TV shows that were cancelled before their time

Pushing Daisies (2007-2009) – 2 series, 22 episodes

Ned is a pie-maker with a strange supernatural ability: his touch is able to bring things back from the dead. Sound ideal? Not completely…

When Ned discovers his childhood sweetheart has died, he revives her to say an emotional farewell – but when he finds it too hard to let her go, they begin a life in secret as a couple that can never touch.

Away from the pie factory, Ned works alongside a private detective, bringing murder victims back from the dead just long enough to discover the name of their killer and solve the crime.

The show, written by Bryan Fuller, remains as one of the most creative TV shows that I have watched because of the originality of the premise. Its style is unique – there is a lot of vibrancy and colour – whilst the range of characters is hugely entertaining. It also manages to mix dark and amusing humour with some very moving moments of love and friendship, which ensure you experience the whole spectrum of emotions in the space of an episode.

The show was heading in a really interesting direction by the end of series two and it was clear that the writers had plenty more ideas for character development and quirky murder plots, so it was a huge disappointment when a programme with so much potential was ended so prematurely.

Firefly (2002-2003) – 1 series/14 episodes

Captain Malcolm Reynolds and his crew traverse the galaxy in their ship, Serenity. The company travel around, transporting legal and illegal goods, getting into scrapes with the various inhabitants and bandits they encounter throughout the universe.

When a doctor and his troubled teenage sister board the ship, however, it quickly becomes apparent that there are some dark goings-on aboard the Serenity.

This is a must-watch for sci-fi fans – it is not only brilliantly entertaining, but well-made and well-written as well. The show was created by Joss Whedon, the mind behind Buffy the Vampire Slayer and big-screen juggernaut The Avengers, and the humour and creativity of his other works is present in abundance.

Firefly doesn’t simply copy aspects from other sci-fi franchises either, as programmes of the genre often do. Instead, it stands on its own two feet as a great example of how you can be different within a saturated genre.

Fans of the show were granted a film shortly after its cancellation, but the 119-minute Serenity spends too much time trying to tie up lose ends to really satisfy viewers.

Freaks and Geeks (1999-2000) – 1 series/18 episodes

This one has a very simple premise: two opposing groups of students in a typical American high school. Hollywood favourites James Franco, Seth Rogen and Jason Segel were all labelled “freaks” in the classic before-they-were-famous-type show, desperately trying to tempt protagonist Lindsey away from his status as a “geek”. Lindsey and his two buddies form the entirety of the geek clan, with the rest of the school realistically bullying and/or ignoring them throughout the show.

The programme’s appeal is in our ability to relate and empathise with the characters: after all, everyone felt like a social outcast at some point during their time at school.

On top of that, the number of recognisable faces makes it a who’s-who of our favourite American stars.

Freaks and Geeks was actually cancelled mid-series, so the writers were forced to rush the ending and left us really undersold on what was a thoroughly enjoyable and believable TV series.

Ouran High School Host Club (2006) – 1 series/26 episodes

A Japanese anime dubbed into English, Ouran High School Host Club tells the story of Haruhi, a young girl who is mistaken for a boy after starting at a new school. This mistake sees her participating in the school’s Host Club, where six attractive male students make money entertaining other pupils.

The show is actually quite progressive, despite being a silly comedy with hilariously stereotypical characters. The girl and her father both cross-dress, whilst there are repeated examples of gay, lesbian and bisexual characters – very interesting topics to be covered in such a light-hearted way, especially in a programme aimed at a relatively young audience.

Ouran High School has never been officially cancelled, but seeing as it has been seven years since the first and only series was broadcast, it is safe to assume it won’t be hitting our screens anytime soon.

Veronica Mars (2004-2007) – 3 series/64 episodes

Veronica Mars is based on a high-school girl who works part-time as her Dad’s assistant in a private investigations agency. The plot focuses on how Mars, played by Kristen Bell, balances her commitment to the job with the never-ending issues of teenage life.

The show is easily comparable to Buffy the Vampire Slayer – both feature smart, sarcastic and strong female leads who are helped along the way by friends and an adult mentor. They both also deal with very relatable issues: throughout the show’s duration, Veronica is forced to come to terms with an alcoholic mother and repetitive relationship problems.

Given that there were three series, Veronica Mars had the most air-time of the shows in this list – but, like all of the others, it was eventually deemed surplus to requirements.

Interestingly, the show had a big and wealthy enough fan-base to fund a film, which is due out next year. Time will tell whether it is enough to satisfy Veronica’s staunchest supporters.