For every beloved show that ends up running for half a decade or more, there are television series that are cut down in their prime and only end up with one season. Sometimes the most interesting concepts require a little bit of time to find an audience that will appreciate them properly — time that many networks are unwilling to give.
These days, especially, many streaming services expect instant returns, and if a show doesn’t put up good numbers from the very beginning, it’s essentially dead in the water. While these early cancellations might help their bottom line in the short term, they also kill shows that might have gone on to be massive hits, if they were allowed to find their footing. Luckily, cancellation doesn’t necessarily erase shows from the internet, and these one-season wonders are still available to stream online.
'Firefly'
Joss Whedon’s post-"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" shows didn’t exactly prove to be a recipe for longevity. "Firefly" was his shortest-lived series, a creatively ambitious space western starring Nathan Fillion, and is now best remembered for how poorly treated it was by its parent network, Fox. It lasted for 14 episodes, and only 11 of those actually made it to air in the U.S. — and even then, Fox broadcast them out of order, making it difficult for audiences to connect with the characters until it was too late. Still, the intrepid crew of the Firefly had the last laugh: The show is now widely regarded as a modern TV classic.
Watch on Hulu
'Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip'
Looking back, it’s hard to tell why Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip didn’t take off. It’s got a great cast, with Bradley Whitford, Matthew Perry, Sarah Paulson, and plenty of other comedic talents on board. And creator Aaron Sorkin has one of the strongest pedigrees in television, especially considering that this was his follow-up to the immensely popular "The West Wing." Honestly, the fact that the show was canceled after one season probably has all to do with timing: It was released the same year as NBC’s "30 Rock," and the market only had room for one quirky program set behind the scenes of a sketchy comedy show.
'The Tomorrow People'
Based on a popular British TV series of the same name that ran for seven seasons in the 1970s, "The Tomorrow People" revolves around a group of teenagers who begin to develop paranormal psychic abilities. Although their genetic makeup prevents them from taking a human life, they are nonetheless forced to live in secret to avoid persecution from the rest of humanity. In spite of "The Tomorrow People’s" fascinating science fiction premise — one that shares some similarities to the much-more-popular X-Men — the show was canceled by the CW after just one season as the result of sluggish ratings and mixed reviews from critics.
Watch on Roku Channel or Tubi
'Freaks and Geeks'
Perhaps one of the most famous cult classic shows that only lasted for one season, "Freaks and Geeks" revolves around a group of high-schoolers growing up in Michigan circa 1980. Linda Cardinelli stars as Lindsay Weir, a teenage girl struggling to find a place for herself both within the social strata of school and as an individual in general. Aside from its many poignant coming-of-age stories, "Freaks and Geeks" featured a cast of young actors who went on to be major stars in the industry, including James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel and Lizzy Caplan. After airing for just 18 episodes during the 1999-2000 television season, it was canceled by NBC, who didn’t quite understand the golden goose they were throwing away.
Watch on Hulu or Paramount Plus
'Pan Am'
There was a moment in the late 2000s when everyone was trying to capitalize on the mid-century "Mad Men" craze, which is how we got "Pan Am." A stylish period piece set in the early 1960s, the glossy drama follows the glamorous exploits of a group of pilots and flight attendants who work for the now-defunct Pan American World Airways. It had a great cast, including Christina Ricci, Kelli Garner, and a pre-fame Margot Robbie, but ABC pulled the plug on the show anyway. Although there were talks of having it picked up by another network for a second season, they reached an impasse, leaving "Pan Am" dead in the water.
Watch on AMC Plus
'Frequency'
Do you remember that 2000 movie "Frequency" where Jim Caviezel uses a ham radio to communicate with his dead father, back when he was still alive and well in the 1960s? Well, you may not have heard about it, given how little it was promoted by The CW, but they actually made a television show inspired by the movie. Peyton List (who you may recognize from "Mad Men," where she played Jane Siegel) stars as a young NYPD detective who tries to save her father’s life in the past and catch a murderer, all without causing too much damage to the existing timelines. Its central premise speaks to the emotional side of audiences — what wouldn’t you give to have one more conversation with a dead parent? — but was nonetheless canceled by The CW after one season.
Watch on Tubi
'Swamp Thing'
"The Swamp Thing" is a character that DC has been trying to make work in live media for decades now. We saw him back in 1982, when Ray Wise starred as the character in the big-screen version, and again in this 2019 CW adaptation. Derek Mears stars as the plant-based creature who lurks in a muggy Louisiana swamp while the local community struggles to fight against the Green Flu, a mysterious infectious disease. "Swamp Thing" was a very different animal from other DC projects, relying on old-school practical effects rather than CGI, and it was canceled almost immediately after it premiered, although The CW aired the first season in its entirety.
Watch on Tubi
