Gone Too Soon: The Best Short- Lived TV Shows

Remember these?

Young Americans (2000)

In the late 90s, the WB network owned teenage angst, and this Dawson's Creek spin-off was sure to be a hit, but unfortunately lasted only eight episodes. Set at a prestigious boarding school, the usual teenage angst was certainly present, but with more unique storylines not seen on the channel, including a girl who presents as a boy to enroll in the school, characters struggling with their sexual preferences, and socioeconomic issues. The show features Kate Bosworth and Ian Somerhalder.

Living Dolls (1989)

Leah Remini plays childhood friend of Samantha Micelli Charlie Briscoe, a street wise, smart mouth teen from Brooklyn, played by Leah Remini (what a stretch for her) who is discovered by a modeling agent and invited to live under her roof with other promising models. The show also starred a young Halle Berry and David Moscow as her son with the constant joke that he was a horny teen living in a house with teen models that wouldn't get him any.

Living Dolls is a spin-off of Who's The Boss. Charlie is a childhood friend of Samantha Micelli, who in the above episode does a school newspaper articles on teen models. In the show's run, Halle Berry replaced Vivica A. Fox.

let's be honest: this is a bizarre concept for a show. I can see how it appeals to young girls who are obsessed with becoming a model, and guys who like looking at teenage models.

The Comeback (2005)

One of the entries into the “cringe” drama, where the entertainment comes from watching the characters find themselves in awkward scenarios (perfected by Curb Your Enthusiasm and The UK version of the Office) and through the eyes of a documentary crew. Lisa Kudrow plays the part of Valerie Cherish to perfection, as a has been movie star trying to fit in among the cast and crew of the sitcom Room & Board. The difference between this show and other “cringe” shows is that Valerie Cherish is still likeable, despite her social awkwardness. I was never really a Phoebe Buffay fan, but this show truly exhibits Kudrow's more subtle comedic genius.

The Comeback aired for one season on HBO in 2005, and also features Malin Akerman and Kellan Lutz before they made it big.

Malibu Shores (1996)

Unfortunately, not everything Aaron Spelling touched turned to gold. Malibu Shores, a loose retelling of West Side Story, only lasted ten episodes. It starred Keri Russell and her full hair, as well as Randy Spelling, who I am sure got the gig completely on his own.

Savannah (1996)

Aaron Spelling tried again the same year with Savannah, the innocent Southern Bell Reece, married to the seemingly perfect guy, the sophisitcated New Yorker, lane, who returns to her hometown, and the fantastic Jamie Luner as Peyton, as the seductive schemer who secretly resents her friends for leaving her behind. Of course, the show was not complete without bad southern accents, paternity mysteries, sprawling mansions, and deceit, backstabbing, and perfect hair and makeup at all times.

The L.A. Complex (2012)

Most recently canceled, this Canadian produced was a underrated nighttime soap about young attractive people living in an apartment complex trying to make it in Hollywood. It was a better show than you'd think: the characters were actually well developed, and the story arcs were interesting: a woman trying to make it in an all-male late night show writer's room, a dancer who is lured into the porn industry, s major star lured into a Scientology-like cult, a hopeful child star and his older sister/manager, and a successful gangsta rapper trying to come to terms with his closeted gay identity. And Jewel Staite (of Firefly) playing the hell out of a part of a former teen star trying to stay relevant.

This show seemed to have little to no promotion behind it, I found it by accident on Hulu, on which you can still watch the two existing seasons.