More great shows slain by the networks in their infancy. Well worth checking out on DVD!
NOW & AGAIN (1999-2000)Michael Wiseman, a middle-aged insurance seller with a family, dies in a subway accident. The Government rescues his brain and offers him a new life, in a new genetically-engineered and enhanced body. The only condition is that he can never have any contact with his family and friends from his previous life...
Who created it? Glenn Gordon Caron.
Who was in it? Eric Close (Dark Skies), Margaret Colin (Independence Day), Dennis Haysbert, John Goddman (Roseanne) and Gerrit Graham.
Where are they all now? Dennis Haybert went on to star as President David Palmer in 24. Eric Close went on to star in Without A Trace. John Goodman and Margaret Colin have appeared in many things since.
Michael: Can I fly?
Dr. Morris: What?
Michael: Can I fly? You know, like, uh, Superman?
Dr. Morris: Mr. Wiseman, over the past 6 months we've performed a complicated series of operations. I'm tempted to call them transplants, but in truth, there is no "you" to transplant them to. Let's call them operations. In fact, let's agree that you have been the recipient of some of the most sophisticated surgical thinking and practice in the history of medicine. In addition, you have been innoculated with and intravenously fed over 700 highly experimental and, I believe extraordinarily promising hormones, steroids and vaccines that also were developed uniquely for you in this project. Now I mention all that because, and I'm embarrassed to admit it, that in the midst of all those surgeries, all those implant procedures, all the beta trials, tests, failures and successes... it just never occurred to any of us to shove a rocket up your ass.
POINT PLEASANT (2005)A young girl, Christina, washes up on the beach near Point Pleasant, New Jersey, during a violent storm. After being resuscitated, she is taken in by the Kramer family, who have no idea that Christina is actually the daughter of Satan...
Who created it? Marti Noxon (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)
Who was in it? Elisabeth Harnois, Grant Show, Samuel Page and Aubrey Dollar.
How many episodes? 13.
Why was it cancelled? Poor ratings. FOX only aired the first 8 episodes, before cancelling it. The remaining episodes were only ever seen when the DVD was released.
Buy the DVD: from Amazon.
SPACE: ABOVE & BEYOND (1995-1996)In the year 2063, humanity is attacked by a race of aliens known as "Chigs". Mankind is thrown into a deadly war with the aggressors, and a young group of marines are thrown into battle together as the "Wildcards"...
Who created it? Glen Morgan and James Wong, writers for The X-Files.
Who was in it? Kristen Cloke, Lanei Chapman, Joel de la Fuente, Rodney Rowland and Morgan Weisser.
How many episodes? 24.
Why was it cancelled? Poor ratings and the massive budget ($2 million per episode, the most expensive show of its day).
Does it end on a cliffhanger? The conclusion is open-ended for a second season, yet also acts quite well as an ambiguous show finale.
Where are they all now? Glen Morgan and James Wong went on to write a few unaired Pilots, before writing/directing hit movie Final Destination. Since then they have created three movies of varying quality: The One, Wilfred and Final Destination 3. James Morrison can be seen as Bill Buchanan in 24.
Buy the DVD: from Amazon.
THE TICK (2001-2002)The mysterious blue justice defender The Tick patrols The City, not letting his limited knowledge of human life interfere with his desire to protect society. The frustrated and well-behaved accountant known as Arthur left his job to join The Tick as The Moth, and now they're a crime-fighting duo...
Who created it? Ben Edlund, based on the cartoon character he created in 1986.
Who was in it? Patrick Warburton, Liz Vassey, Nestor Carbonell and David Burke.
How many episodes? 9.
Why was it cancelled? Originally planned as a '00-'01 midseason replacement after The Simpsons on Sunday nights, and apparently never thought of as anything more than "strike filler" for a writer's strike which never happened, FOX execs Sandy Grushow and Gail Berman changed their minds, kept Malcolm In The Middle in the slot for another year and pushed The Tick back to Autumn. When The Tick finally went on air, it was dumped on Thursdays. They didn't promote it very much, the episodes were shown out of order, and needless to say, it didn't last very long...
Buy the DVD: from Amazon.
WONDERFALLS (2003-2004)University graduate Jaye decides to ignore her degree, live in a trailer and work at a tourist gift shop in Niagara Falls called Wonderfalls -- much to the despair of her family. But Jaye's life takes a startling turn after a lion figurine begins talking to her. Fearing for her sanity, Jaye nevertheless starts doing exactly what an increasing number of inanimate objects tell her to do, and is amazed when her actions begin changing people's lives...
Who created it? Bryan Fuller (Dead Like Me) and Todd Holland (Malcolm In The Middle).
Who was in it? Caroline Dhavernas (Jaye), Tracie Thoms, Tyron Leitso, Lee Pace, Katie Finneran, William Sadler and Diana Scarwid.
How many episodes? 13. The creators already had plans for the second and third season.
Why was it cancelled? The Pilot episode Wax Lion received a higher rating when it was repeated the Thursday after its premiere. The show was moved from a Friday night timeslot to Thursday after three episodes, but with little notice of the time change, and was cancelled after the fourth episode due to low ratings.
Buy the DVD: from Amazon.