From cult classics to new pretenders, we have a few shows in mind that we’d like to see back on our screens
Earlier this year, cult hit Arrested Development came roaring back on to our screens thanks to the folks at Netflix, and while the first few episodes were a bit of a struggle, it was definitely worth the wait (and work) to get through the whole series.
Since then JOE has been plotting, scheming, coming up with plans on how to get some of our favourite shows that have already bitten the dust back on the air, and Netflix, or maybe even a conventional television station, might be able to help us out.
Freaks and Geeks
James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel and the lovely Linda Cardellini all came together on screen to make what has become a cult classic and won an Emmy for their troubles too. It told the story of two groups of teens who each had their own unique struggles in growing up, trying to be cool and in general just being teenagers.
The show itself was cancelled after just 12 episodes in 2000, but a campaign from fans got them to show three more episodes later that year. However, it was not without its problems even in that run, as it looked at issues that all teenagers go through, from bullying and drug use to alcohol and the general day to day slog of going to school. In fact, the ‘Kim Kelly is my Friend’ episode was originally not aired by NBC on the show’s first run as they thought it was a bit too controversial, but it is definitely one of the series’ best. Plus, the clothes were incredibly stylish.
What perhaps made Freaks and Geeks so great is the fact that we got a little look into everyone’s lives, although it was essentially Lindsay Weir’s (Linda Cardellini) story. We saw how her parents interacted in ‘The Diary’ episode, looks into the darker and more troubling things that many kids have to deal with in both groups, and all the while we were given plenty of laughs and humbling reminders that JOE was powerfully uncool just like Sam and his friends in our early days of teenage-ism. Is that a word? Probably not.
The DVD of all 18 episodes has sold well, but with most of the stars going on to bigger and better things, this one might be difficult to get up and running.
Happy Endings
A recent addition to the long list of brilliant shows that have bitten the dust, it has on several occasions made us laugh out loud when we were sitting there watching it on our own, which is the hallmark of a quality comedy.
It charts the stories of friends Dave (Zachary Knighton), Alex (Elisha Cuthbert), Penny (Casey Wilson), Max (Adam Pally), Jane (Eliza Coupe) and Brad (Damon Wayans Jr.), and while it’s somewhat like Friends, it can be much more strange and quirky, with the gang getting into very bizarre situations that involve illegal Mexican cough medicine from Libya, very strange email addresses and too many niche interest conventions to name.
Pally also shows great acting talent to comically play a gay character who doesn’t conform to a ridiculous stereotype of what TV and film normally portrays that community to be like. In particular, the show itself covers that issue in the second episode of the first season entitled ‘Penny Gets a Gay Husband’, and plays well with the topic, while making a decent point about generalisations.
As the gang moves from series to series, it gets even weirder and much funnier, but we get to see some background to the characters, and it very rarely verges into the pure slapstick. There are conscious nods to the fact that it’s a TV show and a bit of playing with that boundary, as well as making fun of some cliches of group sitcoms. There wasn’t a single episode that hasn’t made us laugh and if you give this show a chance, you’ll be hooked from the first watch.
Plus Elisha Cuthbert. Oh Elisha, we love you. Since this hasn’t been off the air that long, we’d hope that whoever it is that’s in charge of bringing back canned shows acts quickly to get it back on air. Who is in charge of that anyway…? The Gods of TV? Zeus?
Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace
JOE can normally tell if we want to be friends with someone once we say “you and he were…bbbbuddies, weren’t you?” and they reply with “need I say more”. That’s all the proof we need that these are good people.
Darkplace, for those who were unfamiliar with it, was a brilliant concept in which, theoretically, they broadcast episodes of a show which had itself been filmed in the ’80s but had never been shown before now, except of course for its brief but successful run in Peru.
This made it a show about a show which actually didn’t exist, and thus was absolutely hilarious. Humans infected by broccoli gas, Scottish ghosts and monkey surgeons, this show had it all. The actors have almost all gone on to do more of the most iconic comedies of recent years (with guest appearances from Julian Barrett and Noel Fielding of The Mighty Boosh fame as well as a quick slot for one Stephen Merchant) but in particular Richard Ayaoade as Dean Learner/Thornton Reed puts in a great performance pretending to be a rubbish actor. It’s more difficult than it sounds, trust us.
Matt Berry also featured as Dr. Lucien Sanchez (a.k.a. the actor Todd Rivers) and his iconic voice and finger point made this character on of our favourites from any show. Matthew Holness plays the main role of Garth Merenghi/Dr. Rick Dagless (this is confusing, we know, but watch the show and it will make sense) who is a maverick and a rogue, but cares deeply about his patients. Merenghi is the twisted mind behind the show, but an author of countless horror and gore novels. In fact, he’s one of the few men we know of who’s written more books than he’s read.
The show made fun of several cliches of ’80s TV, but it turns out that making something look incredibly cheap and outdated actually costs a good bit of money, and the high production costs were part of the problem. Man to Man With Dean Learner was a bit of a disappointing spin off after the show sold well on DVD and garnered plenty of public support. It also gave us this fantastic song, which we’re still waiting to hear a DJ drop in the middle of a set on a night out, tragically.
Firefly
Firefly, a ‘shiny’ television show that has arguably one of the most high-profile cult followings around the world, premiered in September 2002 and was cancelled by the Fox network after only 11 of its 14 episodes had aired.
Altogether now, “boooooooooooooo.”
Take that Fox network you 大堆笨臭肉(“Yi Da Dwei Bun Chou Roh” – “big stupid pile of stinking meat”).
Created by the living legend that is Joss Whedon, and starring Nathan Fillion as the Han Solo-esque smuggler, Captain Malcolm Reynolds, Firefly was essentially a Western set in space in the year 2517, a time when the United States and China have come together in a fusion of cultures and language. No word on the Irish though…
Much of the show’s action took place aboard Serenity, a “Firefly-class” spaceship where the nine main characters (Mal, Zoe, Wash, Inara, Jayne, Kaylee, Simon, Book and the mysterious River) worked together to escape the evil clutches of the shadowy Alliance, as well as getting to know and trust each other on board the titular ship through a series of space-crossing adventures.
As Whedon expertly described it, Firefly is a show where the main characters are “nine people looking into the blackness of space and seeing nine different things,” – it was dark, funny, intelligent, off-beat, action-packed and most importantly, lovable.
Although the series went on to have a number of related comic books and a great feature length spin-off film (Serenity, 2005), the television show Firefly, which you can catch the first series of on Netflix, is a firm favourite that fans would give up all of their own smuggled goods for if it meant Whedon got the gang back together for one (or nine) more series.
In a word, 精彩 (Jing tsai – “brilliant”)
Police Squad!
Following on from the success of the peerless Airplane! in 1980, the comedic genius that was Leslie Nielsen went on to star in Police Squad! as the absurd Detective Frank Drebin, the beloved character that he made even more famous in later years as the hero of the hilarious Naked Gun films.
Police Squad!, which tragically only ran for six episodes in 1982, was created by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams and Jerry Zucker, and followed Drebin as he ineptly tried to solve criminal cases using his unique brand of fancy police work.
As well as delivering some cracking one liners, the show also had a number of faultless recurring gags, such as each episode’s special guest star being duly dispatched during the opening credits, while also giving every episode two titles. Simple, but genius.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnNah43hbwQ
Upon its cancellation in 1982, ABC Entertainment’s then-president Tony Thomopoulos said “Police Squad! was cancelled because the viewer had to watch it in order to appreciate it.” An excuse which, to JOE, sounds like just about the dumbest reason for doing anything ever, so why don’t you shut up Tony Thumpapumpalot or whatever the hell your name is.
The best thing though, thanks to the wonder of modern technology (and peoples’ innate desire to not pay for anything at all), you can now watch all six of the show’s episodes on YouTube, simply by clicking here.
Like the brilliant Police Squad! before him, Nielsen’s own run was also unfortunately prematurely ended in 2010, this time by the big network executive in the office up in the sky.
What we’re trying to say is that he’s dead.
That’s right, Leslie Nielsen is dead and we’re not one bit happy about it. Sure, for that reason, getting him back on board for another series might be problematic but hey remember, a problem is just an opportunity in disguise. Or something…
And so here at JOE we say RIP Leslie, Freaks and Geeks, Happy Endings, Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace, Firefly and Police Squad! and all of the greatest TV shows that were sadly gone before their time.
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