JLU you could have half a season dealing with Kingdom Come. The second half would be some of the great one shot stories. Ive just finished the trade of Alan Moore “Tales of the DC Universe” The Superman/Swampthing and the Vigilante “Fathers Day”
My gut says FIREFLY, but there’s a very compelling argument to be made for DEADWOOD, as that show was specifically planned for four seasons and one more season would have “completed” it and likely allowed it to rest higher up in the great TV pantheon. Tough call between those two.
After those, in third place, FREAKS AND GEEKS, obviously.
I think in the case of Arrested Development and Freaks and Geeks I would rather leave both off where they did. AD got way too funny in it’s closing episodes joking about it’s situation to be willing to give that and the ending up. I’m really content thinking that Michael and George Michael rode off into the sunset together. Same with Lindsay going to see the Dead I feel like I saw enough of her journey that while another season would have been great I think it ends in a perfect place. Terriers is the biggest show I would love to see get another season. It’s perfect as it is but they found such a great rhythm on the back end of the season that I would love to see them be able to pick it up again. Though I think the biggest fantasy season I would love to have is an Aaron Sorkin ran 5th season of the West Wing.
Firefly, Tour Of Duty and Police Squad.
Rome because there were inklings that it would take a jump in time to the time of Christ.
Journeyman because I would have liked to have seen the original plan of all those people the lead character saved being connected in some way. Heck just give me the back nine of season 1 to see that play out.
Freaks and Geeks because I would have loved to have seen some of the plotlines discussed for season 2 realized. What we got was incredible but I wanted more.
AD ended right where it needed to and Firefly got its send off in the movie theaters.
I thought I was going to be the only one saying Firefly… I always thought Serenity would have made for a far better second season.
Why, Fox? Why do you shit on everything I love?
They did WHAT!? I knew I shouldn’t have written that sow off!
Max Headroom
Keen Eddie
Reaper
Folks have already mentioned them, but Terriers and Jericho are the two I’d bring back for a second and third year, respectively. Particularly Jericho – try watching the last minutes of the series finale, and NOT shriek to the heavens in despair.
I’d maybe also throw Caprica in there too, but when you finally get to the end of its first (and only) season, you immediately see how a potential first season of BSG: Blood & Chrome could very easily serve as a de facto second year of Caprica, in a sense. The bridging truly is that good.
Quote:
Star Trek: TOS was already on the verge of disappearing up its own asshole under Freiberger’s reign during its final season – as has been observed over the years, getting cancelled at the end of Season 3 was probably the best thing that ever happened to the franchise.
Damn straight. And that show was actually really starting to go places towards the end of the series (alot of people I know wrote it off far too early - and I guess with fair cause). Also, I’m the army of one that actually liked Sticky’s Blade more than Snipes. Alot more rough and tumble. By the time Blade 3 rocked around, Snipes’ version was ridiculously boring.
I should really get the DVD set and watch it again. I have an inkling of doubt about my own memory on this. The human protagonist chick has the standard issue “so what else is real? Werewolves?” conversation with an exposition character and former ash junkie, and he name-drops his acquaintance, the werewolf expert. The name may actually have been Werewolf By Night’s Jack Russell, but I could swear it was Marc Spector.
Blade was a perfect original series for what Spike needed at the time, which was a way of reinventing itself after changing its name from The Nashville/National Network. Gritty and profane, foul-mouthed in prime time, with heaping helpings of stage blood and perfectly formed naked ass. This was around the same time that Blade had a monthly title on Marvel’s MAX imprint, so the character had been generally earmarked for R-rated content after the success of the movies.
I knew a few people who first caught it mid-season, and wrote it off because it was clear they were coming in at the middle of a serial. And as with many of the shows mentioned here, the only season ends in a cliffhanger for the aforementioned chick. If you missed it the first time, it’s worth watching. Look for Bokeem “Can’t Get Right” Woodbine as Steppin’ Razor, the head of the gang Blade ran with as a kid before Whistler found him.
Ultraviolent
The Middle Man
Angel
ACRIME STORY. The last shot of the season 2 finale was extremly unsatisfying.
And TERRIERS.
What I loved about Blade was the way they introduced a wider view into Vampire Politics and the Clans. According to the series creator, the TV Series occurs after the events of Blade: Trinity. Apparently the Daystar Virus failed and Blade lost some of his extra strength due to it. I suppose that was their way of covering up why this version of Blade was so weak when compared to the Snipe’s version.
Not if I murdered you first.
…but yes, it may be an obvious choice but I’d do damn near anything for a final season of Deadwood. Hell even if we could get some sort of made for TV movie that gave a small sense of closure that’d be something. Even a series of novels that finish the story the way David Milch wanted. Anything for chrissake.
Other than that definitely Firefly and Angel.
Despite loving several of the shows mentioned, I wouldn’t necessarily want more. For example:
Rome/Arrested Development - while I gladly would’ve watched longer runs of these shows, their final seasons were produced with the knowledge that they would be the last, and structured accordingly. Basically, I’d love to see a longer second season of Rome, but not necessarily a third.
Angel - While the final season was definitely the strongest, any further episodes would diminish the power of one of my favorite endings of anything, ever.
Carnivale - While this is my most disappointing cancellation, I wouldn’t necessarily want one more season, as Dan Knauf has said that he had the story mapped out in 2 season chunks. As much as I want to know more, I’m not sure another half of a story wouldn’t be even more frustrating. I’d gladly take it if they were told one more was it and could adjust/compress the pace accordingly.
Basically, the ones I would want “one more” of are those that, good-looking corpse aside, didn’t have time to craft a proper finale and thus still have room for more natural progression. Deadwood, Terriers, Freaks and Geeks (although I’d take Undeclared if I had to) and Better Off Ted are at the top of that list.
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Terriers had a proper finale.
Dear god people, it took 35 posts to get to Carnivale? For shame!
The short lived Crusade, the follow up to Babylon 5 would be my first choice. Was getting set up to be a great Star Trek-esque space adventure but didn’t have the proper time to grow.
I know they had a sendoff movie, but I’d love another season of Dead Like Me.
True, and so to an extent did Freaks and Geeks, but there was still plenty of room for more stories without rewriting the ending that currently exists.
Let me go all broken record for a moment and throw Deadwood, Firefly, and Jericho out there. All three hurt quite a bit, but Deadwood is a lot more frustrating for me, because there’s no sense of closure at all.
I would have loved, loved, loved to have gotten another season of Terriers. The show had a fitting end, but dammit…I wanted more adventures with Hank and Brit.