The Cancelled TV Shows You Most Want to Bring Back: Reader Poll Yields Surprise Winner — Plus, 5 Fun Facts
There are a lot of torches still being carried for all kinds of dearly departed TV series, TVLine readers made clear through a tsunami of poll responses this week. But what show was cited most often? The answer may surprise you.
In the spirit of cancellation season drawing nigh, we asked you to do that dreaded thing and choose a favorite child — the one (1) and only one (1) cancelled or ended TV series that you would bring back if you could, for one closure-filled final season and with the cast at the same age as when the show faded to black.
In our most reader-engaging post since The Village got cancelled, the impassioned appeals for resurrection came flooding in. And while the usual suspects (e.g. Firefly, Longmire, Timeless, Wonderfalls) were very well represented, the suggestions as a whole were refreshingly wide-ranging. [pmc_inline_gallery]
Before we get to the Top 20 countdown, some fun facts:
♦ Of the Top 20, nine entries were ABC shows. Maybe the Alphabet network needs to do a better job of knowing what it’s got before it’s gone?
♦ Only two of the Top 20 were comedies, suggesting that, logically, we simply get more invested in the fictional lives of characters being put through emotional wringers.
♦ The inhabitant of the freshest TV grave, Criminal Minds, ranked 30th in the open-ended poll. Conversely, the recently ended Arrow only accounted for a handful out of the more than 1,500 votes.
♦ In the truest spirit of resurrection, some real old timers got nods, including The Big Valley, Maverick and Ellery Queen. (Remember, we said that any passed-on actors would ostensibly “be with us” for this wished-for final season.)
♦ Deceased daytime soaps merited a few mentions — including As the World Turns, Guiding Light, One Life to Live and All My Children.
Leap over now to our countdown of the Top 20 shows you most want back for one final hurrah.
I agree with most of the list, I forgot about Bunheads, so great. Leverage, Farscape, Sports Night so many wonderful shows. Thankfully some had some closure.
But the number 1 I will just ignore. I mean really. Nope, don’t need more of her over rated garbage on TV or movies.
Of her over rated Garbage? Her? You mean Jane Austen?
Yes. Brothers & Sisters. So much. Missing that family.
I’m surprised at #1.
Yeah, me too! I’ve never even heard of that show… Sure, I don’t live in the US, so I wouldn’t have been able to watch it, anyway, but I’m usually fairly well informed and at least know the names of shows like that.
Never heard of it either, and I am in the US, haha. I like to think I’m pretty well-versed in the TV scene, too, even though I don’t watch anywhere near all the things.
It was just shown on PBS Masterpiece here in the U.S.
Like, really JUST now – finished airing a week or so ago, and that’s the only reason it hit this list. Fresh in the minds of those who watched it (not me.) Like Dudes said, just ignore it and start the list with Firefly.
It aired in the UK in the fall and just finished airing in several other countries, including on PBS in the US. It was mentioned in several of TV Line’s “What to Watch” posts over the last couple of months.
I was shocked at #1. The thought processes of people constantly amaze me. Do I love Jane Austen yes. Do I love the adaptations yes. Was I happy about the way it ended? No. But to say it should come back is preposterous. It was a screenplay that fleshed out (badly imo) an unfinished novel. to say it should continue is beyond ridiculous.
Andrew Davies himself wrote the ending wanting there to be more, so not really ridiculous at all.
Yeah, it wasn’t cancelled. That was the ending the creator chose. Sure, it wasn’t Austen-like, but it was a deliberate choice to subvert expectations. Whether or not you liked it (I didn’t) is besides the point.
It was cancelled by ITV. It was intended to be an on-going series. The writers (Andrew Davies and Justin Young) have confirmed that, and they also confirmed they had the rough outline for season 2 written when they got word ITV had cancelled it.
I watched the show and enjoyed it. But rather than a Season 2, what I really wanted was for the finale to wrap things up, in a proper Jane Austen way.
I’d love to see Moonlight return as well but I’m still processing no more H50 after this season. Longmire would be good to return as well, I also was hoping for a couple of Rizzoli & Isles TV movies, they were great together!!
#1 surprised me…. also that “The Family” didn’t make the list….
A good portion of these could be remakes or updated versions and given that many of those so far have done well enough it might be something networks could think about if they see the list here.
Where’s Community?!
Not in the top 40. :-p
It went to it’s 6 seasons, some iffy ones, but still fun. Just as a fan I don’t feel the need for another season.
I think at this point we’re pretty much just waiting for the movie :p.
While I adore Buffy (top 5 all time fave shows and really started my TV addiction), I wouldn’t really want it back. I thought they completed the story well enough and had a fantastic run. So my main votes would go to shows that never got that chance (among the ones that I actually watched): Firefly and Whiskey Cavalier.
I’m on the fence with Chuck, honestly because I love it so much and felt the last season was rushed, but I’m not sure where they’d take it. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the kiss was magical and definitely brought back all her memories.
Happy to see Sandition as number one. I watched it when it ended in the UK, but forget to mention it. That cliffhanger was too cruel.
İ agree
1. Sanditon
2. Timeless
3. Forever
4. Pushing Daisies
5. Whiskey Cavalier
6. Chuck
7. Buffy The Vampire Slayer
8. The Kids Are Alright
9. The Brave
10. Brothers And Sisters
11. The West Wing
12. Shadowhunters
13. Pitch
14. Leverage
15. Criminal Minds
16. Grimm
17. Limitless
18. Sense 8
19. The Village
20. Charmed
21. Dallas
I agree with The Brave & Whiskey Cavalier but where is Hindsight on this list?!?!? There are many shows on this list that I absolutely loved Brothers & Sisters, Buffy (one of my all time favorites) but it’s been so long, I don’t need them back and I definitely DO NOT want reboots! The only show on this list that I wouldn’t mind a well done reboot of is V. I don’t remember anything about that show but I do remember loving it as a kid so it would be interesting to see a 2020’s version!
I want the castaways rescued, so bring back Gilligan’s Island.
This is embarrassing for me to admit, but there were a couple of “Gilligan’s Island” reunion movies.
I was going to say Gilligan’s Island! But the plot ideas for season 4 were questionable at best. Ginger was going to he rescued, and replaced by new twin characters!
In the second reunion movie (with the Harlem Globetrotters) I’m pretty sure the Howells built a resort on the island so no one could ever get stranded there again, like they did at the end of the *first* reunion movie.
I agree with a lot of this list. I was surprised by the number one show, Sanditon. Never underestimate Janeites! Mostly, I was surprised because this site doesn’t cover Sanditon, which is an excellent show that deserves a second season. While I agree with Sanditon, Moonlight is my top choice. And then besides Moonlight and Sanditon, I’d also pick Agent Carter, Chuck, Pushing Daisies, Forever, Timeless, and Firefly. I’d add Buffy and Charmed but I feel like they had proper endings.
Moonlight was my vote, too! I remember being so upset when it was canceled after winning the People’s Choice award. Seemed really odd, to me.
Sadly, it was a victim of the 2007/2008 writers’ strike. Still mad about the cancellation. :(
So very happy to see The Glades at number 10! Loved that show and for it to end with such a cliffhanger, well, it felt like such a slap in the face to its fans. I have my Thoughts on who shot Jim, but unfortunately I’ll never know if I was correct!
Yes, ABC needs to do a better job of knowing what good shows it has.
They have been too focused on reality shows and game shows for many years.
I feel as though parent company Disney is the problem with ABC. Unless a show outperforms they want it cancelled. ABC Family now Freeform is the cable channel of one season shows. Disney is greedy and it trickles down to bad or desperate to remain employed managers they hire.
Yeah but most of the cancelled shows are occurring on regular ABC. Freeform shows actually have longevity even if they tend to underperform
I was surprised by number one. Have all episodes on my dvr but since not renewed I think I will just delete. I wish the networks would do 2 hour movies of some cancelled shows like they did years ago with Colombo ,and Ironsides. At minimum the glades deserves a two hour movie.
Never heard of Sanditon. Like at all. Was it ever covered here on TVLine? I don’t remember seeing anything about it on EW either. Though I could have missed it since there site is SO saturated and gaudy.
I thought the “V” everyone was mentioning except a few comments was for the reboot and not the original. That’s surprising. Though I have no problem with it. I liked the original better though the reboot had its moments.
I missed the original voting, but I’m so happy to see Whiskey Cavalier so high up on the list! It definitely should not have been cancelled. My other “gone to soon” shows are more obscure: Deception (ABC the year before Whiskey Cavalier), Common Law (USA years ago), and even back to Touching Evil (USA remake).
I can’t believe The OA didn’t make the list!
It’s nice to dream of Shangri-La (really miss quite a few of these shows, and Buffy is my all-time favorite) but — taking them out of Shangri-La can be cruel and sad.
How does Buffy make the list, but Angel (which had a a cliffhanger ending and was a more consistently good show) doesn’t? Those are the characters I need more of. If anything Buffy should have been a season shorter.
Bring back the original La Femme Nikita (from USA Network). It was too good for its time.
Yay for Sanditon! The folks at ITV were idiots for canceling it before it had aired globally. The folks at PBS have seemed impressed by the fan and media reaction it’s gotten, so hopefully they’ll be able to find another production partner to carry it on. I would also love to see more Agent Carter, My So-Called Life, Forever, and Pitch.
Only show from top 20 I would want back is Forever which of course had my vote. Great to see it so high on the list. I never heard of Sandition though.