Gone And Maybe Forgotten
Ever bring up a TV show you swear was real, only to be met with the kind of blank stares usually reserved for conspiracy theorists? Yeah, us too. Apparently, our taste in television was so obscure it might’ve existed in an alternate dimension. So now we’re turning to you—our collective memory bank—to see if anyone else remembers these lost small-screen wonders.
Men Of A Certain Age (2007-09)
Four years after the end of Everybody Loves Raymond, Ray Romano came back to television with something a little different—but just as good (if not better). Roman starred in and co-created Men of a Certain Age—an hour-long drama-comedy about three best friends in their 40s. The two other friends were also well-known TV actors: Andre Braugher and Scott Bakula. The show was so well-written and, to quote the Rotten Tomatoes critical consensus, "witty, insightful, and poignant" that it won a Peabody Award in 2010.
It ran for two seasons on TNT. Ring any bells?
TNT Originals, Men of a Certain Age (2009–2011)
Sledge Hammer! (1986-88)
Everyone remembers the great Peter Gabriel song, "Sledgehammer" (or, at least, we hope you do). But it seems like no one remembers the other Sledge Hammer!, released in 1986. This satirical cop sitcom was a whole lot smarter and funnier than a lot of other sitcoms that got a lot more seasons on the air than ABC gave to Sledge Hammer! (it was canceled after two seasons).
New World Television, Sledge Hammer! (1986–1988)
Kyle XY (2006-09)
A teenage boy wakes up in the forest with no belly button and no memory of who he is. Raise your hand if you have a belly button and remember this show. And while we're talking about TV shows featuring characters who don't remember who they are....
ABC Signature, Kyle XY (2006–2009)
John Doe (2002-03)
"I woke up on an island off the coast of Seattle. I didn't know how I got there ... or who I was. But I did seem to know everything else. There were things about me I didn't understand ... the brand, being colorblind, extreme claustrophobia. And while my gifts provided answers for others, I still search for my own. My name is John Doe". Ring a bell?
New Regency, John Doe (2002–2003)
Missing (2012)
Ashley Judd takes center stage as a former CIA operative thrown back into the world of espionage when her son vanishes overseas. The 2012 ABC series delivered high-octane twists, globe-trotting chases, and plenty of spy drama—but despite its thrills, the network pulled the plug after just ten episodes, leaving fans missing more than just the title.
Millennium (1996-99)
Everyone remembers The X-Files, but how many out there remember the shows Chris Carter created after that? Like Millennium, which ran for three seasons on Fox. There was the mysterious Millennium Group and ex-FBI agent Frank Black, who could see into the minds of criminals. Okay, maybe you remember that one—but what about the series Carter created after that?
Twentieth Century, Millennium (1996–1999)
Harsh Realm (1999-2000)
Fox canceled it after only three episodes (later airing the remaining six on FX), so you'd be forgiven for not remembering Harsh Realm, the sci-fi series about people trapped in a VR simulation.
Twentieth Century, Harsh Realm (1999–2000)
The Lone Gunmen (2001)
While we're on this Chris Carter kick, we might as well mention this X-Files spin-off.
Twentieth Century, The Lone Gunmen (2001)
Max Headroom (1987-88)
The Max Headroom character is probably best remembered by most folks as a spokesperson/entity for New Coke. But for some of us, our Max Headroom memories will always include the satirical sci-fi dystopian future series that had a 14-episode run on ABC in the late 80s.
Fun Fact: AMC is working on a reboot of the series, with Matt Frewer set to return as the Max Headroom character. Yay! And speaking of Matt Frewer...
Lorimar Productions, Max Headroom (1987–1988)
Doctor Doctor (1989-91)
When Max Headroom powered down, Matt Frewer traded digital snark for bedside manners in the 1989 sitcom Doctor, Doctor. The show ran for 40 episodes before fading from the cultural radar, but it deserved better—Frewer was pitch-perfect as a doctor equal parts eccentric and endearing.
Nikndaph Productions, Doctor Doctor (1989–1991)
The Taste (2013-15)
No, this wasn't a precursor to the cooking-themed talk show, The Chew. The Taste was a cooking competition on ABC that featured four chef mentors who selected their teams of professional and amateur chefs based on a blind tasting of one spoonful of food. We remember this one fondly as one of the judges (and a producer on the show) was the great Anthony Bourdain.
Sports Night (1998-2000)
This was a great Aaron Sorkin-created half-hour dramedy about the goings on at a nightly sports news show. With the smart, witty banter and the walk-and-talks, the series had everything we know and love about a Sorkin series—except it never had the ratings and ABC said bye-bye after two seasons.
Fans will be even sadder to know that the series could've gone to another network (including HBO), but Sorkin decided to forgo it and focus his attention on The West Wing. We love The West Wing, but imagine Sports Night on HBO.
Touchstone, Sports Night (1998–2000)
Ghostwriter (1992-95)
A group of kids solve mysteries around their neighborhood with the help of Ghostwriter, a ghost who can move letters around to form words to help the kids. Anyone?
Two Guys, A Girl, And A Pizza Place (1998-2001)
Classic Ryan Reynolds—before he was classic Ryan Reynolds.
Twentieth Century, Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place (1998–2001)
Kid Nation (2007)
Does anyone else remember that wild reality show where a bunch of 8-to-15-year-olds were left to build their own society—no adults, no rules, just pure chaos? It was Lord of the Flies meets Survivor, and somehow, it actually aired on TV.
Endemol North America, Kid Nation (2007)
Brooklyn South (1997-98)
Steven Bochco created some of the best cop shows of all time—from Hill Street Blues to NYPD Blue. As well as some of the biggest misses—can you say Cop Rock? But then there was Brooklyn South, a quality police drama in the vein of NYPD Blue that centered around the beat cops rather than the detectives. Up against Monday Night Football, the ratings suffered and CBS unfortunately canceled this quality series after just one season. And speaking of Steven Bochco, do you remember....
CBS, Brooklyn South (1997–1998)
Murder In The First (2014-16)
Starring Taye Diggs and Kathleen Robertson, Murder in the First was the last series Bochco created before he passed on in 2018. Like his series from the mid 90s—Murder One—Murder in the First was designed to follow a single case throughout an entire season. It ran for three seasons on TNT.
Turner Original, Murder in the First (2014–2016)
The Black Donnellys (2007)
In 2005, Paul Haggis was nominated for an Academy Award for his screenplay for Million Dollar Baby and, in 2006, Crash (a film he directed) won Best Picture. In 2007, Haggis created yet another high-quality product—this time on the television side. The Black Donnellys—about four Roman Catholic Irish-American brothers in New York City's Hell's Kitchen—was, what New York Magazine called "accomplished and absorbing television". Unfortunately, NBC canceled it after airing only seven episodes. But as good as the show was, if we're talking Haggis and forgotten television shows, there is only one thing to say...
NBC, The Black Donnellys (2007)
EZ Streets (1996-97)
Paul Haggis created EZ Streets, wrote or co-wrote every episode, and directed the two-hour movie pilot—and it was brilliant. Joe Pantoliano was a crime boss, Ken Olin was a detective, and Jason Gedrick was an ex-con pulled unwillingly back into the life. The gritty series took place in an unnamed city and was, as some critics called it, "too good for TV" at the time. It was probably better than a lot of stuff in the movie theaters as well. But it couldn't find an audience willing to take the ride and the show was canceled after airing just eight brilliant episodes.
Universal, EZ Streets (1996–1997)
Kingdom (2014-17)
A gritty drama set in the underground world of independent MMA might not sound like must-see TV—especially with Nick Jonas in the mix—but this one packed a real punch. Jonas turned out to be a knockout in the acting department, and the series ran for 40 episodes across three seasons in the 2010s. Unfortunately, airing on DirecTV’s Audience Network meant hardly anyone saw it the first time around. Thankfully, Netflix gave it a second wind in 2020 and 2021—so maybe you finally caught the fight then.
Endemol USA, Kingdom (2014–2017)
Boss (2011-12)
Anyone who thinks the only great thing Kelsey Grammer ever did was Frasier Crane (and Sideshow Bob) obviously never saw Boss—an excellent political drama starring the aforementioned Grammer as the Mayor of Chicago, who is diagnosed with a degenerative neurological disorder. Boss ran for two seasons and 18 episodes on Starz before being disappointingly canceled.
Roya Productions, Boss (2011–2012)
Greg The Bunny (2002-2004)
Eugene Levy, Seth Green, and a rabbit puppet. Who could forget this one?
Twentieth Century, Greg the Bunny (2002–2004)
The Pretender (1996-2000)
Jarod is a genius imposter with the ability to quickly master, and therefore, impersonate any profession. After he escapes from an evil think tank, he goes on the run, using his pretender abilities to avoid the agents on his tail. It lasted four seasons and 86 episodes.
Twentieth Century, The Pretender (1996–2000)
Dead Like Me (2003-04)
Bryan Fuller has created a number of really good television shows that got canceled way too soon. Dead Like Me was the first of them. The show, featuring Mandy Patinkin and his crew of grim reapers in the Seattle Washington area was smart and witty and....well, and gone after only two seasons and 29 episodes.
Fawlty Towers (1975-79)
It’s hands-down one of the greatest comedy shows ever made—but outside the UK, it’s like a secret handshake among comedy nerds. If you know it, you really know it. If you don’t…well, you’re missing out on a masterpiece of absurd brilliance.
BBC, Fawlty Towers (1975–1979)
3-2-1 Contact (1980-88)
We assume there are other 80s kids out there who grew up watching and loving this one. Right?
Daniel Wilson Productions, 3-2-1 Contact (1980–1992)
Simon & Simon (1981-89)
The 80s were filled with shows about private investigators and Simon & Simon was one of them—starring Gerald McRaney and Jameson Parker as brothers and owners of the Simon & Simon agency. The brothers were very different, which led to plenty of drama and comedy during each week's case.
Universal, Simon & Simon (1981–1989)
Grapevine (1992)
The story of a couple was told using short scenes and interview-style talk-to-the-camera moments from a cast of regular characters, friends, and the couple. It was something a little different—but it didn't last long. Who remembers this one?
Watching Ellie (2002-03)
Before finding post-Seinfeld success with The New Adventures of Old Christine and, even more so, Veep, Julia Louis-Dreyfus' first series after the end of Seinfeld was Watching Ellie. It was a 22-minute sitcom played out in real-time as a 22-minute slice of Ellie's life. They even had a clock in the corner of the screen for the first few episodes. Yes, it was a gimmick, but it worked and the show was pretty good. However, it was shut down rather quickly and brought back as a more traditional sitcom—only to get shut down even faster than the first time.
NBC, Watching Ellie (2002–2003)
