We're Still Not Over the Cancellation of These 30 Short-Lived TV Shows

Few things are more disappointing than having your favorite TV show canceled. What's even worse is when a network pulls the plug on a series without any warning. While plenty of TV series face cancellation for low ratings or bad reviews, that's not always the case — even shows with loyal followings and cliffhanger season finales can get the axe. Loyal fans have successfully rallied behind a few canceled series (like One Day at a Time) and helped them find a new home, but we're still mourning the end of these 30 TV shows, which were all canceled way before their time.

01
Speechless
ABC

Speechless

Starring Minnie Driver, this ABC sitcom revolves around the DiMeo family, which includes oldest son JJ, who has cerebral palsy, a huge crush on Emma Watson, and a wildly funny aide. The series explores the challenges of raising a teenager with a disability with humor and heart, and fans were pretty heartbroken when it unexpectedly ended after three seasons in 2019.

02
Man Seeking Woman
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Man Seeking Woman

Based on Simon Rich's book of short stories, The Last Girlfriend on Earth, this FXX surrealist romantic comedy stars Jay Baruchel as Josh, a shy 20-something attempting to find love after a rough breakup. Despite universal acclaim from critics, the series was canceled after three incredible seasons in 2017.

03
Firefly
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Firefly

Set 500 years in the future, this sci-fi series follows a rebellious crew of space pirates in the fallout of a universal civil war. If it sounds weird, that's because it is (but in the best kind of way), and we still haven't forgiven Fox for letting this one go in 2003 after only one season.

04
Happy Endings
ABC

Happy Endings

This ABC sitcom tells the story of six dysfunctional besties living in Chicago, including a seemingly perfect married couple, a party girl looking for love, a lazy man-child, a ditzy boutique owner, and an aspiring restaurateur. Happy Endings is wacky and funny, and fans rallied behind it when ABC failed to renew it for a fourth season in 2013 — but sadly, they failed to save the series from cancellation.

05
Sense8
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Sense8

What happens when eight strangers around the globe find themselves mysteriously connected both emotionally and physically? That's the premise of Sense8, and the sci-fi series quickly earned a cult following — though that didn't stop Netflix from canceling the show in 2018 after its cliffhanger season two finale.

06
Pushing Daisies
ABC

Pushing Daisies

This fantasy dramedy tells the story of Ned, a man with the inexplicable ability to bring things back to life just by touching them — though life becomes complicated when he decides to bring his childhood love back from the dead. It's still not clear why ABC decided to pull the plug on Pushing Daisies in 2009 after only two seasons, and we'll probably never know how Ned and Chuck's love story ends.

07
My So-Called Life
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My So-Called Life

Claire Danes stars in this angsty teen drama as Angela, who has a major crush on a guy, a ton of attitude, and all the usual drama of a 1990s high schooler. ABC unwisely decided to end this one in 1995 after one season, and FYI: you guys made a mistake.

08
American Vandal
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American Vandal

This true crime mockumentary revolves around amateur filmmakers Peter and Sam as they take on teenage deviants — such as the phallic-symbol-tagging prankster and the mystery "Turd Burglar" — at local high schools. It may sound bizarre in premise, but it was smart and wholly unique, which is why it was so disappointing when it was canceled by Netflix in 2018 after a two-season run.

09
Anne With an E
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Anne With an E

Based on Lucy Maud Montgomery's 1908 novel Anne of Green Gables, this Canadian drama captured the hearts of fans as it told the story of the titular Anne, an orphan who finally finds a home with two adult siblings. In 2019, CBC and Netflix announced that the series wouldn't be returning for a fourth installment, and no, we're still not over it.

10
Enlightened
HBO

Enlightened

Legendary actress Laura Dern stars in this HBO series as Amy, an ambitious executive who — after suffering from a major public breakdown — retreats to Hawaii, where she learns to live a more enlightened existence. Creator Mike White and Laura Dern originally envisioned the series as a trilogy, but HBO had other plans and ended Amy's story after two seasons in 2013.

11
Undeclared
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Undeclared

This Judd Apatow-created series revolves around six students at the fictitious University of North Eastern California, following all the highs, lows, and hijinks of the college experience. Why did Fox decide to cancel this one in 2002 after just a single season? The world may never know.

12
Rosewood
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Rosewood

This police procedural drama revolves around private pathologist Dr. Beaumont Rosewood and his partner in crime, the badass Detective Annalise Villa. Despite receiving praise for its diverse cast and incredible storytelling, Fox pulled the plug on Rosewood in 2017 after a mere two seasons.

13
Santa Clarita Diet
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Santa Clarita Diet

Netflix's delightful Santa Clarita Diet stars Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant as Sheila and Joel, a married couple with a dark secret: Sheila has a craving for human flesh. Netflix decided in 2019 not to renew the comedy for a fourth season, but fans are still holding out hope that another network will revive the series.

14
Dead Like Me
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Dead Like Me

In the world of Dead Like Me, certain people are given a special opportunity after dying: they get the option to become grim reapers. The Showtime comedy-drama is totally unique and earned plenty of critical acclaim, but the reaper came far too soon for this one, ending the series in 2004 after a short two-season run.

15
The Client List
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The Client List

In this Lifetime series, Ghost Whisperer star and '90s dream girl Jennifer Love Hewitt plays a Texas housewife who was deserted by her husband and strapped for cash. She discovers that her new job at a day spa could be made much more lucrative, depending on what she's willing to do for her clients. This one ran for two seasons before getting the axe in 2013, despite ending with a major cliffhanger.

16
Chasing Life
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Chasing Life

This ABC Family drama tells the story of aspiring journalist April who — just when she receives an exciting opportunity at work — also gets diagnosed with cancer. Even though April's story was far from finished after season two, the network decided to end the series for good in 2015, spoiling any chance of a third season.

17
Freaks and Geeks
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Freaks and Geeks

Another Judd Apatow-created series that ended way too soon: Freaks and Geeks. The sitcom follows a group of nerds and burnouts growing up in 1980s Michigan, and even though it got the axe from NBC after a single season in 2000, it helped launch the careers of several cast members, including James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, Busy Philipps, John Francis Daley, Martin Starr, and Linda Cardellini, among others.

18
The OA
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The OA

This mind-bending sci-fi series tells the story of Prairie, a young woman who returns home without warning after a mysterious seven-year disappearance. Netflix sadly ended The OA in 2019 after only two seasons, despite all the positive feedback it received from both fans and critics.

19
Joan of Arcadia
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Joan of Arcadia

Amber Tamblyn stars in this fantasy drama as the titular Joan, a teenage girl who's inexplicably given tasks by God, though she's never given an explanation for the seemingly random assignments. The end of season two introduced a menacing new character, but fans never got to find out the character's purpose, as CBS canceled the series in 2005 despite critical acclaim.

20
The Carrie Diaries
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The Carrie Diaries

Based on the book of the same name by Candace Bushnell, this Sex and the City prequel series stars AnnaSophia Robb as a young Carrie Bradshaw and follows her journey from a high school student with big dreams to a force to be reckoned with at Interview magazine. Though not all critics were on board with the CW series, the show's loyal fan base was beyond bummed when the series was canceled in 2014 after two seasons.

21
Jack & Bobby
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Jack & Bobby

This drama series revolves around brothers Jack and Bobby McCallister, one of whom will go on to become the president of the United States in 2040 — but since the series takes place in 2004, the brothers have no idea what lies ahead. Critics raved about the series, which is why no one could figure out why The WB said goodbye to the McCallisters in 2005 after only one season.

22
The Grinder
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The Grinder

Rob Lowe stars in this Fox comedy series as an actor who returns to his home state of Idaho after his long-running TV series ends and decides to become a lawyer, considering himself qualified since he played one on TV. The cast is perfection, the jokes are hilarious, and yet the show was only given a single season before facing cancellation in 2016.

23
Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23
ABC

Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23

Krysten Ritter stars in this snarky ABC Family comedy series as Chloe, the new roommate of a bright-eyed Midwesterner who just moved to Manhattan with big dreams. From her incredible sass to her friendship with James Van Der Beek (who hilariously plays himself), Chloe is a gem, and this sitcom definitely didn't deserve its 2013 cancellation after two seasons.

24
Scream Queens
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Scream Queens

This Ryan Murphy-produced satirical slasher series revolves around the fictitious Wallace University and a vicious serial killer, who decides to make the sorority sisters of Kappa Kappa Tau his target. Despite the incredibly stacked cast, Fox failed to renew this one for a third season in 2017, though fans are still holding out hope that Murphy will find Scream Queens a new home for season three.

25
The Get Down
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The Get Down

Set in the South Bronx region of NYC in the late 1970s, this musical drama series follows a group of teens who experience the rise of hip-hop and disco music firsthand. The energetic cast and catchy music earned this one lots of fans, but that didn't stop Netflix from canceling the series in 2017 after its first season.

26
Better Off Ted
ABC

Better Off Ted

This satirical comedy series tells the story of the titular Ted, a good-natured single father who makes the terrible mistake of taking a look at his company's business practices and is horrified by what he discovers. Though it was a hit with critics and a devout group of fans, ABC made the decision to cancel the series in 2010 after a two-season run.

27
Bored to Death
HBO

Bored to Death

Starring the incredible trio of Jason Schwartzman, Zach Galifianakis, and Ted Danson, this HBO comedy series tells the story of a Brooklyn-based writer who, by night, works as an unlicensed private detective. Fans were shocked when HBO decided not to renew this one for a fourth season in 2011, and though a possible movie has been in development since 2013, it's not looking likely we'll ever see it.

28
Bunheads
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Bunheads

Created by Amy Sherman-Palladino (who also created Gilmore Girls and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), this ABC Family dramedy stars Sutton Foster as a former Las Vegas showgirl who — after getting married on a whim — ends up teaching ballet lessons at her new mother-in-law's dance studio. Don't ask us why this fabulous series was canceled in 2013 after just one season, because we don't have an answer.

29
Deadwood
HBO

Deadwood

Set in the 1870s in Deadwood, SD, this American Western series stars Timothy Olyphant as real-life sheriff and hardware store owner Seth Bullock. Deadwood mixes real historical figures with fictional elements, and though fans were outraged when HBO pulled the plug on this one in 2006 after three seasons, we were at least gifted with Deadwood: The Movie in 2019, which is set 10 years after the events of season three.

30
Enlisted
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Enlisted

This comedy series follows three very different brothers who all enlist in the US Army and end up assigned to the same unit together. Fans and TV writers pleaded with Fox after the network decided to cancel the series after a single season in 2014, but sadly, this one wasn't given a second chance.