Popular TV shows that were canceled anyway are reflections of the sheer unpredictability of the entertainment industry. It's not always made clear to viewers why certain shows got canceled, and it's especially confusing when they were ended despite being beloved by critics and audiences alike. More often than not, it's a case of the show failing to justify its overall cost versus the viewership it brings to the platform.
There's no shortage of good shows that were canceled throughout broadcast and streaming history. Even the most popular TV shows can unexpectedly get a shorter lifespan due to corporate acquisitions, restructuring, or reprogramming. Sometimes, creative differences, outright mismanagement, or people leaving certain shows can affect their longevity as well. Whatever the reason for their cancelation, that didn't stop fans from being surprised when these TV shows were canceled anyway.
10 The Expanse
With 6 seasons spanning from 2015 to 2022, The Expanse was a grimly realistic space epic that imagined humanity as a space faring race hundreds of years into the future. Amazon never explained why The Expanse was canceled after season 6. However, it may be due to its budget failing to match its ratings, which is why it was canceled the first time following season 3. Notably, The Expanse was a class-conscious political drama that pulled contemporary sci-fi back to its roots. Combined with the show's almost exclusively stellar reviews, The Expanse remains a fundamental example of popular TV shows that were canceled anyway.
9 Glow
The Netflix comedic drama GLOW was a fictionalized series adaptation of the real people and events surrounding the revolutionary 1980s wrestling circuit, Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling. GLOW ran from 2017 to 2019 for a total of 3 seasons. After Netflix renewed the show for what was supposed to be its fourth and final season, the production of GLOW season 4 was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and GLOW ended up getting canceled. Currently, there's been no development yet in of if and when GLOW will get the conclusive final season that it deserves.
8 Arrested Development
The first 3 seasons of Arrested Development, which ran on Fox from 2003 to 2006, are still collectively considered to be one of the greatest American sitcoms of all time. Despite the Bluths being one of the funniest, out-of-touch families on TV, Arrested Development's poor ratings led to the show getting canceled. After the show attained cult comedy status, however, Netflix revived it in 2013 with Arrested Development season 4, which garnered enough interest for season 5 to push through in 2019. Unfortunately, Arrested Development season 5 was considered to be largely disappointing and couldn't replicate the original series' success, which is ultimately why Arrested Development was canceled for good.
7 The Get Down
Some popular TV shows that were canceled anyway weren't actually as well-known as their loyal viewers . Unfortunately, this is exactly the case with The Get Down, the Netflix musical period drama that fictionalized the rise of hip-hop and R&B in '70s New York. The Get Down combined real footage from the '70s with fresh new tracks and performances that bridged three decades of hip-hop history. Despite getting rave reviews, The Get Down's reportedly low viewership and high budget led to its cancelation after just one season, which first streamed from 2016 to 2017.
6 Sense 8
Suffering from disappointing ratings and big production costs, the Wachowski sisters' acclaimed sci-fi drama Sense8 practically met the same fate as The Get Down, though Sense8 ran longer for 2 seasons from 2015 to 2017. The show centered around the eight mysteriously linked sensates and tackled crucial social issues related to gender and identity politics. Notorious even among popular TV shows that were canceled anyway, Sense8's cancelation was met with fan petitions that aimed to get the show back into production. The #RenewSense8 fan campaign eventually led to a two-and-a-half hour finale that streamed in 2018, which tied all the loose ends left behind by Sense8 season 2.
5 King Of The Hill
Mike Judge's King of the Hill stood out from other animated sitcoms by focusing on the relatively realistic and relatable life of a Texas family in a small town. With its moderately successful ratings which ended on an uptick, King of the Hill is one of the more perplexing examples of popular TV shows that were canceled anyway. However, the reason why King of the Hill was canceled is because Fox needed to make room in their lineup for The Cleveland Show, putting a stop to the show's 13-season run from 1996 to 2010. Now considered a cult comedy, a King of the Hill reboot is reportedly in the works.
4 Better Off Ted
Better Off Ted was an ambitious satirical workplace comedy that ran for 2 seasons from 2009 to 2010. As is the case with many popular TV shows that were canceled anyway, cult status wasn't enough to keep Better Off Ted afloat, and Fox canceled the show due to low ratings. This may be a case of a show being ahead of its time, as Better Off Ted focused on the hilariously questionable exploits of the R&D department of the evil conglomerate, Veridian Dynamics. Once considered edgy, the show's overarching dystopian themes have become popular mainstream tropes today. Better Off Ted was a highly promising sitcom that was canceled too soon.
3 Rome
The HBO historical epic Rome lasted for only 2 seasons from 2005 to 2007. Like other popular TV shows that were canceled anyway, extremely high budgets led to the fall of Rome during the production of season 2. It's a pity because Rome co-creator Burno Heller had big plans. “The second was going to end with the death of Brutus. Third and fourth season would be set in Egypt. Fifth was going to be the rise of the messiah in Palestine," said Heller (via Reuters). "I telescoped the third and fourth season into the second one, which s for the blazing speed we go through history near the end."
2 Inside Job
Set in a universe where the most popular conspiracy theories are actually real, Netflix's animated sci-fi workplace comedy Inside Job centered around the operations of the shadow government corporation Cognito, Inc. Inside Job had only 1 season, which was divided into two parts and released from 2021 to 2022. Netflix initially renewed the show for a second season, only to cancel the show later on. This was particularly upsetting to its small but loyal viewership as it resulted in a still unresolved cliffhanger ending. Nonetheless, Inside Job continues to enjoy cult comedy status.
1 Firefly
There are several reasons why Firefly was canceled, but it ultimately boils down to mismanagement. Infamous even among popular TV shows that were canceled anyway, Firefly is considered to be the greatest space Western ever - but it was initially branded by Fox as a comedy. Fox also aired the episodes out of order, with the pilot episode airing last during its confusing original television run. Fox did eventually come to regret their decision to cancel Firefly due to low ratings, but only after it achieved cult status. That said, the movie Serenity did tie up the show's loose ends and manage to give the series the farewell it deserved.
Source: Reuters