Started By
Message

Most popular or impactful/influential shows that had surprisingly few seasons?

Posted on 10/22/20 at 4:04 pm
Posted by TheRock
Member since Mar 2011
200 posts
Posted on 10/22/20 at 4:04 pm
Wanted to see what popular or most impact or influential shows throughout TV history that only lasted a short while when you look back... some of them surprisingly show.

The biggest and most obvious would be the original Star Trek series which only lasted 3 seasons. No explanation needed for how large and impactful it has gotten.

Chappelle's Show which only lasted 2 seasons + that "Lost Episodes"/Season 3 thing we got at the end. For a guy in my age group (born in 1990) or slightly older, this show was obscenely huge and had so many great sketches it's easy to forget how short the show ran for before Chappelle decided to leave. It's also amazing how funny the show is and how well the skits hold up after all this time. I just don't think there's anyone in my general age group that doesn't know what this show is and can probably remember at least one sketch.

Jackass kind of what I said about Chappelle's Show. I don't think there were a lot of boys my age who weren't trying to do their own stupid little stunts at home after watching Jackass but the show only lasted 3 seasons. All this time later they're about to make a 4th movie... 4.5 movies for a 3-season show? That's impresive.

It also spawned a fair number of popular "spin off" shows for lack of a better word (Viva La Bam, Wildboyz) and made household names of several of its casts like Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, and of course Bam Margera.

What else ya got?
Posted by Kafka
I am the moral conscience of TD
Member since Jul 2007
142054 posts
Posted on 10/22/20 at 4:17 pm to
The Monkees - 2 seasons

Batman - 2 years

The Smothers Brothers - 2 years

Honeymooners - 1 season* (Of course it ran for many years as part of Gleason's variety show, but for thirty years "The Classic 39" were the only episodes shown in reruns).
Posted by Fewer Kilometers
Baton Rouge
Member since Dec 2007
36061 posts
Posted on 10/22/20 at 4:19 pm to
He & She only lasted one season (67-68).

It was ahead of its time, was loved by critics and the awards committees, but it was placed in the middle of CBS' rural sitcoms and died.

It was the springboard for the smart, modern sitcoms of the Mary Tyler Moore and Bob Newhart genre. The character of Ted Baxter was based on Jack Cassidy's character on He & She. The MTM creator even asked permission to copy the character.

It would've flourished in the early 70's alongside the shows that it had inspired.
This post was edited on 10/22/20 at 4:21 pm
Posted by drizztiger
Deal With it!
Member since Mar 2007
37202 posts
Posted on 10/22/20 at 4:19 pm to
Firefly
Posted by ell_13
Member since Apr 2013
85067 posts
Posted on 10/22/20 at 4:20 pm to
The Wire
Posted by CunningLinguist
Dallas, TX
Member since Mar 2006
18774 posts
Posted on 10/22/20 at 4:24 pm to
Freaks and Geeks/Undeclared
Posted by ClampClampington
Nebraska
Member since Jun 2017
3967 posts
Posted on 10/22/20 at 4:25 pm to
5 seasons is a pretty good stretch and the Wire was not very popular while it was on
Posted by jchamil
Member since Nov 2009
16511 posts
Posted on 10/22/20 at 4:25 pm to
Arrested Development when it originally aired. I don't think I saw any of the newer episodes when it was brought back
Posted by Deplorable Duke
Lousyana
Member since Nov 2016
2120 posts
Posted on 10/22/20 at 4:25 pm to
My So-Called Life
Posted by crazyLSUstudent
391 miles away from Tiger Stadium
Member since Mar 2012
5520 posts
Posted on 10/22/20 at 4:27 pm to
quote:

Freaks and Geeks


Freaks and Geeks is the ultimate answer. Think about all of the famous actors that came from that show
Posted by CunningLinguist
Dallas, TX
Member since Mar 2006
18774 posts
Posted on 10/22/20 at 4:30 pm to
Yep. Tons of behind the camera (writers/directors) who are big names came from that show.

It is a little before my time but the Ben Stiller show falls into that same category
Posted by Kafka
I am the moral conscience of TD
Member since Jul 2007
142054 posts
Posted on 10/22/20 at 4:31 pm to
quote:

He & She only lasted one season (67-68).

It was ahead of its time, was loved by critics and the awards committees, but it was placed in the middle of CBS' rural sitcoms and died.

It was the springboard for the smart, modern sitcoms of the Mary Tyler Moore and Bob Newhart genre.
Per Wiki's article on "The Great Rural Purge", He & She wasn't created and put on the schedule haphazardly. It was a conscious experiment on the part of the network to see if an urban-locale show could get the same numbers as their rural programs.
quote:

The character of Ted Baxter was based on Jack Cassidy's character on He & She. The MTM creator even asked permission to copy the character.
Cassidy was actually offered the role of Ted Baxter, but turned it down.

He did do an MTMS guest shot as Ted's brother

Posted by ell_13
Member since Apr 2013
85067 posts
Posted on 10/22/20 at 4:40 pm to
It’s the best show ever on hbo and stays relevant and impactful. It meets your standard.
Posted by AstroCajun
Lafayette
Member since Aug 2006
457 posts
Posted on 10/22/20 at 4:51 pm to
Sports Night.
Posted by ProjectP2294
South St. Louis city
Member since May 2007
70381 posts
Posted on 10/22/20 at 4:53 pm to
The Dana Carvey Show.

It ran for like 7 episodes, but spawned a recurring SNL skit and had a lot of very talented writers and actors that went on to other projects.

ETA: A lot of sketch comedy falls into this, really. The Ben Stiller Show, The State, Upright Citizens Brigade, Mr. Show.
This post was edited on 10/22/20 at 4:58 pm
Posted by Esquire
Chiraq
Member since Apr 2014
11642 posts
Posted on 10/22/20 at 5:01 pm to
HBO’s Rome
Posted by TigerinATL
Member since Feb 2005
61520 posts
Posted on 10/22/20 at 5:03 pm to
Paris Hilton went from "famous for being famous and having a sex tape" paparazzi star to a scripted reality show in 2005 called The Simple Life on Fox. It looks like Keeping Up With The Kardashians started in 2007 and Kim decided to follow in Paris' foot steps once more.

Yes, I am ashamed that I knew enough to connect those dots.
Posted by CU_Tigers4life
Georgia
Member since Aug 2013
7512 posts
Posted on 10/22/20 at 5:05 pm to
Star Trek: The Original Series: 1966-1969 (as noted by the OP)

One the most short-run influential shows ever.

This post was edited on 10/22/20 at 5:06 pm
Posted by RollTide1987
Augusta, GA
Member since Nov 2009
65127 posts
Posted on 10/22/20 at 5:06 pm to
Star Trek (1966-69).

Posted by saintsfan22
baton rouge
Member since May 2006
71672 posts
Posted on 10/22/20 at 5:16 pm to
Tracey Ullman Show
first pageprev pagePage 1 of 3Next pagelast page

Back to top
logoFollow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to get the latest updates on LSU Football and Recruiting.

FacebookTwitterInstagram