One Day At A Time and other TV shows cancelled too soon

Pour one out for these beloved telly classics that many feel were axed before their time

It's a dark day for fans of the US comedy series One Day At A Time.

Netflix, which produced it, has just announced that the sitcom - about a Cuban-American family living in LA - will not be renewed, and that the recently-released third series will be the last.

Fans, perhaps unsurprisingly, are bereft,, external citing the show's representation of first generation American immigrants, as well as its tender handling of topics like depression, racism, and teen sexuality.

Though, at the time of writing, not all hope is lost. An online campaign - led by high-profile fans like Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda - are pressing for another producer (either a TV network or streaming service) to save the show and renew it for a fourth series.

These committed fans are looking to the example of cop comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which was cancelled last May by the Fox network, but was then picked up by another network, NBC. 

Similarly, other cult favourite shows like Futurama, Southland, The Mindy Project, and Community have all been spared the chop, external in recent years by being picked up by another network or online outlet.

Still, news that a popular TV show has been axed is always tough on the fans. With that in mind, we pay tribute to other TV classics that were axed prematurely.

This teen drama regularly tops the lists of TV shows shot down in their prime. The show - which starred a young Claire Danes and Jared Leto - debuted in 1994, and after a year of low ratings, was axed in the summer of 1995.

My So-Called Life continues to cast a big shadow over an entire generation that came of age in the 1990s, and still inspires lots of online think-pieces and essays obsessing over different aspects of the show, from its groundbreaking portrayal, external of teens, to its impact on LGBTQ+ viewers., external

Another US high school/teen drama that lasted only one year in the TV schedules. First airing in 1999, Freaks and Geeks is mostly remembered, external for two things: its depiction of decidedly ordinary, unglamorous American teens, and for launching an impressive group of Hollywood stars and creatives.

After all, it was created by Paul Feig (who went on to write and direct movie hits like Bridesmaids and Spy), and was executive-produced by Judd Apatow (The-Forty-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up). Then there was the cast, many of whom went on to bigger things, among them James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jason Segal, and Busy Philipps.

Joss Whedon - creator of Buffy and director of The Avengers - created this 'Western in space' drama series in 2002. It got some good reviews from critics, and attracted a small but devoted fanbase. 

The show had an uphill struggle, however. Its ratings were considered low, and the Fox network didn't know what to do with it, interfering in the creative process and ultimately consigning it to a Friday evening time slot - considered the 'Friday night death slot', external in the cutthroat US TV universe. Firefly was canned after just 14 much-beloved episodes.

There was something of a happy ending for Firefly fans, however. In 2005, Whedon wrote and directed a movie, Serenity, that resurrected the cast and continued with storylines from the TV series.

This supernatural romantic drama, starring Lee Pace and Anna Friel, hit TV screens in 2007, and was warmly embraced by critics, Emmy-award voters, and fans (though not enough of them, alas). The series managed to stay alive for two seasons, but was cancelled in 2009, depriving it of the opportunity, external to properly wrap up its existing storylines and give its characters a send-off that fans reckoned they deserved.

This is another uncategorizable drama series - part teen drama, part murder-mystery noir - that was treated rather shabbily by TV executives, who were reported to weigh in with unhelpful creative suggestions, external for its third and final season, and arguably doomed the show by scheduling it, external against American Idol.

However, as with Firefly, fans got some degree of closure with a fan-funded movie, external in 2014 - and its stars, including Kristen Bell, are up for making, external more instalments.

This Western drama, starring Ian McShane and Timothy Olyphant, ran between 2004 and 2006, and attracted much praise and attention for its production values, cast, and its astonishing profanity., external Though critics and a devoted fanbase sang its praises, HBO cancelled the show at the end of its third season. A reunion movie has long been on the cards, external - and last November, production began,, external with a release date, external pegged for this year.

This jet-black comedy series made waves when it first aired in the US in 2003, winning the Emmy award, external for Outstanding Comedy Series for its freshman run. Low ratings saw it axed at the end of its shortened third series.

Then, in 2013, Netflix resurrected the show for a fourth series, but one which divided many of the fans, external who had long campaigned for its revival.

A fifth series - split into two sections - started airing last year. The concluding episodes of the series have just been released., external

This article was originally published on 11 May 2018.

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