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Which TV Shows Do You Consider Failure(s)?

albertfallickwa said:
I gather that Emily Owens MD didn't do very well.

Any others?
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Maybe you could define what you would consider to be a 'failure' with greater clarity?

After all, there were shows, which were considered 'failures' at the time they were broadcast, being far too much ahead of their time, and thus did not enjoy huge popularity, (especially if 'failure' is judged to be poor ratings and popular bewilderment) but which came to be regarded as utter classics years later, when the more 'popular' shows of the original era had been all but forgotten.

The original 'Star Trek' comes to mind, as does Patrick McGoohan's outstanding series 'The Prisoner'.

 
Well by that definition I guess that "Twin Peaks" by David Lynch would be a commercial failure even though it's a masterpiece of TV film making.
 
Depends on what you mean by "failure". If you're talking a show that collapsed in its first season there are THOUSANDS.

I think "failure" means completely fell apart with its own promise. To my mind there are three shows that fit this perfectly: Invasion, Flash Forward, and Heroes.
 
Terra Nova comes to mind first, followed by Dracula (NBC) along with the majority of shows broadcast.

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SomeGuyDude said:
Depends on what you mean by "failure". If you're talking a show that collapsed in its first season there are THOUSANDS.

I think "failure" means completely fell apart with its own promise. To my mind there are three shows that fit this perfectly: Invasion, Flash Forward, and Heroes.
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I think Invasion and Heroes, ran into a story roadblock. ;)
 
SomeGuyDude said:
Depends on what you mean by "failure". If you're talking a show that collapsed in its first season there are THOUSANDS.

I think "failure" means completely fell apart with its own promise. To my mind there are three shows that fit this perfectly: Invasion, Flash Forward, and Heroes.
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I agree about Heroes. The first season was awesome: Great execution from start to finish with what was learned in first couple episodes being pivotal at the end. It should have ended there.
 
wwooden said:
I agree about Heroes. The first season was awesome: Great execution from start to finish with what was learned in first couple episodes being pivotal at the end. It should have ended there.
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Interestingly enough, Heroes is coming back in a new version.
 
SomeGuyDude said:
Depends on what you mean by "failure". If you're talking a show that collapsed in its first season there are THOUSANDS.

I think "failure" means completely fell apart with its own promise. To my mind there are three shows that fit this perfectly: Invasion, Flash Forward, and Heroes.
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Absolutely. Seriously Heroes had so much potential but the writers obviously started smoking crack at some point after the first season.

They messed with Sylar too much. Introduced too many plot elements which were quickly discarded, and most importantly they didn't kill the cheerleader.
Claire got WAY too much screen time and was a boring character. Keep her around if you want but not to the detriment of developing more interesting characters.

WASTED POTENTIAL

/rant :p
 
Tsuchiya said:
Absolutely. Seriously Heroes had so much potential but the writers obviously started smoking crack at some point after the first season.

They messed with Sylar too much. Introduced too many plot elements which were quickly discarded, and most importantly they didn't kill the cheerleader.
Claire got WAY too much screen time and was a boring character. Keep her around if you want but not to the detriment of developing more interesting characters.

/rant :p
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Absolutely agree. First season was great, and then it just spun out of control and got really difficult to follow. Too many story-lines going at once, for one thing.
 
I really liked Heroes. Season 1 and the second half of season 3 were so good, but season 2 and the whole of season 4 were just awful. I'm excited to see what they do with its return, but I hope they have majority of the main cast back.
 
What shows are a failure? Any US remake of a massively popular British Show

The Inbetweeners (cancelled after one series)
The IT Crowd (saw the American pilot... just awful!)
Red Dwarf (again.. saw the American pilot... just awful!)
Top Gear (Why? Just Why?)
Skins (made one season and switched to airing the original UK version!)
The Tomorrow People (actually I never saw the original UK version which was aimed at after school kids TV... the US version just seems silly)

The Office US is one and only exception to this list... seen every episode :D
 
northernmunky said:
What shows are a failure? Any US remake of a massively popular British Show

The Inbetweeners (cancelled after one series)
The IT Crowd (saw the American pilot... just awful!)
Red Dwarf (again.. saw the American pilot... just awful!)
Top Gear (Why? Just Why?)
Skins (made one season and switched to airing the original UK version!)

(The Office is one and only exception to this... seen every episode :D )
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Ya american Top Gear is not good.
 
Actually come to think of it I did some research and I didn't realise House of Cards was originally a British show made during Thatchers tenure in the 90's. I hear the US version is really good.... I shall have to download it.
 
northernmunky said:
Actually come to think of it I did some research and I didn't realise House of Cards was originally a British show made during Thatchers tenure in the 90's. I hear the US version is really good.... I shall have to download it.
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House of Cards is an instance where the US version is much superior to the British version.

I don't think that State and Main (the Mamet film) was better than its British counterpart.
 
northernmunky said:
What shows are a failure? Any US remake of a massively popular British Show

The Office US is one and only exception to this list... seen every episode :D
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One and only?

All in the Family (Till Death Do Us Part)
Sanford and Son (Steptoe and Son)
Three's Company (Man About the House)
American Idol (Pop Idol)
Being Human
Dear John
Getting On
Queer as Folk
Shameless
Dancing with the Stars (Strictly Come Dancing)
 
NewbieCanada said:
One and only?

All in the Family (Till Death Do Us Part)
Sanford and Son (Steptoe and Son)
Three's Company (Man About the House)
American Idol (Pop Idol)
Being Human
Dear John
Getting On
Queer as Folk
Shameless
Dancing with the Stars (Strictly Come Dancing)
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Some of those I've actually not heard of.. never watched Pop Idol or Strictly.

Being Human though no chance, British version was epic!.. couldn't really get into the remake.
 
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northernmunky said:
What shows are a failure? Any US remake of a massively popular British Show

The Inbetweeners (cancelled after one series)
The IT Crowd (saw the American pilot... just awful!)
Red Dwarf (again.. saw the American pilot... just awful!)
Top Gear (Why? Just Why?)
Skins (made one season and switched to airing the original UK version!)
The Tomorrow People (actually I never saw the original UK version which was aimed at after school kids TV... the US version just seems silly)

The Office US is one and only exception to this list... seen every episode :D
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It doesn't help that the US TV companies didn't even attempt to be remotely original. Most shows copied nearly line for line. Appalling display of lazy work.
 
I believe this happens in both directions borrowing ideas from across the Pond. :) I can't tell you exactly but my impression is that it happens more going East to West.
 
northernmunky said:
Some of those I've actually not heard of.. never watched Pop Idol or Strictly.

Being Human though no chance, British version was epic!.. couldn't really get into the remake.
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But with all due respect, who cares about your opinion? The subject at hand is shows that failed and all these shows were successful. All of them (except Getting On, which is new) have run longer than the British originals.

As in everything TV related, the list of shows that failed would be considerably longer.
 
NewbieCanada said:
But with all due respect, who cares about your opinion? The subject at hand is shows that failed and all these shows were successful. All of them (except Getting On, which is new) have run longer than the British originals.

As in everything TV related, the list of shows that failed would be considerably longer.
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@NewbieCanada You're Canadian? We're talking about US/British TV shows!.. why would you care about anyones opinion? FYI I'm not expecting anyone to care about my opinion..to each their own. This thread is just a bit of fun. Lighten up.

I'm not starting a flame war today!
 
Besides the obvious ones like Heroes, I'd suggest The Walking Dead - the first few episodes were amazing, one of the strongest TV show starts but then it turned into a huge snore fest (literally as in one of the last episodes we basically were watching a man hide under a bed for an hour - with a snoring guy in it). This morning I even forgot to "get ahold" of the new episode.

Edit: "The Following" as well. It's stunning how writers can make every single person of a cast behave absolutely pathetic, idiotic, dumb and stupid and oblivious to logical thinking.
And obviously every single show with Christian Slater, including all of the ones in the future.

(and the US version of Shameless is great)
 
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