35 One-Season TV Wonders

Mallori Johnson on Kindred; Nathan Fillion on Firefly; Kylie Bunbury on Pitch; Keegan-Michael Key on Reboot — Photo: FX / FOX / Hulu

01 of 35

My So-Called Life (ABC)

My So-Called Life is widely regarded as one of the most honest representations of high school and adolescence to ever hit the screen. Its cancellation deprived the world of Angela Chase's (Claire Danes) observations and also of more Jordan Catalano (Jared Leto). Sigh. Bess Armstrong, who played Angela's mother Patty, revealed creator Winnie Holzman's plans for the second season to Vanity Fair, which included Patty's depression and more drama coming for Rickie (Wilson Cruz). But what became of Jordan, Angela, and heartsick Brian Krakow? We may never know. —Esther Zuckerman

02 of 35

Firefly (Fox)

Firefly, Nathan Fillion | Joss Whedon's grand folly: a Howard Hawks Western crossed with a George Lucas space opera. Filled with vivid characters led by Nathan Fillion's hotshot captain, — Everett Collection

Joss Whedon's grand folly: a Howard Hawks Western crossed with a George Lucas space opera. Filled with vivid characters led by Nathan Fillion's hotshot captain, Firefly applied a Buffy irony to shoot-outs and intergalactic action-adventure. The mass audience Firefly needed to survive didn't ''get'' the show, but the cult fans did, latching onto it immediately. —Ken Tucker

03 of 35

Kindred (FX on Hulu/Hulu)

“KINDRED” -- Pictured: Mallori Johnson as Dana. — 'Kindred'. Pari Dukovic/FX

Based on Octavia Butler's classic work of sci-fi literature, this gripping adaptation developed by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins (Watchmen) expands Butler's groundbreaking exploration of America's racist history into a profound puzzle-box thriller. Kindred follows Dana James (Mallori Johnson), a twenty-something Black woman in modern-day Los Angeles who finds herself yanked back in time to Maryland in 1815, where a little white boy named Rufus Weylin (David Alexander Kaplan) is drowning in a river. Kevin (Bonding's Micah Stock), the cute waiter Dana hooked up with earlier that day, witnesses her literal disappearance from the bedroom closet — and sudden reappearance a few seconds later — and soon gets pulled back to the Weylin plantation with her. Bouncing between eras, Dana and Kevin are immersed in an awful new reality that forces them to reckon with America's history in real time. Kindred's eight-episode season only covers about the first third of the book, and the cliffhanger ending packs a visceral wallop. Just have the book on hand when you finish; Hulu may have cut Kindred the series short, but Butler's captivating tale will never expire. —Kristen Baldwin

04 of 35

Luck (HBO)

Creator David Milch and EP/pilot director Michael Mann clashed behind the scenes, but their creative sensibilities combined for a novelistic and meticulous—albeit slow out of the gate—drama set around the world of thoroughbred racing. Despite a brilliant ensemble cast that included Dustin Hoffman, Nick Nolte, and Michael Gambon, ratings were never good, and HBO quickly put it down after horses died during filming and animal-rights groups raised angry voices. —Jeff Labrecque

05 of 35

Freaks and Geeks (NBC)

Freaks and Geeks, James Franco, ... | Arguably the most influential sitcom that barely lived, F&G was a smart disaffected-teen dramedy that gave us Seth Rogen, James Franco, Busy Philipps, Jason Segel, — NBC

Arguably the most influential sitcom that barely lived, F&G was a smart disaffected-teen dramedy that gave us Seth Rogen, James Franco, Busy Philipps, Jason Segel, and more. Oh, and exec producer Judd Apatow went on to make a few movies, too. —K.T.

06 of 35

Containment (The CW)

CONTAINMENT, l-r: Nadine Lewington, Christina Moses in 'There's a Crack in Everything' (Season 1, Episode 8, aired June 14, 2016) — 'Containment'. Eli Joshua/The CW Network/courtesy Everett Collection

Based on a Belgian series, Containment brought us pandemic drama years before COVID. From Julie Plec (Vampire Diaries), the series followed an outbreak in Atlanta, delivering suspense, heartbreak, and romance with each episode. With a stellar cast including David Gyasi, Chris Wood, Christina Moses, Kristen Gutoskie, and others, the series deserved more than the one season it got. After all, how many shows can make a kiss through a shower curtain so hot?! —Samantha Highfill

07 of 35

Enlisted (Fox)

Kevin Biegel's Enlisted starred Geoff Stults, Chris Lowell, and Parker Young as three brothers serving their country in a Rear Detachment Unit in Florida. In other words, they washed tanks and took care of the families at home. Add in a quirky cast of fellow soldiers, including Keith David as Sergeant Major Donald Cody, and hilarity ensued. But given a Friday night time slot and Fox's decision to air episodes out of order, the promising new comedy didn't stand a chance. —S.H.

08 of 35

Gordita Chronicles (Max)

Olivia Goncalves, Savannah Nicole Ruiz, Diana Maria Riva MAX Gordita Chronicles Season 1 - Episode 1 — 'Gordita Chronicles'. Laura Solanki/HBO Max

Gordita Chronicles was a beloved show about 12-year-old Cucu, a pre-teen Latina coming of age in 1980s Miami after her family immigrated from the Dominican Republic. Witty and uplifting, the series found ways to talk about hardships, stereotypes, prejudice, and more. The best thing to come from the now deleted show (RIP)? It's young star Olivia Goncalves… who nails a perfect line delivery every time. —Yolanda Machado

09 of 35

Undeclared (Fox)

Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, ... | Judd Apatow's half-hour sitcom follow-up to Freaks and Geeks moved the setting from high school to college, with a cast that included Charlie Hunnam (

Judd Apatow's half-hour sitcom follow-up to Freaks and Geeks moved the setting from high school to college, with a cast that included Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy), Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, and singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III. The show was packed with cameos from folks who later became famous: Jenna Fischer, Amy Poehler, Tom Welling, and Felicia Day, as well as guests Will Ferrell and Adam Sandler. —K.T.

10 of 35

Harper's Island (CBS)

Was it semi-soap operatic? Yes. Was it addictively entertaining? Also yes. The destination wedding murder mystery starring Christopher Gorham and Katie Cassidy prompted Stephen King to put it on his list of the Best TV of 2009 and declare the show ''a jolly mix of Agatha Christie and Friday the 13th...with a touch of Saw thrown in.'' Unfortunately, when a ratings drop prompted CBS to relegate the series to Saturday nights, it was as doomed as Harry Hamlin's hacked-in-half guest. —Lanford Beard

11 of 35

Pitch (Fox)

PITCH, Kylie Bunbury in 'Pilot' (Season 1, Episode 1, aired September 22, 2016) — 'Pitch'. Tommy Garcia/Fox/courtesy Everett Collection

Will Ginny Baker (Kylie Bunbury) pitch again? We'll never know unfortunately. Not only was the baseball drama a home run for fans, but it brought Mark-Paul Gosselaar as playboy veteran catcher Mike Lawson, the other half of Bunbury's will-they-won't-they. Pitch was full of witty banter and told a story about a woman in a male-dominated world without the standard gender studies 101 storylines. Making matters worse is the season-ending cliffhanger that puts aspiring all-star pitcher Ginny's future in the sport in jeopardy. —Alamin Yohannes

12 of 35

The Ben Stiller Show (Fox)

EW deemed Stiller's pre-Reality Bites sketch show ''the best new series that few people in America are likely to watch.'' Unfortunately, that prediction was correct. When Stiller made the jump from MTV to Fox, he brought along stars Andy Dick, Janeane Garofalo, and Bob Odenkirk alongside writers Judd Apatow and David Cross, among others. The comedic think tank was ultimately rewarded with a post-cancellation Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program, but perhaps the sweetest consolation for fans was Stiller's eventual rise to A-list fame. —L.B.

13 of 35

The Prisoner (ITV)

Groundbreaking and deeply strange, The Prisoner told the story of Patrick McGoohan's nameless secret agent who angrily quits, only to be abducted and imprisoned in a mysterious Village where everyone is assigned a number instead of a name. Most episodes involved increasingly surreal plots from McGoohan's character—dubbed Number 6—discovering the truth behind the Village, to the Village's attempts to break his will. The British series was designed to have an end, and the finale, ''Fall Out,'' is one of the most fascinating, frustrating, and subversive hours of television ever made. —Joshua Rivera

14 of 35

Profit (Fox)

Profit, Adrian Pasdar | Before he was in Heroes , Adrian Pasdar starred as Jim Profit, the creepily fascinating anti-hero of this brilliant satire of the business world. Ruthless — Everett Collection

Before he was in Heroes, Adrian Pasdar starred as Jim Profit, the creepily fascinating anti-hero of this brilliant satire of the business world. Ruthless and amoral, Profit rose rapidly in the ranks, leaving behind burned bosses and the broken hearts of female co-workers. Then each night, he went home, stripped naked, and climbed into a big cardboard box with a hole cut into the side to watch his TV. (He reverted to the perverted way he was raised.) Is it any wonder this became a cult classic? Is it any wonder it was canceled after only five of its nine episodes aired? —K.T.

15 of 35

Reboot (Hulu)

Reboot -- “Who’s The Boss?” - Episode 108 — 'Reboot'. Michael Desmond/Hulu

On paper, Reboot sounded a bit too on-the-nose for the streaming era in which we currently live: the highly dysfunctional cast of early-00s sitcom Step Right Up joins a reboot of their show, now with an edgier, darker tone. But with jokes flying at ya a mile a minute, plus a cast that included the brilliant-with-a-capital-B Rachel Bloom, comedy MVPs Keegan-Michael Key and Judy Greer, the always-game Johnny Knoxville, and Paul Reiser, who's never not been great in anything he's in, Reboot should've been a hit. Hulu, however, disagreed, canceling Reboot just as in the finale, the reboot within Reboot faces cancellation by… Hulu. Sometimes life imitates art a little too well. —Lester Fabian Brathwaite

16 of 35

Wonderfalls (Fox)

This charmingly acerbic show about God speaking to Jaye Tyler (Caroline Dhavernas) through various souvenirs in a Niagara Falls gift shop was so damn technicolor clever—in true fashion for small-screen auteur Bryan Fuller (Hannibal, Pushing Daisies). But Joan of Arcadia aired the same season, and TV audiences just couldn't handle that much of ''What if God was one of us?''-style storytelling. Even Lee Pace as a cute bartender couldn't save this show. (Though Fuller brought him back three years later as the lead in Daisies, another show canceled before its time.) —Danielle Nussbaum

17 of 35

The Secret Circle (The CW)

THE SECRET CIRCLE, (from left): Louis Hunter, Shelley Hennig, Britt Robertson, Phoebe Jane Tonkin, Thomas Dekker, Jessica Parker Kennedy, 'Loner', (Season 1, ep. 103, aired Sept. 29, 2011), 2011-2012. — 'The Secret Circle'. Sergei Bachlakov/The CW/Courtesy Everett Collection

While Charmed was definitively the best teen witch drama of the '90s, The Secret Circle picked up that torch (er, spellbook?) 20 years later — and should have continued on for a similarly long-running legacy. The CW's dark, delicious drama about an orphan (Britt Robertson) who moves to a new town and discovers she's a witch destined to join a coven with five other teens was equal parts sexy and spooky. Plus, a pre-The Vampire Diaries Phoebe Tonkin cast a magical performance as the sinister Faye Chamberlain, delivering one of the best TV villain arcs in a criminally short amount of time. And with that intense finale cliffhanger, anyone know the spell for a TV show resurrection? —Sydney Bucksbaum

18 of 35

Terriers (FX)

Two hapless private eyes played by Donal Logue and Michael Raymond-James provided a fresh take on the California detective story, with the help of show creator Ted Griffin (Ocean's Eleven). Terriers often told shaggy-dog stories — plots meandered deceptively, only to be solved with abrupt cleverness — and both men's love lives were entertaining messes. It's too bad FX chose to cancel this after its first season was just revving up with more purpose and energy. —K.T.

19 of 35

The Dana Carvey Show (ABC)

The show burst onto network TV in March 1996 with a sketch that famously depicted Bill Clinton breastfeeding puppies and kittens, and, well, it's probably lucky to have lasted even seven of the planned 10 episodes. The show's talent was a who's-who of now-famous comics—among others, Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell, Robert Smigel, and Charlie Kaufman contributed in some way. But the group was too experimental for both ABC and launch sponsor PepsiCo, which pulled out after five episodes. It has since entered entertainment's annals as one of sketch comedy's great ''what if'' stories. —Neil Janowitz

20 of 35

Selfie (ABC)

SELFIE - "Pilot" — 'Selfie'. Eric McCandless/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

Can you believe that we once had a delightful rom-com starring human charm bombs Karen Gillan and John Cho, and we let it slip away after only a single season? This short-lived ABC sitcom had an admittedly atrocious title, but the show itself proved to have surprising depth. Gillan starred as Eliza, a self-obsessed social media maven who recruits co-worker Henry (Cho) to help her on a My Fair Lady-esque redemption journey. The result is a biting send-up of influencer culture, anchored by Gillan and Cho's sizzling chemistry. —Devan Coggan

21 of 35

Jack & Bobby (The WB)

Jack & Bobby, Christine Lahti | This intelligent drama starred Matt Long (later to play the brash copywriter Joey Baird on Mad Men ) as Jack and Logan Lerman as Bobby, — Bruce Birmelin

This intelligent drama starred Matt Long (later to play the brash copywriter Joey Baird on Mad Men) as Jack and Logan Lerman as Bobby, brothers who are destined for political careers, but who in the show are presented primarily as complicated teens. The show implied that these boys might be the Kennedy brothers without ever tipping its hand. The supporting cast included Bradley Cooper, Christine Lahti, and Mad Men's John Slattery, and was co-created by Greg Berlanti and bestselling novelist Brad Meltzer. —K.T.

22 of 35

Life on Mars (ABC)

Critics raved, but audiences didn't quite know what to do with the Stateside redo of the hit British series about a detective (Jason O'Mara) who Marty McFlys his way back to 1972 after being hit by a car in 2008. But for those who tuned into its scant 17 episodes, it was a period-perfect, twisty delight, with a fantastic cast (which also included Harvey Keitel, Gretchen Mol, and Michael Imperioli) that wrung the terrific material for all of its surreal, jocular, and often hilarious worth. —Jason Clark

23 of 35

Rubicon (AMC)

Rubicon | A knotty conspiracy thriller starring James Badge Dale ( The Pacific ) as a government-agency data analyst. Medium 's Arliss Howard was his boss. The — Craig Blankenhorn/AMC

A knotty conspiracy thriller starring James Badge Dale (The Pacific) as a government-agency data analyst. Medium's Arliss Howard was his boss. The show developed an interesting workplace family of dysfunctional analysts sifting through documents and Internet sites for possible terrorist plots. To the disappointment of its growing cult following, Rubicon was canceled by AMC after its 13-episode first season. —K.T.

24 of 35

Awake (NBC)

Kyle Killen's sharp, smart, sci-fi procedural about a detective who lives in two separate realities after surviving a car accident (and uses those realities to help solve crimes) boasted an impressive cast including Jason Isaacs, BD Wong, and Wilmer Valderrama. Despite critical acclaim, its ratings were less impressive, and the show was canceled ahead of its final episodes, though dedicated fans did try to find a reality where Awake could exist by creating a ''Save Awake'' campaign. —Andrea Towers

25 of 35

I Am Not Okay With This (Netflix)

I AM NOT OKAY WITH THIS, from left: Sophia Lillis, Wyatt Oleff, Richard Ellis, Sofia Bryant, (Season 1, Episode 105, aired Feb. 26, 2020) — 'I Am Not Okay With This'. Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

A stranger coming out the shadows saying, "They should be afraid. Let's begin." is how the incredible comedy I Am Not Okay With This ends. In it, Sydney (Sophia Lillis) is a teenager dealing with school, her sexuality, and typical coming-of-age struggles — except for the mysterious superpowers part. The only thing worse than ending the show on a cliffhanger is that Netflix initially renewed Charles Forsman's graphic novel before "unrenewing" it because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Who was that stranger and what did he want with Sydney? We'll never know and we're not okay with that. —A.Y.

26 of 35

Life As We Know It (ABC)

Despite what other TV shows tell us, teenagers are not typically articulate nor particularly wise. But Life As We Know It—, starring a pre-Pretty Little Liars Sean Faris, Chris Lowell before Veronica Mars, and Kelly Osbourne—got it right. The high school-aged characters were big-headed and insecure and misunderstood, making the show a relatable—but also amusing—watch for anyone who's ever been 16. —Ariana Bacle

27 of 35

Sweet/Vicious (MTV)

SWEET/VICIOUS, (aka SWEET VICIOUS), (from left): Taylor Dearden, Eliza Bennett, (Season 1, 2016) — 'Sweet/Vicious'. MTV/Courtesy Everett Collection

Sweet/Vicious fans deserved to know what happened to Ophelia (Taylor Dearden) and Jules (Eliza Bennet). Jennifer Kaytin Robsinson created something daring with the series about best friends who took down sexual predators on their college campus. The first season centered on Jules' journey dealing with the aftermath of her own sexual assault, but Robinson later shared that she had a five-year plan for the series. And MTV should've let fans see it unfold. —A.Y.

28 of 35

Robbery Homicide Division (CBS)

Robbery Homicide Division, Tom Sizemore | Only the most daring network cop show of the decade. This Michael Mann-produced stunner featured a terrific, pre? Celebrity Rehab Tom Sizemore leading cops through — Everett Collection

Only the most daring network cop show of its time. This Michael Mann-produced stunner featured a terrific, pre-Celebrity Rehab Tom Sizemore leading cops through L.A. crime scenes. The show was bursting with terse, hard-boiled dialogue and visuals that glowed with eloquent menace. —K.T.

29 of 35

Trophy Wife (ABC)

Despite its title, Trophy Wife did not deal in stereotypes. Though, yes, the show was nominally about an attractive woman Kate (Malin Akerman) marrying older two-time divorcé Pete (Bradley Whitford), it was really about a charming and complicated family dynamic replete with love, not bitterness. It featured hilarious work from Marcia Gay Harden, Michaela Watkins, and all of the kid actors, especially Albert Tsai, who gave us the Yiddish-speaking Bert and introduced us to the concept of Bertwheels. For those, we will always be thankful. —E.Z.

30 of 35

The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (Fox)

Bruce Campbell, Kelly Rutherford | Burn Notice 's Bruce Campbell, at that point known primarily for the Evil Dead movies, starred in a witty combination Western/sci-fi/steampunk drama. For all its — Everett Collection

Burn Notice's Bruce Campbell, at that point known primarily for the Evil Dead movies, starred in a witty combination Western/sci-fi/steampunk drama. For all its old-fashioned action and laughs, the series was also ahead of its time; co-creator Carlton Cuse later helped run a little show called Lost. —K.T.

31 of 35

The Society (Netflix)

THE SOCIETY, Kathryn Newton, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Jacques Colmon, Rachel Kellar in 'What Happened', pilot episode, (Season 1, Episode 101, aired May 10, 2019) — 'The Society'. Seacia Pavao/Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection

In a utopian world, Netflix would have kept its promise of making a second season of The Society, the sci-fi YA drama with a modern spin on Lord of the Flies. But despite renewing the buzzy series for season 2, the streamer went back on its word and retroactively canceled it after only one season. The series began when a group of affluent East Coast high schoolers (led by Big Little Lies' Kathryn Newton) discovered they were suddenly all alone, as their town (but no one else in it) was mysteriously transported to the middle of nowhere, the internet didn't work, and their survival relied on their ability to create a new society. Some teens tried to build a democracy, others pushed for a dictatorship or military state, and some even incited chaos for their own gain. The surprisingly deep series explored thought-provoking sociopolitical ideas, and there was murder, romance, and sci-fi mystery — there was truly no other show like it. And since the finale ended on a massive cliffhanger, we'll never find out how the teens were transported to an alternate dimension, or if they'll ever get home. —S.B.

32 of 35

Relativity (ABC)

Lisa Edelstein | Produced by the guys who brought you thirtysomething and My So-Called Life and created by Jason Katims ( Friday Night Lights ), this witty light-comedy — Everett Collection

Produced by the guys who brought you thirtysomething and My So-Called Life and created by Jason Katims (Friday Night Lights), this witty light-comedy romance starred Kimberley Williams and David Conrad. The series followed the pair as they fell in love and showed how their romance affected their friends and family (including House's Lisa Edelstein). —K.T.

33 of 35

Constantine (NBC)

CONSTANTINE, (from left): Anjelica Celaya, Matt Ryan, Charles Halford, 'Quid Pro Quo', (Season 1, ep. 110, aired Jan. 23, 2015), 2014-2015. — 'Constantine'. Tina Rowden/NBC/courtesy Everett Collection

You can't keep John Constantine down. The fan-favorite DC Comics character was first brought to live-action by Keanu Reeves in the 2005 horror film, but Matt Ryan became known for the role of the demon hunter and master of the occult thanks to NBC's short-lived series Constantine. Donning the iconic trench coat and delivering every acerbic, irreverent, sarcastic quip with flair, Ryan's performance was so beloved and the series' cancelation was so egregious that he was brought over to The CW's Arrowverse years later to resurrect the character. John Constantine always had a knack for cheating death, after all. —S.B.

34 of 35

The Tomorrow People (The CW)

The Tomorrow People -- "Death's Door" -- Image: TP109b_0114 -- Pictured: Robbie Amell as Stephen Jameson -- Photo: Cate Cameron/The CW -- © 2013 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved — Robbie Amell on 'The Tomorrow People'. The CW

Teleporting teens. An evil government organization. Steamy love triangles. And Robbie Amell! The Tomorrow People had all the makings of a great CW show, not to mention that two of its executive producers were CW experts Greg Berlanti and Julie Plec. But despite its killer fight scenes, exhilarating twists, and swoon-worthy hookups, it could never quite get the ratings its needed to see a second season. Sometimes, even superpowers can't save you. —S.H.

35 of 35

Crashing (Netflix)

CRASHING, (from left): Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Louise Ford, (Season 1, ep. 105, aired Feb. 8, 2016). — 'Crashing'. Mark Johnson/Angus Young/Channel 4/Courtesy Everett Collection

While Phoebe Waller-Bridge was (deservedly!) praised and showered with accolades for Fleabag when it debuted in 2016, she had another darkly comedic TV series premiere that same year that was criminally underrated. Crashing only lasted for one short season, but it was just as hilarious, devastating, and smart as her Emmy-winning series. Think of it as a raw, modern, British version of Friends, as the series follows a group of twentysomethings living in a disused London hospital as property guardians (basically a step above squatters). As with any story about a group of young, attractive people living together, romantic hijinks ensue. You can never predict what's going to happen next, especially thanks to the chaos agents of Waller-Bridge's newcomer Lulu and a pre-Bridgerton Jonathan Bailey's narcissistic lothario Sam, who constantly make you love and then hate and then love them, over and over again, right up until their finale cliffhangers. —S.B.