Is there a list of TV Shows that were never finished? (1 Viewer)

[Stan Rozenfeld]

They are releasing a lot of TV shows on DVD these days, shows that I never watched. Sometimes the way I make a decision whether to get into the show is to find out if the show had a proper ending.

To my way of thinking, there are three types of TV shows:

1) Shows that don't necessarily need a 'proper' ending
2) Shows that need it and got a proper ending or a finale
3) Shows that need it, but never got a proper ending

A perfect example of #1 is Twilight Zone, obviously.

Some good examples of #2 are Star Trek The Next Generation, The Fugitive, Babylon 5

Some good examples of #3 (unfortunately) are Space 1999, original Battlestar Galactica, The Invaders, Nowhere Man and too many others.

So does anyone know if there is any resource out there to find out information of this type?

Thanks,
Stan

 

[Andrew Santos]

Full House is the first one that comes to mind. I don't think the final episodes were intended to be so.

 

[Dave Farley]

Hogan's Heroes never got a proper ending due to cancellation.

 

[Mike Heenan]

Married with Children might be in this category. I saw an interview with Christina Applegate and she said she heard about the cancellation on the radio. I think to this day Ed ONeill is still pissed at Fox for not giving the show the proper send off.

 

[Jeff#]

THE PRISONER had a 2-part finale, which in some ways I felt was proper but in others ridiculous.

The longest ending was the 5 part series finale to M*A*S*H. "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen" was well-done. Originally it aired a 2 & 1/2 hour special.

One short-lived series with a finale (??) included Stephen King's the Golden Years. The last episode never aired when CBS cancelled the show, and I haven't had the opportunity to see it even after it was released on home video.

NOW AND AGAIN and the 1990s version of THE FUGITIVE starring Tim Daly remained unresolved because of cliffhanger season-enders. Both were cancelled after 1 year.

And SLIDERS, which had a series finale cliffhanger that didn't really answer the question as to whether Rembrandt alone safely made it back to his home Earth.

 

[Antonio_G]

I think Married with Children will finish out their box set collection because they currently on season 3 and they can't stop their so they should go and finish it out. I just got the first season of Married with Children for only $16.99 from Gamestop this past tuesday which is cool. 227 is the only thing I can think of that will not finish out their box set but I would love them to just finish this box set off.

 

[todd s]

Great examples of #3

-Space:Above & Beyond
-Earth 2
-John Doe
-Now & Again
-Star Trek: Voyager (I thought they should have come home with 2 or 3 episodes left. And then used them to show the repercussions of their return.)


I have said in another thread. That as a supplement to a dvd release. The creater of the show should discuss what the ending or resolutions to a cliff-hanger were going to be. (if they had one).

 

[Jim J]

lloks like Carnivale needs to be added to this list.

 

[Rick P]

Odyssey 5

 

[MatthewA]

Soap falls into category 3.

 

[DeanC]

I'd say Gilligans Island didn't have a proper series ender.
The Rescue from Gilligan's Island were special separate episodes.
They should have ended the series with the castaways rescued.

 

[Angela_K]

Lois and Clark never had a proper ending

 

[Bill Williams]

The original Star Trek definitely needed a proper ending and didn't get it - for that matter, it needed two more seasons along with a proper ending episode.

 

[Alex Wagner]

Popular
Moesha
Dark Angel
Angel (kind of)
Firefly
are all #3.

 

[Jeff#]

I think in the case of Gilligan's Island and the original Star Trek series we have to remember that they were produced in the 1960s, at a time when TV series just didn't end with grand finales. Hogan's Heroes too (although that ended in 1971).

The Prisoner and The Fugitive, both featuring 2-part finales were rare exceptions to the rule from that era. Star Trek had so many feature film and TV series sequels and re-incarnations, Paramount miled that cash cow to death (and beyond).....

Rescue from Gilligan's Island, The Castaways on Gilligan's Island, and The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island from the late 1980s / early 80s were all sequels which negated a need to have a series finale (also not done with sitcoms in the 1960s either).

 

[Angela_K]

Actually Gillian ended cause the President of the Network's wife liked Bonanza(I think it was) and when she found out that show was cancelled and that Gilligan took it's slot, she told him to bring back Bonanza, and he did at Gilligan's expense(which was still getting top ratings when it was cancelled)

 

[Jeff#]

I remember in the 1979 series finale for GOOD TIMES, members of the Evans family (including Thelma and her husband Keith) and their neighbor Willona came into money, a new career, and plans for some family members starting a new life in a nicer neighborhood. For a single episode it seemed almost too convenient for the entire cast to solve their problems in so short a time after 5 & 1/2 years!

 

[Jeff#]

That's quite amusing because Gilligan's Island was on CBS and BONANZA was on NBC! Plus Gilligan's last season was seen on Monday nights at 7:30 and BONANZA was still on Sundays at 9!!

 

[Angela_K]

Well like I said I think it was Bonanza, whatever show at that time that was on CBS and was a western that's the show that knocked out Gilligan

 

[Jeff#]

You were thinking of GUNSMOKE, which was on CBS Saturday nights for many years. The western series was a favorite of aging CBS President / Founder William S. Paley.

Gilligan's Island was cancelled in 1967. That fall, when GUNSMOKE started its 13th year it moved to Mondays at 7:30 so it did replace the low-rated Gilligan. In GUNSMOKE's old Saturdays at 10 slot was another hit series that lasted for many years: MANNIX, which premiered in 1967.