirl.  Decisions, decisions...

Conclusion: I liked both shows....and I need a harem 

Sarge

Rings true with me, as well;  a kind of Renaissance purity in Penny's charm.

I should remember the name of the actor who played Dr Smith, because the same fellow played the hotel manager in a pre-Get Smart sitcom in which Don Adams played the hotel's house detective.

I remember a couple of Lost in Space episodes which (Penny aside) inspired feelings of something near poetry.  And yet, the polished camp of Batman . . . .

Truly, Tony posed a tough question, with a vast potential for downside ; )

It was a cruel scheduling ploy to pull on children across America. Batman aired in two half hour episodes on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and Lost in Space ran for an hour opposite part one of Batman on Wednesdays. We had to decide if we wanted to watch all of Lost in Space and only part two of Batman the next day, or half of Lost in Space and all of both episodes of Batman. I still feel the scars!

p.s. Dr. Smith was played by Jonathan Harris.

p.p.s. Julie Newmar was the best Catwoman.

[Cato]

It was a cruel scheduling ploy to pull on children across America. Batman aired in two half hour episodes on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and Lost in Space ran for an hour opposite part one of Batman on Wednesdays. We had to decide if we wanted to watch all of Lost in Space and only part two of Batman the next day, or half of Lost in Space and all of both episodes of Batman. I still feel the scars!

p.s. Dr. Smith was played by Jonathan Harris.

p.p.s. Julie Newmar was the best Catwoman.

Jonathan Harris had serious issues: my brother met him once when Harris was in his dotage.  Strange character (my brother too!).

I was part of group who kept a running list of Dr. Smith's insults against the robot!  "Bubble-headed booby" was one of the early ones.      

The Internet is amazing: while that memory jogged into reality, I found this site with no problem:

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art3316.asp

Julie Newmar!   0:)   Amen!  She had legs that never stopped and appeal for every banana!

[karlhenning]

Yow.

That is all: Yow.

[Cato]

Lost In Space could at times denigrate otherwise noble actors.

i think of Michael Rennie as The Keeper (a 2-parter) and wonder what he thought, as he delivered the following line:

"Penny, you will walk into that cage!  I command you!"

Perhaps he thought: "The Mercedes payment is due!"

The series lasted 3 seasons: it began as a drama, and was quickly hijacked into something beyond camp by the afore-mentioned Jonathan Harris and the robot.

[Szykneij]

Lost In Space could at times denigrate otherwise noble actors.

i think of Michael Rennie as The Keeper (a 2-parter) and wonder what he thought, as he delivered the following line:

"Penny, you will walk into that cage!  I command you!"

Perhaps he thought: "The Mercedes payment is due!"

The series lasted 3 seasons: it began as a drama, and was quickly hijacked into something beyond camp by the afore-mentioned Jonathan Harris and the robot.

Guy Williams (Professor Robinson) was already a hero of mine as Zorro.

[Brian]

I'm still disappointed at the fact that, for only two and a half sparkling seasons, there was money in the banana stand.

[david johnson]

FIREFLY  ...cancelled after 13 glorious episodes. I will never forgive Fox for cancelling Firefly.

Sarge

amen...a FINE show!

[david johnson]

There are two very good reasons why this show should never be cancelled 

Sarge

amen again...the sarge is on target tonight!!

[The new erato]

amen again...the sarge is on target tonight!!

Yep; he has conquered those hills and have them pretty well covered!

[71 dB]

I loved The Lone Gunmen a spinoff from the X-Files, The Lone Gunmen were my favorite guest characters on the X-Files and I was thrilled when they got their own show.  It only lasted 13 episodes, I don't believe it was allowed to generate a following.  The series was left hanging and was actually concluded on an episode of the X-files.

Same here! I consider The X-Files the greatest TV-show ever and I enjoy those 13 TLG -episodes very much! So much fun executed with passion and quality. Another "X-Filesian" show that didn't have a chance was Frank Spotnitz's Night Stalker. Thanks to a region-free DVD player I can watch the 6 aired + 4 unaired episodes produced.