Follow TV Tropes

Following

Context NeedsMoreLove / LiveActionTV

Go To

1* ''Series/TheElectricCompany2009''. While some might be quick to dismiss it because of the only tenuous connection to [[Series/TheElectricCompany1971 its parent show]], it holds up as a great show in its own right. The cast is full of actors who are not only wonderful on their own, but have a lot of chemistry with each other. The simple stories and lessons are definitely enhanced by these actors. Often the humor is great, particularly when certain characters [[LargeHam get their ham on]]. And all this despite the primary target audience being young children. It definitely deserves a larger PeripheryDemographic.
2* ''Series/BirdsOfPrey2002'' was cancelled after only one season, but it was an excellent superhero show with well-developed characters. Some of it is a bit cheesy, and it didn't have nearly as good effects as the [[Series/{{Smallville}} other DC adaptation of the time]], but it also deserves much more attention than it gets.
3* ''Series/{{Workaholics}}'' is one of the funniest shows currently on TV, and definitely needs more attention from this website and in general. It has a simple plot, but the inherent level of craziness and over-the-top nature of nearly everyone from the main characters to random bit players makes it like few other things on TV, in a good way. Stoner comedy that's even good sober.
4* ''Series/{{Selfie}}'' has gotten a lot of bad press right from the start--one of the stars even admits people hate the name. Some people dislike how vapid it makes social network-involved people look, and some dislike that it has anything to do with sites like Facebook, Yelp and Twitter. In practice, the show is just a genuinely funny comedy with Creator/JohnCho, Creator/KarenGillan, and sharp writing. It avoids being too cruelly snarky and stops just on the right side of cheesily heartwarming.
5* ''Series/{{Playmakers}}'' was a fantastic show surrounding the troubled lives of professional UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball athletes, and ESPN's first try at a scripted TV series. Think ''Series/MadMen'' but darker and about [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment American Football]]. The show demonstrated great promise, with empathetic characters, great writing, and solid acting, and garnered positive reviews and ratings. The show rivals many HBO originals with its production value and shameless graphic content. Sadly got ScrewedByTheNetwork after [[UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue]] pressured ESPN to cancel it, and only 12 episodes were aired.
6* ''Wild World of Spike'' was a show from Spike that featured three hosts giving their thoughts on web and TV clips. The hosts were a kickboxer, a skateboarder, and a comedian who was the ButtMonkey of the show. Sometimes they would challenge each other to recreate the clips that they saw, which ranged anywhere from lifting weights with their testicles, breaking through a brick wall, and getting tased. Cancelled after one season with 14 episodes and it seems the only way to find it is through either Zune or the Spike official site.
7* ''The Path to 9/11''. Maybe it's presumptive to put down a politically charged work (for what it's worth, it's not particularly kind to either Clinton or Bush), but this five-hour miniseries is ''the'' definitive work on the subject; not even ''United 93'' can compare. Give it a Website/YouTube search, particularly if you've never heard of [[WarriorPoet Ahmed Shah Massoud]].
8* ''Series/PowerRangersLightspeedRescue''. It had good stories, an excellent cast, and a nice take on the "never reveal your identity" trope set by Zordon--the Rangers reveal their identities because they're public servants. So why does it belong here? Bad ratings and, especially back then, how the fandom thought that it was cool to just bash the show for (mostly) the acting.
9** This season also has arguably the most badass Ranger this side of Tommy Oliver himself: Carter Grayson. [[WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall Linkara]] rightfully gushes over the sheer badassery that Carter demonstrates on more than one occasion.
10* ''Series/PowerRangersRPM'' now qualifies as needing more love after a recent statement from Saban that the series had been "too dark and lacking in humor." Apparently they missed out on all of the funny moments ''RPM'' provided the fans--and that's not counting either Ziggy Grover's antics or the healthy doses of LampshadeHanging on things taken for granted on the series. The franchise was also being ScrewedByTheNetwork by then to such a degree that many never got to see it, or even knew it existed.
11* ''Series/PowerRangersJungleFury''. Despite being seen as a breath of fresh air compared to the more loathed ''Series/PowerRangersOperationOverdrive'', it's often overshadowed by its EvenBetterSequel, ''RPM'' (read above). Casey is a great deconstruction of the RookieRedRanger trope, the characters are likable (especially RJ), the villains are decent, and it had the first catchy theme song since ''Series/PowerRangersSPD''.
12* ''Series/PowerRangersMegaforce.'' Much like ''Jungle Fury,'' it came out after a [[Series/PowerRangersSamurai hated season]], but it still has its detractors. While it suffers from occasional StockFootageFailure and had a lot to [[ToughActToFollow live up to from]] [[Series/KaizokuSentaiGokaiger half its source material]], there are still some shining moments. Noah, Emma, Orion, and Robo Knight are well-developed, despite the accusations of the opposite, the villains are either badass (like Vrak) or entertaining (Prince Vekar), and unlike the Sentai counterpart, [[spoiler: it saved the big Legend War for the final episode]], making the cameos from past Rangers seem less glorified. The episodes written by [[Series/PowerRangersJungleFury Jason Smith]] are some of the better written ones, possibly because he's a huge fan of Franchise/SuperSentai.
13* For ''Franchise/SuperSentai,'' ''Series/ResshaSentaiTokkyuger'' is a season that gets way more hate than it deserves. The series was often dismissed because the costumes looked very Showa Era, and not in a good way. However, it follows a theme of childhood innocence and friendship, it has a unique gimmick with the Rangers being able to swap out colors, and the villains were well-written.
14* ''WebVideo/TransylvaniaTelevision'' needs a lot more attention. A great comedy series, it has its hits and misses, but if they expect to make it they need more viewers.
15* ''Series/The10thKingdom'' miniseries. Insanely excellent fairy tale deconstruction, including the tale to end all tales: RealLife! [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments Funny]], [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments touching]], and [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome awesome]], with a slew of tropes all played straight, subverted, inverted, invoked, and justified.
16* ''Series/{{Solstrom}}'', a 2003 Creator/CirqueDuSoleil-mounted show that managed to blend together a VarietyShow (circus/novelty acts from within and without the company), an anthology series (acts are used to tell whimsical fantasy stories), a {{Sitcom}} (comic characters tying the stories together), a silent film (no dialogue--just narration) and a MassiveMultiplayerCrossover (characters and acts from all of the company's then-running shows turn up). Not surprisingly, it didn't get much attention. In Canada, CBC didn't air the final four episodes; U.S. outlet Bravo ran the whole show but gave it a weak time slot and little promotion, possibly because it arrived ''just'' in time for the NetworkDecay of that channel. It didn't even find love from Cirque's fanbase! But its creativity, charm, humor, and warmth make it a curiously lovely QuirkyWork, and perhaps the cleverest take on the VarietyShow since [[Series/TheMuppetShow Kermit the Frog and company's heyday]].
17* ''Series/LosSimuladores'', the original version. It was conceived as one of the greatest series of all time in its country of origin (Argentina), not only for its brilliant plot, but also its great screenplay. It was not exported to other countries (with {{redubbing}} as they'd normally do); instead remakes were made for Russia and [[FridgeLogic other Spanish-speaking countries]] like Chile, Spain and Mexico; with only the first case being understandable, and the last one being exported to all Latin America. And let's better not start on the Chilean one...
18* The ''Series/DoctorWho'' audio plays by Creator/BigFinish. Monthly stories starring Doctors 4-8, with nearly every actor and actress from that time reprising their old roles. They bring every hated Doctor and companion out of the [[TheScrappy Scrappy]] heap, the acting and writing is consistently better than the original series, the scope is much larger due to the format and it has [[Recap/BigFinishDoctorWho029TheChimesOfMidnight one of the greatest stories in Doctor Who's history.]] The Literature/BerniceSummerfield spinoff series is great in its own right. However, not many people, not even ''Series/DoctorWho'' fans, listen to these.
19** The several ''Series/DoctorWho'' novel ranges (all listed under {{Franchise/Whoniverse}}) are also worth looking into. Being novels, they allow the Doctor to have more complex and nuanced adventures than television can provide, and a lot of them are also darker and/or weirder than most of the telly adventures. In a book it's easier to delve into a character's inner thoughts and feelings than on TV. Plus, the reader's imagination can provide cheaper and better special effects [[SpecialEffectsFailure than usual for]] ''Series/DoctorWho''. The Literature/EighthDoctorAdventures novels are particularly noteworthy because, as Creator/BigFinish did, they gave some much-needed "screen time" to a Doctor who got very, very little. And most importantly, compared with the TV series, the stories and characters are widely considered to be at least as engaging and enjoyable overall.
20* ''Series/Boomtown2002'' is your average crime drama taken up to eleven by focusing on a core cast of characters who each tells the story from their point of view. There are cops, a reporter, a paramedic, a senator, and the guest stars who all have the camera to themselves. It's remarkable because each episode has one or two events that are shown from multiple vantage points, and the writers shone developing each character individually so that their moment in the spotlight is different simply because they are different.
21* ''Series/{{Carnivale}}'' was cancelled after two seasons. Now, one shouldn't get too upset with HBO. After all, they kept ''Series/TheWire'' on long enough for the series to end. That said, the fact that this show was cancelled was after two of the six planned seasons is a goddamn travesty. Packed with the beautifully grotesque, macabre imagery, unique characters and stories, and one of the best depictions of the 1930s you'll ever see, you owe it to yourself to watch this unfinished masterpiece.
22** Damn straight, us [[FanCommunityNickname Rousties]] have got to get the word out
23** Don't forget the great acting, respectful portrayal of a dwarfism sufferer, and the fetus-in-a-glass-jar.
24* ''Series/MiamiMedical'', a realistic, medically accurate drama with good characters played by great actors. It managed to avoid most inter-doctor romances, the need for happy endings and only left the hospital setting for brief hops, yet still developed the characters without hitting you in the face with tragic backstory. Yet it got crammed into a crappy timeslot, had little to no advertising and was cancelled before its original 13 episodes had finished airing. And no one watched it[[note]]at least not until one of its stars, Creator/LanaParrilla, shot to fame as the Evil Queen in ''Series/OnceUponATime'' several years later, by which point it was far too late[[/note]].
25* ''Series/BlakesSeven''. Honestly, even people old enough to have seen it the first time around have never heard of it.
26** Let's elaborate a bit. It's a complex and detailed CrapsackWorld with a realistic plot, where the good guys aren't nice and the nice guys often aren't good, and it's frequently hard to tell what's good anyway. Character interaction is everything, and the dialogue is a joy. It's dark and depressing and cynical, but its characters often come across as more sincere than the protagonists of the many "perfect future" shows around at the time. Despite a budget that would shame a student film, with poor SFX and lots of quarries, it earned itself a small, solid fanbase that is still going today, thirty years after it ended. At the time it was innovative, but while many people have heard of the shows it influenced--like ''{{Series/Firefly}}'', ''{{Series/Farscape}}'' and ''Series/BabylonFive''--''Blake's 7'' remains obscure.
27* To see it discussed by fans of ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'', ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' redefines DarthWiki/SoBadItsHorrible and did nothing right, ever. But it actually had a lot of interesting stories, inventive solutions to the problem of the week, and later hard decisions having to be made in the moment. And the ratings were quite high ''throughout'' the first season, not just when it was shiny and new--it didn't fall off until it ''started'' having TNG-like stories in the early second season. (If you watched it in the first season and jumped ship around "A Night In Sickbay," skip to "Canamar" or thereabouts. It gets back on track.)
28* ''Series/SpacePrecinct'' was a cop show [-IN SPACE-], as you can tell from the name. You probably know no more about it than that. It was ScrewedByTheNetwork because it had the kind of alien makeup one expects of a kids' show but the material of a serious effort. Not knowing what to do with it, networks buried it. But if you can find it, and can handle a few PeopleInRubberSuits, give it a try.
29* Similarly, ''Series/MercyPoint'' was a hospital show set on a space station. Only lasted [[ShortRunners eight episodes]], but it's eight episodes with complex characters and TheVerse outside being learned of one tantalizing bit at a time. Also, it stars [[{{Series/Eureka}} Henry]].
30* NBC's ''Series/TheSingOff'' is a fun show about the best a cappella groups in the US gathering to compete. It doesn't get mentioned a lot in terms of reality shows. Nowadays it's better remembered for launching the career of Music/{{Pentatonix}}.
31* ''Series/MyOwnWorstEnemy''. A spy series involving split personalities running amok. Cancelled after nine episodes, probably due to the fact that it was on extremely late, and it ran on NBC, a channel notorious for cancelling so many fan-favorite shows.
32* ''Series/LostGirl'' is a great urban fantasy noir series that simply not enough people know about.
33* ''Series/BabylonFive'' is a show that seriously needs more love. Its incredible characters, writing and overarching plots are fairly well-known in the sci-fi nerd community, but most people these days haven't heard of it, even with the rise of science fiction TV. While ''Franchise/StarTrek'' and the ''Franchise/StargateVerse'' are HouseholdNames, and even ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' gained huge popularity as cult TV, ''Babylon 5'' seems to have been left in the dust. It really needs more exposure, because it's the sort of sci-fi even those who don't like the genre can enjoy--character development and epic stories over {{fanservice}} and explosions. An [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness uncharacteristically bad first season]] doesn't help draw in potential converts.
34* ''Series/{{Justice}}'' only has a stub page on Website/TVTropes and it was [[ShortRunners canceled after one season]], but it is one of the most involving court dramas in a ''long'' time. The defense firm the series had as protagonists was filled to the brim with [[MagnificentBastard Magnificent Bastards]] that would make [[Theatre/{{Chicago}} Billy Flynn]] proud, everyone always had an agenda (except, perhaps, the accused), and it was never certain [[TheReveal until the very last scene]] whether the accused had actually commited the crime in question.
35* ''Series/{{Smith}}'' should have had a longer run...it was cancelled after a very brief run. It followed the exploits of some high-tech thieves.
36* ''Series/MySoCalledLife'' is a fascinating SliceOfLife high school show. All the characters are complex yet distinctive; sympathetic yet not always in the right.
37* In 2006, ''Series/TheClass2006'' began its one-season run. It was hilarious and had a great cast including [[{{Series/BetterOffTed}} Andrea Anders]], [[Series/ModernFamily Jesse Tyler Ferguson]], Sam Harris (playing the perfect CampStraight), and the witty, underappreciated actress Creator/LizzyCaplan. It was criticized for having no minorities in the main cast, which may have contributed to its death. But it was simply the [[{{Series/Firefly}} second-best one-season show ever.]]
38* ''Series/VeronicaMars'' really should have gotten the ratings it deserved. And the [=DVDs=] really should be easier to find in the UK.
39** Now that [[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/27/veronica-mars-movie-kickstarter-success_n_2965774.html they're making a movie]], it's sure to get lots more love.
40* ''Series/BoredToDeath'' is the most down-to-earth wacky show ever made. Its characters have great chemistry, its plots are brilliant in their simplicity, the characters develop without straying too far from their base personalities, and it has its fair share of {{Genius Bonus}}es. Anyone who loves high literature and a bit of lowbrow humor is sure to enjoy.
41* ''Series/KeyWest''. The best example of MagicRealism to ever hit a television screen. Incredibly well-written scripts acted out by actors who really seemed to believe in what they were doing (especially Creator/JenniferTilly and Creator/BrianThompson), a cheerful outlook, beautiful settings all made for a show that almost ''no one'' disliked. Unfortunately, Creator/{{FOX}} played fast and loose with its scheduling, constantly preempted it for sporting events, put almost nothing into its advertising budget, and as a result the show was never able to build an audience.
42* ''Series/CallTheMidwife'' is a popular BBC series about a group of 1950s midwives with a tremendous cast and even better writing.
43* The [[Series/LandOfTheLost1991 1991 remake of Land of the Lost]]. While many fans of the original ''Series/LandOfTheLost1974'' complain that the remake is inferior, other fans believe that the show was good in its own right. As of this writing, it has yet to see a release on DVD.
44* ''So [=NoTORIous=]'' was a LifeEmbellished sitcom created by Creator/ToriSpelling that aired on VH-1 in 2006. Critics, who typically use Tori as their favorite punching bag, frequently praised the series, both due to it being a well-made production, and because Spelling was more than willing to make fun of herself. Adding in some supporting performances from the likes of Loni Anderson and Creator/ZacharyQuinto, and its short 10-episode run is definitely worth a few hours of your time.
45* ''Series/{{Threshold}}'' was a fresh take on the old alien invasion scenario and had a good cast that included Creator/CarlaGugino, Creator/PeterDinklage, Creator/BrentSpiner and Charles S. Dutton. It was inexplicably cancelled after 13 episodes, despite the fact that it achieved better ratings ''and'' critical acclaim than ''{{Surface}}'' (which itself was subsequently cancelled after 15).
46* ''Series/StargateUniverse''. Admittedly a bit of a ''Battlestar'' ripoff (not so much in story as in tone, theme, setting, and aesthetic), but seriously one of the best quality sci-fi shows out there. And hey, who couldn't use some more ''Galactica''?
47** To elaborate: the show took a season to start GrowingTheBeard and become what ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' should have been: a rag-tag mix of military members, civilians, and [[spoiler:former terrorists]] stuck on a ship far away from home, making do with what they have. While the show struggled to find the right balance to its various character and setting conflicts, the story caught up with its stunning visuals around Season 2. Unfortunately, ExecutiveMeddling switched the time slots several times and used the predictable ratings drop to axe the series, killing the entire franchise in the process. The finale left everything on a bittersweet yet hopeful note; if you're a fan of ''Stargate'' and the first season is turning you off, [[SlowPacedBeginning fear not, for it does get better]].
48* Series/{{Psychoville}}. An obscure little show from Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton. Unlike ''The League of Gentlemen'', it has no DVD set in America. Features Dawn French of ''Series/TheVicarOfDibley'' fame.
49* ''Series/Touch2012'' A rare case of a heartwarming, [[{{pun}} touching]] human drama mixed with urgent paranormal action--and yet, despite starting off with strong viewership, the ratings collapsed quickly and the show's second season ([[DarkerAndEdgier now with greater intensity and action and emphasis on the big corporate conspiracy backstory]]) was postponed nearly four months and banished to the FridayNightDeathSlot, where its ratings never recovered. Fox canceled the show just one day shy of its second-season (now series) finale.
50* ''Series/MrAndMrsMurder''. An Australian Dramedy series starring comedian Creator/ShaunMicallef and his former ''Newstopia'' costar Kat Stewart as a married couple who run a crime-scene cleanup company and solve mysteries. The show has great writing, a clever concept and lots of charm, but so far has not been well-promoted.
51* ''Series/{{Series/BetterOffTed}}.'' A satirical workplace sitcom focusing on Ted Crisp, head of a research and development department at the soulless conglomerate of Veridian Dynamics. The show had Ted frequently break the fourth wall to narrate events (and give viewers advice about how to survive in his world) as the show's on-camera narrator. Portrayed as the sole managerial figure with any morals whatsoever, the series focuses on his interactions with his calculating, emotionless supervisor, two bumbling, socially inept scientists with genius-level IQ, and Ted's love interest, a naive, morally conflicted subordinate. It started off with relatively low ratings that kept dropping as the show continued. Critics and those that did watch it loved it. Luckily, it's available both on DVD and Netflix.
52* ''Series/TheLastLeg'': Just launched, only a basic description of what it is.
53* ''Series/{{Fringe}}'' was pretty much ''Series/TheXFiles'' without the TheChrisCarterEffect--it had a good balance of MonsterOfTheWeek episodes and MythArc episodes, and that MythArc '''actually went somewhere'''. It lasted for five seasons, two of which were ''after'' it had gotten moved to the FridayNightDeathSlot on a [[Creator/{{FOX}} network]] that's [[TheFireflyEffect known]] for [[ScrewedByTheNetwork axing good shows.]] It beat all the odds and triumphed, but many people haven't even heard of it. Having the main character being played by the CEO's niece probably didn't hurt its survivability.
54* ''Series/CaitlinsWay'' was a pretty good show back in its day, and considering all the crappy shows we've been getting, it still holds up. For one thing, there's no sex or sexual stuff, the adults play a good role in Caitlin's life, and the drama is clever, subtle, and well-done. Sadly, it only has three seasons and no DVD release, which it SO deserves!!
55* ''Series/TheDresdenFiles'' is by no means the equal of Creator/JimButcher's [[Literature/TheDresdenFiles books]], but it ''was'' a good deal of fun, and at some points used your knowledge of the books to throw you a deliberate curveball. (For example, we learn Harry's history in the first episode, including the death of Harry's mentor Justin... and then we see Justin watching from the shadows near the end. OhCrap.)
56* ''Series/TheCreatives'', a small scale but nontheless witty and often hilarious Brit-com that allowed Creator/RogerAllam free rein long before ''Series/TheThickOfIt''.
57* ''{{Series/Okupas}}'' was a cult hit, but it never had its release on DVD. And you have probably never heard of it.
58* ''Series/UnnaturalHistory'' was an amazing show that was ScrewedByTheNetwork after one season. It was about a globe-trotting high schooler named Henry Griffin who had to adjust to living in D.C., and he has never lived in a city. His new school is connected to a museum, where they find historical (or not) mysteries to solve. Arguably, it would have done better had it not aired on [[Creator/CartoonNetwork, a channel not well-regarded for its live-action shows]].
59* Ditto for ''Series/TowerPrep''. A ''Hunger Games''-esque drama that's just as (if not more) daring than ''History'', but aired on the same channel, and also got the axe after a single season.
60* ''Series/TheLeague'' might be the funniest show on FX, with every episode full of quote-worthy, laugh-out-loud moments but it tends to be overshadowed by its neighbors ''Series/{{Archer}}'' and ''Series/ItsAlwaysSunnyinPhiladelphia''. The fantasy football concept may be scaring people off, but enjoyment of the show is not dependent on understanding the sport.
61* ''Series/BombGirls'' was tragically cancelled after two seasons, but it was an amazing, well-written, well-acted, [[UsefulNotes/TheBechdelTest Bechdel Test]]-passing show about the lives of a group of Canadian women during World War 2 working in a bomb factory.
62* ''{{Series/Roundhouse}}'' is extremely unconventional even for a Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} show, with a format never attempted before or since. It's a standard SketchComedy interspersed with song, dance, and a FramingDevice involving the (mis)adventures of a NuclearFamily. Every pop-culture reference is well-done, the storylines are brilliantly written and acted, [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic the music is unlike anything ever heard on a kids' show before it]], the cast members are among the best triple-threats to never break into the mainstream, and the whole show in general is jam-packed with content and with RapidFireComedy in full effect. Despite all this, [[ScrewedByTheNetwork the show only lasted four seasons, with plans for a live tour and soundtrack album going into limbo]]. It hasn't been released on DVD, and was never rerun on TV for over a decade, not even on Creator/NickRewind[[note]]Which was known as ''The '90s are All That'' at the time[[/note]] (even being replaced by ''Series/AreYouAfraidOfTheDark'' during the block's celebration of Creator/{{SNICK}} in which nearly all of that block's original lineup was shown), before it started to show up occasionally after the block's retool into ''The Splat''. However, ''Roundhouse'' retains a small yet devoted fanbase to this day.
63* ''Series/SoWeird'', a paranormal mystery/drama series produced by Disney in the '90s [[SpiritualSuccessor not incomparable with the same channel's]] ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'', was pretty successful and popular while it aired, but when Disney nixed the plot of the third season in favor of a LighterAndSofter alternative, its popularity took a nose dive. Despite having two impressive seasons and being one of the most well-written shows on Disney at the time, it seems to have been mostly forgotten.
64* Bonkers that a UK soap ''Series/NightAndDay'' is not especially well-known or regarded outside a small cult following, despite being a moderately acclaimed (including described as a British ''Series/TwinPeaks''), and arguably innovative take on the soap opera genre. Being royally ScrewedByTheNetwork twice over, first with the rapid cancellation of the teatime episodes and then with the shunting of the omnibus into a midnight graveyard slot, presumably didn't help its profile. Nor has the total absence of any repeats or DVD releases--the latter of which the fandom sometimes attributes to the unusually large amount of commercial music used within the show, or simply the excessive length of the show's run.
65* ''Series/OutOfJimmysHead'' got flak for being on Creator/CartoonNetwork like ''Unnatural History'' and ''Tower Prep'' above (and is generally considered to be weaker than the other two), but it's certainly an interesting take on the RogerRabbitEffect, with unique characters and silly plots.
66* ''Series/ZekeAndLuther'' and ''Series/KirbyBuckets'': They're hardly the best shows on Disney XD but they're the only two single-camera sitcoms on the network. The former was their first-ever sitcom, with boy-friendly themes about skateboarding, the title characters interacting with the audience, and a former star from one of Nick's most beloved sitcoms. The latter was their take on ''Series/OutOfJimmysHead'', featuring random cartoon characters who pop up out of nowhere in quick gags and two more ex-Nick stars (from considerably less well-received shows).
67* The '90s British comedy ''Mulberry'' was cancelled two seasons into its planned three-season run, and today it's all but forgotten. With gentle humor, endearing characters and a truly special premise, it's well worth the few hours it takes to watch the full series.
68* ''Series/{{Legends}}''. A ConspiracyThriller TV series developed by ''Series/{{Homeland}}'' showrunner Howard Gordon, about an FBI agent who specializes in undercover operations. He's really good at what he does--so good, in fact, that he easily slips into character while barely thinking about it. (The titular "legends," by the way, refer to the various undercover identities he employs in his job.) To add more mystery into the mix, his name, Martin Odum, is ominously revealed to be another legend as well. Not convincing enough? How about '''Creator/SeanBean''' for a lead actor? If nothing else, you can be damned sure [[ChronicallyKilledActor he won't get killed off]] in this series.
69* In 1988, a studio in Canada made a ten episode series of Beverly Cleary's ''Literature/RamonaQuimby'' books simply called ''Ramona''. It's a cute SliceOfLife show that doesn't rely on modern live-action tropes: no special effects, no melodrama, no zaniness, no over-the-top comedy, no laugh tracks, nothing! All it does is focus on the simple life of an eight-year-old girl, her family, friends, and relatives as she gets herself into trouble and learns about life and herself. As of this writing, it has no DVD release, but it is a very sweet series that really did the books justice despite being so short. However, it is slow-paced, almost bordering on mundane at some points because of its intense focus on realism, so it won't be for everyone. But it certainly deserves more love. Also, it averts DawsonCasting by casting actual kids as the kid characters, among them then- eight-year-old Creator/SarahPolley as eight-year-old Ramona Quimby.
70* ''Series/BritainsGotThePopFactor'': A spot-on mercilessly deconstructive parody of TV talent shows. A lot more could be said about this with more outgoing links.
71* ''Series/ShoeboxZoo'': A children's show based on Scottish mythology that ran on BBC for two seasons in the early 2000s. Though it's a kid show, the quality of the writing goes far above and beyond what's expected, with great character development, complex character relationships, a child protagonist that's actually written like a real child, some genuinely shocking plot twists and a dark and serious tone while still being appropriate for children. Apparently it once had a reasonably active community that sadly vanished over night. Today this wiki is perhaps the only place a future fan might discover the show.
72* ''Series/LabRats'' is often dismissed as "just another Disney Channel sitcom", especially since it was on their fringe sister network Disney XD. It tends to get overshadowed by their animated shows like ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'' and ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls''. What makes it stand out is its intriguing concept (three bionic teenagers are raised as normal humans by their stepbrother). The characters are exciting and the stories are funny, but it shines when it gets serious. ''Lab Rats'' is arguably Disney Channel's darkest live-action sitcom, exploring the themes of bionic warfare, terrorist threats, and child soldiers. It kicked off a wave of superhero sitcoms on both Disney (''Series/MightyMed'') and Nickelodeon (''Series/HenryDanger'' and ''Series/TheThundermans''), all of which tend to be goofier in nature than ''Lab Rats'', especially the Nick shows. Marvel fans will enjoy something that comes straight out of their playbook, and ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' fans will want to look into it as Naruto's English voice actress plays a major character on the show.
73* In 2016, Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} released a fantasy series known as ''Series/TheOtherKingdom'' in which a fairy princess goes to high school in the human world as part of an exchange program for 90 days, after which she'd have to choose to either stay in the human world forever or return home to be queen. Unfortunately, various people brushed it aside seeing it as just another FishOutOfWater teen sitcom and it was canceled after a single 20-episode season. Yet, despite all this, the show omits the typical LaughTrack heard in most teen sitcoms and has endearing characters, complex lore it was setting up, and even a subplot surrounding humanity's relationship with technology and nature, which was a very important message at the time — and still is today. Not to mention the numerous lessons about humanity taught on the show, which most people take for granted. This series deserves far more respect and attention than it gets.
74* ''Series/{{Crashbox}}'', an HBO edutainment series where viewers play mini-games in a factory. The games are extremely goofy and random. For example, one game teaches vocabulary by narrating a day in the life of an unsanitary man, while another involves historical figures visiting a haunted house, and another has a radio host scramble and unscramble words. There's always seven or eight games played per episode, and there are amusing cutaways involving power outages or hijinks in a cafeteria.
75* Not so much for a show as for a character, the DVDCommentary for the S1 finale of ''Series/RobinHood'' has most of the cast talking about how sorry they feel for Guy of Gisborne. After a few minutes of this, Jonas Armstrong speaks up in defence of Robin: "Why does everyone feel sorry for Gisborne? He's a murderer! What about poor Robin?!"
76* ''Series/TheNoddyShop'', the SpiritualSuccessor to ''Series/ShiningTimeStation'', tells the story of a toy shop where the toys and the shopkeeper's pet come to life. Although it was a hit on PBS and CBC, it was overshadowed by other shows during its run in the U.S., including ''WesternAnimation/DragonTales'' and ''Series/{{Zoboomafoo}}''. Meanwhile, British viewers of the show have criticized it for ruining ''WesternAnimation/NoddysToylandAdventures'', claiming that the additional characters weren't needed. However, most of them are interesting, and they include a retired sailor, a hilarious old woman who runs the shop next door, a superhero dog and tiny people who live inside the store. The show also is full of [[ShoutOut pop culture references]], including characters based on Carmen Miranda and Creator/JohnnyCarson, two songs spoofing those heard in the film ''Film/{{Grease}}'', and characters quoting everything from poetry to ''Series/SaturdayNightLive''.
77* ''Series/ComradeDetective'' is a GenreThrowback[=/=]satirical series on Amazon Prime with an odd premise: ''Series/MiamiVice'' [-[[JustForFun/RecycledInSpace AS A COMMUNIST PROPAGANDA PIECE]]-]! The show [[PoesLaw achieves the effect]] of looking like it it was an '80s Romanian propaganda show by casting Romanian actors speaking their native tongue, and then having American actors do a HongKongDub over it. HilarityEnsues as two secret police agents try and solve a murder [[ItMakesSenseInContext by a killer in a Ronald Reagan mask]]. Get ready to [[CringeComedy cringe]] as they spit out anti-American propaganda and InsaneTrollLogic, as well as jabs at [[TheAllegedCar Dacias]] and other aspects of the CrapsackWorld that was 1980s Romania. Those interested in the UsefulNotes/ColdWar, as well as CopShow fans, will enjoy this series, which was sadly cancelled after one season.
78* ''Series/TheFinder'' only lasted one season, but was a mix of oddball characters, interesting cases, character development, and some cool references. Although the death of Creator/MichaelClarkeDuncan would have changed much of the dynamics between the characters had the show continued.

Top