Unforgettable TV Shows: 10 Popular Series That Shockingly Got Canceled

TV shows that are canceled despite their popularity reflect the unpredictable nature of the entertainment industry. The reasons behind these cancellations are often unclear to viewers, especially when the shows are loved by both critics and audiences. In many cases, the decision to end a show is based on its inability to justify its production costs compared to its viewership. Throughout the history of broadcasting and streaming, numerous excellent shows have been canceled unexpectedly. Factors such as corporate acquisitions, restructuring, reprogramming, creative differences, mismanagement, or key personnel departures can also impact the longevity of a show. Regardless of the reasons for cancellation, fans are always caught off guard when their favorite TV shows are abruptly ended.

10 The Expanse

9 Glow

. Spanning from 2015 to 2022 across 6 seasons, The Expanse presented a gritty and realistic portrayal of a future where humanity has become a spacefaring race. Despite its widespread acclaim, Amazon never provided an explanation for the cancellation of The Expanse after season 6. Speculations point to the misalignment between its budget and ratings, which had already led to its cancellation once before after season 3. Noteworthy for its class-conscious political narrative, The Expanse harkened back to the essence of sci-fi. Despite its undeniable popularity, the show stands as a prime example of beloved TV series that met an untimely demise.

The Netflix comedic drama GLOW was a fictionalized series adaptation centered around the trailblazing 1980s wrestling circuit, Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling. GLOW aired from 2017 to 2019, spanning three successful seasons. However, despite Netflix initially renewing the show for its anticipated fourth and final season, production came to an abrupt halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ultimately leading to the cancellation of GLOW. As of now, there have been no further updates regarding the possibility of a well-deserved conclusive final season for GLOW.

8 Arrested Development

7 The Get Down

Arrested Development's first 3 seasons, airing from 2003 to 2006 on Fox, are still widely regarded as one of the greatest American sitcoms ever. Despite the hilariously eccentric Bluth family, the show's low ratings led to its cancellation. However, after gaining a devoted cult following, Netflix revived Arrested Development in 2013 for its fourth season, which generated enough interest to bring back a fifth season in 2019. Regrettably, the fifth season failed to live up to the original's success and ultimately led to the permanent cancellation of Arrested Development.

The Get Down, a Netflix musical period drama, has a cult following of loyal viewers who fondly recall the show. However, it never achieved the widespread recognition of other popular TV shows. Set in '70s New York, The Get Down combined authentic footage from that era with fresh and contemporary hip-hop tracks. Despite receiving high praise from critics, it failed to attract a significant audience and faced the unfortunate fate of cancellation after just one season. Originally streamed from 2016 to 2017, the show's demise was attributed to its low viewership and high production costs.

6 Sense 8

Suffering from underwhelming ratings and exorbitant production costs, the highly acclaimed sci-fi drama Sense8, created by the Wachowski sisters, faced a fate similar to that of The Get Down. However, Sense8 managed to run longer, spanning two seasons from 2015 to 2017. Centered around eight mysteriously interconnected sensates, the show delved into crucial social issues encompassing gender and identity politics. Notably infamous for its premature cancellation, Sense8's demise triggered a passionate response from fans who initiated petitions demanding the revival of the series. The #RenewSense8 fan campaign eventually paved the way for a two-and-a-half hour finale, which streamed in 2018, effectively tying up all the loose ends left unresolved after Sense8's second season.

5 King Of The Hill

Mike Judge's King of the Hill stood out from other animated sitcoms due to its focus on the everyday life of a Texan family in a small town. Despite its solid ratings that ended on a positive note, King of the Hill's cancellation remains a perplexing example of a popular TV show getting axed. The decision to end the 13-season run of the show, spanning from 1996 to 2010, was driven by Fox's need to create space in their lineup for The Cleveland Show. However, King of the Hill has now attained cult comedy status, and there are reports of a potential reboot in the works.

4 Better Off Ted

3 Rome

Unfortunately, despite its ambitious and satirical nature, Better Off Ted only had a short run of 2 seasons from 2009 to 2010. Like many beloved TV shows that faced cancellation, its cult status wasn't enough to save it from being pulled off the air by Fox due to low ratings. It's possible that the show was simply ahead of its time, as it centered around the amusingly questionable escapades of Veridian Dynamics' R&D department within a dystopian setting. Interestingly enough, the show's once-edgy themes have now become popular mainstream tropes. All in all, Better Off Ted was a highly promising sitcom that met an untimely demise.

The HBO historical series Rome had a short run of only 2 seasons, from 2005 to 2007. Similar to other acclaimed TV shows that met an untimely end, Rome faced its downfall due to exceedingly high production costs in season 2. It is regrettable as co-creator Burno Heller had grand visions for the show's future. "The second season would have culminated in the death of Brutus. The third and fourth seasons were intended to take place in Egypt. The fifth season was supposed to depict the rise of the messiah in Palestine," explained Heller (via Reuters). "To condense the narrative, I merged the storylines of the third and fourth seasons into the second, which explains the rapid acceleration of historical events towards the finale."

2 Inside Job

Set in a reality where the most popular conspiracy theories are indeed true, Inside Job, Netflix's animated sci-fi workplace comedy, revolves around the inner workings of Cognito, Inc., a shadowy government corporation. The show aired for a single season, split into two parts, running from 2021 to 2022. While the show was initially renewed for a second season by Netflix, it was ultimately canceled, much to the disappointment of its devoted but limited viewership, leaving them with an unresolved cliffhanger ending. Nevertheless, Inside Job has attained a revered status as a cult comedy.

1 Firefly

Firefly's cancellation can be attributed to mismanagement, with several reasons at play. Despite being hailed as the greatest space Western ever, the show was initially labeled as a comedy by Fox, adding to its demise. Adding to the chaos, Fox aired the episodes in a nonsensical order, with the pilot episode as the confusing finale. However, Fox eventually regretted canceling Firefly due to low ratings, only after it had gained a devoted cult following. Fortunately, the movie Serenity provided closure to the series, allowing it to bid a deserving farewell.

Source: Reuters