The 50 best TV shows that were canceled

All good things must come to an end, an expression particularly apt when it comes to television shows. Not every series can be “The Simpsons,” and run from what seems like the beginning of time until, well, after we’re all in the ground. The never-aging family from Springfield aside, most TV shows find themselves canceled at one point or another. Whether it be declining ratings, a story getting too hard to maintain, or off-screen unscripted drama, even the best series eventually gets the axe.

Those decisions often boil the blood of hardcore fans. Using IMDb user ratings as of April 2021—with ties being broken by total votes—Stacker set out to find the 50 best television shows ever canceled, and the reactions of the faithful mourners. Reboots are eligible, like “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” that was gone for 31 hours before being revived, as are cult favorites like “Futurama,” which ended when Fox stopped buying episodes. The final stipulation was that the show had to be canceled by the network, as opposed to the creators choosing to end the run. From “Orange Is the New Black” to “Firefly,” read on to find out where your favorite canceled series falls in the ratings.

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