Premise: A couple on a backpacking trip discovers a magical town in which everyone acts like they’re in a classic musical.
Creators: Ken Daurio, Cinco Paul
Cast: Keegan-Michael Key, Cecily Strong, Fred Armisen, Dove Cameron, Jaime Camil, Kristin Chenoweth, Alan Cumming, Ariana DeBose, Ann Harada, Jane Krakowski, Martin Short, Aaron Tveit, Tituss Burgess, Patrick Page.
What it reminds me of: Big Fish, 30 Rock, Sound of Music, Chicago.
Why I like it: This show has been on my list for a long time now. I have and will watch anything with Keegan-Michael Key. I am not a big of musicals, but I am a big fan of satire and that’s what this is. But it doesn’t lack anything. The costumes, set design, music, choreography are all fantastic. The set designs on this show are, by far, my favorite thing. It is like being back in Spectre from Big Fish, which is one of my favorite movies.
The show has some of the same cast as 30 Rock and a lot of the same feels. Witty, quick jokes. Characters that are fun to watch, but you would never want to be around in real life.
One of my favorite jokes of the show is making fun of how quickly people break into song and how, throughout songs, things make less and less sense.
It has happened to all of us. A favorite show of ours gets canceled. We don’t get the closure that we wanted. And I don’t know how old you are, but I grew up in the days of when a show is cancelled it wasn’t picked up by another network. Back in the day, you had NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX. At least today, if a show gets canceled on one of those channels, it can get picked up by Netflix, Hulu, Peacock. Did you know MGM+ is a thing? I know, right.
Anyway, I have gone back recently and watched some of my favorite shows that were canceled too soon. Some I have yet to rewatch. Anyway, here’s a list of some of my favorite shows that were canceled too early.
Title: Wayward Pines
Synopsis: A Secret Service agent goes to Wayward Pines, Idaho in search of two federal agents who have gone missing in the bucolic town. He soon learns that he might never get out of Wayward Pines alive.
Cast: Matt Dillon, Carla Gugino, Toby Jones, Shannyn Sossamon, Reed Diamond, Tim Griffin, Charlie Tahan, Juliette Lewis, Melissa Leo, Terrence Howard.
Originally aired on: Fox
Seasons: 2
Where to watch now: Hulu
Trailer:
Title: The Following
Synopsis: A brilliant, charismatic, and psychotic serial killer communicates with other active serial killers and activates a cult of believers who follow his every command.
Cast: Kevin Bacon, James Purefoy, Shawn Ashmore, Jessica Stroup, Valorie Curry, Nico Tortorella.
Channel: Fox
Seasons: 3
Where to watch now: Hulu
Trailer:
Title: Terra Nova
Synopsis: Centers on the Shannons, an ordinary family from 2149 when the planet is dying, who are transported back 85 million years to prehistoric Earth where they join Terra Nova, a colony of humans with a second chance to build a civilization.
Cast:
Channel: Fox
Seasons: 1
Where to watch now: Hulu
Trailer:
Title: Awake
Synopsis: After a car accident takes the life of a family member, a police detective lives two alternating parallel lives, one with his wife and one with his son. Is one of his “realities” merely a dream?
Cast: Jason Isaacs, Laura Allen, and Dylan Minnette.
Channel: NBC
Seasons: 1
Where to watch now: Hulu
Trailer:
Title: Ordinary Joe
Synopsis: Centers on Joe Kimbreau as he makes a pivotal, life-changing decision at his college graduation and follows him on three parallel timelines: as a police officer, as a music star, and as a nurse.
Cast: James Wolk, Natalie Martinez, Elizabeth Lail, Charlie Barnett
Channel: NBC
Seasons: 1
Where to watch now: Hulu
Trailer:
Title: Happy Endings
Synopsis: This Chicago-set sitcom follows the intertwined lives of six young urbanites trying to learn the ropes of adulthood. Through breakups and whatever other curve-balls life throws them, the pals stick together.
Cast: Eliza Coupe, Elisha Cuthbert, Zachary Knighton, Adam Pally, Damon Wayans, Jr. Casey Wilson.
Channel: ABC
Seasons: 3
Where to watch now: Hulu
Trailer:
Title: The Mick
Synopsis: A hard-living aunt is forced to take care of her wealthy sister’s spoiled kids after the mom flees the country to avoid criminal charges.
Cast: Kaitlin Olson, Sofia Black-D’Elia, Carla Jimenez, Thomas Barbusca, Jack Stanton, Scott MacArthur.
Channel: Fox
Seasons: 2
Where to watch now: Hulu
Trailer:
Title: The Mick
Synopsis: A single mother’s life after she accepts the offer to be a surrogate mother for a gay couple.
Cast: Justin Bartha, Andrew Rannells, Georgia King, Bebe Wood, NeNe Leakes, Jayson Blair, Ellen Barkin.
Channel: NBC
Seasons: 1
Where to watch now: Hulu
Trailer:
Title: Reboot
Synopsis: Follows an early 2000s family sitcom that Hulu has rebooted and their dysfunctional cast that must deal with their unresolved issues in today’s fast-changing world.
Cast: Keegan-Michael Key, Johnny Knoxville, Rachel Bloom Calum, Worthy Krista, Marie Yu, Judy Greer, Paul Reiser.
Channel: Hulu
Seasons: 1
Where to watch now: Hulu
Trailer:
Title: Great News
Synopsis: A New Jersey mom puts her relationship with her daughter to the test when she lands an internship at her new job, which comes with many challenges.
Cast: Briga Heela, Andrea Martinm, Adam Campbell, Nicole Richie, Horatio Sanz, John Michael Higgins.
Channel: NBC
Seasons: 2
Where to watch now: Hulu
Trailer:
Title: Wrecked
Synopsis: When a plane crashes on a deserted island on the way to Thailand, the crash survivors struggle to get along, and heads clash as they have differing views on how to stay alive and get off the island.
Cast: Zach Cregger, Asif Ali, Rhys Darby, Brooke Dillman, Ginger Gonzaga, Will Greenberg, Jessica Lowe, Ally Maki, Brian Sacca, James Scott.
Premise: The show focuses on Nell Serrano, an accident-prone American newspaper reporter who left her last job five years ago to move to the United Kingdom with a lover. She returns to the US when the relationship ends and tries to resume her journalism career as a newly single woman. Serrano is assigned to write obituaries by her new employer, and begins to encounter ghosts of the people whose obituaries she is writing, whom only she can see and hear. The ghosts begin to have conversations with Serrano, and offer her advice on how to rebuild her life while also helping her write their obituaries by telling her their stories. The ghosts then disappear after their obituaries are published.
Cast: Gina Rodriguez, Hannah Simone, Lauren Ash, Rick Glassman, Joshua Banday, Angela E. Gibbs, Brad Garrett.
What it reminds me of: Six Feet Under, Ghosts, Ghost Town.
Why I like it: Rick Glassman is one of my favorite comedians, podcasters, and people. I have loved watching him in the shows Undatable, As We See It, and now this.
The show is super funny, with guest stars showing up as the ghosts on each episodes. Some of the guest stars include Brittany Sow, Rhea Pearlman, Ed Begley Jr., Mo Collins, Julia Sweeney, Paula Pell, Magaret Cho, and Nico Santos.
The show has a lot of laughs, but also a lot of heart and messsage to it. And the comedic ensemble is so strong with cast members from some favorite shows such as New Girl and Superstore.
My girlfriend works in data and has started a newsletter where she takes a data approach to things she is interested in. Her first few were about concerts and her most recent one is all about Christmas Hallmark movies!
I am part of a Facebook group of (mostly retired) comedians who like to nerd out about video games, television shows, and movies.
One of them, Roxanne Celeste, put together this advent style list of horror movies to watch throughout December. Because who says we have to stop watching horror after October 31st?
Here is part of the post from Roxanne:
“Every day has a different cold, wintry horror/suspense/thriller.
There are no sequels or remakes except for one of the older films. I tried to keep a variety of decades and styles. The Christmas horrors get saved for last, and we end on a nice dessert of a couple horror-comedies. There are none of the obvious Scandinavian films on this list, because honestly, including them felt like cheating, all their movies have snow in them. I went a little off-piste in the middle because I wanted to include “Storm of the Century” really, really bad, but it’s a miniseries, so you can either watch that over three days or watch some other honorable mentions instead.
12/1 – The Thing (1982) 12/2 – The Great Silence (1968) 12/3 – Frozen (2010) 12/4 – Ravenous (1999) 12/5 – The Abominable Snowman ( 1957) 12/6 – Wind Chill (2007) 12/7 – Curtains (1983) 12/8 – Devil’s Pass (2013) 12/9 – Misery (1990) 12/10 – The Blackcoat’s Daughter (2015) 12/11 – Storm of the Century: Ep 1 (1999) OR Dead Snow (2009) 12/12 – Storm of the Century: Ep 2 (1999) OR The Last Winter (2006) 12/13 – Storm of the Century: Ep 3 (1999) OR Jack Frost (1997) 12/14 – The Shining (1980) 12/15 – The Invisible Man (1933) 12/16 – 30 Days of Night (2007) 12/17 – The Lodge (2019) 12/18 – Black Christmas (1974) 12/19 – Better Watch Out (2016) 12/20 – Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984) 12/21 – The Curse of the Cat People (1944) 12/22 – Silent Night (2021) 12/23 – Gremlins (1984) 12/24 – Krampus (2015)
Premise: A chronicle of the lives of a dysfunctional family who run an independent funeral home in Los Angeles.
Cast: Peter Krause, Michael C. Hall, Frances Conroy, Lauren Ambrose, Freddy Rodriguez, Mathew St. Patrick, Jeremy Sisto, Rachel Griffiths, James Cromwell, Justina Machado.
What it reminds me of: Rescue Me, Not Dead Yet, Parenthood.
Why I like it: I like any show that stars a dead character. Also, a show that has that character act as the other sub conscious of the cast members. That isn’t a spoiler alert, as it is the opening scene of the show.
The cast is so good, first of all. The formula of the show is great: Each episode focuses on the funeral of someone random, while character development furthers for the main cast.
The finale of this show is my favorite finale to any show ever. And it went on to inspire some other favorite finales.
Premise: From virtually nothing to virtual reality, Cunk comically tells the story of our greatest inventions such as the wheel, the Mona Lisa, and nuclear power. Along the way, she asks experts hard-hitting questions about humanity’s progress, as well as standing near impressive old ruins or inside museums.
Cast: Diane MorgN
What it reminds me of: Extras, Life’s Too Short, The Office
Premise: To secure their fortune (and future) two ruthless siblings build a family dynasty that begins to crumble when their heirs mysteriously die, one by one.
Cast: Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Mary McDonnell, Carly Lumbly, Henry Thomas, Samantha Sloyan, T’Nia Miller, Raul Kohli, Kate Siegel, Sauriya Sapkota, Mark Hamill, Matt Biedel, Kyleigh Curran, Katie Parker, Michael Trucco, Willa Fitzgerald, Xavh Gilford.
What it reminds me of: The Midnight Club, Midnight Mass, The Haunting of Bly Manor, The Haunting of Hill House.
Why I like it: Poetic, of course. Super dark. Good jump scares. It is hard to turn it off, you just ant to binge it.
Premise: Twisted Metal is an American post-apocalyptic action-comedy television series developed by Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick and Michael Jonathan Smith. Based on the vehicular combat video game franchise of the same name published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. In a post-apocalyptic wasteland, John Doe, a talkative milkman with amnesia, is given a mission to traverse the desolate world to deliver a cryptic package. He faces a life-altering opportunity but must confront ruthless marauders in deadly and destructive vehicles to secure a chance at a better future.
Cast: Anthony Mackie, Stephanie Beatriz, Joe Seanoa, Will Arnett, and Thomas Haden Church.
What it reminds me of: The Domestics, The Last of Us, and The Last Man on Earth.
