We recently reported on the possibly premature cancellation of The Boroughs after one season. The Netflix show, executive produced by The Duffer Brothers and looking a lot like Stranger Things with old people, is on my watch list but I haven’t started it yet.
I suppose that makes me part of the problem because it was cancelled for one simple reason: ratings (or lack thereof).
No matter how good a show is from a creative standpoint, if you don’t hit those numbers then you’re gone. It’s a tale as old as time.
It got me wondering about one-season wonders. I’m not talking about limited series that were intended to be a single season (Band of Brothers, Chernobyl, Edge of Darkness) but shows unfairly cut down when they seemed to be on the edge of something great. Our entertainment, sacrificed at the altar of the almighty dollar because we can’t have nice things.
I have one more criteria for a show to be considered a one-season wonder. Despite its early demise, it still has to be worth watching. I wouldn’t want to watch a show that cuts off mid-stream, but sometimes a mid-season or season finale (if it gets that far) can provide just enough of an ending to allow it to stand on its own two feet as a story worth investing in.
I’ll start us off with a few examples of one season wonders. One is fairly obvious, but the others less so.
Firefly (2002)
Yes, I realise this is thinking inside the box. I included Joss Whedon’s Firefly here because I only just got around to watching it this year (and only a quarter of a century late).
This may have been mentioned by others before me, but Firefly seemed to be building the foundations of something special. We only scratch the surface in its 14-episode run, but boy…what could have been.
It wasn’t perfect. Some of the effects were a bit wobbly and cheap looking. The action didn’t always convince. The theme song wasn’t very good, nor was the limp opening voiceover that dumped a lot of lore on the unsuspecting viewer. I can’t help but wonder if that put off a lot of normies.
But for those who could buy into the concept (not enough of us, apparently), Firefly’s anti-Star Trek, ‘western in space’ setting was novel and allowed for imaginative and varied storytelling.
But its trump card was the characters: a colourful, ragtag group of scoundrels, pirates, prostitutes, preachers and fugitives with mysterious pasts. So much potential. So many different dynamics at play. Wasted. Jewel Staite was pretty cute, too.
At least Firefly got a movie to wrap things up. Serenity (2005) was entertaining but had to cram an awful lot of story and lore into two hours. Characters either got left behind or had their arcs put into fast forward (particularly River). I’m glad it exists, but I’d much rather have 7 seasons of the show.
Firefly remains the ultimate one season wonder – a quality product that is still beloved 24 years later. Comic books and novels continued the story, plus an animated series featuring the original cast was announced this year. That’s fine, I guess, but it’s not what we wanted.
Street Hawk (1985)
*Executive snorts a line of coke*
“I’ve got an idea. Knight Rider, but with a motorbike.”
We recently covered Steet Hawk in a Hollywood History article. As a child, Street Hawk burst into my life and became the only thing me and my friends talked about. For about five minutes. As quickly as it came, it disappeared.
The reason? Cancellation after only 13 episodes. And yet, over forty years later, Street Hawk is still fondly remembered by anyone of my age group. We may not recall the details, but we remember the vibe – a space-age bike going so fast that streetlights turned to lasers as it streaked along at hundreds of miles per hour.
I don’t think I’d watch it again after all these years (it certainly didn’t get any kind of ending) but for its lasting cultural impact alone, I feel it deserves to be recognised as a one-season wonder.
Quarry (2016)
From the creators of Banshee, you say? I’m in. This 70s set show, based on a series of pulp novels by Max Allan Collins, follows a disillusioned Vietnam veteran who becomes a hitman after returning from the war.
Quarry reminds me of Breaking Bad in more ways than one. The main character turns to crime because he feels worthless. He hides his double life from his family. Characters are well drawn and the writing is intricate, with even little details coming into play later on.
Criminally cancelled after one season, we get a semi-resolution to the story which makes it worth the watch. But the epilogue at the end of episode 8 will have you screaming at the screen for the season 2 we’ll never get.
The Runarounds (2025)
The most recent entry on this list. The Runarounds debuted in 2025 on Amazon Prime. It tells the story of a high school band trying to land a record gig in the summer after graduation, before college breaks them up for good.
The Runarounds spins an entertaining tale over its 8 episodes, successfully weaving multiple subplots for its characters. Each character is fully realised and gets their moment to shine. All the actors play their own instruments, which adds to the immersion.
Its target market may be teenagers, but I found it enjoyable as an older viewer. It will make you nostalgic for that long carefree summer after leaving school. The one that Brian Adams sang about. The one that seemed to last forever.
Its creators planned a five-season arc, but it was canned after one. I would have liked a continuation, but it doesn’t really need one.
Daisy Jones and the Six (2023)
If you liked Almost Famous, you’ll love this. Daisy Jones and the Six is adapted from the book by Taylor Jenkins Reid and loosely based on the dynamics of Fleetwood Mac. It charts the journey of a fictional 1970s rock band, from their early days through to superstardom and implosion.
I debated whether to include it because it was billed as a limited series. It tells its story over ten episodes and doesn’t require a follow up.
But it clearly wants one. The cast have spoken about their desire for it, and even Stevie Nicks has pitched an idea. The end of season 1 drops tantalising hints at where they could go with season 2.
Although character arcs are complete, many relationships remain unresolved, which could be fertile ground for a second season that focussed on a reunion tour.
The soundtrack is great, and like The Runarounds, the actors play their own instruments. Riley Keough plays Daisy Jones, and she is Elvis Presley’s granddaughter. As far as credentials go, that’s not bad.
Over To You
So…what premature cancellation would you like to rebrand as a one season wonder? Did you cry over The Class? Shed tears over Surface? Throw a wobbly over Threshold? Freak out over Freaks and Geeks? File a petition over Flashforward? Write a strongly worded letter to the studio over Watchmen?
What are your one-season wonders?
