I’ve been a big fan of hulu.com since it’s inception several months back during beta testing. I don’t know if I was lucky or simply one of the millions that signed up for hulu beta testing. During the first week or so, it was plagued with tons of bad comments. It’s inability to be used internationally was one of the biggest complaints. While I sympathize with the international audience, I can understand why it wasn’t viewable outside of the US.
As one of the fortunate ones, I was also part of the Joost.com and a few others(Video over IP testing) which have since been shut down. Joost’s program is based off of content that was mostly available on network studio sites. However, content was a problem. Joost was not able to have content such as UK programing(*which I’m a big fan of). And some major US programming wasn’t available either. This was due to certain laws and agreements set by each prospective country pertaining to their broadcast content. Joost however, had content that was already available internationally, so they basically bypassed this restriction. Unlike hulu whose programming is very much copyrighted and restrictive. Major studios like NBC, FOX(and most of it’s sub-studios), E!, etc… all have copyright laws which prevent broadcasting of their content internationally. Hulu is working on it!
Okay, so now here’s the conundrum that I’ve been facing lately. I no longer keep a television in my room. My Dell 24″ monitor pretty much keeps me entertained for most of the time. If I really wanted to watch TV, I could still go into my living room and do so(But I haven’t for at least 2 months now). And you guessed it, Hulu has been my main source of television programming. BUT the shows I’ve been watching of interest, are mostly canceled or have been dropped. This pattern seems very prominent on hulu for some reason.
Las Vegas - which I used to watch religiously(up until Season 5) on TV, was canceled without a proper series finale in Season 5. I hated the fact that they got rid of some pretty good talents like James Caan who played his role very fittingly and Nikki Cox whose just a sight for sore eyes, oh and extremely talented too. If your a big fan, the folks over at lasvegas-theseries.com has been doing a great job of trying to revive it, or at the very least get a proper series finale on the show. Comically, they are sending booties to the producers in hopes of changing their dubious ways.
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip - This was a great show and probably a good start for Matthew Perry’s return to television. It was created by Aaron Sorkin who also created the “West Wing” series. Unfortunately, it’s ratings wasn’t has high as expected and got canceled. At least there was a proper series finale only after one season.
New Amsterdam - TV.com suggests that the production of this show has been either suspended or permanently canceled. Such is the fate of most mid-season series.
Dirt! - A show that talks about tabloids and their trials and tribulations. Starring Courtney Cox another member of the now defunct, “Friends”. Cox almost looks like Janice Dickenson(which isn’t a compliment). I wonder if it’s a curse since, “Joey” got cancelled, “Studio 60″ got cancelled, and now “Dirt!” which wasn’t really all that good to begin with. Who remembers her from the old show, “Misfits of Science“? At least that was an interesting show.
The New American Gladiators - This is NBC’s attempt at reviving the show to it’s former glory. I have to admit, the one gladiator I and many others have an interest in common is Crush. While it’s not clever or witty, you’ll always catch an audience member with a big cardboard sign, “I have a Crush on Crush”. There’s some speculation that this isn’t real but I have to say, listening to Hulk Hogan called everyone including the female contestant “Bro!” during each intermission can get real boring, real quick. I don’t know if this show will get canceled but will look forward to it. The folks over at Awful Announcing blog made some real good points.
Older shows that have already been canceled long ago:
The Pretender - Follows a young Pretender(someone who has the genius and talents to mimic anyone) named Jarod on his quest to find out more about himself and help others. Much like Quantum Leap.
Update: I hadn’t realized there was such a big following and fan base out there but there is an ongoing campaign to revive the show for at least a proper ending. The producers of the show have somewhat verbally enthused the audience in a recent comment last year during an interview(with SciFi Channel) stating that an ending(movie) will be available online “some time soon”. But then again, haven’t we been hearing these promises for “some time” now? “The world may never know” I’ll just keep my fingers crossed.
Highlander - A show based off the movie. This show was bound to end eventually and having 6 spin-off movies isn’t half bad. I hear Adrian Paul is back doing movies and tv appearance now.
Quantum Leap - A show about doctor Sam Beckett who travels back in time to fix the wrongs in history.
However, shows like Chuck, Life, and Heroes will return for another season. It seems like NBC has a real niche for canceling great shows and interrupting continuity.
Let me know about your favorite shows and whether or not they’ve been canceled.
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