Brilliant But Cancelled

[Owain Taggart]

The Beachcombers (a lot of people all across the country were upset when this was canceled, and for various insanely stupid reasons it's never been available on DVD. CBC and the other people/companies that own some or part of it would make a nice bit of money if they would offer it for sale.)

Loved this one while growing up. There have been a few attempts over the years in bringing it back, like that TV movie from about 5 years ago that included Dave Thomas. It was supposed to be a pilot to a revival series.

Agreed about Air Farce. By the time they brought in the younger people, it had become a tired show. The attempt to make it more relevant only showed how out of touch it was. Their New Years specials are still fun to see, though, but at times I still feel they really miss the mark. When they also renamed the Chicken Cannon to the F-Bomb was a mark of when things really started to change for the worst. This year's though I thought was pretty good, with some real laugh-out-loud moments.

In general though, good list!

My own Canadian list:
Littlest Hobo: Very low budget series that launched a lot of careers. When they announced that it would be returning to TV, I was disappointed to hear that it would only be the set from the 80's. It was a show that had originally begun in the 60's. With a low budget, they could easily make a new one, just like they've made many versions of Lassie.

Danger Bay: I guess I'd consider this a sister series to Rainbow County in your list. Had a similar environmental slant to Beachcombers. Though I do guess it had a long enough run (1984-1990).

Seeing Things: The little I've seen of this show, I've loved it. This was series on CBC about a journalist who'd have strange visions that would help him solve crimes. There was something about the acting in this that felt quite raw and natural. The theme song also was quite good. 'Cos I'm seeing things, believe me! I've never seen before! 'Cos I'm seeing things, deceive me, Like when you're walkin' out the door, I couldn't believe my eyes !!!

Strangely, no DVD of this show is available either. Lots of Canadian series seem to be lost to time, it seems. Would love to see a reboot.

 

[Timewalker]

The Beachcombers (a lot of people all across the country were upset when this was canceled, and for various insanely stupid reasons it's never been available on DVD. CBC and the other people/companies that own some or part of it would make a nice bit of money if they would offer it for sale.)

Loved this one while growing up. There have been a few attempts over the years in bringing it back, like that TV movie from about 5 years ago that included Dave Thomas. It was supposed to be a pilot to a revival series.

Agreed about Air Farce. By the time they brought in the younger people, it had become a tired show. The attempt to make it more relevant only showed how out of touch it was. Their New Years specials are still fun to see, though, but at times I still feel they really miss the mark. When they also renamed the Chicken Cannon to the F-Bomb was a mark of when things really started to change for the worst. This year's though I thought was pretty good, with some real laugh-out-loud moments.

In general though, good list!

My own Canadian list:
Littlest Hobo: Very low budget series that launched a lot of careers. When they announced that it would be returning to TV, I was disappointed to hear that it would only be the set from the 80's. It was a show that had originally begun in the 60's. With a low budget, they could easily make a new one, just like they've made many versions of Lassie.

Danger Bay: I guess I'd consider this a sister series to Rainbow County in your list. Had a similar environmental slant to Beachcombers. Though I do guess it had a long enough run (1984-1990).

Seeing Things: The little I've seen of this show, I've loved it. This was series on CBC about a journalist who'd have strange visions that would help him solve crimes. There was something about the acting in this that felt quite raw and natural. The theme song also was quite good. 'Cos I'm seeing things, believe me! I've never seen before! 'Cos I'm seeing things, deceive me, Like when you're walkin' out the door, I couldn't believe my eyes !!!

Strangely, no DVD of this show is available either. Lots of Canadian series seem to be lost to time, it seems. Would love to see a reboot.

My grandfather loved watching The Littlest Hobo. He also enjoyed Matt and Jenny (a very young Megan Follows was in that, years before her breakout role as Anne in Anne of Green Gables).

There are some Beachcombers episodes on YouTube, but there's no rhyme or reason to which ones. I prefer the early seasons over the late ones, of course, since I saw the series from the beginning but skipped the last few seasons (too many familiar characters gone by that time). There are a few specific episodes I'd love to see again, most especially the one where the Irish Rovers come to town for a concert and Jimmy Ferguson decides to quit the group and become a beachcomber! Only Nick taking his place as a Rover (with some very bad off-key singing) gets him to change his mind. And all these decades later, I still remember that haunting song Gordon Pinsent sang in the episode about the Hexman.

I remember Danger Bay somewhat. I don't recall being very interested in it, though.

 

[Owain Taggart]

My grandfather loved watching The Littlest Hobo. He also enjoyed Matt and Jenny (a very young Megan Follows was in that, years before her breakout role as Anne in Anne of Green Gables).

It's amazing to think how far back things go, haha. No doubt Anne propelled her to international stardom

There are some Beachcombers episodes on YouTube, but there's no rhyme or reason to which ones.

Yeah, I think Canadian series have had a terrible track record in a lack of any archiving. I don't even think the series was released on VHS, so whatever's out there is likely due to home recordings. Plus I don't think it's currently playing on any of our networks.

I remember Danger Bay somewhat. I don't recall being very interested in it, though.

I didn't either at first, but I came to really appreciate it. It had a strong cast featuring Donnelly Rhodes, who I feel is an underrated actor, who went on to play Doc Cottle on BSG. It was a pretty good action/adventure series that has a lot in common with Magnum P.I.

Btw, I live in Rainbow Country, though I've never seen the show. I've certainly heard a lot about it though. The town over next to us (Espanola) is where most of it was filmed.

 

[the G-man]

The Ropers...

I'm sorry, but there is no scenario where that show was even entertaining, let alone brilliant.

 

[auntiehill]

I'd have to agree with that. I think people are forgetting the first word the thread title.

 

[Timewalker]

My grandfather loved watching The Littlest Hobo. He also enjoyed Matt and Jenny (a very young Megan Follows was in that, years before her breakout role as Anne in Anne of Green Gables).

It's amazing to think how far back things go, haha. No doubt Anne propelled her to international stardom

There are some Beachcombers episodes on YouTube, but there's no rhyme or reason to which ones.

Yeah, I think Canadian series have had a terrible track record in a lack of any archiving. I don't even think the series was released on VHS, so whatever's out there is likely due to home recordings. Plus I don't think it's currently playing on any of our networks.

I remember Danger Bay somewhat. I don't recall being very interested in it, though.

I didn't either at first, but I came to really appreciate it. It had a strong cast featuring Donnelly Rhodes, who I feel is an underrated actor, who went on to play Doc Cottle on BSG. It was a pretty good action/adventure series that has a lot in common with Magnum P.I.

Btw, I live in Rainbow Country, though I've never seen the show. I've certainly heard a lot about it though. The town over next to us (Espanola) is where most of it was filmed.

You're in luck since most, if not all, of the series is on YouTube.

List of episodes:

1: La Chute
2: The Tower
3: The Frank Williams File
4: Skydiver
5: The Boy From Spanish Harlem
6: Panic In The Bush
7: Long Tough Race
8: The Town That Died
9: The Eye Of The Needle
10: Girl On A Tightrope
11: The Return Of Eli Rocque
12: Roar Of The Hornet
13: Lac Du Diable
14: The Muskies Are Losing Their Teeth
15: Milk Run
16: A Wall Of Silence
17: Where The Rice Grows Wild
18: Bird Watchers
19: The Boy Who Loved Animals
20: Mystery At Whaleback Bay
21: Night Caller
22: Lake On Blue Mountain
23: Stolen Tugboat
24: The Hermit
25: Pursuit Along The Aux Sauble
26: Dreamer's Rock

When this show was first on, we still had a black and white TV set. It was months before I was able to see it in color, and to me it was just amazing.

If you ever watched The Forest Rangers, you'll recognize Susan Conway, who played Kathy in that show. There are some guest stars who were also on The Forest Rangers, and some other familiar faces as well, especially Gordon Pinsent and Margot Kidder.

The Ropers...

I'm sorry, but there is no scenario where that show was even entertaining, let alone brilliant.

Obviously we are in disagreement. I enjoyed it a lot more than the other spinoff (Three's a Crowd).

@auntiehill: "Brilliant" is an adjective, and therefore subjective. Some of the shows listed in this thread are anything but "brilliant" to me - I've never heard of some of them, and some others are among the shows I consider to be pointless nonsense. To each their own.

 

[Thestral]

Has Dead Like Me been mentioned yet?

Also of course Young Justice. Joan of Arcadia came up a couple times but in all honesty the last scene was a perfect open-ended conclusion.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Megan Follows is the evil queen mother in Reign.

It is so hot when she scoffs about all the people she's killed.

 

[Owain Taggart]

You're in luck since most, if not all, of the series is on YouTube.

Hey, thanks for that! I'll definitely have fun watching them all, especially if I can play "spot the location

I was apparently born 7 years too late for this show, as by the time I was was born, it was off the air.

If you ever watched The Forest Rangers, you'll recognize Susan Conway, who played Kathy in that show. There are some guest stars who were also on The Forest Rangers, and some other familiar faces as well, especially Gordon Pinsent and Margot Kidder.

I haven't seen it either, but heard a lot about it and the crossover appeal. It's possible they were produced by the same production company, even. I sometimes forget Kidder got her start on Canadian TV.

 

[Timewalker]

You're in luck since most, if not all, of the series is on YouTube.

Hey, thanks for that! I'll definitely have fun watching them all, especially if I can play "spot the location

I was apparently born 7 years too late for this show, as by the time I was was born, it was off the air.

If you ever watched The Forest Rangers, you'll recognize Susan Conway, who played Kathy in that show. There are some guest stars who were also on The Forest Rangers, and some other familiar faces as well, especially Gordon Pinsent and Margot Kidder.

I haven't seen it either, but heard a lot about it and the crossover appeal. It's possible they were produced by the same production company, even. I sometimes forget Kidder got her start on Canadian TV.

You're welcome! I drove my family nuts when I was 7, being obsessed with that show. Many years later (in the '90s), YTV ran it and I was able to catch some episodes I'd never known about during the original run. There are some Forest Rangers episodes on YouTube as well, but they're harder to find.

 

[Shaka Zulu]

The Ropers...

I'm sorry, but there is no scenario where that show was even entertaining, let alone brilliant.

Agreed. And neither is its British forebear George & Mildred.

I'd have to agree with that. I think people are forgetting the first word the thread title.

They are doing so, at that. The Beachcombers 'brilliant'? It was a great show, but it wan't brilliant, just good. And it lasted 20 seasons, or something like that. Brilliant But Canceled refers to a TV show that lasted one season and was amazing or brilliant (as well as loved by critics) but didn't catch on and was canceled. Nothing more, and nothing less.

 

[Timewalker]

The Ropers...

I'm sorry, but there is no scenario where that show was even entertaining, let alone brilliant.

Agreed. And neither is its British forebear George & Mildred.

I'd have to agree with that. I think people are forgetting the first word the thread title.

They are doing so, at that. The Beachcombers 'brilliant'? It was a great show, but it wan't brilliant, just good. And it lasted 20 seasons, or something like that. Brilliant But Canceled refers to a TV show that lasted one season and was amazing or brilliant (as well as loved by critics) but didn't catch on and was canceled. Nothing more, and nothing less.

Well, excuuuuuuse me!

I don't care what the critics think is good, since a lot of what they praise is, in my opinion, just garbage. I make up my own mind about what I like, and if it's not what other people like, that's too bad. I daresay that some of your own 'brilliant' shows are ones I'd find either completely boring or even repulsive.

There is no perfect program, and one person's favorite is another person's snoozefest or even intense dislike.

As for your claim that the shows mentioned here should only include ones that lasted one season... the OP lists Star Trek! It lasted 3 seasons. I don't recall reading about any critics who thought it was especially brilliant, either.

Whether or not a show is "brilliant" is a very subjective thing. In the case of the Beachcombers, I guess you had to be there at the time.

I took the OP to mean shows that we especially liked that were (in our opinions) unfairly canceled, or canceled for unfortunate reasons. As an example of the latter, I'd say Bonanza - sure, it lasted 14 seasons, but the main reason it was canceled was because Dan Blocker died and the show just wasn't remotely as good without him. The audience voted with their channel dials and the show was canceled.

 

[auntiehill]

"Lighten up, Francis."

This is all in fun. The laughing smiley usually denotes humor. You can pick whatever you like, but others are equally free to disagree with you.

Actually, what I wrote in the OP was:

... I focused on ones that I felt didn't get a fair shake, or showed great promise, right as they were given the axe.

Interpret as you will.

 

[Timewalker]

"Lighten up, Francis."

This is all in fun. The laughing smiley usually denotes humor. You can pick whatever you like, but others are equally free to disagree with you.

Actually, what I wrote in the OP was:

... I focused on ones that I felt didn't get a fair shake, or showed great promise, right as they were given the axe.

Interpret as you will.

My problem was not with you. My problem was with the poster who chastised me for going against his rather narrow definition of what he thinks the OP meant.

I was having a nice conversation with a fellow fan of '60s and '70s Canadian TV shows, and there's nothing wrong with that.

If I have misunderstood your post and your "Lighten up" comment was actually directed to the other poster, I apologize. It's difficult to be sure who is being addressed at times.

 

[auntiehill]

*sigh*

 

[Shaka Zulu]

Actually, what I wrote in the OP was:

... I focused on ones that I felt didn't get a fair shake, or showed great promise, right as they were given the axe.

Interpret as you will.

And so did I-which is why I selected the shows I did, and I didn't mean to offend anybody with my response. I was just clarifying what the OP said in the initial post.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Ok, here's one:

FlashForward: Cancelled after a single season. I read the book, and I thought it was a very intriguing concept. I think had they stayed closer to the book in concept and location, the series would have been more interesting and more successful. As it was, the series gutted what was mostly unique about it, ie a location other than NY or LA, set at CERN, rather than the nondescript and bland location we got in the series. This made the core concept far less interesting. Pretty much the only thing it had in common with the book at this point, were some of the characters, or at least their names, some of which were given different roles.

Ok, whoops, I forgot, Brilliant shows!

 

[bigdaddy]

Has anyone said Sports Night? Last two seasons and is just excellent.

 

[John Clark]

Has anyone said Sports Night? Last two seasons and is just excellent.

One of the guys at another forum I frequented recommended it several years back.

At the time I think it was on here very early morning and after a couple of episodes I decided to pick up the box set. I don't think it's officially available here, but that's what multi-region players are for I guess.

I thought it was great.

 

[auntiehill]

Has anyone said Sports Night? Last two seasons and is just excellent.

Yes, I mentioned it in the very first post. Such a good show--excellent cast, great writing, etc. I don't know why it didn't click with audiences. Definitely worth checking out, for people who haven't seen it yet.