Top 10 TV Shows That Earned Their Cancellation

Top 10 Canceled Shows That Completely Earned Their Cancellation

Welcome to MsMojo, and today were counting down our picks for the TV cancellations that shocked absolutely no one.

#10: Skins (2011)

For seven series, British audiences were scandalized by the very mature shenanigans the young ensemble of Skins got up to. The original show helped launch the careers of Nicholas Hoult, Dev Patel, and Daniel Kaluuya, revolutionizing the way youth culture could be captured on television. The MTV adaptation couldnt even hang on for a second season. While it did attract heavy criticism for its content, it lost sponsors while failing to earn any fans. It somehow managed to be too controversial and not hard-hitting enough, focusing on shock over character development. After eight episodes, MTV pulled the plug.

#9: Mulaney (2014-15)

After spending five years as a writer on SNL and producing two stand-up specials, John Mulaney tried to pull a Seinfeld. In his self-titled sitcom, he stars as a fictionalized version of himself. But something was missing. Mulaney later said the show was supposed to include his own experiences getting sober, but he let network reps convince him to produce a more sanitized, paint-by-numbers sitcom. This turned out to be a fatal mistake. Uninspired doesnt even begin to cover it. 13 episodes later, the show was over and all but forgotten. Luckily, Mulaneys sensibility has continued to be successful on stage and in other forms, such as his bizarrely watchable Netflix talk show.

#8: How I Met Your Father (2022-23)

Hilary Duff headlines this bloodless, gender swapped spin-off. Unfortunately, it takes more than Lizzie McGuire and some cameos from original cast members to make a How I Met Your Mother reboot worthwhile. The parts just never come together. Random, unsatisfying cameos from Neil Patrick Harris and Cobie Smulders reprising their roles as Barney and Robin, respectively, just reminded us how much it paled in comparison. It managed to hang on for a second season before getting a well-deserved axe. If How I Met Your Father proves one thing, its that nostalgia isnt always a recipe for success.

#7: Wolf Pack (2023)

Teen Wolf creator Jeff Davis came back with another drama series about lycanthropic teens. This one followed a group of teens bitten by werewolves during a deadly wildfire. Wolf Pack starred Buffy the Vampire Slayer herself, Sarah Michelle Gellar, in her first series regular role in several years. She plays an arson investigator trying to uncover the truth behind the fire. But the truth here is that its far from a worthy TV comeback for Gellar. Imagine our surprise and disappointment when the show just wasnt that good. Based on a popular book series, this single-season wonder doesnt have nearly as much bite as similar shows.

#6: Cruel Intentions (2024)

At least two attempts to adapt this classic story of two amoral prep school manipulators for TV resulted in failure. One was simply reedited into a direct-to-video sequel. The other, with original star Sarah Michelle Gellar reprising her role as a vicious socialite, never made it past the pilot stage. Amazon should have taken the hint. This modernized and sanitized reboot shouldnt have even made it past the development stage. Related to the story in name only, Cruel Intentions is devoid of anything remotely taboo, erotic, or interesting. It trades in the uncomfortable mixture of cruelty and eroticism in the original, becoming just another teen drama without much to say.

#5: Insatiable (2018-19)

Disney child star Debby Ryan plays a woman who sheds nearly a hundred pounds after a traumatic incident and tries to take revenge on those who mistreated her in the past. This Netflix offering and implicit messaging about overweight people saw it constantly criticized. Even beyond that, its lackadaisical, callous approach to serious issues and other identities under the guise of dark satire felt lazy at best - downright hateful at worst. The CW had the good sense to pass on this one before the streaming giant picked it up in 2018. Shockingly, it was picked up for a second season before Netflix put the final nail in its coffin.

#4: Blockbuster (2022)

Theres room for a nostalgic story about the tactile pleasures of a video rental store. Blockbuster, starring Randall Park and Melissa Fumero, did not fill that space. Inspired by the real story of the last Blockbuster store standing, this Netflix series is a workplace comedy that is the definition of outdated. Critics drew unflattering comparisons to better shows like Superstore and even Fumeros previous series, Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Where those series had sharply-written characters and found humanity in their sitcom contrivances, this one just rang false at every turn. One season and ten episodes later, it was mercifully canceled.

#3: Inhumans (2017)

The MCU was a juggernaut, arguably approaching peak popularity when Inhumans premiered on ABC. So when it landed with a major thud, it made a huge impact. Originally set to be a film in Marvels third phase, the Inhuman Royal Family was given their own TV series instead. Starring Anson Mount and Serinda Swan, the series was canceled after only 8 episodes. Critics and fans identified it as the MCUs worst project to date. For a franchise that was thought to do no wrong, it was a necessary wake-up call and a reminder that no IP can stay on top forever.

#2: Velma (2023-24)

The narrative surrounding this Scooby-Doo spin-off got uncomfortable really fast. Even before the show premiered, many took issue with the shows portrayal of Velma Dinkley as Indian American. That criticism was shared, ironically, by Scooby Doo fans who wanted to preserve the original characters whiteness and those who felt Velmas studious nature perpetuated Asian stereotypes. But few could defend the show once it hit for one very simple reason. It was terrible. Geared more toward darker, adult-oriented storylines, Velma was too self-aware and scatterbrained to be any fun. Things didnt improve in its second season, and it finally got the ending it deserved: a quick one.

#1: The Idol (2023)

Modern celebrity, self-help, and pop culture are put under the microscope in this disappointing HBO offering. The Idol follows Lily-Rose Depp as a pop star who becomes entangled in a cult of artists being manipulated by a sleazy spiritual grifter. Conceived by Euphoria creator Sam Levinson and Abel Tesfaye, more commonly known as The Weeknd, The Idol is a lot of things at once, but one thing its not is good. Plagued by production issues, including the replacement of original director Amy Seimetz, its a mess disguised as prestige TV. Head-scratching and deliriously unpleasant, its an exercise in style without a lick of substance. It very quickly earned a reputation as one of the worst shows ever and was canceled after its first season.

Were any of these shows good, actually? Defend your choice in the comments.