Just because a show is good, doesn’t mean it gets the attention it deserves. These five TV series had flawless first seasons that were severely underappreciated, leading to their untimely cancellation. Thankfully, the world of streaming has allowed them to live on in their original form. If you’re looking for something short and sweet to watch, look no further than these offerings.
Freaks and Geeks (18 episodes)
This is the show that started the Judd Apatow revolution — we just didn’t know it at the time. The director of many of your favorite hit comedies executive produced Freaks and Geeks, a teen dramedy created by Paul Feig (director of Bridesmaids) and starring many of the actors who Apatow would continue to work with including Seth Rogen and James Franco.
Rogen and Franco starred alongside a cast of then-fresh faces, such as Linda Cardellini (Avengers: Age of Ultron), Busy Philipps (Cougartown), and John Francis Daley (Bones) as high school students in early 1980s. Despite its premature cancelation, the show clearly produced some of the most well-known actors of our time.
Sadly, Freaks and Geeks is no longer on any of the primary streaming services, but some savvy googling may lead you to the episodes if you don’t mind putting in a little work.
Sweet/Vicious (10 episodes)
MTV didn’t know what a good thing they had with Sweet/Vicious, a short-lived series about two college students who become vigilantes after realizing their school is doing nothing to address the large number of sexual assaults that occur on campus. The series, which starred newcomers Taylor Dearden and Eliza Bennett, came just before the outbreak of the Me Too movement, making it, sadly, a little ahead of its time.
But every moment of this dark yet funny show is perfection. Brandon Mychal Smith (You’re the Worst) and Aisha Dee (The Bold Type) played the in-the-dark best friends of Ophelia and Jules, respectively, and the rest of the cast is solid as well. Creator Jennifer Kaytin Robinson went on to write and direct the Netflix hit flick Someone Great, so if you enjoyed that, you’ll probably like Sweet/Vicious.
Unfortunately, you’ll have to buy the episodes on Amazon, YouTube, or iTunes, as MTV no longer has the series available to watch on its site.
Good Girls Revolt (10 episodes)
It goes without saying that it’s taken Amazon some time to figure out how to deal with its original series. While The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is thriving, plenty of other shows have come and gone with little fanfare or effort from the distributor. Such is the case of Good Girls Revolt, a period drama about female journalists in the late ‘60s who fight to be recognized as equals.
The show is based on true events that occurred at Newsweek at the time. Stars Genevieve Angelson (Flack), Anna Camp (Pitch Perfect), and Erin Darke (Dietland) all play characters who deal with the changing times differently, while Hunter Parrish (Weeds) and Chris Diamantopoulos (Silicon Valley) portray men in the newsroom who are comfortable with the status quo.
You can watch the series in full with an Amazon Prime subscription login.
Firefly (14 episodes)
Ask anyone what ‘00s series they’re still mad was canceled and chances are high they’ll say “Firefly.” The FOX show, which can only be called a space western, was an ambitious idea, but it was greenlit based on the success of creator Joss Whedon’s other series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. But there were issues from day one, including a new pilot that was written in one weekend and episodes that were aired out of order.
All of these issues led to the series being canceled while the show was still in production. In fact, three of the episodes weren’t aired in the U.S. on Fox. Fortunately, you can watch Nathan Fillion (Castle), Gina Torres (Suits), and Morena Baccarin (Homeland), along with the rest of the crew, in order with a Hulu subscription login.
My So-Called Life (19 episodes)
The oldest series on this list is also one of the most beloved. My So-Called Life, a teen drama that worked to subvert the “very special episode” trope of the ‘90s by showcasing a more realistic high school experience, starred Claire Danes and Jared Leto. Danes’ character works through issues with her friends, including her crush on Leto’s Jordan Catalano, while dealing with her home life.
My So-Called Life is hailed for its realism, especially from a young female perspective. It was even nominated for four Emmys, including Outstanding Lead Actress for Danes. Unfortunately, its timeslot up against Friends was its downfall. The entire series is available to watch with a Hulu subscription login.
Check out Showbiz Cheat Sheet on Facebook!
Source: Read Full Article