Last Updated on August 3, 2021
With HBO bringing the long in development Deadwood movie to screens in just a few weeks, it got us thinking about all the popular television shows over the years that never got the proper finales they deserved. Each of these series still has a dedicated fan following to this day who lobby for a feature film or revival season to tie up all the plot threads left dangling by network executives who felt the shows were not profitable enough. See if you agree with our picks and if you think we missed one, let us know in the comments below.
Carnivale
Set during the Great Depression, Carnivale is a show that so many discovered after it went off the air. Lasting only two seasons, it was a blend of drama, romance, surreal supernatural elements and damn good acting. Led by Nick Stahl and Clancy Brown, this series was just coming into it's own when it was cancelled. If anything, I want this show to get a reboot but I would be even happier seeing the original cast come back for one last tour.
Rome
Imagine Deadwood, but in Ancient Rome. Rome hailed from John Milius (APOCALYPSE NOW, DIRTY HARRY) and told a high budget story set in the first century BC with a great ensemble cast featuring Kevin McKidd, Ray Stevenson, Ciaran Hinds, Kerry Condon, Indira Varma, and so many more. With visuals on par with Game of Thrones and equally explicit content, this was a show that should have lasted far longer. While budget is always a factor, if Deadwood can come back for a final wrap-up, so should this acclaimed series.
Agent Carter
While Hayley Atwell fans got to see her and James D'Arcy as Jarvis in AVENGERS: ENDGAME, there is still so much story of hers to tell. The first two pulpy seasons of the ABC spy series had so much potential and yet we never got to see what Peggy Carter did in the decades between her series and her scenes in ANT-MAN. There is a lot of story left to tell and maybe it would be something that could show up on Disney+ in the near future.
Terriers
From Ted Griffin, writer of RAVENOUS and OCEAN'S 11, came this one season wonder starring Donal Logue and Michael Raymond-James as a pair of unlicensed private investigators. Getting caught up with a crime boss and investigating crimes that are interconnected, Terriers was critically acclaimed and wrapped the season with a cliffhanger featuring the leads at a literal crossroads. Both actors could easily return to their roles for a new season, especially since this was such a great premise with excellent writing.
Party Down
Starz is not exactly on par creatively with some of the other cable networks, but they started to make inroads with their quirky, improv series Party Down led by Adam Scott and Lizzy Caplan. The series was one of the funniest shows on television but canceled after only two ten episode seasons. The cast has long teasted a reunion movie but it has never come to pass. Still, the great comedic talent on this show can be found on various series currently airing, but it would be nice to see them don the old bowties and cumberbunds at least one more time.
Pushing Daisies
Bryan Fuller has a knack for creating brilliant and unique worlds on his shows like Dead Like Me, Wonderfall, Hannibal, American Gods, and Star Trek: Discovery, his most whimsical is also one of his most short-lived. Pushing Daisies ran for just two seasons on ABC and followed Lee Pace as a pie-maker whose touch can bring the dead back to life. Crossing a romance with a police procedural, Pushing Daisies was a fun show in the vein of Tim Burton or Barry Sonnenfeld. It has often been subject of revival talks that never came to fruition, but this is one I am personally holding out hope to see.
Jericho
This CBS series led by Skeet Ulrich and Lennie James lasted for two seasons before being cancelled and yet is still one of those shows people still talk about. Set in a post-apocalyptic Kansas town after a nuclear attack on the United States, it was designed to follow the same format as the highly popular Lost. While the story ventured into more political and conspiracy territory in the shortened second season, fans were left wondering what the hell was going to happen. Plans for a feature film fell through but with The Walking Dead showing that this type of story is still popular, maybe it is time to try again.
My So-Called Life
Another beloved series of only one season, this ABC drama tackled similar subject matter as many Freeform/ABC Family series do today, but it did so organically and realistically through three-dimensional characters that viewers identified with. A product of the 1990s through and through, this could easily be revived and feature the teen cast as adults raising their own children through the challenges of bullying, abuse, homophobia, adultery, and drugs. It also helps that Claire Danes and Jared Leto have not aged a day in the last twenty-five years.
Firefly
While this Joss Whedon series only lasted one season of 14 episodes, it did earn a feature film sequel, SERENITY, which held fans for just a little while. Still, there is plenty of material to mine for further films or even a revival series headed by Nathan Fillion. With their dedicated appearances at conventions around the world, I am sure it would not take much convincing to reunite this crew for another outing on the big or small screen.
Freaks and Geeks
This Judd Apatow produced series was created by Paul Feig and assembled a cast that almost entirely turned into stars in their own right. From Seth Rogen and James Franco to Jason Segel and Linda Cardellini, this series only lasted one season on NBC but has been a fan favorite ever since. While it would be a little too WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER to have this cast play high schoolers, it has been 20 years, so just long enough for the characters to reassemble for a high school reunion. I would love to see the same focus on realizing the world of 1980 flash forward to find these characters reuniting in the year 2000.
Follow the JOBLO MOVIE NETWORK
Follow us on YOUTUBE
Follow ARROW IN THE HEAD
Follow AITH on YOUTUBE