10 Fox Shows That Were Cancelled Too Soon (2024)

Every major TV network has anchor shows that have lasted years, even decades, and ones that came and went after one or more seasons. Fox is known for having some of the longest-running shows, like The Simpsons. But the network has also cancelled its share of shows, some before fans felt they were ready to go.

Some of these shows went on to be saved by other networks or streaming services. A few of them star actors who went on to appear in even more high-profile projects. Whatever the case, these Fox shows were cancelled too soon, according to fans who wished they could have seen another season, two, or more.

10 'Almost Human' (2013-2014)

Created by J.H. Wyman

Almost Human is entering the public conversation again thanks to Karl Urban’s starring role in the series The Boys. But a decade before that, he appeared in Almost Human, a sci-fi crime drama about John (Urban), a police detective in the future year 2048 working alongside a lifelike combat-model android named Dorian (Michael Ealy). While this partnership is a requirement for every officer to help combat the incredibly fast-rising crime rate, John has a dislike of these androids. Why?

Years prior, one of them made a logic-based decision to abandon him and his severely injured friend because it felt their chances of survival were low. John lost his friend, and his leg. Almost Human was decently reviewed by audiences and critics, alike, and enjoyed it for its action and humor. CNN reports that the show was cancelled due to struggling ratings.

Almost Human

Action

Crime

Drama

Family

Sci-Fi

Thriller

Where to Watch

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Not available

*Availability in US

Release Date

November 17, 2013

Cast

Karl Urban , Michael Ealy , Minka Kelly , Mackenzie Crook , Michael Irby , Lili Taylor

Main Genre

Action

Seasons

1

9 'Dollhouse' (2009-2010)

Created by Joss Whedon

Joss Whedon has a pretty good track record when it comes to TV shows, most notably known for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. But Dollhouse didn’t quite achieve the same success. The sci-fi series, which aired for two seasons, was about a corporation that runs an underground group of businesses known as Dollhouses that program people to function as Dolls. Wealthy clients can rent out these Dolls or Actives to fulfill whatever purpose they want, from heists to sexual encounters, advice, and more. Eliza Dushku stars as an Active named Echo.

Sort of like a watered-down version of Westworld, Dollhouse has its own charms. The low ratings led to the show being cancelled even before production on season two was finished. Thanks to the timing, the show was able to wrap up in a suitable way. Nonetheless, Dollhouse was dubbed a cult favorite sci-fi show that fans wish would have continued.

Dollhouse

Drama

Sci-Fi

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Thriller

Where to Watch

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Not available

Not available

*Availability in US

Release Date

February 13, 2009

Cast

Eliza Dushku , Fran Kranz , Olivia Williams , Dichen Lachman , Enver Gjokaj , Tahmoh Penikett , Harry Lennix , Amy Acker

Main Genre

Drama

Seasons

2

8 Firefly (2002)

Created by Joss Whedon

Another Joss Whedon creation, fans were livid when Firefly was cancelled even before all 14 episodes of the first season aired. Fan support, however, led to renewed interest once the series was released on DVD, and the short-lived series even won an Emmy for its special visual effects. A space Western drama, Firefly stars Nathan Fillion as Malcolm “Mal” Reynolds, owner and captain of a ship called Serenity in the future year 2517. Several planets and new Earths have been colonized, but disagreements and war have caused friction.

There are many theories as to why Firefly was cancelled so prematurely. Cinemablend suspects that the Friday at 8 p.m. time slot, which many consider to be a death sentence for shows, was the first factor leading to its demise. Making things worse is that the show was going against heavyweight competition with series like America’s Funniest Home Videos and 48 Hours. Let’s not forget that this is the same year that American Idol premiered and became the top-rated show on network television. Thus, it might simply have come down to timing. Nonetheless, Firefly is considered one of the best shows to be cancelled too soon, not just on CBS, but on any network or streamer.

Firefly

Action

Adventure

Sci-Fi

Where to Watch

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Not available

*Availability in US

Release Date

September 20, 2002

Cast

Nathan Fillion , Gina Torres , Alan Tudyk , Morena Baccarin , Adam Baldwin , Jewel Staite , Sean Maher , Summer Glau

Main Genre

Action

Seasons

1

7 'Lucifer' (2016-2021)

Created by Tom Kapinos

Lucifer is one of those instances where the cancellation by Fox led to a pick-up by Netflix. The show not only remained just as popular on that streaming service, it aired for another three seasons, all produced by Netflix, becoming one of the best police procedurals of the 2020s. The first half of Lucifer, however, was on Fox, and fans were enamored with the lead character. Tom Ellis plays Lucifer Morningstar, the handsome literal Devil who, tired of his job deep down in the depths of Hell, decides to rise to the surface and live on Earth. Where else can he fulfill every sinful desire than Los Angeles? He opens and runs a nightclub, but things get complicated when his brother pays a visit, urging him to go back home and do his job. Meanwhile, a beautiful detective named Chloe (Lauren German) seems to be the only human who can resist his mental grip, and he can’t understand why.

Lucifer is a typical police procedural with a different case in every episode, followed by an overarching story. But it’s also incredibly funny as well. According to The Los Angeles Times, the show was cancelled due to ratings, but it was later admitted that economics played a role as well. Warner Bros. Studios and Jerry Bruckheimer Television were behind it, requiring Fox to pay for the show from another studio. Nonetheless, a fan campaign and Netflix’s swift action meant the final three seasons were leaner, edgier, and gave fans the ending they deserved.

Lucifer

TV-14

Fantasy

Drama

Crime

Where to Watch

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Not available

See Also

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*Availability in US

Release Date

January 25, 2016

Cast

Lauren German , Kevin Alejandro , D.B. Woodside , Lesley-Ann Brandt , Aimee Garcia , Rachael Harris

Main Genre

Drama

Seasons

6

Studio

Fox

6 'Tru Calling' (2003-2005)

Created by Jon Harmon Feldman

Another show that was cancelled too soon starring Eliza Dushku, in this one, she’s Tru Davies, a medical school student who starts a job at the city morgue. When one of the corpses awakens and begs her for help, Tru realizes she has a special power. She can relive the day in that person's life and potentially stop her death from happening. As Tru tries to manage her new-found powers, she finds it difficult to keep the secret and deal with her own complicated personal life.

Tru Calling ran for two seasons of 26 episodes before Fox decided it wouldn’t be coming back. The Spinoff calls the show the “worst best show” that “we need back.” Let’s not forget the series also stars Zach Galifianakis as Tru’s boss, David, as well as Jason Priestley as a man who has the same powers as Tru but believes they should not play with fate.

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5 'John Doe' (2002-2003)

Created by Brandon Camp and Mike Thompson

Before he starred in Prison Break, Dominic Purcell was the title character in this sci-fi drama about a man who wakes up on an island with no recollection of who he is nor how he got there. Ironically, while he can’t figure out his own identity, he seems to possess all human knowledge, including the strangest, most useless facts. Like a combination of Jason Bourne from The Bourne Identity, Limitless, and Blindspot, John Doe tackled a theme that has been done time and time again. But seeing John search for clues about his own past using his vast knowledge and help solve crimes gives John Doe a unique twist that no other show has replicated in the same way.

One of many sci-fi shows that didn’t last on Fox, John Doe ended up in that dreaded Friday nighttime slot. Leading to low ratings, according to AV Club, it’s no surprise John Doe was cancelled. Had it been given a better prime time schedule slot, the show could have gone on, and fans would have loved to see more.

John Doe is currently not available for streaming or purchase.

4 'Lie to Me' (2009-2011)

Created by Samuel Baum

The concept of an investigator who has some weird talent has been covered so many times, from The Mentalist to Will Trent. In Lie to Me, Dr. Cal Lightman (Tim Roth) is a psychologist who uses his unique ability to analyze everything from micro-expressions to body language to determine when someone is lying. It’s difficult for criminals to get past his profiling methods, making him and his team integral to law enforcement. The show is inspired by a real-life professor and facial expression specialist Paul Ekman, who served as a consultant for the series.

Airing for three seasons, Lie to Me was given a chance to increase ratings, according to TVSeriesFinale.com, but the numbers continued to decline, leading to the cancellation. Nonetheless, the riveting premise and the knowledge that Dr. Lightman is based on a real person who has advised police departments and anti-terrorist groups made those who watched enamored with the show.

Lie to Me

TV-14

Crime

Drama

Mystery

Where to Watch

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Not available

*Availability in US

Release Date

January 21, 2009

Cast

Tim Roth , Kelli Williams , Brendan Hines , Monica Raymund , Hayley McFarland , Mekhi Phifer , Kristen Ariza , Monique Gabriela Curnen

Main Genre

Crime

Seasons

3

Creator(s)

Samuel Baum

3 'The Mick' (2017-2018)

Created by Dave Chernin and John Chernin

A promising new sitcom, The Mick was heavily promoted by Fox, clearly with high hopes that it would become a new prime-time anchor show. But the series only lasted two seasons. It stars Kaitlin Olson as a rough-around-the-edges woman who moves to an affluent Connecticut community to care for her spoiled nieces and nephews when her wealthy sister flees the country. Afraid of being indicted for financial misdeeds, her sister needs Mackenzie “Mickey” (Olson) to step up for her until the dust settles. A typical fish-out-of-water story, Mickey knows nothing about raising kids, nor living the high life. But she learns along the way, of course, with hilarious moments throughout.

Cinemablend reports that the show’s creators had “crazy” plans for a third season that never got to see the light of day. What’s more, the second season ended on a cliffhanger. As for the reason it was cancelled, The Wrap says it had to do with low ratings combined with the addition of Thursday Night Football in the line-up, other shows getting renewed, like The Orville and The Simpsons, and new shows being picked up, including The Cool Kids and Rel. Ironically, both The Cool Kids and Rel were cancelled after one season, while The Mick remains one of the most underrated Fox shows of all time.

The Mick

TV-14

Comedy

Where to Watch

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Not available

*Availability in US

Release Date

January 1, 2017

Cast

Kaitlin Olson , Sofia Black-D'Elia , Thomas Barbusca , Carla Jimenez

Main Genre

Comedy

Seasons

2

2 'Prodigal Son' (2019-2021)

Created by Chris Fedak and Sam Sklaver

Even the mesmerizing presence of Michael Sheen as a charming serial killer couldn’t save this show. Prodigal Son centered around Malcolm Bright (Tom Payne), a man suffering from lifelong trauma after learning that his father was a sad*stic serial killer. Harnessing this pain and turning it into a career as a talented profiler, Malcolm is still haunted by nightmares and repressed memories. It doesn’t help that he sometimes visits his father in an institution, hoping to get help with the cases he’s working on. Sheen, for his part, brilliantly tackles the role of a revered surgeon who justifies his heinous kills with the fact that he saved more lives than he took.

Prodigal Son features unbelievable storylines with Malcolm in increasingly dangerous situations, always finding ways to solve crimes and get himself out alive. Lou Diamond Phillips plays Gil, a major crimes lieutenant who has a special bond with Malcolm, having been the one to respond to the call so many years ago. According to Cinemablend, plans for a third season were already in the works, especially with season two ending on a cliffhanger. The entire cast was shocked to learn the news that the show wasn't coming back. Some believe it was a switch in the schedule from Monday nights to Tuesdays that led to a drop in viewers.

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1 'Pitch' (2016)

Created by Dan Fogelman and Rick Singer

From the creator behind This Is Us, Pitch is a drama about a young baseball pitcher who becomes the first female in the Major Leagues. It stars newcomer Kylie Bunbury, who went on to star in When They See Us, the short-lived Peaco*ck series Brave New World, and Big Sky. This show, which also stars Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Mark Consuelos, only lasted 10 episodes before it ended.

Pitch received overwhelmingly positive reviews, retaining a 93% Rotten Tomatoes critics score. The series was produced in partnership with Major League Baseball, the first of its kind. The cancellation was likely the result of stiff competition, opines The Hollywood Reporter, including Thursday Night Football and heavy marketing around Lethal Weapon.

The Pitch

Reality TV

Where to Watch

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Not available

*Availability in US

Release Date

April 8, 2012

Main Genre

Reality TV

Seasons

2

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