TV The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows  

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List Rules Top TV series canceled after one season

What are the best single season cancelled shows in television history? These shows were actually really great, but for whatever reason (usually ratings), they got the ax after just a handful of episodes. Without a doubt, many on this list of series canceled after one season deserved much longer runs and all these TV shows were canceled before their time. Vote for the shows you think didn't deserve just one season on the air and feel free to rerank this list your way, too.

It might surprise you to learn that despite their great successes, entertainment heavyweights like Judd Apatow and Joss Whedon didn't always come out on top. Whedon's Firefly remains one of the most unjust cancellations in TV history, as does Apatow's Freaks and Geeks (both are now among the all-time top cult TV shows). But this list also includes some more obscure shows.

Add any one season TV shows that might be missing because if *you* miss it, it qualifies.What single-season TV shows do you believe are the greatest ever? It's a safe bet that several of the 1 season TV shows listed here are also among the best TV shows in recent memory.
list ordered by

1
2,475 794
Firefly is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
Firefly Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk

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2
1,872 709
Freaks and Geeks is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
Freaks and Geeks Linda Cardellini, John Francis Daley, James Franco

3
1,182 948
Terra Nova is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
Terra Nova Jason O'Mara, Shelley Conn, Christine Adams

4
930 518
Almost Human is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
AvilisSiliva added Almost Human Karl Urban, Michael Ealy, Minka Kelly

5
1,015 752
My So-Called Life is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
My So-Called Life Bess Armstrong, Wilson Cruz, Claire Danes

6
596 668
Kolchak: The Night Stalker is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
bojanthebest added Kolchak: The Night Stalker Darren McGavin, Simon Oakland, Jack Grinnage

7
821 772
Alcatraz is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
Alcatraz Sarah Jones, Jorge Garcia, Jonny Coyne

8
589 466
The Finder is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
ShaunaTurner added The Finder Geoff Stults, Maddie Hasson, Mercedes Mason

9
620 655
The Dresden Files is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
The Dresden Files Paul Blackthorne, Valerie Cruz, Terrence Mann

10
524 718
No Ordinary Family is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
KarynLake added No Ordinary Family Michael Chiklis, Julie Benz, Kay Panabaker

11
540 731
Awake is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
Awake Jason Isaacs, Laura Allen, Steve Harris

12
711 689
The Secret Circle is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
MelissaKilderry added The Secret Circle Britt Robertson, Thomas Dekker, Phoebe Tonkin

13
352 133
Forever is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
fastnotbulbous added Forever Ioan Gruffudd, Alana De La Garza, Joel David Moore

14
545 743
Undeclared is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
Undeclared Jay Baruchel, Carla Gallo, Charlie Hunnam

15
721 669
Flash Forward is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
ChangesDownClub added Flash Forward John Cho^! Joseph Fiennes^! Jack Davenport

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16
371 710
Wonderfalls is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
Wonderfalls Caroline Dhavernas, Katie Finneran, Tyron Leitso

17
446 567
Alien Nation is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
Umberhaven added Alien Nation Gary Graham, Eric Pierpoint, Michele Scarabelli

18
329 214
The Tomorrow People is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
MarkandLetyKing added The Tomorrow People Robbie Amell, Peyton List, Luke Mitchell

19
226 367
The Black Donnellys is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
redrunner911 added The Black Donnellys Jonathan Tucker, Tom Guiry, Olivia Wilde

20
394 367
The Tick is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
DonLathrop added The Tick Patrick Warburton, David Burke, Liz Vassey

21
482 640
Moonlight is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
MelissaKilderry added Moonlight Alex O'Loughlin, Sophia Myles, Jason Dohring

22
370 315
The Adventures of Briscoe Coun... is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
DonLathrop added The Adventures of Briscoe County Jr. Bruce Campbell, Julius Carry, Christian Clemenson

23
238 79
Constantine is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
JuanGabrielGomezAlvarado added Constantine Matt Ryan, Harold Perrineau, Charles Halford

24
430 485
Police Squad! is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
Countermoon added Police Squad! Leslie Nielsen, Alan North, Rex Hamilton

25
275 188
Don't Trust the B---- in Apart... is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
vale.laurito added Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 Krysten Ritter, Dreama Walker, Michael Blaiklock

26
433 635
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip is listed (or ranked) 26 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip Matthew Perry^! Amanda Peet^! Bradley Whitford

27
240 165
Battlestar Galactica is listed (or ranked) 27 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
DonLathrop added Battlestar Galactica Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict, Lorne Greene

28
279 305
Dracula is listed (or ranked) 28 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
MarkandLetyKing added Dracula Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Jessica De Gouw, Thomas Kretschmann

29
185 98
Tru Calling is listed (or ranked) 29 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
AnneMorais added Tru Calling Eliza Dushku, Shawn Reaves, Zach Galifianakis

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30
472 693
666 Park Avenue is listed (or ranked) 30 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
chantellebelle added 666 Park Avenue Rachael Taylor, Dave Annable, Robert Buckley

31
340 449
Life on Mars is listed (or ranked) 31 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
LanaYoshii added Life on Mars John Simm, Philip Glenister, Liz White

32
371 579
Birds of Prey is listed (or ranked) 32 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
Birds of Prey Ashley Scott, Dina Meyer, Rachel Skarsten

33
128 279
Clone High is listed (or ranked) 33 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
DanielGriego added Clone High Will Forte, Phil Lord, Michael McDonald

34
525 551
The Flash is listed (or ranked) 34 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
Switchdoctor added The Flash John Wesley Shipp, Amanda Pays, Alex Desert

35
140 203
Go On is listed (or ranked) 35 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
Dismalhead added Go On Matthew Perry, Laura Benanti, Julie White

36
438 579
Pan Am is listed (or ranked) 36 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
Pan Am Christina Ricci, Margot Robbie, Michael Mosley

37
233 459
The Good Guys is listed (or ranked) 37 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
DannyPitt added The Good Guys Bradley Whitford, Colin Hanks, Jenny Wade

38
347 605
The Nine Lives of Chloe King is listed (or ranked) 38 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
ChangesDownClub added The Nine Lives of Chloe King Skyler Samuels, Grace Phipps, Ki Hong Lee

39
328 309
The Crazy Ones is listed (or ranked) 39 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
Mbbk6214 added The Crazy Ones Robin Williams, Sarah Michelle Gellar, James Wolk

40
158 61
Limitless is listed (or ranked) 40 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
LanaYoshii added Limitless Jake McDorman, Jennifer Carpenter, Hill Harper

41
86 100
Life on Mars is listed (or ranked) 41 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
SpencerVerMeer added Life on Mars Jason O'Mara, Harvey Keitel, Jonathan Murphy

42
126 104
John Doe is listed (or ranked) 42 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
AndrewWilkerson added John Doe Dominic Purcell^! Jayne Brook^! John Marshall Jones

43
101 76
Eerie, Indiana is listed (or ranked) 43 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
CraigAlarm added Eerie, Indiana Omri Katz, Justin Shenkarow, Mary-Margaret Humes

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44
159 192
Outsourced is listed (or ranked) 44 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
JoePonthier added Outsourced Ben Rappaport, Anisha Nagarajan, Diedrich Bader

45
246 361
Enlisted is listed (or ranked) 45 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
Riot18 added Enlisted Geoff Stults, Chris Lowell, Parker Young

46
238 578
Journeyman is listed (or ranked) 46 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
ber718 added Journeyman Kevin McKidd, Gretchen Egolf, Moon Bloodgood

47
80 72
The Grinder is listed (or ranked) 47 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
Amy Boal added The Grinder Rob Lowe, Fred Savage, Mary Elizabeth Ellis

48
238 468
Gidget is listed (or ranked) 48 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
SteveBerg added Gidget Sally Field^! Don Porter^! Lynette Winter

49
264 371
American Gothic is listed (or ranked) 49 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
dee123 added American Gothic Gary Cole, Lucas Black, Paige Turco

50
186 315
The New Normal is listed (or ranked) 50 on the list The Best Single Season Cancelled Shows
OrangePanda added The New Normal Justin Bartha, Andrew Rannells, Georgia King