So Long and Thanks For All the Episodes
When it comes to shows getting the axe, audiences have come to expect that both terrible and exceptional series will get caught in the crossfire. Unfortunately, this year marked heavy losses for the latter, with the likes of fan-favorites across the board losing out on the chance for renewal.
#5: “Ash Vs Evil Dead†(2015-18)
Considering we hadn’t seen Bruce Campbell star in an Evil Dead movie since 1992’s “Army of Darknessâ€, few people ever thought he’d wield the boomstick again. But then… the unthinkable happened, Ash Williams was back, and in a series no less. Despite the odds, “Ash Vs Evil Dead†proved to be more than nostalgia-bait, it was fantastic. Gory, funny, provocative… it had the spirit of the original films translated into the modern age. And now, after three seasons, it’s dead. What really makes this hurt is that when a fan campaign kicked off to save the series, Campbell announced that this was his retirement from the role. Talk about the end of an era.
#4: “Quantico†(2015-18)
Whose bright idea was it to cancel one of the best dramatic thrillers on television? Starring the incomparable Priyanka Chopra as Alex Parrish, “Quantico†followed our heroine as she navigated the FBI and CIA as an intelligence agent. Sure, it borrowed from shows that came before it, but with its Bollywood star headlining, it was also breaking new ground while telling a story that was all its own. Like any series of its kind, viewership had dipped noticeably in later seasons, but it’s not like people had stopped tuning in altogether. We’re sure that ABC had its reasons, but fans aren’t pleased.
#3: “Luke Cage†(2016-18)
For a few years, it seemed as if Marvel was going to conquer the small screen much like it did the box office with the MCU. Their Netflix formula felt like a winning one, and by 2017 we had five ongoing series and one crossover. Apparently that was the peak of the Marvel/Netflix partnership – things have taken a turn. “Iron Fist†is no major loss, but paired with the cancellation of the superior and much better received “Luke Cageâ€, it feels symptomatic of a larger problem, which makes us fear for Jessica Jones. Whatever the future holds, Mike Colter’s Luke Cage is going to be sorely missed.
#2: “The Last Man on Earth†(2015-18)
Four seasons is a perfectly respectable run for a comedy series, especially one with a such a specific premise. But here’s the thing… Will Forte’s “The Last Man on Earth†wasn’t getting stale or showing any signs of slowing down. In fact, it was consistently one of the funnier shows on television. It was inventive and used its premise as an opportunity to make the sort of bold creative decisions most shows would never dare. We’ve heard a plot summary of what season 5 would have involved, and sure enough, it sounded like Will Forte and company had big plans and a clear vision. If only we could see it brought to life.
#1: “American Vandal†(2016-18)
This one hurts like being accused of a crime we didn’t commit. A parody of the true crime genre popularized by podcasts like “Serial†and Netflix’s own “Making A Murdererâ€, “American Vandal†applied the same style of investigative reporting to fictional high school crimes. The crime in question was always juvenile, but the overall execution of this series, the social commentary and exploration of its themes were anything but. Why Netflix would cancel this series is beyond us, but we can only assume that season 2 underperformed according to their mysterious metrics. We’ve never seen a cancelled Netflix Original get picked up by another network, but hey, there’s a first time for everything!
Be sure to check out the video below to see our picks for the Top 10 Best TV Shows of 2018.
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