History Series / Drive

* EpicRace

A short lived show about an illegal, underground, cross-country, ''Film/TheCannonballRun'' style street race, written by TimMinear and starring Creator/NathanFillion. Everyone had a reason to be in it, with many of those reasons involving blackmail. It was supposed to mix character study and action, but it didn't last long enough to succeed at the character study, at least not to the level advertised.

* ShoutOut: Alex's Challenger is a reference to the classic road movie ''VanishingPoint''.

* ViewersAreGoldfish: ''TheSoup'' put together a montage of how many times characters used the phrase "secret illegal underground road race" to describe what they were doing when asked. It lasted a minute and a half.

A short lived show about an illegal, underground, cross-country, ''Film/TheCannonballRun'' style street race, written by TimMinear and starring NathanFillion. Everyone had a reason to be in it, with many of those reasons involving blackmail. It was supposed to mix character study and action, but it didn't last long enough to succeed at the character study, at least not to the level advertised.

* AllBikersAreHellsAngels: Subverted; the {{badass}}-looking people riding the black Harley are revealed to be an old couple once they take their helmets off.

A short lived show about an illegal, underground, cross-country, ''[[TheCannonballRun Cannonball Run]]''-style street race, written by TimMinear and starring NathanFillion. Everyone had a reason to be in it, with many of those reasons involving blackmail. It was supposed to mix character study and action, but it didn't last long enough to succeed at the character study, at least not to the level advertised.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: [[http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/drive-what-wouldve-happened-on-the-cancelled-series/ Here]] is a rough sketch of how the show would have progressed had [[SugarWiki/NeedsMoreLove anyone bothered to watch it]]. Some highlights:
** Some of the contestants have "sponsors" who got them into the race. Some sponsors have benevolent motives, while others have revenge or other nefarious ideas on their minds. One racer, John Trimble, sponsored himself, looking to have one last thrill before he dies. Other contestants, such as the team of Leigh, Susan and Ivy, were put in as background racers to shake things up, similar to non-player "bots" in a video game.
** John Trimble [[LikeYouWereDying wasn't actually dying]] -- in fact, it was his meds that were making him sick. After he finds out that he's going to live, he would've been [[DiabolusExMachina killed by a bus]], simply because, according to Minear, [[ForTheEvulz it would've been funny]].
** There were various ideas going around as to the identity of the truck driver who [[spoiler:killed Susan]]. The most likely idea would've had it be a former contestant who had been crippled in the race and was now seeking revenge. Other ideas would have been for it to be a faceless serial killer (a la ''{{Film/Duel}}''), or have the driver be played by Creator/ElizaDushku.
** Had there been a second season, it would've focused on a new race and new characters, with first season characters taking on new roles in the race.

* NotNamedInOpeningCredits: Dylan Baker for five of the six episodes, despite appearing in all of them. (He finally got moved up to the opening for the finale.) Oddly, Rochelle Aytes, Riley Smith, and Mircea Monroe do appear in the opening credits despite not appearing in all of the episodes.

** There were various ideas going around as to the identity of the truck driver who [[spoiler:killed Susan]]. The most likely idea would've had it be a former contestant who had been crippled in the race and was now seeking revenge. Other ideas would have been for it to be a faceless serial killer (a la ''{{Film/Duel}}''), or have the driver be played by ElizaDushku.

* ScrewedByTheNetwork: And how! The only consolation was that the two unaired episodes they had in the can were eventually released online.
** In spite of the efforts Fox went to in promoting the series, {{ratings}} for the episodes they did air were ''terrible''. It's hard to blame them for pulling the plug on a show [[SugarWiki/NeedsMoreLove nobody watched]].

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: [[http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/drive-what-wouldve-happened-on-the-cancelled-series/ Here]] is a rough sketch of how the show would have progressed had [[NeedsMoreLove anyone bothered to watch it]]. Some highlights:

** In spite of the efforts Fox went to in promoting the series, {{ratings}} for the episodes they did air were ''terrible''. It's hard to blame them for pulling the plug on a show [[NeedsMoreLove nobody watched]].

This show's failure is a major reason that Sunday nights on {{FOX}} are reserved for animation. And perhaps ''vice versa.''

This show provides examples of:

* EurekaMoment: Leigh realizes that the clue to the next checkpoint, "Surrender, America", is a reference to Appomattox Court House in Virginia, where [[UsefulNotes/AmericanCivilWar Lee surrendered to Grant]], after seeing that the highway is named for a Confederate war hero.

** "Surrender, America." The destination? Appomattox Court House, Virginia, where Robert E. Lee surrendered to UlyssesSGrant.

* EurekaMoment: Leigh realizes that the clue to the next checkpoint, "Surrender, America", is a reference to Appomattox Court House in Virginia, where [[AmericanCivilWar Lee surrendered to Grant]], after seeing that the highway is named for a Confederate war hero.

* HeyItsThatGuy:
** Alex is [[Series/{{Firefly}} Malcolm Reynolds]] (or [[Series/{{Castle}} Richard Castle]]).
** Corinna is [[Series/PoltergeistTheLegacy Kristin Adams]].
** Wendy is [[Series/TwoAndAHalfMen Rose]].
** Both of the Salazars have had dealings with vampires. Winston on ''Series/TrueBlood'' and Sean in [[{{Twilight}} Breaking Dawn]].
** Violet is EmmaStone.
** The show featured an appearance by Minear veteran [[{{Wonderfalls}} Katie Finneran]] as Alex's sister.
** AmyAcker was also slated to play Alex's wife, but she only got one appearance at the end of the last episode before the show was cancelled.
* HeyItsThatVoice: Leigh would later go on to [[VideoGame/Left4Dead slaughter thousands of zombies]].

** Alex is [[{{Firefly}} Malcolm Reynolds]] (or [[{{Castle}} Richard Castle]]).
** Corinna is [[PoltergeistTheLegacy Kristin Adams]].
** Wendy is [[TwoAndAHalfMen Rose]].
** Both of the Salazars have had dealings with vampires. Winston on TrueBlood and Sean in [[{{Twilight}} Breaking Dawn]].

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: [[http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/drive-what-wouldve-happened-on-the-cancelled-series/ Here]] is a rough sketch of how the show would have progressed had [[ScrewedByTheViewers anyone bothered to watch it]]. Some highlights:

* HeyItsThatVoice: Leigh would later go on to [[Left4Dead slaughter thousands of zombies]].

** A pair of hot candies with wrappers that say "Atomic Fireball". The destination? The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in [[ClevelandRocks Cleveland]], with the clue referring to the song "Great Balls of Fire". Made especially frustrating by the fact that [[ILoveNuclearPower Three Mile Island]] would've been a much more obvious destination, given the clue.

This show takes ScrewedByTheNetwork to bewildering new levels, though one hopes {{FOX}} had good reason for it. The network promoted this series heavily for a couple of months before it aired. But it aired only four episodes... in three different timeslots... over the course of two weeks.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: [[http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/drive-what-wouldve-happened-on-the-cancelled-series/ Here]] is a rough sketch of how the show would have progressed had it not been [[ScrewedByTheNetwork screwed over]]. Some highlights:

* HeyItsThatGuy: In addition to NathanFillion, this show also starred MelanieLynskey and a pre-''{{Superbad}}'' EmmaStone, and featured an appearance by Minear veteran [[{{Wonderfalls}} Katie Finneran]] as Alex's sister. AmyAcker was also slated to play Alex's wife, but she only got one appearance at the end of the last episode before the show was cancelled.

* HeyItsThatGuy: In addition to NathanFillion, this show also starred MelanieLynskey and a pre-''{{Superbad}}'' Emma Stone, and featured an appearance by Minear veteran [[{{Wonderfalls}} Katie Finneran]] as Alex's sister. AmyAcker was also slated to play Alex's wife, but she only got one appearance at the end of the last episode before the show was cancelled.

~~DramaticHourLong, NoughtiesDramaSeries~~

This show takes ScrewedByTheNetwork to new levels, though one hopes {{FOX}} had good reason for it. {{FOX}} promoted this series heavily for a couple of months before it aired. But it aired only four episodes... in three timeslots... in two weeks...

* [=~Hey, It's That Guy!~=]: In addition to NathanFillion, this show also starred MelanieLynskey and a pre-''{{Superbad}}'' Emma Stone, and featured an appearance by Minear veteran [[{{Wonderfalls}} Katie Finneran]] as Alex's sister. AmyAcker was also slated to play Alex's wife, but she only got one appearance at the end of the last episode before the show was cancelled.
* [=~Hey, It's That Voice!~=]: Leigh would later go on to [[Left4Dead slaughter thousands of zombies]].

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